September 2007 |
Celebration, Viva Las Vegas!
WATCHMAN returned from Celebration Las Vegas with a big smile. Our mares Kudu GF and Doctora AK were Revised there. We brought home our newly acquired mare, Viuda JIM...see her Mare Page for Details, and best of all Galea MHF won the 2 year old filly crown in a very tough class of 14 fillies. She went on to be named the highest scoring domestically bred filly at the show. What a surprise! Thank you to the Foundation for such a beautiful trophy.
She joins the rest of Gloriosa's famous get as a national winner and our band of blue ribbon brood mares. Next season she will be bred to a champion bay or black stallion and that foal will be for sale.
As usual, we showed with our good friends, El Dorado P.R.E. Horses, Andaurora Ranch and Dorado Andaluz. Northern California put on quite a show winning 1st place in the weanling filly and colt classes, yearling filly, 2 year old filly, 5 & 6 year old mare, Campeona Joven de la Raza, highest scoring domestically bred horse, highest Functionality score, with Latina of Dorado Andaluz being selected as a Qualified breeding mare candidate by the ANCCE Tribunal.
Our combined offering for 2008 will be about twenty colts and fillies from champion sires and mother mares. Shop Northern California for your next show prospect. Call to arrange a tour of these farms.
|
August 2007 |
Captured in the Lens
WATCHMAN's favorite equine photographer, Baldur Tryggvason has made a long awaited visit to the farm. Look at the beauty he has caught in his lens!
Doctora, Kudu, Europa, Nicola, and Tiza and Tigresa were all willing and graceful models.
If you would like to see more, visit our updated Mare page. Additionally, Baldur's original photography is available at his website, 66northphotography.com.
|
July 2007 |
Celebration 2007
Brenda Darland is currently preparing Galea and Europa for Celebration 2007. These fillies are guaranteed to look their best in a few short weeks. Galea will be making her debut in the show ring and we are hoping she has the same success all her siblings have had before her. Her dam, Gloriosa VII, produced six foals with Navarre GF before Galea; all notable winners at halter or sport. Europa, another Navarre daughter, is a veteran of the show ring and never disappoints. It has been a true joy to watch her mature into the lovely, powerful mare she has become.
Our Prestigio daughter, Doctora AK, will be in the capable hands of Vaughan Smith. Her movement is breath-taking and it is always a thrill to see her in action.
|
June 2007 |
Launch of WATCHMAN breeding program
An idea is only an idea and cannot become real unless the proper steps are taken with patience and focus. Several years ago WATCHMAN began with the thought of developing a P.R.E. horse business where quality stock, knowledgeable management and dedication to the Spanish tradition are joined.
We have applied the same tenants any successful new business endeavor must follow: remain focused, create a plan, make careful investments, constantly evaluate, employ time tested best practices, consult with experts, serve your customer.
WATCHMAN thinks in the horse breeding business it is necessary to offer the customer the following:
- a stallion with a stellar pedigree who has proven himself in training, in the breeding shed and show ring, and has met all registration requirements and the breed standard
- mares with equally proven pedigrees who have been successful in the national show arena, are sound breeding animals, meet the breed standard and are Revised.
- excellent farm management practices,
knowledge of the P.R.E. horse, tradition, participation in recognized publications and organizations
- customer service that goes beyond a breeding contract or sale but introduces and promotes the P.R.E. horse in America as outlined by the Foundation for the Pure Spanish Horse.
It is now June 2007 and WATCHMAN is ready to fully launch our program.
In 2005 Macareno was purchased as an unrevised imported 3 year old colt. We have waited and tested him to see if he was worthy.
Now he is fully grown, Revised, and has proven himself to be a viable candidate for dressage competition, This spring he has successfully settled seven mares and more importantly has shown the capability to handle both training and breeding duties.
UPDATE: Macareno has since been sold, but his spectacular looks and wonderful temperment have been passed onto his offspring. We will continue to breed our mares in the future with our supply of Macareno's frozen semen.
|
WATCHMAN currently has 5 mares in foal for 2008.
Fabulilla MR
- Multiple national championships
- Indiano XVIII daughter
- Bred to Sabio GF
|
Doctora AK
- National Reserve champion 2 year-old filly, Fiesta CA;
8 for movement
- Prestigio II daughter
- Bred to Macareno
|
Europa MHF
- Campeona Joven de la Raza
Fiesta CA
- Navarre GF daughter
- Bred to Macareno
|
***
Tiza JIM
- National Reserve champion
4 year-old mare
- Remador II daughter
- Bred to Macareno
|
***
Kudu GF
- National top five 2 yo filly
- Feudal VIII daughter
- Bred to Macareno
|
|
|
Future Sales
In 2008 all WATCHMAN foals will be available for purchase. We do not "sell" in-utero foals but will honor your commitment to the purchase of one of our foals at weaning time with a discount. No foal ineligible for inscription or unable to pass a health examination will be sold. Prices are set each season considering current market value and quality of the individual.
Call to be placed on "first refusal list". WATCHMAN is committed to breeding quality stock which implies excellent conformation, movement and disposition. Color and sex of foal fall more into the customer preference arena. Each year we hope to offer both fillies and colts of various colors that meet the market demand...however, our foremost goal is quality.
|
May 2007 |
Tiza's 2007 filly - FOR SALE
|
April 2007 |
Fiesta CA 2007
We returned home from the 2007 Fiesta California show with the best news a breeder can have. Our 3 year old filly, Europa MHF, was selected as the Young Mare Champion of the show. She competed against approximately 30 one, two and three year old fillies to capture the title. Fabulilla MR was well placed in the seven year and older class. There were eleven beautiful and proven mares in her class and we were very pleased to place third. The judge was very complimentary of her fabulous Spanish type and near perfect head.
Brenda Darland won the Best Handler Award at the show and WATCHMAN benefited from her expertise and intuitive handling of the mares.
Vaughan Smith showed Doctora AK in the three year old filly class. "Melinda" as we like to call her placed fifth. The judge did not miss this filly's fabulous move-ment and rewarded her trot with 8.5 points.
All our mares are given the opportunity to win National Titles so that we can assure our clients of the quality of the offspring we sell. To date, Fabullila MR, Tiza JIM , Doctora AK, and Europa MHF have won either National Champion or Reserve Champion titles. Kudu GF is a National Top Five Winner in her age group and will return to the ring when she finishes her current growth spurt along with our younger untried fillies.
WATCHMAN, Andaurora Ranch, and El Dorado P.R.E. Horses travel together from Northern Califonia to the P.R.E. shows because we very much enjoy the companionship and support of like minded breeders. This show was no exception and we want to congratulate our friends on their wins and thank them for sharing themselves and their horses with us.
We enjoyed the company of a special guest, Jackie Suechting of Camass Andaluz. Our breeding programs and our lives are better for her influence and friendship.
Photos from the show:
|
|
|
Europa's winning style under the expert hands of Brenda Darland. |
Lilly showing that fabulous Spanish type |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Doctora show off her impressive trot to Vaughn Smith and the judges |
|
|
|
|