Memory of our horses

Daniel Raymond Quisenberry
aka "The Quiz"

Feb. 7, 1953 - September 30th, 1998

Danny doing what he like to do best.

My first memory of my cousin Danny was not of the superstar relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, no it was of this skinny freckle face kid with a thick thatch of strawberry blonde hair. Ever present was his base ball and glove. When we cousins got together annually we would tell stories and howl with laughter. We always picked up right where we left off. As if the year had not interrupted us, and we confided all our secrets to each other. I was the daredevil saying things to shock people and make them say "Oh my God," and Danny was always the one who made us laugh. He always had a joke, or a prank (nothing bad) or a story that would get a giggle out of you;

Danny and his older brother Martie were more like twins, not siblings separated by time. They finished sentences for each other, Danny would start a joke and Martie would deliver the punch line. It was great fun and all of us loved being together at Grandma's house in California, and then in Port Orchard, Washington when they moved up here. We Quisenberry's have a very large extended family. So get togethers were always loud, chaotic and Fun.

As time went by and we all grew up, some of us married and some of us didn't. We all went to college of some sort, and Danny and Marty went to schools in California where they lived. Danny attended the University of Laverne where he met the love of his life, Janie. They married and began living as a family and then the Kansas City Royals drafted Dan as a free agent in 1979. He made his official debut in baseball July 8,1979.

We were so proud of him. He was doing what he always said he would do.

After a few years of fits and starts, Dan's career took off like a rocket. He signed the largest lifetime contract in history for the Kansas City Royals. Big money. That year at Christmas everyone gathered at my uncle's house (Dan's dad). Here was Danny and Janie sitting in the large knot of cousins on the floor, just like it always was. He was nothing if not steadfast and humble. Funny. loyal. Devout.

During his time with the Royals, he lead the American League in saves 5 out of 6 years with a peak of 45 saves in 1983. He finished no lower than 3rd in the counting for the Cy Young award four years in a row (1982-1985). Five times he was given the Rolaids Relief pitcher of the year award.

In 1985 he was the relief pitcher when Kansas City won the world series. The majority of his career was spent with the Royals. Then disaster struck. He injured his pitching shoulder. Despite all the therapy, doctors and treatments money could buy, his pitching arm was never the same. He was traded from the Royals to St. Louis for the 88-89 season without success. He then went to the Giants for a year hoping against hope that he could recover that side arm sinker pitch he had. It never did. And with grace and poise, which was so typical of Danny, he retired from baseball, but never from the hearts of his fans as he would find out later.

Some people retire from the spot light and take to excess with drink or drugs or other occupations. Not Dan, first and foremost he spent time with Janie and his kids. They were and had always been the most important thing in his life. He went back to college. Took up writing. Wrote poetry. He has been quoted frequently by many sources. His writing is deep and from the heart. He prayed, they always went to church. Dan took a look around him and saw suffering in his own community. And he did something to fix it.

He started the Celebrity Golf tournament that has raised large amounts of money for the homeless and hungry. He and Janie worked on the Harvester fund raiser to feed the hungry. Through his tireless efforts millions were raised for the people of Kansas City. He and Janie were a going concern raising money for the community they loved.

In December of 1997 Dan took his family to the mountains for vacation. He didn't feel well. He had been having headaches and vertigo. Everyone was having a great time then Dan fell off his snowboard. His head was pounding and his vision blurred. Upon returning home, Janie insisted he seek medical attention. It was then, when the testing was done that Dan got the bad news. He had a grade IV multiform astrocytoma.

The sound of the Quisenberry family hitting their knees in prayer could be heard in heaven. Surgery to remove it only got 80-90% of the tumor. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments strong enough to fry the hair off his body did not stop it.

And still we prayed. Surely the God that we knew would not take someone as good, and kind and faithful as our Danny.

Throughout his illness Dan had peace. His love and faith in God saw him and his family through the most heart wrenching times. He prayed, he wrote poetry and read to kids at the library when he could. And he wept. And talked to God some more.

In May 1998 in front of all of his previous teammates and a crowd of over 30,000 fans Danny was inducted into the Kansas City Royals hall of Fame. That day at Kaupman stadium there was not one dry eye in the place.

Danny left us September 30th 1998. We still miss him.

We all knew that morning,

That God was going to call your name,

In life, we loved you dearly

In death, we do the same

It broke our hearts to lose you,

You did not go alone,

For part of all of us went with you.

The day God called you home.

You left us each with beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide,

And though we cannot see you,

We know you are at our side.

The family chain is broken,

And nothing seems the same,

But as God calls us one by one,

The chain will link again.

Danny Quisenberry
"The Quiz"

Dakhan Al Khanjar +

SharMar Garlique x Helematt Charisma

May 5, 1980 - June 5, 2003
Beloved heart, our loss is heaven's gain.


1989 Reserve National Champion Jumper	Trainer, Terri Hook	Steve Stevenson and Dakhan winning purebred two year old gelding class at Labor Of Love Show in Gig Harbor, Washington

Dakhan came into our lives as a four month old weanling bred by Charles and Rebecca Chambers of Rochester, Washington. At the time they lived in Spanaway. He was a rather plain rose grey baby with the most expressive liquid black eyes. One look into those eyes and I was a goner. I had to have him. And I did. He looked up at me with those huge black eyes and said "Take me home and I will make your dreams come true." And he did.

As a yearling he was gawky and gangly, and of course I wanted to show him in halter. Only no trainer in Washington would take him. One trainer told me he was dog food. I never forgave that man and I made him eat those words. Fate intervened in the form of a short little southern guy, Steve Stevenson, from the everglades of Florida. A totally unknown entity who stepped up to the plate and told me if I would give him a chance, he would give me 100%. And he did. They won 9 halter classes, 2 championships and a Regional top five.

When it was time to start Dak under saddle Steve took me aside and said, "Tonda, he is big(15.3h) and bold with the heart of a lion. And he can jump anything. Send him to Terrie Hook. She won't do you wrong." So I did.

The first time Terrie put a saddle on him he bucked so hard he did a 360. She blanched, and said something to the effect she wasn't getting on him. I believe she said that SOB. I laughed and said give him a chance. And she did, and the rest is history. They never looked back.

For fifteen years Terrie showed him, and they cleaned up, kicked it and took names. More than one person said they believed Dak would jump a house if Terrie pointed him at it. When he retired from the Arab circuit he went on to show in classes like the prestigious Lake Washington Hunter/Jumper show, and cross country. And they won. (See Arabian Horse Times, Times Transition article on him, July 2003). With Terrie, Dak went from the backyard of Spanaway, Washington to Center ring at the United States Nationals. Because of Terrie, Dakhan and I were included in Whose Who in Arabian Horses in the United States.

Through all the years I always took it for granted that he would always be with me. He was the baby I raised, the stallion I had gelded. He was my best friend and confidant, he was, in truth, the love of my life. On the day he died I sat in the pasture and holding his precious head in my lap, weeping, I begged him not to leave me. But of course, he did....

"Every single day, every breath I take, every step I make....

I'll be missing you."

Sting

Show Record

Legion of Honor

49 Class A Championships

11 Class A Reserve Championships

9 Regional Championships

5 Reserve Regional Championships

6 Regional Top Fives

1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990 Washington State Horsemen's high point Arabian Hunter Jumper

9 Regional Insilco Champion Awards

1987 U.S. National Top Ten (3rd) Hunter

1987 U.S. National Top Ten (3rd) Jumper

Recipient of Homer B. Splawn perpetual trophy for outstanding Arabian in state of Washington.

1987 Insilco top ten award Hunter/Jumper

1989 U.S. National Top Ten (3rd) Hunter

1989 U.S. National Res. Champion Jumper

139 Class A Blue Ribbons

1989 Insilco Res. National Champion Arabian Hunter Jumper

L.A. Gai Starlight
Gai Midas - Aza Silouette

March 01, 1986 - November 2004

In early March of 86 I was visiting my dear friend long time Arabian horse breeder Chris Lelli. Her drop dead gorgeous Aza Destiny daughter Aza Silouette had just foaled a dark grey filly. It was late afternoon and Chris motioned me to follow her to the barn. I should have known from the suppressed grin I was in the treat of a lifetime.

Quietly, almost reverently Chris led me to the foaling stall. Inside was the most lovely Arabian filly I have ever seen. Even to this day I thought her beautiful. Peeking out from the security of her mother's tail was this exquisite dark filly. She looked like a tiny fawn. Huge black liquid eyes like tennis balls, huge Jibbah, huge scoopy dish, tea cup muzzle tiny, pointy ears. I fell hopelessly and irretrievably in love. When I asked how much. My heart fell to the floor, it was far more than I could handle even with the generous terms Chris offered me.

I watched her show appearances, always with longing, I so loved this mare. I was so very happy for Liz Bossinas who had purchased her from Chris. Truly I was thrilled for Lilli as she had a very loving show home.

But a little of me was dying inside because she could have been mine. And time went on and she kept wining halter classes and Mare championships and Most Classic head classes. And always I wished Liz and Lilli well, and always I kept my peace and supported them when they showed her. But in my heart of hearts always I loved her and wanted her. And I knew deep inside, had it been meant to be, I would have been her owner.

Fast forward twenty years. My dear friend Sheryl Barbour of San El Ranch called me and said (she knew how I felt about this mare) "Guess who is in my pasture?" Who, I asked. "Lilli" she said softly.

My shirt did not hit my back until I was in her office signing purchase papers. We brought her home the next day. Life had not been kind to my Lilli. Her left front foreleg was lame with a severe bow that was untreated. She had apparently foundered once, she was kinda creasty, but my dear word, she still took my breath away. Her head was to die for.

Every day for the rest of her life I rewrapped her leg with cotton batting and vet wrap, to support the bow that did not heal. Everything we did medically she stood quietly and allowed. She was the most dignified, patient and loving mare I had ever seen. She was the Queen of the farm and she knew it.

Twice we bred her to Ray Dor Echo and twice she slipped the foal. Ray Dor loved her to distraction. He always started talking to her the exact moment her foot touched the ground. We always smiled because they were like two long lost lovers when they saw each other.

When she was at home, she was Dakhan's mare, his pasture mate.

When she came home from the last journey to Falconcrest, as I led to go down the hill to the barn, she called out to him, announcing her return. There was no usual answering bellow from the barn. Silence. She looked at me. Something was not right. She called again. louder. No answer. I slipped the halter off and let her go. My vet and Debbie Waite said to turn her loose and she would figure it out. And she did.

She found everyplace where we had worked on Dak, the IVS were hung under the trees by the barn, she retraced our footsteps, found where he had gone down, and found the exact spot where he had died. Lastly she found the place where we had buried him. She stood smelling the ground for the longest time, then slowly she sank down and laid upon his grave.

People can say what they want about animals not having emotions, but I know what I saw that day. With God as my witness I know that Lilli wept.

After a few months we sent Lilli to Pilchuk Animal Hospital in Snohomish for a complete reproductive work up only to find she was a grade IV uterus with an incomplete 5 cm cervical tear. Plans were laid for an embryo transfer with my other mares as surrogate (recipient) moms.

Fate intervened once more. Lilli foundered again. This time very bad. We worked on her for months and pulled her through. We decided to try to get her into shape and try the ET the next year. We still had hope. We just had to get Lillie healthy again. (my vet bills now equaled the national debt)

On a beautiful November morning my son found Lilli down again. I went flying down the hill and into her stall. She was in terrible pain, and the blood began to pound in my ears. I got her up and out into the pasture so Jack our vet would have room to work on her.

We lost her that morning, she died on the exact same spot in the pasture that Dakhan did. She died with her exquisite head in my lap, and I kept telling her how much I always loved her, that she was our queen, a precious jewel.

We never got a baby from Lilli, but count every day we had her as a precious gift from God. She had many good days with us, and brought us much joy and happiness just being in her presence.

We are better horse people for having known her.

"Everything dies.......even stars burnout."

Obi Wan Kenobi



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