FORT STOREY RANCH

FORT STOREY RANCH:

Fort Storey Ranch was named after Fort Story Virginia, the Revolutionary Fort that is still in existance today. General George Story, whom the Fort was named after, was a relative of Jim Storey and Oct of 1976, Fort Storey Ranch was born,with lots of dreams for the future

Jim Storey retired in 1975 from the US Army after serving 22 1/2 yrs with the Corp of Engineers. He held the rank of Chief Warrent Officer 3 and served one tour of duty in Viet Nam (1969-1970) Upon retiring, he was offered a position with M&M Mars manufacturing facility at their new plant in Waco ,Tex, as a utilities engineer for the largest M&M Candy plant in the US. He retired again after 18 yrs with the company and began the full time job of building up the legacy of Fort Storey Ranch.

Arlyn Storey enjoyed the traveling and involvement of being an Army wife. Raising 4 children was a challenge, especially the yr that Jim was in Vietman. Upon returning to civilian life, Arlyn went back to college and obtained her degree in Mental Health and it was then that the horses came into her life in a big way. Prior to her great involvement with youth and ponies, Arlyn Storey was on the board of directors of the Waco Family Abuse Cener, and after 3 years servicing the needs of bateered women,she took a position as a Director of a riding facility at a local children's camp)Greene Family Camp, BrucevilleEddy,Tx.) and became involved with developing a program for the physically and mentally challenged youth as well as the able youth. The Storey's purchased 20 head of devoted youth horses for the program and designed a circulumm that included grooming,trail riding, western pleasure riding, and various other activities that included passive and agressive activies with the horses. It was during that time that the Storey's decided to invest in the smaller equine, especially for the challenged youth and Arlyn began to teach Special Olympians how to drive the small equine. She stayed with it for 14 yrs and in that time frame had opportunity to judge 4H shows and several open shows as well. When Jim retired from Mars, they decided to devote the time to building up their ranch program.. Early in 1992 an idea developed that they were able to work on and are now seeing the light!!

IDEA MADE INTO REALITY

One day in early spring, four individuals(two of which were the Storey's) sat around the dining room table and mapped out a plan for mini harness racing. Storey's first stop led to the USTA for directions on creating a Registry for mini harness racing and were directed to the International Trotting and Pacing Association(ITPA)Association The International Miniature/Mid size Trotting & Pacing Assoc., Inc (IMTPA) was officially born October 16, 1992.

It was shortly after the formation of the IMTPA, that Jim and Arlyn decided to develop a small equine that had the harness racing bloodlines in the smaller pkg. Thus the HARNESSBRED breed was created. A breed that enhances the small equine ability by incorportating the famous bloodlines of the Standardbred/Trottingbred breed and the miniature show driving equine. Prior to the Harnessbreds racing and showing, Jim Storey bought a young pinto mini mare of 37”, 4G's HF country Crystal. He was her driver and trainer and took her to the top, not only in mini harness racing, but in the show world as well. In 1997, the first Harnessbreeds came on the racing scene and into the show ring..thus far 4 Harnessbreds have made the AMHR National Hall of Fame..Sharrway's Chili Pepper" in Halter and "Fort Storey's Indiana Hustler in Roadster Over Division , “Fort Storey’s Gust of Wind”, and “Fort Storey’s Prince of Egypt. In looks like in 2009, there will be another AMHR hall of Fame inductee,  “High Kick’s  Wind Dancer”, owned by Suzie and Rick Silva of Seguine, Texas. “Dancer” is the son of “Fort Storey’s Gust of Wind”....Fort Storey Tross's Rojo, Albatross's(Most famous Standardbred of all times) great-grandson has a world mini harness racing record of 1:03 for a 1/4 mile distance with no breaks. Harnessbred breed is multi talented and youth friendly!!!

Working on this cross breeding program was an exciting project and the Storey's are now able to breed 1st generation Stallion to 1st generation Mare . They continue to limit the number of Harnessbreds foaled each year and breed for quality to continue the excellence of this breed. The breed is still very young and their future in the ring and on the small equine harness tracks are very bright. They are a wonderful breed that is praised by all who own and show them!

With a few Modern Shetlands and a couple of Classic Shetlands, the Storey’s added another division to their breeding program and with success.  “Mar-C- Doo Too” was trained and shown by LC’s Training Center in Troy, Texas. She is a Congress National Champion winner in Roadster , an ASPC Hall of Fame inductee in both Roadster and Halter and  came out a “winner” in the youth divisions in Halter and in Showmanship with Arianna Storey as her handler.  “Fort Storey’s Dutchess of Danville McCabe is another ASPC Shetland that is on her way to the ASPC Hall of Fame. She was trained and shown by Mr M McCabe of M&M Pony Farm in Ohio and as a yrling had a reserve in her Futurity class at the World Show and a win in her class division  She is at the training center of Martha Silva of Seguin,Tx. for the 2009 Show season.

Several years ago, the ASPC decided to add another division to their registry..The “National Show Pony” ., and because the Storey’s main  object was to raise minis and ponies for the youth to enjoy as well as the adults, they decided to get “slightly” involved and Arlyn became the  National Chairperson for that division, the NSPR and raised several of those ponies that are out their now with one National Congress Champion in  the Hunter Hack division with  Arianna Storey as the handler

Prior to the onset of Jim Storey’ health issues, they enjoyed many trips together while Arlyn Storey was judging at the mini and pony shows throughout the US. She is an ASPC licensed judge in all of the ASPC/AMHR divisions. She still maintains her license and will keep on judging. 

The Storey's are still busy, raising a limited number of AMHR/ASPC equine even though  Jim Storey is now ill with “Alzeheimers”. They have sold down or given away quite a few of their herd including some awsome Harnessbred mares to insure the continuance of the breed. It is a way of life for them and the care and love that is put into their horses/ponies is evident in the show ring, on the track and above all in their place of comfort, their barns. Y'all come and visit.......

** A FEW OF FORT STOREY'S WINNING TEAM**

MAR-C-DOO TOO

photos by Philip Zander of Brenham,Tx.

A Modern Roadster mare, ASPC Hall of Fame, Halter Div..2002 2002 ASPC Shetland Congress top 10 in Model, Halter, Open Roadster and ASPR roadster, ASPC National All Stars for 1999-2002..ASPC Hall of Fame coming up in 2003 in Roadster

D'S MINI ECLISPE WAR CHIEF

1998 AMHR Hall of Fame for Open Halter( Bald Face Rowdy Overo Stallion) 1997 - 1998 AMHR National Top 10 in Halter, Model and Hunter/Jumper, and 1997-1998 National All Stars

4G's HF Country Crystal

1999 AMHR Hall of Fame for Open Roadster..1998 AMHR National Champion Open Roadster,over division, National Champion Youth Roadster over division,1998-2002 National All Stars,and 1996 IMTPA National Stakes mini Harness Racing Champion..her track record for a mare of her size has yet to be broken!

a cool work out!

Fort Storey Crystal's Country Pride

In his Mother's footsteps, as he is the son of "Crystal" above. Pride was inducted into the 2002 AMHR Hall of Fame in Roadster, under division.

Fort Storey's Indiana Hustler

An AMHR/IMTPA 1st generation Harnessbred Stallion...2001 AMHR Hall of Fame in Open Roadster..2001 AMHR National Reserve Champion Roadster over Division Roadster and 2001 AMHR National Top 10 in over Stakes Roadster 2001 AMHR National All Stars

Fort Storey's Gust of Wind

photo by Philip Zander of Brenham, Tx.

An AMHR/IMTPA 1st generation Harnessbred Stallion 2002 AMHR Hall of Fame, Roadster.2001 AMHR National Reserve Grandchampion Stakes, Roadster over division, 2001 AMHR National Reserve Champion Ladies Roadster, over division and 2001 AMHR National Top 10 Champion in Open Roadster, over division.

Fort Storey Tross's Rojo

An AMHR/IMTPA 1st generation Harnessbred Stallion..2000 IMTPA World Record Track Holder. Rojo is a bit of history as he is the only Harnessbred great-grandson of the late most famous Standardbred of all times, 'Albatross", standing at 38" tall by mini measurements and nearly 40” tall by pony measurements.