NEWS
sf aftershoc+
sending "shoc" waves through scottsdale
By COLLEEN SCOTT
When SF Aftershoc (SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance) took to the arena the last Saturday night of the 2021 Scottsdale Show in the Liberty Championship Finals, the 16-year-old purebred stallion captivated the entire crowd. With Shan Wilson and long-time caretaker, fan, rider and promoter Vicki Humphrey encouraging him, the stunning chestnut did not disappoint. In fact, his Liberty performance, to the music of Lionel Richie’s “Dancing on the Ceiling”, garnered him a perfect 50, the only perfect 50 of the show and one of just a handful through the decades of the show.
“It was definitely a highlight of my career,” says Wilson. “And it was really great to be able to share that experience with Vicki who campaigned that horse for so many years and really promoted him. He’s a special stallion and letting him show off for people was really fun.”
That SF Aftershoc still has the charisma, incredible movement and Arabian type at his age shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that has followed his storied career and that of his progeny. “He’s one of a kind,” says Wilson. “He is really athletic and very forward-thinking and moving. He loves to work and still shows up every time with a lot of enthusiasm, whether he is being shown at liberty, worked in Wendell Arena or in the round pen at home.”
Besides being treated to seeing SF Aftershoc in the Liberty class, there were a handful of bystanders who got to see him work under saddle. Midweek during the show, Shan needed to exercise the horse and had Jennifer Hagale (her parents, Jim and Martha Hagale, own the stallion) hop on to ride “just for fun.” After a few canter laps, she dropped the stallion to a trot and it wasn’t long before people recognized him.
“We had people coming up and asking if it was Aftershoc and talking about babies they had by him or babies they had seen,” recalls Wilson. “It was really fun. We even had people come by his stall and ask to meet him.”
Beyond SF Aftershoc’s dynamic Liberty performance, his progeny at the show were also remarkable. They achieved winning results across an incredibly wide range of disciplines, including Park, English Pleasure, Country English Pleasure, English Show Hack, Native Costume, Hunter Pleasure, Western Side Saddle and Halter. The titles were captured by purebreds and Half-Arabians alike, with junior riders, amateurs and professionals aboard.
In total, Aftershoc offspring finished in the top ten 39 times, including four champions: Eye Candy VH, in the Half-Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse with Jessica Clinton aboard; Foxxy Brown, in the AHPA Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure AOTR; American Hustler, ridden by Haley Waldschmidt, in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure JTR 14 and Under; and Captivating Moves, with Katie Long in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure JOTR 14 and Under (also named Reserve Champions in JTR). In all, SF Aftershoc sired six Reserve Champions.
“We were really excited to see Aftershoc’s offspring perform so well in multiple disciplines,” says Wilson. “It’s just a great testament to his ability to pass on his athleticism, work ethic, go forward attitude and arena presence. We’re looking forward to continuing to help people select mares to breed to him.”
“It was definitely a highlight of my career,” says Wilson. “And it was really great to be able to share that experience with Vicki who campaigned that horse for so many years and really promoted him. He’s a special stallion and letting him show off for people was really fun.”
That SF Aftershoc still has the charisma, incredible movement and Arabian type at his age shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that has followed his storied career and that of his progeny. “He’s one of a kind,” says Wilson. “He is really athletic and very forward-thinking and moving. He loves to work and still shows up every time with a lot of enthusiasm, whether he is being shown at liberty, worked in Wendell Arena or in the round pen at home.”
Besides being treated to seeing SF Aftershoc in the Liberty class, there were a handful of bystanders who got to see him work under saddle. Midweek during the show, Shan needed to exercise the horse and had Jennifer Hagale (her parents, Jim and Martha Hagale, own the stallion) hop on to ride “just for fun.” After a few canter laps, she dropped the stallion to a trot and it wasn’t long before people recognized him.
“We had people coming up and asking if it was Aftershoc and talking about babies they had by him or babies they had seen,” recalls Wilson. “It was really fun. We even had people come by his stall and ask to meet him.”
Beyond SF Aftershoc’s dynamic Liberty performance, his progeny at the show were also remarkable. They achieved winning results across an incredibly wide range of disciplines, including Park, English Pleasure, Country English Pleasure, English Show Hack, Native Costume, Hunter Pleasure, Western Side Saddle and Halter. The titles were captured by purebreds and Half-Arabians alike, with junior riders, amateurs and professionals aboard.
In total, Aftershoc offspring finished in the top ten 39 times, including four champions: Eye Candy VH, in the Half-Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse with Jessica Clinton aboard; Foxxy Brown, in the AHPA Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure AOTR; American Hustler, ridden by Haley Waldschmidt, in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure JTR 14 and Under; and Captivating Moves, with Katie Long in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure JOTR 14 and Under (also named Reserve Champions in JTR). In all, SF Aftershoc sired six Reserve Champions.
“We were really excited to see Aftershoc’s offspring perform so well in multiple disciplines,” says Wilson. “It’s just a great testament to his ability to pass on his athleticism, work ethic, go forward attitude and arena presence. We’re looking forward to continuing to help people select mares to breed to him.”