Horse statue “Andy” revitalized at new location
LAMAR, Mo. — A former Joplin staple has a new look and can be found in a new location.
Those who have spent time in Joplin over the years, probably remember seeing the former fiberglass horse statue that formerly sat on top of the Anderson Western Wear building, located off North Range Line Road.
Turns out, his name is Andy, and he’s had quite the makeover.
“I don’t know anything about fiberglass but luckily Youtube does – so I bought some resin, bought some cloth, and I just went to work,” said Chris Gregory, Heartland Horseshoeing School owner.
Before the store closed nearly 10 years ago – Andy was purchased by Chris Gregory, the founder of Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar.
Gregory tells us, Andy has quite the history – as it was common up until recently, for the fiberglass statue to be stolen or borrowed by local college fraternities, usually for events such as homecoming – only to be returned in a worsened state.
“Looking at him, I was really thinking that it was done but I have a good friend in Colorado who is fiberglass man, he said it’s never done. So I decided to go put it back together, and then I just painted it,” said Gregory.
More recently, Andy was struck by lightning and broken into several pieces – which is what prompted the new red, white, and blue paint.
Gregory says, he’s practically become part of the family.
“Everything we’ve got is pretty disposable nowadays right, but he didn’t have to be. So it just took a little bit of effort on my part and a little bit of time. I might have been able to replace him but what I have in him, fixing him, I don’t know – but now his story can continue,” said Gregory.
Andy can be found at the Heartland Horseshoeing School – located along Interstate 49 in Lamar.
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