April 2008 Newsletter
Western Carolinas Spring Show…
In a manner of speaking, all those of us who were in attendance at Western Carolinas’ Class A show in early March certainly earned a pile of Endurance miles! We endured extremes in weather rarely seen in Upstate South Carolina.

The weatherman had predicted lows near 30 and highs in the 40s for the weekend, with windy conditions, but he forgot to say “gale force.” And where the wind will usually die down at dusk, it didn’t!

If we hadn’t been so darned cold, we might have found humor in the sight of humans wrapped in horse blankets to ward off the wind.

None of this kept the “show from going on,” however. Numbers were down slightly, but the quality was high, as always. And you should be able to see a full list of show results on the club’s website at www.wcaha.org in the very near future.

One note and a thank you from an exhibitor: During the show, a Western Carolinas young rider from North Carolina took a tumble off her horse in the warm-up area. EMTs and an ambulance were called to assist her. She has emailed our club secretary and asked that the following be sent to our membership and show staff. Here it is… (and I know that at one point, Maggie was wrapped in a Western Carolinas horse cooler to keep her warm while she waited…)

I just wanted to thank you so much for all your help during my fall on Saturday. As I'm sure you know, I am home from the hospital and resting comfortably. The surgery went fine, and the recovery will be long, but it will heal, and hopefully I'll be up and ready for nationals this year!

Everyone was so helpful that afternoon, and I have absolutely no idea who was there to my aid. Would there be any way that you could post something on the website or in the newsletter thanking everyone for me? They will never know how much I appreciate all the help.

Feel free to call if you need anything, and I will check my email about once daily.

Thanks Again,
Maggie Souders

Several reminders for WCAHA membership: 

• Final results on the All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction will be in next month’s ArabianNews, but so far we are ahead of last year. (At March 15th writing.) Also, available on the club website.
• You can now find show results and a full report of the club’s minutes from the most recent Board Meeting on the club website at www.wcaha.org. .
• If you haven’t attended before, you might consider spectating at the Biltmore endurance ride May 3 in Asheville, NC. Our club hosts a waterbreak, with club members distributing bottled water and snacks to riders as they pass by.  I helped out a couple of years ago, and the vista of horses, trailers and makeshift paddocks was a sight to see. In my opinion, it was probably as close to the “in your tent” aspect of Arabian ownership as I’m likely to see soon… Seriously, it’s worth a drive to observe.
• Finally, see elsewhere information about the upcoming Farm Visit at Dr. Ed Davidson’s Southern Heritage Farm June 1st. We are planning a picnic, and an educational discussion of the changes in halter judging as a result of the implementation of the Halter Scorecard. Watch your emails! Info coming soon…
  

The following was submitted to WCAHA about new member, Sandra Abe. She and her husband have bought property in Aiken, SC, and will move South when their farm in Virginia sells. Abe has supported Western Carolinas’ All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction in the past, and expects a foal from an auction breeding in May 2008.

Welcome, Sandra and Larry. We look forward to meeting you!

Sandra Abe named to ARIA’s Circle of Honor

The American Riding Instructors Association has named Sandra Abe of Emmanuel Equine Facility in Strasburg, Virginia, to the 2007 Instructor of the Year-Circle of Honor.

Friends, students, and Top Professionals nominated her earlier in the year for the Riding Instructor Magazine’s Top 50 Riding Instructors List. ARIA notified Mrs. Abe she was also nominated for Instructor of the Year Award. Along with the other candidates, she was honored at the National Riding Instructors Convention December 7-8 in Naples, Florida. 

Charlotte Kneeland, Executive Director of ARIA quoted, “the Circle of Honor Award is comprised of the top candidates around the nation not chosen for Instructor of the Year.  Even though it isn't the top honor, it is quite a distinction in itself.  There were quite a few nominations for Instructor of the Year, and many of those entered didn't even make the list. There are over 2500 members worldwide.”

The ARIA organization was founded in 1984 and has headquarters in Bonita Springs, Florida.  ARICP Certification is internationally recognized and is meant for the serious, above-average instructor who teaches safely and in a professional, competent manner, with high standards of honesty and integrity.

Mrs. Abe has a Lifetime Certification in Hunt Seat, Western, & Stable Management and is an Adjunct Instructor at Lord Fairfax Community College in Equine Studies. Experienced at Judging Schooling shows, she coached the local FFA Horse Judging Team for 3 years, consistently placing in the Top 5 out of 32-36 Teams at State Competition. In 1999 Mrs. Abe attended the Judging Seminar in Lexington, KY at the Egyptian Event and is currently studying to become a Licensed Judge with the United States Equestrian Federation & Arabian Horse Association.

For more information go to www.emmanuelequinefacility.com

FARM TOUR & HALTER SCORECARD CLINIC AT
SOUTHERN HERITAGE FARM,
SPARTANBURG, SC

Sunday, June 1, 2008

The membership of Western Carolinas Arabian Horse Association is invited to an afternoon of fun
and education at Dr. Ed Davidson’s Arabian farm.

Plans are being made to have a presentation regarding the implementation of the new halter scoring system that was voted into existence in 2006 by the delegates to that year’s Convention. Our November show will use this method of evaulation for both Futurity and regular halter classes.

A picnic lunch will be provided, and everyone will get a chance to see
and enjoy Ed’s new 2008 foals.

Mark your calendars now so that you don’t miss an opportunity to renew old acquaintances,
meet new friends, and learn something in the process!

Be watching your emails for detailed information as it becomes available.

Dec. 2007 Newsletter
Submitted by Carol Johnson

This year’s Western Carolinas’ Class A show at Clemson was the most successful in recent memory, and the weather much nicer than last November. Total numbers were up—180 horses entered the show, with 175 actually showing. The breakdown is as follows:

• 21 Dressage horses - 57 rides (20 of these showed in other classes - 1 horse showed dressage only)
• 49 Halter horses (32 of these horses showed in other classes - 17 halter only)
• 44 Sport horses (34 of these horses showed in other classes - 10 sport horse only)

As Patti Rowe, club secretary notes, “The fact that most of these horses cross over into the other classes is what makes this show so successful.”

Twenty-nine weanlings and yearlings showed in eight Futurity classes, with the largest class being yearling fillies, with eight presented. Of particular note, is the fact that there were 10 half-Arabians shown to judge Brian Murch—quite a large number compared to previous years’ entries. (See elsewhere the list of winners and owners). To continue reading click here

Denni Mack, Monticello, GA, proudly accepts the Grace Greenlee special award for her half-Arab colt, Call Me Collect. “Collect” was the overall winning half-Arabian in the Futurity classes, as well as winner of the weanling Futurity colts class.

2007 Futurity Winners [ click here ]

T. Wayne Jones, Roanoke, VA, and WCAHA member, accepts the Reserve Champion Reds for the placing of his and Cindy’s filly, Tsullivans Custommade, in the half-Arab weanling Futurity class at WCAHA’s Clemson show in November 2007.
T. Wayne Jones Member Spotlight [ click here ]

Sept. 2007 Newsletter [ click here ]

Membership Spotlight Elaine Sweet [ click here ]

Member Successes--Robin Staley [ click here ]

WCAHA Members Successful at Egyptian Event

Sleepy Tyme Gal and Anna Caroline Chinnes from the Region 15 Championships (pictured below)

This June, WCAHA members took horses to the Pyramid Society’s Egyptian Event held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The Egyptian Event is the premier showcase for breeders of straight Egyptian and Egyptian sired Arabian horses. Besides a full array of halter and performance classes, the Event features a number of demonstrations, clinics, and lectures, as well as the Pyramid Challenge Endurance Ride.

Whitehaven Plantation’s trainer Trisha Blackwell and working student Anna Caroline Chinnes showed WH Phanale (Blu Epic x Phateehah by *Orashan) to numerous Top 10 placings. Trisha and the 4-year-old straight Egyptian mare, owned by Martha Lucas, placed 9 th in World Class Mares, while 14-year-old AC showed her to 6 th place finishes in the highly competitive Amateur Halter Mares/ Novice Handler (21 horses) and Halter Mares JTH (14 mares). Not to be outdone by her baby sister, the lovely 6-year-old straight mare WH Carolina Blu placed 4 th out of 10 horses in Hunter Pleasure Open. This was Carolina’s first time back in the show ring since last year’s Event, and despite being four months pregnant she performed like a seasoned pro. The “Blu’s Sisters” then joined together to represent their parents, placing 2 nd in Produce of Dam and 3 rd in the extremely large Get of Sire class.

On the final day of the Event, AC rode her own 8-year-old straight gelding WH Gibraltar (WH Bodacious x JKB Monietta by Theegyptianprince, bred by Whitehaven Plantation) in the 50 mile Pyramid Challenge Endurance Ride. Despite starting from behind, AC moved up the ranks to finish in 4 th place out of 28 starters and was the 1 st junior rider to cross the finish line. Gibraltar was the first Egyptian Arabian to finish, thereby repeating his win of the ceremonial saddle for 1 st Egyptian from last year’s 25 mile ride. AC and G’s win this year marks the 4 th time that a Whitehaven owned, bred, and/or trained horse has won the saddle (Trisha and the farm’s Desert Sword won in 2002, while Gibraltar won it in 2004 with Rebecca Hayden and 2006 with AC—no other farm has yet to accomplish this) and the 3 rd time that a single horse has won it. In 2006 AC was the first junior to ever win this award in either the 25 mile or 50 mile distance, and this year marks the first time that a single horse and rider has won it in both distances.

Trisha and AC will next be traveling to Lexington, VA, to compete in the Shenandoah Valley I and II shows in preparation for this year’s Sport Horse Nationals.

Rebecca Fulkerson, a WCAHA member, reports her successes at Region 12 earlier this summer. Her horse RA Manaloa and she were reserve champions in the PB Western Pleasure AAOTR 18-39. Manaloa recently went top five also at Region 15 in that same division and also top five with Carla Shiltz, of Rick Gault Training, in the Open Western Pleasure class. RA Manaloa also competed at Canada and will do so at the US Nationals with Carla and Fulkerson.

June 2007 Newsletter
Submitted by Carol Johnson

All kinds of things are wrapping up with an equal amount of things beginning. Here’s a few.
Don't miss the June Member Spotlight on Janice Boswell & Shugak's 30th!

All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction ends

The All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction is over (assuming I won’t receive a bid today, which is the last day, May 15th). This year’s auction is the most successful in the program’s history. More than $20,000 has been raised from bids from across the nation, and every penny after expenses will be returned to the winners of weanling and yearling Futurity classes at Western Carolinas'’Fall Show at Clemson, Nov. 2-4, 2007.

Sharing the Wonder - Thirty years of magic

Shugak…elegant, impressive, incredible presence, unquestioned character.
These are the terms that describe our host - who was also the Equine of Honor  - at his 30th Birthday Celebration.

In the absence of his owner, Janice Boswell of Jazzaron Arabians, Shugak greeted his guests, posed for pictures and made the event as special for everyone as Janice had always dreamed it would be. He brought life to her vision of celebrating their 30-year partnership even though she was unexpectedly unable to be present because of serious illness.

With approximately 50 guests attending, Shugak was the center of attention and conducted himself with such dignity and friendliness that he charmed each and every person and had greatly increased his circle of admirers by evening's end. [read more]

The Boswell Story

My mother used to tell me that “to have a friend, you have to BE one.” If ever there is someone who lives her life by this philosophy, Janice Boswell is that someone—she’s cultivated a circle of the very best of friends. When Boswell was unable to attend the long-awaited 30 th birthday party that she had been planning for weeks for her beloved stallion, Shugak, these friends stepped up and made it happen in her absence. But we get ahead of the story.

Boswell has owned and worked with Arabians since she was 16, developing an appreciation for their intelligence, and for the challenges they present during the training process. She worked with Lamar Fisher, an area trainer, to hone her skills, and as her abilities grew, she began to train for others. Among her first clients were Bonnie and Steve Page and their horse, Black Magic BG. (Incidentally, Boswell switched club affiliations to Western Carolinas because the Pages spoke so highly of its membership and activities.) [read more]

Region 12

Region 12 is over, with a successful Stallion Auction of its own, and quite a few WCAHA members and owners who had good rides. The following is an incomplete list of club member winners:

Jeanne Kowalczyk

• Champion HA Hunter Pleasure 40 and over with Docs Finally
  Aadancer

Jane Garrison

• Top 5 Open HA Sport Horse Under Saddle with Docs Finally Aadancer

Kendra Erhlich

• Top 5 PB Sport Horse under Saddle ATR with PF Scherazadda
  (Congratulations, Kendra, on your first Regionals ride and win!)

Jane Garrison

• Top 5 PB Sport Horse under Saddle with PF Scherazadda

Chloe Iversen

• Reserve Champion Hunt Seat Medal Class, Not To Jump 13 & Under with TC Kharpe Diem

Connie Ross

• Champion PB Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR with Rohara Eurofire+++/ (Mookie)
  Also with Rohara Eurofire, PB Hunter Pleasure AAOTR 40 PB Sport Horse In Hand Geldings, Open: Top 5 PB Sport Horse In Hand Geldings, ATH: Top 5 With the additional halter points, Mookie has now earned his Legion of Supreme Merit in addition to his Legion of Supreme Honor he earned last fall, so now he is officially Rohara Eurofire +++/ !!!

Elaine Sweet

• Champion HA/AA in the Sport Horse Under Saddle Futurity with ZP Helios Champion HA/AA Sport Horse U/S Jr. Horse, also with ZP Helios Reserve Champion HA/AA Sport Horse Geldings in Hand ATH, also with ZP Helios
• Reserve Champion PB Arabian Sport Horse Show Hack. ATR with AM Romany Honor Top 5 USEF Third Level Dressage-Test 3- ATR with AM Romany Honor

Emily Cosgrove

• Reserve Champion PB Country Pleasure, 14-17 JOTR with Heywired

Carey Cosgrove

• Top 5, Walk-Trot Equitation with DA MI Matosk. Also, Reserve Champion Walk-Trot Country Pleasure with DA MI Matosk

Betsy Cosgrove

• Top 5, H/A Hunter 40 and over with Helen Wheels. Also, Top 5, PB Country Pleasure 40 and over, with Heywired. Betsy writes that the whole family is thrilled at their successes at Regionals, and wish to thank Emily’s doctors, therapists, and Carolyn Schroter for helping her prepare herself and her horse for Regionals while riding with “just one good arm.” (Emily re-injured her shoulder last fall, and has undergone surgery to repair it.)

Robert and Kenna Burbeck

• Partners in the Marhaabah Legacy on their stallion’s Region 12 Reserve Champion Stallion. And congratulations to his manager, Chris Anckersen.

Becky Tolson’s mare, HH Manno Chrome, was Top 5 in the HA Junior Horse Country English Pleasure with Vicki Humphrey up.

Emily Cosgrove was named a unanimous winner of a Region 12 Scholarship for 2007. Emily, your fellow youth and adult club members are very proud of you and the work you do with junior riders.

Will winter ever end? The weatherman is calling for 40-60 mph winds tonight and blowing snow in the upper reaches of the western Carolinas. The Northeast is taking another pounding as well. And it’s April 15 th, for heaven’s sake! I accept the blame, however, as I planted some annuals the day before Easter. Me, with the black thumb. Mother Nature is trying to teach me a lesson. Sorry, folks.All-Star Stallion Futurity Auction

The auction is over and very successful. $17,975 was raised, and will be distributed after expenses are deducted, to the winners in weanling and futurity classes that will take place at the Fall Western Carolinas Show at Clemson, Nov. 2-4, 2007.

Many thanks to the stallion owners who so generously contributed their stallions’ services. And to the breeders who were the successful bidders. The stallions that were sold are: Al Marah Fight Fair, Beaunifide Bey, Botswana, Blackwind Jafar, Chacaros Spotlite, CS Khasanova, DA John Wayne, DCA Exxodus, El Nabila B, Famous Echo SCA, Genuine Design, Kruise, LD Pistal, Maranello, Marhaabah, ML Mostly Padron, Orashan, Shaddofax, and Star Gazal.

High Point Nominations still being taken

You can still nominate your horse to take part in the WCAHA high point program. Simply download a form from the club’s website (www.wcaha.org) or look elsewhere in this issue of the ArabianNews. For just $10, your pursuits in the show ring and elsewhere can potentially be recognized at the club’s annual Awards Banquet that takes place each January.

A BIG “Thank you” goes out to the Cosgrove family for making the beautiful neck garlands that were awarded to Junior and Equitation winners at the Spring Show. Another example of the wonderful volunteers who work ceaselessly “for the cause.”

Need a Venue to Sell those Ponies?

Check out the possibilities in a boxed ad elsewhere in this edition that explains the advertising program available on the club website. Club members can advertise their farms and/or their horses in a text ad for free, and they receive favorable prices on other advertising as well. Non-members can also purchase ads to be placed on the club’s website.

WCAHA Fall Show

Another reminder: November 2-4, 2007. Be there. Lots of fun, with Futurity classes, Sport horse and Dressage days, and the usual mix of main ring classes. Brian Murch is judging, and sport horse/dressage judge will be announced soon. And THIS YEAR, we won’t have to contend with Clemson football. If you’re an early bird, you might want to nail down rooms at the sponsoring motel, The Comfort Inn.

J’Arab Farm, owned by Carol and Fred Johnson, announces the arrival April 25 th of Adia, an Adoniis filly out of Besqua Dia. Adia is the full sister of the Western Carolinas’ 2006 Reserve Champion Futurity Filly, Preemadoniis.

Vern Schryer's new filly out of regional champion SS Spotlight and Roses. She is sired by Versaces Gold and her name in Roseanna LA (pending). According to Schryer, she is “all legs and no spots!”

2007 January Lynn Kenelly Story - [click here]

2007 January Newsletter - [click here]