President's Message:

Show season is here, time to renew your memberships and mail entries. Depending on where you ride, the trails will open soon too! I hope you are all inspired to compete, volunteer and sponsor club events. We really could not do it without you!

As president, I hope to better organize or organization, and make information and participation accessible to our membership. Your board of directors is working hard to formalize our processes and make sure we have an inclusive club that represents your interests. With that in mind, you will see a list of our committees and their members below. Contact me to get involved, we would love your help. 

April was filled with Midwest Horse Fair, Youth Judging Clinics, Youth Judging contests, the first Annual Spring Open Show and lots of planning. The spring show was a great success, read about it below in an article from show manager Carly Smith. Our Youth Judging team is going strong, and Midwest Horse Fair introduced the public to the Arabian Horse.

I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that May is Arabian Horse Month. Please take this time to share your horses in any way you can. Introduce a friend to your riding instructor, or take them to meet your horse. Bring your Arabian to a school, nursing home, or youth group event. We want to hear about your efforts! 

Arabian Horse, BB Don Amigo, Featured in Bridal Editoral Photoshoot

Now and then, you get involved with something fun and new. This time my sister, WI AHA member Kristin Hendrickson, roped me into an unusual bridal editorial photoshoot with Audrey Koehler of Hart & Fig Photography. I rarely say no to unique experiences, and this was not an exception. We decided it would be a great chance to showcase the Arabian horse, to a very different audience. After all, what horse would look the most elegant next to a wedding gown? The sleek, fluid bodyline and soft expressive eye of the Arabian Horse are always a knockout! I interviewed Audrey to get the photographer’s side of the experience.

Audrey explained the shoot came together in pieces,

"I should start by saying my photography is meant to tell a very authentic adventurous narrative. I am always excited when a client or someone in the creative field has a unique idea for a story I haven’t told. It all stemmed from Kristin Hendrickson who started sending me glamorous photos of horses and models. After offering her horses for something similar, I thought; how unique it would be to incorporate horses into a Midwest bridal scene. Something understated & authentic, but slightly transcendent.
I have been lucky enough to work with some unique brides and couples. Couples that trust me, couples that are ready for an adventure and brides who don’t mind to get their dress a little dirty for the sake of fun, adventure, and a glorious photo. This editorial encompassed all those things I love about working couples willing to do all that. The models were barefoot for most of the session and there was a lot of wind-blown hair. I have never had the privilege of working with horses before. Having to ease into the shoot was not something I am used to. Lerin & Kristin did a great job of keeping the horses calm, while we eased them into getting used to things like lighting.
My goal for this bohemian editorial was to create a scene that encompassed all the carefree feelings of the 70’s. This carefree authentic feeling is something I look for in each and every photoshoot. I love a moody and timeless look that is achieved by waiting for the perfect lighting and moment. We live in a society where we are so used to seeing couples spend nearly a down payment on a house for their wedding. While food and venues are expensive for large families, I see a lot of couples feeling the need to purchase beautiful items to “make for good photographs”. I want to show people that beauty doesn’t need to cost. Beauty can be found in authenticity within a couple, a free spirit, lighting, creativity and the willingness to give effort on both sides of the camera."

Kristin handled most of the details and the two of us groomed my purebred gelding, BB Don Amigo, better known as Utah, for the occasion. We were not sure how to make him look bridal or bohemian, so we dug out the clippers and got him ready for a show. We set aside his silver covered western tack and cleaned up a work bridle, to leave the attention on the horse… or the bride. Knowing that the photographer, Audrey, did not have a lot of experience with horses, we tried our best to interpret her vision. I asked Audrey about her and the model’s horse encounters and she said,