Shamrock Farms, published in Arabian Horse Times by Arabian Horse Times

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OUR FARM IS FULL OF THEM!

Ar abian Horse Times | 16 | Western ~ 2019

Andrew Ryback Photo

Monaco Jullyen V

WESTERN PLEASURE COVER:

SHAMROCK FARMS LLC

“We Are Western Done Differently” BY C AT HE R INE C OL E F E R A NDE L L I

Leslie Doran Sommer of Shamrock Farms looks back with a smile, “This journey into the world of western pleasure has been a truly unconventional family adventure. Our stallion, Monaco Jullyen V, personifies this best.” Trusting their trainer, Joe Reser’s advice, they acquired the then 3-year-old Monaco after seeing him for the first time on a Varian video. “He was a gorgeous, young, bay stallion,” Leslie elaborates, “being put through his paces as a country English or hunter prospect! Despite this, however, Joe realized an incredibly athletic, charismatic and fluid moving future western pleasure super star.” And the rest is history.

“One of our favorite photos of Monaco is from the rear, depicting a horse with astonishing, uplifted movement, an English horse to some!” Leslie laughs. “But Monaco loves his life as a western horse.” His partner, Joe, developed and encouraged Monaco’s confidence and talents, revolutionizing the western pleasure show pen.

Shamrock Farms’ trainers, Joe and Michele Reser, enthuse, “Our move to Texas last year has taken us to a wonderful place, exciting and new, yet kindred and steadfast. Leslie and Carrie have always held the Ames’ family conviction in high regard. It could be said that Shamrock Farm’s mission is a caboose attached to the Cedar Ridge train.”

Now about a year into a move to Texas, Shamrock Farms continues to flourish, thanks to a bedrock philosophy of family first. Family at Shamrock is rather defined as a hamlet, one need not be blood to be welcomed in!

Shamrock Farm’s clientele share similar convictions. Though many compete in other disciplines, all admire the detailed effort needed to paint that effortless picture of a talented, striking western pleasure mount.

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Client Jacqui DePaolo, co-owner of DePaolo Equine Concepts, possesses a broad-based viewpoint, “With our business, I am exposed to many different breeds/disciplines. The western pleasure classes at Arabian shows are some of the most beautiful performances a spectator can witness. The fact that it looks so easy and elegant, yet it takes so much time and effort to get to that point, makes it extremely intriguing. The addition of the AWPA Futurity classes made me want a horse to show, and Joe has worked extremely hard to help me reach that goal! The best part of having horses at Shamrock Farms is that they and the Resers run a first-class program that is focused on the care of the horses first and foremost.”

Lesley Blain Mazur views Arabian western pleasure through a different lens of experience, “I’ve been showing in the saddle seat divisions ever since I began as a walk-trot rider. As I grew up, I came to appreciate nice horses in all disciplines. Until last year, western was one of the few disciplines I had not tried with professional guidance. Now, I’m hooked! I initially wanted to ride with Joe partly because of my friendships in the barn and its proximity. Still, the main reason was because he’s really honed his craft in the discipline, which is why I chose to continue my journey with Joe from afar. He is great at what he does and has really helped me grow as a rider. I’ll never get rid of my jodhpur pants, but I am very happy I’ve added the chaps and bling to my show wardrobe!”

Ar abian Horse Times | 18 | Western ~ 2019

Andrew Ryback Photo

Left to Right: Carrie Fritz, Americanbeautie, Michele & Joe Reser, The Girl Nexxt Door and Leslie Sommer.

WESTERN PLE ASURE COVER

to the winner’s circle. It was an incredible learning experience and a fun start to my marriage with Mike, but the decision to move back to western was an easy one. Western seems to be a better personality fit for me. I would trade the intensity of an English class any day to jog in on a soft, beautifully collected western horse. I love the technical and mental demands of this discipline, feeling like you truly have to separate your mind from your body to create the appearance of everything coming together so effortlessly.” Kimberly continues with a laugh, “And while Mike still likes to give me a hard time about getting back into the show ring on an English horse, he can’t hide the excitement he has over our success with Mmonsignor in the last year, and our new 4-year-old western horse who will soon hit the show ring.”

Andrew Ryback Photo

Then there’s Kimberly Blackburn Beethe, the western pleasure ‘convert’ who sourced from a longtime English riding ‘tribe.’ Kimberly tells her story, “I started in Arabians about 10 years ago and knew immediately I wanted to show western. There is just something about the beauty of an Arabian in western tack that I have always been drawn to. Circumstances in my life changed, however, which took me away from Arabians and showing for a brief period until I met my now husband, Mike Beethe. Being married to a Beethe did not bode well for my western career for obvious reasons, so I embraced the opportunity to learn to ride English from two of the best in the breed, Mike and Shannon. I had an amazing opportunity to show one of Shannon’s all-time favorite horses, Elegant Expression, in H/A Country Pleasure Select Rider with many trips

Shamrock Farms-owned yearlings by Poco Van Star Two.

Ar abian Horse Times | 19 | Western ~ 2019

western again; so, in 2010, I bought my first Arabian western pleasure horse. Each discipline is challenging in its own way (and the versatility of the Arabian breed is one of the things I love most), but I am drawn to the precision and focus that it takes to ride western. If anyone thinks western pleasure is easy, they probably aren’t doing it right. It takes great skill (and practice, and timing, and years of blood, sweat and tears) to do it well. I am always in awe of the perfectly finished Open horses who can go around on a drape, collected, and perform each gait and transition with seemingly invisible cues from the rider. When done correctly, it looks like the rider isn’t doing anything, but he (she) is actually doing a million little things all at once. “I have been under the guidance of Joe Reser at Setting Sun Stables, now Shamrock Farms, for nine years. I am so appreciative to Joe and Michele for their dedication 2019 Scottsdale Champion Enzperation XX and Carrie Fritz. to me and my horses. Since I’ve only worked with Joe, I Shamrock client Jessica Anderson shares her life’s don’t know if he trains “differently,” but I do know journey showing horses and how she arrived to the that his horses are happy and healthy, and they trust Arabian western pleasure show pen. “Since I was about him implicitly. He isn’t afraid to think outside the 6 years old, I have transitioned in and out of different box in order to help each horse and rider reach their breeds and disciplines. I started at a jumping farm maximum potential, and he never gives up. As an when I was little; then took saddle seat lessons from example, two of my horses have flipped disciplines, an amazing Saddlebred trainer; and spent most of my from western to hunter, then back to western, and it has teenage years showing a Quarter Horse in western and made both of them (and me) better along the way. Also, hunt seat. Not until I was 16 years old, did I compete by riding hunter, I get a little bit of that English feeling, at my first Arabian horse show. I spent the next 12 so it’s been a fun experiment. I still get frustrated and years competing in country, English, park and even he still pulls his hair out sometimes, but the difficulties dabbled in show hack for a minute. I loved showing are what make the successes even more rewarding in the English divisions, but had a desire to show when it finally works out!”

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WESTERN PLE ASURE COVER

Andrea Martoglio looks back on her years of showing Arabian horses and how she returned to the show pen after a decades long absence, “I showed Arabians in the 70s and then took a lengthy break from the Arabian show pen. I had always had horses and rode, but it was not until 2015 that I purchased a mare intending to show again. I had shown in English, both hunt and saddle seat, pleasure driving, halter, reining and western pleasure. Western pleasure has always been my favorite, so when I decided to show again, this is the discipline I decided to focus on. I was introduced to Joe and Michele Reser by Carrie Fritz and Leslie Doran Sommer at Scottsdale in 2015, and have been with them since. In my eye, a beautiful, great moving young western pleasure horse in the bosal, or a confident, seasoned bridle horse, is my ideal Arabian. I love the fact that western pleasure is very technical and that it is a process to accomplish that great ride. To me, the best western pleasure horses perform seemingly effortlessly and look elegant while doing it.”

Joe; it has been a privilege to ride and learn from him. We welcomed a filly into the family by Sheer Audacity V six weeks ago. We are very excited for her future with Joe!” The three-leaf clover symbol sits front and center in the world of Shamrock Farms. Co-owner Leslie Sommer explains, “We are blessed with a village of indispensable folks who make Shamrock Farms the happy, fun environment for human and horse. But, the three balancing leaves of the Shamrock are my mother, Carrie and myself. We all maintain and implement a simple philosophy: The more you give, the more you’ll get, be it friendship, family, horses for humanity … any collaboration created and executed for the greater good.” Gratitude is a dominant thread sewn through the world of Shamrock Farms. Celebrating the arrival of the first Monaco colt, Leslie pays tribute: “Without my parents, Joe, Michele and our village of friends and clients, there wouldn’t be a Shamrock Farms. Without Shelia Varian’s genius there would be no Monaco Jullyen V. We all wish she could be here to revel in what she created for the western pleasure world of the Arabian horse.” ■

Andrew Ryback Photo

Youth rider Claire Robertson shows, and is even beginning to breed her own western pleasure prospects. She reflects back to her beginnings. “I had my first private riding lesson in January of 2015 with Kathy Braden. It was not only my first lesson, but my first experience with an Arabian. Several months later, at the age of 12, my parents purchased my first horse, TWC Boom Boom Pow. He was a wonderful teacher, so falling in love with western was easy! Though I now show in several disciplines, I still really enjoy western pleasure because it is always a challenge, and very rewarding when done correctly. It is the only discipline where having minimum contact and making it look seamless at the same time is expected of you. I am excited to have our stallion Sheer Audacity V (‘Austin’) in training at Shamrock Farms with Assistant Trainer Cody Gillespie with Enzperation XX.

Ar abian Horse Times | 21 | Western ~ 2019

ENZPERATION

(Enzo x Olivia D)

2018 Canadian National Champion Arabian Western Pleasure 2018 U.S. National Reserve Champion Arabian Western Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot

Andrew Ryback Photos

2019 Region 12 Champion Arabian Western Pleasure Open & Select

MAHJIIQ

(Marwan Al Shaqab x Koweta Sonatina)

2018 Canadian National Reserve Champion Arabian Western Pleasure AAOTR 19-39 2018 U.S. National Top Ten (3rd) Arabian Western Pleasure AAOTR 19-35

WILL I AM

(Sundance Kid V x PA Agracie Girl)

2018 Region 12 Reserve Champion Arabian Hunter Pleasure AATR 2017 U.S. & Canadian National Top Ten Arabian Hunter Pleasure Select AATR

HENDRIXX

(Monticello V x Pia WB)

Scottsdale Signature Stallion Western Pleasure Futurity Champion

Andrew Ryback Photos

Competing later this year in the National Maturities and AWPA classes.

MADDOX

(Monticello V x JBB Maijah)

Region 12 Spotlight Futurity Unanimous Champion Western Pleasure 3 & 4 Year Old

Competing this year in the AWPA and Maturity National classes

SHEER AUDACITY

(Audacious PS x Sweet Silk V)

2019 Filly

(Sheer Audacity V x Mexxico)

Youth National Champion

MMONSIGNOR (Justify x Liza Monelli)

2019 Scottsdale Champion Western Pleasure AAOTR & AATR

(Monticello V x Candy Girl V) Region 12 Spotlight Futurity Top Five Western Pleasure Region 12 Top Five Western Pleasure Jr. Horse

(Monticello V x Candy Girl V) Region 12 Spotlight Futurity Top Five We Region 12 Top Five Western Pleasure Jr. H

(Monticello V x Shekinah Shahevan) Region 12 Unanimous Champion H/A Western Pleasure Jr. Horse

Proudly owned by Jacqueline Reed