Scottsdale Photography Contest 2025 Grand Champion

In January of this year I came across a post via the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona on Facebook, advertising a photography contest open to all for the 2025 70th Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. I took a chance on myself and entered. I dug through my collection of photos, asked for input from my friends and family and it was decided to enter this portrait shot of the Egyptian Arabian stallion Barmyre Aslee. Photo was taken during the East Coast Egyptian Championships at the Virginia Horse Center located in Lexington, VA August 2024. This stallion is a champion winner both in the ring and now in photography and overall an exceptional representation of the Egyptian strains. I had found that I had won Reserve Champion for the category of "Beautiful Arabian" in which this photo was entered into, an accomplished feat on its own accord. Fast forward to the week of the show which commenced February 12-22 and I reached out to a fellow Arabian horse group on Facebook asking if anyone could take a photo of the winning photos set up on display. A few ladies were kind enough to send me some photos. I found to my astonishment, that I had won the Overall Grand Champion placement for the entire contest in addition to my Reserve placement. Honestly, I teared up a little; here was this photo with a story of adversity behind it, winning Grand Champion, printed on large canvas for so many to see in a state I have never visited. A piece of my heart was in Arizona for a few days, what an overwhelming feeling of joy to have such an honorable achievement to my portfolio.