Arabian Horse Times

Fire And Goldd

by CATHERINE COLE FERANDELLI

The love affair between Holly Hill Farm’s owners, Renee Pelzman and Morgan Runyon, and their burnished copper stallion, Fire And Goldd (Afire Bey V x Brassmis), continues to flourish. After acquiring Goldd in 2019, the mother/daughter team witnessed last year, their first foal crop of six purebred and four Half-Arabian babies.

“We were so thrilled with Goldd’s babies! Two of his Half-Arabians, Fools Goldd and Heart of Goldd, we have bred back to give us full siblings,” says Morgan. “The mares had been leased to a friend for the 2021 season and are now checked back in foal for us for 2022 and we could not be more excited!” Two Saddlebred mares, The Sun’s Out and El Baile, have also been key components to Holly Hill Farms’ breeding success. Morgan continues, “The Sun’s Out (Sunny) is by CF First Night Out and out of a magnificent Radiant Sultan daughter, with lines going back to Valley View Supreme, Status Symbol, New Yorker, Supreme Sultan, and Glenview Radiance. El Baile (Honey) is by Kalarama’s Spanish Dancer and out of a spectacular daughter by CH Talk of the Town. Within her bloodlines are six Broodmare Hall of Fame dams: Duchess of Grandview, Oman’s Anacacho Maytime, Crebilly’s Plumb Beautiful, Putting on Airs, Melody O’Lee and CH Supreme Airs. Her pedigree is also chock-full of world class sires including CH Yorktown, New Yorker, CH Valley View Supreme, CH Wing Commander, Supreme Sultan, and Harlem Globetrotter. These Saddlebred crosses with Goldd have been absolutely out of this world, so I decided to add another mare to our group, with our purchase of Landmark’s Dolly Parton (Dolly) who is sired by the great (SA) Tomcat. Dolly is exceptionally refined and easygoing and if you didn’t know better, you’d think she’s Half-Arabian herself! We’re anticipating an exceptionally beautiful and talented 2022 baby.”

After purchasing Goldd from world-class breeder Marty Shea, his first foal crop with Renee and Morgan was the product of a bit of experimentation. Long-time Arabian horse lovers, owners and amateur show exhibitors, the duo had never owned a breeding stallion of Goldd’s caliber. Fortunately, their experiment was a resounding success. “We knew Goldd produced great progeny, having already sired national champions,” Morgan smiles. “What we didn’t know was how he would mesh with our mares and those of the wonderful mare owners who chose to breed to him for the first time. I can’t say we were totally surprised, but we were really thrilled with Goldd’s 2020 crop. They were all so exceptional that we chose to keep some and sell a few to show horse owners who we knew would give them not just a quality life, but the opportunity to blossom and time to grow into great show horses.”

Katie Burr-Solek (Burrline, LLC) of Temecula, California, purchased the then-weanling Half-Arabian chestnut colt, Fools Goldd (x The Sun’s Out), as a future show prospect. Morgan and Renee couldn’t be happier for Katie in joining the ‘Goldden Family’. Heart of Goldd was also sold as a weanling to a new owner in the Midwest. “We can’t wait to see these two dynamic boys in the show ring one day . . . it will be hard not to cry when we get to see them again,” shares Morgan.

Another new owner/breeder to the family last year was Brooksley Sheehe of Tshampagne Arabians. Brooksley is a longtime friend and fellow breeder and now, a true believer in Goldd. “Fire and Goldd complements my mares by throwing stretch, phenomenal attitudes, beauty and athleticism in both purebreds and Half-Arabians. I am so pleased with his foals, I intend to reproduce the same crosses I bred. I adore my Goldd babies!”

Now 14 years old, Goldd is seeing the rise of his second-generation progeny. Boisvert Farms, LLC’s 6-year-old stallion, Barcelona BF, is a national champion park, English pleasure and driving horse with ten young offspring of his own and more to arrive in 2022. Many other Goldden children have also made their mark in the show ring and Goldd is booked to a number of mares who themselves are national champions and national champion producers.

Holly Hill Farms has a strong lineup to represent Goldd at the 2021 U.S. Nationals, including their National Champion, Goldd Standard showing in the Open and AAOTH Half-Arabian Saddle Type Gelding 3 & Over, with Morgan and Steve Heathcott, as well as Open and AATD Pleasure Driving, with trainer Dwane Hankins in the Open. Their reserve national champion Glitter and Goldd will compete in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure Junior Horse with Dwane and Morgan in the Maturity, and Goldden Girl will represent in the Half-Arabian Saddle Type Mares 3 & Over, both in Open and AAOTH, as well as English Pleasure Junior Horse with Dwane. “I’ve waited a long time to show these two fillies,” says Morgan, “it’s going to be an exciting end to the year!”

While show ring success is powerful proof of Goldd’s prowess as a breeding stallion, Morgan and Renee are equally committed to their belief in his exceptionalism and treat each of his progeny as its own individual. Morgan examples, “I bought Glitter and Goldd basically sight-unseen from Marty Shea; all I saw was a quick snippet of a video. I brought her home and let her take her time growing up. That seemed to be the right recipe for her. Dwane started her slowly, and we didn’t show her under saddle until very recently. At age five, she has really grown into herself; a big, incredibly bold, ultra-confident mare that possesses all the English pleasure thrills. She personifies why people fall in love with ‘red-headed’ saddle seat horses!”

Holly Hill Farm’s owners are happy to carry the mantle of being curators and ambassadors for the Arabian horse breed and, especially, for Goldd. They welcome visitors to see Goldd and his babies and love making new friends who share their passion for great horses. “When we bought Goldd, Tim Shea said he ‘finally has his own statue and spotlight.’ We intend to keep that light burning brightly!”

#StayGoldden