Story Book Stables

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Scottsdale, AZ
Story Book Stables

Breeding, Training, & Showing Outstanding Reining Horses. Story Book Stables is the culmination of a lifetime passion for owners Brenda Joyce and Rick Christen.

When the pair met at the High Roller Reining Classic in 2013, both were avid Reiners who were breeding show horses for themselves, and happily competing as Non Pros. But that quickly changed. Brenda had always dreamed of owning horses on a ranch out west, from the time she was a little girl, born in Brooklyn and raised in Manhattan. The daughter of a developer, she refused to go into the family bu

siness, and became a bestselling novelist, with 54 published novels to her credit, all in 26 years. When she met Rick, it was time to live out the second half of her dream. Rick was raised in Toledo, Ohio, and began riding horses as a small boy. His dream of being a pilot in the Air Force was destroyed because of his height, and instead, he wound up racing sailboats—until he decided to go into the family roofing business. When he met Brenda, a reining horse frenzy was unleashed. They began combining forces, sharing horses, swapping embryos, and then they built Five Bells Ranch. The Ranch is a dream come true for them both. 5 Bells Ranch encompasses 22 acres in the heart of Rio Verde, Arizona. It includes a 41-stall state of the art show barn, a 280 x 150 covered arena, a covered round pen and walker, numerous turn outs, irrigated front pastures, another state of the art mare motel, three casitas for employees, other apartments, and more. Set on both the east and west sides of 138th Street, the east side is for the mares, babies and yearlings, and the training operation is on the west side.

08/31/2024

Arno Honstetter and ELECTRIC WHIZKEY had a great run in the 100X Shows Open Derby FINALS marking a 220!

08/29/2024

08/28/2024

Arno Honstetter and G***K FORTY FIVE had a great run in the 100X Shows Open Futurity!

08/26/2024

Arno Honstetter and ELECTRIC WHIZKEY had a great run in the 100X Shows Open Derby Prelims marking a 220.5!

08/25/2024

Arno Honstetter and ANNIES VOODOO DR had a great run in the 100X Shows Open Derby Prelims!

06/23/2024

Arno Honsetter and MCNASTYY are your NRHA Open Derby L3 Res CHAMPIONS for owner Sarah Christen! 🔥🔥🔥

06/23/2024

Arno Honsetter and MCNASTYY just marked a big 225.5 in NRHA Open Derby L4/3 FINALS for Sarah Christen! 🔥🔥🔥

06/22/2024

Arno Honsetter and SS Whatcha Gun Doo had a great run marking a 221.5 in the NRHA Open Derby Finals for Rolling Hills Ranch LLC!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/21/2024

Logan Flaherty and RITA WITH SALT 🍹 in the NRHA Non Pro Derby Finals!

06/21/2024

Laura Honstetter and PALEFACE DREAMER had a great run in the NRHA Non Pro Derby FINALS!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/20/2024

Patrick Flaherty and Whizzin On The Rest will be running in the gate Saturday for the in the NRHA Open Derby Finals for owner Laura Schwartz as draw #58!

06/20/2024

Logan Flaherty and RITA WITH SALT 🍹 will be running in the gate tomorrow for the Non Pro Derby Finals as draw #58! We are so proud of Logan for all his hard work, he is turning into quite the showmen!

06/20/2024

Laura Honstetter and PALEFACE DREAMER will be running in the gate tomorrow for the Non Pro Derby Finals as draw #53! We are so proud of Laura and her mare!

06/20/2024

Arno Honsetter and SS Whatcha Gun Doo had a great run marking a 221.5 in advancing themselves to the NRHA Open Derby L3 FINALS for Rolling Hills Ranch LLC! They will run in the gate Saturday afternoon as draw #63

06/20/2024

Good luck to Arno Honsetter and MCNASTYY in the NRHA Open Derby L4/3 FINALS for Sarah Christen! They will run in the gate Saturday night as draw #27! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

06/19/2024

Laura Schwartz and UB Whizzin In Style had a great run in the NRHA Non Pro Derby prelims!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/19/2024

Laura Honstetter and PALEFACE DREAMER had a great run in the NRHA Non Pro Derby prelims marking a 214.5!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/19/2024

KYLIE WARN and FREEZING RYEN had a great run in the NRHA Non Pro Derby prelims! Small bobble is going to keep this team from the finals. They have a great future ahead.

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/18/2024

Laura Schwartz and Whizzin On The Rest had a great run in the NRHA Non Pro Derby prelims!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/17/2024

215.5 for Logan Flaherty and Rita With Salt in the NRHA Non Pro Derby Prelims!! 🔥🔥

Watch live at nrhaderby.com

06/16/2024

Patrick Flaherty and Whizzin On The Rest had a great run in the NRHA Open Derby prelims for owner Laura Schwartz!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/16/2024

Arno Honsetter and Shines Whiz Jewels in the NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Open Derby Prelims for Laura Schwartz!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/15/2024

Arno Honsetter and SS Whatcha Gun Doo had a great run marking a 221.5 in the NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Open Derby Prelims for Rolling Hills Ranch LLC!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/14/2024

Arno Honsetter and MCNASTYY laid it down to a 223.5 in the NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Open Derby Prelims for Sarah Christen as draw #2!

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/13/2024

Good luck to Storybook Stables and Arno Honsetter's team at the NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Derby in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 🔥🔥

Watch live starting tomorrow at nrhaderby.com

06/09/2024

The devastation that has come to Brandon Brant and Eric Priest lives is shattering not only mentally, emotionally but career wise as well. They find themselves without income, without a barn, without equipment, and without the resources they once relied upon to sustain their livelihoods. As a community, it is our duty to rally around them in their time of need and offer a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

To this end, we are organizing an auction that will serve as a lifeline for Brandon, Eric, and their families. The auction will commence on June 24th and conclude on June 26th. We are reaching out to you, our cherished community, to contribute to this noble cause.

Donations are welcome and can encompass a wide range of items and services, including but not limited to:
- Training
- Riding lessons
- A weekend riding experience with _______
- Come ride a Reiner with________
- Recipient mare leases
- Aspirations
- Complete ICSI packages
- Flush packages
- Breedings
- Sale fitting packages
- Saddles
- Bits
- Show pads
- Show clothes
- Various forms of tack
- Horses
- Photoshoots

If it can be SOLD, we will gratefully accept it!

To streamline the donation process, we have partnered with Professional Horse Services, LLC Mike and Stephanie Jennings, who have generously offered their expertise and platform to facilitate the auction. Donation forms can be found here: https://internethorseauctions.formstack.com/forms/ola_brant_priest_ola . We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Jennings family for their invaluable assistance.

Please ensure all donation forms are completed and returned to Jennings by June 23rd. The SOONER the better so we can really advertise all these great donations! The Auction will start June 24th and end June 26th.

We ask each and every one of you to contribute what you can and to spread the word far and wide. Together, let us make a tangible difference in the lives of Brandon Brant, Eric Priest, and their families.

Thank you for your unwavering support and generosity.

DONATION FORM: https://internethorseauctions.formstack.com/forms/ola_brant_priest_ola

If you have any questions please call or text
Cooper Smith 903-327-3995
Chelsea Schneider Media Inc. 817-683-1767
Pro Horse Services 855-272-3905

06/07/2024

Good luck to Storybook Stables and Arno Honsetter's team at the NRHA - National Reining Horse Association Derby in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma next week! 🔥🔥

05/19/2024

What a night for in the 100X Shows Cowtown Classic Open Stakes Finals! Arno Honstetter and McNastyy for Sarah Christen took home the L3 CHAMPIONSHIP and $75,000! Arno riding Annies Voodoo Dr for Frederick Christen took home the Res L3 and $30,000! !! Patrick Flaherty and Whizzin On The Rest for Laura Schwartz took home the Co L2- Res Championship and $15,000!🔥🔥

05/18/2024

PATRICK FLAHERTY and WHIZZIN ON THE REST for owner Laura Schwartz had a great run in the 100x Cowtown Classic Stakes FINALS!

05/18/2024

Arno Honstetter and MCNASTY had a great run in the 100x Cowtown Classic for owner Sarah L Christen marking a 225.5!

Address

28823 N 138th Street
Scottsdale, AZ
85262

Website

https://storybookstables.com/

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Videos

221.5 for Arno Honsetter and SS Whatcha Gun Doo for owner Rolling Hills Ranch LLC in the #NRHA Open Derby Prelims!

INFERNO ON ICE and Rick Christen had a great run this morning in the National Reining Breeders Classic Non Pro Derby Prelims!

🩶 SHINY SILVER CHEX is a standout in both our show horse and producer lineup— By Shiners Voodoo Dr & out of the legendary mare DUN IT FOR CHEX who has produced $1.2M, “Asia” continues to catch eyes everywhere she goes. The 2018 model mare has earned $20,000+ to date and is a NRHA Derby Level 4 Open Finalist. Her very first foal hit the ground last year, sired by GUNNER & is looking fantastic. 🧡💜

Head trainer Arno Honstetter had a few great rides in the Best Of The West Open Futurity, taking home over $15,000! Congratulations— GHOSTFACE for Story Book Stables, WHAT A SURPRISE for Deer Creek Farms, & HOTEL CALIFORNIA for Laura Schwartz! 💜🧡

Head trainer ARNO HONSTETTER with “SHINE WHIZ JEWELS” & “PALE SIDE OF THE MOON” for Laura Schwartz in the 100x Open Stakes! 💜🧡🌵

💜🧡 “Horses aren’t a hobby that you pick up and set back down. They are a love that lasts a lifetime.” #StoryBookStables

Head trainer ARNO HONSTETTER was two for two in the first go of the 2023 NRHA Derby Open Prelims— 🩶 SHINY SILVER CHEX - score 221 (Shiners Voodoo Dr x Dun It For Chex) Owned by Story Book Stables 🤎 SHINE WHIZ JEWELS - score 222 (Shining Spook x Whiz Jewels) Owned by Laura Schwartz

Just a few of our favorite show horses— 💜MS DREAMY 🧡 ELECTRIC WHIZKEY💜 SHINY SILVER CHEX

ELECTRIC WHIZKEY & Arno Honstetter / 223.5

ELECTRIC WHIZKEY & Arno Honstetter put together a great ride early in the draw to score a 223.5 in the Cactus Reining Classic Open Derby/TRFAM Qualifier! This is the second year in a row that Arno put TWO horses in the Top Ten of The Run For A Million Qualifier, not an easy feat! Congratulations Arno!

MSDREAMY & Arno Honstetter // Score 229.5

A great story never ends... We are still estatic over Saturday night's performance... MSDREAMY & Arno Honstetter put together a breathtaking performance to score a HUGE 229.5 in the 2022 The Run For A Million Qualifier, securing Arno's spot in Vegas for the second year in a row! This big win pushed Dreamy's LTE to over $200,000! We're thrilled to have some of her great foals growing up on our ranch... The STORY's not over! 💜💜

Our story and passion for horses is always evolving...

I’M LEARNING TO BE A REINER, MOM!

Wimpy’s High Bid Filly out of Rock It Lil Whiz (Topsail Whiz x A Bueno Poco Dunit).

NO MORE BRIDLES,PLEASE.

Wimpy’s High Bid! WHO NEEDS A BRIDLE? NOT ME!

Hot off the Cactus Reining Classic win🔥🔥💜🧡SUPER MARIOO/CADE— 223💜🧡🔥🔥2021 NRBC Open Classic Prelims...The DREAM TEAM!

Congratulations Kylie Warn and NOW YA GUNNA SHINE– this solid team scored a 213.5 and will be coming back to the NRBC Finals in L3! Great run Kylie!

Sarah and her best horse buddy STORY FOR YOU left Scottsdale's Cactus Reining Classic with a multiple Championship titles and continues her success streak.. heading back to the 2021 NRBC Finals!