A Deary, Idaho couple’s quest to install a bronze statue of a local hero in a city park moves closer to reality.
By Norma Staaf
George Hatley was known as Mr. Appaloosa. Now, Shayne and Alane Watkins are working to put him back in the saddle of his favorite horse — forever.
The idea began in 2020, when Alane suggested that her husband, bronze artist Shayne Watkins, create a sculpture honoring Hatley. Mr. Hatley was known for his lifetime advocacy for the Appaloosa horse breed, Idaho’s state horse. “He honored the Appaloosa horse, and he honored the Nez Perce people,” Shayne said. Alane, who knew Hatley through volunteering with the Latah County Mounted Sheriff’s posse, said not many small towns can claim someone famous like George. Deary is a small city of 500 people about 30 miles east of Moscow, Idaho.
Hatley was born in 1924. He was a cattle rancher and horse breeder who lived his life in the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho. The local horse, the Appaloosa, selectively bred by the Nez Perce people since the 1700s, appealed to him. The Appaloosa Horse Club, established in 1938 to promote the breed, appointed George as its executive secretary in 1947, a role he served in for 31 years. His passion for these horses brought more visibility to Appaloosas.
George helped establish the Appaloosa Museum in Moscow, Idaho, launched and edited the Appaloosa News magazine (now the Appaloosa Journal), published the first studbooks, and organized the first national Appaloosa show. He dedicated a portion of the Hatley ranch near Deary for many horse-related events, including pony club, dressage, combined training, 4H trail rides, and driving events. George promoted Appaloosa trail rides, including the ongoing Chief Joseph Trail Ride. He received many honors during his life, including from the Nez Perce cultural committee for his dedication to the famous Nez Perce horse.
Shayne spoke to George’s wife Iola and son Craig to gain permission to sculpt George’s likeness. Iola encouraged him to show George in his prime, riding his favorite horse, Toby II, a dark blue roan stallion. Shayne began by sketching the horse and rider in motion, then roughed out, shaped, and sculpted a 3-dimensional version used as the basis to create a mold for bronze casting.
Photos provided by Craig and the Appaloosa Horse Club helped Shayne create an accurate depiction of both horse and rider. Shayne even used Toby II’s tanned hide as a reference to replicate Toby II’s distinctive spotting pattern.
After casting a limited edition 20” tall bronze sculpture, Shayne and Alane presented the idea of a ½ life-sized statue to the Deary City Council and the Deary Recreation District. They approved a site at Rebekah’s Park on a prominent corner in the heart of downtown. The sculpture fits with the new Deary Downtown revitalization plan, which encourages public art to serve as a point of pride and identity for the town.
The Deary Recreation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, agreed to serve as the fiscal agent and to accept donations. Shelly Cannon, Deary Recreation District President, acknowledged Hatley’s importance as part of the fabric of the community. She applauded the addition of public art at Rebekah’s Park, where Rebekah’s Lodge once stood, hosting many community events.
The Watkins displayed a 20” tall “Mr. Appaloosa” bronze sculpture at their Deary Days booth in August to raise awareness about the project, educate people about Hatley’s story, and continue fundraising. Previous donations paid for a foundry to scan a small clay model (maquette), upsize it, and to create a ½ life-sized 3-D foam core. Shayne has applied warmed clay to the core, sculpting and shaping it to create the new larger model. Alane continues to pursue grants and fundraising with the Deary Recreation Foundation.
For Shayne, the project is a labor of love, and he is donating much of his time. Most of the money raised will go towards the foundry costs to create the mold, pour, and finish the bronze, a costly process. If fundraising and scheduling time at Parks Foundry in Enterprise, Oregon, line up, the city plans to unveil the statue at Deary Days, 2027.
Shayne’s passion for bronze sculpture began in the early 1980s with an industrial arts class at Lewiston High School, where he cast his first pieces. After retiring from a 25-year career as a forester, Shayne began sculpting again. His father-in-law, the late Ralph Crawford, a well-known western and wildlife sculptor, was instrumental in mentoring him in the craft. Shayne gained regional notoriety in 2023 when Lewiston High School installed his larger-than-life bronze sculpture, “Bengal Pride”, representing the school’s mascot, in front of the new school building.
In August, his “Bengal Power” statue, a fiercer-looking version of the tiger, was installed at the school’s P1FCU sports complex. Watkins, an LHS class of 1984 graduate, was thrilled to create both Bengal sculptures for his former high school. Honoring George Hatley with a sculpture in Deary is an exciting prospect after knowing George personally and admiring what he stood for. “We’re Dearyites! That’s why this project is so important to us,” Alane said.