"He's the horse of my lifetime... always has been easy to work with, very gentle for a stallion, trouble-free on the trail." -- William Hinkebein describing Hickory's Country Gold in "Missouri's Horses, Gift to a Nation" (Volume One) by Joan Gilbert.

Hickory's Country Gold was the 1994 NATRC Sweepstakes Winner and winner of nine national championships (consecutive years, 1989 through 1997). In the course of carrying Bill Hinkebein 5,050 miles, he accumulated honors that include induction into the NATRC Hall of Fame in 1997 (only the fourth horse horse inducted), the only stallion and the only fox trotter ever honored this way in a sport dominated by Arabians. Country Gold was also the first horse NATRC chose as All-Around Champion when it established that award in 1996.

Country Gold won the first Challenge ride held in Perry Lake, Kansas, in 1995. At these rides, horses are required to travel 40 miles per day at a rate of 5 1/2 miles per hour. Country Gold has now been retired to stud since 1997. Click here to see an impressive list of Hickory's accomplishments!

Click here for NATRC's Best... N.A.T.R.C. Horse Hall of Fame...

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The Value of Conditioning for Peak Performance

Prime Sensation, a Missouri Fox Trotter pictured at left and below, attains a National Championship and wins the North America Trail Ride Conference Championship Challenge Ride. This six-year-old stallion received high point horse overall at three NATRC rides and placed in two additional rides during the 2006 show season. Prime Sensation also participated and finished 63 miles of the Tevis Cup ride held in California in August of 2006. Click here to see a list of Prime Sensation's North America Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) Awards (and another photo).

The Prime Sensation training and conditioning program began in January of 2006 with 20/25 miles of riding per day. Over a week, this accumulated to over 100 miles of riding. Strike the Gold, another Missouri Fox Trotter, also participated in the conditioning program. The conditioning that took place in the months of January, February, and March showed an accumulation of over 1200 miles with no shoes. The horses’ feet were sound and shaped like the feet of the Mustang. Equine people talk about riding barefoot but very few ride to this extreme amount of miles. The 1200 miles were on gravel roads with an average speed of 6-7 miles per hour. During these months, the horses consumed five pounds of Ultium per day along with beet pulp and all the hay they could eat.

Beginning in April, both horses were shod. The Ultium was increased to 10 pounds per day in two feedings. The 100 plus miles per week continued with the average speed increased to 8 miles per hour. This involved cantering all open land and up hills which consisted of two to three mile stretches. The fox trot gait was used for the rest or going down hills. Steep grades were walked and the only stops were for water and short grazing. During the three to four hour trip, only a total of 10 to 15 minutes were used for stop time. Pulse rates dropped to 60 or below on the two minute stops for water or grazing. A heart monitor was used during ride time to keep track of pulse rates.

In May of 2006, Prime Sensation finished a fifty mile ride in 11th place out of 25 horses. He had the best CRI (cardiac recovery index) of the 25 horses. The second day, a rock was wedged in the frog of his foot and he had to be pulled from the ride. This injury took four weeks for recovery. Ultium, with its special “repair” nutrients, provided Prime Sensation a healthy immune system.

Strike the Gold finished the two-day 50-mile ride for each day and had the fastest two day time and finished third best conditioned horse. He then finished two back to back weekend rides of 60 miles each with a total of 220 miles in three weekends.

The end of July, both horses traveled to Auburn, California to participate in the Tevis Ride, (100 miles in 24 hours). These horses were trailered four days (1800 miles) in 100 degree temperatures. The horses rested at night and eagerly ate their ration of Ultium. The horses completed 63 miles of the Tevis traveling up and down over 22,000 feet of elevation. At the start of the competition, both horses were place in a group of competitors that lacked experience and training. The two Missouri horses lost about two hours of ride time due to the inexperienced competitors falling off of their horses and other horses refusing to cross ditches, causing a "Traffic Jam" on the narrow trail. This is called "Tevis Luck". Prime Sensation and Strike the Gold (pictured at left) were able to make up ride time except for about 25 minutes. At the 63-mile location, the fox trotters and riders had to stop competition due to time restraints. The horses passed all pulse and respiration checks and were sound. Ultium provided the energy system and the extended stamina when it was most needed.

On the weekend of September 16th, Prime Sensation traveled to Lucas, Iowa. Here he won the NATRC Ride, Dave Smith Fall Fiesta, and achieved sweepstakes over all riders in rain and mud. On the weekend of September 30 - October 1st, Prime Sensation participated in the NATRC Championship Challenge Ride that took place in Rockford, Alabama. He won his second sweepstakes award. In Alabama, the weather affected this ride. With good weather on Saturday, Sunday proved totally different with high humidity and high temperatures. Several horses were held due to pulse and respiration checks. Prime Sensation finished first and sweepstakes over all horses. The Hinkebein fox trotters are exceptionally durable and smooth-riding breed of trail horse. In the challenge ride, horse and riders participated in trail skills such as opening gates, side passing, dragging logs, backing a figure eight around trees, side pass up hills and over logs, stand with front feet on a ledge, along with passing pulse and respiration and soundness checks. The Ultium diet geared Prime Sensation to a swift recovery and the victory.

On October 14th weekend, Prime Sensation won the third sweepstakes award at the NATRC Indian Cave Ride held at Brownville, Nebraska. This ride was wet, muddy, and slick. On the weekends of October 28th and November 4th, Prime Sensation continued his the winning way by participating in rides in southern Missouri and eastern Oklahoma. Both rides were wet and slippery. These rides allowed Prime to attain his second North America Trail Ride Conference National Championship with a total of 430 miles of competition in the 2006 season. Ultium played a crucial role because of its impact on the total health of the horse. It supported Prime Sensation to attain his genetic potential and his "winning condition" all season. Genetics, conditioning, and the use of Ultium made all of the above possible.

Prime Sensation WH (Ridden by Cheri Jeffcoat)

2008 Region 6 3rd place Open Lgt Team
Region 6 3rd place Open Lgt Horse
National 1st Place Open Lgt Horse
National Championship
National High Point Missouri Foxtrotter

2009 National 1st Place Open Lgt Horse
National - Menefee High Point Combination Award
National Championship
National High Point Missouri Foxtrotter
Region 6 3rd place Team
Region 6 4th place Team

2010 National Presidents Cup - High Point National Horse
National Jim Menefee High Point Combination Awards
National 1st Place Open Lgt Horse
National High Point Missouri Foxtrotter
National Championship
Region 6 4th Place Open Lgt Horse
Region 6 4th Place Open Lgt Team

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NATRC Challenge Rides - Events Held for Top-Winning Horses and Riders

In NATRC Challenge rides - events held for top winning horses and riders:

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Indian Creek Horses Total Mileage and Awards

Click here to view the Indian Creek Horses Total Mileage and Awards... Quality of Breeding Results in Outstanding Performance.

Click the image above to see some current and future champions for sale!

Click on photos below to see a closer view of these award winners.
Chillicothe Express	Country's Prime Time	Shades of Gold 2nd Place Champion Challenge National Champion 2000

MORE WINNERS...

Another Winner! Country Royal Princess

Debbie McCullough on Quite a Chick
National Champion, Lightweight Division 2006
Highpoint Junior 2007, ridden by Alexandra Levinson

Ty McCullough on Royal Sunset
4-Time National Champion

Cheri Jeffcoat on Country Star Jet

Todd Powell

Klare Chapman/Impressive Kopy Kat,
Mike Jones/Impressive Kopy,
Todd Powell/Impressive Red Hickory Kat

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FEATURED IN NATIONAL MEDIA

Bill has been featured in "Western Horseman" magazine with his award-winning stallion, Hickory's Country Gold. He has appeared in "Gateway Magazine" in September, 1992, and January, 1993. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Promoters also featured Bill in one of their videos, "Trail Riding Your Missouri Fox Trotter for Pleasure and Competition." You may order the tape by visiting their web site or by calling Gene Moeller at 417-732-2213.

Bill was included in the book, "Missouri Horses... Gift to a Nation," Volume One, by Joan Gilbert (Chapter 42, "Two Famous Faces," pp. 367-369).

Bill and Prime Sensation were also featured in the St. Joseph News-Press on Sunday, August 6, 2005, in an article entitled, "Local Horseback Rider Finds Success On Trails" by Rick Dunaway. The article was a result of their win at the Sand Ridge Forest CRT 2005 Open Sweepstakes.

Prime Sensation's wins were featured in Trail Rider Magazine, Purina's Better Horses Network (Vol. 8 No. 1 - 2007), Hoof Print (Jan/Feb. 2007), The Gaited Horse (winter 2006), Arabian Horse (Oct. Nov. 2006), and the Fox Trotter Journal (Dec. 2006 and Jan. 2007).

Click on these photos to see a closer view.
Bill & Hickory's Country Gold, 1991 Grand Champion	Bill & Prime Sensation Tevis Cup Ride 2006

Bill & Prime Time Championship Challenge Oct. 2002 Photo by Cristy Cumberworth	Bill gives Prime Time an on-the-trail drink. Championship Challenge Oct. 2002 Photo by Cristy Cumberworth
Bill & Prime Time Championship Challenge Oct. 2002 Photo by Cristy Cumberworth
Photo at Right Above... click for a closer view... Good Ol' Days Photography, Christina Callihan
Country Touch WH (pictured in two photos above) is a 2010 National Champion. He competed in seven NATRC rides in 2010 receiving four 1sts, one 2nd, and two 3rds. Of the last four rides, Country Touch has three 1sts with scores of 100% and a 2nd with a score of 99%. Country Touch is a 16-hand chestnut sorrel gelding with excellent breeding, well proven, and an outstanding trail horse for any rider. This horse is For Sale...

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