The First Brewer Production Sale was a tremendous gathering of noted Shetland fanciers from more than half the United States and the gross average of course set a record for a production sale in the breed.  In fact, to that date only the Lowrey Dispersal of 1958 posted a higher average.

     A point is always reached when a breeder needs to obtain an outcross for his breeding program.  Needing an outcross bloodline to cross with the Topper mares, Vern had bought Hillswicke Oracle in the spring of 1959 after having purchased some fillies by him earlier.  He purchased “Oracle” from W.P. “Bill” Atkinson in the Ada sale for $35,000.  The pair of fillies and their show ring laurels could easily fill volumes, but suffice to say that with Hillswicke Bonny Cindy he owned the winningest mare in Shetland History and according to Vern, “the best mare he had ever seen.”  He also claimed that Lady Oracle was “just 15 cents behind her”.  “Oracle” himself 14 years old at the time Vern bought him was one of the top stallions of the breed, himself being a National Champion. 

     The story continues and in 1961 its time for a Blue Ribbon Sale, The Second Production Sale of the Brewer Family Shetlands consisting mainly of the progeny of Larigo’s Topper and Hillswicke Oracle.  Together Topper and Oracle held the number one sire ranking of the breed for 3 years, both in the breeding division and also in the combined breeding performance rating.  Topper headed the list in 1958 and 1959.  Then along comes Oracle in 1960 to move to the top after having been second and third respectively the previous years.

     The Brewer Shetland herd numbers approximately 300 head with 50 head of the broodmare band representing the get of the senior herd sire Larigo’s Topper.  During this time 802 acres make up the Brewer Pony Farm.  With Ray Oliver and Bryant Crisp the show string headed to many states winning all the way!  They not only showed the Brewer ponies, but also took on the show ponies owned by the Lazy N Stables of Jno and Nancy Norman.  Vern would meet them at the shows and they would walk away with the gold!  Too many wins to mention here.

The following is Betty Lynne's story.............

     All throughout the mid 50's to the early 60's, the Shetland Pony business remained an incredibly fascinating and lucrative era for the Vern Brewer Family.  Betty Lynne and Roy Vern, Jr. came along in 1955 and 1956, joining Dennis and Kathy, and the entire Brewer Family traveled extensively to shows all over the country. The breeding program that Vern had established brought him nationwide recognition as one of the leading Shetland Pony breeders of all time. In addition, he trained and showed ponies for John Norman of Winters, TX and other prominent people in the business.   Three production sales came and went and the prices on the ponies soared.  It was an illustrious time for the breed.  

     Vern Brewer had always been a man of vision and had always planned for the future.  As some of the top production sales brought in large profits for that era, he was one to make investments in other areas as well.  He acquired several pieces of properties over the next few years, always realizing that as in any other market, there would be ups and downs in the pony industry.  As a result of his success in the pony business, the Brewers now owned over 1200 acres in prime farmland south of Gainesville near Valley View, Texas. 

     In the coming years, Vern would scale down the size of his operation.  A herd that once had boasted over three hundred head of quality Shetland Ponies was eventually scaled down to about 15 head by about the time Kennedy was assassinated. Larigo's Topper had been loaned earlier to Ike Bozeman and Nelson Jefferies, close friends and well-known Shetland breeders.  Topper would live out the rest of his life in Zachary, Louisiana. 

     It was around 1964 that Vern made a phone call to his old friend John Norman.  Betty recalls Vern saying with a grin "Mr. Norman, I've always cherished your friendship and working for you over the years and now I want to return the favor.  I want to give you my last 15 head of ponies and I'll even deliver them."  (There had always been a special, quiet humor between the two men.)  Mr. Norman agreed to take the last Shetlands and Vern loaded up the trailer and delivered them that week. 

     The Brewer's future remained in the farming and ranching industry but the next few years were spent raising Charolais cattle, Black Angus cattle and a few exotic animals including, zebras and llamas.   It wasn't until the very early 1980's that Vern's life would take another turn that would once again put him in the history books of an equine breed…

The Beginning of Brewer Family Miniature Horses 

     It was fall of 1980 and Vern was now 68.  His longtime friend Jno. Norman had called and asked him to come and visit in Winters, TX.  Mr. Norman was getting up in years. He wanted to show Vern the miniature horses he had raised out of some of his smaller Shetland mares. At the time, he owned a beautiful, but little known miniature stallion, named Rowdy.   Vern and Betty, who had stayed close to Mr. Norman but hadn't seen him in some time, gladly agreed to stop by his farm on the way back from a Gainesville High School playoff football game. 

     Upon arriving in Winters, Vern was impressed with what he saw. He had seen only a few miniature horses in his lifetime and most had not made much of an impression on him.  But these little horses of Mr. Norman's had the refined conformation and beautiful heads and necks of the show ponies of the Shetland era.

     It was the spring of 1981 when Mr. Norman called again. This time he told Vern he had a man from Oklahoma coming to the farm to buy horses. He told Vern to come and pick out a couple of fillies and a stallion as a gift.  Mr. Norman wanted Vern to have his pick and first choice.  Vern thanked Mr. Norman and told him he would be glad to come back but that he wanted to pay for whatever he brought home. Mr. Norman insisted that they would be a gift. So within the next few weeks Vern and Betty traveled back to Winters, this time with a trailer. And once again a gift of horses would take place between the two men.

     Vern picked out two yearling fillies and a little bay stallion. Then he purchased three more fillies to make a total of six head. The group was comprised of Rowdy's Charm (years later awarded the 1987 National Grand Champion Senior Stallion), Rowdy's Grey Girl, Rowdy's Baby, Rowdy's Blaze, Rowdy's Dark Magic and Nancy J.  About a month later in Ft. Worth, at "The Biggest Little Horse Show in Texas", Vern showed Rowdy's Grey Girl, a yearling filly and took home the Grand Champion Junior Mare trophy.   The beginning of Vern Brewer family's adventure in the Miniature Horse industry had begun!

     The American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) and the International Miniature Horse Registry (IMHR) had been in existence for a short while. Leon Blair had just started the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) in 1978.  Between the three registries, small shows were beginning to emerge in the U.S.  The American Miniature Horse breed, in its infancy, started to gain the interest and recognition of horse fanciers all over the country.

     Roy and Kathy, Vern and Betty's now adult children had been in attendance at that show in Ft Worth in 1981.  The family made plans to attend a few more upcoming shows.  Within a few months, Vern started traveling to various farms in the U.S. to put together his breeding program. He was in search of mares and stallions that would produce what he had accomplished with the Shetlands. 

     Tony Greaves, a close family friend from the Shetland days, had also become interested in the Miniatures during this time period. Together, they traveled in search of new found treasure.  Though Tony was the age of Vern's oldest son, Dennis, they shared a similar interest and vast knowledge of bloodlines and stories from the Shetland days.  Roy also began to travel with his father on occasion.  The whole experience had rejuvenated Vern, who was in the retirement years of his life.  He was now 70, but he envisioned good things ahead for this industry.  He knew from his experience with the Shetlands what was ahead for the next decade or more.  And he was ready to take an active part in making a contribution to this equine breed.  What was ahead would not only bring his family closer, but would engrave a place for him in the American Miniature Horse history books for all time.

The Next Chapter 

     Vern's entire family became enthused and enthralled with what was happening in the pastures that surrounded the 16 acres around the Brewer homestead in Gainesville.  Little by little, the number of tiny horses began to increase and could be seen grazing on both sides of the road by the old barns.  Kathy and Roy had been the first to take an interest in the horses, since their families lived in Gainesville. 

     Kathy was Vern and Betty's oldest daughter. She was married, self-employed and lived next door to Vern and Betty, along with her daughter's Cristin and Stephanie.  Always the most softhearted member of the family, Kathy became a natural in assisting Vern with the care of the horses.  She helped with all aspects of the business and later took over as the "midwife" for the foaling mares and their babies.  Everything from the daily feeding of the miniatures to their medical treatment to showing, Kathy was right there, always a help to Vern and Betty. She nurtured her parents, as well as the horses, and was known for her fun-loving sense of humor.

     Vern and Betty's youngest son, Roy was working for the Santa Fe Railroad at the time.  Though he had a new young family, Roy still found time to come over in the evenings and weekends to help Vern with various projects. From a very early age, Roy was considered Vern's "partner" and had always worked with him out on the farm.  Roy was Vern's right hand man during his junior high and high school years and had a vast knowledge of everything related to the farm work.  From hauling hay to sprigging grass to caring for the cattle and some of the exotic animals that Vern had invested in, it was all a great part of life that Roy shared with his dad.  

     Around the time Vern had come home with the six miniatures from Winters, Texas, another key player appeared that helped influence the coming year's success.  Jackie Crisp came by one evening to borrow a tractor that Vern owned. Jackie's father, Bryant Crisp, had been Vern's farm manager in the Shetland days.  He saw the six miniatures out by the barn and asked what Vern was doing with the "little ponies".  One thing lead to another and Jackie started attending a few of the small shows that came up in the next few months with the Brewers.  Jackie had been involved in helping train Shetlands at the Brewer Pony Farm from the early age of nine. After the Brewers sold most of their ponies, Jackie, a young man in his early twenties, moved to Alabama for a time.  While there, he had trained Shetlands for Mr. C.T. Thackston.  Once again enjoying his relationship with the Brewers, Jackie started coming by in the evenings to help Vern and Kathy work and prepare the horses for the upcoming shows.

     The next to enter the picture was Betty Lynne, Vern and Betty's youngest daughter.  She lived in Irving, an hour from Gainesville, with her husband Mark and three young children, Matt, Brittany and Ashley.  Betty Lynne spent as many weekends as possible traveling to Gainesville to see her parents.   Vern knew that Betty Lynne and Roy had savings from an earlier investment and spoke to them about the opportunity with the miniatures.  He encouraged them to consider investing in a couple of mares.

     It was the fall of 1982. Vern and Roy had traveled to Del Moody's farm in Kansas City, Missouri to negotiate for a package of miniature horses. When they arrived home that weekend, Vern called Betty Lynne over to the barn where he and Roy had begun unloading the trailer.  He told his two children that after unloading the small group of horses he had just purchased, they would be allowed to take turns picking out two mares each.  Betty Lynne would get to go first.

     When the gray pinto mare and her month old colt emerged from the trailer, Betty Lynne immediately made her first selection.  Roy made his selections. And the two siblings, excited about their new venture went to the house and wrote checks to Vern and Betty for their new horses. 

     That gray pinto mare, Dell Tera's Queen, proceeded to make history in the next two years.  She became the 1984 National Grand Champion Senior Mare of, not only the AMHA National Show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but also of the IMHR National Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In two short years and a total of twenty shows, Queen won:

35 First Places

15 Grand Championships

1 Reserve Grand Championship

6 Pinto Championships

7 Times Supreme Halter Horse

IMHR National Grand Champion Senior Mare

AMHA National Grand Champion Senior Mare

Later in the fall of 1984 at the Louisiana State Fair Miniature Horse Show,

Queen was AMHA's first horse to be retired with an official ceremony.

     Throughout 1983 and 1984, Kathy, Betty Lynne, Jackie and their families accompanied Vern and Betty to shows in various places in the U.S.  Vern and Jackie worked with the two sisters on their showing skills.  Jackie showed the horses initially and the girls very quickly gained the confidence to take over.  The show string was usually small in number and always included Rowdy's Grey Girl and Dell Tera's Queen.  Jackie's showing and training expertise did not go unnoticed by fellow horse breeders. Very shortly, Bob and Sandy Erwin of NFC Farm offered him a farm manager and trainer position that he could not turn down. Vern encouraged him to head up the Erwin operation. But the herd back home was growing and eventually, Vern decided he needed Roy to be a permanent member of the Brewer Family miniature horse operation.  He offered Roy a job to come and work for the family business and Roy said goodbye to the railroad.

To be continued…

the purchase of Orion from Mark Verhaeghe..........

In the July 1984 issue of the Miniature Horse World (cover below) it was noted in the Cover Story that:

"Orion Light will become legendary in the history of American Miniature Horses"

    The Purchase of Orion-Light Van't Huttenest

     Each family member now had unofficially taken on part of the load that comes with running a horse business. Each family member owned their own horses and had a vested interest in seeing the business succeed. But equally as important was the true enjoyment the family was having, spending quality time together and meeting miniature horse breeders from all over the country.

     Roy learned quickly from Vern and was an extreme natural at handling the horses and in the show arena.   Kathy continued to help with much of the mare care and created the Mini Whinney Newsletter for the Southwestern Miniature Horse Club. Betty helped with the show preparation details and ran the Brewer household.  Betty Lynne created the advertising for the Miniature Horse World Magazine, edited by Barbara Ashby at the AMHA office.  At that time AMHA was located in Dr. Leon Blair's office in Arlington, Texas.

     Everyday Vern and Roy worked with the horses at the barn next to Vern and Betty's home.  Vern was a master in all areas with the horses. He had taught his family that showing the horses and doing well in the arena was one of the best forms of advertising that you could have.  But he also believed it was imperative to have a breeding program of quality mares and outstanding herd sires producing an impressive foal crop each year, in order to stay on top in the industry. So he studied the conformation of his horses and worked on a breeding program that would continue to improve the breed. Vern's desire was to breed top quality, correct and balanced miniatures with beautiful heads and long, slender arched necks.  Heads and necks were really an important consideration to Vern.  You could see consistency in that area from the very beginning.

     Vern and Roy continued the search for good miniatures to compliment the Brewer herd.    

     Vern had first seen Orion-Light Van't Huttenest on a miniature horse searching trip with Tony Greaves in 1983.  The Van’t Huttenest Miniature Horse Farm was located in North Carolina and was made up of very small Belgium bred horses brought to this country by their owner, Mark Verhaeghe.

     Orion was not of Verhaeghe breeding.  Mark Verhaeghe, a good friend of J.C. Williams of the Dell Tera's Miniature Horse Farm had been visiting J.C. one day in 1974.  A thunderstorm had just ended. J.C. and Mark had been looking over the pastures when they discovered a blue roan pintaloosa colt that had been abandoned by its mother.

      Mark offered to take the foal back to his farm, which housed an animal park with a petting zoo, and bottle feed him until he was weaned.  J.C. readily agreed.  During the next few months, Mark grew attached to the colt. It came time for weaning and Mark approached J.C. with an offer to trade.  He had $500.00 worth of halters in the trunk of his car.  The trade for Orion-Light Van't Huttenest was made.

     But it was now 1983, and there were only a handful of foals that had been sired by Orion. Though Mark revered the stallion, he had not used him in his breeding program.  He felt Orion at 31" was too tall for his breeding program of very small bodied mares that averaged 29" in height.  There had been a woman that worked for Mark that finally talked Mark into breeding the stallion to a few of these mares. 

     Now in 1983 during the North Carolina trip with Tony Greaves, as Vern looked across the road to Orion’s pasture, Orion was striking a show pose with an aura of greatness.  Vern was fascinated with the refinement, the presence, the neck and the head on this stallion!  He was beautiful. 

     Vern tried to gain access to Orion in a couple of ways. First, he offered Mark Verhaeghe a price of $65,000 to purchase this potentially great stallion for the breeding program. Roy questioned his dad's reasoning later by asking, “$65,000?! Are you going crazy, Dad?” Vern shared his wisdom by replying, “Listen to what I’m going to tell you, son. You can never pay too much money for an outstanding stallion."

    But Verhaeghe turned down the offer.  Though he had not used him extensively himself, he was beginning to see that Orion was quite a novelty. Not being able to buy Orion out right, Vern went to work trying to arrange a partnership with Mark. Each time there seemed to be some sort of problem with the arrangements and Vern could not get Verhaeghe to agree.

     Finally, in 1985, after agreeing to trade a son of Dell Tera’s Moonman, for a son of Orion, Yashica-Light Van’t Huttenest (later the 1985 National Reserve Grand Champion Junior Stallion), Vern and Roy drove to North Carolina to make the swap. Upon arriving in North Carolina, Vern and Roy were surprised to find that Mark was planning now to reduce his herd. The negotiations for Orion went on into the night.  Mark still did not intend to sell him.  Roy left and went to the hotel for some sleep, leaving Vern and Mark to continue their talks.  Vern seeing the value in Mark's herd of nice Belgium mares made an offer that Mark Verhaeghe could not turn down.  Vern purchased the entire 43 head including Orion! A deal was struck and Orion was bound for Texas and a place in AMHA history!

The Conclusion

     With the acquisition of Orion-Light and the Verhaeghe herd, the Brewer's operation expanded to the ranch in Valley View, Texas.  Orion and his band of mares were kept in the pastures behind the house in Gainesville, along with various horses that were kept in the barn.  Pastures and ponds were created on the Valley View 90-acre spread for the increasing numbers of mares and stallions that now made up the Brewer's breeding program.  Vern and Betty owned most of the stallions that the family shared. Careful consideration went into the breeding selection of the mares and stallions.  Eventually, many of Orion's sons were used as the herd sires in the breeding program. 

     Through the rest of the 1980's and early 1990's the Brewer show string, which usually consisted of only a hand full of horses from year to year, continued its success in the show arena.  Orion proved to be an outstanding herd sire, just as Vern had predicted.  He became the Leading Sire of National Grand Champions and his record still stands today.

     His sons and daughters won the following National Grand and Reserve Grand Championships.  Orion sired and grandsired many others with titles too numerous to mention here.

1985    Yashica-Light Van't Huttenest - National Reserve Grand Champion Stallion

(owned by Vern and Betty)

1987        Brewer's Orion Echo - National Grand Champion Junior Stallion

(owned by Vern and Betty)

1987        Brewer's Orion Lace - National Grand Champion Junior Mare

(owned by Roy and Gayla)

1988        Brewer's Orion Elation - National Grand Champion Junior Mare

(owned by Roy and Gayla)

1989        Brewer's Orion Classic - National Grand Champion Junior Stallion

(owned by Roy and Gayla)

1989    Brewer's Orion Legacy - National Reserve Grand Champion Junior Stallion

(owned by Betty Lynne)

1990        Brewer's Orion Impressive - National Grand Champion Junior Stallion

(owned by Vern and Betty)

1991        Brewer's Orion Spectacular - National Grand Champion Junior Stallion

(owned by Vern and Betty)

1991    Brewer's Orion Elation - National Grand Champion Senior Mare

(owned by Pete Aldrich)

1992    Brewer's Orion Impression - National Reserve Grand Champion Senior Mare

(owned by Barbara Charles)

     A few years after Orion made his home in Texas, Vern having raised many Orion daughters, was now in search for an out cross that would compliment the Orion bloodline.  Bond Dynamo, a stallion then owned by Lee and Barbara Martin of Edmond, Oklahoma, had sired several outstanding foals that had made their mark in the show ring.  Vern eventually obtained Dynamo from the Martin's. The cross on the Orion line was exceptional!  Dynamo, a beautiful black stallion with white hind socks, consistently threw offspring with great flow and movement.  The beautiful heads, necks and elegant refinement of Orion coupled with the great animation and movement of Dynamo, produced incredible foals!  Their color was just icing on the cake. 

     Throughout the 1980's and the early 1990's, life was exhilarating for Vern and Betty and their children.  Dennis and his wife, Gillie now lived in Arlington, Texas and joined a partnership with Betty Lynne on a mare in the later 1980's. This brought the entire family into the business. 

    As important as the family involvement during the show season, the Brewers always made their way to the AMHA annual meetings in the fall.  Vern, Roy and Betty Lynne served on numerous committees over the years.   The Brewers were invited to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California in 1988, televised to 300 million people worldwide.  Roy and Gayla, dressed eloquently as a royal family, escorted Orion-Light and his outstanding, leopard appaloosa weanling colt, Brewer's Orion Illusion down the course of the parade. It was a decade that encompassed not only the ordinary, physical labor that is involved with running a horse ranch, but also an exciting time of meeting wonderful people from all the country and even various parts of the world.

Brewers Orion Illusion

     In 1991, Vern was 79 years old.  He still got up early every morning and went out to feed Orion (also an older gentleman by now).  He planned his workday around tending to the horses at the farm.  Though he relied on Roy for much of the physical labor, Vern could still hold his own with the best of them. 

     On his birthday in February 1991, a large, surprise party had been planned by several friends and family members.  An AMHA National Director's Meeting was being held in Irving, Texas.  In the evening after the committee meetings had been completed, everyone filed back into the small banquet room. Vern, busy visiting with several horse breeders did not realize what was happening.  To his disbelief and delight, friends from all over the country had come to "roast" him.  It was a night of much laughter and a few tears, as many friends came to the podium to speak. "Mr Vern", as many people referred to him, was an honorable and memorable character in AMHA history and he was lovingly recognized that night. 

     In October of 1991, Vern was inducted into the American Shetland Pony Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Omaha, Nebraska.

     That winter, in December of 1991, Vern came down with a cold that turned into pneumonia.  Concerned about his health, his family took him to the doctor, who in turn, put him in the hospital.  He suffered congestive heart failure that evening.  It was the beginning of some complications that took a severe toll on Vern's health for the entire year of 1992.  Betty was at his side the entire year.  She and Kathy took turns  trying to nurture him to good health.  Vern passed away in on February 21, 1993, one week before his 81^st birthday. He was at home with his family when he passed away.  Betty Lynne remembers her sister, Kathy coming upstairs in the middle of the night to wake her up to let her know he was gone. "It felt like one of those nights when Kathy or Dad would come and wake me up to let me know a foal was being born.  I'd quietly slip into a pair of shoes to follow them out into the dark and see what incredible foal had come into our world. Dad was at peace now and I was so thankful for that and the life he had lived."

     During the next year, the family made the decision to keep the herd of miniatures belonging to Vern and Betty intact.  Roy purchased the majority of the horses, while Betty Lynne,  Kathy and Dennis also invested in a small number to add to their group. 

     The Brewer Family continued on and the Brewer grandchildren grew.  Time made some changes in their lives, but the miniature horses that were so representative of their time with their father, still roamed the pastures on the Brewer acreage.  Roy remained to continue with Brewer Family Miniatures.

     Orion turned 30 years old this year, 2004.  He had slowly lost his eyesight a few years earlier but otherwise he is in good health today.  He grazes in Roy's backyard acreage in Gainesville and has the run of the place, though he moves a little slower these days.  His counter part, Dynamo, resides with Joanne and Larry Ross in Salem, Oregon and is equally treated with tender loving care.

      Vern Brewer's memory has been honored every year since 1993 during the Get of Sire Class at the AMHA National Show.  (Vern always said it was the most important class of any show.) The Get of Sire Memorial Trophy has an inscription that was written as a tribute to Vern, in 1993, by a young Shetland Pony Breeder and Judge, Scott Uzzel.  Its reads, as does his headstone….

      "When a man develops a desire to help others extend the trail that he blazed in his own lifetime, he is making a selfless investment, sowing that others may reap.  This is the man whose roots in his chosen field extend deeper than temporal gain to the bedrock level of true commitment to achieving an ideal, the realization of which he may not live to see.  This is the rare man who leaves his life work, and indeed the world, better off for his having been there."