Featured in Arabian Horse Times
Dolorosa Arabians is a bit of an anomaly within the Arabian horse community. They host and care for a large number of their own horses at their farm in North Carolina, while also selecting specific trainers in nearby states to work with their mainly-homebred string of equine athletes. Dr. DeCarol and Jan Williamson choose to refer to their operation as a “family of farms.” Having already featured some of their performance work with Dale Brown Performance Horses, the family shares about the earlier days of many of their horses’ careers – their halter training.
After carefully planning, breeding, and caring for young foals – those who are equipped for halter competition before heading to their performance careers – they head to Wilson Training Center in Sorrento, Florida. Mike Wilson has a career well-worthy of these caliber of horses. To be allowed in the DA family, he’s proven to the Williamsons his results and program can be trusted.
Dolorosa is purposeful about all of their decisions; from the horses they breed to the training programs that they put them in. Williamson has been clear about that for decades. His decisions reflect not only a lot of gut – and religious – instinct, but also careful thought and planning. He has a vision of what he wants Dolorosa Arabians to be for his family and for the Arabian horse community. He – and those who act on behalf of Dolorosa Arabians – move accordingly to that vision.
“We are excited to have Mike Wilson handling our young stock in the halter arena,” Jordan Cline, one of Williamson’s daughters shared. “We believe that this partnership showcases the horses we are raising as performance prospects have proper conformation and Arabian type.”
With a breeding program as robust and active as Dolorosa Arabians, they are creating the kind of Arabian horse they want to live with. This is an integral part of Williamson’s vision, which drives the Dolorosa ship. They use particular stallions and mares to make that happen. Just as there are generations of family members involved in the Dolorosa Arabians operation, there are also generations of Dolorosa horses still making their mark.
DA Prodigy … “an impressive or outstanding example of a particular quality.”
Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is commonly simplified to “objects in motion stay in motion.” One key factor of the motion and direction of this generation of Dolorosa horses and memories is the15-year-old stallion DA Prodigy. The classic Versace bloodline has proven itself to be an asset to their breeding program, resulting in gorgeous, athletic horses.
Prodigy’s offspring are capable of many things. DA Maxin, an accomplished purebred western horse under the direction of Dale Brown, is one of the most notable names on his list of progeny. Maxin has multiple foals who have begun making names for themselves as well, as other Prodigy offspring have found success in the halter, western, hunter, and sport horse divisions.
DA Javoni
Five-year-old DA Prodigy son, DA Javoni is also creating a reputation for himself that is complementary, but different from his previously-mentioned sire’s and paternal brother’s. Javoni has been very purposefully bred, attempting to match his assets in the same way that Dolorosa has done with its other foals for decades. Javoni is a full sibling to DA Princessa, DA Jivago, and DA Pryme. This cross incorporates Sundance Kid V with the impressive Versace blood mentioned earlier.
Javoni’s first foal, DA Blyss, recently debuted at the 2023 Keystone Charity Arabian Horse Experience. The chestnut filly was third in an impressive line-up of weanlings. Mike Wilson was at the lead, as consistent with any Dolorosa halter horse that enters a show arena. Wilson began working with the Dolorosa “family of farms” a couple of years ago. According to Cline and Dolorosa farm manager Melissa Bradshaw, this was a very intentional decision.
Why Wilson Training Center
“In addition to the aforementioned reasons from Jordan, Dolorosa also chose Mike Wilson to work with our halter prospects because of his reputation for excellent care and how he handles the horses,” Bradshaw stated. “We knew we could trust the kind of treatment the horses would have. And furthermore, we are confident in Mike’s ability to prepare halter horses for an amateur and for their future as a show horse. I have a past with Mike and his farm manager, Shannon Mueller. Anytime a horse was returned from them, they were happy and content with their jobs.”
With families like the Williamsons and Clines involved, it is important that their horses are prepared for professional, amateur, and youth competitions. They prioritize their horses’ treatment, temperament, and ability to perform.
Wilson spoke to his excitement of working with Dolorosa horses. If any Dolorosa horse shows in halter, Wilson is responsible for their experience. Coming off an exciting debut in Ocala, Fl., he is already looking forward to showing DA Blyss and DA Mateo in the Yearling Filly and Colt Spotlight Futurities at Region 12 in 2024. Coming 2-year-old filly, and 2023 Region 15 Reserve Champion Yearling Filly DA Flirtatious will also continue her training with Wilson. Blyss and Mateo are both by Javoni, while Flirtatious is by DA Jivago, who is a full sibling to Javoni.
“Dolorosa Arabians has been around my entire career,” Wilson said about the long-standing breeding program. “I have always respected their results. It has been great to work with them in this capacity. Having worked with Melissa Bradshaw and Dale Brown previously, helps the operation. We are all on the same page with goals for the horses.”
Wilson also had specific notes about Prodigy and his influence. Wilson talked about how that lineage has made an impact on the entire Dolorosa breeding program and its effectiveness. Williamson must be proud to know that his intentions are being affirmed by esteemed professionals he chooses to work with.
“The most impressive part of the Dolorosa breeding program is their ability to match good conformation and pedigrees,” Wilson said with a complimentary tone. “Their horses are pretty enough to excel in the halter arena, while being athletic enough to be strong performance horses.”
Staying In Motion
A lot of the best parts of Dolorosa have been “set in motion” by DA Prodigy. His lineage produces the beautiful, athletic horses that Wilson referenced with will continue his legacy.
Bradshaw echoes Wilson’s statements with additional breeding qualities. “DA Prodigy brings the quiet mind and body substance of Versace,” she says, “while his dam line being a mix of Padrons Psyche and Echo Magnifficoo is expressed through their charisma and refinement.”
It is clear that Dolorosa Arabians uses the beauty, aptitude, and strength of their horses and the skill, knowledge, and talent of the professionals in their “family of farms” to leverage the best experience for themselves and the future of the Arabian breed. The goal of Dolorosa Arabians is certainly in motion … it is exciting to watch the destinations it reaches along the way.
Comentarios