My Arabian Horse Show Bucket List

Looking back on a magical show season, it's fun to think about the 2011 season and musing about shows I would love to attend – a bucket list of sorts. To read more about each show listed, just click on its highlighted name.

I realize that the World Equestrian Games (WEG) were just held in Lexington, Kentucky, but with Renoir showing at the national level there was just no way to fit it in, so for that reason the WEG gets on the list. The next WEG will be in Normandy, France in 2014.



Salon du Cheval
Paris, France
December 4-13, 2010

Paris, horses, just weeks before Christmas! Need I say more?

World Equestrian Festival
Aachen
July 8-17, 2011
Geographically, Aachen is Germany's westernmost city, located along its borders with Belgium and The Netherlands. On the face of it, to me, this looks to be a lot like the WEG. Germany has so many fabulous horse barns and I am sure I would enjoy losing myself just touring them.



Arabian Breeders World Cup
Las Vegas, NV at the South Point Hotel & Casino
April 14-17, 2011, in its 5th year.

I'm told this show is the closest we've got stateside to the Salon du Cheval in Paris. I would love to combine a trip to this show with tickets to see Celine Dion again at Caesar's Palace.

Menton Arabian Horse Show
In France's Alpes-Martimes department, on the French Riviera Mediterranean, Menton is near the Italian border and hosts this show annually in mid June.

Arabian Horses Rendez-Vous
Monte Carlo, Monaco
May 7-8, 2011

I don't know much about this show other than what's written on its website. Ever the Francophile, I am lured by the equine/venue combination.



Pride of Poland
Warsaw, Poland
August 2011
If I could give up going to Canadian Nationals I would love to put together an Eastern European holiday with this show as the trip's centerpiece.

Counted among my current all time favorites is the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Technically, since I've been twice and shown there once this isn't a true Bucket List candidate, but I would like to make it a perennial trip so I'm adding it. Scottsdale is so much fun with such beautiful animals, plenty variety in classes, an abundance of shopping, lots of local farms to visit, several of my social networking friends make the pilgrimage, plus there is usually plenty of warm and sunshine, which for this Minnesotan is a much needed mid-winter balm.



Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
Scottsdale, Arizona at Westworld
Feb 17-27, 2011, in its 56th year

No doubt, there are other great horse shows, and I am open to suggestions, but these are the ones I know about and dream of attending as a spectator or exhibitor.

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More photos from Renoir's classes in Tulsa

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Happy 55

Ian is always full of surprises. He surprised me with a dozen red roses, jewelry and a chocolate cake topped with two numeral 5 candles. November fifth is also our wedding anniversary - our eighth.

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Sharing the fun!

Today, Richard and I went to visit Mom at the Vet's Home and brought along Renoir's National Championship trophy and rose garland. She was thrilled to hear about our success at the Arabian Horse Championship Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma last week.

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Your 2010 US National Champion: Legacys Renoir!

Yes, he did! Renoir won the National Championship title with Ian in the Arabian Stallion Breeding class AAOTH on Friday morning, October 29. First, they were awarded a Top 10 honor, which in itself is huge, as it is a national title. Then, as I was at the rail, grinning at Ian and having watched the Reserve Champion being photographed, I heard the announcer say, "And your 2010 U.S. National Champion Arabian Stallion in this amateur owner to handle class is number 1637, Legacys Renoir ...." well I didn't hear the rest because I was screaming! The rest is a blur - I remember being guided to the arena floor and kissing Renoir and then Ian as we posed for pictures! LOL

The next afternoon Renoir showed again, this time with professional handler John Diedrich in the wildly competitive Arabian Senior Stallion Breeding 6 years & Older Open class and was award a US Top 10 ribbon; another national title!

During our stay at the show, we stalled with other amateur-status (as in we don't do this for a living) Arabian enthusiasts from a group called The Ammy Army; hence the camouflage curtains. It was fun to meet other horse lovers from across the country and for all of us to do well at the show.

Renoir is now in training with Tom Theisen at Conway Arabians and residing in Chatfield, Minnesota.

We left Tulsa at 4 a.m. on Halloween morning and arrived home at 10 p.m. after 800+ miles.

Photos and more show details coming soon.


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