In Memory
This page is dedicated to those in my life that have had a major influence and have sadly passed on.
To the person that single handedly reignited my passion for horses when I thought all hope was lost. I
wanted to dedicate this spot on my website to her as surely if I hadn't found her I very well might not be
involved with horses. So this is in memory of Bridget Bauer and her undying love of Draft Horses. Bridget,
I sincerely hope and pray you are enjoying life and playing and interacting with God's Draft Horses
especially the Shires. Maybe you are even looking after Gabby for me! I hope and pray to see you again!
wanted to dedicate this spot on my website to her as surely if I hadn't found her I very well might not be
involved with horses. So this is in memory of Bridget Bauer and her undying love of Draft Horses. Bridget,
I sincerely hope and pray you are enjoying life and playing and interacting with God's Draft Horses
especially the Shires. Maybe you are even looking after Gabby for me! I hope and pray to see you again!
Gabby- My love, my life, my dream mare. Gabby is
the other mare I saw and loved when I fell in love with
Heidi back in 2000. She was also owned by BFS at that
time. BFS sold her to a lady in NC then she was
boarded at a farm in Grand Junction, CO. In the spring
of 2005 I found Gabby for sale at this farm and decided
to save her and let her live out her days with her buddy
Heidi and get a last chance at loving life. Gabby started
doing great and sadly took a turn for the worst in August
2006 when she came down with Canker which was
treated via surgery. Unfortunately the surgery allowed
her coffin bone to sink due to the arthritis in that leg. I
decided to make the hardest decision of my young life
and let Gabby go to be part of God's kingdom of Shires.
I decided to have her humanely put down so she would
never suffer again. I miss her GREATLY and cherish
every day that I had with her even though our time was
short. She was such a love and will be greatly missed
forever and for always here! I love you Gabby and will
miss you forever!f
the other mare I saw and loved when I fell in love with
Heidi back in 2000. She was also owned by BFS at that
time. BFS sold her to a lady in NC then she was
boarded at a farm in Grand Junction, CO. In the spring
of 2005 I found Gabby for sale at this farm and decided
to save her and let her live out her days with her buddy
Heidi and get a last chance at loving life. Gabby started
doing great and sadly took a turn for the worst in August
2006 when she came down with Canker which was
treated via surgery. Unfortunately the surgery allowed
her coffin bone to sink due to the arthritis in that leg. I
decided to make the hardest decision of my young life
and let Gabby go to be part of God's kingdom of Shires.
I decided to have her humanely put down so she would
never suffer again. I miss her GREATLY and cherish
every day that I had with her even though our time was
short. She was such a love and will be greatly missed
forever and for always here! I love you Gabby and will
miss you forever!f
Steve Bowers- the Draft Horse world lost yet another of its
soldiers on June 1st 2007. The highly notable Steve Bowers
suddenly and unexpectedly passed away due to a brain
aneurysm. Steve was truly a miracle worker with the draft
horses. He worked with Belle back in 2004 when she was
pretty fresh off the range in Canada and almost nothing could
be done with her (caught, haltered, etc). Steve came and did
four lessons with Belle and I and he worked wonders, turning
her into the sweet amazing mare she is today in just four
lessons! He had an amazing gift with draft horses and they
totally understood and trusted him. He is a HUGE loss to the
Draft Horse world as he is THE natural horsemanship trainer
for Drafts. The equine world suffered a huge loss on June 1st.
May you rest in peace Steve and thank you SO much for all the
help with Belle and teaching me how to work with horses of all
types! You are amazing and are apparently needed in heaven
to train some of God's horses. I hope we meet again someday!
soldiers on June 1st 2007. The highly notable Steve Bowers
suddenly and unexpectedly passed away due to a brain
aneurysm. Steve was truly a miracle worker with the draft
horses. He worked with Belle back in 2004 when she was
pretty fresh off the range in Canada and almost nothing could
be done with her (caught, haltered, etc). Steve came and did
four lessons with Belle and I and he worked wonders, turning
her into the sweet amazing mare she is today in just four
lessons! He had an amazing gift with draft horses and they
totally understood and trusted him. He is a HUGE loss to the
Draft Horse world as he is THE natural horsemanship trainer
for Drafts. The equine world suffered a huge loss on June 1st.
May you rest in peace Steve and thank you SO much for all the
help with Belle and teaching me how to work with horses of all
types! You are amazing and are apparently needed in heaven
to train some of God's horses. I hope we meet again someday!
Sadly on July 29th 2007, the Shire world lost a
phenomenal up and coming Shire stallion by the
name of Burnham Green Alfie. He is the sire of
Avril as I instantly fell in love with him upon our
first meeting and still to this day love him and miss
him. He was a monster standing at 19 hands but
was the sweetest, quietest, goofiest stallion you
would ever want to know. I didn't post it sooner as
I was trying to let BFSGH post it on their site but
they rarely update their site and I wanted a tribute
to such a special boy on my site. He was such a
phenomenal stallion and one that was lost far too
soon. My prayers are with everyone at BFSGH
after the loss of such an amazing horse! RIP Alfie!
I love you forever!
phenomenal up and coming Shire stallion by the
name of Burnham Green Alfie. He is the sire of
Avril as I instantly fell in love with him upon our
first meeting and still to this day love him and miss
him. He was a monster standing at 19 hands but
was the sweetest, quietest, goofiest stallion you
would ever want to know. I didn't post it sooner as
I was trying to let BFSGH post it on their site but
they rarely update their site and I wanted a tribute
to such a special boy on my site. He was such a
phenomenal stallion and one that was lost far too
soon. My prayers are with everyone at BFSGH
after the loss of such an amazing horse! RIP Alfie!
I love you forever!
Belle & Heidi @ Bridget's
KC- Bridget's good TB mare. KC came down to Desert Jewel in
August of 2007 after the passing of Bridget. She foaled out an
adorable filly in May 2008 and weaned her baby in August which
is the time I added her to my herd. She was such a special girl,
and she was thin from weaning her baby. She maintained for
several months but wouldn't gain. Then starting in about
November she started losing weight for an unknown reason.
Then her appetite started decreasing so we ran every test we could
think of and everything came back for the most part normal for an
18yr old TB mare. So we tried changing to several different
foods, different meds, everything we could think of. She wouldn't
so we humanely euthanized her on February 24th 2009. She is
finally at peace and pain free and running in heaven with her
mom, Bridget. Really miss you KC, and am just hoping and
praying you are happy and pain free and having a grand old time!
RIP baby girl :(.
August of 2007 after the passing of Bridget. She foaled out an
adorable filly in May 2008 and weaned her baby in August which
is the time I added her to my herd. She was such a special girl,
and she was thin from weaning her baby. She maintained for
several months but wouldn't gain. Then starting in about
November she started losing weight for an unknown reason.
Then her appetite started decreasing so we ran every test we could
think of and everything came back for the most part normal for an
18yr old TB mare. So we tried changing to several different
foods, different meds, everything we could think of. She wouldn't
so we humanely euthanized her on February 24th 2009. She is
finally at peace and pain free and running in heaven with her
mom, Bridget. Really miss you KC, and am just hoping and
praying you are happy and pain free and having a grand old time!
RIP baby girl :(.
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Christine Bartko- July 20 1968- March 10 2010
For those that knew Christine knew she was an extremely intelligent woman, and she would stand
up to adversity and fight it. Christine and Jeff pretty much single handedly introduced the Gypsy
Horse to the United States and Christine was responsible for going on MANY shopping trips to the
For those that knew Christine knew she was an extremely intelligent woman, and she would stand
up to adversity and fight it. Christine and Jeff pretty much single handedly introduced the Gypsy
Horse to the United States and Christine was responsible for going on MANY shopping trips to the
UK to bring back over only the best horses. She got her start in Renaissance Faires which is
where she met her husband Jeff! Christine and Jeff imported over 1000 Gypsies into the US
before the importing came to an end. Christine was one that she knew if you were doing your
best or not, and if you weren't she would push you to do your best. She was truly an amazing
woman and one that will be greatly missed in both the Shire and Gypsy worlds. Having worked
for her for almost 3 years, her loss hits me pretty hard, I still can't fathom that she is gone :(.
Christine, I truly hope you are in heaven taking care of the Shires and Gypsies that have gone
before us. You had a profound impact on my life and I will never forget you. One look in my
pastures and many came from BFSGH in some way, shape, or form. I truly thank you for all that
you did for me over the years and will miss you. RIP Christine!
At right, Christine is pictured riding BFS Dinah in the Tournament of Roses Parade 2007. This
was one of the best memories I have of her, it was a CRAZY trip and one that we sit back and
laugh at now :). RIP Chris!
where she met her husband Jeff! Christine and Jeff imported over 1000 Gypsies into the US
before the importing came to an end. Christine was one that she knew if you were doing your
best or not, and if you weren't she would push you to do your best. She was truly an amazing
woman and one that will be greatly missed in both the Shire and Gypsy worlds. Having worked
for her for almost 3 years, her loss hits me pretty hard, I still can't fathom that she is gone :(.
Christine, I truly hope you are in heaven taking care of the Shires and Gypsies that have gone
before us. You had a profound impact on my life and I will never forget you. One look in my
pastures and many came from BFSGH in some way, shape, or form. I truly thank you for all that
you did for me over the years and will miss you. RIP Christine!
At right, Christine is pictured riding BFS Dinah in the Tournament of Roses Parade 2007. This
was one of the best memories I have of her, it was a CRAZY trip and one that we sit back and
laugh at now :). RIP Chris!
Shiredale Joey's Joshua
May 6th 2011-November 2nd 2011
Grey Shire Colt
Josh was an exceptionally sweet colt that
May 6th 2011-November 2nd 2011
Grey Shire Colt
Josh was an exceptionally sweet colt that
absolutely loved everyone and everything that he met. Unfortunately
on November 2nd 2011 he started violently colicing, with our vet we
tried a couple life saving options and we couldn't get him painful and
not peaceful, so we made the choice to let him go. Josh's life was far
too short but he was a beautiful col intside and out. RIP Josh, hope
you and Joey and Jayden are playing together!
on November 2nd 2011 he started violently colicing, with our vet we
tried a couple life saving options and we couldn't get him painful and
not peaceful, so we made the choice to let him go. Josh's life was far
too short but he was a beautiful col intside and out. RIP Josh, hope
you and Joey and Jayden are playing together!
Gronant Joseph
June 1st 2005- November 29th 2010
It was a well known fact Joey was my "boyfriend"! He would do
anything for me and I would do anything for him. The day he passed
away he took a large part of me with him, I felt so lost being left
behind as I truly thought we would grow old together :(. On Nov
27th, he had a rare form of Colic called Epiploic Foramen
Entrapment, he underwent surgery but his gut never restarted so was
humanely euthanized two days later with me at his side. There will
never be another like him and I miss him so much every day! Love
you Joey and miss you SO much!
June 1st 2005- November 29th 2010
It was a well known fact Joey was my "boyfriend"! He would do
anything for me and I would do anything for him. The day he passed
away he took a large part of me with him, I felt so lost being left
behind as I truly thought we would grow old together :(. On Nov
27th, he had a rare form of Colic called Epiploic Foramen
Entrapment, he underwent surgery but his gut never restarted so was
humanely euthanized two days later with me at his side. There will
never be another like him and I miss him so much every day! Love
you Joey and miss you SO much!