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Issue 4, 2003
Welcome
From the Editors:
Happy 2004!
It is hard to believe that Horse of Kings is entering its third year of
publication. The 2004 calendars were mailed out in December, and we have
received a wonderful response from readers everywhere who were anxiously
awaiting their arrival. A heartfelt thank you to all of the calendar
participants this year who worked so hard to provide us with such amazing
photo material for each consecutive month. This was without a doubt our
best calendar yet, due in large part to the beauty of the horses we had to
work with. If you haven't received a copy of the calendar, check out our
website or our eBay store.
As we were working on the layout and design for each month of the
calendar, we were reflecting on the events of the past three years. The
time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday that we sent out the
inaugural issue and calendar combo on a wing and a prayer. Counting the
Andalusian magazine, which we publish for the IALHA, we have printed
twelve magazine issues since February of 2001, and three calendars. We've
come a long way on a bumpy road, and we're still pressing on.
Likewise, as HOK has grown, we have felt privileged to watch the baroque
horse breeds grow in recognition along with it. Advertisers are beginning
to tell us stories about complete strangers recognizing them from their
ads. We are getting serious support from breeders who are reaping the
benefits of having their horses showcased in a publication which
celebrates the uniqueness of these breeds, and which opens the door to the
mainstream market in a way that allows them to benefit from an almost
"group advertising" concept. In other words, these breeders
benefit as much from other ads and articles in Horse of Kings as they do
from their own. The entire magazine is a sales tool for the baroque
breeds... regardless of which one you prefer. Letters and subscriptions
arrive almost daily from new baroque horse enthusiasts who stumbled across
an issue of HOK in their local tack store. The word has spread and we now
have subscribers in Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Italy, France, Scotland,
Switzerland, Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, New Zealand, Germany, and Israel,
as well as the United States.
The breeders and associations themselves are joining forces to promote the
baroque horse. The new International Friesian Show Horse Association has
stepped into the spotlight, to promote the Friesian breed as a whole to
the general horse-loving public, without regard to the country or
bloodlines of origin behind the horse. More and more Classical Breed Shows
and Baroque Horse Fairs are being organized, including all the baroque
breeds. The International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association
included Friesians in one of their Saturday night extravaganza
performances at their National Horse Show in October 2003. The Northwest
Andalusian Horse Association is offering Lipizzan and Friesian classes at
their August show in 2004. The Northern Californians have taken perhaps
the biggest step, joining forces to create the Baroque Horses of Northern
California, which has its own shows and is attracting an ever growing
audience of admirers.
Back when HOK was just an emerging dream, a close friend sent us a card.
On the front of it was a little orange kitten looking in the mirror.
Looking back from the mirror was a lion. The card said "It's how you
see yourself that counts." I truly believe we are standing on the
threshold of a great opportunity for the baroque horse breeds. With the
immense popularity of historically based movies that have dominated the
box office in recent years, many of which showcased the baroque horses in
all their splendor... and with the increasing number of Friesians,
Andalusians, Lipizzans, and Lusitanos making their way into open shows and
mainstream equestrian competitions, the baroque breeds are poised to
reclaim their place as the most sought after horses in the world. We are
so proud to have the opportunity to participate in such an exciting time
for our breeds. Thank you all for your support.
Nia and Meaza Ridley
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