LEADING A PARADE OF CHAMPIONS

Cal Poly Pomona has a legendary, decades-old Arabian horse breeding program that has produced scores of national winners. Ivan Osorio gives Chris Wilson the credit for letting him know that Cal Poly was auctioning off a nice Vegaz daughter, CP Viva Vegaz, in foal to CSP Grand Caymon, a son of nine-time National Champion English and Park Horse, Mamage. Ivan and his wife Sheryl were excited about the potential of the unborn foal. The pedigree promised performance ability, and, if the resulting foal was stallion quality, could provide the next level for the Aspire Arabians breeding program.

When Viva Vegaz foaled, Grand Marshall AA was everything they had hoped for. Ivan considers him to be “an impressive stallion, with very good size and type, who bridles up beautifully.” Sheryl recalls that it took a special touch to help the horse blossom. “As a young colt, he was afraid of the world!” she relates. “We knew he had a lot of potential, and that he needed to grow with gentle hands.” They selected Jon Ramsay, who operates the training barn at Stachowski California.

“I fell in love with Grand Marshall at first sight,” admits Jon. “He has all the right parts and is a naturally gifted mover. He has a great mind and is a pleasure to be around. And he is a unique horse and has a pedigree that will contribute to improving the gene pool.” Grand Marshall is fifth-generation Cal Poly breeding and boasts six crosses to the immortal Bask, with a parade of 15 U.S. National Champion or Reserve winners in his first five generations.

Jon had Grand Marshall in his care for a little over a year before the pair roared to victory as the 2022 United States National Champions in the English Pleasure Futurity. It was a sensational debut on the national stage and a resounding endorsement of the Aspire program. “It was a pleasure to see him perform,” Ivan enthuses. “They are a great pair. Jon really understands horses, and he and Grand Marshall have a good relationship. That is very important to us.”

When Ivan and Sheryl first became involved with Arabian horses in 2015, they chose beautiful foundation stock blessed with outstanding performance ability. When they bought their Afire Bey V daughter Flirtacious Fire PF, she already had a United States Reserve National Champion English Pleasure Futurity title among her numerous honors. Two years later, she earned a unanimous 2017 U.S. National championship in Ladies Side Saddle English for Aspire.

In 2016, the Osorios added another Afire Bey V daughter, Becca Afire, who has earned three top tens of her own in Country English Pleasure and Side Saddle. Both mares will produce foals by Grand Marshall AA. “We see Grand Marshall as somewhat of an outcross for the Afire Bey V mares,” Ivan continues. “That is why we are breeding two of our best to him. We think he can help expand the genetic pool for performance that has become highly concentrated.”

After his stunning win in Tulsa, Grand Marshall is spending the winter with Jon Ramsay in California. “We will work on getting him broke to drive,” says Jon. “Then, we’ll come back with him next year in Junior Horse.” Meanwhile, Ivan and Sheryl Osorio will look forward to welcoming the Grand Marshall babies, the next generation in their parade of champions.■

*ATOMIC GHAZI CRF | Baskghazi x Queen Of Gotham | 2017 H/A Bay Gelding | English

*LEBRON AMES | SF A ershoc x Isabella Davinci | 2016 H/A Chestnut Gelding | Multi-National Winner in Halter & Performance

*SUGARSHOC CRF | SF A ershoc x Undulata’s Nuttin Sweeter | 2019 H/A Chestnut Mare | Country Prospect

IN STYLE CRF | ROL Divine Style x Julietta Ames | 2020 PB Chestnut Mare | English Prospect

Contact Stachowski Farms | Leah Beth Golladay 515.520.7604

*THATS AMORE CRF | HA Toskcan Sun x Up In e Heir | 2018 H/A Black Mare | Country Prospect

*PASSIONETTE KISSES | SF A ershoc x Passionelle | 2019 H/A Chestnut Mare | Hunter Prospect

Contact Stachowski Farms | Jonathan Ramsay 724.413.2061

*ALEXANDER DUMOR | Empressario DF x BF First Love | 2016 PB Bay Gelding | Accomplished Youth Horse | English & Park

Contact Kiesner Training | Ashton Kiesner 865.556.0412

*JAY Z | Zefyr x Venessa EQ | 2014 H/A Bay Gelding | Multi-Reserve National Champion | Youth/Amateur Ready

Contact Strand Arabian Stables | Jody Strand 319.360.5997

PA COACHELLA DANCER | Sundance Kid V x Cassandra GA | 2015 PB Black Mare | Foal on side by Supreme Justice ORA

SQ JIZETTA | Sultan Al Zobara x Luxemere Jizette | 2016 PB Grey Mare | Broodmare

Contact Cedar Ridge Arabians | David Botha 979.203.9529

*At Scottsdale Show www.Cedar-Ridge.com

Farewell To One Of The Great Ones

by RACHEL BANDY WITT

When describing Rose as wild, we really mean feral, as we were never able to physically touch her. When Rosanna was born, her talent was apparent but as she matured, the questions and statements regarding her future were not promising from the outside world. “What are you going to do with that?” “She’s too small.” “She will never amount to anything under saddle.” Those were just a few of the criticisms that we heard over and over. However, we knew there was something special within her that would defy all the odds.

Thankfully, esteemed trainer Tish Kondas was more than willing to give Rosanna the shot we all felt she deserved, and it was not long before Tish called us to eagerly cement a plan to campaign her for the Half-Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse division in 2006. She won her cut at Louisville that year, and she made an unforgettable performance in the final to win Reserve National Champion in a tremendously deep class. To this day, people still remember and recount her flawless performance that night in Freedom Hall. For the Bandy family, it was the thrill of a lifetime for an owner/breeder.

Her success continued, with a Reserve National Championship in driving at U.S. Nationals the following year, and a top three finish in H/A Park Horse at U.S. Nationals in 2008. Colleen Boylan then took the reins and guided Rosanna to a U.S. National Championship in H/A Park Horse AAOTR in 2009. It was then that we knew Rosanna deserved an early retirement. She had already accomplished so much, and she earned her time to have foals and become a super boss mare.

WP Rosanna Orana proved two major things about Wiloma’s breeding program:

1) Crabbet breeding is still relevant and can greatly contribute to excellence in the English/Park show ring.

2) Hackney Pony crosses can be exceptionally competitive in the HalfArabian division, especially through a stronger, more consistent hind end.

To Rosanna, our farm and our lives will never be the same without you. You were tremendously loved, regardless of all your amazing accomplishments. Not only were you an English/Park legend, you were a loving mother and a beloved friend. Your daughter, WP Little Black Dress, is almost an identical version of you, and we are so excited to see what she will be able to accomplish. Watching her go 4th at the 2022 U.S. Nationals in H/A Park brought back amazing memories of you. Your legacy will live on. To quote the song on your beautiful victory pass in 2006, “you were SIMPLY THE BEST.”

“My heart is filled with so many emotions as I write about the loss of WP Rosanna Orana … my eyes well up with tears filled with sadness, pride, gratitude, and elation! Words cannot truly convey what Rosanna meant to me as a trainer or what the Bandys meant as the owners/breeders who believed in me the way they did.

The butterflies that mare gave me and the excitement she brought to the crowd was off the charts! She was small but showed like she was 16h with no quit in her… EVER! Being named Reserve National Champion in the H/A English Pleasure Jr. Horse to Adams Fire was incredible. BUT the way the crowd went to their feet over those two horses was a night I will never forget! Coming back the next year to be Reserve National Champion in the H/A Pleasure Driving and then to train her for Colleen Cooper to become U.S. National Champion Park AOTR was just icing on the cake! There will never be another like Rosanna!

Thank you, Vicki Humphrey, for your support with her over the years… and suggesting we bring back the four-wheel show buggy that year… she was a sight that night! To Rachel, David, and Cindy, thank you for believing in me and trusting me with this special mare! I can replay every step of these wins with her in my mind… not forgetting all the hours it took me to teach her to canter, LOL! She will be missed but NEVER forgotten! RIP Boss Mare!

Rosanna had the guts of a warrior and the pretty of a princess!”

—Tish Kondas, Showtime Training Center