In the summer of 1973, the Cannon's first grandchild was born. This event turned out to be a blessing to both the Cannons and the soon-to-be Sundance 500 International. Ralph and Joyce Cannon left their Spruce Pine, North Carolina home for a month and went to Phoenix, Arizona to stay with their daughter Nancy, who was awaiting the arrival of her first child. Nancy's husband Bob was stationed in Korea and they went to take care of their daughter. During this four week period, Ralph devoted a majority of his time to getting Sundance 500 Breeders Association back on track.
He contacted approximately 50 Sundance F500 breeders who were previous members, customers, and ApHC presidents in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Just prior to the Cannon's trip to Arizona, Ralph had corresponded with one of his best customers, George and Mary Manley of Cheyenne, Wyoming, about the revitalization of the Sundance 500 Breeders Association. During this time, Ralph contacted Wayne Wyant several times to discuss the revitalization of the organization on more of an "international" basis. This is documented in letters dated February 18,1973, April 7, 1973 and July 25, 1973 written from Ralph Cannon to Wayne Wyant. The severity of the situation can be seen in Ralph's comments:
"I feel very strongly that a time has come again when the Sundance Breeders Association must either grow, enlist a bunch of new members, or die." Ralph shared his opinion that the Sundance 500 Breeders Association had been dormant since the last ad was published in the January 1973 Appaloosa News.
In his letter, he also commented on his contacts overseas and the sales of Sundance F500 Appaloosas to clients in Australia and Canada and of the potential for the current Sundance Breeders Association to now become a worldwide organization. Ralph stated: "I've been in touch with all 3 Australian owners of Sundance stallions and with our Canadian customers. All are enthusiastic about the idea that we join forces in a Sundance promotional association with an international flavor and a name something like Sundance Worldwide Appaloosas. The time has now come to take positive action in this direction, either by reorganizing the existing Sundance 500 Breeders, or by just launching a new association." Ralph went on to say: "My proposal is to devote the rest of 1973 to organizing (membership drive, election of Directors, adoption of Bylaws) and be ready to roll in January issue, with something in [the] Appaloosa News each month thereafter. I've found a candidate for the job of Secretary, Mary Manley of Small Acres Appaloosas, Cheyenne Wyoming."
During the summer of 1973 the winds of change began to blow. Several letters written from Ralph Cannon to Mary Manley resulted in the changing of the guard of the Secretary's position. A letter dated July 26, 1973 from Ralph Cannon to Mary Manley outlined the proposed revival. In August, a letter from Ralph Cannon was mailed to the old membership informing them that Wayne Wyant was retiring as Secretary and announcing that Mary Manley would be the new Secretary. It outlined the new movement and asked for Charter memberships in this new worldwide organization.
A September 24, 1973 letter written from Mary Manley to Ralph Cannon indicates that the new International Sundance 500 Association is on track with the membership drive and the newsletter is about to go to the printers. At this same time, plans were made to advertise the "International Sundance 500 Association" in the December Appaloosa News. As of this date there were 8 charter members enlisted. The new revitalized International Sundance 500 Association, an organization geared toward all sizes of Sundance F500 breeders and open to all, is about to emerge.
1972 Sundance Breeders Association Ad
One of the January 1973 ads
Mary Manley drawing
Click the Logo to see the deveopment of the Sundance Logo
THE NEW DIRECTION
In late August 1973, Ralph issued a "Sundance Progress Report" to the current Sundance 500 Breeders Association members and all parties involved with the change at hand.
He reports: "I have talked at length with Wayne Wyant by phone, and we have agreed as follows: That the Sundance 500 Breeders Association will be replaced by transition into a new international Sundance bloodline association; that Wayne will turn over to Mary Manley and myself the records & mailing lists of the old association; and that Mary and I will carry the main load of new membership campaign. Charter Members to be enlisted via a monthly Sundance Newsletter, first issue September 1 if possible, by an ad at the earliest possible opportunity in Appaloosa News, and by personal contacts. Our proposal is $25 dues to become a Charter Member. As soon as we have 50 (or better 100) Charter Members, we will mail to each a ballot for election of Directors and for indicating personal choice of a permanent name for the organization. My suggestion is that we have 9 Directors: 3 ex officio Directors - Phil Jenkins, the breeder of Sundance 500; Wayne Wyant, the founder of the Sundance Association; and Mary Manley, the new Secretary-Treasurer. Six to be elected: 3 from the 48 conterminous States; 1 from Australia; 1 from Canada; and 1 from elsewhere in the world, Alaska, Hawaii, Latin America, Europe, Asia, etc. As soon as the Directors are elected, they will organize, choose the most preferred name, adopt By-laws, and set the program. I believe this will be the first truly international Appaloosa organization of any kind."
This "progress report" also stated that Ralph and Joyce had returned home from Phoenix, Arizona in August, 1973. Interestingly, the report stated they attended an Appaloosa Horse Show in Greensboro, North Carolina where they took the opportunity to launch a local Sundance 500 campaign. Ralph stated there were seven Sundance F500 owners in attendance at the show. "It was clear that the worldwide association is going to be greeted with enthusiasm by the owners of Sundance horses."
In less than one year's time, Ralph Cannon and Mary Manley had successfully jump-started the Sundance 500 group to a new worldwide organization. The group, now almost a year old, was known as Sundance 500 International and had a membership that surpassed 100 members.
FIRST SUNDANCE NEWSLETTER
In October of 1973, the first newsletter was published by Mary Manley titled Sundance Newsletter, Issue No. 1 by the Sundance "500" Association. It included another letter dated October 1, 1973 written by Ralph Cannon and signed by Ralph Cannon and Wayne Wyant. The letter, "An Open Letter To Sundance Owners and To All Horsemen Of Goodwill," outlined the history of the Sundance 500 Breeders Association and encouraged the formation of a worldwide organization. The letter stated: "The time has come for proud owners of Sundance Appaloosas everywhere to band together in a new worldwide Sundance bloodline association. This time around, we predict that in 3 months far more will happen than we were able to accomplish during the past 5 years, for momentum has been building up."
Page 1 of First SDNL
They set a goal of 100 charter members for the new Sundance 500 organization. The first 17 charter members were listed in the first newsletter. Those initial charter members were as follows:
Ralph & Joyce Cannon Sharon Hutchinson
Sun Appalooses - Cannondale Farm Burns, Wyoming
Spruce Pine, North Carolina Sheridan, Wyoming
Richard R. RobertsGene Carr
Weaverville, North CarolinaSantee Appaloosas
Oldham, South Dakota
George & Mary Manley
Small Acres AppaloosasDavid P. Lutz
Cheyenne, Wyoming Trisun Appaloosas/
Brentwood Rest Home
Elaine E. Chapin Louisburg, North Carolina
Cream Ridge, New Jersey
Elaine Koehler
R. Maurice Robinson Pine Forest Appaloosa Ranch
Mountain Top Appaloosas Lillian, Alabama
Spruce Pine, North Carolina
Rodney B. Ligon
Wayne & Lois Wyant Roan Meadow Stables
WayLo Acres Danville, Virginia
Fairmount City, Pennsylvania
Dr. & Mrs. C. Norman Shealy
Louie & Barbara LawrimoreBrindabella Farms
Lawrimore Farms La Crosse, Wisconsin
Hemingway, South Carolina
Thomas E. Harris
Mr. & Mrs. H. Larry McPhersonT & J Appaloosas
Ramseur, North Carolina San Bruno, California
OUR NEW NAME - SUNDANCE "500" INTERNATIONAL
The group was known initially as the International Sundance 500 Association. There was a contest during the early months of 1974 to select the new name and logo of the worldwide organization and in March of 1974, the group adopted the new name Sundance "500" International. Ralph Cannon told me he had hoped that his suggestion of "Sundance Appaloosas International" would be adopted. Soon after, in a May 14, 1974 letter from Mary Manley to Ralph Cannon she states: "The Charter Membership has now reached 99." In less than one year's time, Ralph Cannon and Mary Manley had successfully jump-started the Sundance 500 group to a new worldwide organization. The group, now almost a year old, was known as Sundance 500 International and had a membership that surpassed 100 members.
Sunspot Revel, the horse that inspired
Ralph to a dream of a Sundance organization
Author's Notes and Closing
This completes the first in the series of articles on the Organizational History of Sundance 500 International. This article was written to enlighten and inform the Sundance 500 International membership and to create a recorded history of the earliest days of our organization. To date, most of the information published has focused from the year 1966 forward. I wanted to produce more of a "behind the scenes" look at how it all began; the human interest perspective about the creator, his thoughts and ideas on the promotion of the Sundance F500 bloodline and how Ralph Cannon and Wayne Wyant began the predecessor association to our current organization. At the beginning of Sundance 500 International, the person who emerged as the prominent force behind Sundance 500 was Mary Manley. If it was not for her commitment and dedication to the growth of Sundance 500 International, the organization we know today might not exist. This leads us into the next article on the leadership from 1974 to 1985, where Mary Manley was Secretary and Charlotte Shealy, John L. Baker and Frank Scripter were Presidents of Sundance 500 International. These officers and many other leaders carried the torch for the next decade.
Ralph with SunspotRalph Cannon & Charles O'Bryant III
Revel's racing silks
[Editor: My sincerest appreciation to Charles O'Bryant for researching and writing this piece on Sundance history. And a heartfelt thank you goes to Ralph Cannon and Wayne Wyant for having the vision to create a Sundance 500 organization so many years ago, for all of us to learn from, enjoy, rally round and to serve as a 'Foundation' Appaloosa community. Thank you, Ralph & Wayne!]
REFERENCES
The following references were used to create this time line of events that lead to the birth of Sundance 500 International:
1. Interviews with Ralph and Joyce Cannon (June 16, 2001 and March 23, 2002)
2. Photo biography text on Sunspot Revel by Ralph and Joyce Cannon (June 14, 2001)
3. Article "Accent on Spots" by Mary Hare (June 1969 Appaloosa News)
4. Article on Sun Appaloosas by Mary Manley for Sundance Breeders Association
5. 1980 Sun Appaloosas Sales Catalog by Ralph and Joyce Cannon
6. Various Articles from Sundance 500 Newsletter Archives
7. Letters from Sundance 500 Breeders Association, Ralph Cannon's personal Archives
8. Sundance 500 Breeders Sales Flyers 1968-1969
9. Appaloosa Horse Breeders 1963 Guide, by Sun Appaloosas
