"In the winter of 2004 we made the very difficult decision to geld A-Jacks El-Gato. Our breeding operation requires that I be able to work independently without any assistance in the handling and collection of our jacks. Gato plain and simply was getting to full of himself to trust under those circumstances. Our goal is to put Gato back to work as a performance donkey as soon as his mind is back in the game. We have bred all of our jennets to Gato and look forward to a pasture full of Gato babies in the fall of 2005." -- Candace Shauger

Never before in the history of N.A.S.M.A. has a donkey competed so successfully against mules on the "A" rated show circuit. Time and again El-Gato has proven that he is a tremendously talented jack. In 2000 he was first in Western Pattern Pleasure at New York, in 2001 he was First in Dressage at Springfield, he was second in Western Pleasure, third in English Equitation and fifth in Trail, taking the Reserve Championship in the Open Division at New York, then at the South Carolina State Fair he was second in English Equitation and third in English Pleasure.

In these classes were competing some of the top ranked mules in the nation and El-Gato was the only donkey showing against them. You know he had to be doing a fantastic job to be pinned over mules. El-Gato received the N.A.S.M.A. High Point Donkey Award for 2001. He continues to amaze people with his movement and trainability, his sons and daughters are showing that they have inherited these same qualities. We have a video available that shows El-Gato working and performing under saddle. Short of seeing him in person, it shows just what the excitement is all about.