GRK Farms - 2019, published in Arabian Horse Times

We Welcome You To...

by KRISTI HOPP

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ary Kehl’s GRK Farms may be a relatively new operation in terms of historic legacies in the Arabian horse industry, but it certainly is no secret. Gary has gone to great lengths to share his vision of a beautiful and athletic Arabian horse, and his entire family’s passion for Arabian horses, with everyone.

Following a tremendously successful 2019 Canadian Nationals, the Kehl family has even more to celebrate and share.

Granddaughters Chloe and McKienna dominated both performance and halter classes, winning four championships, a reserve, and numerous top tens with four horses bred, foaled, raised and trained exclusively by GRK Farms. Chloe rode perennial champion, Billie the Kid GRK (Sundance Kid V x Just To Fool You (APHA)) to victory in both Half-Arabian Western Pleasure JOTR 14-17, and Half Arabian Western Pleasure JTR Elite, titles they had captured at the 2018 Youth National Championship show. At Canada, Chloe and Billie took their partnership into the Showmanship arena and captured a championship there as well. Not to rest on her laurels with just Billie, Chloe also rode Cache GRK (Thats Amore GRK x Lady Justify GRK), to an Arabian Western Pleasure JTR Elite championship win. Just five, and showing at his last show in a bosal, GRK performance trainer Priscilla Cluff was elated by Chloe’s success with Cache.

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cKienna Kehl was also a force to be reckoned with in the Showmanship 13 & Under division. She showed Saturday Nite Afire (Baske Afire x CS Nite Fever) to a Canadian National reserve championship title, and they also earned top tens in Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure. Elizabeth DeSarle heads up the English and hunter performance training at GRK, and also helped McKienna to top tens in hunter pleasure with Lady Justify GRK ( Justify x Fortessa MCF). Because she has also already developed a passion for halter horses–that she shares with her Grandpa Gary–McKienna elegantly presented Stivalle GRK (Stival x Magnum Sofistica GRK) to a top ten in In-Hand Geldings at Canada, which followed big halter wins for the young exhibitor earlier in the year. At Region 8, McKienna won championships in the Colorado Arabian Breeders Association Futurity classes showing two horses sired by Kanz Albidayer (Ajman Moniscione x DL Marielle), Kanquest GRK (x Angellinah WLF) and Kanzianna GRK (x OFW Rihanna).

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riscilla Cluff has headed up GRK Farm’s performance program since Gary started in 2003. She grew up riding Arabians and started showing at 4-H shows in Washington State. As she became more competitive, showing in multiple disciplines at the regional level, she caught Gary’s attention. Gary Kehl has always sought out the best education, guidance and expertise from talented professionals across the industry, and in looking for a performance trainer for GRK Farms, Priscilla was the right fit. While they say “the rest is history,” Priscilla has continued to build on her natural talent and horsemanship skills, and brings an incredible level of professionalism to the table with the GRK horses and clients. This year, however, she had the pleasure of watching her own daughter, Bianca, win her first set of national championship roses in the Western Pleasure Walk/Jog class at Canada. Bianca had a beautiful ride on the black and white pinto mare, Kids N Roses GRK (Sundance Kid V x GK Princess Bar (APHA)), whom Priscilla rode later in the week to a top ten finish in the Half-Arabian Western Pleasure Open.

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ary is exceptionally proud of his mare, OFW Rihanna (OFW Magic Wan x *Hafati Julianna), whom he has dubbed the “Queen of GRK,” and who has certainly established herself as the matriarch of the GRK breeding program. Shown in Canada by GRK’s halter trainer, Lucho Guimaraes, to a strong top ten in the Open Mares, her daughter by RFI Farid, Fabrihanna GRK, also earned a top ten in Yearling Fillies.

Bred by Orrion Farms, Gary fell in love with OFW Rihanna years ago and her production capabilities. The Queen is also dam to Everanna GRK (by Ever After NA), who became GRK’s first European sale, thanks to Lucho Guimaraes. Gary has retained OFW Rihanna’s daughter Hafatianna GRK, sired

by Kanz Albidayer, for breeding purposes.

Gary was thrilled with her first foal by World Champion EKS Alihandro, as this colt holds great promise.

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From top: Izzabella Dona f illy, by Exxalt Hafatianna GRK colt, by EKS Alihandro JMF Marreea colt, by Vitorio TO

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ome of the foals produced at GRK in 2019 are no less than breathtaking too. Another treasured mare, Izzabella Dona (*Jiuliusz De Wiec x Iim So Sheik) gave birth to a stunning filly by Exxalt, carrying forth exceptional lines through *Monogramm, Ali Jamaal, Magnum Psyche and Khemosabi. Out of the mare JMF Marreea (EF Kingston x JMF Marree), a black bay colt by Vitorio TO (DA Valentino x Sol Natique) promises to be a star, with his enormous soft eyes and Valentino neck.

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ith what he has accomplished thus far in his quest, Gary Kehl has set the stage for many years of continued success. Each foal crop brings out the very best in what a breeder like Gary wants to achieve, and he continues to flourish with a team of dedicated professionals and his entire family along for the ride. n S c o t t s d a l e , A r i z o n a • H e r r i m a n , U ta h B r e e d i n g , T r a i n i n g & S h ow i n g • H a l t e r & P e r f o r m a n c e

Gary R. Kehl • 801-560-9688 • garyraykehl@gmail.com | Priscilla Cluff • 801-234-0295 • priscillacluff@yahoo.com

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