Chris Menyhart Memorial Encampment

BY CHRISTINA SCOTT

LANDERS - A gathering of the Mojave Muleskinners took place over the Veterans' Day weekend to honor two fallen men, one a son, one a father. The White Horse Ranch was the setting for a weekend of remembering lost ones and enjoying family and friends.

Honored

Christian Menyhart, Chris, as he was known, was the son of Peter Menyhart, aka "German Pete," owner of the White Horse Ranch. Chris was 20 years old when he passed away on November 10, 1996 and had a bright future ahead of him. He just bought his first house, was a mechanic ready to take on the family business, worked as a stuntman and performed as a re-enactor with his father.

In the last months of his life, Chris and his father visited Pioneer Town often and talked about buying property there. When they couldn't find what they were looking for, they found instead the property where the ranch is located. German Pete said "Chris was his best friend."

German Pete wants to remind people that life is very precious and to take advantage of it every day and to keep family and friends close.

The annual encampment is a way for German Pete to honor his son's memory.

A veteran

Richard Lee Boyd, another re-enactor was also honored. An Air Force veteran who served during the Korean War from 1952 to 1956, he performed with his son "Lucky Sumtyms," a Mojave Muleskinner.

Richard was born on July 2, 1934 to Oliver James Boyd and Daisy Barnes in Los Angeles. Richard grew up in the movie industry during the heyday of the western movies where his father, Oliver James Boyd, worked and it fueled his interest in the old west. It wasn't until Richard's son Lucky got involved in western re-enactments that his interest piqued again and he joined his son performing. Richard was a design draftsman and was one of the designers of the fuel valves used in the F-16s. Richard also enjoyed deer hunting, stock car racing and remote control aircraft. "He was very good with his hands," reminisced his sons, Lucky and Edward. "He could draw anything on paper then build it." Richard passed away on July 7, 2005. Many family members attended the encampment to help Lucky and Edward honor their father.

Aspiring Actress and singer

To close out the services, a beautiful young lady, Samantha Smith from Yucca Valley, was invited to sing "Amazing Grace." An aspiring actress, she's performed in old classics with her high school drama club, "Annie Get Your Gun," "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "The Bad Seed." When asked what part she played in "The Bad Seed," she slyly smiled and said "The bad seed." She would like to be involved in the movie industry, either in production or as an actress. She also wouldn't mind being a country singer.

A dream

The White Horse Ranch was a dream between father and son. Peter and Chris dreamed of building an 1800s western-styled town. German Pete has been involved with re-enactments since before coming to the United States 20 years ago from Munich, Germany. "Germans have a big interest in western cowboys and Indians," he said, "ever since Wild Bill Hickok's traveling show appeared in Europe in the early 1900s." The passion for the old west was inherited by his son Chris too.

It took many years after Chris's passing for German Pete to begin fulfilling their dream.

Many buildings now adorn the desert landscape, and it is still in the process of being built. A church with a graveyard sits in the corner complete with steeple and bell. A doctor's office doubles as a saloon, and a jail is waiting for any outlaw who may decide to stir up trouble in "town." One "outlaw" decided to stir up trouble and wound up in the pokey for cheatin' at cards.

Entertainment

Mojave Muleskinners did what they do best-performed for family and friends who came for the weekend. While entertaining the crowd with a robbery of a stagecoach inn, a film crew was on hand to film the Muleskinners for a short film on the American cowboy.

Whit Haydn, an award winning magician from the Magic Castle, entertained the crowd with his amazing card tricks.

The rest of the weekend was filled with enjoying good food and good friends. German Pete is sure that's what his son would have wanted.