AHT Special Feature - English by Arabian Horse Times

SPECIAL

F E AT U RE

ENGLISH P A R K ,

C O U N T R Y

E N G L I S H

P L E A S U R E

W W W . O A K H A V E N A R A B I A N S . C O M Pictured: ER A Gal Gets Around with Jason Krohn, 2015 Scottsdale Champion H/A Park Open Owned by: Oak Haven South Arabians

Creating a Dynasty ...

2014 Leading Sire of U.S. National Purebred English Horses MN Fall Fest High-Point Sire

U.S. National Champion Park Horse U.S. National Top Ten Stallion CELEBES *ELIMAR ELIZA MHR NOBILITY *BASK HAR NAHRA

Creating his own dynasty ... Sire of 27 National and Reserve National Champions

*PORTULAKA IXL NOBLE EXPRESS ALOES EL GHAZI ELEKTRA RY FIRE GHAZI LE FIRE

Owned by Maroon Fire Arabians, Dave & Gail Liniger Castle Rock, Colorado Managed by Shea Stables, Tim & Marty Shea St. Clair, Michigan â&#x20AC;˘ 810-329-6392

RL RAH FIRE RAHA MELIMA

Offering a great selection of talented young prospects by Afire Bey V and IXL Noble Express. Visit our website for videos and information.

www.afirebeyv.com

My inspiration for Adandy

Enjoy a serene bed and breakfast — available to clients and outside guests.

My inspiration for English A sire of National winning English horses — competing in open and amateur. We invite you to come enjoy our B & B. Visit our website for photos ... Contact us for reservations 302.349.4080 www.momsplaceatadandyfarm.com

Edith & Cathy Vincent

Miz Mamba VA

Citationn

MSU Flaming Fire x Miz Margeaux V (Huckleberry Bey)

Aire Bey V x KAZ Baskteena (AA Apollo Bey)

RGT Breathin Afire Afire Bey V x Styling Time

Lightening Strikes

Vibrato G

Baske Afire x Schantillie Lace (Wisdom)

Gitar MF x Starlite Flite (AA Apollo Bey)

2 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

... Mom's Place ... GITAR

GITAR MF Afire Bey V x Gitara PASB (Eskimos)

Adandy Farm

Greenwood, Delaware • Cathy Vincent: 302.236.6665 Office: 302.349.5116 • Alayna Mala: 413.552.7716

www.adandyfarm.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 3

E N G L I S H C OV E R S TO R Y:

Jason Krohn Oak Haven Arabians by Anne Stratton “For a young trainer in this business, it’s really hard to climb the ladder,” reflects Jason Krohn, of Oak Haven Arabians in Lindale, Texas. “At what point does the business decide that you’re not one of the young guys anymore, but just one of the guys?”

So, pressure? Yeah. I think that gave me the extra drive I needed; I didn’t want to let my family down.” What did he do? “I worked really hard, kept my head down—just worked, win, lose or draw.”

The statistics say that Krohn, now 29, Gradually, he made his mark. The has reached that point. In 2014, when training program he inherited Arabian Horse Times examined the included 25 to 30 horses; now his records from the national shows— string numbers 87. Owners have come U.S., Canadian and Youth Nationals, to believe in him. “I don’t think I ERA Gal Gets Around with Jason Krohn. tabulating English open, amateur thought necessarily that ‘I’m there,’” and junior competition—Jason Krohn was the overall he says, recalling when he looked around and realized (Arabian and Half-Arabian) leading open trainer by how much the operation had grown. “But I thought I number of wins. was on my way. The wins started to come. For a young trainer, that can justify a 24/seven, 52 weeks a year schedule. Krohn, who was born into the Arabian industry, never expected anything less than a heavy workload, but to see it pay off is, he says, more than gratifying. “My path was different from anyone else’s,” he says, meaning other young trainers starting out. “My dad basically gave me the business. He had built a strong business, and had a solid breeding program in place, so that we could produce our own good horses. That’s really helpful, because when you’re young, a lot of people who might have a great horse don’t think of you to send it to. We’ve had to breed our own to get us—well, me, specifically—on the map.” His family situation might have helped in the beginning, but it came with its own set of pressures. “My dad had devoted his whole life to this business; not only that, but it supported his family—and we’re a big family,” says Krohn. “It was an immense amount of pressure. I was really scared that I wasn’t going to do a good job, and I’d run this business into the ground. 4 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

“It’s not my wins that tell me I’m getting there (although, they do make you feel good),” he adds. “It’s that this is an amateur business, and to tell you the truth, my amateur wins have been the ones to tell me I’m doing the right thing. If I can produce national championships for my customers—and I don’t mean with me showing those horses in the open, I mean for them—that’s almost been more of a landmark for me in my career than anything else.” To achieve this, Krohn shows almost year-around. The only month he has free is November, and then he is on the road shopping for horses. The Oak Haven breeding program is kicking into gear (the second national champion of his career was homegrown), but, he says, it is still early for a performance program with its lofty goals. In the meantime, demand in his barn is significant, and often his clients are looking for young horses priced reasonably that he can develop for them to show or sell at a profit. It is challenging, he admits, but he likes it that way— especially when it all comes together, as it did in 2014. ■

From your breeding selection to your win pass, we are proud to offer all aspects of your English Show horse expericence.

Open, Futurity, Driving & Specialty

Adult Amateur, Youth & Academy

Sales

Breeding & Full Reproduction Services

Lindsay Rinehart • Hickory Corners, MI • 269-838-6473 • trotwoodfarm1@aol.com

THE FUTURE IS NOW ... Very seldom, if ever, does a young stud come along with such beauty and oozing, athletic ability, as Arrowhead's Unlike Any Other. He is the real deal, packaged all in one, and is destined to be one of the great breeding stallions of our time! â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Gene van der Walt Singing Hills Stable

PROUDLY OWNED BY: E A C E Q U I N E COLLEEN COOPER, 978-314-2347 WWW . EACEQUINE . COM

6 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

2012 Saddlebred Stallion

Callaways Blue Norther Wine Women And Song Feather Light

Will Shriver Royally Blue Courageous Admiral Raines Cactus Flower

Arrowheads Unlike Any Other For What Its Worth Miss Moriarty Miss Megabucks

Worthy Son In Reality Prosperity Profit Mias Time

Unlike Any Other ... a full sibling to Futurette, Lexington Jr. League Unanimous Champion 3-Year-Old Fine Harness owned by Tim & Marty Shea.

REPRESENTED BY ARROWHEAD FARM MELINDA MOORE 859-613-1645

REPRESENTED BY SHOWTIME TRAINING CENTER TISH KONDAS 678-427-0595 WWW.SHOWTIMETRAININGCENTER.NET

STANDING AT SINGING HILLS GENE & ANNALIZE VAN DER WALT 503-680-3808 WWW.SINGING-HILLS.COM

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 7

A Noble Cause

Toi Jabaska

Overall Saddle Seat Horse of 2014 IXL Noble Express+ A NOBLE CAUSE Sweet Summer Fire Matoi TOI JABASKA+// MC Jabaskolee

MHR Nobility RY Fire Ghazi Afire Bey V Primroza Zodiac Matador+ Toi Ellenai GG Jabask+/ Sakolee

Standing at Cedar Ridge Arabians • Mike Brennan, Breeding Manager • 612-202-6985 • mike@cedarridgearabians.com

www.C ed arRid g eA rab ian s.com

8 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Thanks to Leah Beth for all of the success we had with Noble Supreme in 2014. He is very special to us as he is a strong product of our breeding program. We look forward to an exciting year with him in 2015!

AHA Breeders Sweepstakes Nominated Minnesota Medallion Stallion Scottsdale Signature Stallion

Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglish 9

Shawn and Carmelle Rooker | Barn 810-629-6169 | Shawn 810-348-7155 | Carmelle 810-241-9246 www.rookertrainingstable.com 10 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Pristalina (Presidio CF x Plenty A Sparkle, by Afire Bey V) Owned by Sherman Ranch

The perfect outcross for your daughters & granddaughters of Afire Bey V

August Rose (August Bey V x PVS Priboja, by Promotion) Owned by Barbara Wright RA Gift of Fire (Bask Afire Bey x Puttingontheritz) Owned by Bob & Kayren Jost JKF Pristine (Hucks Heritage V x Patraza) Owned by Elizabeth Lang Heavenly Night Shade (American Saddlebred) Owned by Melissa Prowse Magniloquence VA (Allience+// x Moonbeam DGL, by The Nobelest) Owned by Victoria Arabians, LLC BA Appolonia (AA Apollo Bey x BA Marvalika) Owned by Ken & Kathy D’Auria KH Easter Bey (Khashmir Bey x KD Roulettesdelite) Owned by Barbara Faulkner CP Ragtime (Hucklebey Berry x Misty Danser) Owned by Cal Poly University Afire Lily (Afire Bey V x Mattafoxx, by Zodiac Matador) Owned by Kimberly Conant ROL Feelin’ Groovy (Baske Afire x Doubletrees Keeping Secrets) Owed by Jane Wardlaw

Miz Miranda V (Bravado Bey V x Miz Molly V, by Allience) Owned by Victoria Arabians, LLC Foaled a bay colt! Miz Vogue VA (Triften++/ x Miz Margeaux V, by Huckleberry Bey) Owned by Hennessey Arabians Foaled a chestnut filly! Cori Afire (Afire Bey V x BPA Cheers, by Cognac) Owned by Hennessey Arabians Foaled a bay filly!

MHR Nobility x RY Fire Ghazi, by *El Ghazi

Rumina Afire (Afire Bey V x HL Raisa, by The Chief Justice) Embryo purchased by Hennessey Arabians Mare owned by Steve & Diana Lazzarini Foaled a bay filly! Bells Will Ring ASB (Exalted Effect x Kalaramas Singing The Blues) Owned by Hennessey Arabians Foaled a bay colt! Mattamoiselle Afire (Afire Bey V x Mattaria, by Zodiac Matador) Owned by Ann Knoop Foaled a bay colt!

Hennessey Arabian Horse Partners LLC • Waterford, MI • 352.857.3384 • www.HennesseyArabians.com Multi-Program Nominated Sire • Standing at Trowbridge’s Ltd • 860-354-8926 • www.Trowbridgesltd.com

Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglish 11

12 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Ashton’s Cell 865-556-0412

Joel’s Cell 865-556-0413

Joel & Ashton Joel &Kiesner Ashton Kiesner 3418 Miser Station • Louisville, TN 37777TN 37777 3418 MiserRoad Station Road • Louisville, www.KiesnerTraining.com www.KiesnerTraining.com

Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglish 13

Ferrara photos

14 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Listed by the Arabian Horse Times

At Youth, Canadian & U.S. National Championships

Thank You to team Kiesner for your continued commitment & talents in the care, preparation and presentation of our horses; giving us the memories of a lifetime!

Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglishâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; 15

A Breeding Program Looking to the Future.

Missknowitall

Baske Afire x I'm Miss New York

Voodoo Child

Baske Afire x Only Girl In Town

"Breeding HIGH QUALITY foals with EXTREME MOTION, ENGLISH PEDIGREES, and WILLING, GAME TEMPERAMENTS is our goal and our industry's future."

Afires Heir x Only Girl In Town

SF Aftershoc x Phun Night

Summer Temptation

A Temptation x CL Summer Heat

Shine On VH

Baske Afire x Only Girl In Town

2015 Foals SF Aftershoc x My Norma Jean EA (Hucklebey Berry x Mahoganyy) SF Aftershoc x Undulata's Chick Chat (Undulata's Nutcracker x My Magical Mood) Baske Afire x Undulata's Chick Chat (Undulata's Nutcracker x My Magical Mood) SF Aftershoc x Zalika MV (Mamage x Kaybette) SF Aftershoc x Bothered and Bewildered (Charmed and Bewitched x Only Girl In Town) SF Aftershoc x Rumina Afire (Afire Bey V x HL Raisa) SF Aftershoc x The Phantom Lady (The Phantom Man x Worthys Take a Bow) SF Aftershoc x Only Girl In Town (Only Man In Town x Dixie Land Darlin') SF Aftershoc x JB Rose Afire (Baske Afire x Cactus Rose JK) 2014 Foals SF Aftershoc x Only Girl In Town (Only Man In Town x Dixie Land Darlin') SF Aftershoc x Only Girl In Town (Only Man In Town x Dixie Land Darlin') Afire Bey V x Only Girl In Town (Only Man In Town x Dixie Land Darlin') Afires Heir x Zalika MV (Mamage x Kaybette) Afire Bey V x Undulata's Chick Chat (Undulata's Nutcracker x My Magical Mood) SF Aftershoc x Im Miss New York (I'm A New Yorker x Sabrina Supreme) SF Aftershoc x The Phantom Lady (The Phantom Man x Worthys Take a Bow) Afire Bey V x Berry Fancee (Hucklebey Berry x Eugeria) SF Aftershoc x JB Rose Afire (Baske Afire x Cactus Rose JK) SF Aftershoc x Ultra Afire (Afire Bey V x EW Ultima)

Baske Afire x Only Girl In Town

SF Aftershoc x Phun Night

Vicki Humphrey, Jessica Clinton DeSoto & Gabe DeSoto Canton, Georgia ~ 770.335.6194 ~ VHTC@VickiHumphrey.com

www.VickiHumphreyTrainingCenter.com 16 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Southern Connection

Hucks Connection V x Only Girl In Town

SF Aftershoc x Rumina Afire

Dreams Are

For Living ...

A mother, a trusted friend, and a beautiful person whose life is built on never compromising integrity. You are my inspiration to live life to its fullest. Always there with love, patience and kindness. Your “Shannon-isms” are priceless, your smile infectious, and what a thrill to own a steed that has been “Shannon-ized”. So many dreams have become realities because of you. You have created memories I, and all those close to you will cherish for a lifetime. Celebrate your Uniqueness and Always believe in Magic. May all the joy you give others follow you throughout your life. —Your Friend

Mercy Mercy Me

(Apollopalooza x Perfect Attendance)

“Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” 2 0 1 5 R E G ION 7 U NA N I MOU S C HA M PION 2 0 1 4 R E G ION 1 2 & 1 5 C HA M PION

Beethe Arabians Cave Creek, AZ 480-203-1394 www.beethearabians.com

Owned by: River Run Farms LLC Barbara Rothman Scottsdale, AZ

Midnight Heiress

(Afires Heir x Blackpatent Pumps, by Matoi)

Beethe Arabians Cave Creek, AZ 480-203-1394 www.beethearabians.com

Owned by: River Run Farms LLC Barbara Rothman Scottsdale, AZ

Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglish 21

22 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

has a pedigree that is all English ... that explains why he produces it!

SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance

AFIRE BEY V

Spectra PR 7-Times to *Eter Barbary SEDGIA Huckleberry Bey

*Bask

Cognac Baske-Tu

*PROWIZJA Bay El Bey

Promotion Raffon

The Judge

SparklingBurgundy

Owned by: L. A. Flynn • Standing at: Vicki Humphrey Training Center Canton, Georgia • 770.740.8432 • vicki@vickihumphrey.com

www.VickiHumphreyTrainingCenter.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 23

. . . h s i l g En & e k i M over 30 years training breeding sales

s g n i r e f f Sales o RASCAL THYME SA

(Pryme Thyme x Chance to Dazzle) 2004 Chestnut Gelding • Big, beautiful, incredible neck. Would make a wonderful equitation mount. Safe for any level rider. National Champion amateur horse.

JUANA BET (Pension x Refina) 2010 Bay H/A Gelding • A sporty, fun H/A English horse suitable for any level rider. 2015 Scottsdale Top Ten H/A English JOTR & JTR. THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR

(Matoi x Royal Starina) 2009 Chestnut H/A Gelding • The PERFECT country horse. He is beautiful in the ring, kind, willing and very easy to ride and show. He loves to work, has a nononsense attitude and one of the best minds there is. He would carry any level rider. Eligible for 2 years of the National Maturities.

EROS LADY GAGA

(Hucks Premier V x Eros Bona Dea) 2009 H/A English mare • Big, bold, beautiful mare ready to take you to the top in the English division. Eligible for U.S. National Maturity this year.

MISS INDEPENDENT

(Pension x Misunderstood), 2009 Bay H/A Mare • Full sister to National Champion Charmed I'm Sure, Reserve National Champion and multiple Scottsdale champion Miss Pension, and National winner He's So Fine. This mare is destined for the roses, just like her siblings have been. Showing English/Show Hack potential.

Congratulations ...

GSF MAZERATI (VCP Magnifire x PF Sirius) 2006 Bay Mare • Big, pretty, great mare for showing or breeding. Priced to sell. Grace Famestad on the purchase of Inheiritance WAF, agent Bob Gordon. Roberta Famestad on the purchase of Kick N Assets, agent Bob Gordon. Scion Arabians on the purchase of Sagesse, agent Mike Whelihan. Chelsie Cadiz on the purchase of Eros Amaryth, agent Mike Whelihan. Sandra Jones on the purchase of Cashh, agent Mike Whelihan.

Visit our website for videos and sale horse information.

6620 320th Street East, Eatonville, WA 98328 | 253-875-5033 - Farm | 253-224-4073 - Mike

www.WhelihanArabianFarms.com

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 25

Training Marketing Breeding ◆

◆

We are honored and excited to be embarking on this journey with a great group of people around us. Thank you for entrusting us with your horses! A special thank

you to Cedar Ridge Arabians and the Ames Family for this opportunity; there is not

a better facility to run a horse training operation, nor a better family to work with. We look forward to continuing the high standard of professionalism and care that Cedar Ridge is known for through Golladay Training! — Leah and John

GOLLADAY T R A I N I N G Joh n a n d L e a h G ol l a day | c el l 515-52 0 -76 0 4 | l e a h@ c eda r r i dge a r a bi a ns.com L ocat ed at Ceda r R i dge A r a bi a ns | Jor da n, M N

W W W. G O L L A D AY T R A I N I N G . C O M

26 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

SPEAKING OF ENGLISH ...

Baske Afire W HEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BREED TO A LEADING SIRE OF

E NGLISH PERFORMANCE HORSES ... TAKE IT!

Afire Bey V x Mac Baske

O VERALL L EADING S IRE OF 2014 U.S. & C ANADIAN N ATIONAL P ERFORMANCE AND H ALTER W INNERS

Strawberry Banks Farm

Barbara Chur, owner ~ Brian Murch, trainer, cell: 716.983.3099 ~ Nicole Ferrell, breeding manager 716.652.9346 ~ East Aurora, New York ~ info@strawberrybanksfarm.com

www.StrawberryBanksFarm.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 27

Bel Aire V

is everywhere!

n, Sweden nnah Andersso

Artwork by: Ha

Watch for Bel Aire V at the Buckeye, Region 13, Region 14 and Canadian Nationals! 2014 Buckeye Champion Stallion AOTH 2014 Region 14 Champion Stallion AOTH and Top Five Country English Pleasure Open and Select 2008 Scottsdale Top Five Country English Pleasure Junior Horse 2008 Pacific Slope Champion Stallion 2008 Whittier Champion Country English Pleasure Junior Horse and Champion Stallion Owned by: David C. Matlack, DVM Bloomington, Indiana 765-967-6640 â&#x20AC;˘ dmatlack@indiana.edu 28 English | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Bel Aire V

Bred by Sheila Varian with two lines to Huckleberry Bey++, three lines to Comet and six lines to *Bask++, and with five national champion English horses and mares in his pedigree, it is no wonder that Bel Aire V, an English champion himself, is also siring English champions.

(Baske Afire x Balquelotta V) 2003 Bay 15.2 hh â&#x20AC;˘ CA and SCID Clear â&#x20AC;˘ $1,000 LGF AEPA, Region 12 Spotlight and Breeders Sweepstakes Nominated sire.

Bel Aire V is the sire of 52 registered foals with a phenomenal 25% champions! FS Paparattzi (Bel Aire V x Patience V) South African National Champion English Pleasure

Standing at: Siemon Stables, Ohio 937-308-8184 www.siemonstables.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E nglish 29

Conway Arabians

English • Hunt • Show Hack And more ... We've got what you want!

GLORY GOT GAME Heir To Glory x Savirene B PROXIMUS CA Afire Bey V x DA Triffire

MAYBELLINE CA Noble Way x Abeline

B red to Move You.

18080 Cty 2 • Chatfield, MN 55923 • 507-867-2981 • 507-202-4440 • 507-867-0060 barn • lori@conwayarabians.com or Tom Theisen at 404-304-9955 tommytheisen@yahoo.com

www.conwayarabians.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 31

Nobilistic N

the sire ...

MHR NOBILITY X LOVE OF WISDOM

32 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

OISVERT

FARM

LEADING OWNER OF 2014 NATIONAL CHAMPION HALF-ARABIANS TITLEIST BF Nobilistic BF x PWA Tusea 2011 Gelding • Owned by Boisvert Farms 2014 National Champion Country English Pleasure Futurity

MEGATROPOLIS BF Nobilistic BF x Clover Hill's Blazing Luck 2009 H/A Gelding • Congratulations to new owners, Ellis Arabians 2014 U.S. National Reserve Champion Country English Pleasure Jr. Horse 2013 Canadian National Champion Country English Pleasure Jr. Horse 2012 U.S. National Reserve Champion Country English Pleasure Futurity

BROADWAY KING BF Nobilistic BF x Clover Hill's Blazing Luck 2011 H/A Gelding • Owned by: Elizabeth Tyler and Shirely McNeely 2014 U.S. National Top Ten Country English Pleasure Futurity

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE TOP TEN WINNERS SIRED BY NOBILISTIC BF Cordoba BF Lady Luck BF Nobilistics Crush JF

Regally Ready BF Girl Next Door BF

BOISVERT FARMS, LLC Scott & Susan Purdin Amanda Purdin Standish & Rhein Standish 630 Louisiana Avenue • Baton Rouge, LA 70802 farm: 225.933.6109 • info@boisvertfarmsllc.com www.BoisvertFarmsLLC.com Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 33

Pictured top to bottom: SA GISELE (By IXL Noble Express) 2x U.S. National Champion Owner Starline Arabians, LLC

New this Year! 2015 BAY COLT (VJ Royal Heir x Rumina Afire) Owner BL Ranch 2015 BAY FILLY (H Mobility H x Rumina Afire) Owner Hennessey Arabians

ferrara

REJOICE REJOICE (By A Temptation) U.S. National Reserve Champion Owner Strawberry Banks Farm

2015 CHESTNUT COLT (SF Aftershoc x Rumina Afire) Owner Vicki Humphrey

BL SMOOTH CRIMINAL (By Sir William Robert) Multi-National Champion Owner Gale Waldon

2015 CHESTNUT FILLY (Afires Heir x Sunz Comin Up, by Apollopalooza) Owner BL Ranch

BL EXPRESSION (by IXL Noble Express) Regional Champion & U.S. National Top Ten Owner Chaos Arabians

2015 BAY COLT (SF Aftershoc x Rumina Afire) Owner Twin Creek Farms

ferrara

Still to Come! (VJ Royal Heir x Rumina Afire) Owner I Ask Arabians, LLC

VJ ROYAL HEIR | AFIRES HEIR H MOBILITY H | AFTERSHOC | NUTCRACKERS NIRVANA

34 English

ferrara

W W W. R U M I N A A F I R E . C O M RANCH

Steve Lazzarini Diana Lazzarini

760-219-5292 760-625-5522

DesertVIP@aol.com Desertvipservices@live.com

2015

IS OFF TO A GREAT START WITH

CONGRATULATIONS ...

SCOTTSDALE

Hattie George

SUCCESS!

MISTER MAMAGE CW+

(Mamage x Liraberry V)

Scottsdale Top Ten Country English Pleasure JOTR 14 & Under Scottsdale Top Ten Saddle Seat Equitation JTR 14 & Under

SSTEAM+/

(Sshameless++ x AP Jabasks Joy)

Scottsdale Top Ten Western Pleasure JTR 14 & Under Scottsdale Top Ten Western Pleasure JOTR 14 & Under

Emily1 Annett MACHIAVELLI LC

(The Nobelest x FA Eternal Affair) Scottsdale Top Ten Country English Pleasure AAOTR 19-35

Alexis Scott, trainer • 8984 Blue St., Norwalk, IA 50211 • 515-371-5073

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 35

Q&A

ENGLISH PLEASURE—A

WITH TODAY’S LEADERS

Just about everyone who has followed the English pleasure division since the Arabian breed’s heyday in the 1980s will tell you that it’s changed. A lot of classes have evolved since then, grown and diminished, segued into slightly different styles. But English, more than any of the traditional show ring disciplines, has altered its performance—even adding divisions to accommodate the various possibilities of what you might see in the ring.

In 1980, the talk of the English Pleasure U.S. National Championship was FF Summer Storm, a mare whose trot was so smooth and seamless that one glance at her left an observer thinking, “What a pleasure she must be to ride.” There was no country English pleasure at the time, and the penultimate Saturday night class, park, had just recently begun to break level with real consistency. Who could forget the gutsy little gelding Orans Adagio, who waved his legs at all four corners? When he was really cranked, he could look like a Daddy Longlegs on a hot tin roof. The crowd loved him. But as the decades passed, all that trotting got higher and higher. Country pleasure was created, which accommodated the English style as it had been known previously, while the current English contenders exhibited much loftier motion. And the park horses? The class became so acrobatic that it grew smaller; relatively few horses have the conformation and athletic ability to make it work. The ever-moreexciting English pleasure contenders assumed the job of closing shows. So, where are we now? How do we see the many roles open to English horses? AHT consulted an array of specialists in the division for their opinions. And for a walk down memory lane, we asked them for their memories too: what national champions in the English division do they remember best? Here is what they told us.

36 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

SHANNON BEETHE

SHANNON BEETHE Beethe Arabians • Cave Creek, Ariz.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure and park horse? The main differences between

LORI CONWAY

LORI CONWAY Conway Arabians • Chatfield, Minn.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure and park horse? Attitude. Motion.

English, country and park are motion, manners and intensity.

Delivery. Style. Carriage.

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true?

Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? Park is still an awesome class, because you have a couple

The lines are a bit blurred between English and park right now. However, a true park horse does tend to prevail as the winner in the park division, as a true English horse prevails in its respective divisions. Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? Money always motivates! If more prize money were

offered in park to try to build it back up, people would likely participate and bring their great horses.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? The majority of the halter horses are

not bred to perform in the saddle seat division. Therefore, they are not suited for saddle seat conformationally, just as many of the saddle seat horses are not bred to perform in the halter arena, and conformationally are not competitive in there. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? Overall

conformation, upright neck, good bloodlines, athletic motion.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? It has created a great venue

for young English/country horses and a huge motivation to breeders.

individual horses that make the class exciting and fun to watch. Unfortunately, it has also become a class for misfits (horses that don’t walk, are unruly in the manners department, etc.). Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? That is true. A saddle seat horse

is angular, leaner and is more “boney” in their body structure than most breeding/halter horses are. The hunter/western type structure is typically smoother and “beefy,” which lends a better look without tack on them. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important? These are in no order,

just how they come into my mind. Long neck with a long poll, great shoulder, straight legs, short cannons with long forearms. Oily and flexible, uphill, straight tail, big eye. Charismatic, confident, bold, cocky. Has eye appeal and pedigree. Most important is natural carriage and attitude. What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? It has united a group of

trainers, breeders and owners to work together and do what is best for the future of the English division. It brought $100,000 purebred and $50,000 Half-Arabian classes to the U.S. Nationals.

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 37

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? It is the ones with “extremes” that

stand out in my mind. MHR Nobility—extreme drive from behind, like a speed boat taking off, leaving everyone behind in its wake. Orans Adagio—every step looked so effortless, and what a fun ride to be sitting on. Zodiac Matador—attitude, attitude, attitude! Mamage—balanced, round, a sports car. Afires Heir—loose, high, oily, happy. Heirs Noble Love—poetry in motion. Black Daniels—square, beautiful, hot rod. Vegaz—up, up and away. Matoi—the little horse that could and did!

JOHN GOLLADAY

to for guidelines within our class specifications, a solid group of quality English stallions to breed to, and of course, a new and exciting futurity class at U.S. Nationals that has inspired a new wave of breeding for the next great Arabian English horse. It has given breeders an incentive to breed as nice of an English horse as possible. And it’s a money class, so it’s more appetizing for people to feel like they’re getting some of their investment back in the show ring. What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? I have a few. I would have to say

Matoi, Afires Heir and Nabasken Afire. These horses were brimming with ability and talent, and in the show ring, their energy and personality were incredible. MICHELLE HARRIS Harris Arabians • Temecula, Calif.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? A country pleasure horse

should trot level; manners are of utmost importance, with a flat footed walk. An English pleasure horse should trot above level, still be a pleasure at all gaits, and have cadence. A park horse should have an exaggerated trot, with extreme impulsion. Today we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? I

believe our park classes have become horses that tend to not fit in the English pleasure class, because they don’t stay cadenced and aren’t well mannered.

JOHN GOLLADAY Golladay Training • Jordan, Minn.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? The distinction

between disciplines comes from motion, impulsion, manners, attitude and conformation. Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) We’re not breeding the horse that does it all

anymore. Our breeding has become far more specialized and division-based. And because of that, I think we’re seeing horses bred for a specific purpose. It’s simply the way we’ve evolved in this industry.

When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? I like an oily shoulder, good legs, and an

upright and nicely shaped neck.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? It’s given us a model to look

38 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

Q&A

division? Park horses are so extreme that I expect the class will

be smaller if we put true park horses in it.

division. Those judges made a huge impact on the business with one class’s pinning.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? I do believe this to be true. I believe

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? Unfortunately, as a judge, you have to pick your winners

it is a shame that we have chosen type over conformation and motion. Halter classes should be a podium to show our English pleasure prospects, to assist breeders on making informed breeding decisions. Sport Horse has their own halter classes. Maybe it’s time to have halter classes for the English division? I know we have tried this with the AEPA, but what if we made it part of nationals, like the AEPA performance class? When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I look at

the individual—the type, conformation and motion. I also look through the pedigree to see if the sire and dam have had progeny that have been successful in the English division. Most important: a beautiful Arabian, with a high-set neck; a laidback and free-moving shoulder; a great hip for impulsion; and great hocks.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? The AEPA is such an

important program for the English division, first for the payouts to allow you to recoup some of the money you’ve put into training, and also for a breeder to evaluate what is successful.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? I would have to say HA Toskcan

from what is in the class. It has to be the responsibility of all participants—owners, trainers and judges—to put the most effort into knowing the difference between divisions, putting the horses in the right divisions and judges penalizing them when they don’t. It is the only way all divisions will survive.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? We have specialized our breeding

programs to accentuate our specific requirements and desires. We no longer breed for a versatile horse who can do many jobs. The pedigrees that produce a western horse are not the same pedigrees that produce an English horse. Halter horses are bred for beauty above all else, and as a result, motion has been sacrificed. They rarely produce English motion. It is without question, however, that the English horse who is also beautiful and the halter horse who is also trotty is what we would all like to see. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? Attitude,

quality, balance first. A neck that can bridle, a good step behind, loose shoulder, short back, and a straight tail. Quality is most important. VICKI HUMPHREY

Sun. He is beautiful, has great conformation, and his motion is strong in front and in his hocks. His temperament is personable and trainable, and his progeny are carrying on those same attributes! VICKI HUMPHREY Vicki Humphrey Training Center • Canton, Ga.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? As a judge, I often have to

look at my card to tell if I’m judging a country or an English class. The specs are clearly stated in the rule book, and if we follow the criteria and penalize English horses in our country classes even if they are the best horse in the class, we will preserve our English division and our park division the same way. I watched very good judges judge a show last year when the first class of the show had several overly ambitious, English trotting horses in the pack. They were well trained and great quality, but too much. They did not get ribbons. I watched the horses get reset, trainers get quiet and soft, and the entire rest of the show, the horses looked like they fit the

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 39

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? Mandalay Bay stands out as a great

JOEL KIESNER

example of a park horse that meets all the criteria for the division. He has balance front and back, and extreme motion without sacrificing cadence. He wears his bridle quietly in frame. He wears his ears from start to finish, and carries a high, animated tail. He has been a national champion in park 11 times because he possesses all the qualities asked for in the park division. JOEL KIESNER Kiesner Training • Louisville, Tenn.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? It is a difference in degree of

collection, elevation and animation. Collection and elevation go hand in hand. So, start with a country horse: they are collected, round in their back and their neck, and they must be soft in their mouth to a degree that when you ask them to collect, they don’t get animated. They stay very relaxed. Their collection doesn’t reach a point that their rear end drops below their wither very much at all, other than a rounded and soft back, and they don’t put a lot of effort in the propulsion of the rear end.

The English horse is the next step up. It’s going to have more collection, more elevation in the front end, and more engagement in the rear end. That, then, creates a bit of an uphill look. When you ask a horse to do that, it’s harder for them, so we often see those horses working a bit harder at the trot and the canter, and often they have more animation in those gaits. Even at the walk, they’ll have a bit more animation.

has a lot of attitude and seems smart—those are all things that please me too. And then pedigree is your insurance, because all these different pedigrees act in certain ways. What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? I think, with the current bloodlines

available, that the best is yet to be seen. The English/park horse that stands out in my mind hasn’t been born yet, and that’s what excites me most.

Q&A The park horse has even more animation. It may not have a ton more elevation, but it will have more animation than the English horse, and hopefully more brilliance.

Brilliance is a gradual increase through the three; each class should be an elevation from the next. That being said, the same horse might be able to win each of those classes, depending on how they are ridden and presented. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I like them

to be built like an English horse. That is, have a tall neck, soft muscle, and a flat neck (not round) that goes into a big, tall wither that’s a little higher than the hip. That means that they have a little shorter hind leg; long, soft pasterns; and I like a lot of bone. It can be refined, but I like length of bone and I like to see it, because sometimes when bones are too small, they don’t hold up as well. I also like a nice angle to the hip. That’s all the stuff that makes my eye happy. But, if a horse goes out, lifts its head up, trots high, does it in a balanced way,

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JASON KROHN Oak Haven Arabians • Lindale, Texas

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? The demeanor of your horse

and its motion.

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true?

I think we are hearing that because a lot of times, people are showing their horses in both the English and the park. I don’t particularly agree with that; I think we should just do one or the other, but I have seen English horses be successful in a park class. That’s because true park horses—with the demeanor, the energy, and the motion in front and behind— are few and far between. Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? We’re going to have to stop showing our horses in

both, and make it more specialized. And the biggest thing is, just as we breed specifically for other classes, we’re going to have to breed specifically for more park horses.

JASON KROHN

saddle seat trainers, riders and judges need to acknowledge two things: we all love trot and we all love to win. Because audiences and judges love trot, it is very enticing to bump a park horse into English. But is it appropriate? It is only appropriate if the horse is truly a pleasure to ride. Judges get wrapped up in a trot that may be pleasing to the eye, but is it a pleasure to ride? If so, great! If not, it probably is not an English pleasure horse. Last year I watched an obvious crowd and judge favorite throw her rider in the qualifying class. Yes, she was a joy and a delight to watch, but she clearly was not a pleasure to ride that day. The solution is definitely not to make a park pleasure division—the last thing we need is another division! What we need are audiences, trainers, riders and judges that hold the breed to the standards and rules of competition. This is a great question and it deserves a lot of conversation.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? We, as a breed, have gotten so

specialized in our breeding that the old Polish performance horses are not being used in the bloodlines for halter lines anymore. The trend our breed has taken is that halter horses are bred very specifically to be pretty and have type and quality, with an exotic head and fine bones; that horse doesn’t need to go on to be a performance horse in a later arena. For us in English pleasure, it’s more functional. We need them to be pretty, but at the same time, we would sacrifice some of that for function.

tradition of a Sunday ride in the park on your flashiest mount. It is a show-off class for the peacocks of the show ring. It has always been a small division, but it does seem that it has dropped in prestige. This is unfortunate and not alltogether clear to me why.

BEL AIRE V OWNED BY DAVID MATLACK D.V.M

When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? Hind end

and neck. In a 2-year-old, I want to see one that has a long, high-set neck, with a good, smooth hip, and I want it to be powerful from behind and lift up with its shoulder. It doesn’t necessarily have to trot big—it just has to lift up out of its shoulder and drive well off its hind end. I don’t want to see an angular, pointy hip, because when someone is on its back, it won’t have the strength it needs to sit down, tuck underneath itself and drive from behind. DAVID MATLACK D.V.M. Siemon Stables amateur rider • Bloomington, Ind.

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true?

There is a very blurry line between English and park, and it is not good for the breed. If we want to attract newcomers, we should have distinct divisions that show our breed in the best light and have clear-cut competition standards. To understand and possibly remedy this situation, I would suggest that the

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 41

We may have been a little too quick to drop action classes due to small size. Dropping the separate classes for mares, geldings and stallions has taken some of the excitement out of the championship classes. As a young kid, I remember running through the aisles at the Buckeye, gathering up all my friends to go watch “park studs,” where we would see the likes of *Aramus and Banduke battle it out. But we also wouldn’t miss the park mares class, where we watched Rawar and Ambra trot their hearts out. It was not unusual in the championship to see the girls beat the boys. Formal driving and formal combination were other important action classes, and going for the Triple Crown of action classes was always exciting to watch. Perhaps the AEPA could look into this question and implement programs and prize money for park. Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? In this issue I am unabashedly old

school. Back in the day, all the top farms bred for champions in both halter and performance. It was the formula for success for such notables as Al-Marah, Gleannloch, Lasma and Varian. Even the small breeders, amateurs and juniors showed their good stock in both. The Legion of Merit was highly coveted when half the points came from halter and half from performance.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? Comment, with Sheila Varian in the

irons, was one of the greatest English show horses of all time. He was 1978 U.S. National Champion English Pleasure in a huge and hotly-contested class, and then came back in 1980 and 1984 as the U.S. National Reserve Champion Park Horse. BRIAN MURCH Strawberry Banks Farm • East Aurora, N.Y.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? The difference between country and

English is how crisp and strong the horse is from behind. A horse that is stronger and more brisk behind is going to have crisper motion. In country, I want to focus on how relaxed and

BRIAN MURCH

It was good for the breed. It meant a horse was bred to be beautiful and correct, i.e., a halter horse, as well as trainable, willing, sound and athletic, i.e., a performance horse. Breeders did not always hit their mark, but it was the standard that was strived for and that era produced some of the greatest champions and producers of all time. It was good for business. It ensured that an Arabian was a beautiful athlete. Crowds went nuts when a champion halter horse came back in the ring under saddle or in harness. I am thinking of such great stallions as *Bask, *Aramus, Raffon, GaiParada, *Asadd, Khemosabi and Huckleberry Bey. And there is nothing more gorgeous than a national champion mare under saddle: *Dornaba, Fame, Dancing Flame, Fire Music, *Elkana and Ericca come to mind. The trend away from this started in the late 1970s in a very different climate. Such wildly popular stallions as *Aladdinn, *Muscat and *Padron had such enormous books, so that it did not make economic sense to detract from their breeding commitments with a performance campaign. But times are different now, and perhaps it is time to reconsider going back to basics—breeding for beautiful athletes.

42 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

pleasant a horse is in doing its job; it should be smooth and effortless. In my opinion, our industry is at a very crucial point right now in terms of the two. To me, it boils down to this: when a horse is trotting quick and crisp, dropping its hind end, elevating in front, trotting level or above—it isn’t a country horse. The reality is that there aren’t as many park horses as there once were, but there still are good ones. An English horse and a park horse should both show huge suspension in their stride, and a park horse should be all about brilliance. I’d like to add that I think, unfortunately, cadence is sometimes being ignored in favor of speed. A class is not a race. I don’t mean there shouldn’t be an extension of stride in the strong gaits, but it shouldn’t be about who’s getting around the ring the fastest.

Q&A Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? Maybe add money to it? I have to recall the last

year we were at Louisville (2006). If I’m not mistaken, there were 20 or 22 horses in the park class. That was the year that a lot of money was raised for it, and everybody came out of the woodwork. Joel Kiesner won it on IXL Noble Express, I was reserve with A Temptation, and look at who was in that class—Afires Vision, Aequus (late in his career), All Staar, MD Aquarius, Young MC, Sir Magni Feke, Mandalay Bay (early in his career) and Ballience V. Since then, the numbers have been up some years and down others, but it doesn’t seem to be as important a class, so maybe the money helped. At the same time, though, I’d guess that there may be some English horses who could be park horses, but are just being shown in English.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? When I think back over the years, if

I have to select one, it would be FF Summer Storm. That mare would still be in the class of the horses we see today in terms of her motion and her beauty. Today, the shoeing rules are so much different that a lot has changed, but I think we’d still be impressed. She did it with ease. And I’ll just toot A Temptation’s horn as another horse that always impressed me. The year before I came to Strawberry Banks, I judged the Buckeye, and that was the year Tim Shea won the Junior English with him. I’ll never forget it—he gave me goose bumps.

SHAWN ROOKER

It is hard to say what has caused the shift in attention from park to English, and there are probably several factors. Honestly, I think some of it might be that over time we are moving further away from the *Bask years. He probably sired more park horses than anyone else.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? It’s true. The style of halter horse

has changed. That being said, there are a heck of a lot of nice hunter and western type horses that are being produced by halter stallions, which in today’s world are equally as great athletes. I hope one day we can get back to a halter stallion that can produce English horses as well. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I look for

a high-set neck with a great throatlatch, a laid-back shoulder, and long pasterns that follow the shoulder. Then, of course, a short back and low hocks. With all of that, you hope that they will have a lot of motion, a fluid stride and good suspension.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? I think since its inception, it

has had a great impact. I have been involved since the start and am on the AEPA board. It’s a great program that has held its own, and is healthy and strong. I believe that there are a lot of people out there who, when they are considering breeding, want to breed to a horse in the AEPA program (and if the stallion they like is not in the program, they feel he should be). Now the western people are doing it, and I hope they have success too.

SHAWN ROOKER Rooker Training Stable • Fenton, Mich.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? All three of these classes should have

the quality of motion and frame of a saddle seat division horse. What should separate these classes is the amount of impulsion with which an individual performs and is exhibited. Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) I do think this is true. I think our English

pleasure horses are being over-ridden.

Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 43

luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? Top trainers are going to have to show their high-

TIM & MARTY SHEA

end English horses in the park division to bring it back to the prestigious class it is meant to be. Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? This is true. The reason is that

breeders are not breeding for the motion of a saddle seat horse; they are breeding for halter type. When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I look

for a horse with natural, round motion with out collection. A youngster with a long neck and athleticism will have an easier time doing its job, therefore, producing a happy individual. Most important is attitude (willingness to work/heart), and quality. What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? A huge impact. More people

(owners, exhibitors, breeders) are seeing horses perform individually and getting educated on what an English/saddle seat horse should be.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? Excluding my own, i.e.,

Apollopalooza and Gotta Wear Shades, I would say Joel Kiesner’s mare, Heirs Noble Love. Her balanced way of going and attitude, without being over-ridden to get motion, make her a standout individual.

In the English division, I’d like to see judges put more emphasis on the way the horses are addressing the bridle, as opposed to how high they’re trotting. For instance, I’d definitely tie a horse that’s trotting a little lower, but really flowing into the bridle—soft, but with a lot of position and great expression— over a horse that is trotting high but chinning on the bridle and looking hurried and hassled. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of times, the opposite is happening.

Q&A

TIM AND MARTY SHEA Shea Stables • St. Clair, Mich.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? Rather than discuss the differences,

I’d rather just say that I think there are a lot of horses who can be moved around—there are English horses that could be in the park horse division and some country horses that could be in the English division. If a little bit of that happened, it would help all three of the divisions. Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) It is not just the English and park divisions;

we hear a lot about how high the country horses are trotting too. I think we need to consider what is happening in all three divisions. The problem is that in any saddle seat division, the horse that is committed to its position is the one that stands out, and usually the horse that is committed to its position is the one that’s moving the strongest. And any exhibitor wants to stand out.

44 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

At the country level, I’d also like to see the horses more rated and relaxed when they’re cantering. In my opinion, they’re cantering too hot; I’d like to see more of the old-fashioned “canter in a bushel basket” style; soft, slow and real comfortable.

If we did all of that, it would not be easy to confuse country with English or English with park.

numbers, and if some of the English horses would move in there—the ones that actually fit there—I think it would help. Year before last, Brian Murch showed a beautiful grey horse, Exxpectations, and won the park at U.S. Nationals. He wasn’t a freak with his legs, but he had a really quality trot, wore the bridle, and had beautiful expression. If the judges would award more horses like that, it would add luster to the park horse division. When they’re just awarding how high they’re going, it doesn’t end up being a pretty presentation.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? I think that’s true and it really

saddens me. I went to my first U.S. Nationals in 1971 and almost all of the halter horses were showing in performance too, even the Egyptians (*Asadd was national champion English pleasure). There was a respect for the fact that the horse had to do something.

And the horses were different. Now, the halter horses have to be rounded, with no withers. The “no withers” is the most telling thing, as is the tight and prominent loin, which is not conducive to athleticism. In most performance horses, you can see the structure. We also have all the emphasis on the head, and anytime you emphasize one thing too much, you get out of whack. The number one breeder in this country over the past 50 years, to me, has been Sheila Varian—and she keeps things in balance. She wants correct horses that look like Arabians, and they have to be able to do a job. They don’t have to be English horses, but they have to be athletic enough to do something and they have to think right. She brings in all kinds of different bloodlines and breeds for all kinds of different divisions. At Shea Stables, that balance has been our hallmark. We don’t want to breed athletic, English-type horses that you have to ask what breed they are. If you get too far off center, where are you going? When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I like to

every class in his life. Now, the real question is: okay, so he’s a stallion, but is he a breeding horse? In a very short time, that’s becoming very obvious: last year at Nationals, he sired the futurity champion, the junior champion and the open champion. AMANDA PURDIN STANDISH Boisvert Farms • Erwinville, La.

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? I

do see horses being cross-entered, and the same horses can be similarly successful, but I think that the horses with extreme motion—the true park horses—are winning.

Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? I think they are still exciting classes. I do see a drop

in numbers because I don’t think people are breeding as much for English anymore; that’s really the problem. You have to breed more park horses to have more entries, and it takes such an extreme horse to do it that there just aren’t that many. And it’s quality over quantity. As long as they still have good quality, that’s what really counts. Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? I think both have gotten more extreme

in their respective divisions, so it is harder for English horses

AMANDA PURDIN STANDISH

see a colt that has a bony, loose look. I don’t like to see a tight bodied, tight-loined type of horse. You’re looking for a great neck, great movement, straight tail, straight legs, quality head and neck, and most of the athletes I’ve seen in any breed have a long shoulder and a high wither.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? I think that one of the things

is the presentation in the AEPA’s Saddle Seat Futurity class. It allows people to look at the horses one at a time, and it lets the horses really shine because they’re out there by themselves. It also puts more emphasis on the breeders, the sires and the dams, because they are announced. And it’s a showcase for young horse trainers, which is very important. With the presentation, young trainers have a chance to go out there and shine. What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? To me right now—and I’m biased

because Marty and I bred him—it’s Afires Heir. He was undefeated in his lifetime; he was first on every judge’s card in

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 45

to be successful in halter. Also, many halter horses have longer careers now, so that by the time a successful halter horse is done showing halter, it is almost too late to start training it.

on the ability to move out of their own way. Of course it’s much different in the Half-Arabian divisions, where it is split between saddle and stock type.

When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? I look at

When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? What is most important to look for? Structural

them conformationally, and when I evaluate my own babies, I like to turn them loose. When you do that and shake them up, you can see how they carry themselves naturally. I look for the ones that carry themselves in the English frame without tack.

What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? It’s made it more exciting;

things we all look for are universal. A natural saddle seat carriage, a high, shapely neck with a flexible throat latch, a hind stride that is far reaching, and a well laid back shoulder.

TOM THEISEN

it’s a great class to watch and great for drawing people to the English division.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? I’d have to go with Mandalay Bay.

He’s the epitome of a true park horse.

TOM THEISEN Conway Arabians • Chatfield, Minn.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? All three divisions

should carry themselves in a stylish manner in my opinion. The country pleasure and English pleasure horses should both give an impression of ease and a pleasure to ride. The English pleasure horse will have more impulsion and motion than the country pleasure horse, and will be ridden in a more energetic fashion. A true park horse should be the ultimate athlete with maximum impulsion, suspension, elevation, and motion. Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) I do think that is often true these days.

Having said that, I think true park horses are a rarity today. It’s more than just trotting high for me. What we are oftentimes lacking today is the suspension of some of the great park horses of yesteryear. Red Tape, Reign On, Orans Adagio and other park horse greats all had that extra spark, that indefinable charisma that showed the audience they were there to entertain and they sure thought a lot about themselves.

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? It saddens me that this is in fact true.

I show hunter horses as well and love them, but the saddle seat horses are superior athletes. If we are breeding form to function, our winning halter horses should hypothetically be saddle seat type horses. I believe the reason is that too much emphasis has been placed on pretty faces and not enough

46 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

A few things I personally look for are: long forearms that are set a bit forward on the shoulder; legs that are either straight or even toed out a bit; a high, straight tail. I obsess about the underside of the neck and how it comes out of the shoulder much more than the top side. Most of all, I look for an attitude, a natural “look at me” attitude. I love the saying, “That will be a great horse if he wants to be.” What impact has the Arabian English Performance Association had on the saddle seat division? I think the AEPA has had

a great impact in several ways. By adding substantial prize money, it’s added importance and excitement to the saddle seat division. It has also given individuals incentive to breed, adding more saddle seat prospects to a much needed market. The crowd support in the added AEPA classes is proof that this was much needed and appreciated.

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? I’ve sure been lucky and have seen

many great ones. The one performance I will never forget is when Red Tape won the Canadian National Championship in

Park with Mary Trowbridge. Five strides into the arena the crowd got behind him. I have never seen a horse respond to a crowd the way he did that night. The more the crowd cheered, the bigger he got. He had so much suspension, both he and Mary had lots of air time. It seemed like all four feet were in the air longer than they were on the ground. That horse knew he was the bees knees and obviously loved the attention and admiration he got that day.

MARY TROWBRIDGE

MARY TROWBRIDGE Trowbridge’s Ltd. • Bridgewater, Conn.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? Attitude and ambition level.

The park horses are the overachievers that are trying to put their legs over the moon. The English horses are an exciting ride and they’re achievement oriented, but they’re not as explosive—they’re not as driven and ambitious. And the country horses are the ones you should be able to ride all day. They have gaits that you can ride as long as you want to. Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) There is a lot of difference, and I

we need to remember that, just because these horses have the ability to be in park, they shouldn’t automatically be thrown into that class from the get-go. We have to keep in mind long range goals as we build horses for the park division.

think there always has been. What you do not see in the park division anymore are the horses that used to exhibit flamboyant motion because of (let’s just call it) gait deviations—but really, soundness. We used to see a lot of those horses in the park division because, quite frankly, we didn’t know better as trainers, exhibitors, owners and judges. Today we know a ton more about equine soundness, horsemanship and training than we did 10 years ago, let alone 30 or 40.

So, overall, I don’t think it’s the prestige that is missing; it’s the numbers. And those are missing in general, because all the English horses are specialty athletes. It takes a lot to keep them sound, happy and consistent. It’s a different venue from western and hunters—not completely, because the basics are the same, but the intensity level is different.

The reason people are saying there isn’t much difference is that for the most part, all of the [high action] English horses you see in the ring today are cadenced and pretty darned sound. Whatever show you are at, you really don’t see unsound horses in the English division—or many other divisions—any longer.

In your opinion, what is the difference between a country, English pleasure, and park horse? The difference should be the flight

of their legs, and where they lift them to, naturally. However, today, we have horses with English motion winning in country, so it is becoming harder to differentiate between the divisions.

Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? I think the prestige is still there. The fact is that in

Today, we often hear that there is little difference between our English pleasure and park divisions. Do you think that is true? (We understand that the rules differentiate, but what do you see in the show ring?) It doesn’t seem that there is much difference

Q&A the past a lot of the horses that were exhibiting in park weren’t moving correctly and, as mentioned above, weren’t sound. They went in the division because, as well as the true park horses, it was the place for the flashy, unusual looking movers. We also have to recognize that only a small percentage of the horses we breed is going to be able to exhibit at the park level. We have to understand that park is a very high school class that is the pinnacle of what a horse should be able to do, and

MICHAEL WHELIHAN Whelihan Arabian Farms, LLC • Eatonville, Wash.

today between the two divisions, however, the English horses tend to carry a bit more speed, as they are required to strong trot and hand gallop in the show ring.

Years ago, park was the most exciting, high-action class at a show, but with fewer participants now, it has lost much of its luster. How do you think we can bring prestige back to the park division? I think simply getting back to what a true park horse

was intended to be would be a great place to start. They should

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 47

have a high, lofty, deliberate motion and be presented in a pleasurable fashion.

MICHAEL WHELIHAN

Today we do not see many breeding/halter horses that go on to compete in the saddle seat division. Do you think this is true, and if so, what is the reason? Typically, the lines of breeding that are

successful in the halter arena lend themselves to the western and hunter divisions.

When looking for a 2-year-old saddle seat prospect, what are your guidelines? The guidelines start with breeding of the prospect,

as well as doing business with honest, reputable people.

What is most important to look for? I would look for an upright neck, proven breeding in both parents, flat muscles and a pretty face. Good tail carriage is important as well. What impact has the Arabian English Pleasure Association had on the saddle seat division? I believe it has had a very positive

impact on the saddle seat division. It has provided additional classes offering lots of prize money, and that encourages exhibitors to breed and show horses at the highest level. We need more of that.

MICHAEL WHELIHAN & ZODIAC MATADOR

48 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

What national champion purebred English or park horse stands out in your mind, and why? Zodiac Matador, because of his

attitude and overall flexibility. He was also a great sire and contributed a lot to the English divisions. â&#x2013;

English Performance Leaders 2014 National English Performance Leaders

Includes U.S., Canadian and Youth National English Champion and Reserve wins. AEPA Saddle Seat Futurity, English Pleasure, Country English, and Park Horse classes. Open and amateur/junior classes only.

1 2. 3. 4.

Noble Supreme CRF Volume Control Nutcracker Sweet PF Ames Celebration House of Blues JSN Manhattan 5. Afireandbrimstone SCA REA My Allience Sal Mineo BF

Overall Arabian & Half-Arabian Leading Horses by number of wins Owner 3 championships, 1 reserve Cedar Ridge Farm 2 championships, 2 reserves Debra Booher 3 championships 6D Ranch Ltd. 2 championships, 1 reserve Kara Larson 2 championships, 1 reserve Laura and Nora Shaffer 2 championships, 1 reserve Jennifer and Emily Schwing 1 championship, 2 reserves Kenneth and Susan Knipe 1 championship, 2 reserves Gregg and Nancy Shafer 1 championship, 2 reserves Boisvert Farms LLC Arabian Leading Horses by number of wins

1. 2. 3. 4.

Noble Supreme CRF Ames Celebration Afireandbrimstone SCA BL Iam A Believer GSF Revolution Heir Force One Mandalay Bay ROL Lets Dance Roxbury SA Gisele Tikket To Fame

3 championships, 1 reserve 2 championships, 1 reserve 1 championship, 2 reserves 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships Half-Arabian Leading Horses by number of wins

1. Volume Control 2. Nutcracker Sweet PF 3. House of Blues JSN Manhattan 4. REA My Allience Sal Mineo BF 5. Emperors Fire Extreme Hearthrobb Khraave SA Sophisticated Lady

2 championships, 2 reserves 3 championships 2 championships, 1 reserve 2 championships, 1 reserve 1 championship, 2 reserves 1 championship, 2 reserves 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships 2 championships

Owner Cedar Ridge Farm Kara Larson Kenneth and Susan Knipe Katherine Tuttle Charles Amato Equine Interests LLC Conway Arabians, Inc. Hawk Haven Farms LLC Kirby Arabians LLC Elizabeth Hoffman Starline Arabians LLC Debra Booher

Owner Debra Booher 6D Ranch Ltd. Laura and Nora Shaffer Jennifer and Emily Schwing Gregg and Nancy Shafer Boisvert Farms LLC Starline Arabians LLC Kara Larson Hillary Hoffman Mike and Jessica Medved

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 49

English Performance Leaders Arabian Overall Leading Sires by number of wins

by number of winning get 1. 2. 3. 4.

Afire Bey V Baske Afire Afires Heir IXL Noble Express Mamage

16 14 7 7 6

Afire Bey V Afires Heir IXL Noble Express A Noble Cause Baske Afire SF Specs Shocwave

11 7 7 4 4 4

1. Afire Bey V 2 A Noble Casue Afires Heir IXL Noble Express 3. SF Specs Shocwave 4. Baske Afire Hucklebey Berry

by number of Half-Arabian winning get

by number of Half-Arabian wins

1. 2.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Baske Afire Afire Bey V Mamage Matoi Pension

10 5 5 3 3

Overall Leading Breeders by number of horses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Cedar Ridge Farm Live Oak Arabians, Inc. Maroon Fire Arabians, Inc. Prestige Farms LLC R O Lervick Arabians Marty Shea Shawn Stachowski Boisvert Farms LLC Cal Poly Pomona Lindsay Rinehart

50 ENGLISH | ARABIAN HORSE TIMES

24 18 8 8 8 8

Arabian Leading Sires by number of Arabian wins

by number of Arabian winning get 1. 2.

1. Afire Bey V 2. Baske Afire 3. A Noble Cause Afires Heir IXL Noble Express Mamage

Baske Afire Afire Bey V Mamage Allience Pension Turn It Up

16 8 8 8 5 4 4

14 8 7 4 4 4

Arabian Leading Breeders by number of horses 7 7 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 3

1. 2. 3.

Maroon Fire Arabians, Inc. Cedar Ridge Farm R O Lervick Arabians Cal Poly Pomona Prestige Farms LLC

5 4 4 3 3

Half-Arabian Leading Breeders by number of horses 1. 2.

Live Oak Arabians, Inc. Cedar Ridge Farm Prestige Farms LLC Shawn Stachowski

5 3 3 3

Overall Leading Open Trainers

Overall Leading Owners

(Top Ten included) by number of wins 1. Jason Krohn 2. Matthew Siemon James Stachowski 3. Joel Kiesner Gordon Potts 4. Jessica Clinton Joel Gangi

by number of horses

14 12 12 9 9 8 8

Arabian Leading Open Trainers

1. 2. 3. 4.

7 6 6 5 5

(Top Ten included)

Matthew Siemon Jason Krohn James Stachowski Joel Gangi Gordon Potts

4 3 3 3 3 3 3

by number of horses

Half-Arabian Leading Open Trainer by number of wins

Starline Arabians LLC Boisvert Farms LLC Debra Booher Cedar Ridge Farm Kirby Arabians LLC Kara Larson Oak Haven South Arabians LLC

Arabian Leading Owners

(Top Ten included) by number of wins 1. Joel Kiesner 2. Jason Krohn James Stachowski 3. Jessica Clinton Gordon Potts

1. 2.

9 8 6 4 4

1. 2.

Oak Haven South Arabians LLC Debra Booher Cedar Ridge Farm Highland Pride Arabians, Inc. Kirby Arabians LLC Starline Arabians LLC

3 2 2 2 2 2

Half-Arabian Leading Owners

by number of horses 1.

Boisvert Farms LLC Lindsay Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly French Kara Larson Remington Monroe Equine LLC Starline Arabians LLC

2 2 2 2 2

Volume 45, No. 12 | E NGLISH 51

Breeding National Winners For Over 40 Years

Lollie, Lara and Dick Ames

Visit our website to find your next champion!

Mike Brennan, Breeding Manager â&#x20AC;˘ 612-202-6985 â&#x20AC;˘ mike@cedarridgearabians.com

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2014 Leading Breeders of National English Champions and Reserves AMES CELEBRATION Canadian National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Canadian National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39 U.S. National Reserve Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

AMES INSPIRATION U.S. National Reserve Champion Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 36-54

NOBLE BEY CRF Canadian National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 40 & Over

NOBLE SUPREME CRF Canadian National Champion Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 40 & Over Canadian National Champion Arabian Country English Pleasure U.S. National Reserve Champion Arabian Country English Pleasure Canadian National Champion Arabian Country English Pleasure AATR 40 & Over

TOI SENSATION CRF U.S. National Reserve Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR Maturity

TOI SLAMTASTIC CRF Youth National Reserve Champion H/A English Pleasure JOTR 14-18

TOI SUPREME CRF U.S. National Champion H/A Country English Pleasure AAOTR 36-54

Afires Heir

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