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12 Ag Families-Summer the possibilities muleing over shadows as the McCuiston family tacks up their mounts to ride out and check the cattle. Theres the normal family banter about who feeds most who mucks out stalls and who cant get their saddle on correctly. The family laughs and teases each other as they put their feet in the stirrups and ease into the saddles of their hybrids mules that is. The McCuistons Patrick LeeAnn Maci 16 and Tanner 13 have become one of the pre- mier breeders and exhibitors in the North American Saddle Mule Association. Mules are the hybrid of breeding two different species a female horse called a mare and a male donkey a jack. Patrick says his venture of raising and showing mules was God given. His voice is marked with emotion as he describes the special relationship he had with his late grandfather long-time State Senator Pat McCuiston. I spent a lot of time with my grandfather who I called Daddy Pat as I was growing up Patrick says. He gave me my first heifer calf an orphan that I raised on a bottle and my first quarter horse mare. He made me the cowboy I am today. BYTONIW. RILEY PHOTOS BY CATHERINE RILEY he early evening sun casts long