Rae-Dawn Arabians, 2019 by Arabian Horse Times

2019

2018 U.S. Reserve National Champion Senior Stallion 2018 Canadian National Champion Stallion 2017 Canadian National Top Ten Western Pleasure Ali Jamaal *Encore Ali My Mavica Regal Actor JP *Laddin BA More Pretty JP *Rose Of Shaklan

Ruminaja Ali Heritage Memory

Bey Ambition 2006 BAY ARABIAN AHR #626714 SCAN QR CODE WITH SMARTPHONE

*Muscat *Maviva *Aladdinn AH Moonlytnroses

AHA

*El Shaklan GA Madjis Queen

BEY AMBITION Bay El Bey Bey Shah Star Of Ofir Bey Shahs Lady Taask Elegance Of Taask

Le Elegance

Bay-Abi *Naganka *Bask Llana *Bask Tsanar

SILVER SIRE

Le Royale Hi-Fashion Nebeyn

AHA Breeders Sweepstakes Sire Scottsdale Signature Stallion | Silver Sire AHBA Futurity

Owned by and Standing at: RAE-DAWN ARABIANS Murray & Shirley Popplewell www.raedawnarabians.com

SSS

AHBA

WEBSITE

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rd 2018 U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Colt 2018 Canadian Reserve National Champion Futurity Colt 2016 Las Vegas World Cup Champion Yearling Colt Magnum Psyche WH Justice Vona Sher-Renea Shanghai EA Khidar Salymah Libanon Azadika NL

Padrons Psyche A Fancy Miracle

Capriotti 2015 GREY ARABIAN CAHR #48261

SCAN QR CODE WITH SMARTPHONE

El Sher-Mann Renea Ansata Sinan Elizja

AHA

Om El Azadik Warandes Shaklana

RD CAPRIOTTI Gazal Al Shaqab Marwan Al Shaqab

Little Liza Fame

Mi Morena Parys El Jamaal Ysabela EA Moongypsy Echo

Anaza El Farid Kajora Fame VF Katahza *Ali Jamaal *FF Pavielle

SILVER SIRE

Echo Magnifficoo RDM Moon Gypsy

AHA Breeders Sweepstakes Sire Scottsdale Signature Stallion | Silver Sire AHBA Futurity

Owned by and Standing at: RAE-DAWN ARABIANS Murray & Shirley Popplewell www.raedawnarabians.com

SSS

AHBA

WEBSITE

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“What a year!!!!” As the year began and final preparations for the 2018 Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show were underway, Murray and Shirley Popplewell welcomed trainer Bruno Guiraldelli’s parents to Scottsdale from their home in Brazil. It was their first trip to America and, indeed, their very first flight. That set the stage for a memorable start to a stellar year for Rae-Dawn Arabians. “I think that we should reflect on our last year, because it was actually one of our strongest years at the National level,” Murray states. “2018 Scottsdale was amazing for us. Along with all the other wins, winning the Junior Championship for Fillies was something that we always thought we would like to do, but we never thought we ever could do it. Having Bruno’s parents on the sidelines while Bruno won it for us with Giana Leah PCF, a filly we recently purchased, was the highlight of the Scottsdale show. This was an amazing accomplishment for Bruno as he has just been with us for a little over four years.” Rae-Dawn’s remarkable 2018 was just getting started. Murray calls the Arabian Breeders World

Cup (ABWC) one of his favorite shows. “Not because it’s in Las Vegas,” he clarifies, “but because we get a world look into it. Judges come from all over the world and it gives you a very different perspective. It’s always a fun show. It’s only four days long and it is only halter, which makes it quick and easy. And Las Vegas isn’t a bad place to go, either.” At the 2018 ABWC in Las Vegas, it was Murray’s turn to shine when he led homebred RD Marzella to the title of Reserve Champion AHBA Futurity 2-Year-Old Filly ATH. “It was a blast!” Meanwhile, Bruno and RD Momentum, another homebred, won their junior yearling colt section—and these were only two among numerous wins. At that point, sights were set on the Region 7 Championships in late April, and Bruno floated an idea that resonated with Shirley and Murray. “He said to us, ‘Why don’t we see how we can do with Bey Ambition? I think it could be a good year for him.’ So, we decided to bring him out and he was the Region 7 Champion Stallion. He’s 13 years old, and he’s looking better every day.” At the Region 2 Championships in June, Rae-Dawn kicked the year up a notch, sweeping the female Championships. RD Quianna was

crowned Region 2 Champion Yearling Filly and Madora MI was named the 2-Year-Old Champion Filly. Then, in the Saturday night finals, Bruno stepped it up with RD Marciea Bey, who was crowned Region 2 Champion Mare in a very competitive class. In July, Rae-Dawn Arabians was a sponsor of the first Arabian horse show ever held in China, prompting an historic visit by Murray, Shirley and Bruno. They then flew directly home to their farm in Canada, where they rendezvoused with the Canadian Nationals-bound show string. With just a six-hour drive to the show grounds in Brandon, Manitoba, the well-rested horses performed spectacularly, giving Rae-Dawn its best Canadian Nationals results ever. Six of the eight contenders were champion or reserve: PCF Crystal Vision was the Reserve Champion Mare, RD Capriotti the Reserve Champion Futurity Colt, RD Beyanda was Champion Futurity Filly, Madora MI was Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, RD Barcello was Reserve Champion Futurity Gelding, RD Momentum the Reserve Champion Yearling Colt, and of course, Bey Ambition was named Canadian National Champion Stallion. As Murray tells it, the Rae-Dawn string Murray & Shirley Popplewell & Bruno Guiraldelli was “cocked and loaded” in October for with 2018 Canadian National Champion Bey Ambition. the premier show of the year, the United States National Championships. Three of the nine entries were named either U.S. National Champion or Reserve and the other six each earned a strong top ten. Murray recalls the magic moments, “Giana Leah PCF, our Scottsdale junior champion, exceeded everyone’s expectations by going unanimous National Champion Yearling Filly in the open class. Then, our homebred, RD Marciea Bey, was the National Reserve Champion Junior Mare in a very tough class. “After Bey Ambition won in Canada we decided, well, let’s take him to U.S. Nationals—nothing ventured, nothing gained! We brought the old boy out again and he surprised us. He came to the party! He had fun, and WE had fun! We bought about two hundred Bey Ambition flags and handed them out to as many people as we could, including some Brazilian trainers. We almost made a spectacle of it … we had a great time! The place was rocking! That Saturday night, on the green shavings, Bey Ambition went National Reserve Champion with Bruno at the lead behind a great stallion, Polidoro FC, led by Michael Byatt. When you come that close to the big guys, that’s what you want to do. We had nine National titles last year. For one farm to do that, we really feel quite honored.” Celebrating 2018 U.S. National Champion Open Yearling Filly Giana Leah PCF, bred by PCF Arabians.

As Rae-Dawn continues to flourish, the Popplewells are careful to provide the proper support for their already talented team. “We’ve added Alcides Rodrigues and his wife Margaux to our group recently. Bruno and Alcides will share the halter duties. Besides, when you’re schooling horses, it’s always good to have someone else standing back to take a look. It takes a team. When you surround yourself with good, honest people, it certainly makes a difference. These are people that we have spotted in the industry who have morals and the winning smile. I think it comes right down to it, if you’re happy, it shows.” When asked to name a favorite, Murray acknowledges two special horses. “RD Marciea Bey, by Bey Ambition, is The Queen of the farm. She is a horse that I put on a pedestal. And Giana Leah, who is the closest thing to perfect in my eyes. Everybody has a different eye, but in my eyes, she’s the perfect horse. I call her The Princess. We have The Queen and now we have The Princess.” Murray and Shirley Popplewell appreciate the world of the Arabian horse. “We’re having fun,” he states. “People think that we give back to the Arabian community, but we pay back. It’s what it does for us that is important. It keeps both of us active. We’re not giving, we’re paying back.” With the accomplishments of 2018 to build upon, 2019 is likely to become another “year to remember” for Rae-Dawn Arabians.

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ALCIDES RODRIGUES & RD CAPRIOTTI Ar abian Horse Times | 12 | Volume 50, No. 2

A New Dawn At Rae-Dawn by THERESA CARDAMONE

Throughout its more than 20-year history, Rae-Dawn Arabians has embraced the future with a zest that has carried them to the top of the industry. Hands-on and highly successful as amateurs in the show ring, Murray and Shirley Popplewell are equally adept as breeders on an international level. In addition to those achievements, they are perennial volunteers and supporters of many efforts to improve the Arabian horse industry worldwide. Such adaptability and commitment have resulted in a vibrant program that flourishes even as it continually transforms itself. In that way, a new dawn at Rae-Dawn means a balance between tradition and innovation. In a recent interview with Murray Popplewell, he stated a core philosophy that has clearly shaped his life both personally and as a founder of Rae-Dawn. “In life,” he said, “there is only one constant, and that constant is change. It’s not something that can be stopped—things will change.” Murray went on to illustrate that statement with several diverse examples of emergent change at Rae-Dawn Arabians. At the forefront of his thoughts was the recent ascendance of world-recognized halter showman Alcides Rodrigues into a position of increased importance within the Rae-Dawn team. “The 2019 national shows will have Alcides Rodrigues on the lead for Rae-Dawn,” Murray relayed. “This will be his first Nationals with Team Rae-Dawn, but he is no stranger to winning on the national level. Alcides’ wife, Margaux, came aboard in late 2018 and he joined us in March of this year. Shirley and I feel so thankful to have a team packed with that level of experience. That includes three of the best grooms in the business: Margaux, Mendoza and Tony. Our Canadian group, headed up by Amie Sewell at the home farm in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, completes an international team that gives us confidence our horses always have the best care possible.” Murray’s admitted bias for his country’s ultimate championships is understandable. “The Canadian Nationals is the best national event!” Murray exclaimed. “That’s a bold statement, I know, but remember; that’s coming from a Canadian! The thing I really love about the Canadian Nationals is that everyone is together: performance, halter, youth, sport horse, working cow horse. It’s a united feeling, even with two show rings happening at the same time. The main ring has such a nice mixture of performance classes interwoven with halter, amateur and junior classes—it’s like horse shows used to be. Even with smaller numbers, the quality is at the top. We Canadians love to host our American competitors, without them our show could easily become a two-day event.” Rae-Dawn plans to bring the show horses that are presently in Scottsdale up to the Canadian farm two weeks prior to the national show. Murray explained, “We do that so the horses can acclimatize before making the additional six-hour trip to where the event is held in Brandon, Manitoba. This year, it will also give Alcides a chance to escape the Arizona heat and to see and feel the atmosphere that Shirley and our farm manager Amie create for the foals. He will also take the opportunity to observe the babies and start the selection process of which ones will be making the October trip to Scottsdale to start their show careers.” Although the Rae-Dawn breeding program continues to be successful and produces horses marketable on an international scale, Murray and Shirley are always seeking to improve upon that already strong foundation. “We are so excited that our friend, the experienced breeder Sam Peacemaker (and his team at PCF Arabians), has allowed us to purchase one of his treasured mares, Natalia PCF (Invictus PCF x Maria PCF, by DA Valentino), an Arabian National Breeder Finals champion. The transaction included her filly and an additional filly by 2018 U.S. National Champion Stallion Polidoro FC (DA Valentino x Abha Palma, by Marwan Al Shaqab) to supplement our mare group and this year’s amazing foal crop.” As the quality of the Arabian horse continues to move to new levels, Murray acknowledges that the task of breeding top tier horses gets more and more challenging. “From what we have seen this year of the foal crops of other breeders, the quality is amazing,” he said. “We as North Americans need to keep breeding functional, useful, beautiful Arabian horses to compete in the world market.” With opportunities to show against international breeders on this continent limited to just a handful of venues, Murray appreciates the value of testing the Rae-Dawn horses against those of breeders from around the world at the Arabian Breeders World Cup show held in Las Vegas every April. “I believe it’s one of the best halter shows in the world,” he remarked. “The simple reason I believe that is because of its focus on being fair to all exhibitors. Besides that, it includes and honors all breeders, big or small. As Arabian enthusiasts, we have to recognize the breeder more often. That is where it all starts—and breeding is not for the faint of heart! The 2019 show committee stepped it up a notch for everyone with extra show entertainment and the introduction of the new Liberty Plus classes. These classes really put the emphasis back on conformation of the horse and added a new and extra dimension on experiencing movement. Changes like these excite us.” Murray and Shirley Popplewell will continue to dedicate themselves to the betterment of the Arabian horse both at home and around the world. They remain open-minded and responsive to the changes that will come in the future. As the industry continues to evolve, Rae-Dawn Arabians will stay in step with the transformation that unfolds. The ability to effortlessly navigate the unknown is the skill that is keeping them ahead of the curve and will serve them well as they gallop into the future. It is the skill that keeps their breeding and training program robust and vibrant. As Murray Popplewell so aptly puts it, “Change is healthy.” Change is at the heart of the new dawn for Rae-Dawn Arabians.

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*RD Lady Magnum

Har as Mayed | 60 | Ar abian Horse Times

Rae-Dawn Arabians Salutes Magnum Psyche

RAE-DAWN ARABIANS SALUTES

one of the greatest Arabian stallions to ever grace the Arabian horse breed, a stallion who shattered records both as a sire and as a show horse. Our sincerest regards to Fernando and Joaquin de Santibañes’ Haras Mayed for sharing Magnum Psyche with the world. The influence of Magnum Psyche on the RaeDawn Arabians breeding program is indelible; through his daughter *RD Lady Magnum (ex. Bey Shahs Lady), to grand-get RD Capriotti and RD Quianna (by Shanghai EA, to WH Justice, by Magnum), all have had a profound effect on elevating the quality here at RaeDawn Arabians—all made possible with the infusion of *Magnum Psyche.

*RD Lady Magnum (Magnum Psyche x Bey Shahs Lady) 2012 Bay Mare

2015 Canadian National Top Ten Arabian Futurity Filly 2013 U.S. National Top Ten Arabian Yearling Filly 2013 Canadian National Top Ten Arabian Yearling Filly 2018 Scottsdale Top Ten Arabian Classic 5 Years & Older Mare AAOTH with Shirley Popplewell 2018 Scottsdale Signature Stallion Top Ten Classic 4 Years & Over Mare ATH with Shirley Popplewell R A E-DAW N A R A BI A NS | Mu r ray a nd Sh i rley Popplewel l Sa sk atoon, SK Ca nada | Scot tsda le, A r i z ona | w w w.raedaw na rabia ns.com Har as Mayed | 61 | Ar abian Horse Times

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2019 ISSU E #12 $22.50

F E A T U R I N G

Giana Leah ALCIDES RODRIGUES

PCF

Rae-Dawn Arabians: A New Era COVER STORY by THERESA CARDAMONE

Bob Dylan once said, “There is nothing so stable as change.” It is a sentiment that rings especially true for Murray and Shirley Popplewell’s Rae-Dawn Arabians, as they embrace the future under the guidance of new manager/ trainer Alcides Rodrigues. Alcides and his wife Margaux—herself a world-class horsewoman—are the newest members of the Rae-Dawn team. Alcides has over a dozen years’ experience competing and winning at the highest levels, achieving many national championships. He is also a gifted mentor who has guided many amateurs to national titles. Alcides brings with him a wisdom and work ethic that Murray deeply appreciates. “It’s a whole new era here at Rae-Dawn,” Murray avers. “Alcides wants to take a targeted approach to showing based on what he’s learned about the industry, judging and competing. Instead of a taking a barnful of horses, we are selecting the best individuals for each show.” It’s a strategy that is already paying off handsomely. At the 2019 Region 8 Championships in Denver, Alcides’ expertise was on full display when he showed three Rae-Dawn homebreds—all out of Bey Ambition daughters—to regional honors. RD Momentum, a son of RD Magic Moments and the exceptional sire Emerald J, claimed the title of Region 8 Reserve Champion Stallion. Alcides also led RD Marcelina, a QR Marc daughter out of RD Siena Serenade, to her Reserve Champion Yearling Filly win. Meanwhile, in the Region 8 pre-show, Murray Popplewell confidently showed PCF Crystal Vision (PCF Vision x MCA Afire Beylee, by Afire Bey V), to the championship for 2-year-old and older mares, her tune-up for Canada. Bred by Sam Peacemaker, PCF Crystal Vision and Murray had already won 2019 Scottsdale Champion Mare AOTH honors in February. Murray isn’t shy about sharing his opinion that the Canadian Nationals is the best title show on the continent. “It’s such a complete show,” he says with enthusiasm. “There’s a great atmosphere of unity—it’s fun to have halter and performance, junior riders, and sport horses all together. It’s always fun to win, but it’s also fun if you get beat by a really good horse. This year’s halter competition was amazing; the classes were deep with beautiful horses.” It was a spectacular show for Rae-Dawn, with all six horses finishing in the top ten. RD Marcelina was Canadian National Top Ten ABS Yearling Filly, finishing third in the final; RD Bandero (RD Capriotti x RD Annabelle Lee) was Top Ten ABS Yearling Colt; Alcides also showed RD Marzella (QR Marc x Jazella FA) to the Top Ten Futurity Filly award and RD Naimar (RD Dynamo x SB Marina) to the title of Canadian National Top Ten Futurity Gelding. And then there was PCF Crystal Vision.

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Rae-Dawn’s resident trainer Alcides Rodrigues pictured with the undefeated filly Giana Leah PCF (Polidoro FC x Aliyah Vision PCF)

Shown to perfection by Alcides, PCF Crystal Vision dazzled in the open mare competition, capturing the title of Canadian National Reserve Champion Mare. And in a testament to the Rae-Dawn program, her homebred Shanghai EA daughter RD Quianna was named 2019 Canadian National Reserve Champion Jackpot Two-Year-Old Filly! It was a rare mother/daughter moment. To top it all, Murray and PCF Crystal Vision teamed up to bring home the Canadian National Champion Mare AOTH trophy. Next on the horizon for Rae-Dawn Arabians is the U.S. National Championships. They plan to show two outstanding geldings, RD Exxano (Exxalt x RD Ambianna) and RD Naimar, in Yearling and Futurity Geldings respectively. And according to Murray, RD Marcelina “will be on her A game” for the yearling filly championship. But it’s safe to say the most exciting class for Rae-Dawn will be Giana Leah PCF’s return to the national stage as a 2-year-old. Another product of Sam Peacemaker breeding, Giana Leah is the undefeated, unanimous 2018 U.S. National Champion Yearling Filly and 2018 Scottsdale Junior Champion Filly. She is sure to draw a crowd. “It’s always nerve-wracking to send out an undefeated horse, but we’re excited!” Murray enthuses. “We want people to see what we have.”

L-R: Serena Loeppky, Margaux & Alcides Rodrigues, 2019 Canadian Reserve National Champion Mare PCF Crystal Vision, Murray Popplewell, Cody Graham & Joris Van Sas. Ar abian Horse Times | 5 | Volume 50, No. 5A A