June 28, 2007 - Just recently returned from the 2007 PtHA World Show in Tulsa, OK & what a great show it was! Seems the World Show set another record for the number of horses & exhibitors involved and, thanks to a lot of overcast/rainy days, it wasn't too hot. Cowboy had his best show ever, picking up 2 Reserve World Championships in a couple of Halter events. His trainer, Pee Wee Bowen, showed him in both of those events and certainly deserves the majority of the credit (well, OK...50/50 with Cowboy!). For the first time, Valia didn't have almost 50 horses in her Youth Geldings class - she didn't place, but she & Cowboy did their best & that's all that matters.
As I mentioned in the 'News' section, we stalled with our fellow South Texas Pinto (STP) members & that was lots of fun. From what his wife Cindy tells me, Rocky Gidden managed to survive the trip even though he was 'in charge' of a large female contingent from their Central Texas home area. Rocky, I guess 'the force' was with you!
The Pinto Shows are always a lot of fun - a much more relaxed atmosphere than most of the big breed shows. The show staff is always friendly and helpful and the dollar expenditures are not too terribly bad. This was the 4th year in a row for Valia & I to attend the World Show and we haven't been disappointed yet; Cowboy's performances were just icing on the cake!
July 22, 2007 - The July 21st STP show was cancelled due to, surprise...RAIN!!! Is it ever gonna' stop?! All this rain is almost as bad for hay production as drought. Too bad...cause Cowboy was ready & lookin' GOOD! We'll try it again on September 8th - see y'all there!
September 08, 2007 - The September 8th STP 3-Judge show in Seguin couldn't have gone much better. Valia & Pee Wee showed Cowboy to five individual 1st places, one Grand Champion, & one Champion of Champions in Halter. A successful show to say the least!!!
October 27, 2007 - Well...the 2007 horse show season is done! The October STP Futurity show is in the books & was lots of fun (with perfect weather!). Cowboy had a heck of year again - maybe we should let him retire soon, but I don't think Valia will go for that!
January 15, 2009 - OK, yeah...I know...a year-and-a-half break since the last posting! Pretty pitiful, I know. I've been deployed to Iraq since August 2008 and have been mobilized on active duty since July 2004. The time has flown by over here. It's been a great mission and I've made some new life-long friends. Thanks to all our friends and families for their kind words, encouragement, & support! We are forever grateful...
January 2009 - Me and one of my fellow troops, USAF SrA Stefanie Torres at the Iraq/Iran border...windy, cold, with a topography that looked like the surface of the moon! What a great tour I had over there...
December 2008 - The Multi-National Security Transition Command -Iraq Public Affairs Team, Baghdad, Iraq.
April 03, 2009 (thru current)- Got back home from Iraq and loved it! Met my beautiful girlfriend, Meni, at the 2009 Clear Lake Greek Festival and have been having a great time ever since. It was wonderful to be reunited with my family, especially my daughter, Valia. I took a month off and went back to work with my unit in Houston. I'm now stationed in Atlanta as my home unit's Liaison Officer to the Army Reserve Command here. I'm taking riding lessons myself while I'm here, and will even start roping lessons if I'm here long enough! You're never too old... :-)
This is Oscar, my lesson horse in Buford (Atlanta), GA. Believe it or not, he's a BLM Mustang that was wild just five years ago...now he's a lesson horse! Amazing...
August 31, 2009 - Sadly, my dad, Manuel 'Mike' Victor Gazis, passed away on this date (1922-2009) at the age of 86. A WWII vet (combat medic), he was a member of our 'Greatest Generation' and will be sorely missed by many. He was a generous, humorous, and charismatic man, brilliant in many subjects. May his memory be eternal...
March 13, 2010 - Valia won the Youth Trail class at the South Texas Pinto Show in Seguin, TX...her first performance event win! Way to go, Valia!
March 16-17, 2010 - Valia competed at the Houston Rodeo's Paint Horse Show and did a great job. I'm VERY proud of her! Thanks to trainer Jim Carver and his daughter Debbie for all their hard work with both Cowboy and Valia. It's true that you meet some of the best people on the planet in fellow horse people. Hard to believe Valia will be leaving for college soon. Where did the time go???
March 30, 2010 - Just purchased 'Twitch' from Jeanie at Sierra Oaks Ranch! He's a black & white Tobiano stallion that is likely homozygous and has great performance bloodlines. He's my last one...promise! :-)
