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Monticello V

Cover Story : Monticello V

...The Western Phenomenon

by EVIE TUBBS SWEENEY

Monticello V was the only sire to have two progeny in the AWPA $100,000 Western Pleasure Futurity in 2019. And he did it from a foal crop of just nine foals in 2015. One of these two progeny, the stunning Hendrixx WB, was crowned National Champion.


His story is one for the ages. And we have the privilege of bearing witness to its coming culmination.


Monticello V is a son of the late, great supersire, Jullyen El Jamaal, and out of one of Varian’s most prepotent broodmares, Mosquerade V, daughter of the incomparable Moska. It goes without saying, that greatness is layered into the DNA of Monticello V, as does his ability to pass it forward.


But filling the shoes of a sire such as Jullyen is difficult given even the finest parentage.


Enter Carolyn Lesley.


Carolyn grew up with horses, sharing the bond with her mother, longtime horsewoman Mary Lesley. A 17-year equine hiatus ensued as Carolyn’s involvement in her father’s thriving event company amplified. But in February 2015, through a twist of fate, she found herself walking through the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show, and the mother/daughter team shared their passion in horses once again. Not even Mary’s tragic diagnosis of terminal Sarcoma shortly thereafter decelerated their enthusiasm.


The day that Carolyn walked into Monticello’s stall and met him for the first time at Setting Sun Stables was a moment that redefined both of their futures.


“It was love at first sight, and I think Monticello sensed his role immediately when my mom walked into his stall,” Carolyn recalled.


Carolyn and Monticello were inseparable from that point forward. The final show Mary attended, she witnessed Carolyn and Monticello crowned Canadian National Champions. Mary passed away during U.S. Nationals just two months later.


“When my mom and I got back into horses, we had no idea she was sick – and then it all hit,” Carolyn said. “And I think, what a blessing we did it together and she was able to get to know Monticello. The timing was amazing. God had a plan.”


Carolyn and Monticello traveled the country, picking up title after title, before his official retirement to stud in 2017. Following his final show ring performance, Monticello boarded a trailer to the west coast, where he would return to his birthplace of Varian Arabians and fill the empty stall of his father, both literally and figuratively.


The 2019 U.S. Nationals turned out to be a defining moment in the breeding career of Monticello V; his progeny wins and statistics were simply profound:


Four out of six progeny by Monticello V that were shown in Tulsa garnered Top Ten Championships or better in their western divisions, and are as follows: four Top Tens, and one Reserve National Championship and three U.S. National Championships …


Hendrixx WB – Champion AWPA Arabian Horse World $100,000 Western Pleasure Futurity with Stanley White III (for trainer Joe Reser)


Hendrixx WB –Champion Arabian Western Pleasure AAOTR Maturity with Andrea Martoglio


Cello Shots SS –Champion H/A Western Pleasure AAOTR 36-54 with Carolyn Lesley


Honeys Rockin Cello – Reserve Champion H/A Western Pleasure Open with Joe Reser


Monticello progeny made up 20% of the Top Ten finalists in the most lucrative class of the show, the Arabian Horse World AWPA $100,000 Western Pleasure Futurity, with one of them, Hendrixx WB, winning it.


Monticello V was the only sire to claim more than one progeny in the Arabian Horse World AWPA $100,000 Western Pleasure Futurity Top Ten… and this against major western sires such as Zefyr, Sundance Kid V, and KM Bugatti. What’s more, Monticello achieved this feat from a foal crop of just nine foals.


Put simply, his consistent percentage of western pleasure winners at the highest levels of competition is utterly astonishing.


Combine that with the love-filled team that has supported him every step of the way, along with his massive social media fan base around the world (Facebook.com/ItsCelloTime), and his story becomes one for the ages. 

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Sabina Berglund

Cover Story - Vol. 51, No.9, Issue #6

Cover Story: Sabina Berglund...Putting it all into perspective

By ALLY EDWARDS

 

 

With the 2020 Spring show season being almost completely canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, every junior rider is looking forward to Youth Nationals. And Sabina Berglund is one of these youth riders eager to get back into the show ring this year with her horses.

 

Eight years ago, Sabina started riding lessons. Her parents thought she would go for a few lessons to try it out and that would be that, but Sabina was hooked and so began a life full of horses. With her riding career beginning on an Arabian horse, Sabina has a deep love for the breed that has encouraged her to dedicate her life to horses, with the goal to become an equine surgeon.

 

At Youth Nationals this year, Sabina is bringing her three saddle seat horses. First is EA Apollomalu, showing in Arabian Country English Pleasure. He reminds her of the high school jock that knows he is the coolest guy around. Her firecracker, Noble Bey CRF, shows in Arabian English Pleasure. Last year, Sabina and Noble Bey CRF were National Champions together. “No matter how the ride goes,” she says, “he is a thrill to ride. I’m always happy at the end in the line-up, that I’m lucky enough to show such an amazing horse as him.” Lastly is MJM Hit Man, her newest mount who will be her equitation teammate. Going through colic surgery last fall and with the pandemic stunting the show season, Sabina is excited to finally get to compete on Hit Man in Half-Arabian Saddle Seat Equitation and Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure.

 

The two weeks in Oklahoma City for Youth is something Sabina looks forward to every year. There’s nothing like the atmosphere and the energy that comes with trotting into the Jim Norrick arena on her geldings. “I’m looking forward to enjoying every ride,” says Sabina when looking forward to Youth 2020, “not overthinking it, living in the moment, and appreciating the fact that we get to do this; that we get to have these amazing horses and these bonds with them, and get to enjoy the time in the ring with them. Roses are always nice but having fun with my horses is most important.” To all her competitors that are nervous about competing at Youth, Sabina says, “Don’t stress it. Just do your best and enjoy it. With time will come the experience, so just sit back and take in the energy of the show and learn from it!”

 

This is Sabina’s first show season with trainer Josh Shino. Wanting to dial in her equitation more, Josh has been the perfect fit helping her grow in the discipline. The skills she’s learned from him for her equitation have helped step up her game with all her horses.

 

Showing horses comes with a lot of different aspects and challenges. Having a true connection with your horse before going into the show ring is something Sabina highly values. “By learning how to communicate with them,” she says, “the mutual trust that comes out of it is very special. Then as a team you can do anything.”

 

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, she has not been able to see her horses as much as usual. Sabina says it is sad not being able to spend as much time with them but when she can see them, it means so much more to her now. Her barn family and the horse show atmosphere that Sabina misses the most about going to shows, is something everyone is looking forward to!

 

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The Family Royal

Cover Story - Vol. 50, No.9, Issue #6

THE FAMILY ROYAL

By THERESA CARDAMONE
Royal Arabians flourishes through the love and commitment of a tight-knit group of people devoted to the Arabian horse. When asked how horses inspire her, owner Cindy McGown replies, “They are strong, independent, and loyal. They are loving and intelligent. They are incredibly good mothers. I would say they generally encompass the personality traits I strive to have in myself. They inspire me to be more like them.”

By all accounts, Cindy has more than met that lofty goal. Along with Mark Davis and daughter Amanda Fraser, she founded Royal in keeping with those aspirations. The result is a universally described atmosphere of “family” at Royal Arabians. In harmony with her strong maternal presence is exceptional business acumen, a combination that client Joe Orr admires.

“Cindy is unique,” he states. “In my business experience, which is vast, it’s rare to find someone like Cindy. She’s microscopically honest, and sometimes that’s tough stuff to hear. She doesn’t put money first; she does what’s right, and that’s a great business attitude. Most people don’t practice business that way; they have short-term goals. Cindy seems to be fully aware—from 25,000 feet!

“And Mark’s the same way. They are the heart and soul of Royal Arabians. As much as I love Rodolfo and Travis, it’s Mark and Cindy. They drive the spirit of the place. We also love the club-like atmosphere at Royal. It keeps us involved and grateful to be a part of a very responsible team. It’s comforting, in a way, because they look out for their clients with the same concern that they look out for the entire industry.”

Three years ago, Sylvain Allard and Robyn Andrews were introduced to the Arabian horse by their friend Lee Courtney and the outreach efforts of Cindy and Mark, who are known for their generosity in supporting Scottsdale-area and other charities. At a 2017 benefit for the Heart Association, which they hosted, they donated their homebred Royal Kavant, who was purchased by Sylvain and Robyn.

“A friend encouraged us to bid on the gelding,” says Sylvain, who was born and raised on a farm. “That’s how we got introduced to the Arabian horse. I had horses before, but not Arabians. It was for a good cause, and it’s turned out great. We got to know everybody at Royal and Royal Kavant is now starting his career in western pleasure. Cindy and Mark know the business really well and have a great staff. They’ve given us great advice, the social life is great, and winning helped! We are quite happy with our first three years!”

No wonder Sylvain and Robyn are pleased. Their first show filly, OFW Jewel of Marwan, was a 2019 U.S. National Top Ten ABS Yearling Filly, having previously been named the ABWC Silver Supreme Champion Yearling Filly and Reserve Champion Junior Filly at Scottsdale. Just prior to the 2020 Scottsdale show, they added the sensational Mistic Dominic HVP, a Brazilian National Bronze Champion Junior Junior Filly. “I only live ten minutes from Royal Arabians, and I go to see our horses nearly every day,” Sylvain recounts. “In November 2019, I saw the new arrival and thought she was very special, so I went to talk to Royal trainer Rodolfo Guzzo about her. When he said that she might be for sale, I came back to see her the next morning and made an offer. A week later, she was a surprise Christmas gift for Robyn!”

At the 2020 Scottsdale show, Mistic was the unanimous winner of both her class and the championship. “Guzzo did a great job training and showing her,” Sylvain commends. “Everyone who saw her was very impressed. One of the other trainers even came to congratulate us, saying, ‘I don’t like losing, but it helps if it is to such a beautiful horse.’ She’s very, very special.”

Lee Courtney has been with Royal client for ten years, teaming with Cindy when they host events such as those benefitting the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association, including the one that brought Sylvain Allard into the breed. “Royal has been instrumental in supporting my desire to do more outreach on the charitable side,” Lee relates. “Philanthropy has always been important to me. I’ve been on several boards here in the Valley, and I give kudos to Cindy for supporting the different efforts and embracing bringing new people to the breed. It’s worked out well for the organizations benefitted by events we’ve hosted, and for new people that it has exposed to the breed.”

Cindy, Mark, and Amanda have developed a decision-making process for deliberating over what charitable contributions to make. “We have multiple foundations within each business and feel it is important to give back to that specific industry/community,” Cindy explains. “When I am approached for a charity in the horse industry, we discuss it and determine if we feel it fits our goals of promoting or protecting the breed in some way.”

“I love the way that Royal loves to welcome new people,” Lee enthuses. It’s been so much fun. I think we are the perfect farm for that, because we have both performance and halter, whereas some of the other barns are just halter- or performance-focused. Because Royal has both, it’s been fun as a client; there’s something for everyone.”

Amanda Fraser is an integral part of Royal Arabians, having grown up with the farm. Now with four children of her own, Amanda deeply values the familial feeling that exists there. “I consider most of our clients like really close friends,” Amanda relates. “I think it just happens when you put a bunch of good people together. It’s not necessarily by design, it happens that way when everybody has the same goals in mind.” Cindy elaborates, “We don’t do this for money, so it has to be with people we enjoy.”

“Something happened this last Scottsdale that made me appreciate our family atmosphere anew,” Amanda confides. Hearing about one of the young girls at the barn on the verge of leaving the horse industry, Amanda and Justin got together to get her a good horse to ride, not willing to see her leave.

“She’s an incredibly talented rider,” continues Amanda, “and when she went Scottsdale Reserve Champion after riding the horse only six times; it was a huge win. But the really cool thing was, every single one of our clients had come to support her, and they, along with everybody in the stands, was crying. I thought, ‘Everyone’s heart is invested in this little girl.’ It was a very touching moment. It was wonderful to feel that sense of unity. We had other clients in the class, and not one person was upset that they didn’t win; everyone was just so happy for her. It was a standout moment, not just for the Scottsdale show, but for my whole career in the Arabian industry. She kept saying ‘thank you’ for letting her use the horse and for everything we did. But it was more like, no, thank you, you restored my faith in humanity!”

The talents of renowned trainers Rodolfo Guzzo (halter) and Justin Cowden (performance) have fueled Royal Arabians’ emergence as a thriving training center for both halter and performance. Royal-affiliated horses earned seven championships, four reserve championships, and over 40 top ten awards in halter at the 2020 Scottsdale All-Arabian Show. They also garnered four performance championships and five reserve championships in the amateur and professional divisions of hunter pleasure and country English pleasure.

Leola Hansen and her husband Tom have enjoyed phenomenal success with Royal, particularly as amateur riders. “Justin is an excellent trainer,” Leola enthuses. “With his help, we’ve picked up some great horses. Since we’ve been with Royal, we’ve won six national championships, five reserves, and I-don’t-know-how-many Scottsdale championships! Tom won the Scottsdale Signature Stallion Hunter Pleasure Maturity ATR this year on TN Khaliente, the same horse that won three national championships in the past two years. It’s a great group at Royal, our horses are pampered, and that’s the way we want it.”

Carol Nierenberg was thrilled with HDF Barcellona’s halter win. “She was presented beautifully by Rodolfo Guzzo, who has been ‘crazy for her’ since he saw her in Brazil,” Carol relates. “Guzzo and Travis Rice call Barcellona ‘The Unicorn’—a singular blend of extreme elegance, correctness, refinement, and Arabian type from nostrils to tailbone. She was the talk of Brazil last summer, where she went Silver Champion Junior Mare—first on judge Michael Byatt’s card—and we’re so pleased that the Scottsdale judges agreed!”

Standing at Royal Arabians, Soul of Marwan AS, the 2014 U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion, Champion Yearling Colt and Reserve Champion ABS Yearling Colt, just earned Scottsdale Champion Stallion 7 & Over and Reserve Champion Senior Stallion honors for Arabian Soul Partners, while his daughter, Jasminia AS, was the Scottsdale International Champion Junior Filly and Champion 3-Year-Old Mare, making her a favorite for this year’s Nationals.

Soul of Marwan’s strong character, energy and intelligence shined at Scottsdale, when put in the hands of master handler Guzzo, showing like he did at Nationals when he was a yearling and won everything. Now he is producing champions, including sons Salazar PA, a Canadian National Reserve Champion, and Royal Mateo, who earned Scottsdale Champion 3 & 4-Year-Old Stallion AAOTH honors with his owner Danny Pagan.

Also standing at Royal Arabians is one of their newer acquisitions, 2013 Brazilian National Gold Champion Junior Colt, Halyr Meia Lua. He brings a balanced pedigree of classic and contemporary lines packed with elegance and Arabian type, being a son of 2004 European Reserve Champion Stallion, Ajman Moniscione, and Halya De Jylbert, by Jylbert De Wiec.

Guzzo describes Halyr Meia Lua as a stallion “destined for greatness,” who “thinks the whole universe is his,” and Royal’s manager of sales, Travis Rice, calls him “the perfect outcross,” who is “existing loudly with a purpose.” Halyr Meia Lua is standing to a book full of exceptional mares owned by some of the world’s finest breeders. And from the consistent excellence of his foal crops to date, the stallion has every right to their confidence.

2020 Scottsdale show-goers witnessed the only two Halyr Meia Lua offspring presented there, RD Halyra and Royal Theodosia, finishing first and second in the 2-Year-Old Fillies AAOTH class. RD Halyra went on to earn the Scottsdale Champion Junior Filly AAOTH title, with owner/breeder Murray Popplewell on the lead.

I believe he will breed well to any mare,” says Cindy. “He will bring his type, ears, and eyes to the resulting foal. He has the best ears I’ve ever seen on any Arabian horse and big, beautiful, dark eyes. He always brings those traits to the resulting offspring. My favorite of ours is probably Royal Fantazia, as she is three generations of Royal Arabians breeding. Fantazia is out of RA Princess Jammal, who is out of our foundation mare, Maggie Mae PGA. Of course, Bianca AL and Andrea AL are beautiful as well. They are both out of FA El Shawan daughters.” 

From humble beginnings, and anchored to core values, Cindy McGown and Mark Davis have developed Royal Arabians into a worldwide influencer of the industry, and Cindy is optimistic about the future. “We have endless goals with the Royal Team. That’s what makes this exciting and keeps us going when we are having good days, weeks, or months.”

In times of unprecedented challenges and tumultuous events, people take comfort in the constants in their lives. For members of the Arabian horse community, it is the horses, the people, and the places like Royal Arabians that fill that anchoring role of family.

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Life Inthe Fazt Lane

Cover Story - Vol. 50, No.8, Issue #6

Living Life InThe Fazt Lane

By THERESA CARDAMONE
Dr. Nancy O’ Reilly never expected to fall in love with horses. She already had a very full life as an international philanthropist and popular author; well-known as an advocate for the empowerment of women on a global scale. But about seven years ago, Dr. Nancy was introduced to the Arabian horse—which opened up a whole new dimension to her life. She was smitten, and before long, she developed into an accomplished horsewoman. More recently, she has begun to establish herself as a breeder.

“My love of horses began later in life,” Dr. Nancy explains. “And at first, I had no idea what it would mean to me. My first experience with showing was in liberty classes before I started riding. Now, I ride, I drive, and I breed horses! I think it is important for the breed that our horses be rideable and beautiful. I’m learning so much. It is such fun and it is clear to me that the more I learn, the less I know.” Operating under the moniker Amazing Horse Woman LLC, Dr. Nancy has collected a sensational group of horses as the foundation of her breeding program at Southern California Equestrian Center in Somis, CA. Foremost among them is her 2019 United States Reserve National Champion English Pleasure stallion, Life Inthe Fazt Lane.

Under the expert guidance of Jim Lowe, “Eddie” (as he is known in the barn) delivered a break-through performance to clinch the Reserve National Champion title. In doing so, he demonstrated the superb motion, carriage, and attitude that has produced top English horses in every generation of his pedigree. Life Inthe Fazt Lane is among the many national winners sired by the great Vegaz, himself a U.S. National Champion English Pleasure Futurity and U.S. National Champion English Pleasure Jr. Horse, as well as the 2010 U.S. Reserve National Champion English Pleasure winner. Eddie’s dam is the remarkable producer, River Dance NA, who is also the mother of 2019 U.S. National Champion Country Pleasure Driving horse, Best Of My Love, Eddie’s full sibling by Vegaz, and additional national champions Heartache Tonight, KF Lord of the Dance, and Victim of Love.

With a pedigree stacked with the most famous names in classic Arabian performance breeding, Life Inthe Fazt Lane is wired to reproduce himself through his offspring. To date, they are uniformly leggy, fancy movers with incredible necks and shoulders and the kind of attitude and drive that will further guarantee their show ring success. After Eddie’s performance at the U.S. Nationals, the Arabian public is looking forward to seeing what his kids do in the show ring. Of course, they are also eager to have another chance to see Life Inthe Fazt Lane in action himself.

“Eddie is a very cool guy,” Dr. Nancy relates affectionately. “He is one of the sweetest horses you’ll ever meet. When some people hear the word stallion, they think of a demanding, powerful animal. But he loves attention and is very people-oriented and friendly; he’s really laid-back until he starts moving!” While Life Inthe Fazt Lane will be busy fulfilling his breeding commitments this year, it is also likely that he will be selectively shown, with Scottsdale being a potential target. Ultimately, Eddie’s path may lead back to Tulsa for another go at the National Champion English Pleasure title. Dr. Nancy likes that idea. “After all, why not?” she says.

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