The 2012 Arabian Horse Times
by Sue Adams A perfect desert evening brought attendees out in droves in Scottsdale to Monterra of WestWorld on Friday, February 15th, with the annual Arabian Horse Times Readers’ Choice Awards, bringing friends together to celebrate last year’s best and start the kick-off to the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.
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Greg Knowles served as master of ceremonies and, quite unexpectedly, the opening musical act as well. Announcing that he had composed a special song for the occasion, he broke into his version of, Those Were the Days. A delighted crowd then welcomed Arabian Horse Times publisher Lara Ames to the podium and her welcoming remarks continued as music to the ears. Recalling a drive earlier in the week with her father, Dick Ames, she said as they approached the showgrounds on the 101, they saw a sea of trucks and horse trailers of all sizes, and hundreds of vehicles. Dick then commented, “The Arabian business is in good shape,” she shared, smiling broadly. The audience cheered in agreement and the festivities were under way. Sponsors for the 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards included: Coulter Cadillac GMC, Schneiders, Show Season, Boisvert Farms LLC, Ames Construction, Osteen-Schatzberg Photography, Performance Equine, Stillwater Vet Clinic and Equine Veterinary Services. A lively auction benefiting the Half-Arabian AEPA class and the Arabian Horsemen’s Distress Fund followed. Donations for the evening’s auction included a ladies Catena watch donated by Bennett Fine Jewelry; a Jill McKinney original bronze; an Arizona Trail Ride donated by Cedar Ridge Arabians South; and an
Greg Knowles, master of ceremonies.
opportunity for a youth exhibitor to show Paladin LL, donated by Arabians International. Additional auction contributions included breedings to three outstanding English performance stallions, Nutcracker’s Nirvana donated by Shawn Stachowski, Sir William Robert donated by D. Thomas Galbreath, and Undulata’s Nutcracker donated by Swanson & Jampsa LLC. Thanks to the generous support of these donors, $40,500 was raised in addition to proceeds from the Arabian Horse Times online auction. Opening the awards presentation was the announcement of Favorite AHT Advertisement, Editorial Story, Front Cover, and AHT Calendar Month, with photographers, a judge, instructor, and caretaker of the year awards following. Show Of The Year went to the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, which met with enthusiastic approval. Janice McCrea-Wight, vice-president of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona, accepted, thanking the audience for their support of the show.
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s n o i t c u A e v i L READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS LADIES CATENA WATCH Donated by: Bennett Fine Jewelry
JILL MCKINNEY BRONZE Donated by: renowned artist Jill McKinney ARIZONA TRAIL RIDE Donated by: Cedar Ridge Arabians South SHOW PALADIN LL Donated by: Arabians International LLC
ARABIAN ENGLISH PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATION Nutcracker’s Nirvana (Undulata’s Nutcracker x Kingwood’s Harlem Harlem) Donated by: Shawn Stachowski
Sir William Robert (WGC Santana’s Charm x Rebel Empress) Donated by: D. Thomas Galbreath Undulata’s Nutcracker (CH Caramac x Christmas in New York ERB) Donated by: Swanson & Jampsa LLC
An Astounding $19,855 Was Raised To Benefit The Arabian Horseman’s Distress Fund. Thank You To All Who Helped Support This Worthy Cause!
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In addition to Marketer Of The Year, and Best Team (Farm) Spirit Award, horse show related honors followed with the announcement of Purebred Arabian and HalfArabian awards in a myriad of disciplines. A special Inspiration Award video paid tribute to the Boggs family, Bob, Janene, Austin and Olivia, for their grace, determination and commitment to their family and their Arabian business while dealing with Bob’s ongoing cancer treatment. In accepting, Janene assured the audience Bob was watching the live feed from the hospital. “Without Dick Ames,” she said, “we would not have this amazing team of doctors for the past ten years. Thank you all. In life we have choices: face everything and run, or face everything and rise.” Indeed, this family continues to rise as the award for Rising New Star went to Austin Boggs. Trainers in a multitude of disciplines, adult amateur, youth exhibitor, breeder and sire of the year awards rounded out the evening. Nominations for these prestigious honors may be anonymous, but the readers vote their choices in support of their peers. Thus, the stage is set for another year of fun, challenges, triumphs, and celebrations in the Arabian horse industry. n
2012 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS
Rob Bick
Favorite advertisement ( Jan.-oct.)
RBC Show Horses, February Designed by Jenn Trickey
Murray Popplewell
Favorite calendar month
April—Bey Ambition Photographed by April Visel
Stuart Vesty
Favorite Front cover ( Jan.-oct.)
January—Hucks Connection V
Terry Holmes
Judge oF the Year
Photos by Osteen/Schatzberg
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Jim Lowe instructor oF the Year
Joel Kiesner accepting for Cedro “Chilo” Nunez arabian horse caretaker
Terry Anne Boggs, Nate White and Denise Marino arabian horse marketer Midwest Training Centre
Katie Showers, Roxann Hart, Joe Alberti and John Rannenberg best team (Farm) spirit award Rohara Arabians, LL
John O’Hara and Kimberly Kirk Tillman purebred working western horse
TA Mozart
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Michele Blackwell-Betten accepting for
halF-arabian working western horse
Custom Gale, owned by Joe Betten
L.A. Flynn Half-arabian Specialty HorSe SA Rapid Fire
Allison Johnson with Brianna Williams, owner of purebred Hunter HorSe American Idol
Maggie and Debra McCarthy and Ali Brady Half-arabian Hunter HorSe EC Cause To Celebrate
Nancy Risen arabian WeStern HorSe Khaberet PGA
Josh Quintus accepting for Half-arabian WeStern HorSe Caliente Virtuoso, owned by Robin Porter
Juliette Dell accepting for Half-arabian Saddle Seat HorSe Nutcracker Sweet PF, owned by 6D Ranch Ltd.
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Angie Sellman accepting for purebred halter horse Pyro Thyme SA, owned by Claire and Margaret Larson
Jim Bedeker halF-arabian halter horse Ebony By Valentino
Austin Boggs rising new star with sister, Olivia, and mom, Janene accepting for Bob Boggs inspiration award
Liz Bentley western trainer
Jessica Clinton accepting for saddle seat trainer Vicki Humphrey 166 | ArAbiAn Horse Times
Sandro Pinha halter trainer
Wendy Potts show hack/hunter trainer
Sarah Beth Womble Youth exhibitor
Lawrence Jerome breeder oF the Year Jerland Farm
John Rannenberg versatile trainer
Joel Kiesner accepting for adult amateur Lori Lawrence
Barbara Chur sire oF the Year Baske Afire Volume 43, No. 10 | 167
Not Pictured—
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE ...................................
Sponsors
............................OF THE AHT
READER’S CHOICE AWARDS Schneiders Paul Glans, Coulter Cadillac Show Season Boisvert Farms, LLC Ames Construction, Inc. Osteen/Schatzberg Photography Performance Equine Stillwater Vet Clinic Equine Veterinary Services
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Favorite AHT Editorial Story Of The Year ( Jan.-Oct.)
Rescue At Sea—How William The Wonder Horse Attracted Worldwide Attention And Highlighted Arabian Stamina, by Mary Kirkman, June
Photographer Of The Year Mike Ferrara
Show Of The Year
Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
A/HA/AA Sport Horse Of The Year Mirage V, owned by Elizabeth Conti
Purebred Specialty Horse Of The Year MWF Benedykt, owned by Fortun Arabians, LLC
Purebred Saddle Seat Horse Of The Year Defying Gravity RGS, owned by Cheryl Doran
Working Western Trainer Of The Year Crystal McNutt
Grant Krohn, Maggie Barker, Lauren Grabski, Blake Krohn, Martha McCollough and Jason Krohn.
Janice McCrea Wright and Louis McCrea.
Tim and Marty Shea.
Mary and Jeff Jansen.
Gail Lampe and David Jampsa.
Barry Keleher and Barbara Chur.
Dick and Lollie Ames.
Lori and Victor Ricigliano.
Roxann and Karl Hart.
Richard and Brielle Schwartz.
Robin and Sarah Porter. Volume 43, No. 10 | 169
Chris and Michelle Culbreth.
Joe and Michelle Reser.
Robert and Becky Nash.
Brittany Wright, Nate Soderberg, Carissa Haigh & Liz and Dave Bentley.
Allison and Dru Cederberg.
Tiffany and Mary Mag Wilson.
Audrey and Kathie Hart.
Laurie Ames Husband and Ellen Ames Handel.
Dalton Budd, Kellie Wendling, Carmelle and Shawn Rooker, Tom and Liz Moore and Stuart Vesty. 170 | ArAbiAn Horse Times
Glena and Todd Weegens.
Lori Conway.
Michelle Pease Paulsen & David and Claudia Pease.
Ciera, Melanie and Brian Murch.
Charles and Christine Rickert & Ann and Punch Benson.
Lester Martin and Brian Galbraith.
Riyan Holte and Greg Knowles.
Carmin Pinkstaff and Javan Schaller.
Sean Maher and John Rannenberg.
Kimberly Bartels, Quincy DeSpain Ellis, Juliette Dell and Susan Dell.
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Jared McDargh, Matt Siemon, Gregg Shafer, Nancy Shafer, Kristin Hardin, Lotta Shafer and Hannah Shafer.
Amelia Hruban, Joe Alberti and Katie Showers.
Stan White III, Ann Whitaker and J.T. Keller.
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Bob Battaglia and Josh Nolen.
David and Jessica Bein.
Michelle, Scott and Shane Harris.
Richard Tirado, Leah Beth Boyd and John Golladay.
Brandon Walker & Jennifer Quintus and Josh Quintus.
Chelsea and Lori Cantero & Terry and Melissa Holmes.
Amy and Troy Peterson.
Nate White, Denise Marino and AJ Marino.
Holly Westmoreland, Carrie Fritz and Leslie Sommer.
Peter Stachowski, Ashley Roberts, Jim Stachowski and Mark Powell.
Angie and Andy Sellman.
Mickey Womble and Sarah Beth Womble.
Janene Boggs and Olivia Boggs.
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