2021 Sport Horse National Championship Success for Hennessey Arabians
by Braden Davidson
When Frank and Carol Hennessey began their journey with Arabian horses some fifteen years ago, little did they know that they were about to embark ona journey that would forever reshape their very being and the very landscape that is Hennessey Arabians.
A very successful businessman, Frank Hennessey sought a reprieve from the busy corporate world, one where he could decompress and find renewal, an “escape,” so to speak, where in his downtime he could disconnect from everything and everyone except his Arabian horses — and what place more picture perfect than on his farm in Ocala, Florida.
“In the early development years of Hennessey Arabians, our main focus was on breeding show horses,” says Frank. “We acquired the very best of breeding mares in hopes of producing the next big winner.” And produce big winners Hennessey has, with championships won by Hennessey-bred horses accumulating in the United States, and around the world, for that matter. With the assistance of farm manager Jerzy “George Z” Zbyszewski, the notoriety began to elevate the farm’s image and reputation for producing very successful Arabian horses — Arabian horses who continue to achieve the highest honors across the globe.
With the farm’s progression, it was beginning to be clearer that Arabian ownership is a wonderful lifestyle that is meant for the entire family to enjoy. One key element that began to intrigue Frank Hennessey was the need to have an “all-encompassing” Arabian horse — a horse that not only is beautiful but is sound physically and mentally and can bring enjoyment to all members of the family. “Arabian horses bring so much joy to one’s life,” says Frank. “I wanted to continue breeding high caliber horses but taking into consideration and zeroing in on traits and characteristics that would be perpetuated generation after generation in order for the resulting foals to bring joy not only to everyone on our farm but to someone else, whatever their Arabian horse endeavors would be,” he continues.
The Hennessey-bred Arabian horse is first and foremost bred with love and passion and intended to be beautiful, athletic, kind, and personable. “I like to think of Hennessey Arabians as bridging the gap of the path less traveled,” Frank says. “The Arabian horse industry has become so specialized, in a wonderful way, but in that you need a different horse for each different division or discipline.” Hennessey Arabians has always maintained integrity while making breeding decisions factoring in tractability, quality, soundness, and conformational consistencies of both the sire and dam. “Sometimes when we focus on breeding for one trait, we lose sight of the big picture in that we forget some of the most key ingredients that go into producing an Arabian horse of tremendous value, value being that the resulting foal is so well-rounded in an abundance of qualities, making it suitable for a variety of disciplines,” notes Frank.
Such was the case at this past 2021 Sport Horse National Championships held at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. “An outstanding representation of the Hennessey breeding program,” exclaims Frank. The show was a tremendous success, with Hennessey Arabians noted as a leading breeder of both in-hand and performance National Champion winners — in classes filled with forty-plus entries. “It has been an incredible experience for Katie and myself to own this amazingly talented horse,” says Maureen Quillin of Elma, New York, in speaking about multi-National Champion H Jupiter H++++//. “He just keeps getting better with each passing year and rounded out the show with three National Champions and four Top Tens in both in-hand and under saddle,” says Maureen. Not to be outdone by her older full brother, Believe OH, also part of the Quillin, Ltd. show string, brought home a National Championship in Sport Horse Mares In-Hand Dressage Type — a testament to the consistency of the Hennessey breeding philosophy of producing beautiful, athletic, and trainable Arabian horses. 
Gretchen Johnson of Sorrento, Florida, and the better half of Mike Wilson, sung the praises of her Hennessey-bred H Ladyof Nobility H+++/. “I was made aware of ‘Lady’ through Mike’s farm manager Shannon Mueller,” Gretchen says. “Lady is a very beautiful mare and always gives 150 percent.” After what was a wonderful 2021 show season, earning prizes at Region 12 Championships and the East Coast Championships, this gorgeous daughter of H Mobility H captured National Championship honors in Wilmington, bringing home red roses in Sport Horse In-Hand Dressage Type with Brooke Fuchs and the Reserve National Champion garland in Sport Horse In-Hand Dressage Type for the amateurs with Gretchen on the lead.
The farm is always moving in forward momentum. Two young geldings, H Saber H and H Alebaba H, are continuing to propel the Hennessey program upwards in a most exciting way as they begin their groundwork training with trainer Peri Tilghman in North Carolina. Interestingly, both of these geldings are sired by Jaipur El Perseus, a maternal brother to Jullyen El Jamaal, who was recently sold to the beautiful country of Sweden. Both of these geldings, tall and beautifully conformed, are already incredibly accomplished in the show ring, with many accolades from the Tampa Holiday Show and the Region 12 Championships. While it’s too early to put our finger on where exactly these two geldings will excel, one can rest assured that as predictable as the Hennessey program continues to be, we are certain they will follow in the “hoofsteps” of their older, very successful siblings who share similar pedigrees.
“Hennessey Arabians has become synonymous with versatility. Our horses win in Halter, Hunter Pleasure, Western Pleasure, English Pleasure, and now they are winning big in the Sport Horse division as well,” Frank smiles. And lots of smiles there are from very happy owners all over sharing their lives with Hennessey-bred Arabian horses. “Just a few weeks ago, we received word that our homebred Scottsdale- and Region 12-winning H Pearlina H arrived safe and sound with her new owners in Saudi Arabia,” celebrates Frank. “And now here we are celebrating Hennessey-bred horses winning red rose National Champion garlands in Ohio,” he continues, highlighting that the Hennessey program continues to attract customers domestically here in the United States and also that customers from Europe and the Middle East are shopping at Hennessey, a testament to the well-thought, well-bred Hennessey Arabian.
Malik El Jamaal+++/ (Ludjin El Jamaal x Pinga) presented at Sport Horse
Nationals by Brooke Fuchs & Kelli Bennett. Pictured with Michael Wilson.
Sport Horse National Champion winners bred by Hennessey Arabians
Full siblings H Jupiter H++++// & Believe OH (Jaipur El Perseus x Clio Belize)
with a combined total of four 2021 Sport Horse National Championships and six Top Ten honors.
National Champion H Ladyof Nobility H+++/ (H Mobility H x Lady Of Justice) and Gretchen Johnson
