With a show career that spanned five years and included four Congress Championships, Allocate Your Assets won an AQHA Reserve World Championship in Senior Hunter Under Saddle, and numerous circuit championships at all the major show circuits around the country. He also achieved his superiors in both Amateur and Open Hunter Under Saddle.
Allocate Your Assets was born in 2000 and has sired multiple AQHA World and Reserve World Champions, Congress Champions, NSBA World Champions and futurity winners at every major event across the country. His oldest foals are 10 years old and from 139 performers, his foals have earned over 5,550 AQHA Points and nearly $500,000 in AQHA Incentive Fund and futurity earnings.
Owned by Kathy Tobin, a longtime customer of Jim and Deanna Searles, Allocate Your Assets stands at the Searles’ Circle S Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has become one of the premier hunter under saddle breeding stallions. We sat down with Kathy to learn more about her gorgeous 16.2 bay stallion.
What is Allocate Your Assets’ nickname?
Besides Handsome, he is known as Al, Alejandro, and AYA.
If you could describe him in one word, what would it be?
Gentleman. Not only does he mind his manners as a stud, he doesn’t even call out to mares. Al is always so gentle to be around, even when we showed him or when he is on his way to the breeding barn. He doesn’t play around in the breeding barn. He just goes right in and does his job and calmly walks past all the mare pens back to the barn. (pictured right during show career)
What did you think when you first saw him?
I bought Al without seeing him, but Deanna Searles and my sister, Susie Johns, saw him first at the 2002 Redbud Spectacular. Deanna and Susie called me and Deanna said she saw and rode the most incredible hunter under saddle horse she had ever seen. Susie said if she rode English, she would have bought him. After twisting the owner’s, Brian Isbell’s, arm, Brian sold him to my husband and me in July of 2002. I didn’t see Al until the Congress. When I saw Brian ride him all I could think and say was, “WOW! Breathtaking!”
What is Al’s daily routine?
Al sleeps, eats, enjoys a daily groom and longing or hot walker. Also, I’m sure he dreams daily of his mares because he always seems happy.
Does he have any quirky habits?
Just one. He loves to grab the lead to the hot walker in his mouth and take off trotting fast, pulling his fellow hot walker horses so fast they are loping around after him. He just floats so easily around at his trot that the others are scrambling at the lope to keep up. He doesn’t do it when alone on the walker so he gets solitary time on the hot walker.
What treats does he like?
All of our horses love peppermint candies. Being a stud, I drop his peppermint in his bucket and as to not feed him from my hand. It keeps him from developing biting habits or becoming demanding, but once in awhile during off season, I will hand feed him one, but no one will know, right?
Do you have any funny memories about Al?
I have a funny memory, but it’s actually from his second born, Lyles Al Lie (pictured left, three time AQHA World Champion), now owned by Kirsten Farris. Lyle is the most social and empathetic horse you will ever meet. When Lyle saw his neighbor in the stall next to his tied up to cool down after being ridden, he figured out how to have that horse move over next to the bars dividing their stalls. Lyle figured out, through the bars, how to pull the end of the halter through the buckle keeper, then, pull the end of the halter up higher so the tied horse drops its head quickly while he still is holding the halter end high. When the horse drops his head, it releases the tongue of the buckle, so it drops out of the hole and VOILA, the halter drops off and his friend is free. Even more amazing is a horse on the completely opposite end of the barn where that horse couldn’t see Lyle doing this trick, started doing the same thing. Now several horses will do it. It’s amazing to me how they communicated this rather difficult maneuver.
If he could say one thing what would that be?
“Thank you for keeping me a stud!” He loves his job!
Why do you think he has been an amazing sire?
Thank you for saying that he is an amazing sire. I believe he is such a great sire because he stamps his foals time and time again with his great mind and his great movement. He is very consistent in passing these traits down. I can always pick out his foals because they have a long floating trot and a flat kneed canter, plus they seem to handle whatever comes their way with a calm attitude Old and very young riders can ride even his young foals. A big thanks to all the owners and trainers who have helped make him an amazing stud by breeding great mares, by riding, training and showing his foals. (pictured right, Taylor Searles and Al Be Sweet On You who was recently crowned the Level 2 AQHA World Show Western Riding Champion)
Who are some of his famous offspring?
We have been blessed that there have been quite a few of his foals become famous through their wins.! With quite a long list, I don’t want to specifically name them, but thank all their owners and breeders for their Select, Amateur and Youth NSBA and AQHA World Champions, Congress Champions and High Point Champions. (pictured left, Al Be Your Sweet Art, 2015 Congress Champion Green Hunter Under Saddle)
Tell us something people may not know about you?
I have an MBA and I was a Vice President of Bank of America before banks became the “bad” guys. (laughs, pictured right with her sister, Susie Johns)
What do you think sets him apart from any other horse you’ve owned?
I don’t want to keep repeating myself but his wonderful mind always amazes me and to have it with his ability to canter and trot just makes for a very special horse that sets him apart from the rest.
What mares does he cross best with?
Al has crossed great with so many mares. From our mares, he has crossed wonderfully with Last Detail, Art I Sweet, Iron Enterprise, Sky’s Blue Boy and These Irons are Hot. Now, some of his foals are starting to produce a next generation of great foals.
Anything else you would like to add?
I just want to sincerely thank all the mare owners that have bred and re-bred to Al over the years and to thank all the trainers and their customers who have put their trust, hope and dreams into his foals in the show pen. Our very best wishes and best of luck to all!!
My husband and I are humbled by all the kind words people have said to us about Al and his foals and thank everyone who has cheered and supported Al’s foals. I especially want to thank Brian Isbell for selling us this wonderful horse, and most importantly, to thank Jim and Deanna Searles for all their love, hard work, and showing Al and our babies. Finally, Jerry and I are so very grateful to Susie Johns that she didn’t buy Al!
Thanks Kathy!
You’re welcome!
Breeding Information
Allocate Your Assets’ breeding fee for 2016 is $3,000, which includes a $500 non-refundable booking fee. His book will also be limited to 50 outside mares. Currently, there are only around 10 breedings left for 2016! Please click here for more information.
CLICK HERE to view his ad in the February issue of GoMag
