First Annual Friends of the Akhal-Teke Award Results for 2009!

It is with a happy heart to report that the newly implemented Friends of the Akhal Teke Award program was a huge success in 2009! A very special thank you to everyone who participated and joined in on the fun program. The entries, in the order in which they placed, are as follows:

 With a grand total of 55 points, and the winner of the FOTATA first place award plate was presented to Amrita Ibold and her purebred stallion Pan Tau of Sweetwater Farm. Amrita is an avid eventing rider from Friday Harbor, Washington who participated in several shows and clinics in 2009. A list of her accomplishments include: Spring Fling Schooling Show, Northwest Equestrian Center Show, Nick Holmes Camp, Aspen Farms Show, O’Connors Olympic Clinic, Whidbey Island Show, Rebecca Farms Show, Young Riders Show, Aspen Farms Show, Whidbey Island Schooling Show, and another Whidbey Island Schooling Show.

 There was a tie for two second-place individuals who accumulated 50 points apiece.

 The first 50-point recipient was Jenny Rice and the purebred gelding Dagjeir, who is owned by Sweetwater Farm. Jenny traveled extensively to shows with Amrita Ibold and piloted Dagjeir through many difficult tests and proved herself to be a successful up-coming eventing rider. A list of her accomplishments include: Spring Fling Schooling Show, Northwest Equestrian Center Show, Aspen Farms Show, O’Connors Olympic Clinic, Whidbey Island Show, Rebecca Farms Show, Young Riders Show, Aspen Farms Show, Whidbey Island Schooling Show, and another Whidbey Island Schooling Show. 

The other 50-point second-place recipient was Jas Shearer-McMahon and the purebred stallion MV Patrickhan. Jas hails from Livermore, Colorado and operates Magic Valley Akhal Teke Ranch. Jas is a talented endurance rider who successfully completed these rides in 2009: Urban Challenge, 25-mile Sangre Scenic Spring, 50 mile Mountain Mettle, 50 mile Happy Jack, 50 mile Turkey Creek, 50 mile Sangre Scenic Fall, 50 mile/60 mile Moab, and 50 mile/55 mile/50 mile.

Coming in at third place with a grand total of 25 points is Laurence Bougault of France and the Iranian Akhal Teke mare Almilia. Laurence is a long rider and has completed a trek of 7,000 km journey from Isfahan, Iran to Paris, France in 2008 and 2009.

 In a tie for fourth place with 10 points apiece, was Cathy Leddy of Cascade Gold Akhal Tekes of Snohomish, Washington riding her highbred gelding Galen and also Monica Bretherton of Seattle, Washington riding the highbred gelding Arzuw, who is also owned by Cascade Gold Akhal Tekes. Cathy and Monica traveled together to endurance rides this season, and their list of accomplishments for each rider includes: Milwaukee Road Rail Trail – 25 mile and Klikitat Trek I & II – 30 mile.

 In fifth place with a grand total of five points went to Wendy Connell and her Nez Perce mare Alpowa. Wendy is a talented endurance rider and her list of accomplishments for 2009 include: Klikitat Trek I & II – 50 mile.

 Congratulations to everybody who participated in the program in 2009, and thank you so much for all of your hard work! We look forward to seeing more people out riding their Akhal Tekes in the upcoming 2010 year.

Submitted by Shannon Mayfield

News from the All-Russian Institute of Horse Breeding (VNIIK) and its new North American affiliate, the Akhal-Teke Horse Registry (www.akhal-tekehorseregistry.com):

The Akhal-Teke Horse Registry, based in Texas, was recently created to assist the entry of Akhal-Teke horses into the official VNIIK Russian general studbook. Acting president of the registry, Natasha Pontecorvo, organized a southern U.S. grading tour conducted by Dr. Tatiana Riabova of the All-Russian Institute, which took place in November 2009. Around 80 horses were inspected at eleven locations in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. Dr. Riabova has granted an amnesty period for registration of purebred Akhal-Tekes for entry into the General Studbook free of charge, until April 1, 2010. For information and registration requirements, go to www.akhal-tekehorseregistry.com; e mail info@akhal-tekehorseregistry.com, or write: The Registry, Natasha Pontecorvo, P.O. Box 460, Stockdale, Texas, 78410. Telephone: 830-214-4838.

Tatiana Riabova and Dr. Gus Cothran of Texas A&M University met during Dr. Riabova’s recent visit to Texas to discuss cooperative research between the two institutions. The focus will be on Central Asian horses, with primary interest in the genetics and unique attributes of Akhal-Teke horses.