STALLIONS
did all the work myself and showed them on a shoestring. Being a graphic designer as my occupation, breeding was a form of creating a masterpiece. Because of my love of Arabians, I fashioned my Shelties after them. I tried to achieve beautiful detail of head, long, archy necks, and ground-covering motion, and topped it all off with a ‘hey, look at me!’ attitude and outline.” How did Noel the dog breeder end up as Noel the owner of one of the industry’s newest superstars? It all goes back more than half a century to when at age 8 she first bounced down a dirt road on a horse named “Grandma.” She remembers, “On our vacations in Estes Park, Colo., my folks couldn’t peel me off a horse. Then I saw my first Arabians at the Estes Show when I was 10, and I was hooked! My parents were tolerant of my horse fixation, so I took lessons and rode every chance I could.” At 31, Noel purchased her first Arabian and rode the Colorado mountain trails which had become her home after graduation. Because of a move she ultimately had to choose between the horses and the dogs. “I knew I could afford to breed and show the Shelties myself, so at the time, that’s what was best.” But Noel didn’t let her interest in Arabians fade. She subscribed to the Arabian publications, and began attending the U.S. Nationals in the late 1980s every time they were in Albuquerque. “I was becoming familiar with the different lines and looks—trying to figure out the direction in which I would like to go if and when the opportunity presented itself. Two of the stallions I was interested in were Audacious PS and Echo Magnifficoo.” Fast forward several years and ready for a change, Noel moved to the Puget Sound area in Washington, finding horse property with an indoor arena that would suit her needs. The time was finally right. In 2002, when the opportunity presented itself to purchase the mare HC Amareea (by Echo Magnifficoo), who was in foal to Audacious PS, Noel was intrigued with the pedigree. Art
88 | AR ABIAN HORSE TIMES
Dekko TT was born the following February, and that was the start of a new adventure. From the beginning of this new rascal’s life, Noel thought she had something special. “He had a short dished head, big black expressive eyes, huge nostrils, tipped-in little ears, and his overall look and attitude were unique,” she says. “To watch him grow up and be a part of his life has been fascinating—along with a kind of trial and error. We have learned along the way with him. “Dek is a character. You can see the gears turning in his head, and when he looks at you with those big black eyes—you know you’ve been looked at. Dekko has always been fancy, he has such a fluid way of moving, neck arched, looking where he’s going with that flagpole tail straight up in the air! “At an Oregon show, I observed, undetected, Ken Davis schooling a horse and decided I would ask him if he would be interested in halter training Dek. Ken agreed, and with his guidance, the stallion has come into his own. “We have enlisted the superb handling of Steve Heathcott and Greg Hazlewood, with whom Dek has accomplished high level wins. Because I had always admired the Schalls, Ken gave Jeff a call and Dekko was received with open arms by the whole staff at Shada. The outcome of this union, in its infancy, has been unbelievable!” Noel is optimistic about the future as well. “We’re just taking it one step at a time. I’m very, very impressed with Dek’s first foals, so I’m anxious to see what the future holds for him as a breeding stallion. “With a great team like Melissa, who started and expertly conditioned Dekko, and Vanessa, Bryant and Roni, who deal with all the hours of hard work, highs and lows of caring for the horses, it makes a fantastic win like Dekko’s the sweetest icing on the cake! How could we not be proud of this unique and much-loved stallion!”