OTW - Foundation Breeder: The Strand Family

Foundation Breeder: T

H

E

Strand Family By

Mary

Jane

Parkinson

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he November 1971 issue of Arabian Horse World carries a photo of two Arabian stallions and one happy horse owner. Nose-to-nose are sire and son G-Amigo and Cla-Migo. The smile in the middle belongs to Milton Strand of Strand Arabians at Toddville, Iowa. Milton has a trophy in each hand — one for each stallion — G-Amigo as Grand Champion Stallion and Cla-Migo the Reserve at the 1971 Minnesota All-Arabian Show. Milton and his brother Ed owned G-Amigo; Cla-Amigo was owned by Horace Jahnke of Wheaton, Minnesota. With 856 entries, the show was the largest in the breed at that time, so the wins boosted the Strand breeding program, along with the sire line of Niga, the sire of G-Amigo. For G-Amigo, the victory pass was a repeat, as he’d won the same honor the year before.

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hat supreme moment came 11 years after the foaling of the first Strand Brothers–bred foal. That first foal reflected a lifetime of horse interest and activity for the brothers.

They grew up on a 360-acre family farm near Morris, Minnesota, a farm on which their father John (an immigrant from Norway) broke the prairie sod with work horses and a walking plow. Milton and Ed (the two youngest sons of a family of 11 children) worked the fields with horses and knew and respected their ways. In the 1940s, as mechanical farming replaced work horses, the brothers missed the association with horses and began buying horses just for fun for themselves and their growing families.

The first fun horses were grades, horses whose training had to come after the work on the farm — a grain farm and dairy operation — was finished. Then, in about 1955, came “Beauty,” a part-Arabian mare who took the Strand children — Milton and Virginia have four sons, Ed and Vivian four sons and a daughter — to years of saddle club and playday shows. “All of us liked Beauty’s Arabian traits,” Vivian recalls, “her pretty head, her high tail carriage, her responsiveness, her adaptability — all impressed us. Ed began reading about Arabians, and we soon decided it was Arabian horses we wanted. All around us, everyone had Quarter Horses, and we wanted to be different.

“Our kids grew up on horses and fun shows and loved every minute of it,” Vivian continues. “Kept them out of trouble. Every summer Sunday, the two families (we all lived on the family farm) packed up all the kids and the partbreds we were raising by that time and off we went to a show. The kids were out there in every Facing Page: Here’s the photo that made news in the November 1971 Arabian Horse World: Cla-Migo (x Clareeta by Barka) on the left, G-Amigo on the right, Milton Strand in the middle. “G-Amigo was just a wonderful show horse,” says Vivian Strand. “In his heyday, he brought home many grand champion halter trophies, beating such greats as Raffon, *Aramus, Gay-Rouge, and *Ramses Fayek.”

Top: Local fairs gave the Strands a time and place to show off the Arabian adaptability. Here Ed and Bashik demonstrate pole-bending talent at the 1963 Minnesota State Fair.

Bottom: The first Niga filly Galla-Ni (x Gallamett by Gallant) was sold to David and Jean Gilligan of Delano, Minnesota, and their ten-year-old daughter Garnet rode her to wins in western pleasure, English pleasure, stock seat and saddle seat equitation, native costume, trail, pleasure driving, and a variety of games. All this notoriety got them 1968 title of Most Versatile Arabian of the Minnesota Show and on the cover of the October 1968 Arabian Horse World.

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Top Left: The purchase of Niga (Nitez x Galena by Phantom) as a yearling in 1959 represents the true beginning of the Strand breeding program. Through Niga, the Strands developed an appreciation of the *Witez II traits and purchased mares of that line to cross with him.

Niga sired a lifetime total of 99 purebred foals, two purebreds and four Half-Arabians have National wins.

In the 1960s, the Strands promoted Arabians as family horses and fun horses. At top right, Ed with Niga in parade costume, and, below right, Ed and Bashik as Robin Hood in a costume exhibition at the Minnesota State Fair.

Above: Niga’s versatility extended to pulling a sleigh. Here he and Milton test the Iowa white stuff.

form of competition available, and they learned how to win and how to lose. Just a lot of fun and lot of special memories for all of us.”

Milton and Virginia’s son Jon recalls those years: “I had a Half-Arabian son of Niga, registered as Riot but always called Rebel. We did pole-bending, barrel-racing, rescuing, and scoop-shovel races. Probably even chariot races at the county fairs. Later on, I showed Rebel in all-Arabian shows, including halter. Just an all-round horse; you could do anything with him. And that’s still true of the Strand horses — models of versatility.”

More kids needed more horses, so the horse population at Shady Lane Stock Farm increased in direct proportion to the fun. Partbred and grade mares were bred to Janor (Bitmaar x Reina Regente by Karnak), a 1950 chestnut stallion owned by Reynhart Arvidson of Alexandria, Minnesota. Janor was the first Arabian stallion the Strands knew of, and they were totally taken by his beauty and type. Plus, the idea that the owner of a stallion could make money by selling breedings appealed to Milton and Ed, and they decided they wanted to own an Arabian stallion themselves.

In 1959 Ed and Vivian went horse shopping and came home with the stallion Bashik (Ahrany x Karib by Rifnas) as a mate for the partbred and grade mares. Bashik was touted for his many athletic talents, plus a few tricks. For the Strands, he doubled as a show horse shown in the manner typical of those days of Arab divisions in open shows. “I’d ride him in one class and Ed would ride him in the next one, and back and forth all day long. Pole-bending, barrel-racing, anything that came along,” Milton recalls. “Another exhibitor teased that we’d had that old horse in everything but the kitchen sink.” Ed even showed Bashik in native costume and in a costume exhibition at the 1963 Minnesota All-

Arabian Show as Robin Hood.

The lady from whom the Strands bought Bashik asked why they were shopping in Nebraska when they had some of the best Arabians in the country in their backyard. Specifically at Gainey Arabians.

At the Gainey farm, Ed and Vivian encountered Bob Powers, the manager, and a handsome black yearling colt named Niga (Nitez x Galena by Phantom).

Niga boasted impressive bloodlines: a grandson of *Witez II with a number of lines to Skowronek, through Phantom, *Rifala, and *Raseyn, and through Gainey, Selby, Crabbet, and Kellogg breeding.

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“Bob told us if we bought that black colt, we’d get started right with Arabians. And he was correct,” says Vivian.

“We must give Bob credit for that start. After we got Niga, we started buying mares. His first foal was born in 1960, a bay filly out of Kal El Dina, a *Raffles granddaughter.”

“Niga was a gold mine for us,” Ed noted in 1991. “We sold a filly he sired and made more money than we did in feeding 85 head of cattle. That showed me something about raising high-quality horses.”

Through the first years of breeding to Niga, Ed and Milton developed a special appreciation of the *Witez II line.

They purchased *Witez II granddaughters (Kalintha Witez and Martez) and great-granddaughters. And bred them to Niga and to Niga’s son G-Amigo. So, for the most part, the Strand program became the *Witez II line blended with horses of Crabbet and Polish lines, as developed by the Gainey and Kellogg programs.

The Gainey connection was strengthened when Dan Gainey sent Ferzon daughters to be bred to Niga. (He later leased the stallion, taking him to his farm at Owatonna.) One year, he sent GaRageyma (Ferzon x Gajala by *Raffles), a mare Gainey considered to be exactly what an Arabian mare should be. Ed fully agreed and asked if Gainey would give him a chance to buy one of the resulting foals, especially a colt. Gainey said no.

But later Ed acquired a daughter of Phantom (Image x *Rifala by Skowronek), a mare of interest to Gainey in that he had owned Phantom at one time. Gainey wanted the Phantom daughter, Ed wanted Ga-Rageyma’s 1963 Niga colt, and the horse-trading began. Ed simply made the purchase of the colt the condition of selling the Phantom daughter. And that’s the way G-Amigo became a Strand stallion. His first foals were born in 1966, and members of the Strand family bred to him through 1978.

“G-Amigo was a real show horse,” Vivian remembers. “Ed showed him a lot, in halter and in pleasure driving and park.

G-Amigo won in the ‘most classic’ classes nearly every time

Above: G-Amigo (Niga x Ga-Rageyma by Ferzon) at home on the Iowa farm.

Right: The Strand notables: Virginia and Milton, G-Amigo, and Ed and Vivian at the original family farm in Minnesota.

Below: G-Amigo and Niga in native costume at the Iowa farm.

Bottom: Both Milt (left) and Ed loved a good driving horse. Here they are with G-Amigo at the Iowa farm.

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Top: Milton and Virginia’s collection of Niga daughters at Strands Minnesota Arabians in 1979. Left to right: Szonnet (x Rozhann by Raffon), Nizetta (x Bint Waazetta by Kallwaaz), full sisters Nigala and Nigalla (x Gallamett by Gallant), Nilynn (x Dahlynn by Comar Garit), Win-mills Firefly (x Waraq by Warande), Ni-Leesa (x Galisa by Ferzon), Nileya (x Dahlynn by Comar Garit), and Maarni (x Gamaa Rose by Gamaar) .

Middle: Jody Strand bred Miss Amerrica (G-Amigo x Cin-Troyronek

by Ala-Bim) for four foals, sired by Delmarel Patriot, Street Fair, and Hal Of Adeal.

Bottom: Two of Ed and Vivian’s grandchildren enjoy time with one of the Strand Arabians. With nine children (four for Milton and Virginia, five for Ed and Vivian) and 25 grandchildren, promoting the Arabian as a family horse came easily.

out because that’s what he was: classic. We collected a lot of the Gladys Brown Edwards trophies that many of the shows gave for the ‘most classic’ winner. In those days, our show circuit took us into Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota.”

With the new emphasis on breeding, showing became more serious, but still had its fun elements as breeders promoted Arabian horses through the showring. Virginia and Vivian recall fellow Midwest exhibitors Dan Gainey, Toik Halberg, Don Boggs, Bob and Mary Taylor, Carol Carbonell, Dave and Jean Gilligan, Lloyd Butler, Larry and Nettie Chaffin, the Bruce McLaughlin family, and Roy Gustafson.

In 1965, Ed and Milton sold the family farm to work full-time with horses. Ed and Vivian and their children moved to Iowa, settling at Oelwein, Iowa, on the farm of Lloyd Butler, who had a dairy herd and kept some Arabians. (“Ed always did like to milk cows better than I did,” Milton remembers.) Ed managed both the dairy and Arabian programs, and somehow in the process sold Niga to Mr. Butler.

Milton went to work for Dan Gainey, training and working horses, a stint that lasted four years. “I was the first person to let Mr. Gainey ride Ferzon,” Milton recalls. “I’d been riding him and when Mr. Gainey walked up, I asked if he’d like to ride him? ‘You mean I can ride him?’

Gainey asked. ‘Why not? You own him.’ ” They came back from a ride out on the trail, Mr. Gainey much impressed with the sweet nature of the stallion.

In 1969, Ed and Milton repurchased Niga and again combined their Arabian breeding operation, this time selecting acreage at Toddville, Iowa, near Cedar Rapids. “The only building on the 52 acres was part of a house,” Vivian remembers. “One of the first things we did was to build the big barn and get the horses moved in.” Soon, Strands Arabian Stables was known as Iowa’s largest full-service farm owned and operated by one family.

More *Witez II blood was added through mare lines, and more stallions descended from Niga and G-Amigo were used at stud.

Outside horses came for training in all disciplines. Ed showed as often as he could in pleasure driving, his favorite. Showing of the Strand horses went on, as in the 1970 and 1971 triumphs for G-Amigo. So the years went by — showing, breeding, training, marketing. Now three generations of Strands were involved.

By 1976, with their families grown up, Ed and Milton decided the time had come to dissolve their partnership. Milton and Virginia and their family found a farm near Welch, Minnesota, named it Strands

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Below: Vivian and Ed Strand and Winmills G-Ameron (G-Amigo x Waraq x Warande).

Bottom: Ed Strand bred 12 foals by Winmills G-Ameron, 1988 Canadian Top Ten Stallion and Regional Top Five English Pleasure and Stallion Halter. “Ameron” was sold last fall; Vivian retained one of his daughters.

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Minnesota Arabians, and carried on with the business of breeding. Several of the foals from the first years back in Minnesota carry Minnesota or MN as part of their names.

Training and showing were still important. “But not on the big-time show circuit,” says Virginia.

Milton and Virginia bought a new stallion, Grand Diamond (Ferzon x Galatia by *Royal Diamond), a 1971 grey who represented three generations of Gainey breeding. “We knew breeding the Ferzon daughters to Niga worked well,” Milton notes, “so I thought I’ll just turn this around and breed Niga daughters to a Ferzon son. And I had real good luck that way.

“We had some awfully good Niga daughters. Back in Minnesota, the first one we raised was Nigalla, out of Gallamett (Gallant x Nejmett by Tut Ankh Amen), a mare with ten lines to Skowronek. Nigalla produced 16 foals for us, nine of them sired by Grand Diamond or his sons.”

Other mares that produced well for Milton and Virginia include Nigaliza (Niga x Starring Seliba by Bagdad), nine foals; Miss Minnesota (G-Amigo x Rodina Dee by Do-Royal Roaq), five foals; Ms MN Martez (Mister Amigo x Martez by Nitez), five foals; and Szonnet (Niga x Rozhann by Raffon), six foals.

“We also bought the Gainey-bred mare Gadat, sired by *Royal Diamond (Oran x Grey Royal) and out of Gali-Rose, one of Mr. Gainey’s favorite mares,” Milton relates. “Gadat proved an awfully good show mare, went reserve to a Ferzon daughter one year in a show in Iowa. She produced by Ferzon, by a Ferzon son, and then two foals by G-Amigo, and one by Niga.”

Through Volume 71 of the stud book, Milton and Virginia used these stallions five or more times: Grand Diamond 24 times, then his sons Grand Jazz (x Jazzin by HMR Pharod) seven times, Grand Slamm (x Nileya

by Niga) six times, and MN Diamond Chip (x Gee-Wiz

by G-Amigo), 14 times. Other stallions: R-Witez (Omega Witez x Zhar-Amigo by GAmigo), 12 times,

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Right: Hal Gibby (*Hal Gazal x G-Amaka

by G-Amigo) was purchased by Ed and Vivian in the late 1970s. With the Strands, Hal Gibby went U.S. and Canadian Top Ten Stallion and Canadian National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure AOTR. He was sold and later exported to Brazil.

Middle: Omega Witez (x Little Bit by *Raseyn) was one of three *Witez II sons Ed and Vivian used at the Iowa farm. Here he is with a friend of Vivian’s.

Bottom: For Milton and Virginia Strand, R-Witez (Omega Witez x Zhar-Amigo by GAmigo), linebred to Niga, represents fine use of the *Witez II blood.

and Sat-Har (Niga x Rasouma by Rasoulmatall), six times.

“Yes, I like the *Witez II line just as much as Ed did,” says Milt, “and I have this *Witez II grandson here that’s just out of this world.

His name is R-Witez, a black bay sired by Omega Witez and out of a G-Amigo daughter, so that gives him one more cross to *Witez II, as well. Sounds like I’m bragging, I know, but I have five stallions in my barn: three sons of Grand Diamond (Grand Jazz, Grand Slamm, and MN Diamond Chip), R-Witez, and De Caj Har (Sat-Har x DD Caj Dahl

by Gee-Anigo). De Caj Har — ‘DJ’ — is just a gorgeous thing, black, and marked identical to his grandsire Niga, black with a star and one sock. But somebody else should own him. I’m getting old and can’t show him anymore. Also have his full sister MN Lynndee, a black, who produced a super-good black and white pinto. (We breed a few pintos too.) MN Lynndee is our only mare to foal this year. She’s bred to R-Witez, so we’re hoping for a black because he sires black and her dam was black and there’s the black from Niga.

“This year, for some reason, mare owners are hot for the *Witez II blood. Guess they’ve discovered how smart they are and how easy they are to work with.”

At Strands Minnesota Arabians, Milton and Virginia and their sons Jon and Lewayne care for about 50 horses, including some boarders.

Jon, in taking over much of the responsibility for the program, plans to cut back the inventory and to concentrate on training and working horses for others and on breeding outside mares. “Times have changed,” Jon notes. “When my parents first got into Arabians, they were breeding, raising, and selling. Now, it’s better to keep just a few good horses, the ones you really want, and concentrate on providing services for others. Like my father, I like all disciplines, but I especially like to work with western and driving horses.”

In 1995, Milton’s fellow horsemen recognized his lifetime

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involvement with horses, his thorough enjoyment of them, and his skill in convincing others to share in that enjoyment.

The Minnesota Horse Council presented Milton with the “Horseman of the Year” award, the twenty-sixth person to be so honored in the history of the Council. The citation reads, in part: “Mr. Strand has introduced many persons to the enjoyment of horses. His farm has hosted endurance clinics and sleigh days. Many farriers practiced on the horses on his farm as part of their training. He helped with a horse plowing contest and has driven in the Grant County Covered Wagon Train for 11 years. He has given buggy rides for patients at children’s hospitals; he gives carriage rides for wedding processions and has even driven a horse-drawn hearse in a funeral procession. His farm has been the host farm for visiting students from Japan, Russia, and Germany. He has encouraged and helped many individuals to get started in the horse training industry.” Four sons,13 grandchildren, and three step grandchildren, some of whom are showing horses, knew of the days and years of effort leading to the award. “A true ‘horse whisperer,’“ says Virginia of Milton’s accomplishments.

Meanwhile, at the Iowa farm, Ed continued to collect *Witez II line breeding stock. He purchased two *Witez II sons, Black Magic (x Nafalla by Alla Amarward), a black, and Rondo (x Nafa by *Raseyn), a bay. When he couldn’t buy, he leased, and brought in the *Witez II son Omega Witez (x Little Bit by *Raseyn), the AHSA High Point Arabian Stallion in 1971 and 1972. “The AHSA awards were Ed’s reason for wanting to breed to Omega Witez,” Vivian recalls. “He was very set on breeding for performance.” Omega Witez’s show record includes three U.S. Top Tens in Native Costume. Two *Witez II daughters were leased — Vanda Witez (x Never Die Nirvana

by Rafmirz) and Mona Witez (x Witezana by *Witez II), and they produced foals by Niga, Black Magic, and G-Amigo.

Rondo was sold; Black Magic and Omega Witez ended their days in the care of the Strands.

This Page: Three of the five stallions at Strands Minnesota Arabians.

Top: Grand Jazz (Grand Diamond x Jazzin by HMR Pharod) takes a victory pass with Lewayne Strand.

His show record includes two Canadian Top Tens in English Pleasure AAOTR for prior owners and placings in English pleasure (open and amateur) at the MAHA show.

Middle: MN Diamond Chip (Grand Diamond x Gee Wiz by G-Amigo) represents Milton’s skillful blending of the Ferzon and *Witez II lines.

Right: De Caj Har (Sat-Har x DD Caj Dahl by GeeAnigo), a grandson of Niga and a great grandson of G-Amigo.

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Right: Grand Slamm (Grand Diamond x Nileya by Niga), 1984 stallion at Strands Minnesota Arabians, traces to Skowronek 23 times, through *Raffles, *Rifala, *Raseyn, Naseem, and *Rossana.

Middle: Milton and Virginia established Strands Minnesota Arabians at this 30-acre farm at Welch, Minnesota in 1976.

Bottom: When Ed and Milton and their families settled at the Iowa farm in 1969, building stables and pastures was the top priority. Here’s how the barns and pastures looked in the early 1990s.

In the late 1970s, Ed tried a new bloodline, but one with a connection to his old tried-and-true lines. “At the farm of Minnesota breeder Toik Halberg (Halberg Arabians, Iron, Minnesota), Ed spotted Hal Gibby, when he was just a youngster,” Vivian recalls, “The colt was of particular interest to Ed because his dam G-Amaka is a daughter of G-Amigo. Hal Gibby’s first Strand-bred foals were born in 1981, and we bred mares to him 14 times.” Hal Gibby added a pure Polish line through his sire *Hal Gazal (*Eleuzis x *Bufa by Negatiw).

The Strands continued to breed to Niga and to his son G-Amigo, as well as to Niga descendants Chal-Migo, El-Migo, Le-Amigo, Nigas Magic, and Nigas Witez.

In the late 1980s, Ed added Delmarel Patriot (*Padron x Delmar -El Judeah by Garis) and Winmills G-Ameron (G-Amigo x Waraq by Warande). Through Volume 71 of the stud book, the Strands bred to “Patriot” seven times, to Winmills G-Ameron 12 times.

The mare G-Valentina (G-Amigo x Gallamett), the most prolific mare, produced ten foals for Ed and Vivian from 1970 through 1987. Other mares used four or more times: Bint-Niga (Niga x Martez by Nitez); G-Amigos Maria (G-Amigo x Mamba by Czartez); Mar-Challe (Chal Migo x Martez); Nigas Tiffany (Niga x Aretis by GAmigo); and Witezia (Niga x Fathalla by Tiran), all with one or more lines to Niga or Nitez.

While Milton and Ed’s breeding programs met with success in marketing and showing, the second generation of Strands got into the breeding. Milton and Virginia’s sons Alan, Jon, and Mark, and Ed and Vivian’s sons Dale, Merrill, Ron, and Jody all became breeders, all using the same bloodlines.

Jody Strand, Ed and Vivian’s youngest, “began going to horse shows before he was born,” as Vivian says, “and I can’t tell you how many stick horses he wore out in the aisles of horse show barns. When Jody was four, Ed put him up on Niga, saying he trusted Niga more than he would any pony, another indication of the temperament of that old horse. By the time of his high school years, Jody knew his destiny: horse trainer.”

“Dad was the main influence in my becoming a trainer,” says Jody. “Just watching him show G-Amigo and all the

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winning those two did and how hard he worked at it. I learned a lot of little things from a lot of different people along the way, but Dad was my mentor.

“When I was 14, with the permission of clients, Dad would let me do all the work on client horses. As soon as I finished high school, I went full-time training.” Hal Gibby was the first Strand horse Ed turned over to Jody 100 percent; Jody, in nine months, made him a National winner: 1980 Canadian National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure AOTR, and the stallion was three times Canadian and U.S. Top Ten Stallion.

Jody’s trainees are housed in the stables built on the farm soon after the family moved to the acreage. Although it’s seen almost constant remodeling and years of maintenance, it’s still the same handsome barn with 55 stalls and a 150’ x 60’ heated arena. Jody has 40 horses in training right now. “Most of my clients are in western pleasure, but we do English, driving, and hunter pleasure as well,” says Jody.

Clients are mostly Midwest-based, but some come from as far away as Texas. “I really enjoy working with amateurs — 50 to 75 percent of my clients are amateurs. They’re a lot of fun,” says Jody. “Used to have a lot of youth riders, but they’ve grown up and gone to college. I have a lot of adult amateurs right now.”

The most recent major show for Jody was Scottsdale 1998, his first time showing there in ten years. He and his trainees came away with Reserve Champion Half-Arabian Western (open) for The Mystical Penny, owned by Barbara Sink-Krusenstjerne of Waukee, Iowa, and Reserve Champion Western AAOTR 18-39 for Patriots Image (Delmarel Patriot x Bint-Niga), owned by Katie and Joe Russell, Woodside, California, ridden by Katie.

On the show circuit, Jody-trained horses will be presented at Regions 10, 11, and 13, and at Region 6 or 8, along with the qualifying shows for those Regional championships. Plus Canadian and U.S. Nationals. That itinerary will take them into seven or eight states. “No one in the family has ever kept a record of show wins, but you can say I have multiple

Top: Ed and Vivian bought Delmarel Patriot (*Padron x Delmar-El Judeah by Garis) in the late 1980s. “Patriot” is a great grandson of Niga through his son Garis.

Middle: At Scottsdale 1998, Jody’s trainee Patriots Image (Delmarel Patriot x BintNiga by Niga) collected Reserve Champion Western Pleasure AAOTR 18-39 (with owner Katie Russell), a fine follow-up to 1994 Canadian National Champion Western Pleasure JOTR 13 and Under and earlier Canadian and U.S. Top Tens Western Pleasure (JTR, JOTR, Open, and Junior Horse).

Right: Ed and Vivian Strand at the 1980 Canadian Nationals, with the evidence of the quality of their breeding and training programs.

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Top: A contemplative Ed Strand in fall 1997, shortly before his death at age 78.

Bottom: In January 1996, Milton Strand (with Virginia) accepted the 1995 Minnesota Horseman of the Year award, presented by the Minnesota Horse Council. The award represents decades of association with horses – from the farm work horses to “Trigger,” his first horse as a teen-ager, to champion Arabians.

National Champions,” Jody notes.

In spring 1997, Jody bought the family training business and early in 1998, he bought the Strand farm. “Everybody stays,” he says. “My brother Merrill, the bookkeeper and accountant, and Ryan (my nephew, son of my brother Ron) both live here on the farm. We have four houses on the farm — a family compound, really.”

Ed Strand died last November, at age 78.

“Ed was a mover and a shaker in the Arabian horse world,” Virginia wrote of him. “He loved the *Witez II bloodlines and was never shy about expressing his opinion. We are all glad that he got to see his youngest son Jody become a top National-level trainer and a judge. Ed is sorely missed.”

The stallions Patriot and G-Ameron were sold prior to Ed’s death and much of the young stock has been sold since. Vivian retained three horses, daughters of G-Ameron, Patriot, and Hal Gibby.

The Iowa farm holds nearly 30 years of memories for Vivian. Jody as a tot tumbling off the mare Ramiffa and the mare standing there looking down at him, wondering when he was going to climb back on. Ed putting Jody, as a four-year-old, on Niga’s back for a filming session, Ed so concerned that all went well that he lay down on the grass, believing himself to be out of camera range, but there he is, sticking his head up now and then to see how Jody was faring. The fun of receiving a letter addressed simply to “Strandville” at the Toddville zip code. The decision-making process, with each family member having a vote in the farm operation. The contributions of sons and grandchildren to the strength of the Strand reputation for turning out welltrained, well-mannered, and talented Arabian horses. And for the present, the everyday reminder of Jody’s intense love of his occupation and, it follows, his success therein.

Versatility, excellent temperament, enjoyment — those are the Arabian horse qualities the Strands promoted to the world. “I can’t count all the owners that bought their first horse from Ed or from Dad,” says Jon Strand. “That’s a good contribution to the breed in itself.

They raised horses that were good all-around horses for just about anything anybody would want to do. Very workable, very trainable horses. All this is pervaded by Ed and Dad’s terrific love of horses. That’s what inspired them to do all this — just a genuine love of horses.”

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Ten Commandments for Breeding Arabian Horses (As supplied by Milton and Virginia Strand and by Vivian Strand, recalling Ed Strand’s thoughts.)

1. First of all, an Arabian horse must look like an Arabian horse. Look for those qualities that distinguish the breed. In the head: beauty, big eyes, small ears, dished face, and a pronounced jowl. In the body: a long thin neck, high tail carriage, a short back, a well laid-back wither, and a lengthy hip. (The long hip makes for a smooth way of going.)

2. Next, in importance, good temperament — a horse that accepts training comfortably and is willing. When making breeding decisions, know the disposition and trainability of any stallion you’re considering for your mares.

3. Next, good legs and feet, the foundation of the horse. Very important.

4. Put your emphasis on quality. Buy or breed a few good horses, really good horses, rather than a number of average horses.

5. Satisfied customers are the best advertising for any breeding program.

6. Don’t worry about coat color. I’ve never seen a good horse of a bad color.

7. Don’t worry about size. I prefer an Arabian of 14.2 to 15.1. Sometimes larger horses lose their Arabian type.

8. Study your horse; learn what your horse is built to do. Don’t try to make a park horse out of one that has a western way of traveling.

9. Be aware of the amount of the time and effort it takes to prove a young stallion.

10. Enjoy your horses. Involve family members — as many generations as possible — in the fun of breeding, training, and showing Arabian horses.

Above: Like the other eight Strand grandchildren, Jody learned horse husbandry early on. Here he bottle-feeds an orphan foal.

Right: Amerons Nafalla (Winmills G-Ameron x NZ Molly by Natez), bred by Ed Strand and trained by Jody Strand and his nephew Ryan Strand, made her show debut last April in western pleasure junior horse.

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