Volume 45, No. 4A $7.50
Cover Story:
Mission
WR
Homegrown Chrome by KARA LARSON
With four white socks, a perfect blaze, and a distinctively crimson chestnut coat, Mission WR (Marwan Al Magnifficoo x ATA Psyches Psong) is hard to miss. Owned by Mark Sylla of Westridge Farms and longtime breeder Claire Larson, this 3-year-old colt has the pedigree of a great horse and a show record that boasts the same. Taking home the 2014 championship in the Scottsdale Signature Three-Year-Old Colt class as well as the 2014 Canadian National Championship in the Futurity Colt class, Mission has done his fair share of impressing in the show ring. One of most impressed is part owner Claire Larson. He shares, “He’s well bred and he’s very well put together; a truly correct horse who should be a wonderful breeding stallion with his pedigree and quality. And if you like color, his four white socks make him incredibly flashy and showy.” As the breeders of Mission WR, the Syllas are justly proud of what their homegrown stallion is shaping into. On the success Mission has already accrued, Val Sylla shares, “It is the culmination of everything we have been breeding for. We bought his mother, ATA Psyche Psong, who is a national champion in her own right, with the idea that she could produce something very special. His sire, Marwan Al Magnifficco, also a national champion, meshed well with her pedigree. Misson has certainly proven that.” 12A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
She adds, “We think he will be as great a breeding stallion as he has been a show horse. This is what everyone in this business dreams about, but for this particular horse, he is truly special because of his backstory.” In reference to this, it should be noted that Mission’s early life was anything but easy. Sylla offers, “Mission WR was born on May 22, 2011, and by August 5th of 2011, he was an orphan, as his mother foundered and had to be put to sleep. At just one and a half months old, his mother became unable to stand. He actually pawed at her gently and she allowed him to nurse lying down. It was amazing to watch. He was so loving to her when he could have been a bit naughty or wild since he never got out of his stall.” Sylla adds, “Once she passed, he was put out in a pasture with the mare and foal stalled next to him. He was very shy and withdrawn for some time. He had to grow up very quickly and he handled it with maturity and dignity for such a young foal. We are so very proud for what he has grown to become.” In the long journey from this tough start, trainer Andrew Sellman is also incredibly pleased with the progress of this handsome Wisconsin stallion. “He is the real deal—a super high-end horse. Every part of him is excellent. And that is what makes him great. I think nowadays it takes a really complete horse to be super successful and he is a very complete, well-made horse.”
Cover Story
These are attributes that have translated very well in the show ring. “In Canada, he was a real standout and handled himself very well in that class. We were very pleased with the results. Going to U.S. Nationals, I am very excited to show him and I think he has an excellent chance to be very successful.” Beyond U.S. Nationals, Mission’s team is focused on his potential as a breeding stallion. And this is an area in which Sellman is quite confident. “I think he will be a great breeding horse. From a pedigree standpoint and also from physical attributes—he has so much to offer so many mares. There’s no trait that you’d be disappointed in if passed on. In so many cases with breeding stallions, people hope for
certain desirable characteristics to be passed along while hoping that the mare makes up for the areas in which the stallion may be lacking. No matter which part Mission passes along, it will be an excellent attribute.” Also unique in this promising stallion’s future, the Syllas hope for a little diversity to be added to his repertoire as well. “We plan to show him in the halter division and also in performance in due time. Trainer, Jenna Ball, already had him broke to ride before we took him to Andy Sellman to pursue his halter career. He will also continue as a breeding stallion; he has 14 mares confirmed in foal for this next coming year, and we cannot wait to see what that brings for all.” n Volume 45, No. 4 | 13A
Egan photo
Andy, Angie, Grayson, Saige & Dayne
14A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Andrew & Angie Sellman 92 County Road F River Falls, Wisconsin 54022 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com
Volume 45, No. 4 | 15A
*Marwan Al Shaqab Ă— *Maya El Jamaal
Senior StallionS with andrew Sellman
Proudly owned by Al Maliik LLC Dan & Suzanne Acevedo almaliik.stallion@gmail.com
16A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Standing at Argent Farms 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com
2014 Las Vegas WorLd Cup Bronze supreme Champion senior staLLion 2014 region 14 Champion staLLion
Volume 45, No. 4 | 17A
Justify x JJ Astounding Echo
Senior mareS with andrew Sellman
2014 unanimouS region 10 Champion mare Proudly bred & owned by DST Arabians Dave & Tammy Corning and Sienna Snell Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com 18A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Volume 45, No. 4 | 19A
Pyro Thyme SA x Jullye Jones JCA
Senior mareS with andrew Sellman mare halter aaoth with leSlie Sommer
Proudly owned by Shamrock Farms LLC Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com
20A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
2014 region 14 Champion mare aoth 2014 laS VegaS world Cup Champion 5-Year-old mare
Volume 45, No. 4 | 21A
*Gazal Al Shaqab x Karess
three-Year-old ColtS with andrew Sellman
Proudly owned by Joanne Gunabalan Clarkston, MI • JrGunabalan@aol.com Bred by Mulawa Arabian Stud Standing at Argent Farms 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com 22A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
auStralian national Champion 2014 unanimouS SCottSdale Champion three-Year-old Colt 2014 unanimouS region 10 Champion Stallion
Volume 45, No. 4 | 23A
DA Valentino x Always An Angel
three-Year-old FillieS with andrew Sellman
2014 laS VegaS world Cup Bronze Supreme Champion Junior mare 2014 unanimouS Canadian national Champion mare 2014 unanimouS region 14 Champion mare
Proudly owned by Al Mohamadia Stud HRH Prince Abdullah Bin Fahd Al Saud Manager Bruce McCrea Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com 24A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
25A
Marwan Al Magnifficoo x ATA Psyches Psong
FuturitY ColtS with andrew Sellman
Proudly owned by Mark & Val Sylla Claire & Margaret Larson Andrew & Angie Sellman Standing at Argent Farms 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com 26A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
2014 laS VegaS world Cup SilVer Supreme Champion Junior Stallion 2014 unanimouS Canadian national Champion FuturitY Colt
Volume 45, No. 4 | 27A
Eden C x Miss Fame MRM
2-Year-old ColtS with andrew Sellman
Proudly owned by John & Cynthia Moore Standing at Argent Farms 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 28A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
2014 SCottSdale Champion 2-Year-old Colt 2014 unanimouS Canadian national Champion 2-Year-old JaCkpot Colt 2014 laS VegaS world Cup gold Supreme Champion Junior Colt
Volume 45, No. 4 | 29A
FA El Shawan x H Zandra H
Two-Year-old Fillies wiTh andrew sellman
Proudly owned by Royal Arabians Cindy McGown & Mark Davis www.RoyalArabians.com Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.ArgentFarms.com 30A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
2013 U.s. naTional reserve Champion Yearling FillY 2014 region 10 Champion 2-Year-old FillY
Volume 45, No. 4 | 31A
Aria Impresario x L4R Lamala
Yearling ColTs wiTh andrew sellman
2014 region 3 Champion Yearling ColT Proudly owned by Aria Casanova Partners LLC and Joanne Gunabalan Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 32A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Volume 45, No. 4 | 33A
*ZT Marwteyn x Forbidden Love LL
Yearling Fillies wiTh andrew sellman
2014 region 2014 region 14 Champion 14 Champion Yearling Yearling FillY FillY Proudly owned by Equidont Arabians Laura Koch & Bert Sanders Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 34A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Volume 45, No. 4 | 35A
*Marwan Al Shaqab x Valori TRF
Yearling Fillies wiTh andrew sellman
Proudly owned by Joanne Gunabalan JrGunabalan@aol.com Argent Farms 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 36A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
2014 Canadian naTional Champion Yearling FillY 2014 region 10 Champion Yearling FillY
Volume 45, No. 4 | 37A
Justify x Afire Star
arabian sTallions aaoTh wiTh adam riCkarT
vesty
2014 scottsdale & region 10 Champion stallion aoTh Proudly owned by Adam Rickart Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com
38A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Bey Ambition x TF Falconsimprint
arabian sTallions aaoTh wiTh laUra koCh
Canadian national Champion Futurity Colt Proudly owned by Equidont Arabians Laura Koch & Bert Sanders Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com Volume 45, No. 4 | 39A
DA Valentino x Madamoiselle M
aRabian maRes aaoth with angie sellman
2014 Canadian national ReseRve Champion
2014 Region 10 Champion 2013 Canadian national Champion FutuRity Filly Proudly owned by Claire & Margaret Larson Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 40A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Baahir El Marwan x RD Fabreanna
arabian 2-Year-old geldings wiTh andrew sellman
Canadian naTional Champion 2-Year-old gelding Proudly owned by Stuart Vesty Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com Volume 45, No. 4 | 41A
*Besson Carol x Jusst One Look
arabian geldings aaoTh wiTh renae mendel
2013 U.s. naTional sUpreme Champion gelding Proudly owned by Gemini Ranch LLC Duke & Renae Mendel Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com 42A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Nadir I x Prima Dona KA
arabian geldings aaoTh wiTh sTeve smiTh
vesty
vesty
2014 Canadian naTional reserve Champion 2011 U.s. naTional Champion gelding aoTh Proudly owned by The Smith Family Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com Volume 45, No. 4 | 43A
Magnum Psyche x Flameworthy
halF-arabian mares sToCk/hUnTer TYpe wiTh andrew sellman
multi-national Champion Proudly owned by Acevedo Arabians Dan & Suzanne Acevedo almaliik.stallion@gmail.com
44A | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com
AAS-Elishahh x Veyonce
halF-arabian Yearling geldings wiTh andrew sellman
2014 Canadian national Champion half-arabian Yearling gelding 2014 region 10 Champion half-arabian Yearling gelding Proudly owned by Stonegate Farm Jay Krusenstjerna & Barb Sink-Krusenstjerna Argent Farms • 715.425.9001 www.argentfarms.com Volume 45, No. 4 | 45A