The stallion
ASA Scandalous Affair
(Always A Jullyen V x Sweet Saphire V by Desperado V)
Kim Butler and Jim Blevins, owners of Alistar Arabians, with ASA Moonlite Mischief (Sundance Kid V x ASA Midnight Lucille), who was bred by them.
ASA Scandalous affair A D reAm C omes T rue by Gary Dearth When we choose the cross of a
x Sweet Shalimar V), Sundance Kid V’s full
particular stallion on a special mare, we
sister, from Frank Chisholm of Palmetto
imagine and dream of the result. But
Arabians, and bred her to Always A
because all breeding is a genetic roll of
Jullyen V. While she has only produced
the dice, the dream and the reality rarely
one live foal for them, that one foal is the
resemble one another. And while the foal
proverbial home run. And even though
may be wonderful, it may be completely
Sweet Saphire V is a black bay and Always
different than what we had envisioned. I
A Jullyen V is a mahogany bay, together
remember Sheila Varian saying that she
they produced the homozygous black colt
didn’t have a preconceived notion when
ASA Scandalous Affair. The Blevinses’
she bred two individuals. She simply went
homebred colt fulfills the hopes they had for
with what she got. And of course, her
the cross.
experience allowed her to recognize when she had produced something special.
“Like most little girls, I always dreamed of having a black stallion,” says Kim. “Twenty-
Jim Blevins and Kim Butler of Alistar
some years ago, I was getting ready to
Arabians in South Chesterfield, Virginia,
turn 30, I decided I wanted a horse, and
purchased Sweet Saphire V (Desperado V
I announced that I was going to buy one.
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An Arabian, of course – you know, we read all the stories when we were little. Nobody believed I would do it, but I did. I bought a two-year-old gelding from a local breeder. I didn’t know much, but he taught me a lot. People helped us along the way. I showed him at the A level. “Then I bought a second Arabian. I was hooked. I never intended to show. I kind of fell into it and did it on my own for a long time. That’s when I decided my ultimate goal is to breed, ride, own and show my own National Champion. ‘Scandal’ might be that one.” “They got to breed their dream horse,” says Melissa Bradshaw, their friend, and former breeding manager for Palmetto Arabians. “It is very different than picking out and then buying your dream horse. In this crazy genetic roll of the dice that is breeding, you rarely get exactly what you want, but this time the stars aligned appropriately. “I met Jim and Kim when they were clients of Palmetto Arabians,” continues Melissa. “They were early in their venture of creating a breeding farm and breeding to Sundance Kid V. Before Frank bought Sundance, he purchased several Sundance daughters and his full sister from Sheila. Because we were breeding so much to Sundance, his sister didn’t fit the program, so eventually she ended up on the Palmetto sales list. I knew she would make a great foundation mare for someone. I trusted Jim and Kim to take great care of her. They were all over it because owning a full sibling to Sundance Kid V is like owning a piece of history. They asked to whom I would suggest breeding her, and since we were already having good success
ASA Scandalous Affair.
“They got to breed their dream horse.”
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2017 U.S. National Champion Show Hack EQ Escalade (Bucharest V x Allurience CG) with rider Brooke Fuchs, and owners Kim Butler and Jim Blevins. facing page :
ASA Scandalous Affair.
breeding her to Always A Jullyen V, that
normally only breed one or two foals a year,”
was my suggestion. ASA Scandalous Affair
says Kim. “Next year we will have three
certainly proved us right.”
foals, which is a lot for us because we do everything ourselves.”
Jim and Kim married in 2009. “My husband was already into horses when we
Their passion for Arabian horses and
met, which happened to be at the funeral
breeding Arabian horses is clear. “Jim is
of a mutual friend,” says Kim. “There, he
as bad as I am when it comes to horses. In
saw a picture of me riding a Half-Arab
2012, we were at Region 12. I get nervous
pinto. Turns out he used to ride a pinto,
when I show, so I told him go find something
too. I wouldn’t sell him my horses, so he
to do. So he went and found something to
said he had to marry me! One of the first
do. Later that evening we were watching
Arabian events I took him to was an open
the costume class and he said, ‘If you
house at Dolorosa. When we were walking
were going to pick a horse in this class which
through the barn, there stood Always A
one would it be?’ I said, ‘That one right
Jullyen V in the crossties. He said, ‘I want
there, he is smokin’ hot. And if he doesn’t go
THAT!’ So it’s ironic that we now stand
unanimous champion in this class, I’ll kiss
a son of his.” Theirs is a small farm, and
your butt.’ He said ‘OK, I’ll see you later at the
because they are hands-on owners, they
barn party.’ I didn’t know that he had already
only produce a couple of foals a year. “We
bought that horse for me - EQ Escalade.
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ASA Scandalous Affair and trainer Dale Brown.
“We enjoy competing in various disciplines, but primarily we like the western divisions. When we go to shows, that’s our vacation, and we want to have a good time with happy horses. We don’t push them. We know our trainer, Dale Brown, is taking his time with Scandal. I am allowing Scandal to gain knowledge and hone his skills through the AWPA class and am very excited about the opportunity to begin riding him in November.” “It is exciting that the Blevinses are relatively new and that they are so serious about breeding and making a contribution to the Arabian breed,” says Dale. Like other successful owners, the Blevinses understand the importance of trusting their trainer and allowing him the room to do the best possible job for them. “Dale is doing a great job with all of our horses,” says Kim. “It’s not all about winning.” Melissa Bradshaw agrees and says, “I’m excited that they are using Dale Brown for their western training. Kim is an amateur rider, and they are producing some very nice western horses, so Dale is a good fit.”
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like most little girls, I always dreamed of having a black stallion. And now I have one.â&#x20AC;?
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“My ultimate goal is to breed, ride, own and show my own National Champion. ‘Scandal’ might just be that one.”
“When he was born he wasn’t that mousy color,” says Kim. “He was black from the get-go. He was born in a snowstorm, so of course he needed a ski hat.”
“We bred a superstar palomino Quarter ASA Scandalous Affair is a big
Horse mare to him that I think will produce
impressive stallion with the look that is
something special,” adds Dale. “And Frank
most rewarded in the Arabian show ring.
Chisholm bought a breeding, and I’m sure
“He has a really current, fancy style about
he will breed something good to him.”
him,” says Dale. “He’s a Sundance Kid V
Like all committed breeders, Kim puts a
crossover who continues the Varian legacy.
great deal of thought into how she will
The Blevinses used a proven program in
breed her horses. “We are trying to breed
the Varian lines and bred their own great
beautiful horses with good minds. I think
horse. His are valued bloodlines, but with a
about breeding decisions a lot because we
little different twist.”
don’t have that many chances. We have a
Jim and Kim are collecting a small
couple of Scandal foals coming next year
group of mares that they think will cross
because Dale wanted to get some foals
well with their special colt. They bought
on the ground for people to see. Based
a *Khadraj NA daughter out of a Fame
on Scandal’s bloodlines there is no reason
VF daughter, and they have a mare that
that he should not sire nice foals. We have
goes back to Dbl Z Premara (Perlanes
always loved the Varian horses, and Always
Premier x Two Plus Samantha) who was
A Jullyen V speaks for himself. And with his
the dam of National Champion Western
dam being a full sister to Sundance, we’re
Pleasure SF Georgia (by Hucklebey Berry).
really excited about the future.”
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ALI JAMAAL *JULLYEN EL JAMAAL JULLYE EL LUDJIN ALWAYS A JULLYEN V HUCKLEBERRY BEY AMAZING GRACE V AUTUMN FIRE
RUMINAJA ALI HERITAGE MEMORY *LUDJIN EL JAMAAL NV JUSTA DREAM BAY EL BEY TAFFONA *BASK SPARKLINGBURGUNDY
ASA SCANDALOUS AFFAIR 2015 BLACK STALLION
HUCKLEBERRY BEY DESPERADO V DARASKA SWEET SAPHIRE V ALI JAMAAL SWEET SHALIMAR V SWEETINSPIRATIONV
BAY EL BEY TAFFONA *DAR HOLLY BASK RUMINAJA ALI HERITAGE MEMORY HUCKLEBERRY BEY SPINNING SONG
The long-term plan is to show and breed ASA Scandalous Affair. The emphasis this year is for Dale to show him in the AWPA Futurity in October, and then next year Kim will show him amateur along with Dale. Until then, the Blevinses are enjoying the journey. “Scandal is very playful when he’s at a show,” says Kim. “And he likes to sleep a lot. When he goes to sleep, he pancakes out. He’s done that since he was little. His strengths are “He likes to sleep a lot,” says Kim. “And when he goes to sleep, he pancakes out. He’s done that since he was little.”
his presence and his beauty. As he’s maturing, he’s getting even prettier.
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“In this crazy genetic roll of the dice that is breeding, you rarely get exactly what you want, but this time the stars aligned appropriately.”
“I love him,” she adds. “He’s my dream horse. I never dreamed that I would ever have a black stallion. And one that people want to breed to! Every time I see Frank and Sara Chisholm, I thank them for making my dreams come true. Just owning him is a big deal for us. I don’t know how to explain it, but just owning him makes me happy.” A great horse will do that.
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ASA SCANDALOUS AFFAIR (Always A Jullyen V x Sweet Saphire V by Desperado V) and trainer Dale Brown.
D r . J ames B levins & K im B utler of s outh C hesterfielD , v irginia f or BreeDing information ContaCt D ale B rown at (478) 290-2784
D esi g ne D an D P r oDuC eD BY A R A BI A N HOR S E W OR LD · 7/19