PG . 32
AQHA FEATURE
AQHA SPONSORED NUTRIEN CLASSIC CAMPDRAFT - 5TH PLACE
HAZELS GIFT A1-13389
$ 1,000 AQHA OWNERS INCENTIVE - MAC & GAYLE SHANN
ARTICLE BY : LYN HOFFMANN © 2022 • PHOTOS BY : KATE JONES PHOTOGRAPHY
AQHA Owners Incentive Award recipients , Mac and Gayle Shann , of Cantaur Park , Clermont , can ’ t speak highly enough of the 4yo chestnut mare , Hazels Gift . They purchased the extremely cowy filly as a 2yo , from Beaudesert Vet , David Ahern , through the 2020 Nutrien Sale , for $ 56K .
Bred by ‘ Marshall Welsh Family Asset Trust ’, Hazel was ridden by Mac Shann , and competed as a 3yo to place 10th last year in the Nutrien Classic . However , this year , the 4yo ran a 91 & 89 and led going into the final with a 180 , but dropped the yard and got a smaller score to end up placing 5th overall . Gayle says that Hazel ’ s an outstanding type with plenty of size about her .
‘ The amount of cowiness she displays is incredible , and one of the best things we did was spending that money to buy her . Had she gone through either of the last two Nutrien sales , we probably wouldn ’ t have been able to afford her .’
Hazel is sired by Seligman Spin Q-43083 , and her dam , the highly credentialed Annie ’ s Gift FM25586 ( ASH ), is by Conman out of an Acres Destiny Q-38961 mare , Otfordvalley Annie , who placed 2nd in the Nutrien Classic when she was a 3yo . old , One Moore Daddy colt on the ground now , on a recipient mare , one of the nicest foals we ’ ve ever bred , and we have two embryos in recipient mares . Mac competed in the Classic on Hazel the last two years , and was kicking himself this year , because he doesn ’ t think he ’ ll have the opportunity to go in with the top score again , and with decent cattle . But Hazel ’ s an exceptional individual , so we just hope she draws a couple of decent cows next year .’
The Shanns have conflicting ideas on Hazel ’ s future , with Gayle thinking she needs a fair bit of time off after some big hard runs while so young , then maybe a few Futurity runs later in the year . Mac , however , is keen to have some Futurity runs on Hazel as soon as their Campdraft year kicks into gear .
‘ She ’ ll most probably do the odd Futurity , and head back into the Classic for her last shot at it . After that , we ’ ll be embryoing her every year , and competing with her .’
‘ We saw Hazel ’ s potential early , embryoing her as a 3yo .’ Gayle says . ‘ We have her 4 month
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