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Buddy I looked at my watch. It was midnight. I couldn't believe I was still sitting at a horse auction at midnight, and the horses hadn't even come through yet! What was all this junk that these people were selling by the box load? It had all started rather innocently. I needed to buy 4 horses for camp. Rather than drive all the way down to Shipshewana horse auction which was not only farther, but not being held for 2 weeks, how about trying 3 horse auctions all in one day, all in Michigan and semi-close? My reasoning was that I would get the best selection I had ever been given, AND be home at a decent hour! How wrong could I be? The first auction was in Waylan Michigan. I had had luck there before, but lately it was slim- pickens. There were only a few that I was interested in. I bid on everything I could. I ended up winning the bid on a medium sized Appaloosa mare. Later we would name her Megan. As we walked our new purchase to the truck I spotted a dark seal brown, tied in the corner next to another horse, fully tacked. "Why didn't we bid on this one?" I asked. I stopped and took a second look at him. As I ran my hand down his front leg, I noticed a nasty scar down the front of his knee, the kind a horse receives from crashing into something big. No swelling and no heat. I shook my head. "Boy, I would have liked a chance to see him go. He has everything I am looking for." Our second Auction was in Lansing at the University. Though there were several nice horses, they were a bit above our budget for that day. We moved on. Last but not least, we ended up at 9PM at a sale in Stockbridge, Michigan just South of Lansing. The sale was well into progress, with all the tack being sold first. We thought we wouldn't have long to wait. We were wrong. Three painful hours later, they finally finished selling the last bit of tack possible. We joked that we thought maybe everyone just bought each other's stuff and resold it the following week. It seemed to be quite the social occasion. Disappointedly, there were only 8 horses at the sale. None the less, I looked at each one and bid on a few. I managed to win the bid on a nice chestnut mare who we would later name Gabby. I was ready to walk out the door to begin the 2 hour drive home when the last horse entered the ring. It was none other than the little seal brown from the sale this morning! I did not make the same mistake twice. I bid on him and won.  Buddy came home with us and promptly got sick. He was in isolation for most the summer up the road at a neighbors house. It was 7th week before we brought him down to camp and only to discover that he was only broke at a walk, trot. We did not use him that first summer. When fall came, the decision on who should go and who should stay had to be made. Of course Buddy's name was brought up in many discussions. We decided to let him stay and give him a chance. I dedicated all of October and November to his training. By the beginning of December, Buddy's shoes were pulled, but not before he had impressed us with a cute little jump and a wonderful personality. We looked forward to spring and a chance on giving Buddy some show experience. Unfortunately, Spring saw me on crutches. With everyone trying to shoulder the extra rides, Buddy was put aside until May. Niece Kali took him to his first horse show on our grounds the first week in June. Buddy was a super star on the flat and won several hacks. The cross rails class was great too. But then we pushed the envelope a bit and put him in the 2' class, HEAVEN FORBID! Buddy put in a stop and Kali sailed over his head. Away Buddy galloped out of the ring, and down the drive way. Silly as this may sound, he did not stop and run into the barn where all his friends were in their stalls. He galloped down the camp driveway, into the pasture and all the way back to the big field! My saddle and bridle flapping in the breeze and Kali running behind. 5 minutes later, Buddy was back down at the barn (minus Kali) and soon was captured and put in his stall. What an adventure!  Despite a rather rocky start, Buddy did turn out to be a superstar. He is used for beginner and intermediate jump classes. He is often used for show team. Last year he received the Cross Rails Championship at the Alpine Ridge Horse Show. We have great plans for Buddy and a long partnership planned for the future.