Rod Barker

Official Description: Pony Story: Remember those Saturday afternoon matinees starring Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and other guitar-strumming cowboys? Remember how all of them rode a spirited horse that, on command, would rear up as if charging the sky? inBonanza in is a tribute to the American West. Featuring such iconic images as a covered wagon, a bleached cow skull, gem-studded horseshoes and an acoustic guitar, it has lassoed the very Best of the West! Last Number at Retirement 2/5,244

Official Description: Pony Story: Developed during the Middle Ages as a war horse because of its height and speed and ability to carry knights in full armor on their backs, the Friesian almost faced extinction by the end of World War II, before it was crossbred with other selected types of horses to produce animals suitable not only for sport disciplines but carriage driving. With its heavy stature, noble head set on a high arched neck, long and flowing mane and tail, and willing temperament, a crossbred Friesian mare with its young foal running beside her is a vision of the past as well as the future.

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Official Description: Pony Story: inOf all the animals, the horse is the best friend of the Indian, for without it he could not go on long journeys. A horse is the Indian's most valuable piece of property. If an Indian wishes to gain something, he promises his horse that if the horse will help him he will paint it with native dyes, so that all-05 see that help and protection have come to him through the aid of his horse. in Last Number at Retirement 1/4,916

Official Description: Pony Story: The sky darkens ominously. Gusting blasts of wind kick up dust. Z-bolts of lightning flash from cloud-to-ground like jagged spears thrown by an angry mythological god. There is a sudden loud crack of thunder that sounds like the floorboards of Heaven have collapsed under the weight of the rain, snow and hail that pour down from above, as inStorm Rider in charges across the landscape, snorting, rearing, and bucking like a wild stallion.

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Official Description: Pony Story: The sky darkens ominously. Gusting blasts of wind kick up dust. Z-bolts of lightning flash from cloud-to-ground like jagged spears thrown by an angry mythological god. There is a sudden loud crack of thunder that sounds like the floorboards of Heaven have collapsed under the weight of the rain, snow and hail that pour down from above, as inStorm Rider in charges across the landscape, snorting, rearing, and bucking like a wild stallion.

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Official Description: Pony Story: In the 15th century, when knights were defenders of faith, a woman's honor and just about anything that endowed them with greater glory, so did their inchargers in share in the accolades. In fact, the exalted association of man and horse is precisely what is meant by chivalry - an adaptation of the French word meaning horse - cheval. With this in mind, Rod Barker, executive director of designed a Super Charger fit for the noblest of knights.

Last Number at Retirement 4E/0370

Official Description: Pony Story: Years ago, it was fashionable for travelers to adorn their suitcases with colorful stickers that let the world know where they'd been. This was especially true of those taking road trips through the American West, retracing the trails first traversed by wagon trains that began their journey to California to start a new life with the cry, inWestward, Ho in Well-worn suitcases, decorated with vintage stickers featuring states, historic sites, national parks and roadside attractions were the sign of a seasoned traveler and today they are highly collectible. Westward, Ho! takes us all on a trip back in time.

Last Number at Retirement 1/5,302

Official Description: Pony Story: There have been a number of powerful tributes to the tragedy of 9/11, among them the commemorative public art installation known as the Tribute of Lights: a pair of giant beams of light, installed at Ground Zero, that mimicked the position and shape of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as they illuminated the night sky over Manhattan. With this image in mind, I conceived of a Painted Pony that utilized the same form that The Trail created for a previous tribute to 9/11 titled “Unconquered,” which posed a white stallion triumphantly atop rubble intended to represent the collapsed Twin Towers, with an American flag behind it. But instead of a white horse, this piece would feature a faceted blue horse. Blue because the lights in the Tribute of Lights were blue. Faceted to represent the 43,600 windows that were part of the Twin Towers, as well as the venues on the top floors of the North Tower which were called Windows on the World. The title - “Wild Blue” - borrows the name of a restaurant in the North Tower that was destroyed. A portion of the proceeds, from the sale of this piece, will benefit First Responders Children’s Foundation. First Responders Children’s Foundation provides financial support to both children who have lost a parent in the line of duty as well as families enduring significant financial hardships due to tragic circumstances. For more: 1strcf.org Last Number at Retirement

Official Description: Pony Story: There have been a number of powerful tributes to the tragedy of 9/11, among them the commemorative public art installation known as the Tribute of Lights: a pair of giant beams of light, installed at Ground Zero, that mimicked the position and shape of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as they illuminated the night sky over Manhattan. With this image in mind, I conceived of a Painted Pony that utilized the same form that The Trail created for a previous tribute to 9/11 titled “Unconquered,” which posed a white stallion triumphantly atop rubble intended to represent the collapsed Twin Towers, with an American flag behind it. But instead of a white horse, this piece would feature a faceted blue horse. Blue because the lights in the Tribute of Lights were blue. Faceted to represent the 43,600 windows that were part of the Twin Towers, as well as the venues on the top floors of the North Tower which were called Windows on the World. The title - “Wild Blue” - borrows the name of a restaurant in the North Tower that was destroyed. A portion of the proceeds, from the sale of this piece, will benefit First Responders Children’s Foundation. First Responders Children’s Foundation provides financial support to both children who have lost a parent in the line of duty as well as families enduring significant financial hardships due to tragic circumstances. For more: 1strcf.org Last Number at Retirement