Gold Buckle Champions… to further the education of equine health and safety while preserving our western heritage and history by means of promoting events incorporating the youth and community.
Demanding excellence within ourselves while helping to ensure the longevity of our western heritage through educational clinics and community projects. Encouraging everyone to find the champion within themselves.
By our actions, we wish to demonstrate the legendary proceedings of the men and women, unafraid of hard work, who founded the west, and the lifestyle that gave them the courage it took to endure its hardships and lead them to a better life.
In Jan 2015, Idaho ranked amongst the lowest in early education and per-pupil spending. Art has been dropped from early education and offered only at the high school level. Educators are focused on developing the academics which does not allow the brain to fully develop its greatest potential. We are confident that with our efforts we can help these kids develop both sides of their brain, to help with recall, analytics, problem-solving, and retention. Our program gathers volunteer artists to teach the principles and fundamentals of art to other volunteers. These volunteers (mainly parents) then go to the schools and teach art on a regular basis. We also offer art classes at our location at Karcher Mall for students and volunteers free of charge. All of the student art projects submitted are judged and have the opportunity to win scholarships and prizes to further their art interests and education.
Read more about our projects at Western Heritage Art
In the 1800’s every large ranch held a rodeo or a cutting and invited the entire community out to be involved. This was the “Art of Building a Community”. This was the original community networking celebration where everyone shared their wares, stories, and laughter, which we will experience in full force in July, downtown Nampa.
All the businesses and individuals of Nampa are encouraged to show their support by displaying a decorated horse to show the strength of our community. These are not just limited to business and everyone is encouraged to participate. Gold Buckle Champion can custom decorate these horses for each business or individual for a donation to our “Legends in the Making” program, which rewards our youth and charities for doing positive things in our community.
This project is offered to school age kids to decorate to win cash prizes for their classroom or group. Judging for the kids’ horses is voted on by the community and four teachers/groups in our area will win cash prizes for classroom, or trips to national competitions for teams, or cash prizes to other registered nonprofits.
The FREE youth events during the Stampede Festival, in July, http://goldbucklechampion.com/events/snake-river-stampede-community-festival/ are funded in part by the sale of these horses. There will be prizes for participation in many events from our western heritage and a “Sucker Horse” and a Dummy Roping Contest for amazing prizes.
Many of the horses are decorated by our communities youth and individuals, and some are decorated by professional artists dedicated to mentoring our youth. You can view and purchase these on our website at: http://goldbucklechampion.com/events/stampede-festival-horses/
To purchase your horse, please contact [email protected] or visit the website links above.
Read more about our projects at http://goldbucklechampion.com/legends-in-the-making/western-heritage-art/
The importance of encouraging our children in outdoor work with living plants is now recognized. It benefits the health, broadens the education, and gives a valuable training in industry and thrift. The great garden movement is sweeping over all America, and our present problem is to direct it and make it most profitable to the children in our schools and homes.
— Van Evrie Kilpatrick, 1918, in The Child’s Food Garden, With a Few Suggestions for Flower Culture
“Information alone can never become knowledge, and knowledge never becomes wisdom without some kind of rooting in the good soil of experience.”
— James Raffan Speaker – Author- Adventurer
Our signature event, Gold Buckle Champion’s – “Legends in the Making” challenges individuals of school age, ( 6-21) to make a difference in their community and to keep the spirit that made our forefathers and their legendary actions alive.
A point system is awarded based on a criteria set by the committee to award points during a specific time period. Points accumulated will be used at a live auction to buy prizes and scholarships donated by individuals, the community, foundations, and Gold Buckle Champion. They may also contain services provided by leaders in our community, such as a day with a Veterinarian, Doctor, or Business leader. The sky is the limit when coming up with ideas on what can be auctioned off. These are all attainable goals for participating youth who are learning to become outstanding community leaders as a team or by themselves. Children without extraordinary notoriety will have as much an opportunity to gain as many points as their counterparts, sometimes more.
Points will be awarded for:
Student Body Offices – including but not limited to schools. This can include your local FFA, 4-H, High School Rodeo, Dance, Gymnastics, etc. If in doubt, ask!
Exemplary actions or ideas involving youth or the community. This can be chairing a can food drive, coat drive, Toys for Tots , etc. This list is not complete, show us what you can do!
Clinics – Points for giving a clinic on a craft or art form or a way to make things safer or easier.
Awards – points given for awards you have received from your church, school, or service organization. Copies of originals will be honored.
Volunteer – Points given for each hour you have volunteered for a non-profit or service organization. This can also include reading to the elderly in a nursing home, paint the town, Salvation Army bell ringer, and anything you think will develop a better community. This list is not complete. Give us your ideas on how you can make a difference.
Community Classes– Points given for attending classes and seminars by participating businesses. Take a class on public speaking, balancing your finances, resume writing, just to name a few to broaden your horizons and win points for doing it.
Communities Choice – Additional Points will be given based on extraordinary actions by opinion of the judging committee.
Gabrielle was just 20 years old when she left this earth for another journey, but not before she had graced this planet with her layers of talent. She had accomplished in her lifetime gifts that will linger with those who knew and loved her without end. She was an amazing artist, with both life and music, playing 5 instruments. Her free spirit showed through with the way she could pull together eccentric fashion and decorating rooms with her own funky eclectic style. She was someone who instantly made you feel comfortable just being with her and most importantly just being yourself. These are all qualities instilled within that come from living on the land and being involved with horses. Gabrielle was introduced to Cutting by her grandmother Gina Macdonald. Gina has been a longtime board member and contestant with the ICHA and has been involved with horses most of her life.
Gina, like so many of us parents/grandparents, find themselves devoted to finding something to keep our children/grandchildren grounded. Something to teach them responsibility for their actions and self worth, something to teach them to be happy being themselves; because, being yourself is all you need to know to get you through life. Gina knew same as all of us who have grown up with horses and agriculture, being connected with the earth is what keeps you grounded and helps you discover who you really are, and there is no faster way of doing this than being involved with horses. Knowing who you are is what gives you direction in your life and the spirit of the horse is often your guide.
Gabbe found the magic in horses, a love she shared with her grandmother. Horses mirror the inner you, and teach you things about yourself that you would not learn otherwise. The trust they show you is exactly how much trust you have given them and often how much trust you have in yourself. They read your inner thoughts and know when you are scared, sad, excited, and nervous and will react accordingly. For many of us the spirit of the horse and what they offer to our inner souls is a mystery. It is an unexpected gift that gives us peace that we didn’t even know we were in need of. What we do with this gift once we find it is pertinent to everything that comes after.
Each March we choose to honor Gabbe and the spirit of the horse that gifted her with peace and left her family with gentle memories that will linger in their hearts for a lifetime. Join us in this celebration during the ICHA Weekend Show.
Gabbe was also very artistic and we choose to honor here with all of our scholarships.
