AHT Vol.53, No.7 - Hagale Family Arabians

by COLLEEN SCOTT

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“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” —Michael Jordan

Ask Jim Hagale about the 2023 successes of Hagale Family Arabians and one common theme emerges: teamwork. “Without the team in place, we couldn’t have had the amazing year that we had,” says Jim. “We have a very talented group of people who all made significant contributions to our achievements.”

New Home Although filled with many highlights, 2023 will be known as the year Hagale Family Arabians completed their new home. Though the 100-acre farm officially opened on Saturday, March 5 of 2022, when more than 600 people from as far away as Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Louisiana and Ohio descended upon the southern Missouri town of Rogersville for open house festivities, the farm has since completed the breeding lab, and has now added another barn with 36 stalls that will be used to foal out mares and begin the training of young stock.

“We were really appreciative that so many people made the effort to get here so soon after the Scottsdale show in 2022,” says Jim. “It was really very humbling to us. We are excited for more people to visit now that our breeding labs are complete, along with the addition of the youngster barn.”

The Team Besides showcasing their new home, Hagale Family Arabians continued to build their team throughout the year. Chris Wilson has been on board as trainer from the beginning and his wife, Jen, has as well, serving as Director of Operations. The rest of the team members have been added as the farm has grown. “We have tried to build an organization with people who are team players,” says Chris. “Those who are part of it are all on the same page and very like-minded in terms of supporting the way we do things – everything from the way we clean stalls to the way we train the horses,” he says.

“We also bring on people who are horsemen and women in the sense that they have the

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The Hagale Family Arabians team, left to right: Nestor Gonzalez, Brayden Gruben, Danika Beaumont, Dr. Jillian Paegelow, Sarah Mullen, Jen Wilson, Chris Wilson, Diar Hernandez, Miguel Ramirez, Cisco Sanchez (below left)

horses’ needs in mind and they are very deliberate and conscientious in everything they do.”

In addition to Jen and Chris, Sarah Mullen serves as assistant trainer, and Jillian Paegelow, DVM, joined the team full-time just over a year ago.

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U.S. National Success While there were many show ring successes throughout the year, none could top the farm’s performances at U.S. Nationals. Chris and Nestor had an outstanding show. Jim, Jennifer and Jamie came home with multiple awards, and get from the farm’s stallions, including SF Aftershoc (SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance), HA Toskcan Sun (Baske Afire x Matoska) and Vegaz (Apollopalooza x SMS Forever Bay), were also in the ribbons.

Newest to the group is trainer Nestor Gonzalez, recipient of the 2023 Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman’s Association (APAHA) Rising Star Award.

“I am very excited and thankful to be welcomed to Hagale Family Arabians,” he says. “I look forward to the opportunity to continue to grow my career with this amazing team and their horses.”

“Nestor is a perfect fit,” says Chris. “He’s an outstanding horse trainer and a great person.”

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AEPA $50,000 Half-Arabian Saddle Seat Futurity Champion, SD The Bravest (Noble Braveheart x GSF Malinah)

Although Nestor didn’t officially join the team until after U.S. Nationals, he and Chris shared the spotlight in the Arabian English Pleasure Association Half-Arabian Saddle Seat Futurity class, finishing as Champion and Reserve, respectively. Chris was aboard the Hagale Family Arabians’ mare SD The Bravest (Noble Braveheart x GSF Malinah) and Nestor rode Crack Me Up (Black Daniels x Valentina’s Jewels), owned by Sandra Fiorenza. The new training duo also placed well in the Arabian Country English Pleasure Futurity with Nestor claiming the championship aboard CE Electric Love (SF Aftershoc x HA California Sage) and Chris placing third on the Hagales Im Your Hucklebery VA (Afires Heir x Nevada Spirit

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U.S. Reserve National Champion Arabian Pleasure Driving, HA Toskcan Sun+

VA). Chris was also Reserve Champion in the Arabian Pleasure Driving class with HA Toskcan Sun. For Jim and Mary Martha, the highlight of any show is sharing their passion for the Arabian breed with their daughters, Jennifer and Jamie. This year, at the encouragement of his daughters and Chris, Jim tried his hand in the halter arena.

Orrion Farms’ Andy Sellman has been training the Hagale halter horses since the summer of 2022 and says they have made a mark in the industry in just the few short years they’ve been back (since Jennifer and Jamie’s time as youth riders, then returning to the show ring nearly 20 years later). “Jim has extremely fine taste in all things he does and the horses he chooses to represent his brand are no exception,” says Andy.

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“He’s very straightforward and smart when it comes to making decisions.

As he’s acquired some of the breed’s top halter horses, he’s made an extremely positive impact on the halter community. He brings passion and great energy to our world and we’re all better for it.”

Jim harnessed that passion and energy with Esperranzza (Emerald J x Vesperra) in the Arabian Mare Breeding AAOTH Championship, placing third overall. The champion title went to Jamie with the beautiful Queen Ayda FWM (FA El Shawan x TN Mariani).

In the performance arena, Jamie continued the Hagale winning streak aboard G Eazy (HA Toskcan Sun x Up In The Heir) with a third place win in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 40-59. Jennifer contributed as well, also taking third place on their stallion ROL Divine Style (Afire Bey V x IXL Miss Firefly) in the Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 19-49, and a top ten with Miss Martini BF (GSF Rizing Son x Lucky’s Stylish Martini) in both the Half-Arabian Park AAOTR and HalfArabian English Pleasure Jackpot.

While the trainer and family member wins were special, Hagale Family Arabian stallions also made their mark with their get.

Top & bottom: National Champion AAOTH Mare Queen Ayda FWM & Jamie Hagale; Middle, Esperranzza & Jim Hagale

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“We’re excitedly anticipating next year’s foal crop as it will be the first year of babies all bred and born on this farm,” says Jim. The family will also be hosting their first ever production sale in early 2024, featuring Hagale-bred weanlings, yearlings, two and three-year-olds. Lori Conway of Conway Arabians has seen some of the planned offerings and had much enthusiasm for what she saw. “The babies were extremely athletic and beautiful. I was impressed with all of them! I would encourage everyone to look to Hagale Family Arabians for their next show horse.”

“We’re excited about the opportunity to showcase our breeding program through this sale,” says Jim. “Sharing these special horses with the rest of the Arabian community is something we’ve been looking forward to.”■

Of the 64 SF Aftershoc progeny entered, 45 took home U.S. National titles, including 43 top ten awards, 10 reserve championships and seven championships, for

HA Toskcan Sun+ & SF Aftershoc+ continue to find themselves at the top of the leaderboards as sires at the U.S. National Championships

a winning percentage of 70%! Not far behind was HA Toskcan Sun with 35 progeny entered at the show. The stallion’s 63% win rate included 28 top ten awards, six reserve championships and two championships. Vegaz, ROL Divine Style and Fire and Goldd also produced winning get.

Looking Forward to 2024

SF AFTERSHOC+

HA TOSKCAN SUN+

7 Champions 10 Reserve Champions 43 Top Ten Awards 70% Win Rate

2 Champions 6 Reserve Champions 28 Top Ten Awards 63% Win Rate

How will they top what was a banner year in 2023?

For starters, they have 34 mares in foal with the help of

www.HagaleFamilyArabians.com

Dr. Paegelow.

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