CRAVER FARMS

The News From Here

Our Quest #43 April 15, 2003

AL KHAMSA CONVENTION OF 2002

by Carol Lyons

From all reports the AK convention was a wonderful success. 88 people registered including a few children and a number of interested people who don't have AK horses. Friday night was social time and the Business meeting.

Thirty-four horses presented from a terrific cross section of bloodlines. Rare Elements horses, Davenports, Sheykh Obeyd (non-Pyramid), Sheykh Obeyd (Pyramid), and several CMK horses, 3 mares with foals at side (3 to 6 weeks), several at liberty, some ridden to music. Each horse had the arena to itself for a period of time while information about the horse, its bloodlines, etc. was given by Joe Ferriss. Each owner had been encouraged to provide information about "why I like this horse and/or its bloodlines.) Wonderful answers to that.

Two Davenport Stallions

Vision of Chorage (at left) is shown in the horse demonstrations. This 1993 stallion, bred & owned by Char Maryanski, is by Anchorage and out of KL Bint Krushah. The rider here is over 6 feet tall.

Cronus DL (below) is a promising 1998 homebred stallion of Diane Lyons & Dave Berger, by Mandarin CF out of CH Fairy Flight.

These two photos are video-captures courtesy of Kat Walden. Thanks, Kat! We would love to include more photos here, but most people were so entranced with the programming that they didn't take pictures!

The guest speakers on Saturday, Heidi Smith, DVM, and Kat Walden, discussed Form and Function. Saturday our featured Speaker was Edouard AlDahdah whose topic was "Preservation: Bedouin Style." As always, Edouard kept his audience in rapt attention. The final presentation was a panel discussion on Preserving the Preservation Breeder...

For more than 40 of the attendees, the last event of the weekend was the DAVENPORT CONSERVANCY GATHERING, August 11 (everyone welcome) at the Geer homestead in nearby Silverton. It would be hard to imagine a more serene and pastoral setting for the close of a special weekend. The Geer home was built in 1851 and is on the National Register of Historical Places. Homer Davenport lived here with his maternal grandparents for some 6 years after his mother died when he was 4 years old. He wrote that it was his favorite place in all the world. A very special meal of authentic Arabian/Syrian/Lebanese food was prepared by Erika Toler with the help of Carrie Brendle and Lisa Spackman. Talk about gourmet food! A Five Star meal...

During dinner, served in the garden behind the house, a 100% Davenport filly named Special Me LD was led in for everyone to admire. Her manners were perfect and she seemed to enjoy the attention. Special Me is owned by the Tolers, who are fully aware of the significance of having a Davenport filly at the Geer place.

The sun went down and lanterns were lit as the guests enjoyed a leisurely meal. After dinner, the first copies of the Davenport Conservancy's A Directory of Davenport Horses 2002 were distributed, along with a new Davenport brochure.