 Born
and raised in Southern California, Jim Adkins, 54, is the father of
three grown children and grandfather of a lovely baby girl. During
his youth, he lived on ranches and learned the love of mules from
his grandfather. Though he never owned them while in California,
because he never had the opportunity or the land, there were plenty
of them there, and he was around them as much as he could be,
entering packing contests and endurance rides and otherwise enjoying
them.He was a land developer in North San Diego County, and was
responsible for planting and maintaining many of the lush avocado
and citrus groves growing on the steep hillsides there. But he
always loved Colorado, and went hunting in the southwestern part at
least once a year, arranging to use mules for riding and for packing
out the meat. After 30+ years, he grew tired of Southern California,
and made a permanent move to Durango, Colorado area, where he made a
living running heavy equipment, developing residential areas and
engineering projects.
He met and married Lynn Eustance in Durango in 1978, and together
they have worked very hard, following his dream of raising
high-quality mule stock. They have a successful painting and
finishing contractin7 business, and a retail outlet specializing in
log home finishing products. It took fifteen years, but they finally
were able to purchase property and buy their first mule. Since then,
they bought a mare in foal with a grulla mule (sired by Moon from
Troy Rose's ranch), and have raised eight other grulla mule colts
from her, for riding, packing and driving. They now own Marco Polo,
a red roan/gray dapple performance and breeding mammoth jack (out of
Red Baron from the Centinella ranch in Chimayo, New Mexico), and
stand him at stud to quality mares for exceptional saddle mules.
They both took courses in equine artificial insemination, and Mesa
Color Mules is becoming well known in the area for producing
beautiful mule offspring safely and effectively. They built a lovely
home, have developed boarding1 riding and breeding facilities, and
lease 50+ acres for their family of eight mules, two mares and Marco
Polo.
Jim was always interested when it came to national organizations,
and subscribed to many mule magazines to keep up on developments in
the industry. When he learned of the formation of NASMA, he and Lynn
proudly became Charter Members. He has been a Region 3 director for
the past year, sponsoring trail rides and other mule-oriented
events, and was a supporter of the NASMA National Show in Pueblo,
Colorado, in 1997. He attended and participated in interviewing and
testing the judges' certification seminar for Color Breeds Council
in Oklahoma City in January of this year. He constantly promotes
saddle mules, and is helping to increase their exposure in many
local horse events and back-country experiences. He and Lynn sponsor
and participate in a local Share the Trails Team Triathion (Jim
rides one of his saddle mules, Lynn Hikes, and another team member
rides her mountain bike) each year in the National Forest, hoping
this exposure will allow equine to continue to enjoy National Forest
lands without stigma. He shows his grullas in local and state fairs
each year, and shows them and Marco Polo off in parades, rides and
drives whenever he can.
Jim is the candidate for 1998-99 president of NASMA, and has
the following to say regarding his term in office:
"Of primary importance to me is the promotion of quality mules and
donkeys. As president of NASMA I will help the organization take
mules and donkeys into the 21st century.
First we must increase our membership, so we have the finances
required to further our causes. We must make the prospective members
WANT to be members by showing our unity and strength of purpose in
promoting our animals. 1) We must breed for good animals1 and raise
good animals by being good owners and trainers ourselves. Too often
we see mules being bred for to just have one. This is a lack of
responsibility which we can't justify or condone. 2) We must have
quality, consistent judging at NASMA shows, which will demand the
judges' certification program established at Color Breeds Council.
3) Our rule book must be adhered to strictly and consistently, to
command the respect of the equine industry. 4) We must encourage
strong committee membership and volunteerism to make NASMA a viable,
trustworthy and respected organization.
Next we must encourage our volunteers, executive board members,
and committee members by standing behind them and supporting them.
We can't simply whine or complain; we must have ideas or changes (if
what is in place doesn't seem to be working), and make them known to
the proper people on the proper committees. They're doing the work
on our behalf; let's help them any way we can! I will push for
reimbursement funds for the executive secretary's expenses -
postage, supplies, telephone and fax costs.
Let's actively continue to support the programs that are working
- the youth programs, versatility trail programs, trail rides. Our
industry needs the exposure, and we all can help.
I also will be pushing for increased numbers of donkeys and mules
participating in NASMA's registration system, and for drug testing
of show animals in "A" shows, at least. NASMA's reputation should be
based on respect, quality and fairness for all participants."
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