$100,000 Arabian English Sweepstakes At Scottsdale
by Christy Egan
The $100,000 English Pleasure Futurity, organized by the Arabian English Performance Association, is in its third year, and its name has been changed to the Arabian Saddle Seat Futurity. The name change may not be an exciting improvement, but the energy of this class’s enthusiastic supporters and spectators was off the charts. The first Sunday afternoon, the individual workouts were held in the Wendell Arena at the end of the session. On the rail, the substantial crowd was interested, attentive and loud. It was fun to simply walk around the Wendell and listen to the conversations and comments. Saturday night the finalists returned for the thrilling class showdown in the Equidome.
The winner of this prestigious competition was SF Aftershoc (SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance, by Promotion), a 4-year-old chestnut stallion ridden by Peter Stachowski. It was the first time in the ring for the oldest offspring of the great English pleasure show horse, SF Specs Shocwave. Bred and owned by Jack and Alicia Guzman-Pace, SF Aftershoc was considered by many to be the hands-down favorite and won the class unanimously. Reserve honors went to Turn It Up (Baske Afire x Morgan Le Fay), ridden by Shawn Rooker for Robin Porter.
“It was my first time to show in the pattern class,” admits Peter Stachowski. “I was a bit nervous, but once I got into the ring it was fine. The Wendell is a great place to show horses. I thought that the quality of the class was much better than last year. This was SF Aftershoc’s first show. He’s an extremely talented and smart young horse. He handled the show well and settled into the stabling just fine. He got tense in the Equidome. It was nighttime and dark, but he handled it well. He’s very similar to his sire in motion and talent. He’s also responsive and naturally soft in the bridle, just like Shocwave. We’re not going to push him. He’s going to be a great horse, so we’ll take it easy with him this next year. Maybe we’ll show him; maybe not.”
“SF Aftershoc is SF Specs Shocwave’s only 4-year-old, and the youngest horse in the class,” says owner Jack Pace. “Between the other sires in the class, there are some 150 4-year-olds. Alicia and I think Shocwave did pretty good. Next year there will be two full siblings to Shocwave ready to show. There are also two full sisters (a yearling and a 2-year-old) to SF Aftershoc waiting in the wings.”
SF Spec’s Shocwave is a three-quarter brother to Baske Afire. There were three Baske Afire offspring in the final ribbons, and two sired by IXL Noble Express as well. Other stallions with one representative each in the top ten included AA Apollo Bey, Triften, MHR Nobility and Pension.
“Entries this year were about the same as last year,” notes Brian Murch. “Sixteen were actually presented in the class. It was the third year for the Futurity and by far the strongest group. We’re going to work harder on communication next year. Our website needs attention, and we want to have a good color commentator for the class so that the audience can be educated, and feel even more interested and invested.”
The champion in this class took home $40,000, with $20,000 going to the reserve and $5,000 each to the remaining top ten. Trophies and prizes were also contributed by the AEPA Corporate Sponsors—Radon Incorporated, Schneiders Tack, and Succeed®.
In addition to the Futurity, the AEPA held a Maturity class for the first time, using the same two-class system, with amateur riders. There were five finalists, and the class winner was GSF Ambienze (Apollopalooza x PWA Tusea), with Juliet Carden in the irons. Second place also went to an Appolopalooza offspring, Gotta Wear Shades (x Matariaelle Girl), with Robin Porter up. The class was a great success, and will return to the Scottsdale show in 2010 with 5- to 7-year-olds allowed to enter, instead of only 5-year-olds, as was the case in 2009.
Meanwhile, everyone is equally excited about the upcoming Ohio Buckeye Show and the second appearance of the AEPA yearling class. Held last year on Friday night, this new class drew one of the largest crowds of the entire Buckeye show. Designed to showcase the potential of the young English prospects and the breeding strengths of their sires, it was also created to be a marketing venue for breeders producing top quality Arabian English pleasure prospects.
Last year AEPA president Joel Kiesner noted that there were approximately 500 Arabian foals registered each year that are bred to be English-type Arabian horses. He said that the group expected to have about half that number—250—eventually involved in the class. Barbara Chur reported that there were 162 nominations for this year’s yearling class at the Buckeye. If even a third of them show up to compete in Ohio, the AEPA Yearling Class will be one of the show’s largest competitions.
The Scottsdale Futurity and Maturity and the Ohio Buckeye Yearling class are just the tip of the iceberg for this vital and inventive group. The AEPA has a long term plan for the Arabian English pleasure horse in the U.S., and they are doing something about it with excitement, enthusiasm and integrity. In the process, they are setting a formidable example for the entire Arabian horse industry.
2009 ARABIAN ENGLISH PLEASURE FUTURITY RESULTS
Champion - SF AFTERSHOC
(SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance, by Promotion)
Bred and owned by Alicia Guzman Pace
Ridden by Peter Stachowski
Reserve Champion - TURN IT UP
(Baske Afire x Morgan Le Fay, by Safire)
Bred by Shawn and Carmelle Rooker
Owned by Robin Porter
Ridden by Shawn Rooker
Top Ten, unranked –
NOBLE APHRODITIE
(IXL Noble Express x EA Aphroditie, by AA Apollo Bey)
Bred and owned by Karlton Jackson
Ridden by Joel Kiesner
BASKE ALARM
(Baske Afire x VF Fires Alarm, by Allience)
Bred by Valleyfield Farm
Owned by Donald and Corinne Allen
Ridden by James Stachowski
A TO Z
(AA Apollo Bey x MC Zia Jabask, by GG Jabask)
Bred by Robin Porter
Owned by Elvin Berkheimer
Ridden by Carmelle Rooker
DA CAVALIER
(Triften x DA Eyes Onfire, by El Ghazi)
Bred and owned by Dolorosa Arabians Ltd.
Ridden by Rob Bick
NOBILISTIC BF
(MHR Nobility x Love Of Wisdom, by Wisdom)
Bred and owned by Boisvert Farms LLC
Ridden by Joel Gangi
NOBLEISTIC
(IXL Noble Express x GW Im Penny, by HV Bizon)
Bred and owned by Loretta Reeder
Ridden by Sharon Blendinger
TOI MONEY
(Pension x Toi Jabaska, by Matoi)
Bred by Cedar Ridge Farm
Owned by Teal Dowling
Ridden by Kevin Price
CP SMOOTH OPERATOR
(Baske Afire x Ultra Flame, by Bask Flame)
Bred by California State Polytechnic University
Owned by The Brass Ring, Inc.
Ridden by Gordon Potts
2009 ARABIAN ENGLISH PLEASURE MATURITY ATR RESULTS
Champion – GSF AMBIENZE
(Apollopalooza x PWA Tusea, by HF Toluce)
Bred and owned by Nick and Juliet Carden
Ridden by Juliet Carden
Reserve Champion –
GOTTA WEAR SHADES
(Apollopalooza x Matariaelle Girl, by Zodiac Matador)
Bred by David Johnston
Owned by Robin Porter
Ridden by Robin Porter
Top Ten, unranked –
NOBLE EMPRESS
(IXL Noble Express x Chamorrita Afire, by Afire Bey V)
Bred by Maroon Fire Arabians, Inc.
Owned (at time of win) by Kellie Frye
Ridden by Kellie Frye
ERA MADUSA
(IXL Noble Express x Miss Desdamona, by AA Apollo Bey)
Bred by Marie Jones
Owned by Tracy and Roy Dowson
Ridden by Tracy Dowson
ONLY IN VEGHAZ
(A Temptation x Las Veghaz, by El Ghazi)
Bred by Venture Farms, Inc.
Owned by Nat, Lacy and Julia Turner
Ridden by Julia Turner
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