The Association of Ridgecrest Arabian Breeders is an  AHA affiliated Club established in 1977.  It is located in the northern Mojave desert of California.  The towns of Ridgecrest, Inyokern, in addition to the China Lake Naval Weapons Center,  make up the Indian Wells Valley here on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

We are approximately 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles taking Highway 14 north and approximately 120 miles north of San Bernardino taking Highway 15 north to Highway 395 north.  Highways 14 and 395 merge at the north-western end of our Valley. From Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley, we are approximately 90 miles to the east, taking Highway 58 east to Tehachapi, then Highway 14 north at Mojave.
 

ARAB Newsletter

The February, 2017, Newsletter is dedicated to Jerry Dabbs Challenor and Jackie Haff Bumgardner,
two of our Charter Members who have passed away!

W. A. "Wink" Chappell High-Point Award

 The W. A. "Wink"  Chappell high-point award was established by ARAB in 1984  to honor the working horse. This award  was the "brain child" of ARAB charter member Neil LaFortune who made the motion to establish it as a way to recognize and honor the contributions made to all equine enthusiasts.

Bill “Wink” Chappell, an honorary member of ARAB,  established the first professional horse-training stables in the Indian Wells Valley in 1965.  This training stable was conducted as a partnership with Lorry Wagner and based at the Sierra Dawn Arabians ranch.  A few months later, Floyd and Velma Pickrell established their Rancho Bajada Riding Stables where Wink gave evening riding lessons to an average of 200 students each week until he retired.  From 1965 until his retirement in 1975, Wink trained many of the Valley's finest horses and riders, using the "Early California" (Vaquero) methods of training and riding.  Wink continued to ride until the age of 82.    As Lorry started  the youngsters of both the training stables and Sierra Dawn Arabians, Wink would ride the Sierra Dawn youngsters and put the finishing polish on "his half" of them.

Bill "Wink" Chappell, one of the last of the great Early California Trainers--Vaquero Style
(May 18,1909 - May 17, 1994)
for more information on Wink, click on the picture below
 

Copyright by Lorry Wagner, 1998 - 2018

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