The History of Gem Star Arabians
The 70's
Gem Star Arabians is a small family farm that started in the Arabian industry in Ohio, 1976 . This is when my father, Neil Stover purchased an Arabian Stallion named Flavious at an auction from Shilo Arabians. Thus the Stover family entered into the breeding business.
Like many small farms, horses were not our survival but more of a hobby. We bred our two mares, one a wonderful 7/8 Arabian mare, Daylifa and our "plug" as mom called her, pony, Babe. We moved to Michigan in 1978 and our horses came with us. We produced two foals from each of the mares. The two pony crosses became our show ponies. R-G Baye and Surgarfoote (Kae Stae Flae). Being new in horses, we started out as many do in 4-H. The real excitement didn't start until the girls, Rhonda and myself - Roxy were older.
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My
very first show with Babe. That's Rhonda in the back with Babes
Daughter, R.G. Baye. I was 6th and cried through the whole class.
Who says crying doesn't help?
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The 80's
The
first horse show I remember was in 1980. I showed Babe in Fitting and
Showing. I remember it so well because I cried through the entire class.
No, I didn't cry because I didn't want to do it, but because Babe's foal,
Sugarfoote, was in the trailer crying for his mom and Babe was whinning
and moving and kept stepping on my foot! My sister, Rhonda was next to
me in the class and keeping to what mom said, "watch out for Roxy",
every time Babe would step on my foot, Rhonda would sneak over by me and
kick Babe's foot until she removed her foot from atop mine. Then Rhonda
would jump move back in position. Of course it would just happen again.
I remember at least three times this happening. It was a painful class.
I did end up getting 6th in the class and Rhonda was second. Needless
to say, I was done for the day and didn't ride Babe that afternoon. I
can remember it rained all afternoon. Rhonda ended up showing Babe and
won quite a lot with her. After the show I remember Mom saying she'd never
take a mare and foal to a show again! How funny it is to hear that now,
can you imagine, but this was 1980 and some people still hauled thier
horses in crates on their pickup trucks!
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The
reason my foot kept getting stepped on, Sugarfoote.
Ready for Fair. |
I
remember my first "horse". His name was Ka Shanad, a 7/8 Arabian
chestnut gelding. I thought he was the prettiest horse, and really he
was beautiful. We bought him off of life long friends and it was a big
deal. I was around 11 or 12. In this picture, 1987, I'm 12 and Shanad
was 14. Shanad did it all, western, hunt, Saddleseat, showmanship, trail,
flag presentor and my parade mount (oh yes, we did that in our younger
years, couldn't miss a local parade to ride threw). With Shanad, I won
my very first big Championship! It was at the county fair and it was the
overall Western Championship. I was only 12 or so and we beat out all
the good horses, that always won everything with their senior riders.
It was something special I'll always remember. Shanad was my first Saddleseat
horse, he really was more suited as a hunter, but that didn't matter,
I was ready for Saddleseat! I showed Shanad for two to three years before
moving on to a younger challenge, JS Gazyne.
JS
Gazyne, Zeke, as we called him, he was something. I learned a lot about
a lot with that horse. I accomplished a lot and got into a lot of trouble
with him. He took me to my first win in English Pleasure at a Class A
show, the 1988 MACC show in Mason Michigan. It was a 13 and under class
and I was thrilled! This was long before Country Pleasure was available
and that really, was what he was. But we did all right and had some fun
along the way. I think I really figured out what I could and couldn't
do on a horse with him, and that was invaluable to me.
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How
many of these people look familiar from the 92' show season? Back
when Mike and Terri Budd were KaTalPa Arabians.
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I would say the turning point for Gem Star Arabians, then Stover Farms, was in 1988 when we purchased for my sister the Half Arabian/National Show Horse, GA Dapper Dan. We purchased Dapper Dan off of Bill Amidon threw KaTalPa Arabians, Mike and Terri Budd.
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GA
Dapper Dan and Rhonda at US Nationals in KY.
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Rhonda showed Dapper
Dan for two years. Winning many championships in English Pleasure and
Equitation along the way. Even a Top 5 in English Pleasure at Region 13.
It was a big deal for us, as it was our first Regional show. She spent
the year with Mike and Terri and the next on her own. At this time we
were still playing with 4-H and just getting into the Class A shows. I
was showing a gelding named JS Gazyne.
The fall of 1989 brought along another change in our farm. Bill Amidon
had contacted my mother about a particular horse that she and Rhonda had
fallen in love with while at a show in New York. Rave Review was his name
and Bill was offering him to us. We drove to New York shortly thereafter
and purchased Rave Review and Dapper Dan's brother, Deliverance. Bill
showed us some 40 plus horses that day. We fell in love with Rave Review's
little brother, SStar AAttraction. But he wasn't for sale at that time.
We saw many of Bills great mares, foals and of course Shah Jameel (picture
above and right). Every baby we saw by Jameel created quite the stir as
they were gorgeous and had these super long necks. To say we were impressed
by all the horses isn't saying enough.
