OFFSPRING

Arrian’s first foals arrived in 1996 and they impressed the members of the judging commission at the Marefield inspection site, one of whom stated: “It is hard to imagine a better first foal crop for any young stallion.”

That initial group numbered eight in total. Two stood out immediately: Aldebaran was site champion at his inspection and Alcatraz was winner, Colts of 1996, NEDA. Others from the 1996 crop proved themselves later: one filly, Athene Nike, earned her EMC in 1999; the other filly, Ariadne, is a reliable dressage horse for her amateur owner Amanda Raphaelson. Arcturus is a steady pleasure horse companion for Meredith Smith and the earlier-mentioned Aldebaran is preparing for a career in dressage. Atail was Reserve Champion Young horse at the USDF Northeast Breeders Championship in 1999.

Arrian’s second crop of offspring were born in 1998. They were remarkable for their cookie-cutter consistency, all displaying good gaits, correct conformation and nice type with lovely heads and necks. In that, they were a reflection on their sire who a year earlier was Grand Champion, NEDA with a score of 92%. Dr. Burchard Bade, in the Fall 1998 American Hanoverian, said of the Virginia inspection site where he judged, “Eight very good foals by Arrian each received individual marks of 7 and above by the author.” Champion at that site was Actium out of a Fabriano mare.

Arrian foals of ’98 gained notice in other parts of the nation as well: Wendy Lanham’s Applause was co-champion of his ISR inspection in Colorado; Artemis, bred by Judith Smith, was named a premium foal and designated a stallion prospect by judges for the ISR and by representatives of the German Oldenburg Verband; Vanessa Carlson’s Arriana was the top foal at her AHS/VhW Inspection. Arriana has since received the EMC, earning the high score at her MPT. In 2001, she won the High Point Hanoverian Award and was named Reserve Champion Filly at the KCDS/USDF Breed Show. Acapella, another filly from the ’98 crop, earned a score of 7 at her MPT in 2002.

Antioch and Andromache, two of the three Arrian foals of 2000 to be presented at the Virginia inspection site, were selected for the review ring. Andromache was named overall champion of the filly group. In June of 2003, Andromache won the 3-year-old filly class and became Reserve Filly Champion of the Morven Park Sport Horse Breeding Show. At the Hilton Farm AHS/VhW Inspection in July, Andromache became the third known Arrian daughter to achieve the status of EMC.