First published in The Arabian Breeders’ Magazine Volume I Issue II December 2016.
Celebrating the Champions – RD Marciea Bey
Our next champion is the beautiful American filly, RD Marciea Bey, who took the Scottsdale Signature Stallion Champion Filly Aged Three Years and Over Amateur to Handle (ATH) at September’s Arabian National Breeders’ Finals in Arizona.
Owned and bred by Murray and Shirley Popplewell of Rae-Dawn Arabians, located in Saskatchewan, Canada, and Scottsdale, Arizona, RD Marciea Bey is a striking three-year-old bay filly with a very bright future ahead of her.
Her sire is Rae-Dawn Arabians’ chief sire, the incredible Bey Ambition (Regal Actor JP x Bey Shahs Lady by Bey Shah), an impressive stallion with many titles to his name. RD Marciea Bey is out of their wonderful, multi-garlanded homebred mare, RD Marciena (QR Marc x NW Siena Psyche by Padrons Psyche), since sold to Cindy McGown and Mark Davis of Royal Arabians.
Since she was a foal, RD Marciea Bey has shone, taking an extraordinary number of titles in her years, predominantly in the amateur classes. She has always been handled in these classes by Murray and together, they have been big winners, taking home the major prizes. Her obvious qualities have helped her to achieve no fewer than twelve titles, including this year’s Reserve National Champion Futurity Filly at both the US Nationals and Canadian Nationals.
RD Marciea Bey. Credit Renato Sorvilo.
RD Marciea Bey’s first success came at the 2014 Scottsdale All-Arabian Horse Show when, shown in the Scottsdale Signature Stallion Arabian Auction Filly class, she placed Top Ten. This elegant bay filly, then a yearling, followed this up with the Champion title at the Arabian Breeder’s World Cup as she took the Yearling Filly ATH Championships. Still in her yearling year, and shown in open competition, RD Marciea Bey was unanimously awarded the Region 17 Yearling Filly Championship and she also went Yearling Filly Top Ten at the 2014 Canadian Nationals.
In 2015, RD Marciea Bey continued to shine, taking Top Ten in the Arabian Classic two-year-old filly class in Scottsdale as well as the Scottsdale Signature Stallion Classic Two-year-old ATH Champion title. Returning to Las Vegas once more for the Arabian Breeders’ World Cup, RD Marciea Bey was again garlanded in the red roses as she took the Arabian Futurity Two-year-old Filly Championship. RD Marciea Bey then went to Region 7 where, shown in open competition, she was awarded the title of Arabian Two-year-old Filly Champion.
This year, now three years old, RD Marciea Bey has continued to shine. In Scottsdale, in the ever-competitive Signature Stallion Championship Classic Three-year-old ATH class, she placed third, earning a Top Five Spot. Then, in the amateur/owner to handle Scottsdale Signature Stallion Auction Championship Three-year-old Classic class, RD Marciea Bey was rewarded with the Reserve Championship title. From there, she won once again at the Arabian Breeders’ Finals, and then would take further titles at both the US and Canadian Nationals. Quite the filly!
The Rae-Dawn Arabians breeding programme is one that is much admired. Murray and Shirley very much believe in breeding Arabians that are both beautiful and functional, and their lead sire Bey Ambition is a testament to that. His daughters, and sons, have gone on to excel first in the halter ring, and then in the performance arena. While RD Marciea Bey may well be kept in the programme as a replacement for her dam, there is no doubt that she has the potential to turn to any discipline. For now, though, we celebrate her great achievements and acknowledge her important role in the Rae-Dawn breeding programme.
First printed in The Arabian Breeders’ Magazine Volume I Issue II December 2016. To enjoy further content such as this, please visit The Arabian Magazine Shop.
