Tag: event

Looking for an Experience?

If you are interested in doing something special you might consider Al-Marah while you are in Florida.
They are presenting a horse experience unique in the world with horses and trainers from their years of Al-Marah Arabians and Arabian Nights!

al marah

tbs zak

Al-Marah Arabians Offer New Equestrian Activities for 2015

Clermont farm offers world-class, hands-on horse experiences
CLERMONT, Fla. (March 2, 2015) -Al-Marah Arabians, the country’s premier Arabian horse farm, is announcing new activities for 2015, aimed at beginners to equestrian experts – and everyone in between.

Al-Marah Arabians is owned by Mark Miller, founder of the Arabian Nights dinner attraction that wowed more than 10 million guests over its 25 year run. After Arabian Nights closed, Miller turned his focus to the operation and legacy of his family’s Arabian horse farm, consolidating the farm on 80 acres of rolling hills in Clermont. The farm offers lessons and activities for the public, horse sales, breeding and more. Al-Marah Arabians has won more than 40 National Championships in just the last two years .

New activities for 2015

Al-Marah’s new Interactive Horse
Experience allows visitors to get hands-on
with some of the farm’s famous Arabians. Guests get a meet-and-greet with the horses, a riding lesson, a paint-a-pony opportunity and will learn some of training techniques that were used in the most famous performances at Arabian Nights, including the Liberty Act, where participants will learn how to teach a horse to rear and bow. This is a rare opportunity to interact with some of the top horses and trainers in the world. This activity is perfect for horse lovers of all ages and experience levels, and is available daily from 9 am – 4 pm. The experience costs $195 for the first participant, $95 for the second participant, and $20 for observers. Guests should plan on about three hours for the Interactive Horse Experience.

Riding lessons are also available for both adults and children and start at just $65. Al-Marah’s expert instructors will customize each lesson based on the rider’s experience and individual needs.

For group events, Al-Marah offers the Interactive Horse Experience and a farm tour for groups of 15 or more. Prices start at just $20 per person and makes for a great corporate outing or team-building event.

For more information on Al-Marah Arabians, please visit www.al-marah.com or call 352-536-1502.
MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jennifer Peterson
Al-Marah LLC
352-536-1502
JenniferP@almaraharabians.net

Frank Wolff
Wellons Communications
407-339-0879 office
407-637-6000 cell
Frank@wellonscommunications.com

About Al-Marah Arabians: Al-Marah Arabians is owned by Mark Miller, founder and owner of the world famous Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction, which he closed at the end of 2013 in order to continue the Legacy of Al-Marah. Mark’s mother, Bazy Tankersley, started breeding Arabian horses in the late 1930s, and founded her Al-Marah Arabian Horse Farm in Tucson, Arizona in 1942. In 1956, Al-Marah Arabians added the horses from Crabbet Stud and Hanstead Stud to their herd and has been the principle breeder of the Arabian Horses first gathered from the desert by Abbas Pasha in 1815, making Al-Marah the oldest privately owned band of Arabian Horses in the world. Mark is the 6th person in the third family to have control of this herd.

Racing The Black

Happy New Year Story – Dogs, Horses and Hope – 2013

This is Amy Dixon’s wonderful life story that can inspire us all for 2013!

The Blind Sommalier

It’s hard to believe that a mere six years ago I was preparing for my annual trip to Ocala with my beloved eventer, Calico.  Blankets were washed, bodies were being clipped, my rig was tuned up, and endless hours of preparing for our dressage test were logged under saddle.  Fast forward to December 2012, and I’m navigating the sidewalk with my new 4-legged companion, Elvis, a yellow Labrador Retriever who now serves as my guide and my eyes.  We are traveling downhill towards the train station, en route to a meeting, and I give a half-halt on the rigid guiding harness to slow him down from our blistering pace.  “Easy”, I tell him soft and low.  I catch myself  sometimes saying, “whoa” or clucking to get him moving or refocused.  A bad habit, I tell myself, from more than three decades spent in the saddle riding eventers, showjumpers, and dressage horses.  I laugh out loud, happy that I sometimes make that mistake with Elvis, but a little melancholy for those days flying through the woods, watching the trees whiz by as we clear logs, stone walls, and large gates. Now even finding a door knob seems a major accomplishment, and making it safely across a busy intersection on foot is cause for a mini celebration with my trusty guide.

I was diagnosed with a rare eye disease in my early twenties, and was told that eventually it would lead to inevitable blindness.  My vision straight ahead was 20/20, but with each new attack of my disease, my field of vision would become narrower and narrower, eventually fading to nothingness.  Determined to live out my life’s dream of becoming a professional equestrian, I digested this diagnosis and went on with my life.  I had the good fortune of owning a scopey, brave Paint Thoroughbred/ Dutch Warmblood who was left to me by my father.  He was as green as could be, but I was relentless in my pursuit of perfection with him, and he obliged by being a willing, fun, and talented student.

My vision was in a constant state of ebb and flow, depending upon the lighting, my blood pressure, and a variety of factors.  I realized quickly that ‘riding by feel’ was not only important, it was essential to my safety and Calico’s.  I practiced daily over ground poles to compensate for my constantly changing depth-perception.  My ability to ‘feel” and not just “see” a distance to a fence made jumping natural obstacles in the woods effortless despite my vision impairment.  The only time I really struggled with my disease while riding was in the warm-up area, where riders and horses milled about in no apparent pattern.  In eventing, our warmups are usually in an open field with two single fences set up, so generally there’s lots of room for everyone.  At one particular event, I had the misfortune of literally bumping into my idol, Karen O’Connor.  She was competing against Calico and I on a young horse she was bringing along in the Open Training division.  I was busy focusing on my leg yields across the field, and managed to slam right into her and the lovely Bay Thoroughbred she was riding.  Horrified, I apologized, and quickly moved out of her way.  Again, I came across the diagonal, and this time accidently caught her leg with my dressage whip, to which she tersely but politely said, “I seem to be getting in your way,” with a smile as she trotted off to a more remote part of the field.  I stared desperately at my trainer, about to burst into tears with frustration and embarrassment.  Dean quickly trotted over to Karen and explained my impairment to her, at which she looked my way, tipped her hunt cap, and smiled.  “She is a class act all the way,” I thought to myself.

Read the rest (pdf) – Amy Dixon Blind Sommalier

A special THANKS! to Dr.Anna Marie and Todd who shot the video and sent it my way.

Don’t forget to drop us a line at Facebook or on the forum.

Enjoy the ride and Happy New Year! – tim and everyone @ Hopeful Farm.

Al-Marah Arabians on TV

Be sure to catch the TV show about Al-Marah Arabians if you can!
Bazy Tankersley is a CLASSIC.

You’ve seen her horses before – a couple of my favorites are above!  So much to learn, so many horses. Mrs.T and her farm have 100’s of awards – the trophies fill the shelves, ribbons the walls. She recently won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arabian Horse Association for her work which spans decades. A wealth of knowledge and personal commitment to refining the breed – she is a force of nature!

RLYV http://www.rl.tv/ – to get your local TV program information.

Monday, Nov 26, 2012
5:00 PM

Your Life Redefined;  Al Marah’s Bazy Tankersley-Arabians In America

Southwest special includes up close interview with legendary Arabian horse breeder Bazy Tankersley. Dr. Anna Marie shares her passion to continue the Al Marah bloodline. Shrimp Tacos are on the menu and how music keeps balance in one horseman’s life.

Derby Day!

Whose it going to be? Do you have a favorite? Union Rags? Bodemeister?

PP     Horse                  Jockey               Trainer           ML
1 Daddy Long Legs
C. O’Donoghue A. O’Brien      30/1
2 Optimizer
J. Court D.W. Lukas 50/1
3 Take Charge Indy
C. Borel P. Byrne                15/1
4 Union Rags
J. Leparoux M. Matz               9/2
5 Dullahan
K. Desormeaux D. Romans       8/1
6 Bodemeister             M. Smith            B. Baffert           4/1
7 Rousing Sermon
J. Lezcano J. Hollendorfer            50/1
8 Creative Cause
J. Rosario M. Harrington                 12/1
9 Trinniberg
W. Martinez B. Parboo                      50/1
10 Daddy Nose Best
G. Gomez S. Asmussen                     15/1
11 Alpha
R. Maragh K. McLaughlin                      15/1
12 Prospective
L. Contreras M. Casse                          30/1
13 Went The Day Well
J. Velazquez G. Motion                               20/1
14 Hansen
R. Dominguez M. Maker                         10/1
15 Gemologist
J. Castellano T. Pletcher                           6/1
16 El Padrino
R. Bejarano T. Pletcher                             20/1
17 Done Talking
S. Russell H. Smith                                    50/1
18 Sabercat
C. Nakatani S. Asmussen                         30/1
19 I’ll Have Another
M. Gutierrez D. O’Neill                               12/1
20 Liaison
M. Garcia B. Baffert                                   50/1
21 My Adonis                   E. Trujillo K. Breen                                     50/1