ArabHorse Celebrates 6th Tour with Healing Hearts Benefit

ArabHorse Celebrates Sixth Annual Tour with Healing Hearts Rescue Benefit
By Sue Adams

In a breed with history tracing back thousands of years, proving worthy of becoming an established tradition is a formidable task. In only six years, however, the ArabHorse Farm Tour has emerged as "the place to be" for New Year's weekend in Scottsdale as farms clamor to participate and more breeders from around the globe attend each year. The 2012 Farm Tour opens on Friday, December 28th and extends through Monday, December 31st with a full slate of open barns, presentations and parties. For the third consecutive year the festivities include fundraising efforts benefitting Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge, with a charity auction and party on Sunday night at Midwest Training Centre.

"Our Farm Tour leveraged long-standing Scottsdale Holiday celebrations into an event now recognized globally as the place to purchase top show horses and select breeding stallions for the coming season," says Scott Bailey, ArabHorse founder. "The support from our Arabian Horse Network Farms is phenomenal. More people come here each year to renew and establish industry relationships, and to promote their breeding programs."

The annual ArabHorse Farm Tour is an event truly unique to Scottsdale; nowhere in the world can one visit so many highly regarded Arabian farms on a long weekend. "Participating farms enjoy a well-deserved reputation for throwing great parties," adds Catherine McKenna, General Manager at ArabHorse and Farm Tour coordinator. "These farms are ready to share their passion for the Arabian horse with their guests and it shows at every Tour stop."

"All of our participating farms are enthused about supporting the benefit again this year," continues Bailey. "The economic downturn and drought have increased feed costs, putting a lot of stress on the rescue groups. We particularly support the mission of Healing Hearts because the animals they rescue are provided a home for life if no adoptive homes can be found. Guests are generous in their support of Healing Hearts through participation in our daily raffles and the special benefit auction on Sunday night. Last year the Tour raised some $31,000 for this group and gave a lifeline to a number of horses in dire situations."

The Tour is scheduled with clusters of nearby farms staging events on the same day from late morning through evening. Each farm presentation lasts about two hours. This allows guests to visit several farms each day with only minimal driving. See the complete Farm Tour schedule with locations, directions, event times and descriptions, as well as links to host farm websites and downloadable location map, at www.ArabHorseFarmTour.com.

Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge is a 501(c)(3) Private Non-Profit Organization and contributions are tax deductible. www.healingheartsaz.org

Learn more about the Arabhorse Farm Tours by visiting: www.arabhorsefarmtour.com

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