CAMALOT LAHANA, Chestnut mare, 1992 (Arabesque Amon-Ra / Mai-San Marcasite).
Breeder: Patricia Dawn Layton. Owners: Janice Hingston & Tony Gifford.
Strain: Seglawieh Jedranieh of Ibn Soudan (Ghazieh).
The owners of this talented mare, of old Crabbet bloodlines, decided to breed from her after thirteen years of being a valuable work horse, but first they planned one last attendance in the Working Stock Horse Class at a major show to prove that she could mix with the “best of them”. The Australian Nationals was the venue chosen, but first Camalot Lahana needed to qualify. She duly received a standing ovation at the Top of the Range show in Toowoomba as she qualified for the Nationals. It was only after she had been entered in the Nationals that the owners realised that the Working Stock Horse Class had another trophy to be awarded to the eventual Champion in this event – the 2006 WAHO Trophy for Australia, as decided by the Australian Arabian Horse Association.
At the Australian National Championships, Camalot Lahana proved her worth once more and won the title of Champion Working Stock Horse, her workout receiving many whoops of delight and much applause.
On looking at the WAHO website, they found out that the idea of the trophy was to promote Arabians outside of the show ring. They felt that Camalot Lahana certainly fits that bill, since over the years she has campdrafted, mustered, roped and dragged cattle and calves to the branding iron, all without fuss. She has the qualities of excellence that Arabian horse breeders command and attention has been placed on her many times with her excellent cut out scores in the camp at drafts. So much so, that stalwart stock horse stallion owners have been known to comment that they would have put their stallion over this mare any day. To the owners, those comments are promotion enough of the Arab breed, as unfortunately Arabians are scorned generally as unworthy participants in the Australian specialist sport of campdrafting.
Unfortunately it was not possible for the AHSA to arrange to make the WAHO Trophy presentation at the Show, and although the owners were very disappointed by this, they remain justifiably proud of their wonderful mare and all her many achievements both in her work at home and in competition.
