Allocate Your Assets – Behind the Stall Door

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66 – March/April, 2017

By Taylor Fabus

The Hunter Under Saddle arena was forever changed in 2000 when a Thoroughbred mare named Kat Sass produced a gorgeous, bay stud colt sired by the AQHA stallion Protect Your Assets. From that pairing, Allocate Your Assets was born. Allocate Your Assets, more affectionately known as Al, grew to be a 16.2 hand, big-bodied, athletic-moving stallion that continues to leave his impact on the discipline with his numerous Congress and World Championship earning offspring.

As a show horse, Al began his winning ways as a two-year-old and continued to compete for several years before he was retired to a life of luxury in the breeding shed at Jim and Deanna Searles’ Circle S Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Four times this gorgeous athlete has stood in the center ring and been crowned a Champion at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. His athleticism was also rewarded with an AQHA Reserve World Championship and a third place finish at the AQHA Select World Show, in addition to many other notable wins. As a sire, Al is one of the few horses that can comfortably be touted as “the total package.” His consistency, movement, and pedigree, combined with his outstanding disposition, has earned him the well-deserved title. Al has proven to be a standout Hunter Under Saddle sire, passing on his beautiful looks and athletic movement, in addition to his easygoing demeanor. That sought after combination, that the judges have rewarded so often, is regularly accompanied by beautiful bay coloring and his signature stamp of a sweet white blaze. Natural talent, combined with trainability, has made Al’s offspring sought after by both open and amateur competitors alike.

Since 2002, Al has been owned by Jerry and Kathy Tobin, of Scottsdale, Arizona. Their lives have long been intertwined in the American Quarter Horse Industry, but the most distinguishable point in their journey would begin when Susie Johns (Kathy’s sister) and Deanna Searles (Kathy’s trainer) saw a two-year-old Al trotting in a warm-up pen at the Redbud Spectacular, piloted by Brian Isbell. “Susie and Deanna called me, and they persuaded Brian to sell him to Jerry and me,” Kathy recalls. Upon meeting the gentle giant, it was his effortless movement that took their breaths away, but it was his sweet disposition that sealed the deal. Brian shared that he initially wasn’t keen on the idea of selling Al. “My husband, Kevin, had to convince me to sell him, and I finally agreed as long as I could keep him in my barn and show him through the Congress that year.” Throughout that year, Brian piloted Al to wins at the NSBA World Show and the All American Quarter Horse Congress. They capped off a successful year by earning the NSBA High Point 2- Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Open Horse title.

Click here to read the complete article
66 – March/April, 2017