Top Banana. Statistics: Sire of 118 Foals 29.5 inches 1984 World Grand Champion Senior Stallion

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1 Shadow Oaks Top Banana by Sami Scheuring This is a story about a legend and a friend. This is a story about a small but mighty Miniature horse stallion that was loved, admired and deemed by the AMHA a World Champion way before his time. Statistics: Sire of 118 Foals 29.5 inches 1984 World Grand Champion Senior Stallion Foaled: March 1, 1981 Breeder: Dixie Blasingame Sold to Dr. Ron or Sami Scheuring 5/20/1982 Sired by: Shadow Oaks Paul Bunyon Dam: Shadow Oaks Tiny Miss This legend began in 1981 when the World Reserve Grand Champion Stallion SHADOW OAKS PAUL BUNYON sired an outstanding and brilliant copper buckskin colt. Paul Bunyon was owned and passionately loved by Mrs. Dixie Blassingame of Vista, California. Dixie was one of the pioneers involved in the foundation of the Miniature horse breed and the owner of Shadow Oaks and Hidden Meadows Miniature Horse Farms. 80 Miniature Horse World October/November 2010

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3 Our family had become close friends with Miss Dixie and enjoyed going to Shadow Oaks in Vista, California if only to see the incredible horses and listen to her tell us the history of the small equines and how they came to be. One spring I was with Dixie when a wonderful little copper buckskin colt displayed his ever so obvious presence and poked his head out from behind his mother. That was the beginning of a lifestyle, the beginning of a legendary bloodline. My husband Ron, who is a veterinarian and our two children John and Tui, traveled from coast to coast making new friends within the Miniature horse community. Most were breedtried to explain that the future of Samis Lil Horse Ranch was only three months old and living with our This was the beginning of a bloodline of horses that built a family. Banana set a high bar of achievement in and out of the show arena and proved to the equine community that the Miniature horse was more than a pretty face. This was a bloodline that could stand up in halter and become the achieving, willing and competitive performance horse as well. On that Spring day, the yet to be named little colt seemed to be the only horse at the farm. Although there must have been twenty foals, I only saw one. The plan had not been to buy a little colt. In fact, the plan had been to buy the best Miniature mares available and breed to the best stallions in the Miniature horse industry. A good plan, but I felt a little like a psychic that day and just knew that the best horse in the industry had just found me! Dixie had this little colt entered in a show in a few weeks and I knew what that would mean. The Miniature industry at that time was like a treasure hunting expedition. When you found quality and greatness you better grab it or you would loose it. Breeders traveled coast to coast to find the best Miniature horses available. It was a small group of dedicated people who understood the importance of working together and creating something so special. How could I get Dixie to part with this beautiful colt, and how would I get my husband Ron to understand this NEW plan? Amazingly, my worries were unfounded. When arriving home I good friend Dixie. Patience not being one of my virtues, I was relentless in the discussion of why this little colt should become part of the family. Little did I know that both Dixie and Ron had understood the greatness of this little colt. Although Ron had not yet seen him, he respected Dixie s knowledge and my vision. A trip was planned to travel the eight hour drive to Vista to pick up the mares that had been purchased on that spring day. I was little disappointed that neither Ron nor Dixie would enter into any discussion about the colt or even let me gloat about how great he would be, no matter who owned him. With the mares loaded, we climbed into the cab of the truck for the ride home. Waving goodbye to Miss Dixie I was trying to hide the tears of disappointment, having to leave my treasure behind. Suddenly Ron stopped the truck and trailer and asked me to check inside the trailer, as he felt that one of the mares might have a problem. I jumped out of the truck, hopped on the tire well and looked into the trailer. Looking up at me was everything I had ever wanted! He was coming into the Scheuring family and he would forever change our lives and mold our future. Dixie told me I could name this little stallion whatever I wanted as long as he carried the Shadow Oaks prefix. He was named after a special Quarter Horse from my past big horse days. In the summer of 1984 the little buckskin colt had grown into a very handsome, golden 29.5 inch stallion. The whole Scheuring family was actively showing and helping develop this new industry. Shadow Oaks Top Banana had traveled from Washington State to San Diego. He had won many Grand Championships of which we were extremely proud of but even more important, he was starring in several equine events where he was the poster boy for the Miniature horse. He appeared several times at the Grand National Horse Show in San Francisco, he walked the Rose Parade in Pasadena and he served with comedy star Flip Wilson in pediatric cancer research events. He also appeared in several Cavelcade of the Horse events where he represented the American Miniature Horse. 82 Miniature Horse World October/November 2010

4 the open halter classes at the National Show but could compete in other classes. AMHA also used to offer classes called Model Stock and Model Refined. I was so nervous as the tension and excitement was building for the Grand Classes, (which were always held at the finale of the show) that I decided to enter Top Banana into the Model Refined Class just to calm my nerves. Comedian Flip Wilson with Shadow Oaks Top Banana tucked under his left arm. ers and many became lifelong friends. The 1984 AMHA National Show was in Oklahoma City that year and several of our friends had been trying to convince us that Top Banana should go and compete. This would be no easy fete for us as we had two school age children and a veterinary practice to run. He won that class. My nerves and butterflies were even worse after that! This would be the time to thank Max Lawson and Belinda Bagby who were so helpful the day of the National Class. Since the weather had turned cool, Top Banana had begun to blow coat and his sleek, fine coat was disappearing. Belinda spent hours of her time helping me with the grooming before the class and became a part of our team. For that she will always be a special friend to his memory. The decision was finally made and with the help of our dear friends David and Peggy Lindstrom and Barbara and Lee Martin, Top Banana was booked on a flight. Once at the airport, we learned that the flight we had booked was cancelled! Things were not so easy in those days and not many people used air travel for their little horses. Peggy and Sami took another plane and made it to Oklahoma but Ron, David and Top Banana had to spend the night at the airport. What a trooper that little stallion was! The following evening he arrived and his reputation had preceded him. When he pranced out of the crate you would have thought he had just come out of a show barn. His tail flagged, his trot was huge and he puffed his presence to the very crowded rail of curious onlookers. Beauty in body and in movement. The performance horse had made an entrance. In 1984 the AMHA National Show offered five Grand Champions and five Reserve Grand Champion Horses. These horses qualified during the year for the privilege of showing in their respective Championship class. Horses qualified by winning Grand and Reserve Championships at local AMHA approved shows. There were no points. Horses that qualified for these classes could not compete in This oil painting of Sami, Banana and Ron waiting for their class, was painted by an unknown artist in the California area. Top Banana entered the class that evening as a wonderful classy stallion from the West and left the arena the 1984 AMHA Grand Champion Senior Stallion. He knew of his greatness, as did the judges, his many admirers and friends. The next day we took that beautiful silver trophy cup, his Champion halter and his ribbons and boarded a plane for San Francisco. He arrived at his home at Sami s Lil Horse Ranch in Petaluma, California where he would build a legacy of halter and performance October/November 2010 Miniature Horse World 83

5 horses that would soon be known as the modern Miniature horse. Top Banana lived his life with our family that loved him. He was not shown again but given some of the best mares that we could find.his bloodlines were shown lovingly by John and Tui Scheuring as youth exhibitors to several unanimous AMHA World Championships. Samis Lil Horse Ranch was proud to stand Top Banana to only the best mares. That proved to be the key to his reputation as one of the most athletic horses for performance; yet correct and awesome for halter. His fame was his alone in the production of his sons, daughters and grand get. Shadow Oaks Top Banana s prodigy have spanned the globe and are a legacy internationally. In New Zealand Sami s Figure de Banana, was one of the first stallions imported by Ms. Judy Henderson. Also in New Zealand, Samis Ya Betta Believe It is claiming success for Betty McKnight. Mr. Cedric Dubroecq made contact with Ron and I when he made the decision to import the Shadow Oaks Top Banana Bloodline to France. A wonderful union was formed with him. Cedric with his wisdom, hard work and vision, showed his stallion, Sami s VIP Mr. John and Samis Whose Your Daddy to ultimate heights in Europe. This bloodline has attained immeasurable acclaim and value in all of Europe. Congratulations for the vision for Elevage de la Buise and Cedric. Samis Just Bananas Premadonna and Bill McKew A wonderful little buckskin filly was born by Top Banana in She seemed to be too good to be true. Samis Just Bananas Premadonna was one of those foals that you d dream about. She was born showing; always upright and always a little prissy. Tui and I both successfully showed her until our dear friends Lee and Bill McKew took us to dinner one evening. They had become attached to the prissy little filly and wanted to purchase her. It was Lee who had christened her with that barn name and it had stuck. Prissy and Bill had something special between them, they really were a team. Bill took her to an AMHA Reserve Grand World Champion Senior Mare win that year as well as allowing Tui Scheuring to show her to a unanimous World Champion Youth Mare, two years running. Thank you Bill and Lee in your belief in this bloodline. Prissy has gone on to produce several champion horses to honor her sire. We would like to mention some of the wonderful and talented horses, blessed with the Shadow Oaks Top Banana bloodline, that have graced the World Show arena. As he looks down from his celestial pasture he would like to offer his tribute Samis Indiana de Banana Sami s Mr Banana Chip Sami s Lil Moon Man Sami s Nit Wit Banana bit Sami s Sids Savoy Sami s Tripoli Sami s No Slack Banana Jack Sami s Vegas Nights Sami s Simone Sami s Just Banana s Premadonna Sami s Sax 5 th Ave Sami s Kid Banana Sami s Two Timer Regalaire Sami s Rocket Squirrel Sami s Quo Vadis Sami s Lil Bananas Lassie Samis Zkinny Dipper Sami s Ya Betta Believe It Samis Avatar Sami s Zatsa A Doozie Sami s Joe Cool Sami s Plaid Pants Sami s Xcept Me Aziam Wild Spirits Wind Runner Sami s VIP Mr. John Sami s Quiz Kid Sami s Whoose Your Daddy Sami s Too Quick To Pick Sami s Heckler Sami s Heza Banana Lad And to all the Banana horses that are loved by their people not mentioned here, they are appreciated no less and continue to be part of this legend! As a performance legacy, Top Banana is just that. He produces athletic natural moving horses. These horses get better with age as they have been placed where they get the maximum 84 Miniature Horse World October/November 2010

6 of training and care. They possess a willingness to please and have a sense of understanding so needed in the tasks they are asked to perform. Michelle and Monty Meacham purchased Samis Mr Banana Chip and loved and showed him to over twenty AMHA World Grand and Reserve and Honor Roll Titles including Reserve World Champion Halter Stallion. He made his daddy so proud! Monty and Michelle also owned and showed Samis Nit Wit Banana Bit to several Roadster, Liberty and Honor Roll Championships. Our hearts were heavy in November 2006 when we lost our dear friend Shadow Oaks Top Banana. With his passing he took a little of us with him but what he left us was an amazing legacy. He left us a strong prolific bloodline where breeders of vision continue to request his presence in their own. Through this bloodline we have made some lifelong relationships. We have extended our family with those who believed in Top Banana. In the show arena today the Blanton family enjoy the Top Banana legacy and as Youth and Amateurs have won several World Championships and Open World Championships with Samis Tripoli, Samis Sids Savoy and Samis Quizkid. Their belief and dedication to the Top Banana bloodline has taken them to the joys only a few will ever know. Samis Nit Wit Banana Bit and Sami Samis Vegas Knight, Samis Sid Savoy, and Samis Tripoli. Grand and Reserve Champions in Single, Classic and Roadster driving at the 2010 Western Championship Show. Full Brothers-Grandsons of Shadow Oaks Top Banana. October/November 2010 Miniature Horse World 85