Arabian Horse Association Courts
New Market at Major PGA Tournament

In an effort to assert its credibility as an attractive partner for potential corporate sponsors, the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), headquartered in Aurora, Colo., has acquired a corporate tent on the coveted 18th green at the prestigious FBR Open Golf Tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz., from January 31-February 4, 2007.

Dubbed The Greatest Show on Grass, the FBR Open attracts 540,000 international golf fans to this favorite winter playground which is also the site of the venerable Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and the location of many notable Arabian horse breeding and training operations. In a never-before opportunity, AHA will host a corporate tent alongside Baird, Bank of America and other corporations, promoting the Arabian horse experience and lifestyle to visitors and guests.

The philosophy behind this new approach to garnering sponsorship attention is best expressed by AHA Executive Vice President, Gary Zimmerman, who came from the corporate world to head up AHA in 2006.

“The FBR is a perfect venue in which to introduce people to icons of the Arabian horse industry, who, in many cases, are or have been corporate executives themselves. This environment will be exciting for those invited to the parties that are planned because they can experience the power, beauty, speed and intelligence of the Arabian horse up close and comprehend the caliber of product that is the Arabian horse lifestyle.”

By invitation only, qualified potential partners and business owners will attend evening events hosted by several Scottsdale farms at their spectacular facilities. Here is where each farm will showcase champion Arabian horses in their own unique style while guests enjoy wine, fine food and each other in the company of amicable Arabian horse enthusiasts.

Major sponsors include IntraCoastal Title Agency, LLC., Dealer Direct Sport Chassis, Arabian Horse Source, Bank of America, Baron Realty, North Arabians, Brookville Arabians, Los Cedros and Shada Arabian Sanction and the Schall family.

Others who have come on board to support this inaugural event include Bisch Training, Bestovall Arabians, DayDream Arabians, Foxfire Arabians, Toskhara Arabians and Zia Graphics. Supporters receive Corporate Village passes to the event as well as invitations to all evening parties.

The AHA Corporate Village environment offers premium location, exposure and exclusivity and will be nestled on the lake that borders the 18th green. It’s an opportune and relaxed environment in which to meet potential clients and indirectly promote the Arabian horse.

The FBR Open sports the largest crowds on the PGA TOUR and has gained legendary status for being unlike any other golf tournament. Besides the exciting golf played by the likes of JB Holmes, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh on the challenging TPC Scottsdale course, this tournament attracts the biggest galleries on the tour. The Thunderbirds, official hosts of the Open since 1939, have turned an ordinary golf tournament into a community event and raised close to $46 million for Arizona charities. The 2007 edition will mark the 72nd playing of the Open, and the fourth as the FBR Open, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR.

Arabian Sport Horse Nationals Adds Driving to 2005 Championship

The 3rd annual Sport Horse National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Sport Horse Nationals) returns to Lexington, Va., Sept. 21-25, with the addition of a pleasure carriage driving division for Arabians, Half-Arabians and Anglo-Arabians.  Classes include pleasure driving working, pleasure driving reinsmanship and “pick your route” obstacles. All driving competition will take place on Wednesday, September 21st.All driving classes will be judged according to the United States Equestrian Federation pleasure driving specifications. Show entries will consist of single horse hitches.

The judge for the driving division is Francine Dismukes, an “R” rated judge in both the Arabian and Andalusian/Lusitano divisions, and a trainer based in Luling, Texas. Qualifications for pleasure driving have been waived for 2005 Sport Horse Nationals.
Driving is one of the fastest growing equestrian disciplines. The pleasure driving working class is judged primarily on the ability and suitability of the horse to give a pleasurable drive. In reinsmanship, the driver is judged on his or her skills and ability. The judge may select individual entries to perform a workout, in which they demonstrate a specific gait the judge calls for, as well as perform figure eights or other tests. Pleasure driving horses must halt, rein back and work both directions at the walk, slow trot, working trot and strong trot.

The Pick Your Route Obstacles class is driven over a course of obstacles (paired markers) with no set route. After passing the starting line, the driver shall proceed through each obstacle to the designated finish line, choosing his own route. Each obstacle is to be negotiated once and only once, but may be approached from either direction. This is a speed class with placings determined by completion time. Course faults such as missing or knocking down an obstacle are scored as penalty seconds and are added to the driver’s elapsed time.

The Sport Horse Nationals is the only national single breed competition focusing specifically on sport horse disciplines and catering to sport horse exhibitors. All horses competing are Arabians, Half-Arabians or Anglo-Arabians registered with AHA or the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry. The Sport Horse Nationals is produced by the Arabian Horse Association, Aurora, Colo., 303-696-4500.