they began to buy a mare

they began to buy a mare here and there to bring back to Rock Bottom Farm. Like the dedicated Appaloosa fanciers of the 1930's, they worked continually to improve their stock. Operating with a shoe string budget, it was a long, slow process and they still aren't Finished. Bill emphasized.

But judging by, their success at shows, they’re definitely on the right lead. "Every year we’ve shown, we’ve ended up in the top of our division," Mauri pointed out with pride. Championship plaques are given a place of honor on the Fireplace mantle and then packed away when another award is hrohght home.

Right now. the plaques in residence over the fireplace are for high point three-yearold and reserve high point aged mare from the Shenandoah-Blue Ridge Appaloosa Association.

They've upgraded their herd to the point that every brood mare at Rock Bottom is the daughter of either a national or world champion. “They’re all tremendously well bred." Bill emphasized.

The Paynes have been careful shoppers, looking for bargains in bloodlines that they ordinarily wouldn't be able to afford. Two of their mares have broken legs. Their awkward walk makes them unfit for riding but hasn't hurt their potential as breeding stock.

"They’re so well bred, of such high quality, that we never could have afforded them if they hadn’t had broken legs," Bill noted.

"It's years like this that make us think about selling all our Appaloosa mares and buying quarter horses instead!" Mauri joked. "Out of nine babies, we had eight born with solid color. It's a strange business. Our color percentage has been just fantastic up to this year. We crossed horses that should have never given us a color foal. I guess it just caught up with us."

But just because they’re born chestnut, bay or sorrel doesn’t mean that Rock Bottom’s babies aren’t Appaloosas.

Thanks to the willy-nilly breeding that almost destroyed the breed, color genes are mixed still with solid genes so that the offspring of two Appaloosas may come out without the