Since Kir-Aim produces only a few purebred foals each year, this honor is especially sweet given that such importance is placed upon selecting the correct stallion for each mare. Once foals are born, Kir-Aim carefully selects buyers to ensure that each foal will have a terrific home upon weaning. However, the relationship doesn’t end there. Lines of communication are always open and once foals are old enough to show, Kir-Aim is happy to provide advice or training services as needed.
The 2008 Show season proved to feature Kir-Aim as a top tier breeder with KS Di Amore, KA Tabasco and KA Habenero winning multiple-National Championships in both Halter and Performance venues.
The continued show ring success Kir-Aim Andalusians has enjoyed over the last sixteen years is a testament to the methods of conditioning and training that have been perfected over a combined 40 years of horsemanship between Dave & Gloria Hennen.
Prior to breeding and showing Andalusians, Gloria worked with exotics, had Arabians, showed Miniature Horses, and trained trick horses. In addition to running a prominent petting zoo that traveled the East Coast, Gloria frequently appeared in parades with the elephants or riding a Zebra. She and her trick horse, a 1976 * Naborr gelding, performed at many circuses, local, state, and county fairs as well as at Belmont Park for the running of the 1988 Belmont Stakes race (the final leg of the Triple Crown)!
Dave on the other hand, comes from a draft horse background. Born and raised in Minnesota, he and his father frequently attended draft horse sales spotting the "diamonds in the rough", working with them, turning them into something, and reselling them at either the same auction or by private treaty. Thus from a young age, Dave honed his driving skills with not only single horses, but multiple-horse hitches. Dave has worked for a number of large hitches including Hallamore Clydesdales, the Live Oak Stud, Disney World and is currently with Anheuser-Busch.
After getting married in 1988, Dave & Gloria moved to Minnesota to start their own business. They ran and operated a 40-stall horse boarding facility, provided a carriage/hay ride service, had a petting zoo that traveled to local, state and county fairs, provided trick horses for hire, and provided a horse-drawn trolley service for a local historical site. The business was good and in 1991, they purchased their first Andalusian colt from Pat Garrison of Garrison Andalusians.
In 1992, they took that colt and three other people (yes, five people--one horse) to their first Andalusian National Horse Show. A yearling competing against older colts in the Andalusian Colts 2 & Under class, everyone involved was thrilled when that colt, Cisco, was named National Top Five! After that, Gloria was hooked. The next horse the couple purchased was the Spanish-Portuguese mare, Miranda. A daughter of Zafiro, Miranda went on to become a National Top Five Mare and National Top Five Country Pleasure Horse.
Kir-Aim then acquired the high-stepping mare, Kahlua, who would become the foundation mare of their breeding program. A pure-Spanish daughter of the legendary Legionario III, Kahlua went on to become National Champion Saddle Seat Amateur, National Top Five Saddle Seat Open, National Top Five Futurity Filly, and National Top Five Best Movement. After her show career, she began producing foals with Kir-Aim's 1996 addition to their Andalusian collection, the famous Santiago.
Ownership of Santiago provided a good ride. Few people ever get to experience such great success in both show ring and the breeding shed with the same horse. In 1998, Santiago won three unanimous National Championships: Junior Stallions, Country Pleasure Amateur and Country Pleasure Junior Horse. In 1999, he was named AAOPH Horse of the year. With a star stallion in the barn, their breeding program was truly becoming established--and Dave & Gloria Hennen were becoming household names in the Andalusian world. In addition to multiple Top Five awards in performance, Santiago would go on to win two more National Championships (Hunter Pleasure Open and Senior Stallion) while under the Hennen’s care and ownership. With up and coming young stars in the barn, including the rising young star KA Tabasco (Santiago X Kahlua) the decision was made to sell Santiago in 2003.
In addition to their own horses, Kir-Aim offers boarding, training, sales, and stand stallions for outside clients on a limited basis. In addition to starting young horses under saddle, Gloria conditions and prepares the halter horses for National competition. Dave, using his specialty area, starts, conditions, and shows the driving horses at the farm.
Whether you are looking to purchase an Andalusian or Half-Andalusian or just want some one to chat with to become more familiar with the breed, feel free to contact Kir-Aim Andalusians and schedule a farm visit. The farm is located in Hillsboro, Missouri--approximately 45 minutes south of St. Louis.
