The 60th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, the largest event of its kind in the world, will feature plenty of opportunities to meet horses and to cheer on two local Jewish sisters competing in the show at Westworld Feb. 12-22.
The annual show, benefiting Cox Charities and March of Dimes, is expected to draw nearly 2,400 horses from across North America. Sisters Samantha (Sammi) Alyson Landsman, 17, and Anna Rose Landsman, 12, return to the Scottsdale show ring where they have garnered some top prizes in past years. The girls are the daughters of Dr. Jon and Hallee Landsman.
Sammi began taking riding lessons at Red Vista Ranch when she was 7 years old.
“Her love of horses, especially the Arabian horse, began there,” says Hallee. “Up until this point, she had tried just about every activity (soccer, dance, t-ball), but once she began riding horses, she never looked back.”
Hallee adds that when Anna began riding horses at the age of 5, “I wasn’t sure if her interest was simply a result of her wanting to do what her big sister was doing or if she really had a passion for the horses. Like her sister, she tried other activities, but the only one she wanted to stick with was riding.”
Anna says, “I’ve been around horses since I was 2. Watching her (Sammi) ride made we want to try it. …
In 2011 the girls began training with Peter and Susan Witte of Witte Stables located in Scottsdale.
“The Landsman family is very dedicated to the Arabian horse world,” says Susan. “We have had the pleasure of working with Sammi and Anna, in perfecting their skills as pleasure and equitation riders.” She says that both girls have earned national top 10 honors, as well as Scottsdale, regional and local championship awards.
“My sister and I have a lot of fun (at the Scottsdale show),” says Sammi. “The competition is amazing. And since it’s the start of the season, you get to see who your competition will be for the year and who will be at Youth Nationals.”
Anna says the Scottsdale show is more fun because it is so big. “It’s a Class A show, but it’s way bigger than all the other shows. It’s treated like Nationals.”
In 2013, Anna won the Country English Pleasure championship on Baywatch, a Half-Arabian horse owned by a friend. Anna didn’t show at Scottsdale last year, but is looking forward to riding into the ring on Sir Lancelot, a Half-Arabian she started competing on in walk-trot classes when she was 6. This year she plans to show Lance in Half-Arabian Country Pleasure (judged on the horse’s performance under saddle), equitation classes (judged on the rider) and showmanship (which judges how well a youth presents a horse at halter).
Sammi garnered Top 10 honors in both the 2013 and 2014 shows. She’s also been in the top 10 at Youth Nationals in both show hack and native costume, which is always a crowd favorite.
This year she plans to show her Half-Arabian gelding, Black Tie Affaire, in show hack classes (an English class in which the horse is judged on performance and manners modeled on dressage). The family purchased Tie in July 2013, and Sammi says showing him has been really fun.
Their first show together was the American Cup Championship Arabian Horse Show held at Westworld every November. “We won everything,” says Sammi, mentioning halter and both junior and junior-owner-to-ride country pleasure.
This year she plans to show Tie in show hack at Scottsdale. She also plans to compete on a borrowed horse, Khaarga Escobar Slik, in her new favorite discipline – reining and reining seat equitation.
“Reining is different; you get to compete by yourself,” she says, explaining that each horse and rider enter the arena alone to complete a complex pattern full of sliding stops and quick turns that delight crowds.
Delighting crowds seems to be a theme for Sammi, who also enjoys the “high energy of native costume classes.” Loud applause, oohs and aahs typically welcome costume horses to the arena.
“Sammi specifically wanted to ride in a native costume class,” says Hallee. “We purchased a pure Arabian country horse for the girls to compete on … His name is Mr. Hallelujah or Mr. H. Mr. H had a long show record and had won in country English pleasure, driving and was a national champion in native costume.”
Last year Sammi rode Mr. H to fourth in junior native costume. Trainer Peter Witte rode Mr. H to top honors in the open native costume class, before the family retired Mr. H to Tubac, AZ.
The sisters stay very busy with their horse activities, spending at least 12 hours a week at the barn and a lot more time during weeks with horse shows such as Scottsdale.
“I love begin able to hang out with all my friends at the barn and learn what I can about horses,” says Sammi.
During the winter the sisters also enjoy helping out at the “Day at the Stable” camps Witte Stables offers for youth with little or no previous experience with horses.
“I love seeing their faces when they get on a horse for the first time,” says Sammi.
Anna says many of the kids at camp love being around the horses so much that they start taking riding lessons.
Camp is just one way the Wittes introduce youth to horses. Their website (wittestables.com) offers a Kids Corner full of puzzles, book suggestions and pictures of “riders who made us smile over the years.”
“The equine world is a fabulous environment for children to not only develop horsemanship skills, but learn about trust, respect, tolerance,” says Susan. “Building confidence is gained by teaching young and older riders to become partners with their horses.”
Sammi did take a short break from the horse world to spend part of her winter break from school visiting her three older cousins and aunt and uncle, Rabbi Mark Pomeranz, in Miami. The Pomeranz family is Orthodox, so Sammi was able to celebrate a traditional Shabbat and Hanukkah with them.
Both sisters say they enjoy Shabbat and celebrating the Jewish holidays at home.
“I love all the holidays,” says Sammi. “We always feast!”
Anna agrees, “I like Passover and the Jewish new year – We eat!”
But this month, the girls will be focused on the Scottsdale show.
In addition to cheering for the Landsman sisters, visitors to the show can “Meet an Arabian Horse” (9:30 am, Feb. 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21) or take a “Behind the Scenes Barn Tour” (10 am Feb. 13; and 10 am and 2 pm, Feb. 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21). For more information on these programs, visit scottsdaleshow.com and click on the events tab.
