Scottsdale 2017 Coverage

Scottsdale 2017

Enjoy a sneak peek of our Scottsdale coverage — as seen from a refreshing and beautiful perspective — capturing the excitement, beauty, joy, and versatility of our beloved Arabian — and the show itself!

See the complete story in our April issue.

The Greatest Arabian Horse Show on Earth!

SCOTTSDALE2017

The View from Center Ring

by Gary Dearth

T

he reason the Scottsdale Arabian show is known as “The Greatest Arabian Horse Show on Earth,” is that it is not just a horse show, but rather an event. One of the first things I saw at this year’s Scottsdale All-Arabian show was the enormous

banner that proclaimed just that. I don’t think that anyone who attended would disagree. Except for the brief interval of lousy weather the first weekend, it was another outstanding Scottsdale Show. “When the bad weather hit and there was nowhere to work, it was a tribute to Arabian horses and how well the trainers are doing to school in such difficult conditions,” said judge John Lambert. “There were a lot of amateur classes held during that time in a really challenging environment that did great. My hat is off to the trainers, and especially the amateurs, who were able to show with minimal mistakes.” Judge Tim Goggins agreed, “When the weather was miserable and everything

February 16-26, 2017 West World, Scottsdale, Arizona Photos by April Visel, Morgan Moore, Stuart Vesty, Rick Osteen, and Howard Schatzberg

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moved from Wendell Arena to the tent, the horses were still very good even though it was kind of a scary place to show.”

Halter judge Lisa Blackstone appreciated the fact that the rain caused halter classes to be moved to the International Arena in the South Hall. “I actually preferred it. When the horses came in the ring, they trotted the length of the ring so we could see the horses trot by,” Lisa said. “Wendell Arena is so huge that the exhibitors lunge them and lunge them, and lunge them, until you finally have to stop watching. In this smaller venue we got to see the horses up close and see them trot at their best.” Judge Van Jacobsen added, “The whole International Arena was very inviting for both exhibitors and spectators. There was less room to run around, which made it more contained.”

The mare championship this year was particularly deep. “When I stood back and looked over the entire group of mares in the championship, there was incredible quality and depth,” judge Mike Miller observed. “There were mares in the second line that were easily

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Left: Barzan Al Shahania (Stival x NW Siena Psyche by Padrons Psyche), owned by Al Shahania Stud, Qatar, being presented at Michael Byatt’s open house in Scottsdale.

*SM Azraff (Faraa Al Shaqab x LC Psychesfinesse by Padrons Psyche), Gold Champion Senior Stallion and winner of the Sheila Varian Memorial Perpetual Trophy, owned by Haras Maalesh, Argentina, and shown by David Boggs.

Anything is Possible in A Land of Dreams and Opportunities

by Gastón Labadie

stallion all the way, from the very beginning to his first, but not last,

Santibañez by leasing Faraa Al

international title.

Shaqab, and Diego Lerner by importing this fantastic Padrons

Piecing Together the Puzzle

Psyche daughter.

*SM Azraff is sired by Faraa Al Shaqab (*Marwan Al Shaqab x

Last but not least, a big

GW Natorious Star), who was leased by Haras Mayed for a two year

congratulations to Alfredo Cossini,

America, but the southern part of

period in Argentina. Azraff’s dam, LC Psychesfinesse (Padrons Psyche

Haras Maalesh’s manager, and

it, Latin America. Latin America

x Bey Raffinesse), was imported by Diego Lerner from Haras El Dok,

Ariel Andino who takes care of

has always been a land of

and then purchased by Haras Maalesh who brightly bred her to Faraa.

every horse at Haras Maalesh as

And yes, I’m talking about

favorable circumstances for developing almost any project.

*SM Azraff is the result of several decisions, not only made by

if they’re his own sons.

the breeder, Haras Maalesh, but also by Fernando and Joaquin de

George and Debbie Stuart Milne have been breeding Arabian horses for the last 30 years in Argentina. They have provided Arabian horses to most of the farms in Argentina, and also to many farms in Latin America.

They believed in their breeding program, in their mares and most importantly, in their stallions. Due to external factors, Latin Americans have been forced to adapt and use the local stallions, and this has created unexpected shining stars that would probably never have emerged in other parts of the world.

David Boggs was convinced of the immense potential of *SM Azraff, not only as a show horse but also as a breeding horse, so he masterfully guided this

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Scottsdale Champion quality.” Judge Ross Tarkington felt that any of the top three mares could have been champion. “I really liked Rose Of Gazal APA (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Tiaraa Rose) shown by Greg Knowles.

In fact, that mare and Michael Byatt’s and Steve Heathcott’s were outstanding and any of them could have won. That was overall a great group of mares,” he said. Judge Mark Owens agreed, “My top two mares did not go champion or reserve. But the ones that did were great. The overall quality of the mares in the final was just that good.”

Not to be outdone by the mares, the stallion championship was also extraordinary. Judge Corky Sutton said, “Both the senior champion and junior champion colt classes were really good. *SM Azraff (Faraa Al Shaqab x LC Psychesfinesse) shown by David Boggs was wonderful and it was close between him and Truest (Trussardi x Marlene Dietrich), the Reserve Champion shown by Michael Byatt. But the whole lineup was very good.” Clearly the stallion classes in the International Arena Champion Classic Senior Mare AAOTH RD Siena Serenade (Bey Ambition x NW Siena Psyche), owned and shown by Murray Popplewell, Saskatoon, Canada, and Scottsdale, Arizona.

were just as exciting. Judge Lisa Blackstone said, “*Hariry Al Shaqab (*Marwan Al Shaqab x White Silkk) has the snakiest neck I have ever seen. He was amazing. And he was beautifully presented by Michael Byatt. He is the master. I was laughing, Michael was laughing, the

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crowd was cheering. It was one of those magical moments where you think ‘Wow it doesn’t get any better than this.’”

With all of the controversy that has swirled around the showing of halter horses at our shows of late, the lack of drama in the halter rings this year at the Scottsdale Show is exactly what we needed. “The most interesting thing that I took away from the Scottsdale Show was that it was the cleanest halter ring I have ever been in,” judge Dick Adams said.

“It is very important, especially in an era when it seems that the prevailing perception outside of the ring is that halter and breeding in-hand is abusive. I want this negative perception to be gone. I never saw anything that indicated any of the old problems.” Judge Van Jacobsen echoed that sentiment, “I loved how well all of the halter horses we judged were presented. And the exhibitors were always respectful of our requests.”

Bottom left: Champion International Breeders Classic Yearling Filly Kareemah Albidayer (*Kanz Albidayer x *Khaleifa), owned by Albidayer Stud, Sharjah, UAE.

“The good ones are easy to love, right from the beginning.

The first time I saw Kareemah, she was just foaled at Mario Zerlotti’s,” says Michael Byatt who handled her to Gold Champion Yearling Filly in the Scottsdale International. “She had a milk mustache but she had my attention, she was just beautiful: from her face, to the way she was made, to the way she conducts herself. Even when she was weaned, she just never had a bad look. She is beautifully made and has a wonderful attitude, she just does everything willingly and happily.”

Kareemah Albidayer is by *Kanz Albidayer and out of the Kubinec daughter Khaleifa. She is bred and owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi of Albidayer Stud, UAE. Kareemah Albidayer will head to Vegas next, according to Michael, but probably go on to Europe after Vegas as she is not eligible for Yearling Sweepstakes at U.S. Nationals.

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The Scottsdale performance judges agreed that the deepest class at the show was the Arabian Western Pleasure Championship.

Judge Deborah Johnson said, “The open Arabian western Saturday night was beautifully done. Beautiful to watch, beautiful for the audience, and beautifully performed. It was really stunning.

One of the best classes I have ever seen.” And out of that great class rose the unanimous champion Kheanne (*Khadraj NA x TN Katiki), shown and owned

by Brett Becker. Judge Brian Scoggins said, “Brett Becker’s open western horse was incredible.”

Judge Deborah Johnson agreed, “Kheanne was the clear winner.

Champion Western Pleasure Kheanne (*Khadraj NA x TN Katiki), above, shown and owned by Brett Becker, Grass Valley, California, and Khredential (Khash PGA x Aphrodite FA), right, Champion Scottsdale Signature Stallion Western Pleasure Futurity, owned by Nicci Reeder Waldschmidt, also shown by Brett Becker.

She fit the definition that we read in the rule book.” (See Kheanne’s cover story in the March 2017 issue of Arabian Horse World.)

While the Scottsdale Signature Stallion program is well known for its large payouts in halter, it has been growing in numbers and quality in its performance classes. Judge John Ryan, an accomplished performance trainer said, “I loved the Scottsdale Signature Stallions western futurity class. It was a group of fresh horses that were beautifully presented. It was the highlight for me because it is the fruition of a program that has been building. I was the call judge and I was standing down at the ingate watching them go around and I thought to myself that this is a beautiful class. Most of the horses were sired by ‘halter’ stallions.

In a sense it is a cross-over class because it is performance with halter-type sires represented well by their performance offspring.

In a breed that is struggling with unity, to see something like this

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Beating the Odds

by Denise Hearst One of the feel-good moments of Scottsdale was the crowning of the Champion Mare, Rose Of Gazal APA (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Tiaraa Rose) … not only is she a beautiful representative of the breed, but she was the first Scottsdale Mare Champion for trainer Greg Knowles, and for her owners John and Deb Mitchell of Mesa, Arizona.

The Mitchells have been breeding and showing Arabians for just over three and a half years, and as Deb says, “We’ve been in this for such a short period of time, we didn’t really grasp what a big win it was.

Champion Classic Senior Mare Rose Of Gazal APA (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Tiaraa Rose), above, and second place Classic Mare Eight Years Old and Older Taleed El Qardabiyah (Magnum Psyche x Jamaara FA), owned by John and Debra Mitchell, Mesa, Arizona, and shown by Greg Knowles.

And to do it with a mare that Greg so strongly recommended that we buy … we could not have been happier, nor could we have done it without the support of so many great people.”

The win was emotional for other reasons, too. In October 2015, Deb had a stroke, and was in a coma for a month. “We are beyond lucky. Deb continues to improve. She’s almost back to normal,” says John.

“When I came home from

get back in the showring provide motivation for her rehab, she credits her favorite mare, “Mokha” for bringing her out of her coma. “I was on the ventilator and John was talking to me about Mokha. I don’t know if he

the hospital, I’m not sure I knew

knew that I could hear him, but I remember waking up thinking, no, he’s saying the wrong things about

how much I’d lost,” says Deb. “I

Mokha! I wanted to correct him!”

didn’t know what a stroke meant.

There’s not much to correct when it comes to the tasteful collection of horses that the Mitchells have

I didn’t understand the gravity of

assembled. Rose Of Gazal is just one of the their Scottsdale winners from this year. Another of their mares,

the situation. People kept telling

Taleed El Qardabiyah (Magnum Psyche x Jamaara FA), was second place Classic Mares Eight and Older,

me you can’t do this, you can’t do

and Jazzla CME (*Hariry Al Shaqab x Jazella FA) was Top Ten in the yearling filly class. And their Egyptian-

that. I had to work hard to get my

related colt, Lark RCA (Bellagio RCA x Star Of Marajj) won Reserve Champion Scottsdale International

independence back.

Breeders Classic Egyptian Heritage Junior Male.

“When Greg put me on the

“We’ve had a wonderful time with our Arabians,” John says. “We’ve met so many characters, so many

schedule to show KBT Kharra

nice people. Some of it is beginners’ luck, but a lot of it is based on Greg’s analysis about what we should

Mokha (Magnum Psyche x KBT

do. I’m 71 years old. I don’t have 30 years to develop my own lines and make my own mistakes. So it’s all

Kaffe Mokha) at the Scottsdale

Greg’s fault! I know people know he’s the guiding light because you couldn’t possibly do as well as we’ve

Breeders Show last October, I was

done without him.”

so excited. I just love showing. I’m

Adds Deb, “We love our four mares and we are so looking forward to three foals this year — Karra

not the best, but I love it. I had a

Mokha is in foal to Bellagio, Rose Of Gazal is in foal to Ever After, and Taleed is in foal to *Gazal Al Shaqab.

blast showing her to a Top Five.”

Oh my goodness yes, it’s going to be a wonderful season.

Not only did Deb’s desire to

“I just want to enjoy what we have. I am so blessed that I’m still here to enjoy it.”

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