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“ There is a wonderful bond between us and our horses .
And the horses love to be with those who love them . ”
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THE 2017 STALLION JR FRANCOIS (*KAVALLE MI X JR FRANCESCA BY *MARWAN AL SHAQAB). by Denise Hearst
P
erhaps it’s an old story, this affinity between
People around me were raving about her. She went
man and horse. But the story never gets old.
top five and third place. Over the years she won
For Gary Kehl and his family, the purchase of a
many class A and Regional titles, and National Top
pair of Half-Arabian Paint geldings in 1985, who happened to be siblings, altered the course of their
Tens at Canadian and Youth Nationals. “We got the show bug, even the grandkids have it, so it’s definitely a family effort and we all love it.
lives in the nicest possible way. Gary rented a pasture in the foothills southeast of
There is a wonderful bond between us and our
Salt Lake City, Utah, at the mouth of Little
horses. And the horses love to be with those who love
Cottonwood Canyon near the ski resorts. “The owner
them. If you’re thinking of buying an Arabian horse,
of the pasture gave us her permission to build a small
don’t hesitate. Come join us – you will love the ride!”
barn,” says Gary. “And my sons, then ages 18, 16, 14,
Today, Gary Kehl and family enjoy both the halter
and eight, and I had a blast building our first four-
and performance realms of the Arabian horse world
stall barn together. It was home built with a lot of
and run dual programs out of their Salt Lake City,
love, and we thought it was great.
Utah, farm and their Scottsdale showplace. Both
“The boys took turns getting up early before school
facilities are gearing up for the U.S. Nationals in
to feed Duke and Rowdy and clean the barn,”
October with a heightened sense of excitement,
continues Gary. “Whenever they had a few moments,
much of it to do with the young bay stallion, JR
they’d saddle up the horses and ride up into the
Francois (*Kavalle MI x JR Francesca), who Gary
mountains. Duke and Rowdy were always ready to
purchased from his breeders, Joanne and Ram
pack the boys on their adventures. When the boys
Gunabalan in 2020.
started to go off to college, the younger ones continued to take care of the horses. Soon grandkids came along. The horses were just members of the family and were the source of so much joy, happiness, and fun for the entire family. Duke passed away at 21 years of age. That was a hard day, and not just for family members; poor Rowdy cried for his brother for
“WE SHARE THE FEELING THAT OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR
ARABIAN HORSES
HAVE TRULY BLESSED OUR LIVES .” “I saw Francois at the 2018 Breeders World Cup in
weeks. But Rowdy stayed around to take care of all
Vegas,” says Gary, “and told our halter trainer, Lucho
the kids and grandkids, until just last Fall, at 38 years
Guimarães, how much I loved his size, shape of his
old, he laid down in his stall and went to meet Duke
neck, head, overall body, and the way he carried
and a lot of other farm pals that left too early.”
himself – full of confidence and charisma. I also asked
Gary purchased his first purebreds in an auction in
if he was for sale. The answer was, ‘Not at this point!’
1992 – Abas Ramar (Dakmar x Ramohna by
Soon after, I was blessed to meet Joanne and Ram
Mohssen), in foal, and a two-year-old grey filly, GK So
Gunabalan. We quickly became great friends and
Fancie (Madero x Terneza by *Al Cobre). “That’s when
share the feeling that our relationships with our
we joined an Arabian horse club and started to learn
Arabian horses have truly blessed our lives. Joanne
about showing Arabian horses,” says Gary. “I bred
and Ram are wonderful people and their
Abas Ramar to a black and white Paint stallion, Chief
accomplishments with their JRs Dream Arabians
Dakota Bar, and she foaled a beautiful bay and white
breeding program and success in the showring has
Paint filly with absolutely stunning markings. We
been second to none.
named her GK A-Lexus, and she won every local
“When the Gunabalans brought JR Francois back
show in Half-Arabian western pleasure. When she
to the National Breeders Finals in Scottsdale last
was four, we decided to make our first trip to the
year, I was sitting next to Joanne when Francois
Scottsdale horse show. Everyone warned us that it’s
came into the ring. I was again blown away by his
too political there…but I said, ‘If you don’t go and try,
presence and beauty! I couldn’t help but speak up.
you can’t win.’ Well, we went, and I will never forget
I told Joanne how stunningly beautiful he was and
the moment when GK A-Lexus came into the arena.
that, ‘It’s a tough class but I think he’ll win. And to
On the cover: JR Francois and Lucho Guimarães.
think I tried to buy him two years ago!’ Joanne turned GRK FARMS > 3 < WORLD
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to me and said, ‘I would sell him to you, because you love him as much as I do! Let’s talk about it after the show!’ When Francois won, I could hardly breathe – I was in shock! The next day we worked out the details and the deal was done.” Later at the 2020 U.S. Nationals, JR Francois was shown by Lucho Guimarães, who trains for both GRK Farms and JRs Dream Arabians. There, Francois was crowned Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt. As Gary notes, “His destiny was created from a magical breeding of National Champion Stallion *Kavalle MI (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Karess) to National Champion Mare JR Francesca (*Marwan Al Shaqab x Valori TRF), both owned by the Gunabalans.” For Lucho, winning the first National Championship for GRK with Francois was special. “A horse bred by special clients and friends, Joanne and Ram Gunabalan, and now owned by Gary… it all came together!” he says. “In May of 2019, Gary and I decided to join forces and I was hired as GRK’s in-house halter trainer, with the opportunity to keep my training center with some outside horses. I feel very blessed. It has been a great ride with Gary and GRK. Everything is so recent, but it feels like we’ve
Among the many mares in foal to Francois for 2022 are the GRK mares, clockwise from top left: HAFATIANNA GRK (*Kanz Albidayer × OFW Rihanna), EXXALTED EMPRESS GRK (Exxalt × Izzabella Dona), and FH JEMINA (Eminence PS × FH Jadore).
GRK FARMS > 5 < WORLD
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WHEN CONSIDERING SOME OF THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL QUALITIES HE PRIZES IN A HALTER HORSE, LUCHO EXPLAINS, “AS TRAINERS, BREEDERS, OWNERS AND JUDGES WE ARE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OUR HORSES LOOK LIKE…THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, BODY TYPE, LENGTH AND SHAPE OF NECK, STRUCTURE OF THE LEGS, AND HOW THEY COMPARE TO THE BREED STANDARD. BUT, SOMETIMES IN THE SHOW RING, A HORSE THAT HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE AND PERSONALITY CAN CAPTURE THE ATTENTION AND PUT THEMSELVES IN A BETTER SPOT. MUCH OF WHAT WE CONSIDER ARABIAN TYPE IS NOT ONLY IN THEIR CONFORMATION BUT IN THEIR MOVEMENT, MIND, AND ATTITUDE. IN A STAND UP, I’M A FAN OF BEAUTY AND DETAILS LIKE TIGHT CURVY EARS, BIG BLACK BRIGHT EYES, AND BIG FLARING NOSTRILS. A GREAT SHOULDER AND TAIL CARRIAGE REALLY HELP A LOT, TOO. IN SO MANY WAYS, FRANCOIS EMBODIES THESE ATTRIBUTES.” A HG WR K > F70 A R M< S S >P R6I N< GW2O0R2L1D
siblings of Francois to National Championships,” Lucho adds. “I know how consistent that pedigree is, and I have no doubt in my mind that Francois will be siring some superstars for us. His first foals will arrive in 2022. He bred most of GRK’s mares, as well as quite a few outside mares – a big variety of phenotypes and pedigrees – so it will be very interesting to see what works best. We are hoping he will contribute his beauty, size, and a great neck and shoulder. I now have the pleasure to work with Francois’s sire *Kavalle MI, who is a very solid and correct horse with amazing movement and charisma. Francois’s dam JR Francesca is a beautiful, feminine mare with incredible Arabian type. “Francois has the beauty, conformation, movement, and charisma. In 20 years traveling the world looking at Arabian horses, I have not seen many horses that are so complete as Francois. Not many horses have the size but also keep the balance and beauty as he
done so much. I can’t wait to see what is still
does. He is definitely a horse that is appealing to any
to come!”
market in the world. And if he were to have a
Lucho was born in Brazil where his parents bred
performance career, I’d love to see Francois in a dark
Mangalarga horses for pleasure riding. “My father
saddle, full of chrome, in a
was an Arabian horse lover, and in 1996, we
beautiful western bridle!”
bought the stallion JM Baskhar (AF Bask Majesty
Gary believes that
x JM Pharisa) at the riding and jumping club
Francois looks the best he
where I took lessons,” he says. “When I was
has ever looked, even after a
growing up, I had the opportunity to work with
busy breeding season. “They
many of the top trainers in the world. I think that I
say, ‘There’s nothing like love
have taken the best, and whatever seemed to
to bring out your best.’ I feel
work for me, from everyone that I’ve worked with.
that he has the potential to
“I believe that in order for horses to truly learn,
become known as a world
they need to understand what they are doing and
class international breeding
why. And most importantly, enjoy what they are
stallion...we will know soon
doing. If you can accomplish that, you will have a
enough with next year’s
horse that will show for you forever.
foal crop.
“Another important lesson: horses need to be
“But there is something else about him that I value
horses and, in a show barn, sometimes it is easy
even more,” adds Gary. “The minute I walk into the
to forget that. Also, every horse is different, and
barn and he hears my voice, he lets me know that, ‘I
you might have to adapt your program so that
am over here!’ He puts his head on my shoulder as I
satisfying the horse’s needs becomes the key to
stroke his head and neck. We have a connection that
success. With that in mind, one of my favorite
owner and stallion rarely find thanks to Joanne and
moments at home is walking into the barn and
Ram and the love and nurturing he received in the
seeing Francois’s face out the window, ready to
first three years of his life.
greet and be greeted… everyday and all day! It
“Francois is the perfect name for him. He will show
warms my heart just to see him looking around
again soon, and who knows, maybe he will make it to
while I’m working. He is not only gorgeous, but he
Paris! The French mares would line up to meet a true
is the kindest stallion you’ll ever meet.
French gentleman!
“I have been blessed to show two other full
“Have you met Francois yet? What are you waiting for? GRK FARMS > 7 < WORLD
SCHATZBURG PHOTO
2020 Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt JR FRANCOIS, with Gary Kehl and Lucho Guimarães.
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Owned by GARY R. KEHL
Managed by LUCHO GUIMARÃES ARABIANS
+1.801.560.9688 garyraykehl@gmail.com
Lucho and Ashley Guimarães +1.480.758.8708 luchoguimaraesarabians@gmail.com www.luchoguimaraesarabians.com
G R K FA R M S L LC · S COT TS D A L E , A R I ZO N A A N D H E R R I M A N , U TA H W W W. G R K F A R M S . C O M