National Western Stock Show Mule Show and Pull

By Meredith Hodges

A record crowd of over 44,000 people attended the National Western Stock Show Mule Show and Pull held over the weekend of January 17-20, 1984 in Denver, Colorado. The versatility of the mule was amply displayed in the performance classes as was their beauty and conformation at halter. The jacks exhibited were a wide range of sizes and colors, giving spectators an unusually good overview of breeding possibilities. Spectators held their breath as the mule teams strained against the harness with incredible strength and heart in the pulling contest, then exploded with cheers and applause after each team had managed to pull their own weight and much more!

Spectators also delighted in mule-associated trivia—conversations went something like this:

“So a mule is the cross between a female horse and a male donkey?”

“That’s right, and the male donkey is called a jack.”

“What is a female donkey called?”

“A jenny, or jennet.”

“If donkeys are jacks and jenneys, or jennets, then what are mules called?”

“Johns and mollys.”

“Aha! Then what do you call the cross between a male horse, a stallion, and a female donkey, or jenny?”

“That is called a hinny.”

“Oh my… then what do they call a mule who came out of a mule, like Blue Moon?”

“Since Blue Moon was by a jack, or donkey, they are calling him a donkule;

however, Mr. Silvester, Blue Moon’s owner, is petitioning to have it changed to jule!”

“What do they call the offspring if the mule out of a mule is by a stallion?”

“Then he is called a hule.”

“Whoo…How totally confusing!”

Yes, there is no doubt that all this mule stuff can be pretty confusing, but everyone seems to have such fun trying to understand it all! The Lucky Three Ranch of Loveland, Colorado, reaffirmed its reputation for the production of high quality saddle mules by placing in every class they entered, and by winning most of them. Lucky Three Sundowner took first place in Halter for mules 56” & over, three years and older, first in Western Pleasure, first in Reining, and then was named Grand Champion Model Mule of the show! In addition, Lucky Three Ciji won the halter class for mules 48” to 56”, three years and older; Lucky Three Mae Bea C.T. took sixth at halter for mules 56” & over, three years and older, then third in the Single Mule Hitch driving class. Little Jack Horner, Sire-Supreme of the Lucky Three Ranch, completed the picture by taking fourth in the Drive & Ride class against seven mules, first in Halter for Large Standard Jacks and finally named Reserve Champion Jack of the show!

Grand Champion Jack of the show was Laramie, owned by Bud and Georgia Andrews of Northglenn, Colorado, and shown by Georgia Andrews. He was also shown under saddle in the Mule Western Pleasure class. Reserve Champion Model Mule was awarded to Jewel, owned and shown by Ray Godfrey of Rapid City, South Dakota. Jewel also took first at Halter for Draft Mules, first in the Single Mule Hitch driving class, and first in the Mule Pull with her teammate Roy in the class for mules 2001 lbs. and over. Taking first in the Mule Pull class for 1200 lbs. and under went to Six and Seven, owned and shown by Bud Stockwell of Loveland, Colorado. First in the Mule Pull class for 2101 lbs. to 2000 lbs went to Eenie and Meenie, owned and shown by Jess Johnson of Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Congratulations to all our winners! Our thanks to all who made this show the success that it turned out to be: to the exhibitors and their wonderful long-eared counterparts, without whom we would have no show; to the sponsors who continually support the efforts of the exhibitors. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the National Western Stock Show personnel for seeing to it that things ran as smoothly as possible. And most of all, our thanks to our “Longears fans” who continue to support us with their relentless cheering and applause! Special thanks to those from out of state for taking the time and trouble to contribute to the success of this show. And, a very special thanks to Mr. Arthur Silvester for sharing Blue Moon, the mule out of a mule, with this year’s National Western Stock Show. Everyone enjoyed meeting this extra-special celebrity!

As is apparent by the turnout at the National Western Stock Show Mule Show and Pull, mules are growing in popularity and appreciation in this country. October 26, 1985, will mark the bicentennial of the arrival of the first two jacks on American soil. They were sent here by the King of Spain, Charles III, as a gift to George Washington. It was our first president’s interest in mule breeding which helped propel the mule into its important role as the work animal that built the greatest nation on earth. The Lynchburg Mule Traders Association does not intend to let this historic milestone pass unnoticed. They are petitioning the United States congress to officially designate October 26, 1985, as Mule Appreciation Day in the U.S.A. If you wish to lend your support, you may write your congressman, or obtain information on this subject through the exhibitors at the National Western Stock Show Mule Show and Pull 1985!

To learn more about Meredith Hodges and her comprehensive all-breed equine training program, visit LuckyThreeRanch.com, MEREDITH HODGES PUBLIC FIGURE Facebook page, or call 1-800-816-7566. Check out her children’s website at JasperTheMule.com. Also, find Meredith on Pinterest, Instagram, MeWe, YouTube and Twitter.

Covered in TRAINING MULES & DONKEY: A LOGICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, TRAINING WITHOUT RESISTANCE and EQUUS REVISITED at www.luckythreeranchstore.com.

© 1984, 2016, 2024 Lucky Three Ranch, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.