From start to finish, producing
National Champions one foal at a time . . .

One summer, Josephine Graci found herself riding horseback on the southern beaches of Italy. The horses were Arabians. Her father John, impressed with the Arabian temperament and beauty, decided his daughter's first horse had to be an Arabian. No other breed would suffice.

Josephine began researching the versatile breed and the pedigrees of all past champions. She visited many farms in the New York area. During each visit she was awestruck by the beauty, intelligence and athletic ability of these fine creatures. She instantly fell in love with the breed. However it took a few years before she found the right first horse. John, knowing Josephine's ambitions, limited her to one horse. She nonetheless managed to outsmart her old man. She fell in love with a picture of a pure Polish Probat daughter, Probracja. The mare was a broodmare; all part of Josephine's true plan - breeding her own riding horses. She knew she was limited to one horse but figured breedings did not count. Her father, as promised, bought her the mare as a birthday present. Two breedings to Negatraz were included in the purchase and soon Probracja was bred to Negatraz. Thus in 1993 Graci Arabians began.

In 1994, Probracja foaled Willette, a beautiful bay filly. The love affair had been founded on dreams and they were now realizing themselves in the foals. Each year Probracja outproduced herself. Willette, the first foal from this breeding program, was the 1998 US Reserve National Champion Country English Pleasure Junior Horse and the Buckeye Unanimous Champion Country English Pleasure Junior Horse. In 2000 she was third in the Country English Pleasure Open class while being five months in foal. All the researching and dreaming paid off. The foals were winning and winning big. Willette's full brother, Werdikt, has also garnered National titles in Country English Pleasure Junior Owner to Ride and Junior to Ride with his young owner Sarah Mitzel. Probracja's third foal, Wersus, by DWD Tabasco, has now become one of the world's leading endurance horses competing for Darolyn Butler and her amateur riders. Another foal, by Echo Magnifficoo, Echlaimed, was the 2003 Canadian National Champion Futurity gelding and he was also third in the Open Halter class. The wins were not merely impressive as they had been accumulated by a first time breeder, but by a 14 year old girl with a dream, instinct and research.

Josephine has grown up and at the same time the program has now developed full swing and her second generation foals are also winning. Breeding consultations she has performed for friends have resulted in national wins. Josephine seems to have a niche' for breeding national winners and with each foal she seeks the ultimate athlete combined with the ideal halter horse. Graci Arabians strives to produce National caliber show horses that are both pretty and athletic and that can win in both the open, amateur and junior classes. Josephine strives for athletic halter horses and exotic performance horses with intelligence, trainability, willingness and charisma. Each foal is a hoofbeat in that direction.

 

Josephine Graci would like to thank the following people for their expertise, wisdom and most of all friendship: Brian & Melanie Murch, Michele Valone, Nicole Saville, Barbara Chur, the entire staff of Strawberry Banks Farm, Jennifer & Mark Mason, Eric Mason, Joe Alberti, Rob Janecki, Steve & Jamie Heathcott, Bob & Carolyn Churtin, Ray & Cindy La Croix, Shawn & Carmelle Rooker, Michael Byatt, Robert Cass, Linda Pawlowski & Roger Perry, Doreen Chester, Scott Morris, Joe & Shalin Foti, Sandra & Greg Olsen, Sarah & Kim Mitzel, Manny Lawrence, Charlotte & Bill Pertz, Christine & Dick Reed, Brandon Bessey, Valerie & Marty Fishgold, Sherry Ballah, Mitch Sperte, Liz Alward, Ryan Strand, Charlie Downs, the old farms of Dunromin Arabians and Dorian Arabians, Sean Sutton, Ed & Corky Sutton, Jennifer Kunkle, Eric Wolfe, Rodney Eckenrode, Sharon Burton, Chuck Siemon, Javan Schaller, Dora Schaller, Christia Schaller, Jon David Schaller, Dr. Dean Neely, Dr. Tara Forback, Dr. Ed Squires, Linda Lauffer, Cindy Clinton, Mauro Grijalva, Mona Mulford, Linda & Lloyd Garrow, Duke Mendel, David Jampsa, Kim & Bitsy Jenkner, Vicki Shue, Darolyn Butler, Doug Burger, Dean & Lisa Henning, Tom Ferrebbee, Juliet & Nick Carden, Braden Davidson, Kristen & Christine Lewis, Patty Ross, Laura Newton, Jim Ferlita, Rose Taylor, Peter Cameron, Brad Gallun, Rylee Gallun, Lisa & Kevin Strohl, George Johnson, Kim Hamilton, Tina Torry, Suzanne Acevedo, Kim Hamilton, Tom Zaffer, Dick Adams, Carolina Martinez, Jan Ward, James Leinhardt, Raymond Mazzei, Juan Carlos Santamaria, Rhonda Davis, Greg & Nancy Gallun, Jeff & Rich Sloan, Steve Lieblang, Mike Beethe, Kerry & Eveline Kepping, Bill Melendez, Christi Wey, Stuart Vesty, Rod Fielding, Bill Rodgers, Peter Conway, Russ Tarkington, Tim & Marty Shea, Mike Ferrara, Michele & Chris Culbreth, Kim Morris, Carissa Kuhn, Susan Martin, Jeanne Ravan, Candy Huening, Greg Knowles, Famous Amos, Husky Miro, Kim Jarvis and the entire staff of C. Jarvis Insurance (especially Tom!), Gracey Terrill, all the owners and breeding farms of the stallions I have bred to and everyone who shares the love of the Arabian horse. If anyone was omitted, please forgive Josephine; she has made more lasting friendships in this industry than she could have in a lifetime. She's grateful for all the wonderful people she has met.

Lady luck thank you. Because all the knowledge, planning and expertise would be nothing without luck on our side and I have been very fortunate to have found the Arabian breed and to have garnered so many successes at a young age and within a few years. Josephine would like to extend a very special thank you to her father, John, the man who started it all and through it all has supported her in this endeavor. Without him, Graci Arabians would never be what it is today and will develop into tomorrow. Pa, thank you for introducing me to the Arabian horse. Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for everything you have done for me. You're the best father anyone could ask for. Special thank you to my mother, Carmela, and sister, Maria; even though you both don't understand the love I possess for these horses, you have both been supportive and loving.

 

Graci Arabians
302 East 94th Street #4D
New York, NY 10128
Tel: 917-517-7482
Fax: 212-996-5762
Email: arabs@graciarabians.com