2003

Bought our first mini donkeys, bred jennets SWR Dolly and Gardner's Rhonda

Started visiting farms(even went to Nebraska), purchasing jennets and learning about miniature donkeys

Bought our first jack, Safari Country King Ebony, to start breeding.

2004

Attended lots of shows and talked with exhibitors about showing

Waiting on our first foals to be born, finally, in the summer 3 jack foals born within 30 days of each other. Smooth easy births and so much fun.

2005

Decided “we want to show”

I surprised Jim with The Red Gates Stetson and Sterling, half brothers and just exactly what we were looking for. Practiced, got help clipping, ordered beautiful show halters from Showgirls, filled out our entry and off to the first show we went. Jim liked showing, thought it was fun and I was scared to death. So we came up with a plan that Jim would show and I would do the grunt work to get us ready to go into the arena. I did show one more time at the TX State Fair in Best Matched Pair and we won a blue ribbon. The donkeys that won, our first blue ribbon were Wee Friends Farm All Shook Up and Lazarus. I did better the second time but realized it was not for me

We went to a driving clinic because I thought that looked like fun. Again Jim enjoyed driving and I did not.

We needed a trailer with living quarter to do all this showing, so Jim found one in North Florida and we drove from Texas to pick it up.

That fall Jim's young teen age granddaughter, Tiffany, came to live with us and decides she wants to show. So that added another person to our show family and our living quarter trailer. Tiffany realizes she needs one of her friends to keep her company and help her, so Tenisha came with us to the shows. It was work, a good time together and the start of us promoting youth in the show ring. Tiffany and Tenisha showed Stetson and Sterling, while Jim showed Shook. We won every color ribbon and enjoyed the show season.

In August our first jennet foal was born so we named her Lil Graceland Lisa Marie. Finally, a girl.

2006

Still showing, having cute babies and breeding. The babies are my favorite part of mini donkeys

Several more girl foals born this year and boys. We always seemed to be outnumbered by boys. We love them all just the same. One of the boys born this year Lil Graceland Fun In Acapulco, aka Lil A

Decided to do an outside breeding to have a My World Red Alert baby. Took Cobra's Nina Bonita to Flynn TX to spend some time with Red Alert. (Hoping for a great looking girl)

2007

I started to really like red donkeys and decided it was time to search for a red herdsire. I liked Quarter Moon Ticker Tape, so decided I needed one of his sons and ended up with two. Quarter Moon Red Light would be gelded and become Tiffany's new show donkey. They did so good in the show ring, she trained him herself. Quarter Moon Gold Coast (a little doll) would eventually be our main herdsire.

It is a BOY!!! Lil Graceland Speedway is born in September, Dam Cobra's Nina Bonita and Sire My World Red Alert. He is so small 20”. OH NO! He is not red, but nice color like Nina.

We buy Li'l Angels Miss Diane to be our next jennet show donkey. Her first show, on her first birthday and she wins a blue ribbon at State Fair of TX.

Tiffany and QM Red Light win Reserve Champion Youth SDMS Show
We are doing parades and petting zoo at local Festivals

Outside breeding HHAA Whoopie and Sunset Acres Rowdy Yates

2008
Whoopie has a black boy King Creole

SDMS Texas Shoot Out The Red Gates Stetson wins Gelding Halter Class 5 years and older

Lil Graceland Speedway wins Reserve Champion Halter at SDMS Fall Show in Belton

State Fair of Texas, Jim and The Red Gates Stetson win a belt buckle for NMDA High Point Green Adult, really proud of these accomplishments!

Our friend in Oklahoma lends us a jennet to breed to Speedway

Tiffany and QM Red Light wins Reserve Champion High Point Youth at SDMS Show

2009

Still showing, breeding and having those cute babies

QM Gold Coast first foal is born July 20, 2009 Lil Graceland Gold Record and he is red. It was love at first site. Big plans for this little boy.

State Fair of Texas Tiffany and QM Red Light wins a belt buckle for NMDA High Point Youth at State Fair of TX.

Tiffany is doing great at shows, wins First Place in Youth Showmanship

Coasters first jennet foal Lil Graceland Unchained Melody is born

Jim elected to SDMS Board of Directors


2010
Tiffany leaves our farm and showing donkeys to go live with her mother

Winning every color ribbon

Melody starts showing in halter classes

Jim's mule Big Boss Man is born in May

Jim taking an interest in riding

Jim hurts his shoulder and needs surgery, show season ends early

Mattie Lou and Speedway have a jennet foal Sweet Caroline 19" at birth, so tiny and cute

2011
Jim appointed Vice President of SDMS

A big show year after stopping early in 2010

NMDA National Show in Waco Gold Record wins 5th Place in Halter

Texas Shoot Out cancelled but making plans for a great show in 2012

Caroline attends her first show, all the show halters are to small to fit her tiny head

Attend SDMS 5th Annual Longears Festival (so much fun)

OK State Fair King Creole and Pink Cadillac win First Place in their individual Halter classes

Still having babies, not buying ... trying to downsize our herd we have to many donkeys. 

2011 show season comes to an end in Belton
King Creole wins 3rd in Halter and 2nd in Green Trail Class
3rd in Green Pleasure Driving and 3rd in Green Reinsmanship
Pink Cadillac wins 1st Place in Halter
Sweet Caroline wins 3rd in Halter Yearling Class

Lil Graceland Platinum's Legacy and Lil Graceland Speedway have a jennet foal Sweet Leilani 19" at birth another cute and tiny girl


2012
First foal 2012  Lil Graceland Miss Clawdy and Lil Graceland Fun In Acapulco have a spotted jack  named Heart Break Hotel. Heartbreaker has a heart shaped spot on his neck.  He is a keeper. We have wanted a great looking spotted jack for years. 

Much needed rain and a mild winter, so far. 

Second foal, another spotted jack 19.5", named Follow That Dream
 Dam is If I Can Dream and Sire is Lil Graceland Speedway.

First show of 2012 show season, Jim and King Creole win High Point Miniature Donkey Green at Ft Worth Stock Show. Beautiful belt buckle!

St. Paddy's Drive Fest in Navasota at Good Hands Training Center. A fun day of driving. Six longears competing, Jim and Creole take home a 3rd place and a 4th place. All ribbons were green. 

Our youngest sire Lil Graceland Gold Record, first foal born, a light red jack. 
Name will be Lil Graceland Hit Record. 

Spring and more rain. We are not complaining.

SDMS Spring Show "Come and Take It"
King Creole wins Reserve High Point Green Miniature Donkey

Fourth Speedway jennet foal born at Ventana Ranch in OK

Two more Gold Record foals. 
Record Label a red jack 
Record Deal a gray nlp jennet (yay!! a girl)

Jim's mule, Boss, is in training at KS Show Mules in Glen Rose TX

Baled 600 plus square bales. This hay will really help us. So thankful.

Had a great time at the Rose Rock Festival in Noble OK. 
Great time, good donkey friends and promoting the miniature donkey

Whoopie Goldberg had a jack foal Soldier Boy
Fun In Acapulco is the sire

Texas Shoot Out 2012
Great show and so proud ... ribbons in all colors. 
Sweet Angeline in her first show second place in Yearling Jennets at Halter

My Way and Heartbreaker did a good job in  pre green trail

King Greole won Reserve Green Miniature Donkey for The Texas Hold 'Em Series    Combining the points from FWSSR and TSO


Took King Creole for training weekend at AssN9 Ranch in Shawnee OK ... so much fun working on show skills with instructor Sandi Costa
I went for a drive (yes, in the cart) with Stetson. My first time driving and I enjoyed it. People keep trying to talk me into being an exhibitor at shows. "People, I DO NOT WANT TO SHOW"


Lil Graceland Love Me Tender had a boy born on the 4th of July
Lil Graceland An American Trilogy
Sire is Lil Graceland Speedway

Cutting more hay  

Traveled to Deepwater Missouri for a Fish Fry and donkey fun at Kurt and Vicki Sherman's farm. Saw their breeding jack and loved him. They generously allowed us to bring My World Bubba home to Lil Graceland to breed 6 jennets over the next year. My World breeding is one of our favorites, so thrilled to have Bubba for a year.


Attended Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, MO. Large classes with no divisions. King Creole placed 5th in Pleasure Driving with 16 in the class. This was not Creole's best show, we think he was tired from the long drive and missing his friends. We have some things we need to work on before the next show.

August 3, 2012 Nina Bonita had a tiny 17" red jennet. This was during the Summer Olympics so we strayed from the Elvis names and we are naming her Katie Bell after the USA diver. QM Gold Coast is Katie's sire. 

My World Bubba moves to Texas to be our herdsire




2013
Big year.... huge year for Lil Graceland

I start driving again and bought my very own easy entry cart
Put our first team together with QM Red Light and  Lil Graceland King Creole

Went to The Great Celebration in Shelbyville TN

KiTerras Raindance joins our list of Herdsires

Jennets Cherry Dream and Paula move to Lil Graceland from Grand River Miniatures. Cherry is the dam of Zachary, a gelding,  that is shown by Lynda Cornell

Sweet Caroline goes to KS to be bred to FL Wyatt Earp


2014
A year of Fun!!!!!
 National Show was in Hutchinson KS
We one some ribbons and had a great time with friends from all over the USA.

Went to The Great Celebration and Wisconsin State Fair. Long trips, but so much fun traveling with our donkey friends Millers Meadow and Young Guns

Spotted jack Brayberrys Bachelor Button becomes our Jr. Herdsire

BREAKING NEWS!!! I started showing again... in halter with Waylon. It is not so bad. I even showed Synsation for Millers Meadow at Wisconsin State Fair and did a championship class for Brayberry at Ozark. Became BRAVE at Ozark Empire Fair and did a Showmanship class


Jim added Coon Jumping to his performance classes Won 2nd Place at Shelbyville


Gold Record wins First Place in the Jack Halter Class at Wisconsin State Fair and Reserve Champion Jack at Kansas State Fair
2nd Place State Fair of TX



Our first Raindance foals were born and we love them. Dancer and Danica
We really had some nice foals in 2014. Lil Graceland Sweet Caroline had Miss Morgan Earp by FL Wyatt Earp. Truly, the black NLP foal, is an in your pocket little girl. So cute!!!! Thinking Record Album might be a Jr Herdsire prospect for 2016. Planning for the future with the foals and seeing how it turns out is one of my favorite things

Waylon ends his years of showing in Pre-Green, getting ready for Green and to learn to drive

We gelded Colonel Parker and CC Rider to get them ready for team driving. CC went to trainer Lee Thomas in Phillipsbourg MO

We had to stay in motels. Our LQ trailer needs some major body work from weather damage. Looking forward to being back in the RV Parks.

Lil Graceland Soldier Boy starts his show career at Oklahoma State Fair and SDMS Spooktacular. He did good but has lots to learn from trainer Vicky Taylor... Soldier Boy wins his halter class at SDMS Spooktacular

Jim and Creole win High Point Open Adult at SDMS Spooktacular

Gold Record received a class winner award in halter from GCMDA

Show season is over. Now to get caught up at home and on the farm. Maybe find some Christmas parades. Showing is fun! we went so many places in 2014. Looking forward to what we have planned in 2015.

California Here We Come!!!!!!

2015

Here we go... First show FWSSR

Three donkeys sold in the first 2 weeks of January 

Lil Graceland Soldier Boy wins 1st Place in his Gelding halter class and then takes Reserve Champion Gelding at 2015 FWSSR 

Two foals born in January ... Bert (new name Mr. James) and Shopgirl

Sold more donkeys in March

Fat N Fuzzy fun show ... We took Glamour Girl, she won jennet halter class. Dancer placed 2nd in his foal halter class. Parker placed 4th in his halter class

CC won 1st Place in Pleasure Driving

Over Easter we went to Ola Arkansas to visit Peggy... Jim and Lee Thomas put our team together. CC Rider and Colonel Parker are now a team

Getting in lots of practice with new team. They did a great job at Rose Rock Parade in Noble OK

Bought a used horse trailer to replace our not so safe trailer ...  we are ready to go

Kansas Donkey Days a great show for the second year. CC, Parker  and Creole went with us. While in KS we got a team conversion for the easy entry cart. We are ready to keep working with CC and Parker as a team

We did it!! We made to the National Show in Red Bluff CA and back home safe and sound. Came home with some blue ribbons by CC and Creole for driving. Our traveling friends won championships. Great experience. 

CC won 1st Place in Green Pleasure Driving.

He is really turning out to be a good driving donkey

back to back shows in TN. What fun!!!

ADA Music City Donkey Show at Clearview Farm and The Great Celebration. We had a great time, won some ribbons and met new people. Thanks to Bob and Debby Miller of Millers Meadows for making this trip possible. Our Green gelding Soldier Boy showed at The Celebration with Vicki Taylor.

Rhonda off to WI with Debby Miller - we took a trailer load of donkeys and made it back home with no problems, lots of fun and ribbons. Including Waylon placing 5th in a very large halter class

We had a great show in Buffalo TX. Decided to only show in halter.

Lil Graceland Victrola and Glamour Girl won 1st Place

Waylon won 1st Place and went on to be Reserve Champion Halter Gelding

Springfield won 2nd jack halter class against some very nice young jacks.

My World Danielle wins Produce of Dam at KS State Fair and OK State Fair

Springfield wins Reserve Champion JR Jack State Fair of KS

Our young friend Izzie did her first show with Ms Missy at State Fair of TX.

They won Pee Wee Reserve Champion

She had so much fun that she went to the show at Belton and showed in Sub Youth

We finished our show season in Belton

Victrola placed 2nd and  Gigi 5th in Halter

Springfield placed 3rd in Halter

Soldier Boy was Champion Halter Gelding and High Point Green

Heartbreaker 2015 SDMS Champion Jack and Champion Non Driving Donkey

Now time for some holiday parades and start getting ready for next year

2016 will be a busy year because Jim will be President of SDMS

We sold 8 donkeys in December

Rider had a boy and Clawdy had a girl

2016

Getting ready for show season

Off to a great start with Soldier Boy competing at FWSSR 1st place in Green Cloverleaf Barrels

SDMS is making plans for the TX Shoot Out in June. Other clubs are announcing show schedules... going to be a busy 2016

Practicing halter with Vicki for Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo...Fun show!! Vicki placed 6th

We traveled to Kansas for Kansas Donkey Days

Soldier Boy Reserve Champion Halter Gelding

Jukebox 1st Place Yearling Jacks

Silver and Vicki also placed in halter

TX Shootout

Fun! Show by SDMS

Soldier Boy had a good show but having trouble with driving. He is back at trainer and having his mouth checked out

Vicki placed in her halter class

We are slowing down on showing... we realized that chores and projects were neglected with all the shows in 2015.... so we are spending the summer at home.

Found a fun place to go in Oklahoma. Horse Heaven Resort. Great for driving and relaxing. Family fun!!

Foals are being born and hay is being baled. We are still so in love with miniature donkeys

Our 2016 show season is over! We won every color ribbon, including some championships. So proud of our show string,  Vicki, Silver, Creole, Beth, Soldier Boy, Jukebox, Glamour Girl, Springfield and Pinki. Fun shows in 2016!! Especially the new show at Arkansas State Fair.

At Longears Classic we entered Get of Sire with My World Bubba offspring and placed 2nd. Lil Graceland Bethlehem, Lil Graceland Victrola and Lil Graceland Jukebox are by Bubba. Hopefully we will do more Get of Sire with our other sires. Hobkirk Sidney was entered in Produce of Dam

We sold donkeys to some awesome homes. Some will show, some will breed and some will be loving pets. Always glad to meet new mini donkey owners and help them get started.

Jim being SDMS president will come to an end. We will remain members but will not hold any office this term

2017

Our first 2017 foal is a girl

our event at Wolf Run Spring Break was a big success

Showed Creole and Morgan  2017 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Attended Kansas Donkey Days

Billie Jean 2nd in foal halter

Our new team Soldier Boy and Fort Hood

We did not show much because of my sisters health

Lil Graceland Springfield did very well for Sandi in the show ring in 2017

2018

Our first two foals are girls

2019

We did not show and had a few foals born. We are slowing down. My sister passed away and it has been very hard.

2020

Start of Phase1 in retirement

 We are retaining 25 donkeys and still doing some breeding with 3 herdsires.

2021

Due to COVID life slowed down and we spent time on the farm with our herd and trimming lots of overgrown woods

2022

3 foals born Joey,  Joy and  Tickle Me 

Kim and Ray of Lil Royals are big on showing some of the donkeys they purchased from us. 

Lil Graceland Meghan did very good at HLSR.

 Sandi Costa is showing Lil Graceland Jukebox

People that purchased our donkeys are so kind to send us pictures and keep us updated

2023

Babies are growing and weaned.

Foals due in the fall.

Enjoying retirement and being home everyday.

Lil Royals, Sandi, McDaniels and others are showing some of the minis we raised.

Jim and Rhonda Tippie
7981 FM 697 
Whitewright,TX 75491
903-271-1379
[email protected]