The Harris-Reed Partnership

Quality Over Quantity

Michelle and Scott Harris and their partner Helen Reed are the quintessential small breeders—producing 4 to 6 exceptional foals each year from a small number of carefully selected mares crossed with the best stallions available. It is a testament to their passion that, despite the limited foal crops, they tied as AHT's 2022 Leading Saddle Seat Breeder of National purebred Arabian Champion and Reserve winners, an honor typically bestowed on much larger programs. It was the culmination of their mutual desire to make a lasting contribution to the breed.

Michelle grew up admiring her aunt Pat Mills' many Bask offspring and dreamed of recreating that highly successful breeding program. She was eager to find mares that traced back to Mi Toska, one of Bask's finest daughters, whose foaling she witnessed at Pat's years ago. 

Michelle's background as a fertility specialist in the OB-GYN medical field gave her the expertise to manage a breeding program and the added income needed to support it. Scott and Michelle are also skilled riders with U.S. National, Scottsdale, and Regional Championships to their credit.

Helen describes herself as a horse crazy girl who could "stick on like a tick” riding bareback as a kid. Following decades spent traveling and raising a family, Helen got back into horses in her fifties when she fell in love with the breed and established Reed Arabians. Her enthusiasm for riding renewed, Helen earned a National Champion title of her own in the Country English Pleasure 55+ division. As fellow residents of Southern California, Helen, Michelle, and Scott became close friends, united in their overall passion for Arabian horses in general and one special stallion in particular, the Harris's phenomenal HA Toskcan Sun+.

A few years after Harris Arabians was founded, fate allowed Scott and Michelle to find a granddaughter of Mi Toska, bred to Baske Afire, giving the resulting foal four crosses to Bask. While they had hoped for a filly to continue that precious dam line, they realized they were blessed with a colt who would propel them well beyond their highest expectations.

Five years later, Toskcan was the talk of the show as he blew away the competition and was named Scottsdale Champion English Pleasure Junior Horse. The Harris's were flooded with generous offers to buy the horse, which they had to consider due to the cost of promoting a world-class stallion. Michelle's heart broke at the thought of selling him. That's when Helen stepped up to become co-owner, and they've been partners ever since.

Toskcan followed up his Scottsdale victory by winning the 2012 U.S. National Champion English Pleasure Junior Horse title in his national debut. He later won four Reserve National Champion titles in English Pleasure and Pleasure Driving, as well as English Pleasure Horse of the Year and Leading Sire honors. From his first crop of four foals, Toskcan sired two U.S. National Champions, with many more endorsing his dominance as a sire in later years. Unsurprisingly, the Leading Breeder honor celebrated here is largely due to Toskcan's offspring.

Harris Arabians bred 2022 national winners by Toskcan that include HA Tsamsun, HA Contesa of Toskany, HA The Weekend, HA Honeymoon Tsweet, and with Helen, HRA Marti Gras. Reed Arabians bred RA Extraordinare, and by other sires, the Half-Arabians Nirvanas Love Buzz and RA Alliza. In addition, HA Toskcan Sun+ returned to the show ring to earn the U.S. Reserve National Champion English Pleasure AAOTR 19-49 honors at the age of 15 for his current owners, the Hagale family.

It was a tough decision for the Harris's and Helen to part with HA Toskcan Sun+, but they knew that he was going to a great home that would continue to promote him. Ample breeding rights were retained to ensure that Toskcan will remain a huge influence in their breeding programs for many years to come. You are most welcome to visit Harris Arabians to see for yourself their next generations of champions.

 

– Theresa Cardamone
Arabian Horse Times | 2023 Saddle Seat Guide

Upcoming Shows

We always look forward to connecting with fellow Arabian horse lovers. If you’ll be at any of the following shows, we’d love to meet you! We always have a select group of sales horses available and may have just what you're looking for.

Contact Us
Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
February

Scottsdale
Region 1 Arabian Championships
May/June

Del Mar
Region 2 Arabian Championships
June

Santa Barbara
Region 13 Arabian Championships
June

Wilmington
Region 14 Arabian Championships
August

Wilmington
U.S. National Arabian & Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show
October

Tulsa

Stay Connected

Be the first to hear about our latest sales horses, promising young show prospects, and new foal arrivals!