VLQ FRIENDLY FIRE, Chestnut Gelding, 1999 (Forelock’s Petja / Polka Jane).
Breeders: Vanessa and Dr. Loren Quartly Owner: Allison Mostowich.
Strain: Kehailan Haifi (Reshan, 1896).
The Canadian Arabian Horse Registry is proud to announce the selection of VLQ Friendly Fire as the recipient of the 2010 WAHO Trophy.
This twelve year old gelding, owned by Allison Mostowich, was bred by Vanessa Quartly of western Canada and has a deeply Canadian pedigree on his dam’s side. Sired by the 1981 Dutch-bred imported stallion Forelock’s Petja, he is out of the Canadian-bred mare Polka Jane, whose heritage includes generations of Canadian horses.
Fireman, as he is affectionately known, competes at both Arabian and all-breed competitions in the sport of Reining and has earned numerous Championships with his trainer and his amateur owner. In 2009, he won back to back titles in both the Amateur and Open Reining at the Canadian and US National Championships, the first purebred Arabian to accomplish this, according to A.H.A.’s records. He nearly had a repeat in 2010, with Championships in the Open and Amateur Reining in Canada and in the Amateur Reining at US Nationals, with a respectable Top Ten in the Open division last year. He has also been awarded the A.H.A.’s Legion of Honour, Legion of Supreme Honour and Legion of Excellence Awards as well as the Equine Canada Breed Sport Purebred Arabian of the Year title (2009).
VLQ Friendly Fire and owner, Allison Mostowich,
Photo credit: Jay Goss
UPDATE NOV 2011
VLQ Friendly Fire continues to show both on the Arabian and open reining circuits and now has quite a following (numerous fans stopped by his stall at Canadian Nationals to say hi and ascertain when he was showing) and his own facebook page.
He and Allison won the 2010 US National Amateur reining class, the 2011 Scottsdale amateur reining championship, the 2011 Region 4 Arabian amateur reining champsionship and most recently the 2011 Canadian Nationals Championship in both the Amateur 18 – 39 reining and also the open reining (with LaRae Fletcher-Powell). This is the 3rd consecutive year he has won Canadian Nationals. And to top off the season, he was once again US National Amateur Reining Champion at the US Nationals (AAOTR – Adult Amateur Owner to Ride) for the 2nd year running.
Thank you very much for recognizing this special Alberta bred gelding. He is truly one of a kind and we are blessed to have him in our lives.
R to L: Mike Steenhart (Director, Canadian Arabian Horse Registry) presenting the WAHO Trophy to Allison Mostowich (owner/rider), “The Fireman”, LaRae Fletcher Powell (trainer), Nadine Cusack (previous owner) and Vanessa Quartly (breeder).
