The Diablo Arabian Horse Association heralded their 50th Anniversary with a posh gathering for their annual Arabian Horse Awards held at the Blackhawk Auto Museum in Danville, California, on Sunday evening, 27 January 2019.

Arabian Racing Association of California (ARAC) and long time DAHA members, Cory Soltau and Norma Corbin, gave a presentation to the group about the excitement of owning race horses and being part of the horse racing world as they showed a video of the thrill of winning a 2018 race in Ferndale, California.

ARAC President Cory Soltau explained: “Actually it was a perfect place to introduce a new Arabian horse adventure to about 170 members who had mostly only found the love of Arabians in the horse show arena. I could feel the audience focus their concentration on the Jumbo Screen as the race exploded before them, and heard the gradual and increasing cheers when the horses crossed the finish line. It was an easy segue to sharing my racing experiences and the story of the Pleasanton Arabian Racing Club and how it offered many people like them an inexpensive opportunity to discover racing. I invited each of them to be my guest at the Pleasanton race track for those early morning workouts, to watch the race planning back at the shed row, to join me in the saddling paddock and grand stand, and hopefully, in the Winners Circle. We are planning some dates.”

Owners Evelyn Call, Dorothy Burt, Cory Soltau and Terri Eaton accepted the high-point Arabian Racing Award for Dream Pearl (Burning Sand x Triumphs Pearl by Seyvilla Triumph). Due to her excellent race record, Dream Pearl received the 2016 Darley Award for Older Mare and is again nominated in 2019.

Other Year End Awards were given out by DAHA commentator Rich Durant with Leigha Perry, who calculated the awards, congratulating the winners. Season High Point Awards included those for Junior Classes, Halter, English Pleasure, Hunter Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Trail, Speciality, Racing, SportHorse, and Endurance.