From the Equine Journal

Apple Acre Gypsy and WillowWind  Stable
By Celeste Karpf
4-1-09

Allison Alvino of Apple Acre Gypsy  and Mandy Kramar of WillowWind Stable are pleased to announce they have  combined forces. Ever since their first meeting at the Michigan Horse Council Stallion Expo hosted at MSU, Allison and Mandy have shared not  only a close friendship, but an unwavering devotion to the Gypsy Horse  Breed.

Allison explains that while her  approach to breeding is derived from the U.K. standards, Mandy’s  background is in the Ireland-based approach to the breed. Together, Apple  Acre Gypsy and WillowWind Stable have an impressive knowledge of the breed  and its derivatives. Their shared interest led them to the joint purchase  of the yearling stud colt, The Alchemist.

The Alchemist is a tri-color homozygous black Gypsy Horse by Clononeen’s famous Tumbleweed and out of Clononeen’s piebald mare Polly.

“He has the most patient, loving, and calm  personality,” says Allison. “He’s everything you could want.” The  Alchemist has A striking blue ere, heavy hair and what Allison describes  as “stellar conformation”. “He has a ridiculous amount of hair and he’s  still just a yearling. It goes all the way up his knees and hocks and then  some!” She says.

Apple Acre’s cherished mares are Sorcha and Black  Brannaugh. Sorcha is a stunning silver dapple and the spitting image of  her sire, The Business. Allison refers to her as a “tank” because of her  impressively square and sturdy conformation.

Apple Acre Gypsy will be breeding Sorcha to Cielo Celeste Farm’s Sir Collin (aka Belinus), if they are able to sell the foal in utero. Sir Collin is a buckskin tobiano and would breed a unique  colored foal, but Allison is hesitant to breed frivolously. “We have a lot  of good Gypsies out there looking for homes. We don’t need to be breeding  left and right,” she explains.

Apple Acre’s "Black Brannagh" is by the award  winning, FionnMac Cumhaill and out of Blaithin from WillowWind Stables.  “She is an incredibly athletic, full-bodied Gypsy and the spitting image of her father,” says Allison.

Apple Acre Gypsy began in 2005 with Allison’s  first visit to the Appleby Fair. She then bought Sorcha from Cielo Celeste  Farm, after Jeff Bartko imported her from the U.K. Since her first visit,  Allison has returned to the Appleby Fair for four years. This June she plans to revisit with Mandy, who will be experiencing it for the first  time.

Allison says that visiting the fair  allows her to see the conformation, quality, and standards that are being  bred overseas. She is constantly interested in further educating herself  to maintain the breed’s authenticity.

“I’m not a big breeder, it’s about quality and conformation first and foremost,” says Allison. “The Gypsies really knew what they were doing. It’s important to stay true to the breed and where  it was developed.”

Mandy Kramar of WillowWind Stable, in Charlotte, MI, believes in the importance of conformation and selective breeding.  Mandy grew up training Arabians and earned her degree in Equine Management  from MSU. She became one of the very first Gypsy Horse breeders in the  U.S. and has been studying and working with the breed for almost 10 years. 

FionnMac Cumhaill, Brannagh's sire,  is WillowWinds prime stud. He is known for his “famous controlled rear”,  which Mandy taught him herself. Fionn is also known for his unique marking  known as the “Heart of Ireland”. It is a naturally heart-shaped black spot  on his right shoulder. Fionn is a piebald that rides and drives at the  stable.

WillowWind has mares available for sale; Truffle, a silver dapple mare, and Josie, a prize winning black and white mare in foal to Desert Jewel Ace for a 2009 foal.  Mandy is also eagerly expecting her first colt from her red and white foundation mare, Grainne and by Fionn who will be for sale as well.