As featured in the Summer 2024 issue of Arabian Horse World
Boutique Arabian horse breeders epitomize passion and precision in their craft. With meticulous attention to lineage and conformation, they cultivate elite bloodlines renowned for grace and athleticism. Each foal is a masterpiece, nurtured with devotion, ensuring the preservation and enhancement of this majestic breed’s legacy in every exquisite detail.
Aspire Arabians
Ivan & Sheryl Osorio
Reddick, Florida
Aspire Arabian has been breeding Arabian horses for seven years and average about eight foals per year. They first got interested in breeding when they were interested in producing Arabian horses that have type, balance, moves well, and have a good mind. Although all of their foals are special to them, the second generation Aspire Arabians foals are particularly meaningful to Ivan and Sheryl.
“Our vision of the perfect foal has type, correct conformation, good movement, and an excellent pedigree representing strong bloodlines.”
Aspen Creek Arabians
Carla Thornton
Grants Pass, Oregon
Carla bred her first mare, a Backstreet daughter to Twinfir Extragold, when she was 21. After a hiatus, she resumed breeding in 2009. On average, she produced between one and five foals per year. She decided to start breeding when she was a trainer and wanted to raise a foal from the ground up. Although each of her foals is special and they were all bred purposefully for a bright future, ACA Alkamilla is a stand out. She is a perfect example of her breeding program with Top Five honors in International Halter, and now an AHPA Hunter pleasure prospect.
“My vision of the perfect foal is one that possesses breed standard and exhibits not only the traits of exceptional beauty and disposition, but also can compete and be recognized for performance abilities.”
Elsinore Arabian Stud
Dana, Tammy & Taylor Story
Wildomar, California
Elsinore Arabian Stud started breeding in 1956 with the founders, Charles and Inez Doner. In 1976, Dana’s parents, Dellene and Tommy Warner, purchased the farm and horses in which they continued to breed. Currently, the Story family breed two to five foals per year in the EAS tradition. Many foals have made significant impact to the program and breed since 1956: Ddinnerka & Kalikka (*Aladdinn x Blue Bierka), Elsinor Muzuleyna (*Muzulmanin++ x Alleyna), dam of National Champion Park mare, Scarlet Lace. In recent year, Psephora EAS+ (Padrons Psyche x Paulina VF) who brought EAS back into the winner’s circle after many years garnering Youth National Champion Mare and U.S. National Top Ten Open Mare.
“A perfect foal to us has a pretty face, strong body and topline, well balanced and with good legs and feet on all our foals. However, we believe and strive to breed an Arabian that can truly do it all. One that has a good mind, a beautiful look, and athleticism for multiple divisions in and out of the show ring. The Arabian is more than just a pretty face.”
JKL Arabians
Jill Loskil
Cave Creek, Arizona
Jill has been breeding for 20 years and produces one or two foals per year. In 1999, she became ill and was unable to ride Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods. Her husband brought home a Half-Arabian filly to start and the rest if history. She was impressed with the heart, athleticism, and intelligence of the Arabian breed, and started breeding and developing good-minded and trainable Arabians. She bred a gelding named Beon Alla Czar++++//, now 16, that has exceeded all her expectations. He is a six-time Scottsdale Champion, two-time Sport Horse National Champion, Sport Horse Reserve National Champion, USEF Horse of the Year, and qualified for the Dressage Finals.
“My vision for the perfect foal is to breed an athletic, good-minded, attractive, functional horse that can be enjoyed in whatever discipline. To showcase the true beauty and personality of the Arabian horse.”
Rocksanne Pieters Arabians
Rocksanne Pieters
Ramona, California
Rocksanne’s family started breeding Arabians in 1974, and she started in 2001 producing one foal per year or every other year. Her mother always dreamed of having a ranch at a young age and passed her passion onto Rocksanne. Although she lost her mother at a young age, she continued showing them until she realized they were aging, and then started breeding. Her stallion, Polimar+++/, is the foal that means the most to her. He is kind, beautiful, talented, and her program revolves around him.
“My goal is to breed halter quality performance horses with great and willing temperaments that are multi-program nominated so the new owners have a chance to win money.”
Sugar Magnolia Arabians
Leslie Coplean
Holly, Michigan
Leslie bred her first horse twenty-four years ago with the support of her mother. After he (the resulting foal) passed, she purchased two top quality mares to breed. She is now on her fourth foal crop and averages five foals per year and every one is special to her. Watching tapes from Sheila Varian’s Summer Spectacular and Ansata Arabians got her started in breeding. She also read Arabian Horse World, and attended a breeding business clinic by Shawn Crews. At this event, she got to meet Thee Desperado and was inspired to pursue her dream.
“My vision of a perfect foal is one that inspires. One that finds its purpose and people, has a fun, “look at me” show attitude with large, dark eye with the look that just loves you back.”
Caledonia Egyptian Arabians
Cameron Thornberg
Knox, North Dakota
Cameron has been breeding Arabians for 21 years and produces one to seven foals per year. Before going to college, he worked at a Quarter Horse farm where there was one Arabian mare named Misty. This mare, along with a lifelong fascination with ancient Egyptian culture, fueled the foundation of Caledonia Egyptian Arabians. His parents purchase their first mare in 2011, and they now share a facility for their breeding program. The most meaningful foal to Cameron is Nefertiti CE. She was their first foal, and has amazing combination of type, quality, pedigree, and temperament like a true Bedouin Arabian.
“My vision of the perfect foal is well balanced and has a naturally arched neck with a short head. A willing temperament is the most important factor to be true ‘in your tent’ Arabians.”
Wanderlust Arabians
Ann Gauntlett
Ocala, Florida
Ann has been breeding for 33 years and produces 2 foals per year. Getting into breeding was easy for her as she was born into it with her parents having established Riverlea Farm with her grandparents. Although it is impossible for her to choose one special foal, there are two that go back to the tail female lines of the first foal her parents bred in 1962 that are meaningful. She has also bred a Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt, and has high hopes for a Sport Horse filly she bred. Her current favorite is her 2024 filly by MD Zlatan.
“My vision of a perfect foal is a typey athlete that are functional and have the quintessential Arabian “people-loving” disposition and are correctly conformed and capable of being successful in halter and performance.”
Iniziare Arabians
Suzann Vince
Scottsdale, Arizona
Suzann began breeding in the 70’s when she was interested in Russian Arabians, and Howie Kale Jr. was her mentor. She made the trip to The Kossack Stud in Holland to find a weanling filly to start her program. Her and her family bred and showed many Arabians until her father passed away in 2005. She left the industry until 2014 when she started Iniziare Arabians. The name, meaning “new beginnings” in Italian, is a tribute to her dad, Guy Vince, who is 100% Sicilian. After purchasing many weanlings to “restart” her program, she is now producing foals regularly. The most special foal she has produced so far was Petrovkka in April 1985. She was sired by *Muscat and out of her foundation mare, *Pavlinka. She won many Championships and had two foals. At age 18, she returned to the 2023 Scottsdale show and came out in the Top Four of Senior Mares.
“Although the Arabian world has evolved over my 36 years of involvement, my core belief is that a foal should have a beautiful face, small ears, big eyes, great shoulders, strong hips, short backs, and a natural high tail carriage. They should be athletic irregardless of how beautiful they look. They should be able to go on to be performance horses, and pass on breed athleticism.”
R-Farm Arabians
Jim Robbins & Tim Kelly
Oregon City, Oregon
Jim got involved with Arabians in 1973 at the age of 13 and has been in love ever since. After meeting Dick and Carolyn Hasbrook of Twin Brook Arabians, he visited several farms: Comar Arabians, Gainey Arabians, and Dale and Ruth Henriksen’s. Their foundation horses have evolved over the years from *Raffles/*Mirage mares to a mix of modern day show horse breeding like Ali Jamaal, *El Shaklan, *Bask++, Magnum Psyche, and *Scape Ibn Navarrone-D. Having bred many foals, and stood many stallions, Jim and Tim’s favorite foals have been descendants of Lucy Whittier of Las Colinas’ program including mares they’ve kept Sabrina RF, Accolade RD, and Maryanna RD.
“Our goal is to produce a beautiful, quality well-conformed, and trainable horse that can show and win, and then go home and be the best friend any family or amateur could hope for.”
Artisan Arabians
Tannis Nelson-Boissonnault
British Columbia, Canada
Tannis has been breeding for nine years producing one to three foals per year. After showing Arabians since she was three-years-old, she took a break before deciding breeding was the next step for her. A foal that is special to her is a two-year-old colt by KM Bugatti, out of AFA Aliya Amari. He has been a fun journey for her, and she is looking forward to his foals.
“The perfect foal is beautiful to look at, athletic, and trainable. It’s a gamble each time. Each Spring, you wait to find out if you’ve won the lottery. Even if you do win, you know you’ll be back to the table to gamble again.”
Corry Key
Dardanalle, Arkansas
Corry “accidentally” started breeding in 1987 when her “non-horse” parents let her purchase a pregnant mare, in which she was instantly hooked. Today, she produces between one and six foals per year. The most special foal she has produced thus far is Heirianna SA. She is by Royal Heir, out of Corry’s best broodmare. When she was born, she was rejected by her dam and sustained a laceration in her first 12 hours of life. As a yearling, she contracted Lawsonoa Intracellularis, a GI infection. As a four-year-old, she was in training for the AEPA when she fractured her pastern and had surgery. After this, her show career was over, but she was bred to Corry’s stallion, Folsom, and had one of the best foals yet with hopes that she continues what Heirianna couldn’t.
“I want to breed foals that are athletic, intelligent, and can win in the show ring and hang out on the trail- an all around good horse. When my show horses come home from training, I take them out on the Arkansas trails.”
Medrano Arabians
Manuel Durdini
Quito, Ecuador
Manuel has been breeding horses for almost 50 years and has six foals per year on average. His most special foal is MD Mirka, an AJ Thee Luca daughter out of MD Psylk. He started breeding because he loved Arabians’ intelligence, conformation, trainability, and beauty.
“My vision of the perfect foal has charisma, strength, and beauty.”
Marashah Arabians
Trish & Allyssa Baird
Medford, Oregon
Trish has been breeding horses for 30 years. Once her daughter Allyssa was older, she got involved in the breeding operations. On average, they produce between two and four foals per year. Trish’s most meaningful foal was MA Azure. He had a major injury as a new foal with a long recovery, but went on to become an International Silver Champion in Kuwait. She started breeding for her love of horses and the miracle of foaling.
“My vision of a perfect foal is a healthy, vibrant foal that has strong movement and beauty that is trainable and loves to put on a show.”
Hidden Meadows Arabians & Sport Horses
Barbara Marcinkowski
Gig Harbor, Washington
Barbara has been breeding Arabians for over 20 years and produces one to two foals per year. Three-year-old filly Days Reflection by her stallion, Akma D Day++++//, is the most meaningful to her as she is the epitome of her sire. She started breeding because she loved the temperament of her stallion and felt it was important to carry on.
“My vision of a perfect foal is an athletic foal with balanced conformation, great legs and an in your pocket personality..”
