Sisters mule is equestrian celebrity

Sisters Country has its share of famous residents. There are sports people, artists, writers and entrepreneurs who choose Sisters to practice, or retire from, their professions.

The latest celebrity - complete with his own Facebook fan page - is Porter. Now, Porter isn't your usual famous personage, but he does have an entourage to prepare his food, make his bed and ensure he turns up on time to appointments looking spiffy.

And while Porter is not yet at the top of his game, he has accomplished more than many of his peers.

Porter, also known as Heart B Porter Creek, is a dressage mule. In case you're wondering what a dressage mule is, it is a mule, (the hybrid offspring of a donkey jack and a mare, in Porter's case a thoroughbred mare) that is trained and competes in the equestrian discipline of dressage.

Just to mix things up a bit, Porter is also trained to do other disciplines such as Western and English pleasure, jumping, mountain trail and driving. He's an all-around equine athlete, picking up championship ribbons in nearly all his endeavors, but it's the dressage success that sets him apart. In the rarified world of dressage, mules are, shall we say, uncommon.

His owner, Sisters trainer Audrey Goldsmith, recalled that Porter's first appearance at Devonwood, Oregon's premier dressage facility, caused a German woman to comment that mules are found at the zoo in her country.

"I told her I was glad I didn't live in Germany," said Goldsmith.

The next time the two crossed paths, Porter beat that competitor's horse, much to the chagrin of the German woman. Their third meeting found the German stating that her goal at the show was to beat Porter, and she smiled as she said it.

"That's typical of people's reactions," said Goldsmith. "First they are appalled that a mule is present, then they watch him, then they become fans."

Goldsmith is bemused at all the attention.

She treats her mules (there are two other Heart B mules at her property, Sequel Farm) just like her horses, enjoying their quirks and talents and expecting them to succeed.

But she bowed to the pressure of Porter's fans, creating the Facebook page so they could track his progress.

He is mentioned several times in a dressage forum on the online version of Chronicle of the Horse, a magazine that covers the jumping, eventing, driving, endurance and dressage show world.

Western Horseman, another equine publication, mentions him in an article on mules in the current issue.

All this is heady stuff, but Porter stays well grounded, eating regular hay and standing politely while his gleaming black coat is groomed.

At home, he's just one of the team.

Porter's journey into dressage helped him overcome the clumsiness he displayed as a youngster. Goldsmith found that the more she worked with him, using the show judges comments as a basis for areas of improvement, the better she communicated with this special mule.

"He tries really hard, and he knows when he's got it right. His ears start to flop," she said.

In fact, Porter's ears are one of his most endearing features. They are the sentinels of his moods, and their angle clearly states his perception of the moment.

That in itself sets him apart from most celebrities.

Porter and Goldsmith have a busy show season ahead, and he's sure to garner more attention as he continues to pick up the accolades and notoriety that comes with success.

To become one of Porter's fans, you can either cheer him on in person (check the Sequel Farm Web site at http://www.sequelfarm.com to see the show schedule) or see his Facebook page by putting Porter's name in the search box.