NASS Newsletter September 2009 - North American Shagya ...

Farm News from Kerrigan Bloodstock
in Eureka, California - Elaine Kerrigan
Well, finally got back from the AHA Region III
Arabian Sport Horse Championship Show in
Sacramento, CA... Whew!! What a long
week! It was incredibly hot with temperatures
in the high 90's and low 100's. Tough on us
North Coast folks.
First day was to just get to the Sacramento
area and unload tack and supplies. Temperature
was 104!!!
Second day was to go to Sonora, CA (2 hours
drive) and pick up three horses from the
trainer. We watched them all work and then all
were bathed and clipped. Then off to the show
ground (another 2 hours) and meet up with the
other two horses that were coming in from
Eureka. Our whole group of people were Chris
Bailey (owner of KB Jull Fahim (KB Omega
Fahim+++//(ox) X HC Wild Irish Rose) and
KB Kalila Fahim (KB Omega Fahim+++//(ox)
X Vessa)), Sandra Spalding (owner of KB
Sawda (P-ShA-98-154) ( (Janos (ShA-98-154)
X KB Salim Fahim (ox)), Joan Clark (owner of
KB Shakami Fahim (ShA-05-236) ((KB
Omega Fahim+++//(ox) X Shagya's SZASZA
AF (ShA)) and Elaine Kerrigan (owner of KB
Omega Fahim+++//(ox)).
KB Omega Fahim +++//(ox) & Chelsey Sibley
Farm News ~ Farm News
Third day and first day of the show, four of
these horses showed "In Hand". Meg (KB
Omega Fahim+++//(ox)) was tied for Champion
in the Open Arabian Stallion championship
class, but was awarded Reserve Champion.
However, he got a "9" for his trot!!, with
Elaine as handler. Joan showed Meg in the
Amateur to Handle Arabian Stallion and was
awarded Reserve Champion, too.
KB Omega Fahim +++//(ox) & Chelsey Sibley
Joan showed Shaka (KB Shakami Fahim) in
the Amateur to Handle half Arabian Mare class
and was Champion!! Elaine showed Kali (KB
Kalila Fahim) in the Open half Arabian Mare
class and was Champion, also!! Dressage
trainer, Chelsey Sibley, rode Meg in a warm up
class at Intermediate I and won. Sandra rode
Syd (KB Sawda) in a training level test and had
a good ride. So we were off to a pretty good
start!!
Second day of the show was dressage for Meg,
Jull (KB Jull Fahim) and Kali. Meg won the
Championship for Intermediate I. Jull won the
Championship for 4th level. Kali did well and
finished in the middle of 16+ horses. Joan on
Shaka and Sandra on Syd rode in the warm up
rings to school and gain experience. On that
evening, by request of the show management,
Meg and Chelsey entertained the crowd with a
Grand Prix Freestyle. This was Meg's first
freestyle and he is just schooling Grand
Prix. We were proud!!!
The last day of the show was more dressage.
Meg won the Championship for Intermediate
II. Jull won the Championship for Prix St.
Georges. Kali was 4th in the First Level Championship.
Syd was 7th in the Training Level
Championship. Joan and Shaka enjoyed the
warm up rings with successful schooling and
gaining experience for next year. We were all
tired!! But happy!!
Then it was back to Sonora for Meg and Jull
and for Elaine to have a lesson on Kali before
driving home to Eureka (10 hours). Joan and
Sandra headed to Eureka without the Sonora
side trip.
Meg and Jull will show at the California Dressage
Society Championship show in October. I
hope the weather is cooler!!!
Farm News from WitSend Shagyas in
Cerrillos, New Mexico - Kathy Richkind
Sad news from Gretchen Aycock about
Shagya’s Sprite AF (*Shandor x *Shagya II-
2). “Mighty Spritey” has suffered a career ending
injury to her SI joint (ruptured ligament).
She will remain serviceably sound but unable to
maintain her high performance career as a
jumper, eventer and dressage horse. Spritey
spent last winter in Dallas at Gretchen’s sister’s
barn, where she ended the winter as the Children’s
Jumper Champion of the Dallas winter
circuit. She came back to Albuquerque in the
spring and Gretchen was preparing to show her
at Third level dressage in our May show when
the injury occurred – no one knows how or why.
Shagya’s Sprite AF
She has been retired back to Dallas, where she
will spend several months each year on pasture,
and four-five months being ridden in the
local hunt – I am sure this is Spritey’s idea of
heaven, but all her fans are very sad. Gretchen
had used her as her lesson horse as well, and
said that Spritey was know for taking impeccable
care of any child rider, but her adult students
had to really mind their p’s and q’s as
she had little tolerance for their mistakes!
Sprite really was the epitome of the beautiful,
versatile, clever and athletic Shagya and she
had an equally talented and capable trainer and
rider who loved competing with her. This is a
loss for Shagya public relations as well as a
personal loss for Gretchen.
On a brighter note, WS Emilagra (*Shandor x
Echo Daal) has qualified again for USDF Regional
competition at Training level.
We had hoped to qualify at First level too, but a
short bout of a sore back and a mild case of
dryland distemper (pigeon fever) kept us out of
two shows so we will miss that goal this year.
We plan on showing at First level from now on,
and are working on some Second level movements.
continue →
2 NASS News Fall 2009