Proven Performance

The Proven Performance breeding concept was created by Russ & Mary Jane Brown of Diamond B Training Stables and Robb and Katie Walther of Rocking W Performance Horses to explain the philosophy of their breeding program. The partnership between the couples was formed after Robb and Katie decided to get into the breeding business after showing and competing in the Reining, Hunter Pleasure and Western Pleasure amateur classes for many years under the guidance of the Browns.

Russ trains Reining horses and is known as one of the industry leaders in Arabian Reining. Mary Jane trains the Western and Hunter Pleasure horses while maintaining a hectic schedule as a very respected and well-know Arabian show judge.

With a background in NRHA Reining, Robb Walther found himself involved in Arabians due to the interest of his wife, Katie. Although he enjoyed the Arabian Reining world, he was not ready to leave his NRHA roots so he decided to build upon his NRHA foundation with his new found interest in the Arabian breed.

After the Walthers bred a stallion prospect that the Browns began to develop into a solid Reining horse, they realized they had the same goals and breeding philosophies...To breed proved sires and dams to produce superior Western performance offspring. In Robb's own words, he explains, "With our Arabian Stallion, Zallas Classic Zee, who came from a National Champion sire and a National Champion Mare, we knew we had the top side of a breeding program covered. Instead of breeding him to only Arabian mares, we set out to find the best AQHA bloodlines to cross on him and build the bottom side of a pedigree."

With the Half-Arabian Reining industry gaining momentum, The Browns and the Walthers found they were headed in the same direction. "It made a lot of strategic sense to partner up with the Browns" explains Robb. "We didn't see the point of competing with each other for breedings when we really had the same goals in mind. Plus, it gave us the financial strength to spend on marketing and gave us the flexibility within our own breeding program as we can share breedings. If I want to develop something with one of my horses, I can."

While the most successful matches to date have come from an Arabian sire and out of a Quarter Horse mare, each breeding is looked at individually with the thought that the resulting foal is a product of not just two horses, but of the Proven Performance Program. "We believe in true mare power. We pride ourselves on finding the best mares to breed to our National Champion stallions," says Russ, whose broodmare band includes Quarter Horse pedigrees such as Doc Tom Tucker, Genunine Doc, and Chic Please. While Walther's broodmare band consists of Chocolate Chic Olena, Doc N Jose and West Coast Whiz mares. Both partners have also continued to develop their pure bred Arabian stock by breeding to mares that come from the established lines of Ferzon/Azraff, Negatraz, *Cytrus and Old Skoroneck.

"We like a nice smooth topline, low hock set and a balanced body. Pretty much the same thing that the Quarter Horse breeders are looking for in their matches," said Russ. To look at just about any horse on the property one would be hard pressed to find one that looks like a stereotypical Arabian. From the broad chests to the round hindquarters these Arabians are nothing like the Arabians many of us are used to seeing."

Walther adds, "We don't just breed by accident and hope we get a good one. We look critically at the mare. Each stallion has certain qualities that they pass on and we try to breed for the body type we want, whether we are breeding Full or Half-Arabians. For example, my Chocolate Chic Olena mare will be bred to Zee Mega Bucks rather than my own stallion because I want to add more length to her neck. Each stallion has his own strengths; stronger hips or shorter/longer hips, cleaner front end or longer neck. A lot of times, when we go to Scottsdale and other big shows, we talk to mare owners about what they want. We look at the mare that they want to breed. We are able to suggest the stallion that is most likely to produce what they want."

While the majority of the barn's resources have been dedicated to breeding and training Western performance horses, there's a unique flavor added by Mary Jane Brown's dedication to the other performance divisions such as Western and Hunter Pleasure. "I'm an Arab person, through and through," say Mary Jane. "We are not just a Reining barn or just an Arabian barn." This diversity has allowed them to have a larger footprint in the industry and has greatly contributed to their success and the development of their breeding and training programs.

Mary Jane has successfully ridden her pleasure stallion, Xtreme Dream to both National Championship and Scottsdale Championship titles. "What we have here are athletes," says Mary Jane definitively. "They come from Polish Arabian lines, which are strong performance lines that have been bred to be enduring and athletic."

Several years ago Russ began training a stallion named Hesa Zee. "He was a phenomenal horse," says Russ, who was enamored enough with the stallion that he purchased him. Hesa Zee was sired by a renowned stallion, Xenophonn, who has been referred to as the 'Doc Bar' of the Arabian industry. After proving himself as an industry leader, Xenophonn retired from cutting competition in 1982 with three National Championships and three Reserve National Championships. Until his death, he sired more than 20 National and Reserve National Champions, most of which are Cutting and Reining horses. As well, he was known as a leading sire of performance Arabians and Half-Arabians. That is why his breeding is the cornerstone of the Proven Performance Reining stallions.

Russ & Mary Jane Brown are passionate about the beautiful horses at their facility. Both are focused on increasing the quality of the Arabian horse, which has led them to stand several well-bred stallions and create the Proven Performance Program with their long time clients, Robb & Katie Walther. The horses at Diamond B Training Stables and the ones produced by Proven Performance have desirable characteristics for any breed: trainable minds and athletic talent suited for both open and amateur competition.