WR Sonoskada+// was a horse with a career to be proud of. With a show record spanning from 1991 to 2006, he won 19 national championships, 12 reserve national championships, 53 national Top Ten awards and 53 regional championships and reserve championships. In 2005, when WR Sonoskada+// was honored as a Horse of Honor by the
United States Equestrian Federation, he led
Arabians in the total number of national championships and reserve national championships awarded to a horse still actively showing.
Sonaskada, known throughout the Arabian world simply as "Scotty", was purchased in 2001 by John and Cindy Kelly of Park Rapids, Minnesota, for their daughter, Morgan, to ride. He was previously shown by Jessica Vetter and her mother Peggy, and originally started by Susan Shea in Arizona. The stately gelding achieved awards in open Arabian hunter pleasure, Arabian English sidesaddle and Arabian amateur to ride and youth to ride divisions. He also carried youth riders to numerous national championships, Top Tens and regional awards in hunter seat equitation.
"He was a beautiful horse and was laid-back to the point of not caring, but he knew when he was in the show ring," said Cindy Kelly, noting that he had a taste for peppermints. "He got them when he did well, and if he didn't get them he pouted," she laughed. "Another habit of his was to nip the toe of Morgan's boot to signal that everything was fine"
Larry Hoffman, Scotty's trainer, agreed, "He could be in a ring with 20 horses and you'd be drawn to him. To maintain that level for over 10 years was phenomenal."
Hoffman added, "Morgan was only nine years old when she started training with him. She was still showing walk/trot when they purchased Scotty, but they made it to Canadian Nationals when she was 11 and won the 13-and-under and the 17-and-under divisions. She's the kind of rider all of us love to have - a competitor with a lot of focus. Scotty and her parents were a big part of her success."
Morgan reflected on Scotty's passing in 2012, "Scotty had a special place in everyone's hearts. He's earned the right to have a few quirks and idiosyncrasies. We were so happy to be able to let him live out his wonderful life He has given so much to so many people."