2008 U.S. Egyptian Event

                      The week was filled with one good story after another – the type that neither captures

                      the headlines nor explodes with the wow factor.   Let’s lead with these.

Ginger Stands Up Swana

Ginger Anderson, a guest at our March farm seminar – “New Frontiers in Halter Management” – won top ten’s (amateur and open) with her Botswana filly Swana as well as with Julie Nestor’s two-year old Botswana colt Tartan Blu.  What’s the scoop?  She conditioned and trained Swana, combining her own knowledge with techniques and inspiration from our seminarians Sheila Varian, Johanna Ullstrom, & Mike Wilson.  And she was really competitive!  We wouldn’t be surprised if Julie slipped in a little of her own magic with Tartan Blu, a colt who continues to demonstrate his desire to prove himself worthy as a future herd sire to carry on his fine bloodlines and phenotype.  Congratulations to Ginger, Julie, Swana, Tartan Blu, & of course the Anderson family!

Allison w/ Jules & Prince De Beers, Reserve Champion Stallion ATH

And while we are in the congratulatory mode, this congratulations is for all of our Talaria amateurs – Norman Davis, Kimberly Douglas, Gina Giammalvo, Julie Durall, Corinna Miles (with the courage and class to ride in both amateur and open classes – successfully!), Joel Desmarteau, Jazmin Palomera and Erin Davis who both rode in performance classes and showed halter, and last but not least – to our dear friend Amy Austin who spent so much time gracing our ruins in her win pictures that she won the 2008 US Egyptian Event’s High Point Amateur award!  And, if it weren't for Amy remembering that we forgot - again - to arrange for visual documentation of the event, we'd have fewer photos to share with you.

Thank you Amy, for that as well as for all of the little things you do - some of which we see and some of which we likely do not.  You make us better, and do so with grace and style.

                                                                      Afrikan Alkhemi & Nirvanah Carry on Novaglori's Spirit

On Thursday, TF Nirvanah & TF Afrikan Alkhemi represented Ramses Novaglori, who we tragically lost on a bitter cold morning in January, as the winner of Produce of Dam.  Proud wet eyes witnessed her get carry the class as they will carry her spirit into the future. 

Without the following primary staff’s tireless dedication since mid-June of 2007, and really prior to then, it would have been impossible for Talaria to arrive in Lexington on Thursday 29 May, to set the stage for what turned out to be six incredible days in June.

Thank you Kelly Davis, Jose Palomera, Anjelica Palomera, Dana’s Jackson and Wicher, & Heather Byerly.  And of course, special thanks to Jane Eikenberry and John Dolphy.  Without them, it would seem like a whole lot more work!  How can so much delicious and nutritious food be produced from a horse stall?   

Without John Dolphy’s energy and creativity, our sets – the Judges’ tent and ruins on the arena floor, our Talaria & Friends booth on the arena concourse, and the hospitality tents and lounges back at our stalls at Barns 2 & 3 - would be an unbearable ordeal.  Thank you John.

A few words now about the horsewomen & horseman who guided our horses and our program to the prizes, but most importantly, did so in a manner that Allison and Curt are proud to consider a Talaria Farms standard.  We thank Mike Wilson, Peri Tilghman, and Johanna Ullstrom.  Congratulations to these three professionals who continue to prove that there are other methods, behind the scenes, that can deliver results.  

Allison received this after the Event, and we are proud to share it. 

"Sorry this little story is tardy but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to share a wonderful experience that took place at the Event. We sold a lovely SE mare years ago to a terrific family in Ky. and they even asked and took our advice, to breed her to Akid Geshan. They now have a wonderful filly and a colt. The colt was entered in the yearling classes and had been in training for many months with a local trainer who became too ill to show him at the last moment. In answer to our pleas, Carol Maginn happily agreed to show him for this family. Since she was the presenter and not the preparer, she and our friends were working very hard to get him clipped and ready when the manager of Talaria intervened, took them to their prep stall and 4 of their workers fell to work on the little guy. The colt stepped out of that bandbox looking like a million! Our friends are forever in the debt of both Carol and Talaria, they showed the highest degree of good sportsmanship and made forever friends for the show and the SE horse."
Pam Studebaker

Bill & Irma James - Proud of Their First Place World Class Colt Shamas

Falisha Bint Fardousa

Top 3 SE Mares - 4 Year Olds, Top 5 World Class Mares 4 & 5 Year Olds, Top3 AAH Mares & Top 5 ATH Mares

The loot? 2 Show Championships, 3 Show Reserve Championships, 12 Class Championships, 7 Class Reserve Championships, & 35 Top Tens!

TF Laureyna

First Place World Class Fillies

The following Botswana Get stood in the front rows of the championships Saturday night:  TF Laureyna, Bint Tasaqqara, TF Hassan, TF Afrikhan Shah, & TF Prince De Beers.

Peri Aboard TF Afrikhan Bey,Champion Western Pleasure

Mike Aboard TF Tsanzibar, Reserve Champion Western Pleasure

Girls Rule & Boys Drool?

Johanna Showed TF Afrikhan Shah to the World Class Stallions 4 & 5 Year Old Win

Bint Tasaqqara

Botswana x Tasaqqara

First Place World Class 2-Year Old Fillies

           Congratulations to Bryan Jeffries, for an outstanding job preparing & showing this beautful  filly, and to Carol Penn, her proud owner.