Cori Wilson has been showing Half Arabian horses for the last 25 years.
But it wasn’t until recently that one of those horses managed to become a national champion.
Josapheen, a Half Arabian horse, recently snatched up two national championships at The Canadian National Arabian and Half Arabian Horse Show in Brandon, MB last August.
“She’s had a lot of professional training,” Wilson.
“Her sire is the most winning Straight Egyptian horse in history, so we had a lot of success with him. Josapheen is our first one to (become) a national champion.”
The sire, Shy Gayfeen++++//, is also owned by Wilson. He is the only Straight Egyptian to have achieved the Arabian Horse Association’s highest honours: Legion of Masters and Legion of Excellence.
Josapheen’s two half-siblings did pretty well at the national competition as well. In total, the three horses earned two national championships, three reserve national championships and eight national top 10 finishes. All three foals were raised in Kelowna.
Wilson started showing horses when she was nine-years-old. She currently owns six horses on a 10-acre farm near Black Mountain.
She said it has been a very good year for horse showing, and is looking forward to the mares’ futures, especially Josapheen’s.
“She’s only three, so there’s lots of groundwork…she was broke this year and was ridden under saddle for the last six months.
“She’ll undergo another eight to 10 months of training before we’ll show her under saddle.”
Wilson said she is optimistic that Josapheen can earn more national titles under saddle.
If early results and good bloodlines are any indication, that goal is likely reachable.
“The most important thing is that the horse has all the qualities and the look to compete at that level. This filly certainly does.”
wpaterson@kelownacapnews.com
