by Gar y Dearth
A
lthough Jerry Blatt and his family have been involved in Arabian horses for many years, their farm Sandman, Inc.,
is a well-kept secret. The success of their stallion Expressamo (IXL Noble Express x Mystic Bey V) is helping to shatter that anonymity. “My dad is really passionate about Arabian horses,” says Jerry’s daughter Nicole Candelaria. “Their beauty is what hooked him. His passion ignited my children’s interest, too. My youngest daughter, Kate, shares her grandfather’s passion. She loves to go to the barn in the evenings and just spend time with On the cover: Expressamo (IXL Noble Express
the horses. We have been into Arabians for about
x Mystic Bey V) and trainer Bob Purtee.
twenty-three years, and I’m proud to be dad’s partner in the horses.”
Expressamo
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Sandman Inc. is the corporate name of
Gordon Potts. “Expressamo was immature
Jerry Blatt’s ready-mix concrete business, Star
from three to five years of age,” says Gordon.
Concrete. “They also recycle concrete for base
“But he was always very gifted with extreme
for concrete jobs, and the entire plant is solar
motion. He was fun to work, because he has a
powered,” says Nicole. “Everything else is
great personality and a lot of guts. I think he
powered by natural gas. The horse shows are
got better after he left me because he became
my Dad’s escape from the concrete business. He
physically stronger. I hadn’t seen him in several
has a motor home that we take to the shows.
years and when I saw Bob Purtee show him
He loves to barbecue for us and make breakfast
at Scottsdale this year he looked great. Bob is
for everybody.”
really doing a nice job with him.” Among many
Expressamo’s 2017 Scottsdale Pleasure
important wins Gordon had with Expressamo, a
Driving Championship with Sandman, Inc.’s
remarkable show at the 2010 Canadian Nationals
resident trainer Bob Purtee is another in a long
stands out. There, he was National Champion in
list of major wins for the exceptional show
English Pleasure, Pleasure Driving, and English
horse. Bred by Sherman Ranch of Pleasanton,
Pleasure AAOTR 40 & Over with owner/breeder
California, he began his show career with
Jill Sherman. 5 b EXPRESSAMO b WORLD
Left to right: Jerry Blatt, Nicole Candelaria, Kate Candelaria, and Bob Purtee, at their ranch in the San Jose foothills. “I have lived here on the original three and a half acres since 1974,” says Jerry, “and have added several other parcels over the years. We now have one hundred acres, a twenty-eight stall barn and indoor arena.”
Later, Expressamo’s show career was guided by the Sherman Ranch’s resident trainer Mitch Sperte who showed him to 2011 U.S. National Champion Pleasure Driving and Informal Combination. Mitch describes Expressamo as “extremely game with plenty of endurance. He would never even think about quitting. I really enjoyed training him for a year and a half. And winning two U.S. National Championships was a great experience.” When Expressamo was foaled, Jill Sherman knew he was destined to be a star. “I remember taking him out one day when he was about a month old and I told my Dad that he was going to be a National Champion,” she said. “I don’t think there are very many foals you can say that about. His dam, Mystic Bey V (Huckleberry Bey x Miss Leading) produced several National Above: Breeder Jill Sherman with Expressamo.
Champions, but none of them were the quality of Expressamo. He has a
Opposite page: 2017 Scottsdale Champion
special place in my heart. I still regret that we sold him, but because we breed
Pleasure Driving Expressamo and Bob Purtee.
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we have to sell to make room for others. He was a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me, but he went to a wonderful family who loves and appreciates him.”
Expressamo did indeed find a loving home. “We had admired Expressamo, whose barn name is ‘Sporty,’ for years and never dreamed that we would end up owning him,” says Nicole. “He’s the best thing that happened to our barn and my daughter. It has kept her completely driven and dedicated. Kate showed walk/ trot for a few years, and when she was eight or nine, she decided that she didn’t want to show walk/trot anymore. Because he is a stallion Expressamo couldn’t be shown walk/trot anyway, so Kate started showing Sporty in canter classes. She was the tiniest thing on him. At the shows we attend, the English pleasure classes are 18 and under. In fact, the first time she showed him the class was ATR and she was competing against adults. And she won. We are lucky because Sporty is so well behaved. He just marches around the ring.” 9 b EXPRESSAMO b WORLD
“It was exciting when we got Expressamo,” says Bob. “Kate was too young at the time to show him, but her older sister Karlie started showing him. Kate is really improving, and she’s very excited to show Sporty in native costume. He will be cool because he’s got such a big canter and hand gallop.” The plan is to show Expressamo at Youth Nationals this year, but Kate will have to choose between horses and her dance competition. She competes in tap, jazz, and lyrical dance. “We do everything that we can so she can do both,” says Nicole. “It helps that she can drive a golf cart up to the barn to ride. Bob makes it easy for her to squeeze in some riding whenever she can.” Bob adds, “Kate is also showing their other stallion, All Afire AOF (Allionce x Flaring Fire), in hunter pleasure. He is just beautiful.” 10 b EXPRESSAMO b WORLD
Reserve Champion Country Pleasure Driving A Gospel Song (A Temptation x A Gospel Song) and Bob Purtee.
Above and right: Kate and All Afire AOF (Alliance x Flaring Fire).
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Kate on her first Arabian Sunn Dawn (Sunn Bask x Dawna).
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*ELIMAR MHR NOBILITY HAR NAHRA IXL NOBLE EXPRESS *EL GHAZI RY FIRE GHAZI RL RAH FIRE
EXPRESSAMO BAY EL BEY HUCKLEBERRY BEY TAFFONA MYSTIC BEY V BARBARY MISS LEADING MI VALENDORA
Expressamo’s sire IXL Noble Express, left, and dam Mystic Bey V.
While Expressamo has few foals to date, there is proof of his potential as a sire. “We have a two-year old Expressamo filly out of a The Nobelest (MHR Nobilty x Bey Aperitif V) daughter that is just dramatic,” Bob says. “She has a great long neck with lots of style about her. She is very loose gaited and takes a good step behind. I can’t wait to start working her. I think she is going to be spectacular. A Gospel Song (A Temptation x BA Halle Berry), who was Reserve Champion Country Driving at Scottsdale this year is going to be bred to Sporty as well. We also have a Mamage filly Oh You Beautiful Doll (x Dominatrixx) who will be bred to him in the future.” “So far we’ve been breeding for ourselves,” says Nicole. “We are looking forward to other people using Expressamo in their breeding programs.”
An Expressamo filly.
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Expressamo with Jerry, top left, Nicole, top right and Kate, bottom.
great with the kids. To be that animated and be so good with a 12-year-old girl is unbelievable. I treasure every day with him. “Lately I’ve been riding a country mare, Dominatrixx (The Nobelest x Debt To Pleasure). I may show again. It’s a challenge, but I need a challenge. You need to keep doing new things in life. “I can’t think about many activities that multi-generations of a family enjoy together as For Jerry, who became involved with Arabians in the mid-1990s, the
much as horses. My business takes up a lot of my
horses have always been a family activity. “We started going to horse shows
time, but every Sunday we all get together and
and started showing in country horse and hunter pleasure,” he says. “Kate
ride at the ranch. It is gratifying to know that my
started with Forever Yours XLA (Chez x Browns Ganarmus), known as
grandchildren can be brought up in an atmosphere
‘Scooter.’ That mare is 28 now, and still with us – she’s a great little mare.
like this and have the opportunity to be outdoors
“I started riding about three years ago, and I’ve shown twice; I even drove
doing something they love. These days, kids are so
Sporty in a show! I could barely hold onto him. You might look at him in his
plugged into their phones and computers, and it’s
stall and he seems so quiet, but when you put a saddle on him and he starts
tough to get them outside in a healthy environment.
trotting, he just looks like a million bucks. He just comes alive. He has been
But Arabian horses make it easy.”
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Sandman Inc. 1404 S. 7th Street San Jose, California 95112 Owned by Jerry Blatt Nicole Candelaria · 408.592.3114 cell Trained by Bob Purtee · 805.350.0659
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04/17