A little background
The artist and his family knew george personally.
George was a well-known figure around Deary Idaho, where Shayne resides. Shayne and George had a standing joke about one of George's long lost relatives getting in a shoot-out with Shayne's long-lost relatives back in Colorado in 1869. (true story--look up the Hatley-Hartley feud!)
Shayne's wife Alane belonged to the Palouse Driving Club and participated in George's famous buggy and wagon rides around his Deary property.
George passed away in 2011 but in 2024, he'd have been 100 years old.
George knew appaloosas
Hatley worked as executive secretary of the Appaloosa Horse Club in Moscow for 31 years. He started the association's magazine, "Appaloosa News" (now Appaloosa Journal), published its first studbooks, implemented the first National Appaloosa Show and Sale, held in Lewiston in 1948 and 1949, and started the Appaloosa Museum. He wrote hundreds of articles and several books, including "Horse Camping," a classic now in its third printing.
And he had the miles to prove it!
He rode the 1,300-mile route of the Nez Perce War Trail twice and completed the 100-mile one-day Western States Trail Ride, or Tevis Cup, across the Sierra Nevada. He was a longtime cattleman, summering in the Deary area and wintering on Alpowa Creek west of Clarkston. He enjoyed driving horses and collecting horse-drawn vehicles. He made his Deary ranch available for Pony Club, dressage and combined training, 4-H trail rides, and driving events.
With much input from the family....
Shayne had multiple conversations with George's widow Iola, who was a well known breeder of Appaloosa race horses. She and George had one stallion that won 22 races, and another that won 18 and went on to become an all-time leading sire of Appaloosa race horses.
George's son Craig Hatley has given Shayne permission to use George's likeness for the sculpture and approved the model, providing many photos of George in his youth.
and Many Studio Hours...
Shayne started this project in 2020 but the monumental Bengal tiger sculpture forced this one to the back burner. He finished it in wax this spring.
The patina will have the Spots and color of Toby II.
Parks Bronze in Enterprise, Oregon is well known for their patina work. An interesting side note: When Toby II was an aging stallion, he was sent to the WSU Veterinary college for an illness. Tragically, an accident happened while there and the stallion broke a leg. As compensation, the college had the stallion's hide tanned at George's request and Shayne will have access to the correct spots and color for the patina. Quite a trick since no color photos can be found!