AHT Vol.52 No. 12 - AHT Retirees

Proudly Owned & Loved by Janna O’Neill

BEST OF MY LOVE+//

VEGAZ | RIVER DANCE NA

Owned

by: Janna O’Neill

2018 U.S. National Reserve Champion

Arabian Country Pleasure AAOTR 36-54

2019 U.S. National Champion Arabian Country Pleasure Driving

2021 Mid Summer National Champion Arabian Country Pleasure Driving

11X U.S. National Top Ten

10X Regional Champion

5X Scottsdale Champion or Reserve

FAVORITE MEMORY

It would be impossible to choose a favorite memory from my time showing Sugar. The first time I showed her was in Wendell in Scottsdale. She never dropped an ear the entire class and was a complete joy to ride. Winning that class was just the icing on the cake. This summer we attended Region 13 and she was just as fun to ride that week to two Regional Championships. A perfect ending to our career together. Watching Ryan Strand ride and drive her was equally as thrilling. The two of them winning the Country Pleasure Driving will be etched in my memory forever. Our show career was just part of the bond I share with this horse. As beautiful as she is on the outside, she carries with her a heart of gold. I’m so grateful to have this gorgeous partner, my horse of a lifetime.

RETIREMENT PLANS

Sugar will retire in Bucyrus, KS at Liberty Meadows. She will enjoy the good life, getting turned out to play and be a retired show horse. While she has offspring already on the ground, with any luck she will carry her own foal and enjoy motherhood.

~ Janna

|

Bred by: Sharon Keating

RETIRED & REMEMBERED

CP SHENANIGAN+/

ANZA PADRON | CP DANCE CARD

Bred by: Cal Poly Pomona | Owned by: Kirby Arabians LLC

2022 National Champion

Arabian English Pleasure Jackpot

2021 National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR

2020 National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Jackpot

2019 Reserve National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Jackpot

2018 Reserve National Champion Arabian Park AAOTR

2017 Unanimous National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR

2016 National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR

2015 Reserve National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR

2014 Unanimous National Champion Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR

2013 Unanimous National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Maturity & AAOTR

2012 Unanimous National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Maturity & AAOTR

2010 National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Futurity

FAVORITE MEMORY

There are so many, it’s hard to choose! One of my favorites would be our 2013 win in the Arabian English Pleasure Maturity. It was a 19-horse final and I remember I put a lot of pressure on myself since we had won the year prior. I remember right when the gate opened and I pushed him into the trot, he was locked in and in the zone. He continued to get better as the class went on. We ended up winning the class unanimously!

RETIREMENT PLANS

My plan is to bring him home. The rest of his years will be spent trail riding and living it up in a pasture!

~ Katherine Kirby

RETIRED & REMEMBERED

7X NATIONAL CHAMPION | 8X RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION PROUDLY OWNED & LOVED BY HAGALE FAMILY ARABIANS | JIM, MARY MARTHA, JENNIFER & JAMIE

CSP HOT DAM+//

CSP HOT DAM+//

MAMAGE | THE VINTAGE ROSE

Bred by: Shan & Molly Wilson | Owned by: Hagale Family Arabians

MAMAGE | THE VINTAGE ROSE

Bred by: Shan & Molly Wilson | Owned by: Hagale Family Arabians

7x National Champion

8x Reserve National Champion

26x Top Ten English Pleasure, Park, Driving & Native Costume

FAVORITE MEMORY

My relationship with Hot Dam runs deep, being the son of Mamage, who gave me so many exciting moments and National Championships when I was young and just starting to show.

With my return to the show ring after 22 years, I was looking for a heart horse to get me back to the winner’s circle. I first saw him with Shan trotting around I had never seen anything quite like it. When I got on him, I thought I was going to fly over his head! Mom said, “Absolutely not, we are not buying that horse,” but Dad just giggled and said, “Baby, do you want that horse?” We didn’t listen to the voice of reason and bought the horse.

Our first show in Springfield, Illinois was a wild ride—pretty much out of control. Mom said I had no business riding that horse, and Dad said that it was the most fun he had ever had losing.

We eventually went on to win Regional and National Championships and Mom ended up putting her foot down that the horse would never be sold—just live out his life as a horse on our farm.

His retirement was not planned as he was not acting his age—he still loved to show, but at his first championship class at Nationals this year, we decided if he went Champion or Reserve, we would retire him on the green shavings. It was very emotional for all of us as he was announced Reserve National Champion. The die was cast for his retirement ceremony.

RETIREMENT PLANS

Future plans for Hot Dam include enjoying retired life on the farm in Rogersville, Missouri. He’ll be in pasture by day and sleep cozily in his favorite stall at night.

~ Jennifer Hagale Drinnon

RETIRED & REMEMBERED

EMPERORS FIRE

AFIRE BEY V | RITIDA

&

2022 National Champion

H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 50 & Over

2021 Reserve National Champion

ABS Country English Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot

2020 National Champion

ABS Country English Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot

2019 Reserve National Champion

ABS Country English Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot

2018 Reserve National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

2017 Reserve National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

2016 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

2016 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure

2015 Reserve National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

2015 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure

2014 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR Maturity

2014 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR 19-39

2013 National Champion H/A English Pleasure Jr Horse

2013 Unanimous National Champion H/A English Pleasure AAOTR Maturity

2012 Reserve National Champion AEPA $50,000 H/A Saddle Seat Futurity

2011 National Champion H/A English Pleasure Futurity

FAVORITE MEMORY

When I think back, I am reminded of my first year with Emperors Fire. After my career with his full brother Adams Fire, he had big shoes to fill, but he did so effortlessly. Emperor and I were never out of the roses as we were named U.S. National Champion our first year together and every other year we competed.

I also think of the many exciting open classes and work-offs he won with Joel Kiesner, and seeing him win his final set of roses this year with my mom. I was not able to make his last trip around the Tulsa arena myself due to just having my second baby, but it was a joy to watch him and my mom come together as a team. It was a perfect ending to a storybook career to

have Emperor trot out of the ring one final time wearing the red roses over his shoulders. But my favorite memory was my final class on Emperor in 2021. Victor Botha trained Emperor for me that year and Emperor went around the whole class with his ears up, so happy and so light. It felt like we were just floating around the arena. It was one of the softest, best rides I have ever had on him. When picking up our roses, my mom passed my daughter, Opal, up to me for the win photo. That moment just epitomizes who Emperor is—he is a spitfire English horse, but with the kindest heart; so kind, that I trusted him completely with my 2-year-old up on his back.

RETIREMENT PLANS

Emperor gets to come home to Rancho Santa Fe, CA, completely sound with many years left in the tank to begin the next chapter of his life. My mom and I will have the time of our lives riding him and his brother, Adam, on the trails together … a couple of fancy trail horses! I can’t wait to spoil him every day with carrots, love, and everything else he deserves!

~ Nicole Chapparone

Bred by: Tim

Marty Shea | Owned by: Starline Arabians LLC

S trawberryBanks Farm

On Thursday night at the 2022 United States Nationals, Enrico made his final Victory Pass.

Owned, bred and adored by Strawberry Banks Farm, Enrico is retiring at the age of 14 after receiving FOUR National Champion titles, FOUR Reserve National Champion titles and NINE Regional Championship titles in Arabian Native Costume in Open and Amateur with Lance Lewis and Lissa Chur.

Shatzberg Photo

“When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.” Winston Churchill

Shatzberg Photo

ENRICO

A TEMPTATION | EA CANDY GIRL

Bred & Owned by: Strawberry Banks Farm

4x U.S. National Champion Mounted Native Costume

4x U.S. National Champion Mounted Native Costume AAOTR

4x U.S. National Reserve Champion Mounted Native Costume

4x U.S. National Reserve Champion Mounted Native Costume AAOTR

5x U.S. National Top Ten Mounted Native Costume

5x U.S. National Top Ten Mounted Native Costume AAOTR

FAVORITE MEMORY

I have been around a lot of horses over the last 45 years of my life and have NEVER had a bond with a horse like I do with Enrico. He is as beautiful on the inside, as he is on the outside. He absolutely “gets me” … and I get him.

Enrico comes from incredible bloodlines but has a few unique physical traits some would not regard as positive. To me, however, they are super special things that make me love him even more! Always one to favor and support the underdog, Enrico became my favorite, and he is beyond extra special to me. I also truly think that feeling between Enrico and I is mutual.

As an adult learning to ride and show, Enrico is the one who taught me a lot about myself, gave me the confidence I needed, and—more than any person—taught me trust.

I had always been timid and nervous and self-conscious learning to ride, and didn’t know if I would ever feel confident, much less comfortable, riding. I knew in my gut though, if I was to ever overcome my fears, Enrico would be the horse to help me, but I really struggled and didn’t know if I could do it, until faced with the possibility of losing him when one day my mom said she would sell him if I didn’t ride him. And various people were interested in buying him and they rode him, but it never went well—no one really gelled with him—so that was, in my mind when I decided that Enrico and I were going to be a team. There was no way I was going to let him leave Strawberry Banks Farm. I was going to do whatever I could to be by his side (or in the saddle), support him and

let everyone know how wonderful he is. In my mind, together, we were going to be something special, whatever that was, truly never even DREAMING of a National Championship!

After years of lessons and practice, my confidence grew, and I was proud to show everyone how special Enrico truly is.

For me, it is bittersweet that Enrico has retired. I am so thankful for all that he has given to me, for all that he has done for me, for all the wonderful memories that we have shared, and that he proudly finished his career as a BEAUTIFUL Champion. He deserves it more than any horse I’ve ever known, and I am so thankful for Brian’s patience and tenacity to help achieve a beautiful result to a beautiful relationship.

RETIREMENT PLANS

I look forward to many more beautiful trail rides around Strawberry Banks Farm with Enrico; they have been some of my most favorite and best bonding moments with the most incredible horse ever!

~ Lissa Chur