THE 2007
ARABIAN BREEDERS
WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
_______ 
Rave Reviews, Colorful Comments and Sage Suggestions from the
Organizers and Supporters of an Innovative Effort to Promote the Arabian Horse…
by Beth Hunziker Mishek

It began as a casual comment made by an American breeder of Arabian horses at a Europe show. “We should have a real breeders’ show in America that uses the European judging system.” Judging from the comments of participants, this was not the first time this idea had occurred to someone. Evidently it was, “An Idea whose time had come!” - at last! We all know that timing is everything. All resources of people, ideas, commitment, opportunity and the willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal must come together at the proper time to create a successful outcome.

A meeting was called to see what the level of interest might be for an event of this kind. Hundreds of people attended and from that group a nucleus of supporters was formed. This group is made up of people, primarily breeders, who believe in the Arabian horse and who take a positive, proactive approach to the promotion and marketing of our breed. Subsequent meetings were held to gather information and input from anyone interested in contributing in a positive way. Eventually the decision was made to go forward with the project and the “Idea” began to come to life.

The group took on an organized form and the Arabian Horse Breeders Alliance was created. One of the primary goals, as stated on the AHBA website was, “… to unite breeders in an effort to enhance their experience with Arabian horses… through judicious competition, selective promotion and publicity.” Well, the 2007 AHBA Breeders’ World Cup Championship held in Las Vegas this past April certainly fulfilled that goal. Organizers and exhibitors, spectators and devotees from around the world came together and the result was one of the biggest and best Arabian horse events – ever! From the beginning to end, people seemed to be overjoyed with the show. Sitting at dinner the last night after the show, the tables were full of people who were discussing their experiences and sharing their ideas. It seemed a shame for it to all end, so let’s continue the conversation. Here is what a number of people who attended had to say about the debut of the AHBA Breeders’ World Cup championships….

Jay Constanti, Sigi and Jay Constanti, Om El Arab International

“We have been wondering for years how we could bring the magic of the overseas shows to the U.S., which would include excitement and energy, a more relaxed method of showing, a multi-national panel of judges using a point system of judging, and a shortened show day in a city where people can have fun when they aren’t attending the horse show. The AHBA Breeders’ World Cup seemed like the answer to all these questions.

The whole weekend was a continuous highlight for us. It started with the gala on Thursday night at the Wynn. For us, that set the atmosphere for the show. It was tasteful, elegant and well-attended. There was excitement in the air that something significant was happening. That energy and that keep-watching-because-you-might-miss-something atmosphere continued throughout the show. On a personal note, we were honored to have been awarded the Breeders Cup in this ground-breaking, inaugural AHBA Breeders’ World Cup show.

There are many minor things that we can work on for next year’s show and one major addition. We would like to encourage more breeders and trainers from the East Coast to attend. To do so, we’ll have to be able to get them in early so their horses will have a chance to get rested. The lighting in the arena needs to be improved, so we will work on that. Also, we need to make it easier to get a table at a restaurant for lunch in order to be able to return to the show in time for an opening ceremony. The one major addition is the possibility of a Breeders’ World Cup Futurity.

Whoever couldn’t attend the Vegas show this year should be sure to come in 2008. It is definitely a must see event. Come to compete. Come to watch. And either way, come to be mesmerized by the quality of our Arabian horses at the show, and enjoy the magic of Las Vegas.”

David Cains and Scott Bailey, Stonewall Farm Arabians

“Well I thought it was a great idea. Scott and I were at the 2005 All Nations’ Cup show in Aachen, Germany. Jeff and Rich Sloan had also attended the show with a group of clients. Jeff, Scott and I were talking as we watched the show and I said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a show like this in the United States?’’ Jeff replied, “Yes it would, but where could we have it?” Scott made the suggestion, “Why not Las Vegas?” Looking back at that conversation, I see that it was a life changing moment.

I believe that the most important reason for the Breeders’ World Cup was to establish that American breeders are producing horses that can compete in any show ring in the world – and win. We want to bring the best American horses and the best European horses together and create an international venue that celebrates the timeless, enduring qualities of the classic Arabian horse. That was our intention for the Breeders’ World Cup and I think we were pretty successful with this first show.
For us there were many highlights to remember from the show. But I think the best was the overall excitement and enthusiasm from everyone. From the months leading up to the show, through out the whole weekend and even now, months later, people are still talking about what a great time they had. It was a wonderful experience being together, enjoying the horses and each others company.
I don’t know if others can relate to this or not, but the whole experience reminded me of when I was a kid showing horses at the local Class “A” shows with my brother and our friends. It didn’t matter whether we won or not, we just had fun being together with our horses. We always left those shows feeling good and looking forward to the next time we would see each other. I think a lot people felt the same way about the Breeders’ Cup. It was just a very different, a very positive atmosphere and people really enjoyed that.

The championships classes were another highlight for us. They really showcased the fantastic horses we are producing here in the States. We were blown away by the quality and type of the horses in those classes. Seeing all those gorgeous horses competing here in America was a dream come true. Seriously, in all our years showing horses, we have never seen a higher level of quality than the horses in the Breeders’ Cup championship line ups – it was truly outstanding. It reminded us why we have dedicated our lives to breeding purebred Arabian horses.
All of the performance classes were wonderfully supported by the top trainers and amateur competitors in the country. The numbers were not as high as we would like to see in the future, but the quality was first rate. For example, in the English Pleasure class, there were four past National Champions – MFW Benedykt, Lah Lah+/, Infinity CSP, and Afire Flame. That’s a first string line if ever there was one! And just in case anyone was questioning the importance of performance competition, the most watched classes by walk-in spectators were the Native Costume. As always, this was the crowd favorite. However, judging from the attendance and the applause, I think the Liberty classes were a close second. In my opinion, the most important thing was that the performance classes, which had some of the best horses in the country, showed people that we can all enjoy the Arabian horse in lots of different ways.

Now that the show is done, we are looking towards next year’s show and how we can make it even better. No matter how successful you are there are always things to improve. We would love to see more people – breeders, exhibitors and spectators participate. That would make the show even better. The best way to improve the Breeders’ World Cup is to participate. Get involved – be a sponsor, a patron, an exhibitor, a volunteer or just come to be a spectator - do whatever you can to support our breed.

This new venue was a fresh start for the Arabian horse, not just here in the States, but globally. As an industry we need to embrace this show and what it can do for the breed and to show the world what great horses we have and what wonderful dedicated breeders we have here in America. We are absolutely looking forward to next year’s show.

Greg Gallun, Nancy and Greg Gallun, Gallun Farms, Inc…

“Our first impression of the concept for this event was that it was innovative and gutsy, but we liked it and decided to participate and support the show. We believed in the people who were instrumental in creating the show. They are an exceptional group of people.

The idea of using a modified European judging system coupled with the effort to bring together a panel of judges that represented both American and international styles made us really look at the group of horses we would take to the show. We knew that some of the best horses in the breed would be there and that we would have to bring horses with very high levels of quality in every area evaluated - especially type and movement. This system requires a horse with as many positive points as possible, not just one. So this show made it essential for everyone to look at their horses from a broader perspective, an international perspective, not just an American point of view.

On the whole, I think the American handlers did a good job. For many, it was their first introduction to this style of presentation. Change is hard. Anything new is challenging and some handlers will prefer to continue in the old way of doing things. I don’t believe in change just for the sake of change, but this was change to increase the excitement of the show and, for the benefit of the horses.

When you have 25-30 yearlings out in the heat, or out in the cold, that can be stressful for them. This system was far better for the horses and the handlers because they could rest and be at ease as they waited. I think the stress seemed much lower. It showed on everyone’s faces and in their demeanor. You saw handlers talking and chatting to each other about their horses and the show rather than constantly having to school their horses. I think we need to work on trotting our horses. European trainers are better at trotting their horses and showing their movement to its best advantage. I think the American trainers will catch up – I know I had to really work on trotting my horses to prepare for the show.

Personally I would like to see a more balanced emphasis between a stand up pose and a free moving trot. Sometimes we focus so much on the standup that we forget about the trot. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible to ask a horse to give a hard pose, to stand almost perfectly still, and then move right into a flamboyant trot. This way of presentation will give us better balance and allows the horses to show all of their qualities – especially their personalities. It may take a couple of years to really embrace and master this type of presentation because it’s new, but this show was a great start! We really needed this.

One of the highlights of the show for us was the young lady from the Arabian horse show who won the 5 million on a slot machine! Only in Vegas could that happen! Also, winning the World Cup Handler Award was really an honor. The show itself was a highlight! I think walls were broken down – there was a lot more connection and conversation among the trainers than ever before.

It felt like people were genuinely excited to be there. A horse show is a social event and the hotel was the perfect venue for parties, dinner, socializing and fun.

As for any suggestions, I think the bagging of the horses is unnecessary. To me, it’s distracting. Maybe we could rethink that and have it as an option. More importantly though I think we need stronger promotion to introduce Arabian horses to the public and to attract more spectators with an emphasis on the families and visitors of Las Vegas.

Overall, we have nothing but praise and admiration for the board and everyone who worked so hard to put on the show. Personal agendas were set aside and every effort was to make it the best show possible. It was a first class event all the way with every detail beautifully appointed. Even the awards were special and meaningful – something any winner would be proud to display.

Everyone we spoke to said they planned on coming back next year. That would be great with us because the whole week after the show we had visitors at our farm from Europe, South America and the Middle East. We look forward to the show next year and believe it will be every bit as good and even better!”

Jeff Sloan, Aria International

“When I decided to get back into the Arabian horse business, I felt the desire to contribute to activities that would energize the Arabian horse marketplace. I grew up in this business during the roaring 80’s and while I recognize the mistakes made during that time which ultimately led to a downturn in the industry, I also recognize the leadership and boldness that resulted in great things. One of the things I thought we needed to strengthen our breed today was a halter show in a great venue. Las Vegas was an obvious choice to offer the glitz and glamour and excitement that many of our shows today just don’t offer. My brother Rich and I gathered our thoughts and then met with others who were like-minded to craft the initial concept of the Breeders’ World Cup. We knew it would be difficult to achieve, but we also knew that it would be well worth it if we could make it happen.

There were many highlights during the event, but I think one of the most meaningful was the sense of accomplishment that we all felt walking into the arena the first morning and realizing that we had actually done it – it was amazing! What a thrill it was to see how far we had come. We went from the original concept, all the way to that first horse being led into the arena to be judged. I also have to say that the Gala was extremely well received. It was a great way to kick off the weekend’s events. Everybody was so upbeat and really enjoyed it.

We learned a lot from the inaugural event and we will continually strive to improve the show. I think the judging system is going to take some time for everyone to get used to, but I think it’s important to maintain that type of judging for accountability and transparency. I also think we need to narrow the gap between the “European” style horse, which tends to have more emphasis on type, and the “American” style horse which has tended to have more emphasis on features such as longer necks. I’d really like us to eventually get to one worldwide standard so that breeders can breed against this standard, judge’s can judge against it, and handlers can bring horses into the ring that match up to a single standard.

There are also some logistical things to work on as well. For example, there will be brighter lighting in the arena for next year’s show and adjustments on the seating and table layout will be made so that we can offer the best possible seating to all. One of the most important areas that we want to improve is the promotion of our event to people who not in our industry, but who are visiting Las Vegas during the time of the show. We want to do all we can to introduce as many new people as possible to the breed, and what greater venue to do it than with our show held in Las Vegas? In fact, we have set a goal that next year’s show will be better attended by both exhibitors and spectators.

The AHBA Breeders’ World Cup is on the map and here to stay! I am confident that each year will bring improvements. With this show now accomplished, we are exploring even more exciting ideas to bring to the industry.”

Dixie and Bob North, North Arabians

“Initially, we thought something had to happen to revive interest in participating in horse shows. We decided that the main ingredients missing in today’s show ring are FUN and involvement. We had been to shows in foreign countries and thought why not bring some of the ideas that make their shows fun and interesting for the spectators, as well as the exhibitors, to the United States and create a new venue.

There were so many highlights! The gala on Thursday was a great kick off for our first show. It was very well attended and everyone had fun. The music for the show was upbeat and fun. The people were so excited and really seemed to enjoy seeing the judge’s names being drawn out of the silver cup for each class. I loved the way each horse was showcased in the classes. The judging system made it easy for the spectators to follow. The seating arrangements made it easy to socialize. And just having it in Vegas made it great for people to go to dinner or a show after the classes. Having the hotel so close to the horses was wonderful for exhibitors.

People have been very positive in their comments, still there always things that can be improved upon. We will definitely work on better lighting. Also, we will try to make better table seating arrangements because the end tables were not the best. All in all, it went very well for a first show and we are already at work to improve the show for next year.”

Janene and Bob Boggs, Midwest Station I

“As longtime Arabian horse breeders, we’ve seen the continual decline in the number of entries in American halter classes. We felt that as the numbers went down, so did the level of fun and excitement. However, we wanted to increase our participation, and that’s what led to us showing our horses both in the United States and internationally. Over the years, we saw that the European shows really focus on the breeders, the horses, and making the show a really fun event. We and other Americans attending shows in Europe asked ourselves, “Why can’t we do this in the U.S.?”

The American show ring needed a change. Our feeling was that a show of this kind could work in the states; the organization of the show, the judging system and the manner of presentation. The goal was to have a European style show in America, and to create a really special event full of excitement, fun and interest for everyone – especially non-horse owners.

We consider ourselves breeders first, so we felt a strong desire to support the effort to make this show happen. We’re hoping that it will have a positive impact on breeding Arabian horses in general. In our opinion, we need to eliminate the difference between so called “American” style horses and “European” style horses and inspire people to breed beautiful and athletic Arabian horses.

For us, one of the most positive aspects of the show was the electric atmosphere. There was so much anticipation building up to the show. From the very beginning, at the gala party, the conversation was about the excitement and the quality of the horses competing. People were genuinely looking forward to what the coming days would bring. And the excitement continued. It seemed like people were really pleasantly surprised that the event actually surpassed their expectations.

Also, the judging system that we used focused on the horse and had immediate accountability of the judges, which helped to level the playing field. In our opinion the international panel of judges did a wonderful job. The closeness of their scores proves that there is not that big of a gap between how foreign judges and American judges rank the really top quality Arabian horses.

As for suggestions and ideas about how to improve the show, it has been very helpful to get honest feedback from people who attended. We may not agree on every point but this group is willing to listen. One of the most meaningful statements was that it seemed like everyone put aside their personal agendas. We all focused on what would make this the best event possible for the horses, the exhibitors and the spectators.

Now that the show is over, the board will meet to discuss the feedback and to determine what worked best. The board, together with the show organizers and the volunteers, are committed to doing whatever we can to make next year’s show even better.

Our final comment is that we want to thank everyone, and there are many, who worked hard to make this event a success. It is really encouraging to know that people are already committed to attending next year’s show. We’ll definitely be there!”

Bob Battaglia, Russ Vento and Bob Battaglia, Battaglia Farms

“I had always considered the idea of a World Cup show a possibility. Several groups had discussed it, but there was never the commitment to take action and make it happen. We had heard about the first meeting in Albuquerque, but we were unable to go. So when we head about the next meeting in Scottsdale, we made it a point to be there and see how we could participate and support the effort. It was important to us as breeders that this show was as inclusive as possible. After all, the Arabian horses here in America are enjoyed in both halter and performance. The Breeders’ World Cup celebrates all breeders of Arabian horses. We wanted to be sure there was something for everyone to enjoy – that’s the beauty of our breed.

You asked about a particular highlight from the show. For us the show itself was the highlight. It began the first moment we walked into the show. There was an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement. It was electric! There was a sense of mutual support that we have never experienced before – anywhere. People came together for the good of the horse - for the benefit of the breed. For the first time in a long time we had something we could all feel good about, something we could really be proud of.

As great as the show was, we need to look to the future to see how we can maintain this high level of excitement and positive action and, where we can improve the show for next year. A couple of areas I would like to look into are scheduling – so we could add a few more classes, seating – to allow for more room for the horses and modifying the bagging of the halter horses. That seemed a bit disorganized and overdone. However, those are minor things and easily adjusted. Overall the whole event was great and the organizers should be congratulated and thanked for the fantastic job they did.

We’ve already started on next year’s show. Plans are in the works to make it even bigger and better including more promotion and advertising within the city and nationally too. Our goal is to increase the number of people who attend –exhibitors as well as spectators who are new to the Arabian horse.”

Manny Lawrence, Jade Creek Arabians

“The idea for the show was great! It was a new venue for the Arabian horse – one with some pizzazz! I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of this positive action to promote our breed.

The organization of the whole event was very good. Everyone, all the staff and organizers, were very helpful. The quality of the horses presented was very nice and I think all the judges and handlers were pleased with their presentations.

To me, the highlight of the show was the opening night gala. It was first class all the way. It set the tone for the whole event – fun, exciting and positive with everyone enjoying each other’s company. It was great.

As for suggestions, I think improvements need to be made in the interpretation of the standard of the breed. I do not think the judges separated the six categories very well. Also, I think the show needs to have more of an American influence - the international judges outnumbered the American judges and as always, politics were very prevalent.

I believe a good start, a better start to the show, would be to have the gelding and/or amateur classes first to allow the judges a chance to get the feel of the grading curve and to keep people in the seats longer. Also, I think the order of go needs to be determined by a draw rather than by age.

The quality of the performance classes was excellent. However, I feel that the organizers and founding members should have been more attentive and showed greater support for the performance division. As it was, I only saw two people attend the performance classes that were founding members or organizers, Carole Steppe and me. The loudest complaint I heard from the performance people was that they were not allowed enough time to work their horses in the arena so they could get used to all the decorations. It was a bit much for some of the younger horses. These are suggestions that would be very easy to do and I think would make for an even better show.”

Dolly Orr, Dolly and Harold Orr, Orrion Farms…

“My initial thought about the show was that it was exactly what our industry needed. It was the perfect way to bring back excitement to the halter classes and I think it promises to be a successful way to market halter horses.

There were so many highlights throughout the week that it's hard to narrow them down. To begin with, the time of year that it was held seems ideal and having it in Las Vegas is the right place - we enjoyed the hotel very much. The Thursday night Gala was a fabulous party. It was so "first class" and such a good chance to mingle with everyone there for the show. At the show, we really enjoyed the seating of the tables in the arena. It allowed a very good view of everything including the opening ceremonies, which were well done. I thought the judging was interesting. The Las Vegas act was great. The awards were especially nice and it was fun to see them presented by a show girl. All and all, it was a top notch show and we were very satisfied with it.

I think it would be a good idea to not have performance classes except for Native Costume for entertainment. Possibly the time allowed for performance could be used to have some halter elimination classes. Performance horses have a lot of other shows and I think it would be nice if this show was strictly a halter competition. I think it would be good to have more horses entered for Liberty classes, so there could be classes on at least two of the days. Overall, we thought the show was fabulous and look forward to attending and bringing more horses every year.”

Michael Byatt, Ann and Michael Byatt, Michael Byatt Arabians

“I thought the concept of the show was timely. It was necessary to have a new show concept – the existing format has become stale and uninteresting. I thought of it less as a “Breeders’ Show” and more of a show that celebrated the Arabian breed – in an up-beat, blood pumping manner. That made it an event rather than a marathon fund raiser to exhibit horses. They achieved this.

For us, the highlight of the show was the positive energy from the people. It was great to see people having fun, whether their horses won or not.

Our suggestions to improve the show are minimal. It would great to get the horses in and out of the ring quicker so we can keep the momentum moving.

All in all we applaud everything these people did. Keep the positive energy moving….we loved it!”

Barbara Chur, Strawberry Banks Farm…

“My initial thought about the show was that the idea was GREAT. I am 100% behind programs highlighting or promoting the purebred Arabian horse in a positive way. I was happy to contribute and happy to know that performance classes would be involved. I believe the versatility of the Arabian makes the breed so very special and it can be enjoyed by so many for different reasons. I also thought the venue was perfect - a place to draw people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

The highlight for me was the enthusiasm of everyone who participated and especially the opening evening party. It was a terrific time to revisit with many people I had not seen in a while.

I don't have any answers but questions, thoughts and comments. Rethinking each part of the event is needed, as always, when trying to introduce something new and grand. Although I thought the venue was a perfect one, in retrospect perhaps there was just too much to do and the event wasn't as well attended by non-Arabian enthusiasts as I had hoped. It certainly brought a nice number of Arabian owners in, but I was looking to excite and include non-owners.

I wanted performance classes but unfortunately such a small number entered and showed, that I don’t think it was inspiring to anyone. Perhaps the low numbers were a result of the fact that it was not a sanctioned show, so there was less of a reason to come to the event. Also, there was no monetary reward. I believe we need to include prize money and the number of classes rewarded money.

As with anything new, adjustments need to be made. I do believe in the idea and I also believe with some tweaking it can turn into something special for the purebred Arabian horse!!”

Hank DeShazer, DeShazer Arabians…

“I was so excited to see a group wanting to put excitement back in the Arabian horse industry. I appreciate the idea of using the European judging system because it places emphasis on breed type, something we have gotten away from. But, I remained cautious because I have heard all of this before without any follow through.

There were just too many highlights to just name one. Las Vegas was a wonderful setting with so many fun things to do. It was a great venue with a very nice arena. But the horses that people brought, with emphasis on type were fantastic, so for us the horse fun had to be the best highlight.

I believe this show created a great base to try to improve on. I know the board and committee is working hard to make next year even better. However, with success will come more people. I think the show must be kept small because large classes will lengthen the show and I think, make it less fun.

We have had a great response to the World Cup, which I believe is proof that the industry is begging for better, more fun and more exciting horse shows. We need to quit trying to be all things to all people. Maybe we need to split off half-Arabians, and maybe split performance and halter. And for sure we need to look for more entertaining venues.”

Jim and Judy Sirbasku, Shawn Crews, Arabians, Ltd.

“After five or six years of lamenting with fellow breeders and handlers at the US Nationals, Judy and I thought it was time to put our money where are mouth is and help change the "venue " for the Breeding Classes. It’s not that Nationals is not a spectacular show. It just has not been an optimum environment for the purebred halter divisions over the last ten years. Many of us spoke of the kind of show we would like to have. So when Bob Boggs asked me to sit on the board and join the AHBA as a Founding Member I jumped at the opportunity. The board members for the AHBA are true visionaries. They made this event happen and should be commended on their efforts.” - Jim Sirbasku

  “As for the highlights of the show, I think the horses were the true stars of the show. The manner in which they were presented seemed to give everyone who watched a feeling of closeness - you could feel the horses’ personalities. I thought it was very special. Another highlight for me was watching Wayne Newton accept the achievment award. There are so many great people involved with Arabian Horses. It was nice to see Wayne honored for all of his efforts over the years.

Honestly, the only suggestion would perhaps be just the dates for the show – it presents a challenge for Egyptian breeders to go to Las Vegas and then back home in time to finish up preparations for the Event. But, it seems like the date was very successful for almost everyone else, so we will just have to figure it out for next year! Really, we would not change a thing. The show was beautiful done. The judging was terrific. The handlers out did themselves. Also, we really liked the fact that there was plenty of time to enjoy fellow Arabian horse enthusiasts and the city of Las Vegas.” - Shawn Crews

Debby Stephens, Debby and Michael Stephens, Resting S Ranch

“Right from the start we thought the idea for the whole event was great. As soon as we heard about the show Michael said he wanted us to participate and become Founding Members. We have not been to any of the European shows, so we were not familiar with the format and atmosphere, but we loved it. We believe anything that brings new people into our world is a good thing and this was great!

I will admit that we were a little disappointed when we thought performance classes were not going to be included. So we were really delighted when we found out that performance would in fact be part of the show. This added a broader dimension to the event and allowed even more people to participate. I also think it added more interest for spectators, especially the non-horse owners who attended.

As for highlights from the show, we thought the way it was organized was great. There was more interaction between breeders of halter horses and breeders of performance horses than we have ever seen before. It seemed like the focus was on things we have in common, not our differences. We were talking to people and sharing ideas about the horses and the show. For once it was really positive and not just people complaining.

We loved the fanfare of the opening ceremonies, the seating was very nice and we loved seeing all the people from around the world coming together to celebrate the horses. Maybe the best thing for us was seeing all the people who came in to the show from the hotel and casino – people who had never seen a horse up close get their first experience with an Arabian horse. They were so interested and asked lots of questions. It was incredible to watch their faces light up. You could see that they really enjoyed themselves.

Suggestions for improvements are pretty minimal. It would be appreciated if the food and beverage service extended into the evening classes for those patrons who attend.

Also, the performance classes were a little small, but that was okay for the first show. In the future we may need to rethink the seating into the arena to accommodate the performance classes that will no doubt grow to be even bigger and better. Also, maybe we could mix up the schedule just a little.

Our final thought is that this show was a great idea. We loved the international scope of the show – whenever people from different cultures and backgrounds can get together in a positive way that’s a good thing. We look forward to participating next year and doing whatever we can to make it even better.”

Glenn Hibbs, BP Arabians

“My thoughts were that it could be an interesting concept because of the difference in judging and the amount of publicity that was taking place. I knew that the best of the best horses would probably be there and that was the case in some classes, but not all.

Since I only had two horses compete at the show, one highlight for me was to watch the judging and compare it to how our shows are normally run. It was different, but not shorter. As far as all the glitter and glamour, I live in Las Vegas so I expected that. However, a real highlight for me was that it only took 10 minutes to get from my house to the show.

As far as suggestions, I would like to see more judges to draw from and the judges to use the full spectrum of scores rather than 99% between 16 and 20. It was strange to see almost all the scores the same with such a diverse background when it came to the judges. Maybe they could include 2 or 3 owners/breeders as amateur judges in the mix. That could be very interesting. A final thought is that some how we need to reach out to the new person interested in Arabian horses.”

Frank Hennessey, Hennessey Arabians, LLC

“After participating in a few shows in Europe, I thought the Breeders’ Cup would be really beneficial for the US. I liked the idea of adopting some rules and regulations from the European judging system and using at this show. I like the fact that the scoring system gives spectators an idea how and why horses are placed in the class. At the same time this system does not take away any of the excitement.

I thought of every championship class as a highlight for the show. Watching all the judges picking out their champion and the top five from the line up of some of the most beautiful horses in the world was extremely exciting.

I think this first show was a great beginning - the location couldn't be any better. As far as suggestions go, I think we have to do even more to attract new spectators. With more promotion, I think we could attract more people to come to our events.

Finally, it was very refreshing to see such excitement among the exhibitors and spectators through out the show. I think the gala dinner on Thursday night was a great success. I believe over 500 people attended the dinner and I think everybody enjoyed the wonderful food and great company.”

Nancy Blankenship, Kehilan Arabians

“My initial thought when I was approached about this idea of the Breeders' Show was finally, someone is stepping out of the box here in the U.S. to break out of the some of the chains that bind us being governed by AHA. The excitement has left the breeding classes when it comes to AHA shows. We would be wise to take some cues from Arabian horse shows from around the world. So when I heard about this new project I was quite pleased, but I had to wonder if they would be able to pull it off. All in all, I would say they did. The show was exciting and showcased some lovely horses that as caretakers of this breed we can be proud of.

I think the overall quality of horses presented was the highlight. I think the panel of judges, with the exception of one, was the kind needed to choose breeding horses for the purebred Arabian.

My one suggestion, as small as it might be, is that I thought the music and announcer were a bit too loud. You could not carry on a conversation at your table unless you were willing to shout over the music and announcer. I think the music was great, just too loud at times.

I would like to compliment the organizing committee and all who worked so hard to put on this show. I know the work that went into this and it certainly showed. I myself am involved in the Egyptian Event and know the efforts and sacrifices that were made to make this a truly worthwhile endeavor. It exceeded my expectations and was a job well done!” 

Riyan and Ricardo Rivero, Equine Image Center

“Ricardo and I were very excited about the show. We felt that the Industry was ready for a change...a positive change that would encourage spectators to be involved in the "Halter World". Based on what we were told about how the show would be run, we felt this would be a very positive experience.

I wouldn't say there was one specific highlight for us. The overall experience was great! We loved that basically everyone was together...in the same hotel (having coffee in the same coffee shop in the morning)...the stalls were not spread out over a large area...the seating in the arena was warm and comfortable. There seemed to be a better sense of camaraderie all together than most shows.

As a suggestion, I would like to see us reach out a little more to the general public in Vegas and use more television and radio coverage. We need to find a way to get outsiders in. We just need to reach outside our own world a bit more.

We would like to publicly thank the group of people who believed in this project and set out to begin something new and exciting for this business. I can only imagine the obstacles they faced. They are to be commended for their perseverance and tenacity...they really did a great job and presented a very classy venue and an exciting way for us to enjoy these beautiful horses! Thank You!”