RED DEER – Linda Henry could barely contain her excitement when her eight-year-old Arabian stallion received one of the highest honours in the horse world.
JM Mystairs Fire received the legion of supreme honour award during the Parkland Arabian horse show in Red Deer July 31.
Few horses achieve this award at such a young age, but Henry is convinced Fire is a special horse. This is the second highest award available in the Arabian world and after reaching this level, Henry has decided it is time for her and Fire to slow down.
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“The supreme is more than sufficient for me,” she said.
Fire is going out to stud at Henry’s Meadowlark Arabians at Lacombe, Alta., after retiring with a string of performance awards. Trained by Carla Jackson of Ardrossan and Debbie Storey of Sylvan Lake, this horse has been standing in the winner’s circle since he was a yearling.
Henry owns 28 Arabian horses and saw the potential in this particular horse from the day the big bay was born.
“He was pretty spectacular.”
He has charisma and has turned into a crowd pleasing animal. His half brothers have also competed well in the show ring and two of his sons are showing themselves to be as good as their sire.
Henry has received numerous offers to sell, but she prefers to market stud services and keep him at home.
“He is priceless to me.”
Henry bought her first Arabian when she was 18. Now retired from her job as a dispatcher with the RCMP, this devoted horsemaster now works with her horses full time.
Her horses are trained for the show ring or for families who want a quality horse. She specializes in western performance horses that show in such events as western-style riding and side saddle.
For Henry, the show ring is the most fun she can have with her horses.
While she rides infrequently now, she still grooms and travels to shows throughout Canada and the United States.
For short hauls she may take as many as 10 horses. For longer trips she restricts the string to four. Even though she and her prize winning horse plan to take it easier in the future, she still intends to be a fixture on the show circuit.
“I’ve been on the road every weekend since May starting at Edmonton,” she said.
“We say ‘not another show.’ Then we’re asking, ‘when’s the next one?’ “
From the audience’s view, the Arab horse shows look like glamourous events with well-tailored riders on sleekly groomed animals. The other side of the barn is a different story as crews put in long hours grooming, polishing tack, mucking out stalls and ensuring each animal is comfortable and content.
“We work pretty hard. All people see is the finished product. They don’t see us at four in the morning,” Henry said.
