OBITUARY

Obituary for DANDY

1969 -2004

Dandy, beloved and faithful steed of Darcie Nielsen for over 30 years, died March 5, 2004 on San Juan Island. Dandy was born in 1969 on a dairy farm near Deming, Washington. Darcie acquired the 16-hand palomino in 1971 for her 4-H project and they began a long partnership of trail riding, horseshows, parades, and teaching horsemanship. While in Whatcom County they rode in numerous youth and 4-H horse shows and the NW Washington Fair.

In 1974 Dandy came to the island to live with Darcie and her grandparents on a farm on Skottowe Lane. Darcie and Dandy rode the island landscape, entered the San Juan County Fair every year, gave riding lessons to 4-Hers, and worked at Roche Harbor in the summers giving guided trail rides. Dandy was the champion Trail horse at the Fair for many years. In addition to the many ribbons and trophies he won with Darcie, he also carried several other riders to championships.

Dandy loved parades, visiting Cady Mountain at sunset, eating the tops of thistles, swimming at Jackson's Beach, and had a sweet tooth for wintergreen Certs and red licorice. In the late 70's he joined Darcie at Washington State University where he became a schooling horse for the WSU riding program. It was here that Dandy, originally trained for Western tack, became proficient in the English style, although he loathed jumping. Dandy and Darcie were on the University horseshow team and rode against other teams in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Living in Oregon in the 1980's, Dandy and Darcie continued to trail ride and teach basic horsemanship to children. In 1991 they came back to San Juan Island and entered the Fair for several more years. He was one of the few horses in the 4th of July parades on San Juan Island and sometimes Orcas from 1996 to 2000. In 1999, at age 30, Dandy was officially retired from the Fair and a party was held with apple cider and carrots. He won his final Trail class that year. In the last few years Dandy enjoyed the green pastures of Three Meadows and most recently the beautiful barn and pastures of Anne Pope's farm. At nearly 35 Dandy enjoyed an unusually long life for a horse of his size. He did not have to be put down; he died peacefully in his sleep.

A memorial will be held Sunday, March 21 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 733 No.2 Schoolhouse Road. Come share Dandy stories and plant some flowers on his grave. Remembrances are suggested to the WSU Extension 4-H Horse Program or the San Juan Island Pony Club.

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