Announcer: Now Breyerfest and the Horse of the Americas Registry presents Breyer model Rowdy Yates. Rowdy is semi-retired and last performed at Breyerfest in 2004. He is now 21 years old and remains one of America’s most decorated Colonial Spanish Mustangs. (Vik and Rowdy canter into the arena. Vik has a wireless mic and will narrate from Rowdy’s back)

"Look closely, my friends. Pay attention, all you young horsemen and women! This is America’s First Horse, the one that carried the Conquistadors and the Native Americans, the one that fought on both sides of the Civil War, ran the Pony Express and drove the Longhorns from Texas to market in Kansas and northward. Rowdy and I have come to tell the story.

Look back with us now…."

SCENE 1: The Spanish Lose Their Horses

(Curtis George and Thunderheart enter, head down the arena. Curtis is dressed as a Spanish Conquistador. He is looking around and giving the impression that he is on guard and expecting something).

Vik: The Spanish brought with them their hardy war horses, tempered from the many European wars, and now infused with hot Oriental blood from the horses of the Moors. They came to the New World in tiny wooden ships, strapped in slings in the hold. They carried the blood of many war horses, the Andalusian and the Ginette, but probably mostly the blood of the grulla and dun Sorraia, the peasant horse of the period.

The Spanish conquered the Native Americans and forced them to herd their livestock, thereby teaching them to ride. The Indians learned to handle the creatures they called "Magic Dogs".
(With a war whoop, Tomlyn Speir gallops in on Fernando and takes on Curtis sword to coup stick.)

Vik: "In 1680, in New Mexico near where what we now call Santa Fe, the Native Americas rose up against the Spanish and stole their horses. Soon the Plains Indians were mounted and became what was called the best mounted cavalry in the world. The Native Americas spread the Spaniards’ horses over the whole continent, mostly by trading."

(In the ensuing fight, Curtis’s sword is knocked from his hand, and he leaps off to retrieve it.)

(Tommi grabs the reins of his horse and steals him, leaving Curtis to exit the arena chasing her on foot, very disgusted.)

SCENE 2: The Pony Express

(The stationmaster enters {from the rear of the arena, if possible} with crew and the rider. Will and Red enter quietly from the alley and walk in beside the stationmaster, maybe talking to him and his crew. He takes his place to wait for the exchange.

Vik: "Our country grew. From April 3, 1860 through October 1861, the Pony Express united the east to the west and was the first strong link in the chain that bound the growing nation together. Riders had to weigh less than 125 lbs."

"So young riders (orphans preferred) on fast Colonial Spanish Mustangs raced from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California, traveling 1966 miles through the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, to California. Stations were set up for the riders to change horses or to pick up the next rider."

"You can read a great tale of the Pony Express if you find the book, San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion. Hey, look! Here comes the Pony Express right now!"

(Jennifer enters and gallops down the arena. When they hear Magneto enter, the Stationmaster and crew head in her direction at the end of the arena to quickly take hold of Jennifer’s horse’s reins and help get the mochilla off, if necessary. Jennifer steps off, grabbing the mochilla as she dismounts GRACEFULLY, and tosses it to Will, the next rider.

The stationmaster runs to hold Will's reins as Will throws the mochilla up and mounts at speed.

Will and Red gallop off with stationmaster and crew cheering him on and patting Jennifer on the back, congratulating her on a safe ride.

When Will has exited, the crew, Jennifer and Magneto and the Stationmaster get out fast, heading out the gate.)