My Dad, Jim Craig is one classy cowboy! This picture was taken in his younger years when he was training and showing horses in California. I loved to watch him show.
Those days were some of the best of my life, and I bet he would say they were some of the best of his as well.
Today this first class cowboy is 92! I love, admire, and look up to him now more than ever.
This poem is for you Dad, hope you like it.
The Appy and the Cowboy!
Rawhide reins, Garcia bit,
Capriola on his back;
That old Appy and the Cowboy,
Man….they had a knack!
The Appy learned to trust
The Cowboy’s gentle hand.
When they worked together,
In admiration, did I stand.
They looked pretty classy
In the middle of the ring;
The Cowboy in his hat and chaps,
Both sportin’ their best bling.
They worked the figure eight
With smooth and graceful ease,
With whirlwind spins and sliding stops,
Their aim; the crowd to please!
The Appy, he was handsome,
Sure was a special horse.
And the Cowboy that rode him,
I’m sure feels no remorse.
The Appy, he’s gone now,
Those years, can’t get ’em back!
But that old Appy and the Cowboy,
Man…they had a knack!
Sheryl Craig Russell
backhomemt 
I can’t begin to tell you the number of weird things I found when I did an online search for “Appy.” None of them made sense, so I tried to think it through myself, and decided that the word is short for Appaloosa — his horse. Is that right?
I really enjoyed the photo and poem. Tell him he has an admirer in Texas who wishes him a happy birthday, too!
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You made me laugh Linda…yes..Appy is short” horse language” for Appaloosa. And just in case you were wondering, the ‘Capriola’ on his back is a very nice western saddle made in Elko, Nv. If you are in to looking things up, look up Capriola’s Western Store in Elko. It not only sells saddles, but Garcia silver bits and spurs, reins, western clothing, hats, boots, jewelry. It is quite the western store and known across the country as “Cowboy Heaven.” It was our favorite store when we lived in Nevada. Thank you for the birthday wishes for my Dad.
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Beautiful tribute to your dad, Sherry!
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Thank you Bonnie.
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