From Kevin Hall:
“I first heard Gene’s name when I was attending farrier’s school at North Western Colorado Community College. The instructor was a man by the name of of Dave Lewis, he came from California and had studied under Gene at Cal Poly San Luis Opispo. Fast forward a number of years I met Gene and Gail at one of the American Farriers Association annual conventions . That started a life long friendship with them that I have always cherished. At that time I had no idea of Gene’s skills as a legendary horseman as I myself was just embarking on this journey myself. I had the opportunity to to assist Gene on several occasions as a tester in the AFA’s certification program. Gene was an Examiner overseeing the testing. Still I was clueless. Then one year Mindy and I attended the Californios Ranch Roping and Stock horse contest where Gene had entered both the roping and stock horse contest. His skill set as a legendary horseman had been revealed to me. I remember telling him that he was a hero to me, he just smiled. Not to long ago through the Eclectic Classroom I had the opportunity to visit with Gene about some horses that I was having trouble with shoeing, while we didn’t solve my problem I gained further insight into an amazing man and I will carry that conversation with me for the rest of my life. Thank You Gene!”
From Mike Bridges:
“Gene Armstrong master Horsemen, master Farrier, an articulate teacher, and a gentleman of the old school. He had an outstanding winning record with the National Rein Cow horse association. As an amateur and non-pro rider. I only had the pleasure of being involved with him personally maybe the last six years. He joined a Bridle Horse Group (The Project) in Paso Robles, California not so much as a student more as a contributor to the process of teaching the students. And from this, we developed a nice friendship. Gene wanted to know more. And not just more but why. He was always willing to help any student at any time. And always asked pointed and interesting questions during our Q an A sessions with students. Whenever you were around Gene, he stimulated you to think. I did not get to know him near long enough! He was a man worth knowing!!”
From Aaron Dickinson:
“My friend Gene: Growing up I wanted to be a cowboy. I didn’t really know if cowboys still existed until I got around Gene. I was around 20 and I had a job working for a veterinarian named Dr. Dave Fly, while I worked through junior college. Dr. Fly knew Gene via CalPoly in San Luis Obispo. They had both been instructors there. Gene had taught horse shoeing and horsemanship. Dr. fly had convinced me to transfer to CalPoly and make sure I look up Gene. Dr. Fly didn’t make a habit of giving praise to folks, but he had a lot of good things to say about Gene, so it really stuck with me. I’m real thankful Dr. Fly sent me that direction, it changed the rest of my life. I immediately fell in love with Gene and everything he was about. I took all his classes and tried not to bug him too much. The farrier classes had been canceled by the time I got to CalPoly, but I picked up a little by just hanging around. I had never roped a calf or even been to a branding before I met Gene. He took me to my first branding. It was at the Suey ranch in Santa Maria California. And there were some really good ropers there. I sure got a dose of reality, and of course I was hooked and after that practiced and practiced. I didn’t grow up ranching. I had rode horses before because I was horse crazy. Got my first horse, an Arabian mare, when I was 14 years old. Gene didn’t hold any of that against me. Before I met him and got around him, Cowboys were just movie figures. He showed me about starting colts and roping and all sorts of things but the biggest things he did for me was shape the way I think about horses, and show me how big and cool the cowboy world is.”
