What inspired you to become a breeder, and how has your breeding program evolved over the years?

I’ve loved the Arabian horse since I got my first one at 12 years old. I’ve always wanted to venture into breeding, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years where that dream has been able to become a reality. Thankfully, my husband is fully on board and enjoying this journey! We will see what the future brings for our breeding program.

What qualities are most important to you when selecting horses for your breeding program?

I like to start with a balanced mare: good body, legs, head, neck, and movement, without being extreme in any one category. I prefer that over a horse that excels in one area but is only average in the rest. Temperament is also high on our list of priorities; we want horses that are a joy to have at home with us and our children.

What makes your breeding program unique, and what do you hope people recognize when they hear your farm name?

We are just getting started and will find our niche soon! We hope to breed balanced, kind horses that can excel not only in the halter arena but also in performance.

How do you balance preserving the Arabian breed’s heritage while continuing to move your program forward?

By studying pedigrees and understanding what each horse contributes to the horses we produce. There is always going to be evolution within the breed, but by breeding balanced individuals and considering what each sire and dam bring to the match we can maintain the balance of preservation and moving our program forward.

What bloodlines, individuals, or mentors have had the greatest influence on your breeding philosophy?

We’ve learned most of what we know from Ted Carson and so appreciate his mentorship! Many excellent horses have come from his breeding program/advise, including Exxalt, Alexxanderr, and Exxaltress.

In your opinion, what traits define a truly great Arabian horse?

A truly great Arabian horse is one that can prove themselves in the show arena, breeding shed, and as a companion and riding horse.

What are your long-term goals and vision for your breeding program?

Our long-term goals are to continue to produce or add the highest quality horses we can to our program. We’ve love to be able to produce a horse that is high enough caliber to win at a national or even international level.

Can you share a horse you’ve bred that best represents your program and why that horse is especially meaningful to you?

We have our first two foals on the ground this year – they will of course be meaningful to use because they are our first ones! We hope to continue to improve our program and are very excited about the addition of MD Zarah to our program. Manuel Duniri’s breeding program needs no introduction with such greats as MD Mirka, MD Alihandra, and MD Hibat Allah. We so appreciate the opportunity to add her to our farm.

What challenges do breeders face today, and how can the community strengthen the future of the breed?

Many of the challenges facing today’s breeders involve the smaller number of new people becoming involved in the industry. We had many more opportunities for youth and others to get involved even 28 years ago when I started my journey with the Arabian horse. I remember wandering through barn aisles at the bigger shows and having some kind owners and trainers talk to us about the horses. I think being a bit more open at the bigger shows to allow the public to meet the horses and talk would be a good start.

Looking ahead, what gives you the most optimism about the future of Arabian horses and the breeding community?

Seeing some younger people wanting to get involved as owners, riders, and/or breeders. We should do our best to foster them. We so appreciate Murray Popplewell of Rae Dawn Arabians helping us to start our breeding program with RD Delta Dawn!

The Sheas have spent more than half a century selecting, raising, training, marketing, and showing Arabian and Half-Arabian horses. Their expertise earned them respect far beyond their Michigan farm. It was a time when great breeders were not merely producing horses but building visions. Their program, and others like it, helped shape the era into which Tim and Marty stepped: a world where beauty, athleticism, pedigree, and charisma mattered deeply. Yet their greatest legacy may be the people and horses they brought together, and the enduring standard they helped create for the Arabian performance horse.

Marty and Tim became known for their eye, their patience, their integrity, and their ability to bring out a horse’s brilliance without losing the horse itself. Marty has reflected on over 40 years of looking out her office window into the arena, watching the evolution of some of the best Arabian trotting horses in the world. The list of horses that have passed through Shea Stables is extraordinary. Bey Aperitif V, Orans Adagio, Barnaby-B+/, Allience+//, JK Jedi, EW Ultima, Hucklebey Berry+/, AA Apollo Bey, MHR Nobility, Justafire DGL, A Temptation, MS Santana, Coltrane SS, Afire Bey V, Afires Heir, IXL Noble Express, Inception, Navajo Moun+++/ and *Rhythmic. And this is literally just to name a very few.

“The memories are great,” Marty wrote. “The future is bright. We are beyond thankful.”

One of the most defining turns in the Shea story came through Sheila Varian. In 1988, Sheila told Tim and Marty that she had met Dave and Gail Liniger, the founders of RE/MAX International, and that she believed they were serious about building a high-quality Arabian horse program. Sheila recommended the Sheas, and the Linigers sent them a beautiful grey mare named Flames Lullaby. That mare would eventually produce several national champions and become part of the foundation of one of the most successful Arabian breeding partnerships ever, helping change the course of English and Park horses throughout our breed.

Dave Linigers entry into Arabian horses began, simply enough, with fascination. At a barbecue at the home of one of his vice presidents, Dave saw an Arabian mare: tail flagged, snorting, alive with charisma. He was captivated. A magazine led him to Scottsdale. Scottsdale led him and Gail to the Arabian horse sales in 1989. There, they purchased several mares, including Flame Dancer, Flames Lullaby, Baskazelle, and Miz Charisma, and began building what Dave described as foundation stock for a future major breeding farm.

Some predicted the Linigers would be gone from the horse business within a few years. Dave never forgot that. He took it as a challenge.

Instead of fading, Dave and Gail listened. They asked questions. They sought serious advice from Sheila Varian, Don DeLongpré, Richard Petty, Gordon Potts, and others. They bought and bred with purpose. Eventually, they consolidated their program at Shea Stables, where Tim and Marty became not only trainers but also partners, marketers, selectors, breeders, and trusted friends.

Then came Afire Bey V. Bred by Varian Arabians, Afire Bey V was by Huckleberry Bey out of Autumn Fire, a *Bask daughter. Sheila had sent the young bay colt to Michigan for training with the Sheas. Dave and Gail had already looked at more than 50 stallions when they saw him. Marty recalled that Dave purchased Afire Bey V after Tim brought him out, and the horse exploded through the Michigan autumn with the presence that would later define him. Tim trotted him down the driveway, and “it was love at first sight.”

The Arabian Working Western Division has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. What do you believe is driving its popularity, and where do you see the division heading over the next five years?

Barbara: It is a division where the horse and rider must use their intelligence and skills to compete.  One is actually “seen” by the judges and marked for each skill or set of skills.  It is a division where one must accomplish “ranch” type work such as cutting cows or navigating trail obstacles.  Consequently both the horse and rider are more interested in the “work” and don’t get “barn sour”.

Ashley: The Ranch division in particular has grown tremendously and I think that is because it is relatively easy to get into as a beginner or from another discipline, and it’s something you can work on at home. A good ranch horse is great to ride, steady but lively, willing, and capable of a day working, a leisurely trail ride, or practicing obstacles, so I think people enjoy owning these horses and showing them in numerous events. In the next 5 years, I hope that the Ranch riders will want to branch out and find that these great Ranch horses can also work cattle and maybe lay down a reining pattern with a little extra training. The challenge and excitement of those divisions is well worth that extra effort.

What qualities make the Arabian horse particularly well-suited for Working Western?

Ashley: I’m relatively new to Arabians, but I’m constantly amazed by their stamina, willingness, and drive. These horses will show in multiple classes a day—going from the cow pen, to a ranch rail class, to a reining pattern—and give the same full effort each time, especially the purebreds.

For someone considering entering the division for the first time, what advice would you give regarding selecting a horse, preparing for competition, and building confidence in the show pen?

Barbara: Talk to a professional about selecting a horse. They’ll know which bloodlines tend to produce good working horses, and they likely know one or two available at your skill level and price point. To prepare for competition: practice, practice, practice, and have patience with yourself and your horse as you both learn the necessary skills. Go to some local shows, even if they’re not Arabian shows, and get in the ring for some practice.

Arianne: Trust your trainer, and be prepared to enjoy the good, the bad, and the ugly. Working Western comes with so many unknowns, patterns, live cattle, and, for me, learning to ride one-handed. I’ve found the best way to work out the kinks is to fail in as many different ways as possible, so you might as well enjoy the process. I’ve never spent as many hours in the saddle or entered as many schooling shows as I have in the last 18 months since buying my ranch horse, but it’s paid off enormously for our partnership.

What foundation skills do you believe every successful Working Western horse should master before stepping into the show pen, regardless of the discipline?

Ashley: Coming from an amateur, I think patience with the rider is a virtue in a ranch horse! Willingness to do the job asked of them, and a strong drive that creates a work that’s fun to watch are also assets.

Gretchen: Confidence is key for a working western horse. A willing partner that is trusting of its rider and willingly accepts direction makes patterns and obstacles look effortless. It helps if the horse has the ability to do reining maneuvers and go from fast to slow speeds easily. A back and side pass are crucial.

How has the level of competition in the Arabian Working Western Division evolved over the years, and what trends are you seeing in today’s top horses and exhibitors?

Barbara: When we first started the Working Western division, our numbers were relatively small. But with the addition of more class styles—ranch riding, ranch trail, and others—participation has grown considerably. Competitors appreciate being able to show their horses even if they’d rather not go down the fence, and the various ‘cow’ classes have continued alongside reining. That mix makes for an exciting show for everyone.

Gretchen: As this division has grown, and with more prize money on the line, it’s become a highly competitive space. Breeders are producing horses specifically for ranch, reining, and cow work. Since we first started competing in ranch classes at local shows, everyone has stepped up their game, and the level just keeps getting better.

One of the greatest strengths of the Working Western community is its camaraderie. What makes this division unique, and why do you think so many exhibitors continue to return year after year?

Barbara: One of the things I have most admired and enjoyed when showing in this section of the Arabian Horse world is the spirit of friendship and community.  I have observed numerous times everyone helping each other; trainers helping us amateurs (even if we don’t ride with their barn); everyone congratulating the winners and meaning it, as well as encouraging those that had a bad ride.

Ashley: In the cattle classes particularly, I feel like us riders already have a rival – the cow – and there’s no need for rivalry with each other! We all know how unpredictable it is when you introduce an untrained animal into the mix, how hard we work at home just to get out there to show, and that what we do is a little risky. So we are excited when we see others try, whether it’s their first time or 50th, and the hooting and hollering, congratulating, and cheering each other on just comes naturally.

Arianne: There is an objective nature to a scored class. I can’t control another rider’s score, but I can control my own, so it is easy to set a goal that is not centered around a placing (i.e. I am shooting for a 73, not first place). Being competitive with yourself takes the focus off being competitive with others and we are all genuinely excited to watch a good run and hear a big score. The sitting and waiting around between goes also builds in a natural opportunity to get to know your competitors more than when showing in rail classes.

A DIFFERENT BEGINNING

Unlike conventional embryo transfer, where the mare is bred before an embryo is flushed from the uterus, ICSI begins at the source.

The donor mare undergoes a minimally invasive procedure known as Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) or Transvaginal Aspiration (TVA). While standing comfortably under sedation, veterinarians use ultrasound guidance to collect immature oocytes directly from follicles on the ovaries. Those eggs are then transported to a specialized embryology laboratory where they mature before fertilization.

Once an oocyte reaches maturity, an embryologist selects a single sperm cell from the chosen stallion and injects it directly into the egg using highly specialized microscopic equipment. The developing embryo is carefully monitored over the next several days before either being transferred into a synchronized recipient mare or vitrified and stored for future use.

Dr. Fernando Campos-Chillon explains that one of ICSI’s greatest advantages is its flexibility. Unlike conventional breeding, oocytes can often be collected regardless of where the mare is in her cycle. Procedures may even be performed during the off-season, in certain pregnant mares, or while performance mares remain actively competing.

The years that followed brought many wonderful horses, friendships, and experiences, but eventually life took Kelly in a different direction. She stepped away from the Arabian horse industry for nearly 25 years, focusing on other chapters of life while the memories of Molly remained close to her heart. Although she was away from the show ring, the passion for Arabian horses never disappeared. Five years ago, Kelly returned to the industry with renewed enthusiasm, eager to immerse herself once again in the breed she had always loved. The feeling Molly had given her all those years before had never completely left. It remained the standard by which every great horse would be measured. As she re-engaged with the industry, Kelly found herself searching once again for a horse that could capture that same magic. Rather than providing a long list of requirements, she turned to longtime friend and trainer Dale Brown and offered him a simple challenge.

“Find me the one.”

There were no restrictions regarding pedigree, age, or timeline. Kelly simply trusted Dale’s eye and his understanding of what she hoped to find. The search would take months and involve countless prospects, but Dale never forgot the assignment.

That search ultimately led him to Tulsa during the 2022 U.S. Nationals, where a young stallion kept drawing his attention. Atlas SBA (FA El Shawan x Goddess of Da Vinci), bred by Stella Bella Arabians, was still immature and relatively inexperienced, but there was something about him that was impossible to ignore. Dale found himself repeatedly returning to watch the horse work. More importantly, he gave Dale a feeling that is difficult to describe and impossible to manufacture. As every great horseman knows, there are moments when instinct speaks louder than logic. Atlas had that effect. Late one evening, after watching the horse yet again, Dale picked up the phone and called Kelly. The conversation happened around midnight, but by then his mind was made up. Atlas was the horse he had been searching for.

What followed only reinforced that belief. Atlas quickly demonstrated that he possessed not only beauty and athletic ability but also intelligence and trainability. As a four-year-old, he traveled to Scottsdale and earned a Top Ten finish in the Junior Horse division during only his second horse show. While the accomplishment itself was impressive, what excited both Kelly and Dale even more was the horse’s potential for longevity. Too often, exceptional young horses shine brightly for a short period before fading from competition. Atlas seemed different. Structurally correct, naturally balanced, and mentally gifted, he appeared capable of building a long-term career both in the show ring and as a breeding stallion.

For Dale, one of Atlas’s most remarkable qualities is his mind. The stallion has successfully balanced a demanding breeding schedule while continuing to train, travel, and compete. That combination is far more difficult than many people realize. Most breeding stallions eventually become dedicated either to the breeding shed or the show ring because maintaining excellence in both arenas can be incredibly challenging. Atlas, however, has continued to thrive. His willingness to learn, focus, and perform has made him unique.

Kelly experienced that firsthand when she visited the farm after a particularly difficult day. Despite spending the spring breeding mares and preparing for competition, Atlas stepped into his role as a trusted partner without hesitation. Dale encouraged Kelly to climb aboard, and within moments, the horse reminded her why she fell in love with Arabian horses in the first place. By the time she climbed off, the stress and frustrations of the day had disappeared. Atlas had done what great horses do best. He had reminded her why she keeps coming back.