The Power of Exxalt
Words by Samantha Mattocks Photography by Javan
Sometimes, from a young age, a horse can create a buzz, an energy, one that continues as they mature, and then becomes even more effervescent when the first foals arrive. A new dynasty is being created, right before your eyes, and you are witnessing living history. We are lucky enough to be seeing this right now through the dynamic colt, Exxalt.
Exxalt made his show-ring debut – at his one and only show to date – at the 2015 Scottsdale All Arabian Horse Show. There, in the international classes, he won his class in style with a commanding lead over his nearest rival. Then, come the championships, Exxalt took the Gold Jr Champion International Male title with ease, and his place as one of the most beautiful colts in the world was publicly recognised.
Owned and bred by Frances Butler, Sybil and Jeff Collins, and Kay and James Smith, Exxalt has spent his whole life with Ted Carson at Butler Farms in White Oak, North Carolina. Ted and the partners agreed that rather than push Exxalt on in the show-ring, they would bring him back to the farm and, according to Ted: “The goal from the beginning was to give him the best opportunity to become a breeding sire. After Scottsdale, Exxalt had nothing more to prove in the show arena.” Owned and bred by Frances Butler, Sybil and Jeff Collins, and Kay and James Smith, Exxalt has spent his whole life with Ted Carson at Butler Farms in White Oak, North Carolina.
“In 2016 Exxalt bred 32 mares and has 27 foals coming this year. He covered a broad range of broodmares, including daughters of SF Veraz, Eden C, Gazal Al Shaqab and ML Mostly Padron to name a few. The Polish mare, Gemellia (Piber x Georgia by Monogramm out of Gizela) was bred to him – something that is a very different cross here in the US – and we also have straight Egyptian mares in foal to Exxalt.”
Those first foals have begun to arrive. “This is an incredibly exciting time for Exxalt,” says Ted. “His first foals are proving the belief that we have always had in him.”
With the first foals arriving, the next thing for Ted and the partners is to get Exxalt back into the show-ring. The aim is to take him to the US Nationals this October for the futurity classes. Ted feels that “It is time to remind the world that there is an amazing young colt here.”
Exxalt oozes quality, of that there is no doubt. From the moment people saw him, he impressed. Correct, expressive and showy, he has a super length of neck and a lovely eye, and he has that charisma that you want in a young stud. While 2017 may be a big year for Exxalt, he is still just at the beginning of what is sure to be a remarkable journey.
