Andy Sellman: A Tribute by MARY KIRKMAN
It’s been nearly 25 years since a teenaged Andy Sellman began showing horses for Cedar Ridge in amateur halter. Dick Ames had spotted his talent when he debuted at the Minnesota Fall Festival, and offered him the opportunity that would launch his career. And relatively speaking, once the newcomer grew up, it didn’t take long before the rest of the industry also recognized his ability. Sellman’s story is well known. He went from amateur exhibitor to Cedar Ridge’s halter trainer, got experience in performance by helping the farm’s manager and head trainer, Tom Moore, and even finished high school and college before going full time into horses. In 1998, he won his first U.S. National Top Ten in open mare halter with the Cedar Ridge mare Berri Queena V. Recently asked to account for his success, he replied, “Some of it was destiny. I was given an opportunity by Cedar Ridge to either run with it and do great—or falter.” “It was all hard work,” counters Cedar Ridge owner Dick Ames. “That’s the whole thing. The harder he worked, the luckier he got.” After eight years at Cedar Ridge, Sellman moved to California to become an assistant to Greg Gallún, who he names along with Moore as an important professional influence. He remained there for six years, and then in 2006, came back to the Midwest, this time Wisconsin, where he opened the barn that is home to his Argent Farms today. The following year, he and his show string hit the U.S. Nationals like a tsunami, earning four of the top U.S. National Championship titles: with Pyro Thyme SA, U.S. National Champion Stallion; with Aria Impresario, Yearling Colt; with RD Fabreanna, Yearling Filly; and with Star Of Marwan, Futurity Filly. He would win consistently at the U.S. and Canadian Nationals, Scottsdale, and other top shows from
then on, and in 2012, he added the extra accolade of scoring national championships in four countries, on three continents (Australia, Brazil, Canada and the U.S.). It’s gone on from there, through so many APAHA titles that when the organization incorporated a Hall of Fame and inducted those who had won so routinely as to appear to own their categories, Sellman was in its inaugural class of members. Though only 41, he is no longer eligible for “Professional Halter Trainer of the Year.” In 2016, on statistics from North America’s most prestigious shows—the U.S. and Canadian Nationals, and Scottsdale—Sellman was the overall leading trainer, halter and performance, by a substantial margin. (He’d been leading halter horseman for several years, and he’s quick to say that he is extremely grateful for the honor.) With that kind of record, it is only appropriate to ask how he has done it. What does it take to be that successful? “It’s a balance, in my view, between a few things,” he replies thoughtfully. “Horsemanship; the ability to deal with people and relate with them; the willingness to put yourself out there and find super horses, and then convince people to let you train them; and finally, to be able to operate your business so as to make money.” For him, assuming skill with horses, it is largely about his customers. “Most of my customers are long term,” he offers. “What makes it work is that they’re good people, and we have a good relationship as people.” It’s a relationship that everyone accepts does not include socializing at horse shows, no matter how well they get along. Although he’s very personable, his focus at shows is well known and it’s all business. “He doesn’t give himself a lot of room for failure,” observes photographer Stuart Vesty, who has known Sellman for years. “He’s determined to do the best he can possibly do for his horses and the people around him.”
Nailing down the specifics of his success covers a lot of territory. Ask those who know him what is so special and there are enough opinions to fill a book, but some familiar refrains. Nearly everyone comments on Sellman’s methods and his attitude toward both the horses and the customers. “He has that x-factor, that extra passion to show horses and understand their strengths and weaknesses,” Jerland’s Larry Jerome says. “He has an excellent ability to look at a young horse and recognize potential. I appreciate that he doesn’t push them too hard; I think that he takes a horse at the pace at which it can develop the best. He doesn’t want to show a horse until it is absolutely ready.”
Ames Mirage
Scott Benjamin has known Sellman since the Cedar Ridge days, and now represents Greg, Julie and Jane Farrell’s Mulawa Arabian Stud in Australia. “We felt that his training methods and how he treated his horses were very much in alignment with the way the Farrells want them treated,” Benjamin says. “They like their horses to be treated fairly. They don’t mind if they have a little pressure—the horses can handle a little, and we put pressure on them under saddle as well—as long as they are rewarded fairly, and they live a happy and contented existence. That’s how we treat them here at home.
little photo
Sellman’s method of training halter horses is similar to the performance techniques he learned at Cedar Ridge (for example, a horse learns to move away from the leg pressure of the rider). “We give the horse a cue, and when that horse responds in the fashion that we’d like it to, there is a reward,” he explains. “When it responds in an improper fashion or isn’t understanding, there is a correction. It is rational, fair training. When they get finished, they are doing it because they are trying to be precise according to their cues, not because they are afraid of me. They understand the parameters that we’re working within.”
“Andy’s horses have a very natural, happy expression, and we wanted that for our horses,” he continues. “His strength is getting the best out of every horse he has. He feels pressure [to be successful for his customers], but he doesn’t externalize that into his horses or the people around him. That makes him special. His horses have a great trust in him because they know they will be treated fairly.” “He makes it fun for the horses,” nods Leslie Sommer, of Shamrock Farms. Her family has known Sellman since he was at Cedar Ridge. “When he teaches them to move away from the pressure, he praises them immediately. If you just watch him show a horse, the horses like him. We primarily have little babies with him, and you can go in their stalls and they’re happy to see you.” Margaret Larson, who owns Pyro Thyme SA with her husband, Claire, observes that they probably should bring their stallion home, but she doubts Pyro would be as happy with them as he is at Argent Farm. “Andy has a special love for horses,” she says. “He has something in him that horses know.” A benefit of Sellman’s careful handling that many cite is that their horses can compete in halter and then go on to be successful in performance, not a common occurrence in today’s show ring.
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Pyro Thyme SA
“We’re performance horse people at our base,” says Carrie Fritz, Sommer’s sister and partner in Shamrock Farms, along with their mother, Sharon Doran, who started the venture 34 years ago. “Really, halter was not our goal. Andy makes you want to be involved with it because of the beauty and athleticism of the horses, and the way he approaches it. He looks at the horse as a whole.”
“He’s a good people person,” agrees client Laura Koch. “He’s very articulate, extremely smart, and before we end a conversation, he always says, ‘I just want to tell you, I’m so proud to have you in my barn, I love what you’re doing, love the horses. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity.’ He stands out because he always says thank you, and I am 100 percent sure he does that with everybody.”
A good example of that is Shamrock’s Preminision SF. With Andy, he won the Canadian National Reserve Championship in Yearling Colts/ Geldings, and then went on to Joe Reser for western training. In 2016, he was a U.S. National Top Ten in the Western Pleasure Futurity and this year top five at Scottsdale. “He has a great mind and he’s wonderful to be around,” Fritz says. “That’s something we look for, and Andy definitely instills that.”
She notes another important component: the enjoyment factor. “Andy makes it fun. He’s always encouraging. Even when things aren’t going right, he’s very calm; he never yells at me. Even if I don’t win, he still says, ‘You did a good job.’” It’s not that she doesn’t know when she hasn’t performed well, she adds. She does, but being yelled at doesn’t increase her knowledge or the pleasure which drives her participation.
“If anything, I think he gives them confidence to go on and do the performance,” Sommer adds. Another crossover who appreciates Sellman’s methods is Barbara Sink-Krusenstjerna, whose primary interest is western. But several years ago she bred a halter horse, and on Jody Strand’s recommendation, sent the filly to Sellman. She’s been a client ever since. For her, too, how the horses are treated is critical.
As far back as Sellman’s early days, Lollie Ames has said the same thing, but with a characteristic twist (she and Dick enjoy the forthright propriety of having known him since he was a kid). “He’d give me halter lessons,” Lollie says. “I’d get so tired of him! He told me my pressure on the lead wasn’t good, so he tied the lead strap to a pole and made me stand there for I don’t know how long, pulling it tight and letting it go. I don’t think I ever did pass … but he’d say, ‘Good job, Lollie.’” Sellman also is known for his straightforward approach to communication. “I appreciate that I can talk very directly to him and he understands what I expect,” says Larry Jerome. “And he tells me what he can do for me. If he doesn’t think he can meet my expectations, he says that he doesn’t think the horse can do it or it wasn’t quite ready yet.”
“I can’t say what goes on in other barns,” Sink-Krusenstjerna qualifies, “but [my husband] Jay goes up to Andy’s often for lessons. These horses are so well taken care of and there’s not a fearful bone in any of them that Andy trained. I see it, and I continue to have halter horses with him because I do.” She hesitates, and chuckles. “I don’t want to embarrass him, but he’s the real deal. He absolutely loves what he does, and he loves these horses.” She also mentions an aspect seldom noticed in the Arabian industry, but often key in equine Delacroixx health. “He assigns a particular person to particular horses. They groom them, care for them, get to know them really well. They can pick up on any little change or difference, and inform Andy.” Om El Arab’s Janina Merz has known Sellman since his California days. “At the time, our horses were at home, not even in training with Andy,” she recalls. “I would drive them [to Gallún’s] every day to school, or whatever, and by the second year, we were trusting enough to leave them with him. You get your horses back the way you sent them. He’s kind to them.” They’ve been clients ever since. “He turns out his horses perfectly, always. They go the extra mile.” It isn’t all just the horses. Observers have long noted Sellman’s rapport with people. “We met when he was learner judging at Fall Fest,” Scott Benjamin recalls. “Andy was working for Cedar Ridge, and he was showing these horses really professionally, even though he was baby-faced (a bit like he still is). He was the most polite, kind, gracious person in the ring, without a doubt. He was always making sure his horses were in the right place for you to see them, and he never got in the way—it was more about what the horse needed to do, not what he needed to do. When it was all done, he shook my hand and said, ‘I just want to thank you for judging my horses. I appreciate the time you took.’ I was blown away that someone would take the time to thank a judge for judging the horses that were in his care.”
“Andy gives advice if you ask for it,” observes Duke Mendel, of Gemini Ranch, “but he doesn’t just volunteer it. We have gotten advice from him on lots of things— breeding, showing, buying.” He remembers the encounter that sold him and his wife, Renae, on Sellman. “When I called him on purchasing a gelding, he had one in mind and he thought about it for a day or two, and then brought us a different one. That was DC Benedict. We felt that he could have sold us anything, but he didn’t. He waited, thought about it, and brought the right one, and later that year, we won our first U.S. National Championship. A year later, my wife won her first national championship herself.” “Andy is great because he cares about his customers,” Bert Sanders offers. “He’s very appreciative, and we feel like he always puts his clients first. I’ve gotten the same level of experience with Andy from the day I met him without a horse, to now, when I’m with him and have a horse. He deals with people all the same—he’s a client’s trainer. He wants to make it all good for everybody.” Some of it is just his character, they all say. “He’s genuine, he’s honest, he’s talented,” Janina Merz reflects. “He’s one of my favorite people. He’s like family to me.” “I have known Andy Sellman for many years,” says Al Mohamadia’s Bruce McCrea. “He is a superb talent with a nice, quiet elegance to his presentations. Al Mohamadia has kept horses with him for several years now; he and Angie, with their great team, have always done a wonderful job for us. I’m proud to call him a great friend.”
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“We met Andy Sellman in February 2013, when he showed our mare *Impressa MI for the first time and won in Scottsdale,” says Joanne Gunabalan, who with her husband, Ram, owns JR’s Dream Arabians. “We are very proud to be associated with him and the Argent Farms team—they’ve been very welcoming, warm and respectful. Andy is an incredibly hardworking, committed, honest, superstar!” “Andy’s made a lot of national champions for us,” says Claire Larson. “We’ve been very fortunate. Pyro was the height; he was national champion three times for us. There will never be another like him in my life.” He smiles. “And Andy married my granddaughter. That didn’t hurt anything.” Dick Ames remembers why he invited Sellman to Cedar Ridge all those years ago. “He had talent and he was very ambitious,” he says. “That’s the type of a person I like.” And they’ve stayed good friends since then? Yes. “Well, except one time when he was going through a gate. You can put that in. He’ll know what I’m talking about.” Sellman also has a reputation for being generous with his knowledge. Sheena Steenhart, who with her husband Mike has Morning Sun Arabians in Alberta, Canada, has known him since his California days. He’s shown horses for them (most notably, their multi-national champion stallion in both open and amateur, Spitfyre VF), and because the Steenharts condition and often show their own horses, he’s been a valuable coach over the years. “Spitfyre has been the only one who has lived at Andy’s farm,” Sheena says, “but Andy has been gracious enough to coach me at Canadian Nationals the last couple of years with horses that I’ve conditioned at home.
*Kavalle MI
Om El Al Azeem JR Francesca
“He’s such a horseman, and he has so much professionalism and integrity,” she continues. “Years ago, Mike wanted to show Spitfyre one more time in amateur at Scottsdale, so we conditioned him at home and entered him in the International class. The deal with Andy was that if [the stallion] looked good enough and he wanted to show him, fabulous, but we understood if he didn’t, since Spitfyre hadn’t been in his barn. In fairness to Andy, he’s had the horse and he knew that he knew his system and would stand up and show for him—but he’s a professional; he’s not going to show a horse unless it’s in perfect condition. So my husband hauled Spitfyre down himself, and remember, we live in the frozen north. Getting them ready is a problem, with their winter coat. But Andy showed him to a silver championship.” She’s learned from Sellman over the years. “Attention to detail is probably the easiest way to sum it up—it’s all the little things: that they’re groomed every day, they’re under lights so that their coats are perfect, and they’re kept clean and happy, so that they are enjoying their job. All of that adds up to success.” And apparently, success is just as sweet to Sellman now as it was all those years ago. Stu Vesty laughs at his annoyance that since his Hall of Fame induction, he is ineligible to compete for the annual APAHA Professional Halter Trainer award. “He doesn’t take any of it for granted,” Vesty notes. “He wants to compete even when he doesn’t have to. I finally said to him, ‘Andy—you’re in the Hall of Fame! People usually need to die to get in a Hall of Fame!’”
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Pyro Thyme SA
National Champion Guiliano Legacy Of Fame x SC Psavannah
~ Greg, Julie & Jane Farrell ~ and Scott Benjamin “It continues to be a privilege to have Mulawa-bred horses in the care of Andrew Sellman & Argent Farms. In the capable care of Andy, Angie & Team Argent, the horses are always treated with utmost respect and dignity. The entire Farrell Family and all of Team Mulawa owe a heartfelt debt of gratitude to Andy for all he has done and continues to do to make the Arabian horse community better and brighter for everyone.”
Multi-National Champion *Valentino’s Angel MI DA Valentino × Always an Angel
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www.MulawaArabians.com.au 61 2 9655 1578 enquiries@mulawa.com.au
Pantanal J Ever After NA x HJ Porcelain Bey
2017 Scottsdale Classic Reserve Champion Junior Colt 2017 Scottsdale Classic 1st Place Yearling Colt (Jr.) ~ Larry Jerome ~ Talent and dedication combined with a great work ethic adds up to excellence! Thank you, Andy, for taking phenomenal care of our horses and for being a great friend.
www.Jerland.com 715-537-5413 larry@jerland.com
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Multi-National Champion DC Benedict *Besson Carol x Jusst One Look
~ Duke & Renae Mendel ~ We always knew that one day we would have a horse with Andy Sellman, and just after the 2013 Scottsdale Show, Renae was looking for a new gelding. We looked at probably 10, and I said “Let’s call Andy Sellman and see if he has any to suggest!” The rest is history! He told us about DC Benedict, and later that year, Andy won us our first ever U.S. National Championship. In 2015, Renae won her first AAOTH U.S. National Championship with DC Benedict under Andy’s guidance. Thanks to Andy and Argent Farms, Renae and I have realized our dreams and goals in the Arabian horse industry! Thank you Andy!
www.GeminiRanch.com 813-695-6966 dukemendel@verizon.net Ar abian Horse Times | 8 | Argent Farms
~ Mike & Sheena ~ Steenhart
vesty photo
Honesty, Integrity, attention to detail. Thank you for all you do, all you have done for us, and for Spitfyre. We will value your friendship forever and look forward to many more exciting experiences together. Thanks for an incredible ride!!
Multi-National Champion Spitfyre VF
403-946-5292 morningsunarabians@gmail.com
TF Psymreekhe x Red Flame BRSB
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~ Leslie Doran Sommer ~ Carrie Fritz & Sharon Doran It has been so rewarding to see the horses you have started for us have success in the halter arena and then go on to be successful performance horses. Thank you for the guidance you have given us over the years, you are a true gift to our industry.
Reserve National Champion Preminision SF Baahir El Marwan x Im Fabulous SF
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Multi-National Champion Sir Marwan CRF
ferrara photo
Marwan Al Shaqab x Ames Mirage
~ Dick, Lollie & Lara ~ Ames We are so proud of the man you have become. We have watched you every step of the way and are proud of all you have accomplished for yourself and family.
National Champion Ames Jasmine DA Major Afire x G Kallora
www.Cedar-Ridge.com 952-492-2537
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Left to right: Multi-National Champion Penchant+ (*Pogrom x Veyonce++/) Multi-National Champion Elashahn+/ (AAS-Elishahh x Veyonce++/) Multi-National Champion Vitoria Rose (Vitoria TO x Tequila Rose MTC)
Multi-National Champion Delacroixx
RD Dynamo x *HED Caramba
Stonegate Arabians, LLC 515-371-7407
~ Jay Krusenstjerna ~ & Barb Sink-Krusenstjerna Andy, we are so happy for the friendship we have developed through our shared love of the Arabian Horse!
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alford photo
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~ Laura Koch ~ & Bert Sanders
vesty photo
Thank you for the years of incredible knowledge, experience and friendship. You are not only instrumental in the selection and presentation of our halter horses, you have become a person that we always enjoy and appreciate.
Multi-National Champion RD Dynamo Bey Ambition x TF Falconsimprint
Multi-National Champion Marcus TRF ZT Marwteyn x HB Dominique El Dakar
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Multi-National Champion Pyro Thyme SA
~ Claire & Margaret ~ Larson Andy has a special way with horses so that they sense his love and interest in them. They want to please him.They do not forget what he taught them. This creates a special loyalty and trusting relationship that they share with him. We know he is the BEST!
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ferrara photo
Pryme Thyme x Holly Onfire JW
Multi-National Champion *Kavalle MI Gazal Al Shaqab x Karess
~ Joanne & Ram ~ Gunabalan vesty photo
We met Andy Sellman in February 2013, when he showed our mare *Impressa MI for the first time and won in Scottsdale. We are very proud to be associated with him, and the wonderful Arabian horse. The Argent Farms team has been very welcoming, warm & respectful. Andy is an incredibly hard working, committed, honest superstar!
JR’s Dream Arabians, LLC Jrgunabalan@aol.com
Multi-National Champion *Impressa MI Aria Impresario x Mulawa Alexa
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~ Angie ~ Thank you for being my husband, life companion and best friend! I am so proud of the man you are. Your kindness and love towards all your horses is so special to witness. Yours is a God-given talent that many people can only hope to strive for, and you work so hard for your family and clients with tremendous integrity and thoughtfulness.
www.ArgentFarms.com Om El Justadorable
WH Justice x Om El Shahmaandura
From the bottom of my heart, I love you. I love our life together and will forever be your biggest fan!
2016 APAHA Halter Amateur of the Year
Khirin
*Kavalle MI x Emmanda Scottsdale Signature Champion Auction Yearling Filly
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