War Party to host amateur card

When Quentin Blue Horse founded his amateur boxing club, The War Party, seven months ago, he had a pair of boxing mitts and two boxers whom he trained first in his kitchen and then in his garage.

Since then Blue Horse's stable has grown to 15 boxers and thanks to $3,000 in financial aid from the Dresslerville Community Council, he now operates a gym complete with a heavy bag, speed bag and a double-end bag. And thanks to Victor Bruno - who runs Bruno's Boxing Club in Carson City - The War Party has a ring in which to spar under the watchful eye and ever-present video camera of Blue Horse, who records all sparring sessions.

The 30-year-old Blue Horse, a member of the Rosebud (S.D.) Sioux tribe who now lives on the Dresslerville Indian Reservation, will present his fifth card of the year Saturday at the Dresslerville Gym, in Gardnerville.

Carson's Jose "Chuy" Elizondo, of Bruno's Boxing Club, will meet Juan Vazquez, of The Washington Center (located in Sacramento, Calif.), in the main event of the 17-bout card, which features boxers from 10 different clubs, including two members of The War Party.

The 19-year-old Elizondo, 76-5, last fought in Sacramento on Aug. 19 and is happy to be able to find an opponent in Vazquez as he winds down his amateur career.

Elizondo plans on fighting in a men's senior tournament in January and the Nevada State Golden Gloves tournament in February before turning pro.

"I don't get too many local fights," Elizondo said. "I have to go to Northern California, Southern California and southern Nevada to find opponents. There's more of a pool to choose from in those places than locally. I can't find fighters. They're usually newer fighters who don't have enough experience."

At 26 and with a 30-10 record, Vazquez should be able to supply the talented southpaw with a tough fight, something Blue Horse said he's worked hard to accomplish with all the bouts on his card.

"These fights couldn't get more even," said Blue Horse, who makes no secret of the time he spent behind prison bars before devoting his life to helping fellow Native Americans avoid making the same mistakes he made when he was younger. "All of the matches should go all four rounds. There should be some really good fights."

Anthony Wedlock (175 pounds) and Joseph McDonald (145) will represent The War Party, which will be joined by Bruno's Boxing Club, the Carson City Boxing Club, Rite of Passage, the Lovelock Warriors, The Washington Center (run by Robert Garcia), the Concord (Calif.) Youth Center, Genesis Boxing, Maverick Boxing and the East Oakland Boxing Club in the event.

"Things are going really well here. The Dresslerville Community Council is showing a lot of support," said Blue Horse, who has 11 boxers in the 8-to-16-year-old range and four fighters at 175 pounds, who range in age from 18-24. "I only see this club growing. Kids are coming in every week."

Blue Horse said he uploads video of his boxers' sparring sessions to childhood friend Jesse Brinkley (who is fighting Donnell Wiggins Oct. 20 at the Silver Legacy), two other participants of the NBC reality show "The Contender," Tarick Salmaci and Jonathan Reid, and McDermitt super middleweight and fellow Native American Derek Hinkey, who along with his younger brother, heavyweight Tyler Hinkey, will also appear on the Oct. 20 card in Reno.

Blue Horse said Brinkley recently became a registered coach.

"It makes a huge difference with these guys watching over the Internet," said Blue Horse, who, in spite of embracing 21st-century technology, still remains traditional by going to sweats to stay centered. "They're all nice guys. If I ask Tarick to watch (video), he'll send a message back the next day (with his input)."

Blue Horse is receiving help coaching his fighters from longtime trainer Everett "Chucko" Williams - who is a member of the Walker River Paiute tribe - and Williams' former boxer James Harrison. Blue Horse also said his gym has another growing population: spectators.

"People are coming down just to watch," Blue Horse said.

And that's what he's hoping will happen on Saturday.

The Dresslerville Gym is located at 1585 Main River Drive, in Gardnerville. Doors open at 1 p.m., with the first bout scheduled for 2. General admission is $10, $5 for seniors and free for those 12-years-old and under.