| Beautiful Horses - Powerful Pedigrees |
 |
| Aspera Terrent Farm |
 |
| 2007 The Year in Review |
| The year started off on a good foot with the successful arrival of two new breeding mares and a young filly from Europe. Habana XXV, the dark bay daughter of Oleaje, had been bred on our request to Magno VI, a son of Ranchero III (by Leviton). Mesonera XX, a daughter of Salinero XV, was accompanied by Cortesana XXXVI, her then 8-month-old filly by Magno VI. Mesonera was pregnant again, this time to Magico IV, a son of Lisonjero VII. The three were flown via Amsterdam and arrived in Toronto mid-February, on perhaps the coldest night of the year. Almost exactly three months later, Habanero XCVI, the 3-year-old dark bay full brother to Habana XXV, would be the final compliment to our new import aquisitions. A little later in the year, our final aquisition of the young Revised mare Bimini M, rounded out the breeding herd to ten mares and two stallions. In late April, Whitney Walsh, an Equine Studies student at Olds College, Alberta, joined the ATF team for a commitment of six weeks on a full-time basis. At the end of her working term, Whitney continued to stay on for two days a week throughout the whole summer, until school term started up again in September. During this entire time, the foaling and breeding season was in full swing. Six superb babies: three fillies and three colts were realised between April and July. As well, Invasor had been contracted to a full book of thirty mares. Habanero's inaugural year was equally successful, though his service was limited to a book of eight mares due to his young age. All ten of our own mares are currently in foal, due in part to the facillitation of ultrasound examination utilzing our own newly aquired ultrasound unit. This completed our ability to collect, process and ship semen as well as track, pin-point and inseminate our own mares in-house and independently. In addition, ATF had expanded our service to include the availability of frozen semen, of which eleven breedings have already been sold and delivered to Australia. Sales have also been very steady and we would like to congratulate the following people on their new horses: Katherine Barrett - of PEI, on her aquisition of Fantasia (Invasor III x Africana M); Colleen Aitken - Spirit Horse Farm, Saskatchewan - who purchased Exotica (Botijo M x Grunona III) & Excepcional (Botijo M x Hurona XIV); Ron & Michelle Chidwick - Estrella Stables, Ontario - who had bought Especial (Maruri x Hungara XL); Rachael Argo & Karen Pyra - Dos Companeros LTD, Nova Scotia - who selected Fierro (Invasor III x Grunona III), Flamante (Invasor III x Careca M) & Elegida (Botijo M x Delia M); Violaine Fortin - Les Ecuries le Centaure, Quebec - who purchased Fresco (Gaucho III x Halconera VIII). In September we were thrilled to find out that our origional stallion, Botijo M, a grandson to our own Invasor III, was shown by his now owner Susanne Punch-Randall and was awarded Campeon Supreme de Funcionalidad at the Foundation's National Celebration for the Pure Spanish Horse in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a result of the extensive quarantine time required for the importations of the new ATF horses as well as the stallions' collection & shipment of semen abroad, the herd was required to stay on location for the entire summer. In early October, ATF was able to have quarantine restrictions lifted in time in order to be able to host the 2007 Revision site for Ontario/Quebec. Presented to Francisco Almiron Beaza, the Spanish inspecting veterinarian were: Habanero XCVI, the ATF newly imported young stallion; Era M, the lovely chestnut daughter of Hungara XL (Era M owned by Ecuries Sobolee, Quebec); and Celesta, the first foal (filly) born to Bimini M (Celesta owned by Ron & Michelle Chidwick). ATF has also continued to support the Spanish Horse specifically, the equine population in general and the human community as a whole in various ways throughout the year. A breeding to Invasor III was donated to the PRE Foundation with the proceeds going to this organization. Similarly our Gold Sponsorship along with a breeding to Habanero supported PAALH in BC. A fully fitted leather saddle was donated in aid of horses requiring rescue via 'Heaven Can Wait Equine Rescue'. And finally, but not yet complete is ATF's Snow Queen project, raising funds for 'Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation of Canada'. Although the promotion for this event has already been published, the actual fund raising portion of this event will occur this upcoming Christmas Eve. View at http://www.coolspanishhorses.com/SnowQueenArticle.html We are taking this period during the Holidays, to celebrate our joy of the Season with others... and in so doing, would like to extend my warmest greetings to you. I sincerely wish for you that your own time spent with family, friends and animals brings you a heartfelt sense of Love, Peace and Contentment. Ellen Amos Aspera Terrent Farm |