Hidden Gems: Meet Kirk Maxey of CA Maxey Appaloosa Heritage Foundation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirk Maxey

Hi Kirk, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When my father retired from his career as a park ranger with the NPS, he became engaged full time with breeding and riding Appaloosa horses. When he passed in 2018, I was the family member who inherited his band of these native American horses. I bought a ranch in Colorado where I could continue the breeding operation, and established a 501(c)3 non-profit named the C.A. Maxey Appaloosa Heritage Foundation (CAMAHF) in his memory. Since my work is in Michigan, I dedicated 12 acres of pasture and 2 barns near my house in Michigan where I could raise and train some of the foals and keep a pregnant brood mare or two. At this time there are 8 horses in Colorado, including all 4 of our active brood mares, and three here in Michigan, including a yearling colt that we think could become our future breeding stallion.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been something new and unexpected every day, especially transporting horses 1200 miles back and forth between Ann Arbor, MI and Loveland CO. Fund raising and operating social media sites have been an additional challenge when I thought my main problems would just be buying hay and getting hooves trimmed. When you add in at least one roll over highway accident with a pregnant mare in the trailer, I think you could say it’s been a wild ride. But we have had a number of outstanding, beautiful young foals, have sold some of those into the greater Appaloosa horse community and overall, I think we’ve carried on the family tradition.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a non-profit working to maintain and promote the only American Horse Breed that was selectively bred by native Americans. This refers to the Nez Perce Old Herd breed of Appaloosa horse, first noted in history in 1803 when they were observed and described by Lewis and Clark on their explorations of the northwest. Our mission is to preserve and understand the traits and genetics of the breed while providing educational outreach to the general public about this unique American resource.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was 1 of 5 children in a family where both parents worked for the National Park service. We lived in Teton, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde and Big Hole Battlefield, among other national parks. I was very outdoorsy, science and biology oriented. I love to ride horses, fish, hike and rock climb. In college I oriented towards organic chemistry, and then later towards medicine and obtained my MD at University of Michigan.

Pricing:

• No – We’re a charity

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maxeyappys.com
• Instagram: sassy_appys