We LOVE Arabian Horses Podcast

Join us as this week, Paul interviews Braden Davidson, who currently runs Arabian Centric, around the state of the Arabian today. They talk about the horse's appeal outside of the arena, how Braden's views on that have evolved over recent years, and how the breed can use that energy to move forward.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week, Paul talks with Howard Shenk, former Executive Director of the Arabian Horse Owners' Foundation, as they dive into one of the original spaces that were created to improve and engage people with the Arabian horse. What started in the 50's, the vision of Bazy Tankersly that worked to take big ideas and make them happen. Faced with similar conditions of a wide range of incomes but no limit to the interest in Arabians, the group would "think tank" and- iterate their way to go make good ideas happen. It was an early foray into problem-solving and organic growth outside of the official channels like AHA (formerly IAHA). This is an incredibly eye-opening look at the machinations of the work being done by a benevolent group of Arabian horse lovers. This is a great interview!

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week Paul interviews Ally Nelson and Allyssa Baird, who together have taken on the task of rebuilding and revitalizing the Arabian Horse World - a publication that was the first and was the long-time premier Arabian Horse Publication in the United States. Both of these incredible women have spent a lifetime with the Arabian horse, both in various capacities as exhibitors, owners, breeders, and professionals over the years. Since April of 2023, they've been rebuilding the AHW to bring it into modern times, with a focus first on content through digital, including the digitization and archiving of every item in print, allowing the end-user to search for every piece of media that the AHW has ever had associated to a specific topic or even a specific horse. They also talk about the future and the return of the magazine to print, which remains a priority for this legendary enterprise. This is a fun listen that will have you excited for the future!

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week Paul interviews Lara on the eve of the 2023 US National show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There is always a measurable increase in conversation around the pros and cons of the Arabian Horse Show industry in North America, and this episode helps share some of the opportunities that we have with leveling, qualification, and the shrinking Arabian show ring. Lara shares her personal views, some of which support multiple different opinions, but also highlights that there isn't a single right solution, and that by looking to improve something isn't only a criticism of how it is, but more about working to get to the next level of what it could be.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us for our interview with Mary Jane Brown, Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the Arabian Horse Association. In addition to her current role, Mary Jane has spent a career in the industry as a trainer and judge. With Paul, they talk through a few highlights of the modernization of the AHA office in her time working with them. They also discuss judges seminars and the school and how that experience changed how they thought about showing their own horses. They then move to the important updates around the enhanced enforcement for shoeing regulations at the US National Show in 2023. Mary Jane talks through the inception, execution, and enforcement of the new plan in partnership with USEF.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week, Paul interviews Jan Decker, who has been a horse lover for more than 75 years. She shares how she fell in love at Babson Farms in Illinois in the late 40's as a child before growing up to become a horse trainer, judge, and eventually a club and AHA volunteer extraordinaire. Jan founded her club, where she has served for nearly 60 years, and in that time, she learned a little something about volunteerism, and how to make that manageable for the people who do it. Jan is also an esteemed judge, with over 50 years of experience from center ring, and she and Paul discuss lessons learned through judging and do just a little bit of reminiscing of years past.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them. Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week Paul interviews Gary Millar of the Arabian Horse Literacy Project. Hailing from Canada, Gary was involved with the Marketing, Development, Promotion committee with AHA. After a presentation to the MDP, he was inspired to use the Walter Farley model of the Black Stallion Project to shape his ideas. From there, he was able to create a program that not only promoted literacy, but also built a positive experience centered around the Arabian horse for all kinds of kids. Gary's program provides books to every student, encourages reading, and brings horse on-site to a school so kids can get up-close and personal. They also get to head out to the farm where they can meet several, and have a chance to do some really unique things, like reading to a horse. Since 2008, he's been working with pre-schoolers through 8th grade kids and that audience continues to grow. Gary has created partnerships with Edmonton Oilers, local schools and clubs, and can even get classes sponsored to participate in the activities. He's also a big believer in equine assisted learning - and found that with so many people, horses can act as a mirror and help drive self-awareness. For adults, there's also the Ground-Up program, which focuses on groundwork, expanding learning and activities over four weeks. Gary is extremely excited to continue to expand his program! Reach out to him at gary@millarcom.com, find the Arabian Horse Reading Literacy Project or Facebook, or visit his website at ArabianHorseReading.com.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as Paul is rejoined by John Lambert of Cal Poly University Pomona in his second time on the podcast. John just wrapped judging on Region 14 - which is set to be the largest regional of the year. In addition to being the biggest of the year, the show actually sold out of stalls. John enjoyed what was a very long week judging an extremely talented group of horses. Both Paul and John dive into what it means to judge at a high level within the Arabian industry, from technical knowledge, scrutiny of the details, and the endurance required to stand in an arena all day long without much walking and definitely very little sitting. They discuss the potential of conflicts of interests in such a tight-knit community, and discuss their strategies to avoid them. They also discuss why a horse may end up placed drastically differently from one judge to another - from background, to personal preference, to what one person saw that another may have missed.

They also jump into auction transparency: When John took on the Head Trainer position at Cal Poly Pomona, an end was brought to private treaty sales from the Cal Poly program and all horses were sold at auction. John talks through how he approached this unique problem, and how Cal Poly has not only sold more horses, but have drawn more buyers through their practices that set forth an alternative blueprint for managing sales in the Arabian industry.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as Shawn Crews take Paul on a ride to Waco, TX, where she has owned a farm for over thirty years, and has been dedicated to furthering the Egyptian Arabian horse for all of that time. They begin with her start in Arabians, finding her way to Waco, and never leaving! (For long.) This bloodline has some of the most verifiable concentrated DNA in all of horses, and she shares how that came to be, as well as how some of the most famous Arabians of all time figure into that history.

They get into the differences between Straight, Related, and Heritage divisions in the show ring. They also talk about the future of Egyptian Arabians in the ring, including the incredible programs active at major shows across the major shows across the US as well as on the Class A circuit. If you'd like to learn more or visit Shawn in Texas, send her a note at crews.shawn@outlook.com.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests.

Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week Paul interviews Grant Bilbrey, of Doubling Gap Ranch as they dive into his sojourns of his youth through Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and eventually back to the United States where along with his family, they nurtured their fervor for the Arabian Horse. After purchasing an incredible 300 acres nestled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the family went into business in cattle and in red and blue roan quarter horses, but that itch wasn’t quite scratched. That was when Grant heard of the incredible tragedy of the Yorklyn Arabians barn fire, which tragically claimed all but one horse in residence in December of 2014. While this fire united the Arabian community in support and an outpouring of goodwill, that single horse remained, and Grant was galvanized to bring her home, learning she had life-altering injuries from the incident. After a lot of love and vet work, she was returned to near-normality, and blessed them with the foal she had been carrying during the accident, and then a second, sired by another stallion who had tragically not survived. This second foal was Amer Sucar, named for the breeder of her mother. This is a heartwarming story, not of loss,but of rebirth.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes. If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us for a different flavor this week, as Paul interviews Mandy Benedix - Mandy is a passionate, inspiring, and genuinely relatable leader, speaker, writer, and teacher.  Drawing on her 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher, Mandy is a master at knowing her audience and communicating information in a way which allows people to understand and believe that change is possible.  She takes this knowledge and experience and shares an insightful view on inclusivity, how we grow throughout our lives, and how connection can truly have an impact on the environment around us. She shares some relevant observations from the great writers and philosophers, about what we can learn from fireflies, and the difference between circles and horseshoes. This is a fun one, make sure you give it a listen!

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week, Paul interviews John Lambert, Executive Director of the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, which is the heart of California Polytechnic University in Pomona California. John talks through his introduction to the Arabian horse, with time in Michigan and California working with some legends of the industry, before he joined the staff as first the trainer and then the executive director at W.K. Kellogg. He shares the incredible history of the longest-running active breeding program of Arabian Horses in the United States, established in 1926 by W.K. Kellogg of cereal fame. He found horses in Southern California and then jumped straight to one of the primary sources of the modern Arabian horse: The Crabbet Stud in England, where the famous Lady Wentworth was convinced to part with some of her finest mares and stallions, which provided a cornerstone for the Arabian Horse in the United States. From there, the program grew, and to ensure its posterity, Mr. Kellogg donated the farm, the horses, and all of the land to the state of California to establish what would become the Cal Poly Pomona campus that is known today. The Arabian farm remains the heart of the campus, and has involved both students and the public in a variety of activities, from Foal Watch to a show for the public every Sunday. John's stewardship has led the program to its high point for sales by eliminating the Private Treaty sale for all "CP" horses, while improving their esteem to be counted among the top performance horse breeding programs year after year. If you'd like to learn more, visit him on campus or send him an email at jelamert@cpp.edu.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week Paul interviews Joe Alberti of Chestnuthill Arabians in Ocala, Florida. Joe grew up loving the Arabian horse from his start in the Bronx and has enjoyed a successful and growing career as a trainer, breeder, association leader, and judge. They discuss Joe's start in the breed and the business of Arabian horses from his earliest memories all the way through his transition to owner and head trainer of successful farms in Pennsylvania and later in Florida. They focus on Joe's involvement in his local community and how he has been able to leverage major projects like the World Equestrian Center in Ocala to put the Arabian not only in the focus of the horse-connected world, but the local community of Ocala and beyond. Through hosting open houses for garden clubs, practical classes for university students, his Ocala Stirrups program, and his involvement with his own Chamber of Commerce, Joe, along with others he works with, have been exposing the Arabian at every level in a more accessible forum than a horse show. This is a great listen for anyone who has a desire to find new ways to interact with their community using the resources that are already available to you.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week, Paul interviews Tim Shea, venerable training and breeder of Shea Stables and Maroon Fire Arabians, as they dive into a career that has spanned over 50 years of some of the most iconic Arabian horses to set foot into an arena: Hucklebey Berry, Afire Bey V, and so many more. Learn about Tim's start with his first Arabian all the way to his first Nationals with Bob Hart Sr and Jr. They discuss his incredible career in the arena, learning from and working with some of the all-time greats of the show ring and breeding pen: Sheila Varian, Ray and Gene Lacroix, and more. They also discuss the modern saddle seat division, with emphasis on Country English Pleasure and Amateur performance competition. This is a fascinating listen for anyone who has ever worked with an Arabian horse, as Tim Shea probably had a hand in that horse's pedigree somewhere along the line.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Thanks to Markel for their ongoing support.

Listen in as Paul interviews Janina Merz of Om El Arab, which has been a premier breeder of Arabian horses since 1970. They talk about the inception of Om El in the Black Forest of Germany and the complicated migration of the program to Santa Ynez, California. They discuss the founder of Om El Arab International, Sigi Siller, and how her grit and vision changed the way that Arabian horses were bred forever. In addition to bringing Janina into the world, Sigi was a legend within the breed, not only for her contributions to breeding programs on every continent, but also for her thoughtful and kind manner. Janina has continued Om El's journey since then, with a new generation of Om El horses leading the way across the country, including horses that trace back to their foundation mare, *Estopa, in all 18 World Champions in Paris in the 2022 World Championships. In addition to the lasting impact, there is a new generation of Om El impact, including stallions like Atticus ENB, Berlin MP, and Om El Maximus. Om El Arab also plays home to the Arabian Riding Academy - who has been previously covered on this podcast, which is helping bring the next generation of horsewomen and men to the breed.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as Paul speaks to Lisa Gaudio of Kyrie Arabians as they discuss her lifelong love of the Arabian horse. She talks about her start and where she went when she "came back" to Arabians later in life. Lisa also tells the incredible story of Kyrie Elleison - her Half Arabian mare who found her way home in the latter years of her life. Kyrie became the namesake of Lisa and her husband Jimmy's farm, and as she passed, she gifted Lisa and Jimmy with three viable embryos who each turned into incredible individuals: Big Man In Town, Epona Elleison, and Elle Vitorina each of whom has won a Unanimous National Championship, despite the girls having to compete each other. Lisa goes on to discuss responsible breeding, despite the success of her breeding program, she still averages 1-2 horses born in a year, breeding with intention: her primary focus being the long-term utility of the horse, avoiding fads, and remembering what you are starting with and where you're going.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

Join us as this week, Paul talks to Gordon Potts. Gordon has been training horses for 50 years, and shares his history, as well as his thoughts on the vital client-trainer relationship, as well as his thoughts on the industry and its future. Gordon's involvement in Arabians allows him to provide us a 360 degree view of the horse industry at-large, as a show official, as a trainer, and a client of other trainers. His insights provide a ton of value to the ongoing conversation we have been fostering at WLAH on the future of the Arabian horse industry.

The producers of We Love Arabian Horses strive to provide informative and engaging content to our listeners without any bias or commercial interests. Our priority is to deliver valuable insights, discussions, and entertainment through our podcast episodes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of our podcast, please reach out to us at Austin@WeLoveArabianHorses.com, and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for listening to We Love Arabian Horses.

This week, listen in as Paul interviews Susan Chance, mother, breeder, and all-around horsewoman as she shares her introduction into Arabian horses, both owning and breeding, and her journey to growing her horse obsession into a business. In the second half of the interview, Susan shares the story of her daughters, Jade and Vail, who both had early success in their riding careers.

Tragically, Vail passed away in 2016, but her passions have lived on through the Friends of Vail Foundation, which has been so impactful to kids from all over who are involved in Arabian horses. Vail was a writer, too, and she left behind a wonderful story: Vail's Tales, which is all available on the website: friendsofvail.com.

Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us your feedback? Send us an e-mail to austin@welovearabianhorses.com! Want to get some WLAH Merch? Totes and wearables are now available at We Love Arabian Horses!

Join us as we revisit an interview with renown photographer ,Scott Trees (2020), when he and Podcast alumni Debbie Cain chatted about his introduction to Arabian horses as well as how he developed his distinctive artistic style over a career spanning more than 50 years. It’s always a pleasure to honor the legends that we’ve been able to interview on this podcast. Visit us at https://welovearabianhorses.com

Join us as Paul interviews Cindy Reich, prominent judge and horsewoman, on an incredibly important topic: Foaling babies! Across her lifetime, Cindy has been involved in a stunning amount of horse births, and in that time, she's learned a thing or two. They discuss several topics including the Madigan Squeeze Technique, foaling preparation, steps for readiness, and several other life-saving topics for birthing. This is a great listen for anyone who is has ever been involved in having a (horse) baby at home! Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us your feedback? Send us an e-mail to ⁠austin@welovearabianhorses.com⁠!

Thank you to Markel for your ongoing support of the We Love Arabian Horses Podcast.

Join us as Paul takes on a riveting interview with Santi Fornieles, internationally recognized breeder and judge as they speak across a variety of topics. From his start in horses up to his most recent assignment at the Arabian Breeders World Cup, held in Scottsdale, Santi shares fantastic anecdotes from his informal horse education, and why he dedicated himself to judging horses all over the world. They delve into breeding, conformation, and how those things translate into the show ring. They tackle the "European Style" vs the "American Style" horse, and how they have each evolved, thanks in-part to how our classes are adjudicated under various scoring systems the world over. They discuss how the world around us is changing, and how social media and the internet have been a double-edged sword for engagement with the horse. In addition to those start realities, Santi also shares his vision for a path forward, which end this interview on a wonderful note. This is a long one, but well worth a listen.

Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us your feedback? Send us an e-mail to ⁠austin@welovearabianhorses.com⁠!

Thank you to Markel for your ongoing support of the We Love Arabian Horses Podcast.

Join in as Austin interviews Paul, Founder of We Love Arabian Horses. They talk about Paul's background in the breed, how he got his start, and how We Love Arabian Horses came to be. They discuss the mission of WLAH and its nonprofit certification received in 2022, how social media acts as a catalyst for so much of what is happening in our world, from Facebook and Instagram to TikTok. they discuss the opportunities that WLAH has been able to create for outreach and expansion of the breed's footprint to be more inclusive, especially outside of the show ring. WLAH is growing quickly, and Paul discusses how that came to be and how other marketing platforms and programs have an opportunity to work together to keep the Arabian horse in prominence the world over.

Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us your feedback? Send us an e-mail to ⁠austin@welovearabianhorses.com⁠!

Join us for Paul’s interview with Greg Knowles, international judge, former trainer, and lifelong lover of the Arabian Horse. They discuss Greg’s serendipitous discovery of the Arabian horse after planning for a very different path, his success with the legendary *Magic Dream and his progeny, and an unprecedented run of National success with a very special group of yearling fillies. They also talk about education and excellence as a judge. A person who has spent the better part of over 40 years evaluating horses every day, Greg is uniquely positioned to share that knowledge and focus on improving the depth of education of our judges, so that the breed can continue to grow. He shares some of his thoughts on the path forward for the Arabian horse, and how we can find our “Yellowstone” for Arabians. Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us your feedback? Send us an e-mail to ⁠austin@welovearabianhorses.com⁠!

Thank you to Markel Insurance for your ongoing support - Markel is the insurance with horse sense. Join us as this week Paul interviews Joshua Schildroth, Jennifer Tucker, Kristy Casper, and MaryAnn Hughes of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Local Level Committee on their resolution (Resolution 2-22, for those keeping track) for convention in 2022, which would require that all members of AHA to also have a membership to a club, preferably one that's close to home, to encourage greater participation at both the local level and improve the representation that each club can send to convention, which is where the rules are written, changed, and where member organizations can bring changes and suggestions on how to preserve the future of the Arabian horse within North America.  Have a great idea for a guest or topic, or just want to send us    your feedback? Just head over to the Contact Us page on our website. Want to get some WLAH Merch? Totes and wearables are now available at the newly renovated VISIT 🌿 https://welovearabianhorses.com