Breeder Focus
Joe and Betty Gillis Allegro Arabians By Stephanie J. Ruff SUCCESSFUL START back to him in California As Joe Gillis himself tells to race. By this time she it, “My boyhood friend, was about seven, but he Frank Russell, loved still wanted her. horses and was raising show horses. A friend She won many races at 4.5 of his, Anne Seymour, furlongs, which was the was also showing Arabidistance they raced at the ans, but then purchased time in California, espeSeyvilla Triumph (Nocially at Los Alamitos.” doromas Triumph x That year, 1997, was her Seyvilla Baskella) and best racing when she won 4 started racing. Seyvilla of 7 starts, including the Arabian Racing Cup Steward Michelle Morgan (left) presents the Triumph was winning in Darley Horse of the Year trophy to Betty ARAC Distaff Sprint. and Joe Gillis. California in 1985 and 1986 under trainer Yancy Carter, Jr. Frank got into a In 2004, Joe Gillis partnered with Todd Moak to purpartnership with Anne and enjoyed racing as well. chase interest in the stallion Burning Sand along with Gail Bardin. Two years later the partnership bought “After racing, they showed Seyvilla Triumph in Libhim outright, and that put the Gillis’s squarely on the erty classes. This stallion loved the attention and the road to Arabian racing history. applause. When they turned on the music, he would go high stepping and tail up, and he always won. He Crossing Burning Sand with their mares began to was in great demand at the shows. pay huge dividends and starting putting them on top of the leading owner and breeder categories. “Frank had grown his herd to about 30 horses when he called me and said he was selling his farm. He 2015 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR wondered if I might take his last two broodmares of Burning Fleet (out of Angel Proof, by NF Proof+/) very good breeding as well as the stallion Seyvilla was one of the first Gillis-bred horses by Burning Triumph. “Well, I had no horse experience, but my wife loved horses so we took them. We got calls to show Seyvilla Triumph, and we let a trainer take him to the shows. At the age of 19, he was still winning! “Frank found he had a mare at the track named Tikis Star. He asked if we would take her as well. She was a beautiful Seyvilla Triumph daughter (out of Tikis Accent, by Ibn Kontiki) about 15.2. Her old trainer, Phil Saxer Jr., called and asked if we could send her
Seyvilla Triumph was the foundation stallion of Joe and Betty Gillis’s outstanding breeding progrm.
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