GoHorseShow is sad to report the passing of Congress Champion sire, Mr Notibily Zippo. The 1995 sorrel stallion by Zippo Pine Bar and out of RS Nancy Malbec was bred by Richard and Connie Estling of Reddick, Florida. According to current owner, Olivia Hoecker, Mr. N passed after a battle with cancer.
“It was heartbreaking when we discovered he had cancer. It was sudden and unexpected. We are blessed to have been a part of his life and he will always be a part of Pine Meadow Quarter Horses,” Hoecker told GoHorseShow. “He has always been a very loved companion around the farm. Even with his age, he was the most energetic and playful of the stallions. He was a very quirky, silly and adventurous stallion who would always act tough but would perk right up for a cookie.”
Olivia adds, “He enjoyed running around his paddock and socializing with the horses around him. He spent some of his last moments running around the paddock and enjoying being a horse. It is a blessing to have happy final memories of him like that.”
Mr. N was also a talented western pleasure horse in his own right. In 2000, he was the Tom Powers Co-Champ Maturity Non Pro Western Pleasure and also placed Top 10 in the Congress Two Year-Old Futurity. However, he made his mark in the breeding arena. His get amassed over 1,000 points, with 28 point earners total and NSBA earnings of over $64,000. Some of his famous offspring include 2001 Congress Champion Two Year-Old Western Pleasure Champion, MNZ Capital Flare. As well as other successful offspring including: Hez Simply Dynamic, MNZ Investment, MNZ Invitation, MNZ Movin Slow,and MNZ Sonnys Zippo, among others.
“He was more than just a horse to our farm. He is where our breeding program began and he gave us the inspiration to move forward and create a program that is beyond any of our expectations,” Hoecker says. “We never foreseen anything like this happening to any of our horses and it is painful for the farm as a whole. As upsetting as his passing was, you can always see him in the eyes of his offspring. He will always be more than a memory; he will be a legacy and a legend at our farm.”
Mr. N was buried at Olivia’s farm in Florida. “He has been buried in a special place on the farm to memorialize his life and remind us of what a great horse he was. It feels right that he stays on the farm with us at his home. He was our first stallion and he will never be forgotten and he will always be truly missed.”
We would like to send our condolences to Olivia Hoecker and everyone at Pine Meadow Quarter Horses.
