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u.s. national champion junior stallion
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V A L E N T I N O
The Stallion Whose Time Keeps Coming
s sleek and confident as a panther, he entered the arena and once again pounced on a U.S. National Championship. This is a familiar hunting ground for DA Valentino (Versace x DA Love) and entirely his territory now, for with this U.S. National Junior Stallion Championship, he has become yet again, the most decorated Arabian halter stallion ever. And he is only a five-year-old. Valentino started trotting off with National titles as a yearling, when he was named the U.S. National Champion Breeders Sweepstakes colt. In 2006, he earned three: unanimous Canadian National Champion Stallion; U.S. National Champion Futurity Colt; and U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion. He was named U.S. National Champion again in 2007 and 2008. In addition, he is the reigning champion stallion at Scottsdale. Valentino first claimed the Scottsdale title in 2007, a feat he repeated the following year. Scottsdale was also the show
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where judges named him Supreme Stallion in those years — and for the first time ever unanimously in 2008. He has also won multiple Regional championships and the Buckeye Sweepstakes. All of this accomplishment is shared with his trainer and handler David Boggs, who says several pairs of expert eyes recognized the colt’s beauty, talent, and potential early. “I have never seen a horse like Valentino and maybe I never will again,” David says. “There is no way to adequately describe him. I met him as a young yearling. He had won Region 12. I got a call from some friends on the rail who told me, ‘It doesn’t matter what horses you have, forget them and bring lots of money and get on a jet.’ And I did just that and have never looked back.” David arranged a purchase for Dan and Maureen Grossman of Stone Ridge Arabians, and while David and the Grossmans never looked back … judges have been getting an
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371 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ JANUARY 2009
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individuals. And he has eyeful, including the the best of all of them. five judges at the 2008 You can sometimes see Nationals in Tulsa. *Padron. He has one “I think DA pose that you’d swear Valentino was the you see *Padron. Then best horse in the he has the shoulder and show,” says Terry the throat and the neck, Holmes, “and an that’s Magnifficoo.” absolutely beautiful “In our minds, he Arabian stallion. He was the greatest Arabian looks like an Arabian horse we had ever seen,” stallion should look. says Michele Pfeifer of I have seen Valentino Shellbird, Inc. Michele since he was a and David Halsch National champion purchased Valentino as a yearling and I this year at Scottsdale. have seen him win “I have owned and/ most of his National or stood some of the championships. He is breed’s best, including a true champion.” da valentino and david boggs at the 2008 u.s. nationals. Bey Shah and *Padron, Rick Moser’s and the dream of my high score of 126 life has always been to have my own ‘Black Stallion.’ Color was eliminated in the new scoring system, as was Valentino’s notwithstanding, Valentino perfectly fits that bill.” lowest score. Rick has a simple reason for awarding such high Michele was also enraptured by the horse she and David marks. “Valentino was one of the two very best halter horses saw in the showring. “From a strictly visual standpoint, we in the show. I thought he was an absolutely breathtaking kind love the near perfection of his structure. But more important, of horse. He has some very extreme features about him and his spirit, his intelligence, and most of all his incredible overall he had just about everything.” kindness are immeasurably captivating.” “He is almost perfect,” adds David. “He has probably the When the opportunity to buy Valentino popped up, greatest shoulder and neck in the breed. He also has a willing Michele recalls the short amount of time it took David Halsch attitude, and he is extremely athletic. A lot of great horsemen and her to make a decision. “Three days! Before that, we have been amazed at how athletic he is. Then you look at had no idea that he might be for sale. In fact, we bought ten his pedigree. breedings to him a month before we bought him. We started “There is no denying DA Valentino’s bloodlines. Bred discussing the possibility on Thursday at the Scottsdale show, by Dolorosa Arabians, DA Valentino on paper belongs in and closed the deal on Saturday night, the night before he some kind of national archive. Sired by the immortal Versace, was named the he is out of the first-ever unanimous exquisite Padrons Bey Shah Fame VF Supreme Scottsdale Psyche daughter Raffoleta-Rose Versace Champion. It DA Love,” David *El Shaklan Precious As Gold was surreal!” says. “The rest Autumn In Gold From there of his pedigree, DA VALENTINO it was on to the includes close-up *Padron Padrons Psyche excitement of names such as, Kilika DA Love another U.S. Ali Jamaal, Echo Echo Magnifficoo Magnifficaa FA Nationals title Magnifficoo, Bey Jamaara FA in Tulsa. Shah — all amazing 372 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ JANUARY 2009
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j horse is beyond exciting! Like a large percentage of the most knowledgeable breeders, judges, and trainers in the Arabian horse community, we believe that Valentino will indeed be an enormously important breeding stallion.” “As a sire, he definitely will be an influence,” adds David Boggs. “No doubt about it. I have seen a handful of his foals that are yearlings now, and they are outstanding — Scottsdale winners, Regional winners, and in the marketplace — we have sold about three and a half million dollars’ worth of offspring. The international reception of his foals has been great, in the Middle East, South Africa, Europe, and Brazil. He will be breeding some of the greatest mares in the Arabian breed.” Michele agrees. “His foals thus far are consistently beautiful, elegant athletes that also possess their sire’s unique combination of refinement and size. Valentino’s semen is being requested around the world, and his sons and daughters are being exported to a variety of other countries. So he is already having a worldwide influence. Valentino’s value to the breed will, without question, be as a sire that passes on the traits for which he is best respected as an individual.” DA Valentino — a remarkable stallion whose time continues to come.
“Valentino was the second stallion to be presented, and with the new system, we were unable to make any immediate comparisons — so it was a little nerve-racking. All in all, a very nice group of stallions competed with Valentino that Thursday afternoon in Tulsa,” Michele continues. “That made it a special honor that our boy earned the highest overall score given to any halter horse at the 2008 United States National championships. Of course this is easy to say now! In retrospect, one can sound, even feel, sane. When we saw the last horse’s score, and we knew Valentino had won, we were laughing and crying and hugging, and crying and, and, and … The truth is, there’s absolutely no way to describe the emotions we felt and shared with our extended family in that moment!” But Michele and David know Valentino’s destiny will require him to exit the showring at some point. “When we signed on to be ‘owned by’ Valentino, we hoped we would have the chance to enjoy his continuing success in the showring. But his potential as a breeding stallion was, and is, far more important to us. It’s a great bonus that his foals thus far are fantastic, even though he is a young sire. The prospect of sharing the future of this great
da valentino’s owner michelle pfeifer, left, and maureen grossman, who with her husband dan, formerly owned valentino.
373 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ JANUARY 2009