If you are to travel across the ocean to spend just a week in the US, you should taste the American atmosphere in full: so we took in the Grand Canyon and the humongous sized steaks in the best steakhouse within a many mile radius from Phoenix. In regard to Arabian horses, it is hard to visit the US without seeing Padrons Psyche. Arizona and its vicinity is the territory of the activeness of this stallion and his sons, with Magnum Psyche in the lead. If we were to peek into every one of the more than 50 Arabian horse studs around Scottsdale it would be hard to find even one without a trace of Padrons Psyche blood. Not surprising – it is in Scottsdale where one of the two divisions of North Arabians, the owners of the stallion, is located, combined with the International Training Center, a true show horse factory led by trainers of Brazilian origin, Sandro Pinha and Rodolfo Guzzo. During the Scottsdale show alone they present more than a dozen horses daily!
The Polish breeders had an opportunity to visit the International Training Center on Tuesday, while Wednesday was devoted to seeing the second division of North Arabians in California, about an hour’s flight from Phoenix. Some tens of minutes driving from the San Diego lies a vast farm among hills and tropical vegetation, whose unchallenged king is Padrons Psyche. It is confirmed at every turn – the stable walls house huge, enlarged photos of Padrons and the stallion’s stall, as opposed to others, bears a gold plate engraved with the name of the honorable tenant. However before the star himself was led out, we were shown a group of his daughters and granddaughters, as well as foals by Padrons Psyche and Ever After (most at foot of surrogate dams). The group of chestnut and bay mares was closed off with a last moment addition and surprise for Polish breeders – the chestnut Zafirah, daughter of Zagrobla and Padrons Psyche, a mare of a very correct conformation, decent head and excellent movement, which she presented albeit an approaching birth of a foal by Ever After.
After the mare parade the appearance of Padrons Psyche himself was a treat. You might not like the type that he represents or his pedigree, but you cannot deny him charisma and kingship, which is seldom seen in stallions – and only in those which like Padrons Psyche clearly know their value. In large frames, a superb mover and looking great despite his 20 years of age, Padrons ran out onto the arena very aroused by his new place and commanded respect and even some kind of fright among the staff which takes care of him every day. In front of us stood a legend of n-teen years of breeding and numerous progeny dispersed and winning show and performance competitions all across the world. In the United States alone Padrons Psyche has more than 3000 progeny registered! It was worth to fly all the way from Poland for such a moment. The most satisfaction from this trip was drawn by Tomasz Tarczyński, the owner of Padrons Psyche progeny and semen, already unavailable for breeders from outside North Arabians. His stud, Grabów nad Pilicą, will be the birthing place of future sons and daughters of Padrons Psyche. Our entire group, in fantastic moods, ended the trip with an excursion to Imperial Beach in San Diego near the Mexican Tijuana and with a drive across one of the most impressive bridges – Coronado Bridge – from which extends a beautiful view over the San Diego harbor.
The event was continued on Wednesday from early morning at the Wendall Arena in Scottsdale with the two year old fillies and colts classes in hand – qualifiers for the colts and semifinals for the fillies. Just the presentations of the yearling and 2 year old youngstock lasted from 8 am to late noon. Among this countless number of horses, from which only a couple drew the attention of the Polish breeders, were some gems, as well as a few Polish accents. The most interesting was surely the performance of Pianissima’s first foal – a filly by Ames Charisma, property of Sheikh Mohamed Bint Saud Al Qasimi. However the filly completely perished in her class and was not shown in the semifinal. Entered in the same class was also the yearling filly out of Elandra by Gazal Al Shaqab, owned by Elite Arabian Horses Int., who in the end did not get to Scottsdale, as she is being prepared for the Arabian Breeders World Cup in Las Vegas in April. In the numerously entered class of yearling fillies born between January and April the Polish breeders liked the chestnut daughter of Da Vinci FM and AP Sheez Sassy – Daisy FF best, however she did not find recognition in the eyes of
the American judges, not qualifying to the finals. In the qualifiers of the 2 year old fillies born between January and April the very pretty PS Kashmir (Marwan Al Shaqab – Torrifficoo) turned the heads of the Polish breeders. Because horses during the period of the Scottsdale show frequently change owners, also this filly became not so long ago the property of David Zouch Ross. The public’s favorite was the presented by David Boggs chestnut with a lighter mane – True Desire LL (Ames Charisma – Serenata Eljamaal) – an attractive and harmonious mare, but not without flaws when seen close up.
In the not very strongly cast semifinals of the 2 year old fillies born between April and December the Polish breeders took a liking to the daughter of Gazal Al Shaqab and the mare Im Dancing – Im Dazzling, less pretty were the two daughters by Ecaho in this class – Angelista DDS (out of MLR Psydona) and a daughter of El Dorada – El Euphoria VO shown by Greg Gallun. This mare decisively had the best ring entrance and roused ovations with fabulous movement, but she did not make such an impression during the halt. Despite this
she took second place in the seminfinals, bringing joy to owner Manny Viera. In the 2 year old colts qualifiers the Polish breeders were enraptured by a son of Gazal Al Shaqab – a very handsome, European in type, Stival (out of Paloma De Jamaal). This colt clearly stood out from the rest of the group. One of the Polish breeders even made an attractive offer for purchasing this colt to Poland, but the owner Peri Tilghman is not interested in selling the young colt for now and we surely will hear more about him in the future.
Friday will consist mainly of performance classes, which there are tens of – beginning with various sport disciplines, through separate gender and age classes, as well as the age and experience of the riders. The classes for amateur presenters are very popular also in the halter classes – entered to the to the stallion presentation were (among others) Ecaho with owner James Ferlita and Al Maaram shown by Manny Vierra. It promises to be another exciting day in Arizona!
