Recently, two American Quarter horses left the United States to begin a new journey, becoming some of the first American Quarter Horses to enter South Korea. As of 2013, AQHA has had no record of any registered American Quarter Horses in South Korea. Kelly Boles Chapman, a judge and trainer, located in Michigan, helped to make the sale of the two horses possible. Chapman met Seok-bae Moon and Jasmine Kim through her involvement as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Augusta, Michigan.
The Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center is a facility created in 1970 to assist individuals of many ages with many types disabilities. Their clientele includes those who are mentally/physically disabled, senior citizens, and U.S. Veterans. Many paint and quarter horses, like a 15-year-old APHA gelding named, Awesome, and a 15-year-old quarter horse named, Killian, call the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center home.
The relationship between Chapman and the South Korean buyers began through the work the center does with groups of professionals from Korea that are seeking to learn more about therapeutic riding and horses to take back with them. A year ago, they began having conversations about purchasing some horses to take back with them for the purpose of therapeutic riding, as well as promotion of riding and the breeds themselves.
The group returned to the United States in December to begin their search with Chapman, and for some it was their first trip to the United States. Chapman was impressed with the groups riding skills, saying that the buyers rode the potential horses themselves so that they had a better feel for the horses they would end up purchasing.
After months of searching, they decided on two quarter horses and one, POA. The two quarter horses, Hot Blazing Time and Gucci Girl, were chosen for their exceptional disposition and the potential they held to make outstanding therapeutic horses. The group spent much time and care when picking out these horses knowing that they needed to be quiet, fit, and sound in order to get to work immediately upon arriving in South Korea.
The first horse, Hot Blazing Time, is a bay gelding out of the well-known World and Congress Winner and Producer, Hot N Blazing. The second horse, Gucci Girl, is a black mare out of the Congress Champion Stallion, Gucci Only.
Extensive pre-purchase exams were done, including flex tests, x-rays, and blood work, done by Iowa State University, to make sure the horses were sound. Once purchased, the horses were sent to a quarantine facility at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois, which was the airport selected to fly the horses from the United States to South Korea. The buyers had chosen to work with Alex Nichols Agency, a shipping company that regularly deals with international imports and exports. After three or four weeks, the horses were cleared for travel to South Korea and boarded a Cargo plane. One of the South Korean program directors rode along with them even commenting how comfortable the ride was, much better than coach.
The two horses arrived safely in South Korea in February and recently finished their two-week quarantine before they were released to the riding facility they now call home. These two horses may be the first registered Quarter Horses to step foot on South Korean soil, and they have an important job to fulfill. It is going to be very exciting to see what these two horses bring to their new country, along with the new people they will be aiding in the years to come.
