Moving Forward . . .

Whether it’s Ferrari or the Arcese performance horse program, these icons were not born fully developed, fully mature. The process which builds icons on this level comes slowly, carefully and with thoughtful management. The idea comes first, then design, then development, then thousands of hours refining and redefining the end produce that is marketed to the world. The marketing of an icon. An Arcese bred-and-raised prospect.

In the case of the iconic Arcese Quarter Horses, the first steps were taken in Italy, in a setting that we see as unmatched anywhere in the world. Elueterio Arcese and three of his children, Leonardo, Paola and Matteo, made early trips to the U.S. to NRHA events, with an eye on the NRHA Futurity. This was the ‘idea’ in process.

Next came ‘design,’ that all important step taken at sales, at private training barns, at breeding barns. Purchases made with an eye toward style and substance. These were the early prospects that led to the first wins for the Arcese ‘brand’ of quality. Quality, never quantity, would be a byword for the Arcese family as they went on in the ‘development’ of their breeding program.

To develop an outstanding breeding program– it starts with the highest quality broodmares. Arcese Quarter Horses, always with this vision fully in place, shopped the world market and has a set of broodmares that equal any in the performance horse business. Their focus, of course, has been on the reining world so the majority of the mares carry the pedigrees of the top-of-the-line horses in that world. But with an eye on cutting all along, Leonardo and his father have made a number of surveys of the NCHA standings and frequent visits to Fort Worth for the NCHA Futurity, and have bought a set of spectacular mares from that side of the performance fence. With mares to brag on and a selection of the best stallions in the business, the development of the Arcese brand was well on its way.

The development of good young talent runs a parallel to the thousands of hours those Ferrari test cars spent on their own tracks. In the case of the Arcese brand, the hours were spent with young horses in the hands of trainers with talent and discrimination. This level of the program brought an outstanding number of wins, NRHA Futurity titles and aged event titles in every reining venue. The Arcese icon was born.

Now, after years of refining and redefining exactly what the program will be in the future, a new level of management style has taken over a thoughtfully and highly finished product. Where in the past, young horses were ‘placed’ with various trainers; these same young horses are now available for preview at the Arcese headquarters in Texas, Oswood Stallion Station. Previewing youngsters before their second birthday is a daily event at Oswood. Prices are set in advance for any and every trainer, owner, breeder. However, after all these years of design, development and marketing, there is a new policy for the end result. Marketing at its most open and honest is always the sale pen.

Arcese Quarter Horses looks forward to setting the bar higher than ever before by placing each and every one of their young prospects in the NRHA and NCHA sale rings. It is the true level field of our industry, and Arcese has no hesitation placing the brightest and best for public sale. The years of design, development and marketing have paid off in their young stallion, Walla Walla Whiz, whose record in the NRHA and whose beauty and pedigree set him apart. Now his first three-year-old reiners have gone to the arena and come away with money earned. The other Arcese stallion, the unbeatable young Gunnatrashya, has his first two-year-olds will going into capable hands during the next few months.

And so the renewed excitement throughout the Arcese family and the management at Oswood Stallion Station rests with a set of sale horses that will stamp the ‘brand’ on over a dozen NRHA and NCHA prospects in the biggest, most exciting sale arenas in the performance horse world. The icon is established beyond any question. The public is going to have a chance to own a piece of this iconic Arcese program. Not of ‘second choice’ horses, as is the case with so many breeders, but of the very best the Arcese program has developed. There’s a new level of engineering in the Ferrari that goes to the starting line at a Formula 1 race, just as there is a new level of Arcese-bred horses going to the ‘starting line’ at the sales this winter. Be ready to build your own iconic program based on the years already put to work by the Arcese Quarter Horse program. Review your catalog, remember the foundation these horses will be standing on, bid on your choice and join the dream.