The very first comments one hears about the Baske Afire offspring in competition seem to always make reference to their exceptional quality. Breeders and horsemen; exhibitors and judges agree, quality is the primary adjective that comes to mind. This is interesting to note, because that’s also what everyone said about Baske Afire when he was a foal.

Baske Afire

Today, consistent quality, athletic ability and incredible action are the solid sterling hallmarks of the Baske Afire-bred champions.

Baske Afire was born destined to rise to the top as a breeding sire. His first foal crop in 2002 produced his first U.S. National Champion in 2003, the Half-Arabian mare, She Be Afire+. By 2008, the year his oldest offspring were six, Baske Afire had already sired nearly 50 national winners, and by 2009 the performance champions were rapidly overtaking the Halter champions in numbers. Baske Afire turned 12 this year and has been at the top end of the national leading sire charts since he was eight. It certainly comes as no surprise that he is now the Leading Sire of the 2011 U.S. National Championships.

Baske Afire winning at Scottsdale with Brian Murch

At the National show in Tulsa, 55 Baske Afire offspring competed successfully. Together they brought home 71 national Top Ten Awards, seven reserve national championships and eight national championships in Halter, Country English, English Pleasure, and Driving, with several additional wins in Park, Show Hack, Costume, Hunter Pleasure and Informal Combination.

CF Jimmy Neutron and Katie Burr

The Half-Arabian super star Halter champion, JB Hometown Hottie took two unanimous national Halter championships and a reserve. She now has a career total of eleven national championships and one reserve, all at the U.S. and Canadian National Championships. In addition to JB Hometown Hottie, six Baske Afire offspring took home national Halter awards, including Most Popular, reserve national champion in the HA Mare Halter Saddle/Pleasure AAO to her paternal half-sister JB Hometown Hottie. In 2011 U.S. National performance competition Baske Afire was particularly well-represented in both Country and English Pleasure.

ERA Moonlite Seranade and Jim Stachowski

The high-stepping crowd pleaser, CF Jimmy Neutron followed up his unanimous 2010 U.S. National Championship in the HA English Pleasure Futurity by winning the 2011 U.S. National HA English Pleasure AAO Maturity unanimously with Katie Burr in the irons.Also giving a brilliant, “standing ovation” performance under saddle was the unanimous 2011 U.S. National Champion HA English Pleasure Junior Horse, ERA Moonlite Serenade ridden by Jim Stachowski. The elegant Princess Of Baske was the judges’ unanimous choice as well, winning the 2011 U.S. National Country English Pleasure Junior Horse, with the Baske Afire daughter ROL Firemist taking a Top Ten. Both mares are now owned by Strawberry Banks Farm. A 2008 U.S. National Reserve Champion in the English Pleasure Futurity, Glitterati took home the rose blanket in the Country English Pleasure AAO 36-54.

Bonfire ROF and Vicki Humphrey

Two of the most Baske Afire dominated English competition classes at the 2011 Nationals were the open Country English Pleasure and the HA Country Pleasure Driving. In the former, 2011 Scottsdale Reserve English Pleasure Champion Bonfire ROF stepped up to take the rose blanket with trainer Vicki Humphrey riding. Reserve national champion in the class was the Baske Afire son MBF Burning Springs.

Princess Of Baske and Jessica Clinton

In 2012 Baske Afire’s owner, Strawberry Banks Farm, is expecting foals from his eleventh foal crop. It’s an auspicious occasion. For those that have been breeding to this amazing sire for a decade the successful crosses are well documented and proven. Every year a new group of super star Baske Afire offspring appears and wins at the national level. Currently he is the sire of well over 100 national winners. He is the most successful son of the breed’s most successful English-producing sire line. Here is quality, athletic ability and incredible action with unprecedented consistency. Here is the future of the Arabian English performance horse.