A Tale Of Two Stallions
by THERESA CARDAMONE

Aspire Arabians lives up to its optimistic moniker, continuously raising the bar of excellence each year since its inception in late
2015. Ivan and Sheryl Osorio took a studious approach to learn all they could about Arabian horse genetics and bloodlines, even taking the course required of aspiring judges to analyze Arabian horses’ conformation and qualities better. They also forged strong relationships with established breeders, gathering invaluable insight. Not 10 years later, the Osorios are enjoying unprecedented success at the top level of the business, including owning and promoting two of the world’s most promising young stallions, Aria La Croixx (Delacroixx x La Belle Shawan HVP) and Ernando AA (Emerald J x H Embrace H).

Andy Sellman has shown horses for Ivan and Sheryl for several years and appreciates their well-developed relationship. “They are thoughtful, intelligent, and passionate owners,” he states. “They have a no-nonsense approach to the horse business, striving for excellence and improvement in every decision, which is represented in the fine horses they breed and own. They have a collection of premium halter horses that compete to win each time they are shown. Ivan and Sheryl are kind and direct; I’m so grateful to have them as friends and clients. It’s truly an honor to be included in their endeavors.”

Ivan and Sheryl are committed to retaining and promoting both of Aspire’s superstar stallions. Aria La Croixx is perhaps the better-known of the duo, who were both foaled in 2020. The reigning U.S. National Reserve Champion Junior Stallion, La Croixx was also the unanimous 2023 U.S. National Champion Futurity Colt, the 2023 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Senior Stallion, the 2022 U.S. National Champion Breeding Pays Futurity 2-Year-Old Colt and Arabian Breeders World Cup Gold Champion Junior Colt, and the 2021 U.S. Mid Summer National Champion ABS Yearling Colt.
Ernando AA is a stunning result of the Aspire Arabians breeding program. Named the 2021 Scottsdale International Breeder Gold Champion
Yearling Colt and U.S. Mid Summer National Reserve Champion Yearling Colt, as well as the 2022 Scottsdale International Breeder Gold Champion Junior Colt, Ernando returned to the show ring in 2025 and was judged the unanimous Scottsdale International Breeder Gold Champion Senior Stallion. “Ernando is as important to our program as La Croixx,” Ivan asserts. “His pedigree goes to the great Polish mare Emanacja on the tail female line of his sire and dam through two of the best Polish mares, Emandoria and Embra. It is a line renowned for its extreme beauty, complemented by the great stallions QR Marc and Besson Carol. We are excited for his offspring after seeing what he did for us last year by siring a beautiful colt which we lost in a tragic accident.”

Ernando stands at Wilson Training and Bloodstock in Ocala, FL, and was shown to his Scottsdale win by Mike Wilson, a friend and mentor to Ivan and Sheryl and a huge fan of the Aspire breeding program. “The Arabian was originally a war horse,” Mike remarks. “People depended on these beautiful animals to survive. The true type must be remembered when we think about and talk about Arabian breeding stallions. They should have a kind and interactive personality, a trainable and honest mind, strength in beauty, and a paramount athletic ability – Ernando exemplifies all of these traits and genuinely checks all the boxes. It is an honor to have him in the barn, and I look forward to seeing what he can do as a breeding stallion for our industry.”

Brooke Fuchs was on the Scottsdale International judges’ panel that named Ernando AA the Gold Champion Senior Stallion.
“Ernando is a stallion that you can’t keep your eyes off of,” she states emphatically. “His presence in the arena is powerful, combining quality, conformation, substance, and movement – the same horse no matter where you look. He IS ‘form to function.”

Aria La Croixx was busy in the breeding shed and was not shown at Scottsdale in 2025. He was represented there, however, by his look-alike daughter Porscha WB, a second-generation homebred for breeder/owner Mike Wilson out of Pellara WB. Last year, Mike described Porscha as exceeding his expectations as the future broodmare he intended to create through linebreeding to the great producer, HED Caramba, AND as a “knockout show filly on top of it.” She proved him right by earning the Scottsdale Reserve Champion Junior Filly AAOTH title.

I’ve written about La Croixx for Ivan and Sheryl several times but had never seen him in the flesh until I attended the Orrion Farms open house.
Time after time, expert equestrians describe him as a near-perfect example of Arabian conformation, movement, type, and charisma. He is shockingly consistent in reproducing his best traits while allowing each dam’s most outstanding qualities to shine through. His offspring are highly uniform despite being out of differently bred mares, a sure sign of prepotency and greatness in a stallion. I waited impatiently to get my first look at Aria La Croixx, who would come out alongside one of his offspring.

I’ve seen a lot of wonderful horses over the years, but seldom does one impress me the way La Croixx did that day. As he was led from the barn, it was as if Ed Bogucki’s magnificent bronze of *Bask had come to life. La Croixx collected himself, containing his energy beneath his shifting muscles and thin, tight skin and coat. He elevated his neck like a periscope, with his full mane flying and tail aloft. The horse was so incredible; he brought tears to my eyes.

In the presentation ring alongside her sire was another of La Croixx’s carbon-copy children, Aspire’s homebred Breathless AA. Bred from 2024 U.S. National Top Ten Junior Mare HP Breslavia, Breathless is the image of her sire. Seeing father and daughter together was a real treat and a testament to Aria La Croixx’s capacity to reproduce himself. Following the showing, I visited La Croixx in the barn, where he held court for his many fans. He is the kind of horse who keeps getting more beautiful the closer you get to him. Every detail of his bone structure is defined in his well-chiseled face, while his huge, dark, expressive eyes reveal his character.

I left, knowing that I had seen a very special horse.

As the honors for the horses of Aspire Arabians continue to rack up in the show ring, so do the splendid results of their thoughtful breeding program, through which Ivan and Sheryl Osorio are keeping their vow to preserve and improve the Arabian breed. With a barn full of exceptional mares and dominant herd stallions like Ernando AA and Aria La Croixx, their efforts will positively impact Arabian horse breeding for many generations to come.