The owners of a Kokomo horse farm are celebrating an international win.
Jimmy and Jill Spizale are one of the five couples who own Khamiis Al Waab, a Straight Egyptian Arabian horse. On Aug. 28, Khamiis won the international class of Straight Egyptian Colts, 3-Years Old, at the Straight Egyptian Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., home of the Kentucky Derby. Horses from as far as Australia competed in the four-day event.
The horse was born in Qatar and was owned by the royal family in that nation. He along with another horse, Authentic Ibn Nawaal, were purchased from the royal family, and the two of them were flown to the U.S. He was then sent to a horse training facility in Allgood, Ala., where he worked with trainer Ted Carson.
Jill Spizale said they knew this horse would be something special. The owners kept this horse to themselves to give him a chance to develop more before he was introduced to the horse world at the Straight Egyptian Horse Show.
“Khamiis drew a lot of attention in the barn at the show,” Jill Spizale.
To be a show horse requires a lot of work and preparation for both the owners and the horse.
“Now that he was won, he will have the notoriety in the horse world. From here people will be watching how his babies will do, which we believe will be champions,” she said.
If he does produce champions, that will allow for the owners to increase their stud fees, she said. She also said he will stay in Alabama for the time being for breeding purposes.
For now, according to Spizale, the focus will be breeding for him. There are currently no plans to show him.
She said this may change once he gets a little older. Khamiis moves to the senior level so it won’t be until he is either eight or nine before he is shown again to allow his adult features to become more fully developed, she said.
Features the judges look for include a high tail carriage, short back, powerful hindquarters, arched neck, wide-set, black eyes and other features. Unlike other types of Arabian horses, the Straight Egyptian is a small horse, only about 14-15 hands in height.
In addition to the Spizales, the other owners include Dr. Richard Geha and Lisa Cifrese; Tom and Kathleen Petrelli; Howard Schacter and Carol Tischler and Bill and Martha Skapof.
