Located only 15 miles south of metro Denver, Storm Ranch
is a small operation with a breeding and training program (we train our own horses) designed to produce and offer for sale
a very few quality horses each year sired by Grand Champion J. Toby's Shadow and out of our performance proven and champion
mares. We don't operate as horse brokers, although we will occasionally assist customers in locating horses utilizing
our national contacts. All horses offered for sale are full blooded and registered Rocky Mountain Horses most of which were
bred, born, raised and trained at Storm Ranch.
Storm Ranch's successes in the show ring, unto themselves, are not that important
(too many class blues to count and now 14 Grand Championships and 8 Reserve Grand Championships through September
of '07). These results do, however, demonstrate the manageability and correctness (gait, look, etc.) of our horses as
determined by outside experts (the judges).
But please don't be led to the conclusion that Storm Ranch horses are just show
horses. In addition, they are all regularly trail ridden. We participate in horse shows to "promote the breed," and because
we believe it is good training experience for our horses. And yes, we also show our horses because we are proud of them.
Our primary objective is to breed and train for correctness of gait, and to retain
that famous mild Rocky Mountain Horse disposition. Good heads are also important - color is not. All breeding stock has been
Op Vet checked and determined to be aa (clear eyed).
John and Carolyn Loughridge have been active in local and national RMHA issues and
activities. John is a Senior RMHA Certification Examiner, as well as, a KMSHA Examiner. Carolyn serves as an Officer
in the local RMHA affiliated club chapter. John and Carolyn have been participants in the Rocky Mountain Horse Brigade,
a group of Rocky owners which performs breed demonstrations in the Denver area.
2007 was an exciting year at Storm Ranch. JTS Shot in the Dark (Gunner) beat his
father, J. Toby's Shadow, in the classic pleasure grand championship class in the UMH AA nationally sanctioned Colorado
Celebration. Gunner is the 3rd Storm Ranch horse to win a grand championship.
And 2007 was the year we were finally able to return with J. Toby's Shadow (we purchased
Toby at the International in 2000) to the RMHA International Grand Championships held September 18-22
at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Toby was entered in 11 classes and ribboned
in all but one class, open trail obstacle. Highlights were a 2nd in Men's AOT Show Pleasure (14 entries) and 3rd in Ladies
AOT Trail Pleasure (19 entries). Those results qualified us for the Grand Championships in both Show Pleasure and
Trail Pleasure (we believe Toby was the only horse to qualify for both AOT grand championship finals). These results
were very satisfying as the International is the big-time and most of the horses exhibited there are full-time show horses
with professionally trained backgrounds (even if currently owned and shown by amateurs). J. Toby's Shadow has
never had any professional training and he must be characterized as a back yard pony used for trail, with an occasional
show thrown in. We were extremely proud of Toby at the 2007 RMHA International.
2007 also solidified the value of J. Toby's Shadow as a sire. His
offspring are proving to be well gaited, good looking, and well behaved. They show great potential for trail and show.
(See Breeding Stock section of this website for pictures of some of Toby's offspring.)
