Above: Claire and Half-Arabian Sir Sheldon Cooper KA+++/.
By Brianna York
As featured in the Fall 2024 issue of Arabian Horse World
With all the talk lately about introducing new people to the Arabian breed, Claire Raymond should have shown up on the radar. She is new to the Arabian breed and has landed firmly on her feet in the sport horse ring.
Claire has been riding for just five years and has already established a reputation for being a tactful rider who is excellent at riding finicky, sensitive horses. 2024 was her first year showing Arabians; she has hit her stride without a hitch.
The team at Equi-librium Equestrian operates like a family unit, and Claire fits right in. With Jessica Wisdom’s expert guidance, Claire has won many awards this year and took home a Top Ten in the Third Level ATR class at Sport Horse Nationals.
Claire showed Amy Pike’s Kalaloch+/ (Piaff PASB x Ahbliss) this year at Sport Horse Nationals and has also piloted Half-Arabian Sir Sheldon Cooper KA+++/, owned by Pat Hough, to many titles this year. “Attending Sport Horse Nationals was such a privilege,” Claire said. “I am blessed to be part of an amazing, exceptionally supportive team, and celebrating my teammates’ successes was so much fun.”
Humble comments like this are frequent when you chat with Claire. She is a diplomatic, thoughtful, generous competitor and always eager to lend a helping hand or a kind word to her fellow horse lovers. Claire exemplifies good sportsmanship, a strong work ethic, and a love of horses of all shapes and sizes.
Kalaloch+/ , aka “Klay,” has enjoyed many different careers as a show horse, and his partnership with Amy and Claire has led to many more awards in the sport horse ring over the past few years. Klay’s work ethic is one thing that she loves most. “He always tries his best,” she said. She also said that the Arabian breed is unique because of their versatility, intelligence, and eagerness to work with their human partners.
When asked about her goals for the next show season, Claire said that she wanted to “gain more experience and tactfulness in the show arena.” She also stated that she wanted to become a more adaptable rider and further develop her skill in training horses up through the levels.
Claire’s Sport Horse Nationals Mount Kalacoch+/.
Claire loved Sport Horse Nationals because the Arabian community is so passionate about their horses and their teams of barn mates. “The sense of camaraderie is so special,” she said.
That statement says so much about every aspect of the Arabian horse show experience. Despite our worries about the future of our shows and the stress the clubs and the AHA are feeling about welcoming new people to the breed, exhibitors and horse lovers like Claire are still joining our ranks.
Young people like Claire are the breed’s future, and her early successes and passion for the breed make it clear that the Arabian horse’s future is secure.
