Congratulations to Spin Doctor, 2015 U.S. Arabian National Sport Horse Champion Training Level Dressage, in a class of 50 horses. He also went Top Ten In-Hand Hunter Type Stallions in his first time out in the Sport Horse National Show.
The 13th edition of the Sport Horse National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show was held from 15-20 September 2015, at the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex in Raleigh, NC, and showed off some of the best athletes in the breed.
Owned by Paul and Kathy Smoke, Spin Doctor, (Spin), has been trained and ridden by USD rider, Ryan Yap for almost a year (January 2014).
Yap explains the classes at the Sport Horse Show: “The Arabian Sport Horse division is where horses are shown in-hand individually on a triangular pattern and evaluated on conformation and movement at the walk and trot, under saddle, and in traditional rail classes. The more advanced Sport Horse Show Hack is a rail class similar to the English Division’s Show Hack.”
The flashy chestnut is well suited to dressage according to Yap: “He is very athletic and trainable with correct gaits.” Yapp is based in Elgin, Illinois, from April through November, then moves his base to Wellington, Florida, from December through March.
Kathy Smoke and Paul Smoke are understandably proud of the early accomplishments of Yap and their Mokee-bred stallion: “Mr. Ryan Yap brought three horses to the National Show (Spin and 2 ½ Arabians) and each one went Champion in their division and top ten in-hand.“
Bred as an athlete, Spin Doctor is a graded stakes placed multiple winning race bred stallion from the last crop of French bred stallion, Falina des Fabries. He earned over $53,000 in 3 years of racing. According to Kathy Smoke, “His record is 3/13(6-1-1-1)0-1. He ran 2nd in the Grade 2 Bob Magness Memorial Derby at Del Park, and 4th in the Grade 1 UAE Presidents Cup at Churchill Downs, with maternal brother, Smoke House, in front in third place.”
“Spin carries the Golden Pedigree cross of his dam, Smokey Rose by KA Czubuthan of Sambor/Orzel bloodlines along with his paternal grandsire Dormane, the leading sire of French- bred race horses for many years and whose get continue to perform at the highest level of racing,” continued Smoke.
Yap has trained and competed more Warmbloods than Arabians: “Most of my experience has been showing/training Warmbloods, but over the last few years I have started to work with a few Arabian and Arabian crosses and Spin Doctor has been a very exciting addition to my string of horses. I compete with him along with my Warmbloods in the Open Dressage Circuit because I want him to be able to be competitive not only at the Arabian shows but also against the big-moving Warmbloods which he has been able to do.
What will be next for Yap and Spin? “We plan to continue his training and bring him up the levels and aim towards Second level for the 2016 Sport Horse Nationals.”
Good luck to you both!
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Photo of Spin in dressage by www.BobTarr.com