Category: Magazine Cover Stories

Supported by a family of talented professionals, including daughter Amanda Fraser (Royal’s breeding manager and a skilled competitor in the amateur division), Cindy McGown and Mark Davis have grown their Arabian horse business the same way as they have their other successful businesses—with a global perspective. Such an outlook has made Cindy’s girlhood dream of horse ownership blossom into a family passion and the multi-faceted breeding and marketing leader that Royal is today. For marketing tips look at the indexsy.com site.

The incredible stallion power accumulated at Royal Arabians was on full display at their Stallion Showcase during the Scottsdale Show. Guests to the farm were treated to a tasty repast and up-close-and-personal viewings of a notable slate of potential breeding choices. One after the other, the stallions underlined the fact that so many breeders are willing to place their valuable horses under Royal’s management. Resplendent among them, draped in a yellow garland, was this issue’s cover horse, Halyr Meia Lua.

Bred in Brazil by Lenita Perroy, Halyr was named the 2013 Brazilian National Gold Champion Junior Colt as a yearling. He comes by his incredible type naturally, being a son of Ajman Moniscione, himself the European Reserve Champion Stallion and Best Head winner at the World Championships as a yearling. On his dam’s side, Halyr boasts additional type through multiple crosses to Ali Jamaal, with contributions from El Shaklan and Monogramm. Along with an abundance of type, Halyr’s smooth, correct body and fluid movement are uniformly passed to his offspring, consistent with the breeding philosophy at Royal Arabians that their horses are not only competitive in halter but are also talented performers under saddle.

Halyr Meia Lua’s son, Habibi Jamaal (x SHR Glory Be) was a 2021 United States National Top Ten Hunter Pleasure Futurity winner after previously earning the 2019 Region 7 Reserve Champion Stallion honors. Other top winners by Halyr include RD Halyra (x MC Adoniia), the 2021 Canadian Champion Futurity Filly and 2020 Scottsdale Champion Mare AOTH; Royal Fantazia (x RA Princess Jammal), the 2019 Scottsdale Champion Mare AOTH and 2019 Arabian Breeders World Cup Champion AHBA Legacy Yearling Filly ATH; and the 2022 Scottsdale AHA Champion $10,000 In-Hand Trail Extravaganza 2-Year-Old, Royal Hammond (also out of RA Princess Jammal).

Abroad, Halyr Meia Lua has sired a number of champions including Bianca AL (x Giuliana El Shawan), who is owned by the famous Hanaya Stud of Switzerland. Bianca was the 2020 Gold Champion Senior Mare at the Prague Intercup, Gold Champion Senior Mare at the Arabian Horse Weekend, and the 2021 Silver Champion Senior Mare at the Verona International Cup. In Brazil, Halyr is represented by 2020 Brazilian National Silver Champion Young Stallion, Abbas Al Ventur (x Emozione Al Ventur), and 2019 Brazilian National Silver Champion Junior Junior Colt, Positano ELS (x Nahja ELS).

According to Cindy, the intent is to cross the Halyr Meia Lua offspring with another foundational Royal stallion, Royal Asad (El Tino x Lumiar Ethna), and the Asad progeny to Halyr to achieve the next level of Royal breeding. Taking his place at Royal has allowed Halyr to reunite with his old friend Rodolfo Guzzo, who showed him as a baby to his national title in Brazil. After moving to America, Guzzo lost track of the colt until he began to see the quality of the foals that he was producing on visits back to Brazil. In 2022, Halyr Meia Lua’s book includes 2017 United States National Champion Senior Mare and 2018 Scottsdale Champion Senior Mare, Queen Ayda FWM (FA El Shawan x TN Mariani), and other Royal broodmares, Royal Bendetta (FA El Shawan x JR Burmagny) and GH Magna (GH Magnum Nice x Verona RA), among others. Judging by Halyr’s exceptional offspring now on four continents, there is every reason to anticipate outstanding results.

With less than 10 years as an Arabian horse owner, exhibitor and breeder, what Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, The Amazing Horsewoman LLC, has achieved is nothing short of well, amazing.

From her introduction to the Arabian horse in 2012 when a friend took her to an Arabian show barn, Dr. O’Reilly was hooked. And now, as she says, “I’m all in.”

Dr. O’Reilly bought one horse, and then another, and then another. She also began riding and driving herself, fully admitting to being a “later in life” rider. And a very successful one at that.

Wanting to expand into breeding and have a home for her show horses, she purchased Southern California Equestrian Center in late 2018. A 22-acre ranch in Somis, CA, it’s where Dr. O’Reilly prefers to be rather than in her home in Montecito.

The horses at the Southern California Equestrian Center include some impressive performance stallions that are the cornerstones of her relatively new breeding program.

There’s Life Inthe Fazt Lane (Vegaz x River Dance NA, by A Major Fire), winner of multiple reserve national championships and regional championships in the open English division. A 10-year-old bay stallion, Dr. O’Reilly thinks he’s capable of making her program one of the best. “My goal is to be one of the top breeders and breed for quality, not quantity. I am selective and will continue to be with my program,” she says. As for Life Inthe Fazt Lane—or Eddie, as he is affectionately called—while he brings it when he’s in the ring, she says people don’t even realize he’s a stallion when he’s in his stall. “He’s just the sweetest, most gentle soul.”

“Eddie posessess some great talent from the Vegaz line,” she continues. “He’s got great movement, a beautiful neck and a lot of show ring presence. We’re really excited about the babies he already has on the ground and are looking forward to their show careers.”

Dr. O’Reilly also owns the stunning black stallion Affliction (Mamage x PSI Love U, by Allience). He holds many regional, Scottsdale and U.S. National titles including being named U.S. National Champion Arabian Country Pleasure Driving horse and U.S. National Champion Arabian Country Pleasure English in 2020, as well as U.S. National Champion Country Pleasure Driving horse in 2021. Affliction brings the great attributes of Mamage (Zodiac Matador x CF Fire Magic, by Ariston) to her breeding program.

“Affliction is an amazing stallion, bringing a lot of what his sire and grandsire brought to the table in breeding,” says Dr. O’Reilly. “Affliction is a powerhouse in the show ring, but at home, he’s a big goofball—always the one with hay in his hair and looking like a messy cartoon character. But don’t be fooled by that, he is going to do great things for the future of the Arabian breed.”

Dr. O’Reilly also owns the remaining breedings to Mamage, and looks forward to what those careful breeding selections will bring to her program, for which she has high aspirations. “I want my horses to be getting bigger, stronger and even more beautiful, with the trainability and athleticism to perform at the highest level.”

In addition to the cornerstone stallions, Dr. O’Reilly has amassed a small group of mares with lineages that include Afires Heir, Matoi and Baske Afire.

Besides the excitement around her show ring successes and her breeding program, Dr. O’Reilly is simply excited to be immersed in the Arabian horse. “I want people to love and enjoy them as much as I do,” she says. “I don’t really ‘buy’ horses, I adopt them, like family. They have personalities. They have souls. They have attitudes. If you’re going to ‘adopt’ a horse into your family or herd, you better be all in.”

Joy, passion, love, family, connection—these are the reasons the Hagale family is back after a 20-year hiatus from Arabian horses. And they’re not just back—they’re back in a big way.

Twin sisters Jamie and Jennifer Hagale, along with their parents Jim and Mary Martha, were a common sight on the Arabian horse circuit two decades ago and were particularly known for owning the stunning chestnut stallion Mamage (Zodiac Matador x CF Fire Magic). But life happened, the twins went off to college, got married and moved—Jamie to Steamboat Springs, Colo. and Jennifer to Nashville, Tenn. Children were next for Jennifer and Jamie and their lives seemed to be full—too full to add something else. So, they satisfied their Arabian horse passion with visits to ChriShan Park (where they rode as youth riders) on their trips back home to their native Springfield, Mo.

But a few years ago, those “visits” sparked a question, “Why couldn’t we get back into this?” And the question sparked a conversation and before the twins knew it, Jim and Mary Martha were on board and the family started horse-shopping and showing. Fast forward to today and Hagale Family Arabians is fully immersed in the Arabian horse industry once again, even more so than they were before.

The Cornerstone

While the family has amassed an impressive show string and are in the process of building their own barn in Springfield, Mo., undoubtedly SF Aftershoc (SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance) is the cornerstone of their breeding program. More importantly, he’s arguably the horse that embodies their passion for the breed. Purchased in November 2020 after the passing of his longtime owner and promoter L.A. Flynn, SF Aftershoc made a stunning reappearance in the show ring at the 2021 Scottsdale Show, winning a unanimous championship in Liberty with Shan Wilson and Vicki Humphrey handling.

Those who witnessed his performance were blown away—many recalling it as the highlight of this year’s Scottsdale show.

During their time out there, Jennifer took a few memorable casual laps around Wendell Arena with him. “We were trying to ride him when no one was around,” recalls Shan. “But word soon got out and people were coming to watch. He was just so bright out there, never dropped an ear. That kind of planted the seed and I told the Hagales that they really needed to show him at some point.”

With no specific plans for when SF Aftershoc would potentially return to the show ring (he hadn’t been shown in a performance class for nearly a decade), the Wilson brothers continued to work him lightly to keep him conditioned. Jennifer and Jamie even rode him at the farm the weekend of a photo shoot. And, one famous photographer, Stu Vesty, even hopped on for a spin.

“The photo shoot with everyone riding him, me, Shan, Stu, the twins, really sealed the deal for me,” says Chris Wilson. “Even at the end of a long day he was still so game and looked so good.”

But the family was still a little unsure about showing Aftershoc. It was a risk—he’d been out of the performance spotlight for quite a while—and what if things went poorly? Would that ultimately hurt his reputation? Mary Martha, generally the voice of reason, was especially concerned about showing him.

“It was a lot of back and forth,” recalls Jennifer. “Should we show him? What if something happens? Which class should it be?”

Chris concurs, “It was a big decision to show him at the U.S. Nationals. So, we just entered him and decided to take him and see how he worked there.”

Ultimately, the family and Chris and Shan would decide to have Aftershoc return to the ring. They even sent out an eblast the day before announcing it. “There was no going back after that,” says Jim. The intuition the team had was right on. With Jennifer in the irons, SF Aftershoc returned in glorious fashion, capturing the ABS Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot unanimously.

“The only other experience I can compare it to was riding Mamage in Madison Square Garden,” says Jennifer. “Aftershoc was just so much fun and it was just so special. I keep watching the video over and over again.”

Shan thought the horse looked incredible in the class. “He was in a great place mentally and physically and Jen rode him really well. Everything just came together. It felt like it had some magic to it. He made it look effortless.”

Chris concurs, “He just looked as good as he ever has. I am sold on that horse. He is the real deal.”

Jamie, who rode CSP Adriana (Vegaz x CSP Gisele) in the same class, says that it was the highlight of the show for her. “Getting to ride alongside my twin sister and then watching the awards and getting to run back in there for the photo—the energy of her winning that class was just incredible. Aftershoc is such a special horse. I’m really thrilled she had the opportunity to show him.” 

The Aftershoc Superstars

It wasn’t just Aftershoc making headlines at U.S. Nationals. His get had the most championships at the show, with ten rose garlands being awarded to them. In addition to those ten championships, SF Aftershoc get claimed three reserve titles and 46 top tens. These were awarded in a range of classes, including halter, English pleasure, country English pleasure, driving, hunter pleasure, show hack and native costume.

Lauren Adamek, owner of Captivating Shoc WA (x Captivating Style), winner of the Half-Arabian Mounted Native Costume AAOTR class, says Aftershoc is her sire of choice when it comes to her show horses. “His offspring are always so beautiful with loads of talent and personality.” Besides Captivating Shoc, Adamek also owns the purebred stallion Afterburner (x Quintessential Fire) and the 2-year-old Half-Arabian gelding The After Life (x Victoria’s Charm). “We are really excited for The After Life to start his career next year with John Rannenberg. I am very blessed to have these fabulous horses to love and show!”

Many people who have bred to Aftershoc have never had the opportunity to see him show, which added to the excitement of seeing him in Tulsa.

“It was a real treat to be able to watch Aftershoc show,” added Lauren. “It was awesome to see him in action and it reminded me of why we continue to buy his breedings. I personally got to spend a lot of time with him outside of the show ring. He is everything you would expect an Arabian horse to be. I am so glad the Hagale family has invested so much of their love into such an outstanding stallion, and continue to share him with us.”

The Half-Arabian mare Savage Love VH (x MBA’s Nuttin’ But Thyme), captured the Reserve Champion title in the Country English Pleasure Junior Horse Championship with Jessica Clinton aboard. Owner Jenny Lau says, “This is the first Aftershoc baby that my family has owned, but I’ve seen Jess, Vicki and Andy work with so many over the years. One thing that is so clear when breeding to Aftershoc, is that you will get a horse with a great temperament, which can make all the difference! ‘Nikki’ is just the sweetest mare, whether I’m giving her some love in her stall or riding her, she has such a willing and happy attitude. That, alongside her beauty and talent, make her a pretty special horse!”

Wendy Potts, who captured the Arabian Hunter Pleasure Futurity title with Culture Shoc (x HF Luck Bea Lady), for owner Mari Perczak, says she has loved this particular mare ever since she first saw a picture of her. “I asked Todd Hickerson to get me a video and booked a flight to go see her right away. She was the smallest horse in that class, but you’d never know it—so much ring presence!”

Lisa Blackstone, owner of Shocked N Bewildered (x Bothered and Bewildered), won both the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 60 & Over and Maturity on the gelding. She was also top ten in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure class with Jessica Clinton. “Vicki tells me Aftershoc is one of the kindest and most willing horses she’s ever been around. ‘Kenneth’ is the same. His ears are always up, he goes forward eagerly, trying to do whatever you ask, all with the best attitude possible! He also inherited Aftershoc’s elegant beauty and fluid motion. At only 6 years old, Kenneth has earned four national championships and two reserves in the Half-Arabian country English pleasure division which speaks to his amazing talent and picture perfect suitability in that division. Thank you Aftershoc!”

The list of accolades for the stallion from owners of his get goes on and on, with the underlying theme of him passing on to his offspring an incredible work ethic, great attitude and Arabian type and beauty.

The After Party

As if seeing him show and win unanimously and seeing his get perform so well wasn’t enough, like the true superstar he is, Aftershoc had his own party. Hosted by Cedar Ridge Farm, Tom and Emily Moore, Hagale Family Arabians and Arabian Horse Times, it had the feel of a Hollywood legend being bombarded by paparazzi.

Jamie recalls, “So many people were there to see him, and the moment they brought him out was just so special.”

Evidence of his popularity was not only witnessed at the party itself, but all over social media, with admirers taking selfies and posting things like: “I got to meet someone famous tonight.”

Jim and Mary Martha were excited to see so many people turn out to meet Aftershoc. “A lot of people came by to see him and it was such a fun night.”

The Future Party

While a lot of their current excitement centers around Aftershoc’s stellar return to the ring at U.S. Nationals, the stallion isn’t the only exciting horse in the Hagale Family Arabians barn.

There’s I Love Luci (HA Toskcan Sun x Laurel Hill Pennies from Heaven), who was Shan’s mount in the AEPA Half-Arabian Saddle Seat Futurity. The mare, who was Mid Summer National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse (in a class immediately after she was named champion in a walk/trot class with Shan and Molly’s daughter Ellie), finished fifth in the AEPA class and was also top ten in the Half-Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse class.

Debonheir DGL (Afires Heir x Felicia Afire) was top ten with Chris in the Arabian Country English Pleasure class, and Jamie rode CSP Adriana to a top ten in the Arabian Park AAOTR. Jennifer piloted CSP Hot Dam (Mamage x The Vintage Rose) to top tens in both the amateur Half-Arabian Park and Mounted Native Costume classes.

Another Hagale stallion, SF Destination Victry (SF Specs Shocwave x Aparty Girl) capped off an incredible year with a Reserve National Championship in Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 19-49 with Jennifer, and a top ten with Shan in the extremely competitive English Pleasure class. The Hagales were extremely proud of his performance throughout the year, including English pleasure championships at Region 11, 12 and 13, as well as claiming Mid Summer National Champion in both the AATR division with Jennifer and the Open with Shan.

“Destination Victry is the future of our breeding program,” says Jim. “He’s had tremendous success thus far, at only 7 years of age, and we cannot wait to see where he takes us, both in the show ring, and once his foals start developing.”

“We just love him,” states Jennifer, “He’s such a joy to ride—super powerful and athletic, but also so willing to work, and he has such a great disposition. Outside of the thrill of riding Aftershoc to his unanimous win, riding ‘Dusty’ is always rewarding.”

But beyond the performances and success of Destination Victry, or Aftershoc and that of his get, and even more than the victories with their other horses, the Hagale family is excited about how getting back into horses has sparked a new chapter of passion in the family.

“We’ll use any motivation that gets us to see the girls and grandchildren more,” joke Jim and Mary Martha. “We get to see them a lot more often and we are all having a really great time.”

Jamie concurs. “We really thought we would just be too busy to get back into horses with our kids and other commitments and living out of town,” she says. “But there has been something so special about getting back into horses and spending more time with my parents and my twin sister. When the Arabian horse is in your blood, I don’t think it ever leaves.”

Jim and Mary Martha are supervising the final touches of their new 100-acre farm in Springfield. The family’s future plans include continuing to breed to SF Aftershoc and their other foundation stallion, SF Destination Victry). They are also breeding to a handful of outside stallions.

Besides making plans for the business side of Hagale Family Arabians, rest assured they are making plans for the family side, and the reasons they do what they do—passion, real connection, heartfelt joy and true love—for each other, their horses and the entire Arabian horse community.

Joy, passion, love, family, connection—these are the reasons the Hagale family is back after a 20-year hiatus from Arabian horses. And they’re not just back—they’re back in a big way.

Twin sisters Jamie and Jennifer Hagale, along with their parents Jim and Mary Martha, were a common sight on the Arabian horse circuit two decades ago and were particularly known for owning the stunning chestnut stallion Mamage (Zodiac Matador x CF Fire Magic). But life happened, the twins went off to college, got married and moved—Jamie to Steamboat Springs, Colo. and Jennifer to Nashville, Tenn. Children were next for Jennifer and Jamie and their lives seemed to be full—too full to add something else. So, they satisfied their Arabian horse passion with visits to ChriShan Park (where they rode as youth riders) on their trips back home to their native Springfield, Mo.

But a few years ago, those “visits” sparked a question, “Why couldn’t we get back into this?” And the question sparked a conversation and before the twins knew it, Jim and Mary Martha were on board and the family started horse-shopping and showing. Fast forward to today and Hagale Family Arabians is fully immersed in the Arabian horse industry once again, even more so than they were before.

The Cornerstone

While the family has amassed an impressive show string and are in the process of building their own barn in Springfield, Mo., undoubtedly SF Aftershoc (SF Specs Shocwave x SF Sweet Elegance) is the cornerstone of their breeding program. More importantly, he’s arguably the horse that embodies their passion for the breed. Purchased in November 2020 after the passing of his longtime owner and promoter L.A. Flynn, SF Aftershoc made a stunning reappearance in the show ring at the 2021 Scottsdale Show, winning a unanimous championship in Liberty with Shan Wilson and Vicki Humphrey handling.

Those who witnessed his performance were blown away—many recalling it as the highlight of this year’s Scottsdale show.

During their time out there, Jennifer took a few memorable casual laps around Wendell Arena with him. “We were trying to ride him when no one was around,” recalls Shan. “But word soon got out and people were coming to watch. He was just so bright out there, never dropped an ear. That kind of planted the seed and I told the Hagales that they really needed to show him at some point.”

With no specific plans for when SF Aftershoc would potentially return to the show ring (he hadn’t been shown in a performance class for nearly a decade), the Wilson brothers continued to work him lightly to keep him conditioned. Jennifer and Jamie even rode him at the farm the weekend of a photo shoot. And, one famous photographer, Stu Vesty, even hopped on for a spin.

“The photo shoot with everyone riding him, me, Shan, Stu, the twins, really sealed the deal for me,” says Chris Wilson. “Even at the end of a long day he was still so game and looked so good.”

But the family was still a little unsure about showing Aftershoc. It was a risk—he’d been out of the performance spotlight for quite a while—and what if things went poorly? Would that ultimately hurt his reputation? Mary Martha, generally the voice of reason, was especially concerned about showing him.

“It was a lot of back and forth,” recalls Jennifer. “Should we show him? What if something happens? Which class should it be?”

Chris concurs, “It was a big decision to show him at the U.S. Nationals. So, we just entered him and decided to take him and see how he worked there.”

Ultimately, the family and Chris and Shan would decide to have Aftershoc return to the ring. They even sent out an eblast the day before announcing it. “There was no going back after that,” says Jim. The intuition the team had was right on. With Jennifer in the irons, SF Aftershoc returned in glorious fashion, capturing the ABS Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR Jackpot unanimously.

“The only other experience I can compare it to was riding Mamage in Madison Square Garden,” says Jennifer. “Aftershoc was just so much fun and it was just so special. I keep watching the video over and over again.”

Shan thought the horse looked incredible in the class. “He was in a great place mentally and physically and Jen rode him really well. Everything just came together. It felt like it had some magic to it. He made it look effortless.”

Chris concurs, “He just looked as good as he ever has. I am sold on that horse. He is the real deal.”

Jamie, who rode CSP Adriana (Vegaz x CSP Gisele) in the same class, says that it was the highlight of the show for her. “Getting to ride alongside my twin sister and then watching the awards and getting to run back in there for the photo—the energy of her winning that class was just incredible. Aftershoc is such a special horse. I’m really thrilled she had the opportunity to show him.” 

The Aftershoc Superstars

It wasn’t just Aftershoc making headlines at U.S. Nationals. His get had the most championships at the show, with ten rose garlands being awarded to them. In addition to those ten championships, SF Aftershoc get claimed three reserve titles and 46 top tens. These were awarded in a range of classes, including halter, English pleasure, country English pleasure, driving, hunter pleasure, show hack and native costume.

Lauren Adamek, owner of Captivating Shoc WA (x Captivating Style), winner of the Half-Arabian Mounted Native Costume AAOTR class, says Aftershoc is her sire of choice when it comes to her show horses. “His offspring are always so beautiful with loads of talent and personality.” Besides Captivating Shoc, Adamek also owns the purebred stallion Afterburner (x Quintessential Fire) and the 2-year-old Half-Arabian gelding The After Life (x Victoria’s Charm). “We are really excited for The After Life to start his career next year with John Rannenberg. I am very blessed to have these fabulous horses to love and show!”

Many people who have bred to Aftershoc have never had the opportunity to see him show, which added to the excitement of seeing him in Tulsa.

“It was a real treat to be able to watch Aftershoc show,” added Lauren. “It was awesome to see him in action and it reminded me of why we continue to buy his breedings. I personally got to spend a lot of time with him outside of the show ring. He is everything you would expect an Arabian horse to be. I am so glad the Hagale family has invested so much of their love into such an outstanding stallion, and continue to share him with us.”

The Half-Arabian mare Savage Love VH (x MBA’s Nuttin’ But Thyme), captured the Reserve Champion title in the Country English Pleasure Junior Horse Championship with Jessica Clinton aboard. Owner Jenny Lau says, “This is the first Aftershoc baby that my family has owned, but I’ve seen Jess, Vicki and Andy work with so many over the years. One thing that is so clear when breeding to Aftershoc, is that you will get a horse with a great temperament, which can make all the difference! ‘Nikki’ is just the sweetest mare, whether I’m giving her some love in her stall or riding her, she has such a willing and happy attitude. That, alongside her beauty and talent, make her a pretty special horse!”

Wendy Potts, who captured the Arabian Hunter Pleasure Futurity title with Culture Shoc (x HF Luck Bea Lady), for owner Mari Perczak, says she has loved this particular mare ever since she first saw a picture of her. “I asked Todd Hickerson to get me a video and booked a flight to go see her right away. She was the smallest horse in that class, but you’d never know it—so much ring presence!”

Lisa Blackstone, owner of Shocked N Bewildered (x Bothered and Bewildered), won both the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure AAOTR 60 & Over and Maturity on the gelding. She was also top ten in the Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure class with Jessica Clinton. “Vicki tells me Aftershoc is one of the kindest and most willing horses she’s ever been around. ‘Kenneth’ is the same. His ears are always up, he goes forward eagerly, trying to do whatever you ask, all with the best attitude possible! He also inherited Aftershoc’s elegant beauty and fluid motion. At only 6 years old, Kenneth has earned four national championships and two reserves in the Half-Arabian country English pleasure division which speaks to his amazing talent and picture perfect suitability in that division. Thank you Aftershoc!”

The list of accolades for the stallion from owners of his get goes on and on, with the underlying theme of him passing on to his offspring an incredible work ethic, great attitude and Arabian type and beauty.

The After Party

As if seeing him show and win unanimously and seeing his get perform so well wasn’t enough, like the true superstar he is, Aftershoc had his own party. Hosted by Cedar Ridge Farm, Tom and Emily Moore, Hagale Family Arabians and Arabian Horse Times, it had the feel of a Hollywood legend being bombarded by paparazzi.

Jamie recalls, “So many people were there to see him, and the moment they brought him out was just so special.”

Evidence of his popularity was not only witnessed at the party itself, but all over social media, with admirers taking selfies and posting things like: “I got to meet someone famous tonight.”

Jim and Mary Martha were excited to see so many people turn out to meet Aftershoc. “A lot of people came by to see him and it was such a fun night.”

The Future Party

While a lot of their current excitement centers around Aftershoc’s stellar return to the ring at U.S. Nationals, the stallion isn’t the only exciting horse in the Hagale Family Arabians barn.

There’s I Love Luci (HA Toskcan Sun x Laurel Hill Pennies from Heaven), who was Shan’s mount in the AEPA Half-Arabian Saddle Seat Futurity. The mare, who was Mid Summer National Champion Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse (in a class immediately after she was named champion in a walk/trot class with Shan and Molly’s daughter Ellie), finished fifth in the AEPA class and was also top ten in the Half-Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse class.

Debonheir DGL (Afires Heir x Felicia Afire) was top ten with Chris in the Arabian Country English Pleasure class, and Jamie rode CSP Adriana to a top ten in the Arabian Park AAOTR. Jennifer piloted CSP Hot Dam (Mamage x The Vintage Rose) to top tens in both the amateur Half-Arabian Park and Mounted Native Costume classes.

Another Hagale stallion, SF Destination Victry (SF Specs Shocwave x Aparty Girl) capped off an incredible year with a Reserve National Championship in Arabian English Pleasure AAOTR 19-49 with Jennifer, and a top ten with Shan in the extremely competitive English Pleasure class. The Hagales were extremely proud of his performance throughout the year, including English pleasure championships at Region 11, 12 and 13, as well as claiming Mid Summer National Champion in both the AATR division with Jennifer and the Open with Shan.

“Destination Victry is the future of our breeding program,” says Jim. “He’s had tremendous success thus far, at only 7 years of age, and we cannot wait to see where he takes us, both in the show ring, and once his foals start developing.”

“We just love him,” states Jennifer, “He’s such a joy to ride—super powerful and athletic, but also so willing to work, and he has such a great disposition. Outside of the thrill of riding Aftershoc to his unanimous win, riding ‘Dusty’ is always rewarding.”

But beyond the performances and success of Destination Victry, or Aftershoc and that of his get, and even more than the victories with their other horses, the Hagale family is excited about how getting back into horses has sparked a new chapter of passion in the family.

“We’ll use any motivation that gets us to see the girls and grandchildren more,” joke Jim and Mary Martha. “We get to see them a lot more often and we are all having a really great time.”

Jamie concurs. “We really thought we would just be too busy to get back into horses with our kids and other commitments and living out of town,” she says. “But there has been something so special about getting back into horses and spending more time with my parents and my twin sister. When the Arabian horse is in your blood, I don’t think it ever leaves.”

Jim and Mary Martha are supervising the final touches of their new 100-acre farm in Springfield. The family’s future plans include continuing to breed to SF Aftershoc and their other foundation stallion, SF Destination Victry). They are also breeding to a handful of outside stallions.

Besides making plans for the business side of Hagale Family Arabians, rest assured they are making plans for the family side, and the reasons they do what they do—passion, real connection, heartfelt joy and true love—for each other, their horses and the entire Arabian horse community.

For over 50 years, the Jerland Arabians horses have emerged as stellar representatives of the storied diversity of the Arabian breed. With innumerable national championships in halter and nearly every discipline of performance, they are sought after by enthusiasts across the spectrum of horse ownership. Larry Jerome’s passion for the Arabian horse defines his philosophy as a breeder, which includes taking responsibility for the horses that are the results of his Jerland program.

“I have an extremely beautiful and intelligent wife, and I want those same qualities in my horses,” Larry quips. “I also have seven pretty talented and good-looking kids, too. It’s all about the genetics! Seriously, I strive to create an animal that is extremely correct and beautiful, but I’m not looking to make a mantlepiece statue. They must also have a great temperament and be athletic and functional. I appreciate halter and have shown and won national championships, but I strongly believe that every foal needs to have a value and a purpose beyond that of a short-lived halter horse; they need other activities in their life.”

The results of the recently held 2021 Youth and Mid Summer Nationals underline the fact that the Jerland influence is as strong now as it has ever been. In an incredible demonstration of top-class versatility, Jerland-bred horses earned National Champion honors in both Arabian Western Pleasure Junior Horse (Verdict J) and Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse (Notably Divine J, bred w/Joni Hyrick), as well as Half-Arabian Ladies Side Saddle Western (Blue J) and Arabian Hunter Pleasure AATR Elite (Acclaim J, bred w/Bond Show Horses). In addition, Reserve National Champion titles went to Eclipse J (Half-Arabian Western Pleasure Junior Horse), Elusive J (Arabian Western Pleasure AATR Choice), and Promise Me J, who scored big in the prestigious and lucrative AWPA Arabian Horse Times $15,000 Western Pleasure AAOTR Maturity.

Larry is constantly looking through the lens of a farsighted breeder eager to improve his output. “When I go to a horse show, I pretty much sit in the stands and watch every class,” he states. “I still need to learn; I need to know what genetics have contributed to the greatness of each animal and what trainers have contributed to allow the horse to achieve these accolades. I’ve been in this industry a long time, but there are a lot of things I still want to accomplish.” Larry continues, “When you are breeding, you must recognize the strengths and the weaknesses of every animal. Without being overly critical, you must ask yourself, if you could change something about them, what would you change? How could this be a more functional or purposeful animal? Our breeding program is basically founded on two stallions: Khadraj NA (Ponomarev x Khatreena NA, by Padron) and MPA Giovanni (Da Vinci FM x Glitzy, by FS Ritz). They worked very well together to create outstanding halter and performance horses. But you always have to be thinking about the next generation of what you are going to do.”

That attitude led Larry to embark on a fact-finding mission to make him aware of what options were available globally. “I was in Europe to promote MPA Giovanni and to see mares that I thought he would work well with,” Larry reminisces. “I was looking for the next step in my program and Karl-Heinz Stoeckle’s was one of the stops I made. He was standing WH Justice, who I was extremely excited about, although he was still a young horse at the time.” Larry’s desire to add Justice to the Jerland pedigrees was realized when he acquired two breedings to the horse from his good friend, Bart van Buggenhout, who was standing the stallion at Aljassimya Farm. Finally able to fulfill his dream of adding WH Justice to his program, Larry chose two Giovanni daughters to make the cross.

“I thought that was the ideal mating,” recalls Larry. “Genetically, they were very compatible, not closely linebred. Giovanni brought the size, the hip, and a strong back; Justice brought a beautiful face and bend of the neck. Giovanni horses are level-headed and mellow, Justice gives a show-ring attitude; plenty of snort and blow. I thought that if I could take these traits from each horse and blend them together, I would be closer to my ideal. I also maintain that a stallion cannot ‘fix’ everything, neither can a mare ‘fix’ everything. But when you get the right blend, magic can happen. I was fortunate and it worked in both cases. I ended up with both an extremely beautiful filly, Galaxie J, and an extremely exotic colt, Puccini J, that I felt could be the next step in my genetic program.”

Puccini’s dam is one of Jerland’s elite mares, U.S. and Canadian National Futurity Champion, Miss Giovanna. “The one thing that I wanted to change about her was that she was very comfortable in her own skin, like Giovanni,” Larry explains. “She was not the hot, fire-breathing dragon who exudes enthusiasm. But Puccini was another story. James Swanepoel, from Belgium, said he was the most perfect Justice foal he had seen in the United States, if not the world. Andy Sellman fell in love with him as a foal and was the first person to take him into the show ring, where he did very well as a yearling. He continued to win as a two-year-old and into his three-year-old year with Michael Byatt.”

Knowing he had something very special on his hands, Larry let the horse indicate the tempo of his career. “When I show a horse, I do it in steps,” he continues. “After going to a few of the big shows, we thought it would be best for Puccini to mature both physically and mentally. He had a juvenile attitude, and his color also needed to mature to its eventual white to complete the total package. We decided to bring him home and let him grow up before adding another part to his career. We put him in western training with Roxanne Schall, while at the same time we bred him to a few select mares.

“Roxanne was the trainer of choice because she has a soft, quiet hand and would bring the horse along slowly. I didn’t want too much intensity, but we knew that the horse was bored living in a stall. He wanted to do something. Too many halter horses just come out to get lunged and be set up; they have no spice in their lives. They need variety. I like to take my stallions and give them another job. In doing so, we realized that Puccini, like many of the Giovanni relatives, had the ability to become an incredible performance horse.”

Larry bred several mares to him, with exceptional results among the five or six foals on the ground now. Some have already been snatched up by savvy breeders, including Smile J, who has found a new home in the Middle East. “We are still at the beginning, but I am looking at Puccini as having a dual career,” Larry avers. “We’ve kept him in training now for the last year as a performance horse, with Jeff Schall monitoring his physical condition. Our plan is to bring him back out into the world as a halter horse at Scottsdale in February 2022, with Michael Byatt. We think Puccini could be the unique individual who succeeds in that atmosphere. At the same time, we are creating foals with functionality that can be used in the western arena. Do I think Puccini will produce an English horse? Probably not. But he produces an athletic western horse with all the qualities that you want to see in that discipline.

“One of his first foals was out of Promisa J, the full sister to Broken Promises PGA and Khaja J, who is the father of our multiple-Scottsdale and U.S. National Champion Western horse, Kola J. I am quite thrilled with the outcome. The oldest Puccini daughters will probably be bred in the next year or so, and we intend to try them with Verdict J, who just won his first national championship in Oklahoma City. He has phenomenal genetics, being a full brother to Virtuosa MLR, the dam of FA El Rasheem, who sold for over $4 million to the Dubai Stud as a halter horse. This will be the next genetic cross for the Jerland program.”

Larry continues to look to the future with a clear gaze. “You must have a vision,” he declares. “Too many people who get into this industry want instant gratification. I have had many, many wins. I have all kinds of trophies and ribbons, but I display very few of them in my home. I feel my greatest accomplishments in life are my family, my friends, the relationships that I have cultivated. Don’t get me wrong, I like to win as much as the next person…maybe more so. I play to win. But you need to prepare to win. Things do not happen to you overnight. When I sent Verdict to Liz Bentley I said, ‘This horse is not going to be ready until he is five or six years old, but I need these genetics in my bloodlines. I do believe this is going to happen, but we need to take the time to let it happen.’ It happened with Verdict, it happened with Kola—you can’t throw in the towel.

“I wanted to feature Puccini on the cover because, whereas Khadraj and Giovanni have made their marks, and Khaja and Kola are now making theirs, I think Puccini is going to be the next horse coming up. And Verdict is the horse coming up right behind him. I’m very grateful to all the people who support my breeding program and to all the trainers that support our program and do phenomenal work with our horses. It is well-known in the industry that I have a lot of great trainers that I support because they support me.” In addition, Larry is grateful to the many people who have mentored him over the years, freely sharing their knowledge and insights.

He continues to keep his fingers on the pulse of the Arabian horse industry. “We live in a world now where halter horses have a place,” he says. “But the group of people who are most active are people 50 years and older, many of them women who have waited a lifetime to raise their kids and have careers, but who have always dreamed of being in horses. Now they are riding. The amateur area has grown tremendously. I am honored to be serving on the AHA Board and I can tell you, our industry has changed, trends have changed, COVID changed us. But we are always thinking how we can keep the industry vibrant and exciting. That’s what it’s all about.”

In her final year as a youth rider, Sabina Berglund is looking forward to soaking in every last second before launching into full adulthood. Part of that includes making sure she enjoys every ride and every show along the way with Stachowski Farm and her family.

Competing with Sabina this year is her exceptional four-legged soul mate, EA Apollomalu (Troy) in Arabian Equitation, Show Hack and Country Pleasure Driving; Noble Bey CRF (Ace) in Arabian English Pleasure and Pleasure Driving; and MJM Hit Man (Hitman) in Half-Arabian Equitation, Country Pleasure and Show Hack.

Reminiscing on her previous years and most beloved memories from Youth Nationals, Sabina shares, “There are two memories that really stick out to me. My first year competing at Youth was in 2018. Despite not having any expectations except to go in, have fun, and get the feeling of how competitive it was, Troy and I ended up coming out with a reserve championship in the Arabian Country Choice and I couldn’t have been more excited! Getting a set of national roses with your heart horse is truly an incredible feeling. And in 2019, Ace and I showed in the Arabian English Pleasure JOTR and won that class after only being together since February. That class was such a rush, and I’ll never forget how much fun it was!”

Sabina’s journey into horses is a little different from most. Like most young children, she always loved and had a fascination for horses, however, her passion did not come to the forefront until she visited her grandparents in the Czech Republic. Every summer, they would take her to see the breathtaking carriage horses that lived close by, and it was just about as close to love at first sight as a person could get. “They (grandparents) were the first ones to notice that deep love,” says Sabina, “it just took my parents a little longer to realize it. But once I started taking riding lessons, I was hooked! My mom thought it would be a few lessons and we’d move on to the next thing, but that clearly never happened! It’s been an incredible journey so far and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

Beyond the show arena, Sabina is just as talented. In November 2018, she graduated high school early and worked on her prerequisite courses for veterinary school. Despite the challenges of being one of the youngest in her classes, she’s excelling. Her goal is to graduate vet school with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, specializing in sports medicine, followed up with a surgical residency to become an equine orthopedic surgeon. Her final goal? Own her own hospital one day. She credits her future career goals and aspirations in life to the lessons she’s learned as an equestrian. Horses consistently have been her motivation in many life tracks, but now are her focus and drive for her personal and career goals.

Until then, Sabina’s short-term goals after graduating from Youth Nationals, include becoming the best rider she can be. “I really want to work on finessing my skills and becoming a better rider in general,” she says. “There is so much to learn, and each trainer I work with is just so incredible at helping me expand my knowledge on these amazing horses. Working with multiple breeds has definitely helped that, and I can’t wait to really step it up to get ready for the amateur divisions.”

Miss Berglund made sure to emphasize a thank you for those who have supported her throughout her career. First and foremost, her parents who have supported her every step of the way. Peter and Susan Witte for giving her the solid foundation in our industry, Josh Shino for helping her gain her confidence in the show arena, Jody LaSalle for her support in and out of the arena, and Nestor Gonzales for his help this year prepping Miss Berglund and her horses for Youth Nationals.

They say that some things are worth the wait. That’s definitely the case with RFI Sophie AlMaktub (RFI Maktub x RFI Sophia Al Neschi, by Neschnij), the 2010 bay mare from Brazil.

The first time Stuart and Carol Nierenberg, Silver Box Southwest, saw Sophie was at the 2018 Brazilian Nationals, the day before her appearance in the Senior Mares class. It was love at first sight. “I wasn’t aware at the time of Sophie’s global renown, but Cindy McGown and Mark Davis of Royal Arabians, apparently knew her well,” recalls Carol. “Together, we immediately tried to buy her, but we were told she was not for sale, at any price.”

The following night, after watching her in Senior Mares, the foursome became even more interested in obtaining Sophie. “Ringside, I watched, spellbound – frankly, with fingers crossed that she wouldn’t do well, and hence that owner Rodrigo Foz Forte (RFI Arabians) might change his mind and decide to sell her,” Carol says with a laugh. “Alas, Sophie owned the ring that night, electrifying the crowd with her perfection and her presence, and was crowned National Champion Senior Mare of Brazil.”

Despite subsequent repeated partnership attempts to purchase Sophie, Rodrigo continued to hold the line – the mare was not for sale. Recalls Travis Rice, sales manager for Royal Arabians: “We kept getting the same answer – no, no, no, and for emphasis – no.”

But at last, some two years later, Forte did put a price tag on Sophie. Without hesitation, the four partners agreed to it.

In a sense, the mare was coming home: Rodolfo Guzzo, the halter trainer for Royal Arabians, Silver Box Southwest and the foursome’s partnership entity, Royal/Silver Box, had been the first to show Sophie, in Brazil as a yearling, leading her to her first national championship title. Now he would be preparing and showing her again.

Arriving on U.S. soil at the end of 2020, Sophie proved to be everything her admirers had perceived at their first meeting in Brazil.

Carol describes her as the “Katharine Hepburn of Arabian mares. Like Hepburn, Sophie AlMaktub possesses an elegance, the epitome of class, refinement and presence that are unique to her – breathtaking, utterly singular, unmistakable and unforgettable,” she says.

Travis, who was with the four partners when they first became interested in purchasing the mare, says Sophie is “perfection. She just makes anyone stop and ask, ‘Who is THAT?’”

Beyond her presence, correctness, uniqueness and show-stopping beauty, Sophie has also proven her value as a broodmare. Her get include well-decorated and highly admired progeny from a variety of sires.

There’s Pharaoh HBV (by Psyche HBV), the 2016 All Nations Cup Silver Champion and 2017 Dubai Silver Champion Colt; RFI Sawari (by Excalibur EA), 2017 Brazilian National Gold Champion Junior Filly; and RFI Splendor (by El Tino), the 2018 Brazilian National Silver Champion Colt.

Guzzo will present Sophie on U.S. soil for the first time at the April Arabian Breeders World Cup on the polo grounds in Scottsdale. He is “ecstatic” to be able to partner with the mare again, and show her to Arabian enthusiasts in the U.S.

“There’s no person that sees Sophie who doesn’t fall in love with her,” he says. “She has gotten better and more beautiful over the years. I am excited to run into the arena with her as she makes her debut in America. Even more people will fall in love with Sophie.”

The Royal/Silver Box partnership, too, is looking forward to her U.S. show ring debut –and to many years of cherishing Sophie Almaktub. Says Carol: “Rodrigo Forte graciously permitted Royal/Silver Box custody of The Queen. She is now our greatest treasure. But in truth, she belongs to the whole Arabian world. Her genetic contributions have been, and will continue to be, immense. Sophie is, quite simply, a singular sensation. She is an icon of the Arabian breed. We are grateful every day for the privilege of being in her presence.”

When it comes to Amazing Horsewoman LLC’s founder, Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, never did she expect that her involvement in the Arabian horse industry would include ownership of a performance stallion such as Life Inthe Fazt Lane (Vegaz x Riverdance NA).

Located at Dr. O’Reilly’s Southern California Equestrian Center (SCEC), the 9-year-old bay stallion has been in training with Lowe Show Horse Centre for just under three years and each year has been better than the last. When “Eddie” stepped foot into California, trainer Jim Lowe was so in awe of the stud, he went and bought a broodmare to breed Eddie to so he could have his own Life Inthe Fazt Lane baby.

Since training with Lowe, Life Inthe Fazt Lane has won two reserve national championship titles, both in the Open English Pleasure with Lowe up at the 2019 and 2020 U.S. Nationals.

During last year’s class, Eddie got to trot in the arena with his sire Vegaz, ridden by trainer Chris Wilson. Vegaz performed for the first time in years and looked his best yet. Those who got to see both stallions in the arena witnessed a historical moment. There were four breeding stallions in the English Open class to close out the nationals show, and Life Inthe Fazt Lane proved he belonged at the top of the judges’ cards with his father and the rest of the competition.

“He is going to do great things for our breed,” Lowe said. Highlighting the best features of Eddie, Lowe continued, “He has an unbelievable amount of talent. He is kind, hardworking, beautiful, and trains like a million bucks. I am excited to see his babies on the ground and see how they perform. I think they’re going to be special.”

Dr. O’Reilly has several foals on the ground by Life Inthe Fazt Lane, which she has high expectations for. Exhibiting their sire’s same beautiful features and great necks, his get are proving to be trainable and showing the same performance potential. It is hard not to fall in love with the next generation of these “easy on the eyes” champions.

Despite her shorter (8 years) and later in life involvement with horses, Dr. O’Reilly’s love for the Arabian breed is apparent. From humble show beginnings in liberty classes, her Southern California Equestrian Center is now home to top show horses, as well as a successfully growing breeding program.

Life Inthe Fazt Lane is just one of three stallions at Lowe Show Horse Centre. Eddie’s stablemates include the legendary Mamage, owned by Beth Jupp, and Dr. O’Reilly’s multi-national champion Affliction, by Mamage. Each stallion brings their own excitement to the show ring, as well as their babies.

The sky is the limit for Eddie and Dr. O’Reilly’s potential within the industry. We saw just how talented his get can be when one of Life Inthe Fazt Lane’s progeny hit the show ring this year. It is only a matter of time before the public will be joining Dr. O’Reilly and Jim Lowe’s excitement for more Life Inthe Fazt Lane babies in 2021 and on.

When the world lost DA Valentino nearly a decade ago, the entire international Arabian horse community mourned. Now, it’s beginning to seem apparent to many that one very special young stallion, with DA Valentino on both his sire and dam side, could be the one to carry the torch of his grandsire’s legacy.

Garavani AN (Polidoro FC x Maria PCF), owned by Anivia Equine, LLC, captured the Arabian horse community’s attention with his championship titles of 2019 Gold Champion Colt at the Arabian National Breeder Finals and 2020 Scottsdale Junior Champion Colt, winning the hearts of many with his stunning and striking resemblance to DA Valentino. David Boggs, who is enamored with the young star, led Garavani to his victories, and says the Scottsdale win in particular was a rocket launch and a thrill.

“Garavani has a great attitude, is very charismatic and reminds me so much of DA Valentino, it’s actually spooky,” says David.

Breeder Sam Peacemaker was on the sidelines at the show and recalls, “The quality he exhibited, his scope, cleanness of throat and elegant standup were unmistakable. I was very happy with how well he showed and as the breeder, of course I was thrilled to see him win unanimously.”

David says the young stallion is following in his grandsire’s footsteps and predicts Garavani will reach the same popularity as DA Valentino both in the show ring and in the breeding barn.

“DA Valentino had an incredible international fan club during his lifetime,” recalls David. “Not only did he have show ring presence that was unparalleled, but he also became a very popular sire and his offspring, including Garavani, are representing him well.”

Sam Peacemaker had that in mind when he decided to breed Polidoro FC (DA Valentino x Abha Palma) to Maria PCF (DA Valentino x MCA Afire Beylee). “As I evaluated the phenotype of the individuals combined with the known pre-potency of the pedigrees, I felt I had a good chance of getting a long elegant neck, well set into a deep laid back shoulder with a smooth and balanced body.”

Anivia Equine’s Stacy Sachen, a life-long horsewoman and Arabian breeder, felt the same and purchased Maria PCF while she was carrying Garavani in utero and she couldn’t be more pleased with the end result. “Fixing the throatlatch, neck set and balance of body is very difficult to achieve as a breeder,” she says. “For these reasons, Valentino always stood out to me as not only a great show horse, but the top choice for a breeder. I feel Garavani is positioned to bring back to life that answer for the Arabian industry.”

Looking to the future, the Garavani team plans to provide the support necessary to make him as much of a legacy to the breed as his grandsire. Stacy plans to breed him to a select group of mares herself, and there are already significant breeders lining up with their best mares to capitalize on the stallion’s unique ancestry.

Peacemaker predicts Garavani will pass along great attributes to his progeny. “The qualities of the individuals in his pedigree are very similar to their phenotype and consistent deep into the pedigree,” he says. “I think the key features he will contribute will be a well-set long neck with a clean throat, tight well-shaped ears, a deep laid-back shoulder, balance through the body with smooth coupling through the hip and a well-set tail.”