Tibbs Arabians
Sandpoint, Idaho
Tibbs Arabians is a family owned and run horse operation. Members of the Tibbs family have been involved in the horse industry in Bonner County, Idaho for over seventy years and in the Arabian horse industry for almost fifty years. Harold and Virginia Tibbs served as Bonner County 4-H leaders for over twenty-five years and Harold, a charter member of the Appaloosa Horse Club, distinguished himself in the National show ring with foundation stallion Toby I by winning numerous National championships at the first National Appaloosa Horse Show held in Lewiston, Idaho.
Evolving from an Appaloosa breeding program in the 1940's and 50's, today's emphasis is in the training, showing, and enjoyment of Arabian and Half-Arabian horses by daughters Barbara and Laurie. In addition, the training and education of riders of all breeds in a wide variety of equine related disciplines is an important part of the daily operation. Both Laurie and Barbara have over fifteen years of experience as Bonner County 4-H leaders and now advise the youth members of the Emerald Empire Arabian Horse Club. They have also enjoyed success at the local, regional and national levels. Some of those successes included coaching a National Champion Youth Horse Bowl Team, Three National Champion Youth Horse Judges, and three National Scholarship Award recipients and numerous National winners in youth horse judging.
In the showring Barbara and Laurie have racked up four U.S. National Championships, two U.S. Reserve National Championship, 2 Reserve World Championships, 25 U.S. and Canadian National Top Tens, 19 Regional Champions, 9 Regional Reserve Championships, 23 Regional Top 5 Awards as well as over 100 Class A Championships and Reserve Championships.
All horses owned by Tibbs Arabians have been trained by Barbara and Laurie and were either born on the ranch or were purchased as yearlings or two-year-olds.
What We Do
Our primary interest at Tibbs Arabians is showing at the local, regional, and national level. We currently have horses competing in the western, trail, dressage, halter, and sport horse divisions at local and regional levels. We have previously shown in hunter, show hack, sidesaddle, and English divisions. We also enjoy taking our equine buddies out for enjoyable scenic rides in the area in which we live.When not riding, we host lessons for all ages and experience levels. We also host clinics with prominent clinicians.
Top: Harold Tibbs and Toby I, Bottom: Virginia Tibbs and Skeen Dhu (Cricket)
We are especially proud of two of our boys, GS Manitou+/ (top right) winner of three national championships in half Arabian training level dressage and one reserve championship in half Arabian sport horse under saddle at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals in 2012 and 2014, and Ravenwood DunIn Style+ (below) national champion in half Arabian Trail Select at the U.S. National Arabian Horse Show in 2017. In 2021 Dusty was back at U.S. National Arabian Horse Show with a Reserve Championship in Half Arabian Ranch Riding AOTR.
