Home from Nationals and a HUGE THANK YOU TO

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Well we had a wonderful time. Met some new friends and saw some old ones but as usual didnt have nearly as much time as I wanted to sit and visit. I wish Nationals lasted longer although it is good to be home. Even if I came home to a car that wont start, a computer that totally crashed beyond repair (using someone elses now) and a messy house but... all of that was worth it to go and have fun and...

BUY A NEW HORSE

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! TO DON AND RUSS OF DM MINIS for allowing us to purchase the AMAZING MARE DM Dirty Dancer. I fell in love with her as she almost ran me over on her way into a youth halter class LOL. Asked about her and knew at that moment I had to have her. tried to play it cool for my negotiating but I think saying OMG I have to have her I cant live without her sort of loses any sense of cool

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After some unusual attempts at negotiating (holding up prices as he was in the ring with the headers) finally I had to have her and Russ and Don were WONDERFUL in making it happen for me and Raven. Dancer is bred to DM Starbuck Sunny a MULTI National roadster champion and I am sure he has won more but it is all sort of a daze. I get the mare and the foal will be Ravens. I didnt take any pics so you will all have to wait till I get the pics back from Nationals or till the journal comes out but she is a beautiful bay with 4 whites and a star. Her and Raven bonded pretty quickly (ok me to)

Dancer had a great show winning 4 National champion driving titles and numerous top tens. We are so grateful to them for working with us to make this happen!

And an extra thanks to Roelene Lundy (hope I am spelling her name right) for not only driving dancer to a win in Ladies Co Pleasure a HUGE class but to then put up with me pretty much acting like a boob and hugging and jumping up and down with her when I was really a complete stranger LOL

 

[OhHorsePee]

Lisa, Kay and I were just talking about you earlier. Were wondering when you were going to announce your new one. Congratulations! She is awesome! :aktion033: Can't wait to see that baby!

Fran

 

[kaykay]

i didnt tell anyone i was so good!!! congrats on your beautiful mare. Everyone there was just blown away by her. And russ is such a good sport

So glad i got to meet him if only for a minute. And i was so happy to finally meet YOU even if ya did forget my chocolate LOL

 

[nootka]

Oh, congratulations!

Knowing you, she HAS to be something very special, so I am envious even before I've seen her.

Eagerly awaiting those photos,

Liz M.

 

[Roelene]

Lisa - Congratulations on your purchase. She is an awesome mare and you will enjoy driving her. It was nice to meet you - I don't post much on the forum but have read many of your posts, it was nice to put a face with your name and Raven is such a nice young lady, be proud of her. I look forward to seeing both of you next year with Dancer in the show ring.

 

[Miniv]

Congratulations Lisa! :aktion033: I've been hearing about Dirity Dancer and how beautiful she is on another thread -- of course not knowing you were to be her new owner!

Please don't keep us in suspense over photos for TOO long!!! Please?

MA

 

[Ashley]

I too have been waiting for you to speak up already! Congrats on her. HOpefully I will make it to nationals next year with horses, and will be seeing you in driving with her.

Nice meeting you there as well! You were totally different then I expected!

 

[Russ]

Lisa/Raven CONGRATULATIONS!!! You got my FAVORITE mare! I can't tell you how awestruck I have been with this mare. I first saw her at the Iowa Club show this summer. She was doing a halter class and I just kept my eye on her and kept thinking.....oh yeah this mare has "IT"......

: Dancer just floats and moves SMOOTH......I had told someone that day at the gate.....this mare WILL win it all today. Russ Maas ended up high point driver that day!

Followed her shows ever since.....got to give her a pep talk at the farm about a week before nationals. Russ was busy talking to his mom for a minute at the house and I was at Dancer's stall so thought what the heck....let's talk. I said Dancer....your the prettiest bay mare next to my own mare. I want you to go out to Tulsa and win some BIG national titles and think bay FILLY come spring! Dancer likes to be talked to and was chattering away to me.....could have been she was hungry but me thinks she is one SMART cookie and understood!

: So proud of that mare

: she was so much fun to see show this summer. I will miss seeing her at Iowa shows but know she went to the BEST home. Enjoy her and I want Dancer updates ok?

THINK FILLY in 2007! Go Dancer!

Oh and welcome to the D.M connection

I have a filly raised by Russ Maas.....the Maas family are great people and I appreciate their knowledge/friendship and of course their beautiful horses.

 

[Lewella]

CONGRATULATIONS LISA & RAVEN!!!! :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

You got yourself a WONDERFUL mare. :bgrin I've watched her show many, many times (most recently at the Area VI National in Lincoln, NE) and always admired her.

 

[Manyspots]

Congratulations on a very pretty mare! I have also watched her at several shows so it will be disappointing for us here in the midwest to not see her in the ring. Guess we will have to go to Nationals next year. It will be fun to see what she has for a foal. I am betting it will be one heck of a driver though some day! Don and Russ Maas are very nice people and it would be hard to find many folks that are more knowledgeable on driving horses than those two. There are many champions with the DM prefix, but there will be more in the future with RM as the prefix I am betting. It is an honor to know Don and Russ and we also have purchased some horses from them. Good luck with Dancer in the future. It is fun to read your post as it jumps with excitement and happiness! Lavonne

 

[Yaddax3]

That is one great horse, and it is going from one great owner to another.

 

[D.M. Minis]

I hope you have as much fun as I did with her. I cannt wait to see you two driving her in the winner spot.

She is always ready to please you just let her know what you want her to do for you.

 

[wildoak]

Congratulations on your purchase, very exciting! I heard her name a lot last week when they were calling placings. You were stalled just a row over from us I noticed, kept thinking I'd catch you and introduce myself but time and horse shows being what they are, it never happened.

Enjoy your new girl - look forward to seeing her there next year with you.

Jan

 

[Frankie]

Congrats Lisa!!!!!!!!! :aktion033: :aktion033:

And it was nice to see you again!

 

[Sanny]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!......I've been waiting to see when you would finally speak up about her.

I am also a HUGE Dancer fan and watched Russ show her and win at many shows this past year.

I actually didn't even realize Russ was willing to sell her until you and him started your "negotiations". Had we been more in the buying mode we probably would have already been talking to Russ about her ourselves. I know eventually I will have a DM driving horse too, just waiting for the right one that fits for what I personally want. I sent Russ home from nationals to search the DM herd for me.

I know the first day Dancer was shown at nationals and won her first national title and you were fretting about whether or not to buy her and wondering if you could get her price down and I said to you - I guarantee she is an awesome mare, she will win more titles before the end of nationals AND she is bred to DM Starbuck Sunny - if you don't commit now someone else is going to snap her up or her price will go up. I know there was a lot of interest in her and Russ could have sold her several times over for a lot more money. He is a great guy and honored what he'd already agreed upon with you - though I do know it also made a difference that he watched you - and especially Raven - interact with her and saw what a great fit she was.

Stay in touch with Russ too, as you get to know Dancer better. He really knows what he is doing and can give you lots of pointers in handling her and eventually driving her. You should also order a picture or two of her in the ring once they are posted online. I saw a couple of her and Russ on the photo boards and they were terrific.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Thanks everyone!

I really am so excited I just knew from the moment I saw her ringside in her halter class she was the one for us and HONEST I wasnt looking for a horse in fact I was looking for a puppy lol.

But seeing her with Raven and just being with her well as corny as it sounds I cant imagine her not being mine. We of course already figured out her favorite candy it took some trial and error but doublemint mints are the ones that do it for her

Russ was great and I talked to Don a little bit as well and just kept thanking them over and over again I am sure they think I am a bit nutso with my horses but am really so appreciative of them and of course Roelene who put up with my exuberence. And to Sanny and family thanks so much for really helping me feel comfortable in my decision before I had really talked to Don and Russ.

Raven got one backdrop picture of her (with her youth picture) and we will have some in the Journal as well and of course.. I will post them as soon as they are available.

Again thanks to everyone for sharing in my excitement and letting me babble like a fool

 

[LindaL]

WOW!!!! CONGRATS Lisa and Raven!!!!!!!! I'd been reading the nationals results daily and saw her name come up several times!!! I can't wait to see her pics!!! :aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[Stephanie]

Congratulations Lisa and Raven. Glad to hear you have a nice driving horse and will be joining the world of driving - Hooray :aktion033: Can hardly wait to see your new mare.

 

[Jill]

Congratulations, Lisa!!! I would love to see pictures of her!!!

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[Teedee]

[SIZE=12pt]This is sooo exciting! Dirty Dancer belongs in Idaho. Man can this mare move. I can't wait for you to get her and let me drive her just once. I think I was just as excited as you were when you decided to buy her. She is amazing and Fetus will be great for Raven. I hope to post some National pictures today of Raven. She is an awesome kid.[/SIZE]

Congrads!

Tammi