ApHC World Show Heritage Class Offers Glimpse Back in Time

By: Brittany Bevis

The Heritage 18 and Under class at the ApHC Youth World Championship Show provided a glimpse into another time with traditional costumes of the Nez Perce American Indians from the Pacific Northwest plains and the 8th century Merovingian Frankish Dynasty in what’s now modern day France and Germany.

One of the crowd favorites, Robert Pratt with his buffalo-bedecked horse Night Flash, were named the World Champions for their fabulous recreation of a young Nez Perce boy and his mount returning home from a hunt in the 1860s. Night Flash was adorned with a 100-year-old buffalo neck cape that was used as a disguise during hunting expeditions. Robert’s saddle and bit are both U.S. Calvary models from the 1860s. To indicate the success of their hunt, Night Flash carried bear, wolf, beaver, fox, and coyote pelts across his back.

Robert wore a brain-tanned and smoked buckskin shirt with hair pipe breast plate, leggings, moccasins, quilled arm bands, and fox head covering. His hunting accessories included a buffalo bone handle knife with beaded sheath, perflech bag complete with 1773 Hudson Bay beaver tag and US Calvary compass, and a bone riding quirt as well as a hoop and arrow game and stone war club.

The Reserve World Champion was Mikayla Hyde with Glo Ette, who wore traditional items from the 1830s and 1860s. Glo Ette’s fully beaded neck collar, breast collar, and saddle cape were embroidered with yarn and intricate beadwork. Mikayla’s 1840s ceremonial dress was made of white elk hide with beading and tin cones. Her authentic 1860s-era teal assumption sash was finger woven of fine wool, and her leg covering consists of a geometric wool trapper’s blanket. Hand carved stirrups dating back to the 1830s and a woven grass basket decorated with cowrie shells were indicative of a wealthy family.

The third place team was Abigail Beck, who was dressed as a Nez Perce maiden aboard her horse, One Chip Shy. Abigail’s ensemble was created from willow tanned elk and European trade wool with beading. Her three-hide dress was decorated with cowry shells, tin cones, and a brass tack and concho belt. For her accessories, she carried an obsidian blade knife and baby moccasins. One Chip Shy wore a beaded keyhole bridle and U.S. Calvary bit.

The fourth place team was Morgan Rees with Memento Mori. Morgan was dressed as a young Nez Perce maiden from the 1860s in a brain-tanned and smoked buckskin dress and cornhusk hat. She carried a turtleshell purse that contained a handmade doll along with a sewing awl, knife, and strike-a-light bag. In addition, she carried a 4-stripe Hudson Bay blanket and a beaded elk bag that has been seen in exhibitions in some of the first ever Heritage classes at the Appaloosa Nationals. As Memento Mori trotted around the ring, Morgan’s ensemble jingled with brass bells and glittered with mirrors that had been sewn to her horse’s Nez Perce-made saddle, bridle, teepee bags, crupper, and necklace.

Rounding out the top five was Shannon Skott, who was dressed as an 8th century Merovingian princess aboard her noble steed, Colored in KY. Shannon’s flowing traveling gown was made of flax with silk inserts and red ribbon lacing. A blue silk underdress, traveling slippers of felt wool, and silver jewelry completed her look. Shannon’s horse was decorated by saddle pads with silk ribbon and gold embroidery, a handmade saddle with forward set stirrups and centerfire wool girth, and decorative reins that actually served as an anti-grazing device.

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