US Nationals, Moving to the New Farm, Buying Fence

Well since last we wrote - alot has been going on. I went to the US Nationals and shared a room with Liz Salmon. The show was fun in many ways and dissappointing in others. There were a few horses that were beautiful such as the beautiful polish/egyptian mare Emandoria, but here were many plain and some downright ugly horses. What's more there were a few good trainers and many mediocre trainers. I was quite impressed with Trace Moffet and Dan Bergren, but rather unimpressed with some of the others.

Gazal Al Shaqab really has been doing a great job in producing typey babies who can really trot to the moon. I must say I'm very impressed with that stallion. I got a bunch of new halters from an Australian manufacturer and they look really beautiful on Special. Faukners has a great sale on leather leads and they also had these really nice brass chains. I got a great Dale Evans bosal for Reilly too.

I have 2 people coming to look at Special for breeding next year and I'm excited but nervous. Can't wait to see what they think though...

I orders stalls and fence from RAMM and so we are making progress on getting the new farm ready! its going to be really great - I can't wait to have a party there!


Carol

Going at Mach II

Well its been a heck of few weeks since last I posted... I got my RFP out to the State of Oklahoma - quite an effort I must say. I really don't know how I manage getting these responses done - mostly by myself with some help from a few technical folks. But its done and we are not awaiting to see if they are going to move forward with our company.

Reilly is doing well at his job - making his way through the politics and lack of process at his company. I'm just glad he is happy and enjoying his job.

My parents are moving to SC - and its been quite an effort trying to get their house packed up... I can't wait to visit them and see what SC is like. They shipped me my grandmother's furniture and my other grandparents piano. I would love to refinish it and have a music room at the new farm.

Speaking of the new farm - all of that is proceeding along and we are supposed to close on November 15th - I can't wait to move in. But now we have to get the facility set up for our horses - I really have to get on this - need some decent fencing and a better barn! We are going to have a ton of work to do - the driveway being one of the biggest projects... Riding on it now is NOT fun! But it will be incredible once its done. I can't wait to have clinics and a full service equine repro, training and marketing facility.

I drove down to Houston this week and met with the Pitney Bowes folks there. I felt really bad - had a terrible headache but made it to Houston and had some GREAT meetings. Looks like they have some really good prospects for us with counties.

I left the office in Houston at 5 and headed to Magnolia to photograph for Sumerlan Egyptian Arabians. I didn't arrive until we had full shade and I was not optimistic about getting great photos due to the light and frankly - my own exhaustion. Amazinging - we did get some great photos and Susan was pleased - what a relief! Its the fastest photo shoot I have ever done, and we did 5 horses in 2 hours!!! Wow! In fact here is the note I got today from Susan:

"Carol:

I am so incredibly happy with this photoshoot! There are so many that I like and I've only looked once at everything! Head shots galore ... body shots galore ... we need to be relaxed like this and just go for it every time ... wasn't alot of work or time ... great results!"

I think I should put that on my "References Page". I would like everyone to be that happy all the time.

Here is a photo of Susan's newest edition - a filly by Farid Nile Moon:

In other photo news I got this great email from fellow photographer Lisa Brady who I hold in high esteem. I was thrilled to get this! Check it out!

From: Brady Farm
Date: October 10, 2007 4:58:29 PM CDT
To: Carol Maginn , Diana Cantey
Subject: Congratulations Carol!!!

Just got my September Arabian Horse Times (two big issues), and your photo of Mishaal is on the BACK COVER of the first section!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!!!! Looks GREAT!!!

Lisa

BRADY FARM - www.bradyfarm.com
Home of Genuine+/ (*Bask X *Gawra)
Pure Polish Arabian Stallion
BRADY PHOTOGRAPHY - www.lisabradyphotography.com
Specializing in Equine Photography

Sooooo - I finally have a photo on the COVER (back cover) of a magazine!!!! YAY!!!

Here is the actual photo that appears on the magazine!


The kitties are getting bigger now - I'll have to get some photos for everyone....

The week after next is a trip to Arizona for work, and then off to the US Nationals that weekend... I am very excited about that!!! Can't wait!

Carol

Great Photos Taken over at Terrasano!

Well this weekend was totally fun. Marilyn Lang came in from Sealy to help me get some photos of Russ and Chris's horses as well as my two stallions. She make a really great dinner for Reilly and I and we were up till 1am! Then the next morning we went off to Russ and Chris's to get photos and Video. She got some really GREAT photos of the Terrasano horses and I got some amazing photos of Bellisimo.

We also went on Friday to go see some horses for sale that I'm going to be photographing this week. A Ruminaja Ali daugher and a Padron Psyche daughter. There was also a PVA Kariim daughter.

I am so unbelievably proud of Bellisimo - I emailed the World to let them know that I want to take out a 2 page ad to advertise him and Special...

I have to say that I am just so proud of Marilyn. She didn't want to get a digital camera and now she is getting some really incredible photos. Here are a few samples of the photos that she took this weekend. There are many more but we have not had time to go through them all:
















And here are the Bellisimo Photos I love so much!

Halter Training, House Update, Stallions at Home...

Well it has been an interesting week. Last Friday I closed a $700K deal with the State of Texas - it was exciting to finally bring it it... Yea!!! Of course as soon as that deal was in - management wants to know when another one will come in. Well - I guess that is the life of a sales person. I would so like to just run a training and breeding facility...full tims - as my job... OR - I'd like for a Big Trainer to hire me as an assistant trainer.

After closing my deal on Friday - I drove to Sealy to help Marilyn get some photos of her fillies. I got there at 11pm and couldn't sleep till 2am. I was up at 6am and Marilyn and I got to sit down and have some coffee together - something I would like to do more often.

We had our photo shoot and got some great photos. Then we headed over to Michael Byatts farm. I really enjoy going there. All the horses are just so pretty. I fell in love with a bay Gazal Al Shaqab filly. I don't dare ask the price but I'd love to have her. Very cute filly. After seeing the horses and getting some fun farm photos - I got to take a halter lesson. It was sooooo fun. This gelding was so smart that he made me look good! That was fun. I was really tired after this and headed back to Marilyn's to download and review the photos. And then I headed back to Austin - totally exhausted. I did stop by Chili's to get Reilly his baby back ribs in hope of getting him to forgive me for being so darn late!

On Sunday we went farm shopping again and Russ found us a house on 57 acres with a stream and several ponds! We are thrilled and will close on 11/15. The house is newer so I think it will pass inspection easier. So I am imagining all the fun things we can do on the farm. There is also a huge metal building that we are going to convert into a covered arena or an indoor arena. This will be great for horse functions - rain or shine.

This was a very busy week again - I completed an RF{ response for the State of Oklahoma. I hope we win that bid! Today I went and got Special and brought him to our farm. He seemed to enjoy it alot. I enjoy him having some privacy. I had a person show up to see him today with no notice, and it was really not cool. Special was not brushed, clipped or washed, and he is not yet in good "show" condition. I had to send her away because I just feel that you never get a second chance to make a first impresson.

I clipped Mo and Special this evening - getting ready for the big Photo Shoots on Saturday... Its nice having them both home.

Carol