AA PARADE, Grey Gelding, *1985 (Gai Cadet/Araleigh Myra).
Breeder: Mr. R.M. Gubb, Araleigh Arabians. Owner: Greg & Jacki Bickerton.
Strain: Dahman Abu Amr of Ibn Hemsi (Dahma, 1876)
The New Zealand Arab Horse Society is proud to announce the winner of their 2008 WAHO Trophy. AA Parade, now 23 years old, has had a remarkable career both in the showring and in endurance and is a very worthy winner of this award. The Trophy was presented at the 2009 NZAHBS Annual General Meeting. AA Parade took the award ahead of a very strong group of fellow nominees.
The son of the outstanding imported American-bred stallion, Gai Cadet and Araleigh Stud’s foundation mare, Araleigh Myra, his full sister AA Mystique is also producing some extremely successful horses both in the showring and endurance.
From 1987-1990 AA Parade won 6 Championships and Reserve Championships at “A” Class shows. He began his career in endurance as a 5-year old, and has carried on competing well into his 20’s. From 1994-1997 he was based at the Cambridge Stud, where he was exhibited in their “Horseworld” attraction as an example of the Arabian breed which involved being paraded in hand and shown in costume, he also provided photo opportunities for visitors who could pose with him.
AA Parade was purchased as a ‘retired’ endurance horse by Greg and Jacki Bickerton of Morocco Arabians in 1997, initially as Greg’s introduction to an Arabian riding horse, with the intention of taking part in the popular sport of CTR (Competitive Trail Rides). As their partnership developed, Greg chose to try his hand at Endurance as well, and it soon became evident that AA Parade was at his happiest when competing. Over the years they have reached the highest levels of this sport in New Zealand. With successes and high placings too numerous to mention, the highlight of his career, aged 17, was when AA Parade won the 100 km FEI*** ride at the 2003 National Championships. In 2004 he participated in the inaugural endurance event at the Horse of the Year, which was a display of the sport for members of the other disciplines to gain a better understanding of endurance. It was the most public endurance race ever held in the country, finishing at night under lights in the main stadium in front of a crowd of 10,000 people.
Since 2003 AA Parade has acted as lead horse for the team’s younger endurance horses, instilling a calmness and sense of security for the newcomers. AA Parade has completed 6,249 lifetime kilometres in competitive endurance, being one of only a handful of horses to have achieved this in New Zealand.
With his classic beauty and movement, his top class athletic ability and his wonderful temperament, AA Parade is a true gentleman, he is the ultimate versatile Arabian horse and a stellar Ambassador of the Arabian breed in New Zealand.
AA Parade with his owner, Greg Bickerton
