Between Finley, Antlers and Rattan, Oklahoma lies the mountain range called the Kiamichis. Actually the mountains are more like really large wooded hills, hardly mountains at all. But for those who love Spanish Mustangs, when someone says they are "going to the Mountain", the odds are good that they mean Blackjack Mountain, home for so many years to Mustang patriarch, Gilbert Jones and his Medicine Springs Ranch.
Years had passed since many of us had gone to the mountain. But the group of friends who call themselves The Wild Bunch got pushed into returning by Weldon Merchant, silversmith, sculptor, jack-of-all trades, and full time Mississippi wildman.
"We ain't gettin' any younger," said Weldon. "Time for us to meet at the mountain one more time." So we did.
Who came?
Well, there was Weldon himself, riding the Hilligoss' new grullo stallion Beetlejuice;
Jerry Hilligoss, riding Bryant Rickman's sorrel tobiano stallion Mojo who had been under saddle only about 30 days;
Jerry's wife Gina, riding My Sunshine, a dun mare from Karma Farms;
Dave Pardee on his lilac dun gelding Cloudy;
Gretchen Patterson riding the sorrel gelding Pescante Rojo;
Kyle Germany riding his grulla mare Serena Yares;
Mike Ragsdale riding his Karma Farms bred grulla filly Virginia Reel ('course she ain't no filly no more....more on that later....)
And yours truly, Vickie Ives riding Rowdy Yates.
