The Story.. .

   A little girl in West Texas would wake very early every morning with a passion that could not be denied, to ride a horse named Gypsy (honest). That passion required that she ride to work with her father where Gypsy, owned by her uncle, and her other horses were kept. She and her father would not return home until the sun had begun to set. 

A small boy in Indiana would construct a bridle from the boughs of a willow tree to ride the ponies in the orchard next door. The feel of hard ground was usually unavoidable, as the reins gave way on the mad run for the barn.

Discovering Gypsy Gold...

The love of animals began at a very early age for Cindy and me. That love was the beacon that guided our life together. Careers in the animal business brought us together at a pet convention in Dallas, Texas... and a business trip to England was the beginning of an odyssey for us. 

As we drove to make a business call, we noticed a sign that read "Shire Horses". Since Cindy and I had always admired those gentle giants - the largest horses in the world - we returned upon completion of our business and were given a tour of the horses that were for sale. Although we really didn't plan on purchasing one, we made the mistake of admiring a two year old filly a little too much.

Cindy and I had traveled throughout the world in the business of selling products for animals, but our only experience with importing them was the purchase of two Bernese Mountain Dogs from Switzerland. Shipping the largest horse in the world required that we increase our education dramatically. We also wanted to invest in a better understanding of the Shire Horse before we made our final decision to purchase the filly that had caught our eye. We learned that although the English are famous for their history with Shire horses, the farmers in northern Wales have Shire blood in their veins. The weekend was upon us, so Cindy and I decided it would be an important part of our education, and just plain fun, for us to visit these farmers. As we sat in centuries old, dimly lit stone barns, we watched the breath of giant horses, visible in the cool night air, and listened to the wonderful accents of men from a far away land as they told us the history of the Shire. A romantic education was the reward of a weekend that ended too quickly. As we drove our long journey back for a return flight to America, our conversation was focused on the filly that was the purpose of this wonderful adventure. We were both struggling with our desire to purchase her. While wonderful, the Shire horse can be intimidating. A horse that can stand 20 hands tall with feet the size of dinner plates, is simply not right for everyone.

As we rounded a curve Cindy  noticed a horse in a distant field with a look she had never seen before.  "Did you see that black and white horse?" she asked.  I glanced over and saw it and asked Cindy if she wanted to return for a closer view. Her reply was "No" followed within seconds with a change of heart. As we returned and parked our car on the edge of the road, the horse's attention was alerted. As he trotted toward us, with mane and feathers flying, there was magic in the air.

Here are never before seen photos that
Dennis took at that moment when they first saw
the magical little stallion... who was Cushti Bok.

We assumed that this beautiful animal was some type of cross breed. He had all of the qualities we admired in the Shire but was without the intimidation we had just been discussing and his coloring was a bonus of black and white. This horse was unique, we wanted to learn more about his origins and were interested to see if he was for sale.

 

When we introduced ourselves to the farmer, he explained that he was only keeping him for a short time and that the animal belonged to a Gypsy. A man who had lived his life near a society that has intrigued and fascinated most of us who have not known these unique people spoke the words. Several minutes passed as we discussed the unusual features of this beautiful stallion, when the farmer offered information that will always be in my memory, "He has a band of mares that look just like this stallion, that he keeps hidden."

The probability that there was a breeding program going on with this unusual horse was hard for us to believe! "They can't possibly look just like this stallion", we said.  "I assure you they do," the farmer replied.

We then asked him if it was possible for us to meet the man who owned the horse. Upon the man's arrival, we explained that we were fascinated with his stallion and would like to learn more about him. Our eyes were void of a look of prejudice that the Gypsy society knows so well. In a short time we were invited to his caravan.

When Cindy and I entered the camp of the man with the special horse our lives were forever changed. For the next four calendar years our mission was to understand the origins of this hidden breed and to identify the men who have dedicated their lives in the pursuit of a dream that began over half a century ago. The dream was to create the perfect horse to pull the distinctive caravans so unique to the Gypsy culture. Our journey was a kaleidoscope of discovery from one of the world's most colorful and least understood societies. Not only did we identify the bloodlines of these fascinating and beautiful horses, we sat in caravans that are the colorful castles of a people with an inexplicable urge to move on. We discovered music we had never heard, that moves your feet and stirs your soul. We felt the passion of a people for their horses as we walked by the light of the moon in secluded fields where horses stood tethered. A slap of the hand is your receipt and a little money back just to bring you luck are customs we learned that are unique to a society that has struggled for centuries for the right to be a little different and the freedom to roam.

There is a saying that goes:  Gypsy Gold does not chink
and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.
On the fateful day when Cindy and I saw the magical horse
in the distant field, we truly had discovered Gypsy Gold

~ ~ ~

Almost a decade has passed since I wrote that story of Gypsy Gold and the discovery of the little black and white stallion and over a decade has passed since Cindy and I first saw Cushti Bok.  "Cushti Bok" in the Romany language of Gypsies means "good luck" and, as fate would have it, was the good luck horse who became the first Gypsy Vanner Horse stallion in North America, #GV00001.  He was, thereby, the first selectively bred horse raised by Gypsies in the world to be recognized as a breed.

As I read the story of Gypsy Gold and the Gypsy Vanner Horse again, I thought WOW, I sure left a lot out. Since 1998 when the Gypsy Vanner Horse was introduced to the world at Equitana USA in Louisville, Kentucky and on GypsyVannerHorse.com,  coloured horses raised by Gypsies have become one of the most desired, exploited and confusing breeds of horses on earth. That has happened because the Gypsy Vanner Horse is the first breed in the history of breeds to establish itself in the age of the internet. The internet has been the phenomenon that has fueled worldwide passion for, worldwide exploitation of and worldwide confusion about the breed of horse developed by the Gypsies of Great Britain. With this GypsyGold.com (and GypsyVannerHorse.com) web site, I want to change that. The journey to understand Gypsies and their horses was long, involved and purpose driven. The purpose is and has always been:

#1 TO ESTABLISH THE BREED WITH THE LOOK THAT GYPSIES ENVISIONED (The vision was to create a small Shire with more feather, more color and a sweeter (more refined) head. Although color is a component of the vision, a Gypsy breeder will always breed for body type over color, some of the greatest sires and dams of the breed are black).

#2 TO ESTABLISH THE BREED WITH THE DNA VERIFIED GENETICS THAT CREATED THE LOOK (20% of the horses Gypsies raise have DNA verifiable heritage available directly linked to the vision/genetics that created the Vanner breed. 80% do not and are a type of Gypsy horse but not a set type (a breed). Demand DNA when buying a horse).

#3 TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE BREED WITH THE FEELINGS OF STATUS AND PRIDE  THAT GYPSIES FEEL ONLY FOR THEIR SELECTIVELY BRED HORSES (A Gypsy described The Kent Horse (Shogun's sire), adding "Id give a thousand pounds, just to walk him in front of the boys." 80% of Gypsies horses are not the breed & don't inspire this feeling, only the Vanner does).

#4 TO ESTABLISH THE BREED IN DIRECT PARALLEL TO THE VALUES GYPSIES PLACE ON THEIR SELECTIVELY BRED HORSES (By doing this, we honor the creators of the Vanner breed (Gypsies) and create an environment where the breed (20%) can be separated from the 80% that are a commodity based Gypsy horse sold for meat prices).  

"You know you are doing this the hard way, but its the right way," said a Fred (For fifty-nine years Fred walker focused on his Vanner vision) when we explained our goals. To achieve the task there needed to be a mission. The words of the mission were written on our journey to understand the Vanner breed. They begin with a commitment to bring honor, recognition and a better understanding and end with a commitment to remain quality based culturally sensitive and socially responsible.

Cindy is gone now but her spirit lives in those words. They are words that are the backbone of the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society which was founded to establish, protect, promote and share the magic of The Gypsy Vanner Horse breed. At Gypsy Gold, Lynn and I are deeply committed to the Vanner breed and we are driven anew to stay focused on the mission.

Come, share the dream with us!

 Dedicated, with love, to Cindy Tergerson Thompson
1953- 2002