Sport Horse Nationals

Top Story

September 23, 2009

Last entered, definitely not least

From the stands on Tuesday in the Covered Arena, one might wonder, “Who is 615?” The entry was not listed in the show program, but the horse was absolutely noticeable. A flashy, bay gelding, with a blaze and extreme white covering his muzzle, FMF Arabi (Showkayce+ x HMT Malan) stood out with his beauty, correctness and powerful, reaching, ground-covering trot. Scoring a 76.25 and winning the Arabian Sport Horse Geldings In-Hand Championship confirmed that the gelding truly had something special about him. There was a reason “Arabi” was not on the program roster. He was the last horse entered to compete at the 2009 Sport Horse National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (SHN). His emergence into sport horse competition was a quick one, qualifying Labor Day weekend at the Virginia Arabian Horse Association’s Fall Classic. A two-judge show, “Arabi” earned his ticket to SHN by winning Arabian Sport Horse Geldings In-Hand with trainer Larry Jones, and finishing second and third in the Amateur division with Wayne Naylor. Naylor and his wife, Sharon, purchased the Showkayce+ son at the beginning of August. Little did they know just how wise their choice would be. Following the death of Wayne Booker, much of the Fox Meadow herd was sold in a sale, Jones said. Five horses were not offered in the sale and were given to Jones, who worked with Fox Meadow at the time, and his wife. Arabi, a yearling at the time, was among that handful of horses.
When Arabi arrived at his new home, he was turned out to pasture with an older stallion. He was pulled out of pasture this spring and gelded as a 3-year-old. Fast-forward to this summer and the Naylors had planned on taking Shahcago Tribune++ (Shahcago x Lea Gai Geyma), who went Top 10 in Arabian Sport Horse Geldings In-Hand ATH Championship in 2007, to SHN. Unfortunately, he suffered a suspensory sprain this summer. So, the Naylors were forced to take him out of training for SHN, and started the hunt for another sport-horse prospect.
“The Naylors were looking for a second horse, and they just fell in love with Arabi,” Jones said. The Naylors said they loved his personality and correctness. After their first visit to see the horses Jones offered, it was a toss up between two horses. When the Naylors returned home and reviewed their photos, though, they said it was a clear choice.
From August 5 until Labor Day, Jones worked intensely with Arabi to get him trained and conditioned for competition. “He was amazingly receptive to every aspect of the training and learning the patterns,” Jones says. He said Arabi handled the transition well—from a horse living outside in the pasture to one in a stall with daily turnout. “He’s a graceful, team player.” Jones and the Naylors took Arabi to his first show at the Virginia Arabian Horse Association’s Fall Classic. “We were hopeful he would win this week and confident he could at least finish Top 10,” Wayne says. “At his first show two weeks ago, he scored an 80 and 81.” At the two-judge show, they were able to qualify Arabi for Nationals. Jones showed him to a championship in the Gelding Open and Wayne Naylor earned a second and third placing in the Amateur class.
Early on when Jones was teaching Arabi to trot on the lunge line, his trot was strong and intense. “He has incredible power from behind. He’s flamboyant about it but that doesn’t translate into resistance postures. Instead, he seems to reach more and covers ground and stays round. And his walk, it’s incredible. He’s unique in his power.” Wayne competes with Arabi on Thursday morning in the Arabian Sport Horse Geldings ATH Championship.