1997 in Retrospect

© 1998 Roxanne Rogers

1997 started to roll in January when I was invited by the prominent French horseman, Alain Benarrous, to judge at Cheval Passion in Avignon, France. I was very honoured and of course didn't think for one moment of refusing since the prospect of visiting the south of France at any time is most appealing to me. Even though I am essentially against showing horses I felt this would not be outside my personal ethics since the way it was presented to me was that the horses should be assessed by unbiased individuals therefore leaving politics as far out of the process as possible. I was probably the most unbiased since I knew none of the breeders or horses in even the most remote way. The idea worked fairly well except that the continental European judges had a more modern approach (and were also more familiar with the horses) placing type and bouquet foremost, whereas I judged from a more functional position. At one point I even received boos from a very involved crowd for marking a rather plain but very correct individual quite high and heard the announcer say to the crowd, "Le judge canadien prefere le cheveux pour les courses" (the Canadian judge prefers racehorses). Of course, I did not judge the stallion class since it was most likely that I would do something characteristically unpopular, which indeed I would have given the opportunity. I still say, horse shows as they exist today are mainly for children and fops, not horses. As we can see, the Arabian has suffered on every level (declining conformation, physical and mental abuse etc.) and for what? Human egotism. I also noted that in Europe, the split between racing Arabians and show Arabians is much more pronounced than in America. We still try to race showhorses here, not wanting to give up on the idea that the artificial creature of the extreme dished heads (causes breathing problems), buggy eyes, toothpick and usually crooked legs (can't take the pressure), narrow heartgirths (lungs are useful), and skinny flat behinds (this is the motor) should be able to prance around a racetrack too. Not.

On a lighter note I really enjoyed the equine extravaganzas and all the great food ( and of course, wine vinted and bottled especially for the show no less) which was provided for us. Since Avignon is so close to Spain there were many Spanish horses doing circus and classical Dressage with beautiful costumes and wonderful music. We were escorted to a spectacle one night that would be very difficult to describe as there were many dancing Spanish horses and live gospel singers performing together. I became quite taken with the Lusitano horses and am determined to breed a Lusitano cross at some point due to the exposure I received at the horseshow. The local Carmague horses and their French trick-riding cowboys were a special treat and I suppose the act that really stood out for me was Lorenzo's exciting Roman riding act. His fame has since spread world wide as he appeared later that year in Calgary at the Spruce Meadow's Masters horseshow. Also interesting was the huge number of American Quarter Horses and Paints and the obvious obsession the French have with them as something exotic?! I met a western judge there who knew my father, and we had a nice chat over champagne at the judges reception after the show. I noticed that he and his colleagues were not as impressed with the tiny and elaborate hors d'oeuvres as we Arab lady judges were. I really enjoyed meeting Mary Bancroft and felt very honoured to judge with her. I think she was sympathetic with my choices as I was with hers. We were all treated royally and since I stayed on a little longer I even got a guided tour by our charming host, Jean Claude di Francesco of the Carmague region of France, and walked along the Mediterranean seashore. At this point Jean Claude said something very succinct to me, "Life is good - one day you are in Canada where it is very cold and the next you are in the South of France walking the shores of the Mediterranean." Well put.

The winter continued on in its cold and monotonous Canadian way upon my return. Lots of stalls to muck when I got back home but these are the sacrifices we make when we have horses for a passion. Racing for the Thoroughbreds has been and still is on shaky ground in Calgary and Alberta in general. However, there are very definite plans for a new and more agreeable racetrack to be built in the northwest of Calgary. Furthermore it is said that this new track will probably allow Arabians and Q.H.'s etc. to share the venue with the real racehorses. If this is the case then a lot of my logistical problems will be solved involved with racing Arabians.

Unfortunately sorrow also played a part early in the year when *Falat died on March 16th. Even though it was expected at the age of 27, it is very hard to keep my focus on the horses since he was the wind in my sails. All my activities around the horses were inspired by him. I am slowly replacing the empty places with his son, Fallkon, who is so like him in hundreds of small ways, but the grieving process is a long one when the loss is so great. Leonard Cohen's beautiful song, "Ballad of a Runaway Horse" gives a voice to the mysterious bond we can have with a special horse. Here is an excerpt:

"Say a prayer for the cowgirl her horse ran away

She'll walk 'til she finds him her darlin' her stray

But the river's in flood and the roads are awash

And the bridges break up in the panic of loss.

And there's nothin' to follow nowhere to go

He's gone like the summer gone like the snow

And the crickets are breaking her heart with their song

As the day caves in and the night is all wrong..."

­ this song can be found on Emmylou Harris' album, "Cowgirls Prayer".

I had three lovely foals born this year. Two by the superior French stallion, *Haffir El Rimal - a colt out of Harda Wnuczka and a filly out of *Wilka and one by our other lesser known stallion, Arwitraz (*Gaypolka++++ x *Arwistawa). I now have Arwitraz back after many years of leases with three different breeders. Finally I have unrelated mares he can breed at the young age of 23. I and my partners in France, Seahorse International, had a foal born at their French farm out of my favourite *Falat daughter, Arieadne. The filly is arguably the best of her sire Manganello's first crop so I am very proud of her.

This year has been the most eventful one with the Arabian racehorses for a very long time. My new trainer, Terry MacDonald, has been working with me to help me get my youngsters to the racetrack with no little success. She has my fillies, Amazonn (*Mellon x Blochers Poula), Bialka (SW Bogdan x Beatrice), Ordha(*Origan x FMR Grand Gala) , and Ankhara (*Chutor x Amarylis). So far only Amazonn has raced as she got the horses sporadically. Amazonn has had two starts, ran second in her first out and won the next one. She was leading three year old filly at Playfair Racetrack during their fall meet and has now moved along with her stablemates to Turf Paradise to continue. Bialka should be ready to race soon as long as she doesn't get hurt or sick. The last two will be ready in another 2-3 months. The rest of Terry's horses are doing really well and she finished at Playfair as the leading Arab trainer. She bought Albion (*Chutor x Arieadne by *Falat) from me and he won his first start so this was also sweet for me since he represents my breeding program and his grandsire, *Falat. *Falat had a daughter (Elektra) run well last year and I was able to lease her back for a foal. She is currently in foal to Bajczar (*Bajram x *Moczarka by Laur), a stallion I got expressly for this purpose. Since I really didn't want the responsibility of another beautifully bred old Polish stallion, I subsequently sold him to Penny Chapman of PMC Polish Arabians in Ontario since she is another Polish preservationist breeder.

This has been a year of regrouping for the breeding program and myself. Unfortunately change rarely occurs as we plan but rather seems to have a life of its own. So much of myself (heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, laughter) has gone into the horses and especially *Falat for the last fourteen years. Now, I hope it is time to take some pleasure from the passion.

Acknowledgements:

Painting of *Falat by Elaine MacPherson, noted Canadian Equine artist.

Photo of Arieadne's foal in France courtesy of Seahorse Farm.

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