United States Eventing Association

Anglo-Arab Snooze Alarm & Lauren Kieffer Win Ambassador Award

Snooze Alarm, the talented Anglo-Arabian event horse owned and ridden by Lauren Kieffer, was named the 2007 Arabian Horse Association's Ambassador Award Winner,.

This award is given annually by the AHA to the registered Arabian, Anglo-Arabian or Half-Arabian for outstanding achievement in representing the Arabian Horse community to the general public. The horse must have achieved a unique accomplishment that showcases the breed in order to be eligible. Read their story HERE.

It Takes Two

Eventing, the equine equivalent of a triathlon, is the most highly demanding discipline in which a horse can compete. The finesse of dressage, the power, scope and strength of cross country and stadium jumping - this is no sport for mediocrity. Horse and rider teams spend many years developing their skills and the sense of trust necessary for them to be successful.

When the Kieffers gave their daughter Lauren riding lessons at the age of 6, little did they know what a life-changing experience they were embarking on. Like most un-horsey families, they figured that the lessons would give their little girl an important set of skills.

Lauren started her equestrian career riding hunters and competing at local shows. Her parents leased an Appaloosa gelding for a while before buying her an off the track Thoroughbred when she was ten. The Eventing bug bit her at the tender age of 12 and the Kieffers moved Lauren to the Evansville, Indiana barn of Susannah Lansdale, 45 miles from where they lived in southern Illinois.

It was there that Lauren bought another Thoroughbred, Cardinal, and began competing in Novice Level events. Because of Cardinal's limitations, the Kieffers were in the market for a new partner for Lauren to move up on, to a more difficult level of competition.

At the same time, there was a cute chestnut Anglo-Arabian gelding at the barn, there for training. Because her trainer was pregnant and unable to ride, the task fell to Lauren. It was not love at first sight, to put it mildly. Snooze Alarm was not cooperative, he had his own ideas of how his training should progress. "I hated him," says Lauren, "He bucked me off every day!" But she persevered and eventually earned his trust and respect.

The Kieffers bought Snooze Alarm from his breeders, Lawson and Jeanne Williams, as a 5 year old in 2002. "I asked my father to buy him, and he said 'No!'" remembers Lauren, but she somehow wore him down. Once Lauren spoke Snooze's language, he learned quickly, with his love of cross country jumping becoming obvious. "He was very peeky with stadium jumps, but over the more natural obstacles he was great!"

Snooze and Lauren did a few Training Level events with success, but as the level of difficulty increased, so naturally did they face some problems as a team.

About this time, Lauren and Snooze had a bad fall at a double bank during a cross country school. Lauren suffered a compression fracture of her vertebrae, but wasted no time in asking the doctors when she could ride again. She was supposed to wait 3 months before getting on a horse again, but was back to it in 8 weeks or so. "We got the call from her doctor clearing her for light riding while on our way to a show," recalls Lauren's mom, Jo. "We just said 'Sure, we'll do just 15 minutes today.'"

Due to their success, they were able to move up to Preliminary Level, quite an accomplishment in a short time. Since they were both learning as they went along, it became necessary to seek some help working through some issues this team was facing. It was then that Snooze and Lauren turned to the reigning king and queen of Eventing, David and Karen O'Connor.

(David O'Connor is President of the USEF, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist and his wife, Karen O'Connor, has been named Horsewoman of the Year 9 times,and was the Atlanta Olympic Silver Medalist and Pan Am Games Gold Medalist in '07. Karen evented the French Anglo-Arabian Nos Ecus in the 80's, and currently events the French Anglo-Arabian mare Mam'zelle de Dun.)

Lauren was given a session at the O'Connors' Eventing Camp at their farm in Virginia in 2005 as a graduation gift from her parents. David recognized the gelding's incredible jumping prowess. "He called Snooze a ping-pong ball!" recalls Lauren. "David took the horse out to school jumps on a longe line in order to build his confidence and teach him how to figure things out on his own."

It was just the ticket for this determined pair. Lauren competed Snooze at the North American Young Rider Championship CCI* that year before going to become a working student with the O' Connors, a position offered to only the most talented horses and riders. It was there that they both gained more training and experience riding many different horses and many different courses.

As a pair, Snooze and Lauren were accepted to the 2007 USEF's Developing Riders Training List, awarded to outstanding young competitors. This requires completion of a CCI** and written recommendations from two CCI**** competitors. They were in Florida this past February for the 2-day training session with Kim Severson.

During his career thus far, Snooze Alarm has finished 30 events in the top 10 (including nine wins) at Training Level and above including three CCI* and four CCI** which are international level three-day events. They also qualified for the

2007 American Eventing Championships for the third year in a row in 2007. Snooze finished 12 th in the North American Young Riders Championships in August, helping their Area 8 team earn a second place in the Team Competition as well .

Lauren was sent another Anglo-Arabian through the Williams for training a year ago and says of the mare, "Belle Luna is a lovely horse. She did her first Training Level competition in '07 and did really well!" No doubt her success with Snooze Alarm made that a logical choice for the mare's owner.

When asked about her plans with Snooze for the future, Lauren says, "We will go as far as we can in this sport." Immediate plans are to start legging him up since he has had the last few months off, heading to Florida in February to compete Advanced.and then prep for the Jersey Fresh CCI*** in May. Lauren is also busy as the Young Rider representative for USEA's Area 8, where she lives.

But right now, Snooze grazes outside the Kieffer's house, enjoying his holiday. Jo says his personality keeps her on her toes. "He's got my number," she laughs, "I can't even get him to let me put his halter on in his stall, but Lauren can!" "He likes to be left alone in his stall," says Lauren, "He can be a real corker about things at times."

The 15.3 hand gelding, by the Arabian stallion Serazim, and out of the Thoroughbred mare Wake Me Gently (hence the name Snooze Alarm) is mistaken for a small Thoroughbred more times than Lauren can count. "I just love to see their faces when I tell them he's half Arabian!" she says.

The life lessons learned while forging this mutual bond are many. "I would say I have acquired patience, perseverance and learned the true meaning of the word partnership. The trust we have in each other is necessary to do what we do," says Lauren, and her mother concurs. "That horse will do anything for Lauren."

Just this past spring, a full brother to Snooze Alarm was born. Boogie Board, as he was named, will hopefully follow in his big brother's footsteps one day!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Modern Arabian Horse Magazine. Thanks to Brant Gamma for the photos from 2007 NAYRC.

The North American Anglo-Arabian Horse Association is sponsoring a Year End Awards program for Anglo-Arabian eventers in 2008. Both recognized and unrecognized competitions will count towards the year-end award, which will be split between levels if entries warrant it. Cost is only $10 per horse per discipline.

For more information, visit their website at http://www.naaaha.com