Spotlight on WCAHA member and Arabian breeder, Dr. Edward Davidson
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Dr. Ed Davidson shows off his
latest SHF Southern Whiz colt out
of Al Bend, an *Aladdinn
daughter. If there’s such a thing
as a free ticket to the Alumni
dinner, Dr. Ed Davidson, owner of
Southern Heritage Farm, certainly
should be entitled to one. He has
been a member of WCAHA and has
participated in its Futurity
program for the last 25 years,
either by showing a weanling in
the club’s Futurity classes in
the Fall, or nominating mares and
their resulting babies for the
following year.
Dr. Davidson’s journey with
Arabians began fresh out of
veterinary school when he joined Dr. Ben Harrington’s practice in
Raleigh, NC, working with Harrington’s clients who owned Arabian
horses. One of those clients was Lillian Wolfe, who brought Hi-Fashion
Imperial, a Ferzon son, to her farm in North Carolina, where he was
well received by East Coast breeders.
“I was most impressed with Hi-Fashion Imperial,” says Davidson. “He
influenced my thinking when it came time to acquire horses of my own,
and those were from the Ferzon/Azraff cross.”
Many of the horses he owns today trace to the stallion he still stands,
SHF Southern Whiz, a Gazesel+ son out of HV Baroness, a Lea Baron
daughter. And Whiz ‘came to be’ almost by default, Davidson says.
“I fell into a situation that provided me with the nucleus of Southern
Heritage Farm,” Davidson continues. “I had arranged to purchase a linebred Azraff mare from the Caldwell family which would eventually become
the dam of SHF Southern Whiz. When the family suffered the loss of two
of their sons in separate automobile accidents, they decided to
disperse the horses. Gazesel, Whiz’s sire, came to Southern Heritage
Farm, and the rest, as they say, is history.”
“The first goal for my breeding program was to breed a WCAHA Futurity
winner,” he explains. “Whiz earned that title when he was just a
weanling. And now I’m using his daughters to pursue my current goal—to
produce that Nationals winner.” Davidson is crossing his Whiz
daughters—genetically strong for producing type and pretty—on some of
the stallions that are winning in the ring today. One such stallion is
Showkayce, a Fame VF son out of Kay, by Kaiyoum.
Showkayce is the sire of Southern Heritage Farm’s most recent winner,
SHF First In Show. This grey 2004 yearling colt out of a Whiz daughter,
was named WCAHA weanling Futurity Champion colt. Four months later, he
went Reserve Champion in the Scottsdale Signature Stallion Auction
Class, as well as winning the amateur-to-handle Yearling Colt class for
Jan. 1-Apr. 15 foals.
“He’s just a pretty, correct colt with a beautiful neck,” Davidson
says, “and he represents what I’m trying to do with the next phase of
my breeding program.”
In addition to the Showkayce colt, Davidson had foals by Mostly Padron,
Gai Monarch and Whiz last year. This year, his mares will have Padron
Psyche, Lakehill Supreme, Whiz and Silver Jubilee babies at side. And
he has purchased 2006 breedings to Marwan Al Shaqab, Falcon and Gai
Monarch.
Over the years, Davidson has seen styles and preferences change in the
halter arena. “I went through the Polish Invasion,” he says, “but that
good, pretty Arabian always prevails. Wide-set eyes, relatively small
ears, a fine muzzle—those are the attributes that my ideal horse must
have. And those are the qualities that I’m consistently getting with my
Southern Whiz get and grand-get.”
Davidson believes that the industry as a whole needs to put the fun
back in showing. Several trips to Europe have convinced him that
showing the halter horse can be fun for both the exhibitor AND the
spectators. And he thinks that the type of horse he is breeding is what
those spectators want to see. That’s why he continues to pursue that
elusive dream.
“Maybe if I get that national halter win,” he laughs, “I can quit this
breeding thing.” “But I probably won’t!” he adds.
Submitted by Carol Johnson
This is a quiet month following much activity by members in Class A
shows (Raleigh and Asheville), the 50 and 100-mile Endurance ride that
occurred at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville in early May (more on this
in the next newsletter) and the close of the All-Star Stallion Auction.
(results also next month).
And on the home front, in many of our barns and backyards, signs of
Spring have arrived. Take a peek at several new foals welcomed by WCAHA
members. And do email me with pictures of YOURS! There’s nothing cuter
than a newborn foal, and we’d like to congratulate everyone through our
newsletter who is lucky enough to be nuzzling one right now.
If you have any news or a story idea, don’t
hesitate to call or email me. I can be
reached at or 864-836-3004.
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Al and Jill Breedin's Parys El Jamaal daughter
had a beautiful chestnut Versace filly early
in April.
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Cassandra Piner touches noses with
"Magnificent,"her chestnut Magnum
Psyche filly out of a Mafier
daughter.
TC Kharpe Diem is the sire of Julia Bryan's grey filly
born in April. She is out of O'Bella, an O'Epic (by
Elston) daughter. Her dam is NDL Isabella, by Gdansk.
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Sans Souci Warriors Gold, owned by Grace
Greenlee is pictured at 3 hours old. He
is a half-Arabian out of a Pure Polish Warranty daughter, and sired by
cremello Saddlebred Vanilla Hot Shot.