StrawberryBanks09

September 2009 A $7.50

On the cover Baske Afire

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The

Baske Afire EF F ECT

by Mary Kirkman

From the time Baske Afire’s sons and daughters hit the show ring, he has been a sensation. Each year has polished that reputation, as step by step, he has built a record that has propelled him into the highest ranks of Arabian sires.

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Baske Afire’s pedigree is rich in national champions. His sire and dam, as well as his grandsire and granddam, were national champions and producers of national champions. Most of his champions at the major shows now are divided equally between halter and performance, with nearly all of his performance champions in the English and country English pleasure divisions. In 2008, he was Top Five on 13 of the 18 AHT charts for U.S. Nationals, as well as second on the National Show Horse leading sire roster.

The sheer magnitude of Baske Afire’s achievements tells his story. At Scottsdale in 2009, he was the Arabian Horse Times Leading Sire of Half-Arabian Halter Winners, more than 100 points ahead of his nearest competition. In addition, he was second on the Leading Halter and Performance Sires of Purebred and Half-Arabian Winners ranking.

As of August of this year, Baske Afire’s record of success reflected a total of 92 purebred champions, 20 national winners (with 46 total national wins) and six national and reserve national champion purebred offspring. At Canada 2009, the trend continued, with five national championships added, along with three reserves and 15 top tens.

In addition to winning at the national level, Baske Afire offspring also command a solid return on investment for breeders. In addition to private sales, the yearling filly HA Sahara Afire, bred by Michelle Harris, changed hands for $120,000 at the 2008 Cedar Ridge Select Sale. Prestige Farm’s Irwin Schimmel states that he has bred and sold numerous Baske Afire offspring from weanlings to training age for figures in excess of $100,000, receiving a record price of more than $250,000 for a 2-year-old Baske Afire filly. “I’ve sold every one of my Baske Afire foals,” says Vicki Humphrey, who has bred several mares to the stallion, “for at least $75,000.”

Baske Afire’s significance continues to grow in the Arabian show ring.

His presence on the leading sire lists, both by points and number of winners, proves salient facts: He offers not only a high percentage of champions and reserves, but also a wide range of successful representatives—not just a few stellar individuals.

Strawberry Banks Farm has announced that beginning with the 2010 breeding season, a select number of breedings will be offered for purchase to stallions Baske Afire, A Temptation and Hey Hallelujah, and when those have been sold, Strawberry Banks Farm's stallions' public books will be closed.

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The

Baske Afire EF F ECT

SOMMELIER • Two-Time National Champion

.SHE BE ADIVA KBS • Nine-Time National Champion and Reserve 40A | AR ABIAN HORSE TIMES

ELLE YES • Scottsdale Champion

BASKE AFIRE GET PRIZE MONEY WINNINGS $226,573 AEPA Performance Futurity: $105,000 AEPA Yearlings In-Hand Futurity: $15,000 Strawberry Banks Trot To The Gold Futurity: $34,000 National Show Horse: $56,535 U.S. National Performance Futurities $16,038

HA SAHARA AFIRE • Champion AEPA Yearling In-Hand

IN THE LINE OF FIRE • Two-Time Youth National Champion

RH BIG TIME • Canadian National Champion

MARIACHI WA • Canadian National Champion SEP TEMBER 20 09 | 41A

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Baske Afire EF F ECT THE WAY SHE MOVES • U.S. National Champion

KD KONTAGIOUS - U.S. National Champion English Pleasure Futurity Winner of $15,000 in the Strawberry Banks Farm "Trot To The Gold" Futurity

Through all these years we've been breeding Baske Afire, his babies continue to impress and amaze us.

He has exceeded our best hopes for this breed and now his offspring are dominating our show rings. The marketability of these foals just keeps getting stronger and the prices are continuing to set higher and higher benchmarks for the breed.

— Jim Stachowski

BASKE ALLIENCE • Buckeye Champion

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JB HOMETOWN HOTTIE Canadian National Champion

DRAMBUIE LOUIE $3,750 NSH Weanling Colt/Gelding

BAS K E AF I R E S ET T I N G R ECO RD S L I KE N O OT H E R !

Strawberry East Aurora, NY • 716-652-9346

Banks Farm

www.StrawberryBanksFarm.com SEP TEMBER 20 09 | 43A