InValor there is hope...

Life-long equestrian Cindy Beck’s love for breeding horses began in 1981 when she traded a used two-horse trailer for the HalfArabian buckskin filly Miss Friendship (“Pepsi”). Her daughter, Brandi Burroughs, was a young girl at the time, developing the same love for horses her mom had. Decades later this mother and daughter are still enjoying horses together.

Beck has bred 44 horses, with an affinity to colored horses. That inspired her program’s name, Winning Colors. One of the most special moments she and Burroughs have in common is winning national championships on horses with the WC initials ahead of their names.

“There is no other feeling like it,” Burroughs shared with a smile. “Hearing your name called as the winner is the culmination of years of planning and love.”

Beck finds a lot of pride in her small operation and says that her mares are the most important part. “My advice for people is to find the best mare you can,” Beck says. Then pick a horse with a pedigree and conformation who complements her.” Her first mare Pepsi had seven foals who earned eight national championships, and nine reserves. And the Quarter Horse mare I Am A Dun Diva (“Dee Dee”), who Beck purchased in 2010, has proven to be just as impactful on Winning Colors’ reputation.

Left: I Am A Dun Diva with WC Khanfidential

Below: Cindy Beck with WC Khanspiracy

by CAITLIN PIGOTT

WINNING COLORS: PROUD BREEDERS OF 16 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS & 18 RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Riskie Business+++//

WC Just Imagine+//

WC Center Stage+/

WC Ultimatum

WC Legally Blonde

WC Khanfession

WC Khanfidential

WC Khanspiracy

Multi-National Champion WC Center Stage+/ (Psymadre x CT Pina Colada)

Soon after purchasing Dee Dee, Beck had a pivotal conversation with Caralyn Schroter who told her about the up-and-coming breeding stallion PA Kid Khan. His first foal out of Dee Dee resulted in national champion WC Khanspiracy. Since then, this crossing has been replicated six times, resulting in five national championships, and seven reserve national championships.

There was always something special about WC Khanspiracy (“Jumbo”) for Beck. “He is my heart horse,” she said about him whom she bought back in 2020 from a previous owner she sold him to.

“Jumbo was my first national championship,” Beck reflected on their 2022 Oklahoma City victory. “As special as those moments are, we really breed all-around horses. Right now, Jumbo is home while some of his younger siblings are in training. Seeing him every day brings me indescribable joy.”

One of these siblings is WC Khanvicted (“Chapo”), who is currently at Becker Stables preparing for the 2023 Half-Arabian AWPA Futurity. Beck and Burroughs are very purposeful about the training programs they invest in. Becker Stables has been the most common choice because of their faith in how Becker can optimize a horse’s potential.

Moving forward, Burroughs hopes to learn from her mom’s experience and eventually take over the small breeding operation. “I believe in the foundation my mom has created so much that I purchased Fiona from her,” Burroughs stated with admiration. Fiona, formally known as WC Khanfidential, is the only mare to come of the PA Kid Khan x I Am A Dun Diva cross thus far. So, this was an intentional purchase.

Multi-National Champion WC Khanfidential

(PA Kid Khan x I Am A Dun Diva)

Her daughter is wise to build on what she has created, because Beck has always had a knack for breeding a successful Half-Arabian. She is extra proud of their success at young ages. She bred consecutive Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure Futurity winners in 2005 and 2006. WC Center Stage took the title in 2005, as the first buckskin to win the class. Her mares also produced the National Champion Half-Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity winners in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

“I am excited to see what the future brings, “Brandi says to her mom, “but truthfully, all that matters is we have horses who we adore, and we get to share them with each other.”

Wesley & Maddi larkin

U.S. National Champion H/A Working Cow Horse AATR

U.S. National Reserve Champion H/A Reined Cow Horse AATR

U.S. National Top Ten H/A Herd Work AATR

U.S. National Champion PB Reined Cow Horse AATR

U.S. National Champion PB Working Cow Horse AATR

U.S. National Champion PB Herd Work - Third Consecutive Win

U.S. Nationals Champion PB Herd Work AATR - Third Consecutive Win

By CATHERINE COLE FERANDELLI

This is a particularly exciting year for Kim and Jim Blevins’ Alistar Arabians and their “dream horse” ASA Scandalous Affair (Always A Jullyen V x Sweet Saphire V). Affectionately known as Scandal, the 2015 homozygous black stallion impeccably exhibits and produces classic Varian bred temperament and type and will debut 2020 progeny in the performance show pen. Case in point is the Blevins’ own homebred 2020 black filly, ASA Mercedes (x ASA Midnight Lucille), currently in training with western pleasure trainer par excellence, Jody Strand.

“Mercedes was our first Scandal baby,” shares Kim. “Her pedigree is steeped in Varian western pleasure bloodstock. As a yearling, showing in-hand, she outdid herself, winning at the Regional level and a earning a top ten at the 2021 U.S. Nationals. Much of her 2-year-old year was starting under saddle. Now Jody and his daughter/assistant, Megan, are carefully training Mercedes toward a rewarding western pleasure career.”

Scandal’s time in the breeding shed is pleasingly busy.

Currently Scandal has nine babies on the ground: five purebred and four HalfArabians; two born in 2020, and the remaining seven in 2022. “We’ve quite the variety of mares who’ve been bred to him,” says Kim, “and his unmistakable traits have come through—his stunning beauty, movement and balance.” While breeding their own mares to Scandal has been hugely rewarding unto itself, equally gratifying to the Blevins is having repeat buyers for Scandal breedings for their own mares.

“Several foals are expected this year and even more for 2024,” Kim continues.

“Considering the majority of his babies were born just last year, returning breeders/owners of great mares who believe in Scandal means so much to us.”

Strand’s Arabians client Boni Lavelle is one of those customers, purchasing two AWPA auction breedings to Scandal. “I was researching a breeding stallion for my mare Khalico J, by Khadraj NA,” says Boni, “who has produced two fabulous colts for me by Zefyr. But since Zefyr’s retirement, I needed the ‘next’ great cross, and Scandal is so well put together; plus the photos Kim shared of her Scandal get were proof positive he produces quality from head to toe.” She continues, “Kim’s own stunning Scandal filly out of their Khadraj daughter sealed the deal, so I was thrilled to see Scandal at Jody’s. He took Scandal out and worked him, further convincing me he’s the guy for my mare.”

Scandal’s AWPA breedings continue to sell out, and he is a Spotlight Stallion fixture in Region 12’s prestigious Spotlight Futurity program.

Considered one of the finest Arabian horse breeding programs in the country, the Spotlight Futurity awards big prize money, paid out concurrently with Region 12 Championship competition. Held at the spectacular World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, Region 12’s early May competition is a top draw event for breeders to showcase their Arabian and Half-Arabian bloodstock in-hand as well as in multiple performance disciplines.

Alistar Arabians will debut their 2022 colt ASA Midnight Affair (full sibling to ASA Mercedes) and 2022 bay Scandal filly ASA Oh So Scandalous (x RA Oli Lani, by Khadraj NA) in-hand at the 2023 Spotlight Futurity.

No stranger to the show ring, Alistar Arabians actively embraces the versatility of the Arabian horse. “Jim and I are equally passionate when it comes to the English disciplines, native costume and even reining,” Kim explains. “Our Vegaz son, EF Moonshine, displays exemplary temperament—flashily fancy in native costume, yet proper and dignified when shown by our trainer Brooke Fuchs in show hack.” And in the working western discipline of reining, Kim and Jim teamed with multimillion dollar earner, NRHA trainer Craig Schmersal, attaining 2020 Scottsdale HalfArabian Reining Futurity Reserve Champion (post run off for Champion!) with their homebred gelding ASA Dunnit Again (Pale Face Dunnit x ASA Sanas Ebony Dream). His full sibling, ASA Smokin Gladys, is in training for the same class at

2024.

Kim concludes, “We have a variety of horses who compete in distinctly different disciplines, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are true believers in letting our horses show us what they do best, and most of all, we love our life; the rewards our horses give back to us are our real life dream.”