Rain DanceR aRabians Deb Hodge Spring Hill, Kan. www.twowillows.com Deb Hodge met Jerad Cooper when she was in need of a farrier for her first horse, an unregistered yearling Half-Arabian filly named Rain Dancer. On one of his visits, Cooper brought a video of a young stallion he had just purchased. “He floated and moved like nothing I’d ever seen before,” Hodge recalls. “He took my breath away. That was my introduction to KA Odysseus. I had no idea on that day that my life had just changed.” Over the next few years, Hodge watched KA Odysseus mature. “He reflects his lineage of Bey Shah from both Odyssey SC and Ellura A, and *Aladdinn, PA Kasenova and *El Shaklan,” she adds, listing other standouts in the stallion’s pedigree. “Because I was a regular visitor to Stranger Creek Ranch, I was able to watch him mature in both body and mind. I fell in love with him in a very personal way.” In 2009, Hodge, along with the others, became partners in the stallion. It was a decision that was validated quickly. In March of that year, the filly Pallas Athyne CA (x Madonna K) was born. She would go on to claim the 2010 MAHB Auction Filly ATH Yearling title, bringing home a hefty $18,279. This year, she has started out with a Scottsdale Top Ten Yearling Filly title. Hodge is excited about the future with KA Odysseus and particularly the foal she is expecting from Vanidi Fair, a mare by the late Sidi-Brahim, out of Fatima Ala Bahr. “We believe the beautiful Spanish bloodline will produce something extraordinary when combined with KA Odysseus,” she says.
PeRRy anD shelby Williams DeSoto, Kan. email: sstanggirl@aol.com “My husband and I both grew up loving horses and have had them all our lives,” says Shelby Williams. “Most of my experience had been with Quarter Horses and Paints. One day a friend of ours, Jerad Cooper, asked us to try out one of his Arabians. It was soon after that we really learned to appreciate the breed. Their beauty, intelligence and stamina are incomparable.” It wasn’t long before their appreciation for the breed resulted in action. Perry and Shelby are now the proud owners of five Arabians and part owners of KA Odysseus and his sire, Odyssey SC. She describes her attraction to KA Odysseus in particular. “He is a superb stallion, not only in his appearance, but also in his disposition,” she says. “He is very gentle, yet full of spirit and personality. He encompasses the best of all qualities in the Arabian breed.” The Williams’ are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a foal out of the Russian-bred mare Patriotik Nastasia, from the line of Patron. “We chose her in particular because of her beauty and disposition,” she says. “We also bred KA Odysseus to our bay tobiano Half-Arabian mare, VT Ice Moka. We hope to get his physical characteristics along with her color.” Based on the results of his progeny so far, the KA Odysseus partners look forward to a bright future. As Shelby Williams sums it up, “We hope to continue the legacy of KA Odysseus with competitive offspring.” n M AY 2011 | 111