Top left: *Ras El Ayn (Axdir x *Meca) was a 15.2 hand dappled grey Spanish Arabian stallion imported from Spain in 1934 by James Draper. He was the perfect ambassador for the Arabian breed in the 1939 and 1940 Tournament of Roses Parades in Pasadena, California. The stallion led the parade with grace and calm in front of cheering crowds, while his rider, A. N. “Al” Shureen, played a trumpet. Middle left: The AERC riders’ group Grand Marshall, Gayle Pena (AERC member PS Region) of Moreno Valley, California with Hes All Heart (Bay Saladin x Kalikka).
Endurance Arabians to showcase the breed in the Rose Parade
STORY BY KIMBERLY RIVERS • PHOTOS COURTESY OF LISA PECK
*Ras El Ayn
(Axdir x *Meca) was a 15.2 hand dappled grey Spanish Arabian stallion imported from Spain in 1934 by James Draper. The stallion had the intelligent eye, alluring grace, and the classical carriage and build of the ancient Spanish lines. He was the perfect ambassador for the Arabian breed for the approximately one million people who witnessed the 1939 and 1940 Tournament of Roses Parades in Pasadena, California, on New Years Day. The stallion led the parade with grace and calm in front of cheering crowds, while his rider, A. N. “Al” Shureen, played a trumpet. A Rotarian newsletter printed by the South Pasadena Rotary Club, of which Shureen was a member, declared the horse to be worth $75,000 in 1939.
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Arabians have remained frequent participants in the Rose Parade, seen most often in native costume — a favorite of the crowds. The 2016 parade will also feature a group of Arabians: but they will not be in native costume, nor decked out in showring attire. These Arabians, Half-Arabians, and an Anglo-Arabian (great-grandson of Seattle Slew) — joined by a few members of other breeds — will be riding in the January 1, 2016, Rose Parade to promote the sport of endurance riding and the American Endurance Ride Conference, the national governing body for the sport.
The AERC Rose Parade Riders will not only showcase a sport they and their horses love, but with a majority of Arabian or Half-Arabian horses (17 out of 25) in the mix, they will be showing the world — the Rose Parade is broadcast in over 200 countries — the versatility, beauty, and intelligence of the breed. The AERC riders are one of 19 equestrian groups selected for the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade. The group’s Grand Marshall, Gayle Pena (AERC member PS Region) of Moreno Valley, California, organized the efforts to get the group accepted into the parade. Pena has been in the parade as part of the Region 1 Native Costume group, and has participated in AERC rides since 2003, accumulating 2,320 endurance miles (ride distance of 50 miles or more) and 1,450 limited distance miles (ride distance of 25 to 35 miles). “I’ve had it in my heart to open up the opportunity for endurance riders to form a parade group since I last rode in the Rose Parade with my Region 1 Costumed Arabians,” said Pena. The AERC is helping to organize fundraisers and encouraging members to contribute to the extensive costs associated with being in the parade. The coordinating tack, riding attire, travel, and stall fees for the week before the parade can really add up. The group began meeting for practices and rides, as Pena had to make sure all the horses were properly trained and desensitized to various things they might encounter at the many parades the group would be attending over the year. Some members of the group are veteran parade riders. For others, this will be their first parade. The event will surely be a different experience for these endurance horses. They will be spotless, with polished hooves, and there are rumors of some of the endurance horses wearing tail bags this year to ensure they have show quality tails for the parade. A show quality tail is not generally a top priority in the endurance world. In addition to the riding team, the group has volunteers prepping their travel, trailering, stalls, paperwork, and the all-important out-walkers, who will accompany the group on the parade route, to help the riders if needed. Photographer Lisa Peck stepped in as official group photographer providing images for the application, media, and in general documenting the group’s adventure to the Rose Parade. 231 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ DECEMBER 2015