Youth Program: ASAV Shagya Arabian

ASAV Youth Program
Last page update: 01/15/2010

"Spyder" (SA Twin Spires) on his first trail ride with Samantha Shuler in July 2009

Samantha Shuler riding Spyder on the trail with her younger brother, Ben, and Sassy along side.

Spyder grazing out in the pasture August 2009

Spyder and Samantha Shuler enjoying the snow January 2010.

Update from the Youth-Program Director - Kesleigh Lehman: (April 2009)
I need your help in creating a buzz about Shagyas. I need all the information I can get. I need to be able to show the youth and cyber world that Shagyas are active. Here is what I need:

Photos of you and your Shagya(s), or just your Shagyas. Please include name, sire and dam, and if you were at an event, what the event was and what you placed.
Personal stories- let the world know why your Shagya shines! I want to include a "spotlight" feature every two weeks on myspace to help draw in readers. Tell a personal story of when your Shagya came through for you, in and out of the show ring; or how special it was when that little foal was born, or how your Shagya has touched someone's else's life besides yours. Let me know when you have competed and how you did. A couple of paragraphs will do. Include Photos!

Ads of Shagyas for sale if you have any. Or stallion services. I have over 700 active members on myspace, and that number grows every day! - its a great and free way to advertise.
Let your friends' kids know about the Shagya in anyway you can. I will be sending a flyer about the ASAV Youth Program soon so that you can go around and post the flyer around your local area.

ASAV Membership Story - Letter to the ASAV Youth Program Director.
by Anke Brander about Murad (Purebred Shagya-Arabian Stallion imported from Germany).

Check also out Shagya-related information on MySpace.COM at:
http://www.myspace.com/shagyas
with Kesleigh Lehman as the facilitator!

Additional Information about ASAV's Internet Presence on MySpace.

Read the ASAV-Youth Program Welcome Letter!

Welcome Kesleigh Lehman ASAV Youth Program Director!

Dear ASAV Members:

My name is Kesleigh Lehman and I am a seventeen year old resident of Washougal, Washington. I am currently a Senior at Washougal High School. I have always loved animals: horses in particular beginning in my younger years with a stick horse named Rodeo. My mom, Mary Lehman, has loved horses since she was three, and so I naturally caught “the bug” from her. When we moved from Portland to Washougal my family finally had property so that we could own horses. Since then my family has had several horses come and go, and even a couple of mules.

Our farm currently includes Miraj(Arabian), Burley(Morgan-Arab), Luna PFF(Shagya Arabian) and her filly Lentina. I mostly trail ride up at the local motocross track where there are several trails and open fields. I finally began taking lessons only two years ago, when Washougal High School added an equestrian team as apart of its sports/club medley. Because of the equestrian team, I have been able to compete in several events both performance and gaming, and hope to add new ones this year. I have been WHS E-Team Secretary for two years. My duties included taking official minutes of team meetings and helping the coaches and parent advisors with mass e-mails of various topics.

To be completely honest, I wouldn’t know a single fact about Shagya Arabians if it wasn’t for the interest of my mom. Her quest for the perfect horse ended in White Salmon at Paradise Flat Farm, owned by Nancy Skakel, with the discovery of Luna PFF. Our family saw her as a foal, and finally purchased her as a three year old. We lovingly call her Shandy. September of 2006 my mom and I took a nearly seven hour drive up to Chelan, Washington, to have Shandy approved for breeding at Denis Atam’s beautiful home. She blessed us in June with a beautiful and very sweet filly, Lentina, (Bold Bravo x Luna PFF) whom we call Tina for short.

I am familiar (with help from my mom and Nancy Skakel) with some of the very rich history of the Shagya breed. I have also kept up with some of the ongoing politics of ASAV, ISG, and NASS. I find interesting the angles individuals and groups use to achieve various goals. I believe that the best interest of the Shagya Arabian should always be at the heart of decisions made in each organization and program that pledges its support to the Shagya, so that the breed’s rich history may continue well into the future.

As Youth Program Director I will do my best to bring new ideas to the table as well as expand upon established ideas. I am willing and prepared to use my skills, and learn new ones, to help create and run a youth ASAV program. I have four younger siblings, ages six to twelve, and so have experience appealing to a younger demographic, as well as my own. I can also give ideas to help to market the parents of potential Shagya owners. I have high hopes for this program, and look forward to and will enjoy working with all of you to make it as successful as possible.

Kesleigh Lehman
Youth Program Director

Check out the details of the ASAV-Youth Award Program here!

Cassie Ackley (ASAV youth member) showing her gelding SA Berone'
Show was in Shelbyville, KY on Nov. 9th