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Cover Story: The Heart Of Hanaya: 218 Elf Layla Walayla
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Comments From The Publisher
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Tifla – Idle Chitchat?
by Theresa Cardamone
by Susanne Bösche
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The Influence Of Bábolna—Heroes’ Gate
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Ask The Breeders …
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Back Cover: Naseem Al Rashediah—Destined To Become A Legend
by Susanne Bösche
by Susanne Bösche
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2018 FEI World Equestrian Games
by Catherine Cole Ferandelli
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Regional: Bahrain & Kuwait
by Theresa Cardamone
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Trainers Forum
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Noble Straight Egyptian Breeders Festival … It’s About Camaraderie, Not Competition
by Susanne Bösche
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Tallahsman—Farewell Sweet Prince
by Susanne Bösche
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An Interview With Judith Forbis
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50 Years Of Nagel’s Katharinenhof
by Susanne Bösche
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An Interview with Judy Sirbasku
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Index of Advertisers
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Ibn Raad
by Theresa Cardamone
ON THE COVER:
218 Elf Layla Walayla (Assad x 223 Ibn Galal I-13), owned by Hanaya Arabian Stud.
C ov er D esign : E lisa G r assi
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THE STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN ARABIAN The breeding of Straight Egyptian Arabian horses has been the pursuit of a wide variety of breeders for many years, from all corners of the world. Whether large stud farms or small family operations, they have one thing in common—a passion for the Arabian bloodlines that were nurtured in the deserts of Egypt since the beginning of the 19th century. Those foundation mares and stallions—collected by the Egyptians from the Bedouins—became the source for a limited gene pool that has defined the Straight Egyptian Arabian in modern times. We hope that you will enjoy this special issue of Abroad which will not only provide our regular features but will showcase the particular beauty and elegance of the Straight Egyptian Arabian. Owner / Publisher Lara Ames AHT Abroad Representative Mieke Opsteyn AHT Abroad Designers Elisa Grassi Melanie Groger Gregor Aymar Production Manager Jody Thompson AHTimes Designers Wayne Anderson Anthony Ferguson Melissa Pasicznyk Editorial Coordinator/Proofreader Charlene Deyle AHT Advertising Account Executive Tony Bergren Contributing Editor Theresa Cardamone Contributing Writers Susanne Bösche Catherine Cole Ferandelli Accounts Receivable Deb Trebesch © Copyright AHT, Inc. dba Arabian Horse Times. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Articles or opinions published by the AHT, Inc. dba Arabian Horse Times are not necessarily the expressed views of the AHT, Inc. dba Arabian Horse Times. AHT, Inc. dba Arabian Horse Times is not responsible for the accuracy of advertising content or manipulation of images that are provided by the advertiser. AHT ABROAD Volume 3, No. 3, Straight Egyptian 2018, is published by AHT, Inc. dba Arabian Horse Times, 20276 Delaware Avenue, Jordan, Minnesota 55352.
Through organizations such as the Pyramid Society, breeders seek to promote and preserve those precious bloodlines for future generations to use. They believe that by doing so, the primary characteristics that they value—large, dark eyes; small, delicate ears and a beautifully dished face; a high-flung tail; charisma and type—will continue to characterize the Straight Egyptian Arabian. They are not so interested in “proving the value” of their horses in the show ring (although Straight Egyptian Arabians have won many of the world’s most prestigious titles). It is the results they see in the foals they produce that provide the validation for them to continue on their path. As with any group of passionate people, there is room for differences of opinion among horse breeders. In this issue of Abroad, we touch on the subject of what constitutes “purebred” or “straight” Egyptian breeding, and why some bloodlines are considered controversial. But regardless of differing opinions on pedigree, the motivation for continuing to breed is love of the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse and the desire to preserve it and improve it.
Lara Ames Lara Ames Owner/Publisher
To reserve your advertising space, please contact: Mieke Opsteyn in Belgium, +32 475 28 71 65, mieke@ahtimes.com
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Fashions Fade … Style is Eternal
Asfour
Simeon Seifan
Asfour Simeon Shifran Simeon Shavit
SIMEON SEIFAN 2004 STA LLION
Mulayh Ibn Maareesa CM Moussameh Moussah Bint Moussameh
www.simeonstud.com Facebook.com/simeonstud
Simeon Shifran
Malik Hanan Anaza Bay Shahh Simeon Safanad Ansata Amir Zaman Maareesa Messaoud Moussameh
Marion Richmond • simeonst@bigpond.net.au • Mobile: +61 418 268 749 44 Bulkara Rd, Bellevue Hill, Sydney 2158 AUSTRALIA A HT Abroad
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ASK
BREEDERS THE
Q: Why wouldn’t a breeder use horses with Tifla in the pedigree? Mary Ellen Chavez: See response to next question. Nayla Hayek: Why not, is the better question. Tifla has been a victim of a ridiculous rumor that says that a staff member of Al Badeia Stud once saw that she had been covered by a donkey. A western horse breeder now wouldn’t care about it, because breeding Arab mares to donkeys or vice versa, was no big deal and frequently practiced in Spain and elsewhere in southern Europe. But in the Arabic cultural background, there is still an old belief that the respective mare has been stained by this act and that the genes of the donkey will be present in all of her future offspring. From all the facts known, Tifla was a Straight Egyptian mare and there is no doubt about her existence and her pedigree. There is no rational reason to stay away from her blood at all. What these people tell you is nonsense. So, what happens to all the pure Straight Egyptian horses which are born as an embryo in a warmblood or trotting mare? Not pure anymore?
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ASK
Karen Kasper: I think each individual breeder should decide what lines they wish to use and hope those are informed decisions with reason and facts. Over the years there have been fads that come and go, both with popular horses and others being castigated and shunned.
BREE DERS
Sometimes I wonder if particular horses are talked down for monetary reasons, vocally denigrated by breeders wanting to market their own horses, claiming they’re purer and better because they don’t have “that” particular horse in their program.
THE
I prefer to take the perspective that Arabian horse pedigrees are like a recipe, and respect that people have different tastes. If one person chooses not to use a certain “ingredient” in their recipe that’s fine, but they should not prohibit the choice of that ingredient in another person’s recipe. The Arabian horse gene pool is already so small. If you line up all the horses certain people don’t want in their breeding programs for one reason or another, there may not be any horses left to breed from. I regret how this thinking has hurt the breed … some family lines are almost extinct because they’re being talked against, or their perpetuation discouraged. That is unfortunate, and in the long run, may diminish the strength of the breed by reducing an already limited genetic diversity. Individual breeders should educate themselves and make breeding selections toward their vision of the type of horses they want to breed. Chen Kedar: Over many decades, certain mares such as Tifla, Ora, Exochorda, and Hanan have been stigmatized by provocative rumors or stories that have resulted in a black mark and undue prejudice against them in the minds of many breeders, and this is a shame. Our Straight Egyptians are already a small and most highly in-bred population, a situation which science has proven in many animal species can lead to specific genetic weaknesses and general decline in the vigor of the entire group. It is tragic in my mind to discount even one line or one specific horse within SE lines and shrink the gene pool even further. Any horse recognized as a Straight Egyptian by the Pyramid Society has a role to play in the group’s future. Historically, all the mares mentioned above have had a positive and lasting contribution within Straight Egyptian breeding.
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Marion Richmond: The Pyramid Society has investigated all ”doubtful” horses thoroughly, therefore, if you accept Straight Egyptian, then you accept all approved horses, i.e. Tifla. The Bedouin from the Arabian Peninsula were fine and knowledgeable horse breeders. However, they were mostly itinerant and illiterate, and the pedigrees were handed down verbally. Therefore, stories about donkeys breeding Arabians may or may not be hearsay but has absolutely no effect on the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse. Unfortunately, there are too many Straight Egyptian Arabian breeders who are “paper breeders” and look back generations in a pedigree, to see if a horse has a story. This is not correct breeding of a wonderful, beautiful, useful Arabian. So, in my opinion, Tifla is not a problem in a pedigree. Cornelia Tauschke: I do not have a problem with using horses with Tifla in the pedigree, but I’m fixed on a special type and special lines. I want to fix this type with line breeding and inbreeding and I think my breeding program is identified by this type. This is the reason why I do not want to bring other bloodlines in.
Q: Why wouldn’t a breeder use horses with The Minstril? Mary Ellen Chavez: Tifla and The Minstril have the same answer as far as I’m concerned. The Straight Egyptian horse is clearly defined by The Pyramid Society. It has been proven over and over that there is no question about the purity of these two horses. Rumors were started many years ago and they have spread to many people who have not studied the bloodlines fully and don’t know their true history. Both of these horses are clearly Straight Egyptian and are listed in The Pyramid Society studbook. If we exclude these horses, we exclude many of the most beautiful Straight Egyptians ever bred. As a Straight Egyptian breeder of many years, I find that using all of the colors on my palette is the key to creating the most beautiful horses. Imagine if only black and white were available to paint with … how limited our world would be. Nayla Hayek: This was a clear a marketing tool! There is enough proof that there is nothing proven to be wrong with these lines. Everybody has their preferences in lines and this is good, but to try to kill others, only to have better marketing tools is stupid. I remember many, many, years ago I wanted to breed my best mare Kodwa to Dr. Nagel’s stallion, Jamil. I received many warnings from my dear Egyptian breeding colleagues not to do this, as Hanan would not be a clean SE pedigree! Then Mrs. Judith Forbis leased him and he was Jamilll, and everything was fine, no problem with Hanan anymore! The same with Babson bloodlines; nobody wanted them, then Prince Fa Moniet was introduced by Judith Forbis and Babson was fine. So, you see, all are proven SE bloodlines and a lot is marketing against using this or that bloodline. Most important … you should know and believe why you use the bloodlines you like in your program.
ASK
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Karen Kasper: Again, I believe breeders are entitled to make their own personal choices. The Minstril, Thee Desperado and Belle Staar, have been among my sculpture commissions, and each had unique traits that contributed to their get and grandget. A breeder’s choice to use these or any other particular lines in their breeding program should be respected.
BREE DERS THE
I personally fell in love with Moniet el Nefous, and her descendants are special to me anywhere in the world I see them. This mare is the whole reason I’m in Arabians and breeding her family has brought joy and pleasure to my life for many years. Others don’t value Moniet lines in a pedigree. It is not for me to judge others’ pedigree selections; and likewise, I don’t want others to limit my choices. Chen Kedar: If one studies our breeding program, it is obvious that it is strongly based on The Minstril and Thee Desperado, two of the most successful Arabian stallions ever bred in the U.S., so refer to my previous answer. Marion Richmond: When looking at the amazing mare Ibtehag Albadeia, I asked three major gurus at the time, was her pedigree ok as her grand sire was Nasrulla. Cleared as pure by the Pyramid Society, all three said yes, he was fine, but he was an ugly horse. However, they had not seen the horse in real life, only in photographs; and let me tell you, even the most gorgeous horse can have an ugly photograph. I sometimes feel that some breeders denigrate other horses to benefit themselves commercially, that is, if their horses do not have those lines, then they are not desirable. It is a very sad situation. The genetic pool for the Straight Egyptian is so small, that to denigrate certain horses limits even further the possible lines to be used. Cornelia Tauschke: Refer to my statement to the first question.
Q: Why are the top and bottom lines of a pedigree considered so important? Mary Ellen Chavez: There are often certain traits that consistently follow sire and dam lines. It’s important to study them both and identify those traits to make breeding decisions. I find that the tail female line is of the utmost importance. So often one can see clear consistency in what these tail female lines produce, even when crossed with different stallions.
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Nayla Hayek: For me, the most important is the dam line, but I do believe that all four grandparents of a horse are important parts of the pedigree. Karen Kasper: This is quite an interesting question to reconsider, now that I’ve been to a genetics presentation by Samantha Brooks. Before we had the science of genetic analysis to show us what genes the horse is actually carrying, allowing them to pass those traits on to their progeny, we breeders were basically making our decisions by judging phenotype. We go back and look at families by sire line and by dam line, studying to understand family patterns and heritable strengths in passing on type and conformation. I’m very interested in following what is now being learned from genetic research, as it reveals that sometimes the phenotype you see is the individual, not the genetics they’re actually carrying to pass those traits on reproductively. We’ve had a hint of this from the observation that many times a foal will resemble its grandparents more than its sire and dam… Chen Kedar: Although I believe that a horse found anywhere in the pedigree, top or bottom line, or in the center, can have the most influence on the phenotype of any certain horse, it is useful and interesting to consider the strong and lasting recognizable family characteristics passed consistently through certain sire and dam lines when making breeding decisions. Marion Richmond: A pedigree is most important in breeding Straight Egyptians and I feel that the mare has a much greater impact on the progeny than a stallion. At Simeon Stud, having bred for over 60 years, I know eight or 10 generations and I am reasonably sure of the outcome, though there are always surprises. Some are wonderful, and some could be better. The main stallions that I have used were: Asfour, who always gave amazing movement and type with tiny ears; Anaza Bay Shahh, who gave excellent conformation, i.e. feet, bodies and always huge dark eyes and black skin pigment; and Imperial Madaar, who gave height and stretch without taking away from the mare. It would take a book for me to explain why these stallions gave to my program what they did. I could explain, going through their pedigree, why I imported some old German horses with some of the bloodlines up close in their pedigrees, e.g. Hadban Enzahi, Ghazal, Maymoonah and Malikah. This has worked in my young 3-year-old stallion Simeon Seifan, who I have six mares due to foal to him this season.
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Cornelia Tauschke: I do not think the top or bottom lines are so important, for example, if a mare is from the Dahman strain, it can represent another type, when maybe more Saklawi blood is in the pedigree.
BREE DERS
I think the secret is to mix the right bloodlines together and to get what you like. And I think every breeder must have in mind what he wants to breed.
THE
And this he should follow, not what the market or fashion is at the time. For me, having more than 30 years’ experience, and I stay always on the same lines. Some people ask me, “Why do you not go to shows anymore?” And I say, “My lines are not the showing lines. I can take this bloodline into my breeding program to be more successful in the arena, but this is not what I want.” I have my way and this way I want to go. So far, there are others who like my horses and share this idea. When no one likes my horses anymore, I will stop breeding. I will not go the way others like if it isn’t my way anymore. If you aren’t interested, then I stop, I’m finished. I’m very strict. From time to time, I need to add a different bloodline into my breeding, as to not come too close. But then again, for example, some years ago I use Ajmal Tameen, who is different in type than my horses, and the offspring, the first generation looked very different than my horses. I chose three, two mares and one colt, which are more in my direction and now the colt is a stallion and he is producing on my place. He, much more than his father, goes in my direction. But I found out, with this stallion, El Thay Karim Shah, I can go very close as his sire brings a bit of different blood. El Thay Karim Shah, who comes from the Kamla family, I brought him in again into the Kamla family and it works. Maybe the horses aren’t leggy, stretchy, whatever … but this is not my type. If I want to breed leggy, stretchy horses, I should breed other blood lines. Especially with the Kamla family, I’m going for type and charm, and even if they are small I am ok with that.
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Q: Do you look at the pedigree first or the horse? Mary Ellen Chavez: Phenotype and genotype are both very important. I cannot say that one is more important than the other. They go hand in hand when assessing an individual and making breeding decisions. So often it’s not the most beautiful mare that produces a champion. Nayla Hayek: At both. They should match. Never only at one of them. Karen Kasper: I look at the horse first, and if it has certain traits I like, I try to guess what elements it may have in its pedigree. I look at the pedigree second, and then back at the horse again to refine my observations. This allows me to prioritize my impression of the horse as a unique individual first, not pre-judging it by expecting certain things from the pedigree. Chen Kedar: Always the horse. He is a living and breathing expression of a certain pedigree. The pedigree provides sort of a map which explains, in part, from where he came. Yet, by studying the written pedigree of an unborn foal, one can never predict with complete accuracy what the foal will be like. The pedigree is a tool, experience is your guide, and breeding is always educated guesswork with often surprising and unexpected results. Marion Richmond: Always look to the horse first. If the Arabian is pleasing to the eye, then look to the pedigree. As a long-time breeder, there are certain horses that I will not take in my breeding program as I have seen that they take away movement and cause small high set eyes or lack pigment or have unreliable temperaments. A good nature is so very important for the horse to be useable and a pleasure to enjoy our wonderful Straight Egyptian Arabian. Cornelia Tauschke: I first have a look at the horse and then I will look into the pedigree, to see if the horse looks like what I expect from his pedigree.
Q: How predictable is a breeding outcome?
ASK
Mary Ellen Chavez: Breeding is both an art and a gamble. Just when you think you know what you are doing, you find out that you don’t. Genetics are so complex and have a myriad of possible outcomes. By studying and making good choices, one can be successful to a certain degree in predicting an outcome. No matter how long you breed, it’s not always predictable. I have some horses that are full siblings from lines I know well, and they don’t look like they are related, while I have others who are remarkably similar.
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Nayla Hayek: It’s all hope, luck and good genes, and we hope in the best every year with every foal. I don’t believe (good x good) gives outstanding.
BREE DERS
Karen Kasper: Sometimes there is zero predictability! I have seen two of the most magnificent individuals mated together, and dreamt all year about the outcome being somewhere, anywhere in-between the sire and dam, and then seen the resulting foal born that is completely different from either parent.
THE
Likewise, I’ve seen some truly outstanding foals born from mating combinations that I had no great expectations for. This is all part of the challenge, mystery and reward of breeding Arabian horses. You make the wisest decision you can based on what you hope each parent’s heritage will contribute and hope for the best! Chen Kedar: If you really know your mares and your mare families and their characteristics and how they cross with other bloodlines, then you can have in some part, a pretty clear idea of the outcome. However, this does not make one immune to disappointments in some instances or unexpectedly lucky results in others. Breeding is never a sure thing. That is what keeps it interesting and a challenge. Marion Richmond: Having bred for approximately 62 years, I have seen the horses in my pedigrees often up to 10 generations back, sometimes even more. My pedigrees are reasonably predictable to me, but in breeding, one always has surprises, and sometimes the surprises are wonderful and sometimes they could be better. Cornelia Tauschke: If you do strong linebreeding and are fixed on a few lines, the number of surprises is limited. You can create with this, a special look. Not all the horses look like each other, but you can see the similarity.
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by Catherine Cole Ferandelli
T
ryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) located in Western North Carolina will be the proud host of the September 11-23, 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, the second American equestrian facility to do so.
Held since 1990, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) are a major international championship for equestrianism, administered by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The games include the disciplines of: combined driving, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, para-equestrianism, reining, show jumping, and vaulting—all at one facility site. FEI-WEG is held every four years, halfway between sets of the Summer Olympic Games. The event runs over two weeks and, similar to the Olympics, rotates location to different parts of the world. Riders and horses competing at WEG go through a rigorous selection process, with each awarded participating country sending teams that have achieved through competition to be their nation’s best. 2018 FEI-WEG is projected to involve 1,200 horses with 500,000 spectators from 70 countries and all 50 states. The economic impact is estimated to be in excess of $400 million.
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TIECs’ Managing Partner Mark Bellissimo is the driving force to the awarding of 2018 FEI-WEG to this less than 4-year-old facility. He is the founder, managing partner and largest shareholder of equestrian complexes located in Florida and Colorado in addition to TIEC. The partnership also hosts premiere equestrian events including New York City’s Central Park Horse show held in September. Getting TIEC ready to host a multi-faceted world class equestrian event in fewer than twenty-two months is a formidable task! Bellissimo sees it as an opportunity for achieving his top goal: making equestrian sports more mainstream and accessible to the general public, “already horsey or not.” According to Bellissimo, “Twenty-seven million people ride horses; touching more lives than some of the world’s most popular hobby type sports! Hosting FEI-WEG will reach those people, linking them via what unites them … the horse.” He explains, “That was our motivating factor behind our Central Park Horse show, held in the heart of the largest international hub in the world. Only if we continue to promote and thus engage new audiences, sponsors and participants will we see equine sports move in an upward trajectory.” In addition to the FEI-WEG championship competitions in world-class venues, TIEC grounds will also host the World Equine Expo, an interactive site for vendors, demonstrations and clinics. NBC will broadcast national and international coverage for the event. Located on 1,400 acres in the bucolic foothills just below the Blue Ridge Mountains, TIEC is positioned halfway between Asheville, NC, Greenville, SC, and 75 miles from Charlotte, NC. TIEC grounds include thirteen arenas amidst spacious areas with multiple restaurants and shops permanently on-site. Dozens of newly constructed cabins of all sizes provide on-site accommodations along with a hotel. Spectators can also choose local lodgings of all types via a link on the TIEC website. July will be the ‘near normal’ schedule of events for TIEC, including hunter/jumper circuit events, and the popular ‘Saturday Night Lights’ Grand Prix jumping, all open to the public with free admission and free parking. August, however, will be dedicated to the final preparations for FEI-WEG. TIEC’s national press officer Carly Weilminster sends the following invitation, “If you’re not able to make the FEI-WEG games, do make it a point to book a Western North/South Carolina holiday including a visit to TIEC. We’re very excited to welcome the games back to America all the while striving to be the premier equine lifestyle center within a family oriented, multi-amenity community.” n
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Consignment considerations are now in progress. email: info@intArah.com
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Bahrain & Kuwait
Kuwait City Salmiya
Mangaf
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Farm Index
t i a w u K B ahrain &
gmail.com @ ia s a r o a n tud | mo m 1. Alorasia S ediahstud.co h s a lr a @ d r ra iah Stud | ge d e h s a R l A . 2 om ns@gmail.c ia b a r .a a a h b abians | a 3. Abhaa Ar gmail.com @ d tu s n a m u Stud | alj 4. Al Juman @live.com b a h s a h k la b Stud | 5. Al Khasha m 11@yahoo.co a fr a w | m r Fa 6. Al Safinat m @hotmail.co 8 lQ e y a s a | d 7. Asayel Stu
Bahrain & Kuwait
by Theresa Cardamone
For millennia, the Arabian Peninsula and its adjacent islands and coastlines were among the most starkly beautiful and least-settled places in the world. Along with pristine beaches,quaint coastal villages and abundant sea life, Western travelers reported a brutally hot, dry climate offshore that provided little chance for agriculture due to the lack of adequate topsoil and fresh water. Nevertheless, the region was considered valuable because it flanked one of the world’s most well-traveled waterways and a number of crucial trade routes.
While the interior of the Peninsula remained under the control of indigenous tribes for most of recorded history, the outlying areas saw change in the form of foreign takeovers and influxes of immigrants in addition to more common tribal disputes. Long considered one of poorest regions on Earth, the future of the inhabitants was radically altered when oil and natural gas were discovered under the desert sands in the 1930s. Once infrastructures were in place for resource development, the small nations of the area quickly emerged as some of the wealthiest on the planet. Included among them are Bahrain and Kuwait.
Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain is a tiny archipelago of 33 islands located in the Arabian Gulf between northeastern Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Since ancient times, Bahrain was known as the “pearl capital of the world� - a title that was held from the Bronze Age well into the 19th century - due to the pearl fisheries established by its earliest known residents, the Dilmun civilization. The Dilmun carved images of horses with riders on round seals over 4,000 years ago, which proves the deep and enduring connection between the native people and the desert horse. Because of its location on ancient trade routes, the area was overrun by conquering armies time and again, coming under the control of the Greeks, the Persian Empire, the Parthians, the Portuguese and many others over the centuries, including rival native tribes.
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In the 1700s, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family, whose ancestors had migrated to Qatar from central Arabia, moved their tribal base to Bahrain, where they rose to become the ruling family in 1783. To guard against aggression by its neighbors, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom. But in 1971, Bahrain declared its independence as an emirate, and finally, in 2002, as a kingdom. It was among the first regions to convert to Islam, now the heavily predominant religion in the area. Bahrain was also the first country in the Arabian Gulf to develop a postoil economy, which they have based on banking and tourism. Bahrain now enjoys the status of being among the highest per-capita income nations in the world and is a significant vacation destination for world travelers.
The Royal Arabian Stud of Bahrain was established to continue the historic protection that the rulers of Bahrain have provided to their cherished horses for over 200 years. His Majesty, King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, is deeply committed to the Stud’s mission to protect the purity of 20 particular strains of indigenous Arabian horses. Many of the strains are linked by name to the region of the Arabian Peninsula where they first developed thousands of years ago. In order to preserve the unique gene pool, Royal Arabian Stud mares are not bred to outside stallions, only to those from a Bahraini strain. The influence of the dam is understood by breeders to be of such strength, all Royal Stud foals are named using their mother’s strain as their first name. In the past, common citizens were not permitted to breed Arabian horses in Bahrain, but private breeding farms now flourish there. In fact, Arabian breeders in Bahrain have established a series of horse shows designed to spotlight their breeding achievements, including an annual Bahrain National Championship show. In addition, Bahrain-owned and bred horses are winning against their peers in competitions all over the world. They are the equine “pearls” of Bahrain.
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forced to relinquish any territorial claims and to recognize Kuwait as a sovereign nation. That peace lasted until 1990, when Iraqi forces began an aerial bombardment and overran Kuwait, resulting in a U.Sled campaign to liberate the country which came to be known as the brief and devastating Gulf War. The Al Sabah family regained control of the country following the Gulf War. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah advanced to the helm as Emir in 2006 following a period of political reform. He was the foreign minister for over 40 years and is responsible for shaping much of the nation’s foreign policy during that time. While more progress is yet to be made, Kuwait remains a Western ally and continues to adopt such reforms as allowing women the right to vote and run for parliament (2005). In an historic outcome, four women were elected to the National Assembly in 2009.
Kuwait
Kuwait is a country on the Arabian Gulf bordered by Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It became an important region on the ancient trade route after being colonized by the Greeks. In the 1700s, the Al Sabah family was one of the nomadic tribes who settled on the bay in what would become Kuwait City. They eventually gained control of the region, which the family still holds. Like Bahrain, Kuwait turned to the British for protection, in this case against the expanding Ottoman Empire at the turn of the last century. When huge oil reserves were discovered in the poverty-stricken nation in the 1930s, the country’s economy took a dramatic change for the better. In 1961, Kuwait became an independent nation. Two years later, continued border disputes with Iraq led to a military intervention by Kuwait’s former protector, the United Kingdom, which resulted in Iraq being
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In 1980, a state-owned stud farm was established by the late Emir, H.H. Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, to “preserve and perpetuate the Arabian horse of true origin in Kuwait.” Given the name Bait Al Arab, the Arabian Horse Center is designed to be a “place of serenity, where the splendor of the Arabian horse can thrive in peace and pass on this perfection for future generations,” as described on the official website. The Emir has given his strong support to Bait Al Arab Kuwait State Stud, which has allowed for the further development of the stables and arenas and the erection of an administration building, where a modern registry manages the breeding records of purebred Arabians in Kuwait. There is an inspirational mosque; a cuttingedge equine hospital; comfortable staff housing and other features designed to give support to both the horses and the people who care for them.
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The state stud facility is designed to offer the Kuwaiti Arabian horse to a broader audience, as explained by the Bait Al Arab vision: “to preserve the Arabian horse breed and to reestablish excellent representatives from different historical strains and families of Arabian horses of true descent from the Arabian Peninsula, the land of its forefathers, and further protect Kuwait’s horse-related cultural heritage for future generations to come.” In addition to housing the horses, Bait Al Arab can accommodate a wide range of seminars, lectures and exhibitions on its expansive grounds. It publishes a quarterly newsletter in both English and Arabic to inform the public about Kuwaiti culture, heritage and history along with news and activities at Bait Al Arab and Arabian horse breeding in general. There is also an impressive equine book collection which includes the famous ‘Gleannloch Library.’ Bait Al Arab organizes national and international events for both purebred and Straight Egyptian Arabians. As the website reminds us, “The Arabian horse is part of the Arab world’s history and tradition and in Kuwait in particular, it is considered the Arab’s duty and responsibility to preserve the breed and to further its importance worldwide.” Bait Al Arab has a Straight Egyptian Arabian breeding program designed to preserve the breed as it has been since ancient times. The state stud stallions stand to outside mares, which supports the programs of the smaller breeders. They have spent the last 25 years rebuilding the gene pools that were decimated by the horror of war.
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The Gulf War was cruel to the Arabian horse. In addition to oil fields and other military targets, the retreating Iraqi army laid waste to infrastructure, homes and businesses. Collateral damage was the destruction of the Kuwaiti Arabian horse breeding programs, many of whose horses were killed in the fray. In later years, breeders from around the world have helped to repopulate the Kuwaiti Arabian horse population, which is flourishing once again. The people of Kuwait revere the Arabian horse now as they have always done. They have created a full calendar of horse shows that includes a Kuwait Egyptian Event, shows exclusively for Kuwaiti or for international breeders, and a Kuwaiti National Championship. In other areas of the world, horses from both the state-owned and private stud farms of Kuwait are making their mark at the most prestigious competitions. The Arabian horse has been reborn in Kuwait, where it will continue to build on the heritage of its desert ancestors.
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Al Orasia Arabian Stud
Magnum’s Fortune KA
QR Marc x FS Magnum’s Madonna
Sheikha Mona Al Rashed has been motivated throughout her life by her passions both for her family heritage and for the Arabian horses that evolved alongside her ancestors. A few years ago, those passions manifested in the creation of Al Orasia Arabian Stud in Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf. She has selected a strong collection of foundation mares, basing her choices on well-known bloodlines and individual quality, and relying on the kind advice of breeders and other experts to help inform her choices. While there is a predominance of Egyptian breeding in the herd, Sheikha Mona values a variety of strains from breeding programs throughout the world. Her horses are shown under the Al Orasia banner a combination of the first letters of her family name and the continents Europe and Asia. The Al Orasia horses receive impeccable care by the exceptional staff on the farm in Bahrain. They are raised, bred and trained with the well-being of the horse always priority.
Al Orasia is a relatively new farm that is still in the process of developing, yet recent show ring accomplishments are proving its worth. Magnum’s Fortune KA (QR Marc x FS Magnum’s Madonna) - who the Sheikha chose as a foundation mare - is a prime example, having won back-to-back Gold championships last winter. She claimed the top prize for Junior Mares at the Bahrain National Arabian Horse Festival in December and again, at the Bahrain International show in January. In March of 2017, Al Orasia had stunning success at the Bahrain local produce show with all three of the Gold Male Championships going to sons of Bint Al Lail (El Gameer x Doudja Allail), another precious foundation mare for Sheikha Mona. It was an unprecedented achievement that earned the Sheikha the Best Breeder trophy. Ghali Al Orasia, by D Fayez, was the Gold Champion Yearling Colt, Rahib Al Orasia, by ZT Faa’Iq, was the Gold Champion Junior Stallion, and herd sire Kaheel Al Orasia, by Tabaque, was the Gold Champion Senior Stallion.
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The Sheikha has established relationships with other trainers in the industry as well, who have presented her horses to some impressive wins. Tom Schoukens and the team at Schoukens Training Center in Belgium, are the European base for Al Orasia and are a strong support for the breeding and showing efforts. This year, the farm is also entrusting Giacomo Capacci with presenting two of its finest yearling fillies, Israa AH (Wadee Al Shaqab x Zhared Dreamz JTA), who debuted with him in Menton, and Meravigliosaah MCA (EKS Alihandro x Rebeccaah Marc MCA), whose show career has yet to unfold.
Photo: Saad
Photo: Gigi Grasso
Israa AH
Wadee Al Shaqab x Zhared Dreamz JTA
Meravigliosaah MCA
EKS Alihandro x Rebeccaah Marc MCA
In addition to the excitement of breeding and international competition, Sheikha Mona takes the time to enjoy quiet rides on her mare in Bahrain. She looks forward to continuing to develop Al Orasia Arabian Stud, along with her children as they grow up, believing in the strong connection between her family and her horses. In doing so, she will also be improving the quality of Arabian horses in Bahrain as a whole. “I want people to enjoy my horses,” she says. “Even if they are few in number, each horse is special and receives special care and people can see the difference.”
G hali Al Ora sia D Fayez x Bin
l Ora silia Rahiba’IA Al La q x Bint
t Al Lail
ZT Fa
Kaheel Al Orasia Tabaque x Bint Al Lail
Bahrain
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Al Rashediah Stud
Many years ago, young Abdulrahman Al Jasmi dreamt of a future which included a farm full of the Arabian horses he knew were a part of his heritage. He began to develop mental images of what that farm would look like and how it would function. He wanted to combine the grace and elegance of regional architecture and the bloom of verdant foliage with cutting-edge breeding and management practices to create a safe and nurturing home for his future herd. With adulthood came the means to turn his dreams into a reality. Built with the comfort and care of the horses in mind, Al Rashediah Stud was finally opened in 2007. The farm name is an homage to Abdulrahman’s son, Rashid, who had demonstrated a tremendous love of horses and accumulated a great deal of knowledge already. Farm manager Gerard Paty appreciates Rashid’s contributions. “He plays a very important part at the Stud,” says Paty. “His knowledge of pedigrees is amazing and his love for horses is God-sent.”
Together, Rashid and his father have created a beautiful, safe and supportive environment for raising some of the finest Straight Egyptian Arabian horses in the world. Abdulrahman first became interested in Egyptian Arabians while visiting friends in Kuwait. He recognized the Egyptian breeding program as a storehouse for uniquely Arabian bloodlines and decided to specialize in preserving those bloodlines for the future while honing the image of the contemporary Arabian show horse. Abdulrahman thinks it is important that the Al Rashediah horses compete and win both against other Straight Egyptian horses and in open competition globally. His belief is that his horses are quintessentially Arabian and should be able to compete and win everywhere. Presently, Al Rashediah Stud has around 85 horses, most of which reside on the farm in Bahrain. All horses at the Stud are turned out to pasture every day so that they can just “be horses.” Each horse has its own
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Colt foal
by Jamil Al Rayyan
Colt foal regimen of training and conditioning designed to keep the horses mentally and physically fit. Some horses are in Europe for breeding or showing, residing with a number of notable trainers and breeders. For much of its history, Bahrain did not allow the registration of foals who were conceived using frozen semen. That led to reduced choice in stallion selection at home and forced breeders to ship mares to outside farms to be covered. In recent years, the ability to use frozen semen in Bahrain has allowed more of the Al Rashediah mares to be bred to outside horses while remaining at home. There are usually between 10 and 20 foals born each year.
by Naseem Al Rashediah
One of the farm’s special foundation mares is Maghribia, an elegant, exciting daughter of Imperial Mashhar and the Imperial Al Kamar daughter, Khemisset. Maghribia was named the 2003 National Reserve Champion Junior Female of Morocco before making her mark as a broodmare. She has provided exceptional foals for Al Rashediah using a variety of stallions and is the dam of two national champions to date. Maleeha Al Rashediah, Maghribia’s 2009 daughter, is by Tammam Albadeia. He brings the blood of the famous Simeon Stud in Australia through his sire and owns a number of impressive titles himself:
Jamil Al Rayyan Ansata Hejazi x Dana Al Rayyan
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2006 Egyptian National Champion Junior Colt, 2007 Sharjah Egyptian Event Junior Champion Colt and 2008 UAE Egyptian Event Senior Champion Stallion among them. Maleeha Al Rashediah brought additional luster to her family when she was named the 2015 Gold National Champion Senior Female of Bahrain. Maleeha also earned the 2015 Silver Champion Senior Mare at the very competitive HH Sheikh Faisal Bin Hamad Al Khalifa National Show. A year later, Maghribia was honored once again when her son Al Aryam Majid, by multiple Middle Eastern National Champion and Egyptian Event winner Al Bilal, was named the 2016 Gold National Champion Junior Male of Oman. Maghribia has given a number of other outstanding offspring and is still producing valuable additions for Al Rashediah. Her 2018 colt by homebred Naseem Al Rashediah (Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Nabaweyah Ezzain, by Ansata Almurtajiz) is considered by the farm to be a superstar in the making. “Al Rashediah Stud is loaded with stallion power,” Paty relates. “We are fortunate to own amazing stallions, so we are able to breed in-house mostly, going outside when needed. Having a full-time veterinarian, we are now able to use all means of breeding, catering to the individual stallion and the mare’s needs.” The senior herd sires are famous throughout the Arabian horse world, with homebred junior stallions making names for themselves through their offspring.
Naseem
Al Rashediah Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Nabaweyah Ezzain
“The future for Al Rashediah is Naseem Al Rashediah,” says Paty. This homebred stallion has done it all in not many years. He has won wherever shown against straight and non-straight horses and now is producing horses (such as Maghribia’s colt) for the future. Naseem was the Gold Champion and Best in Show/Male at the 2016 Egyptian Event Europe and crossed the line to compete against non-Egyptian horses in 2017 when he was the Silver Champion Junior Colt in Menton. Another significant junior stallion on the farm is Nadeer Al Rashediah (ZT Faa’iq x NK Nadine), the 2016 Gold Champion Junior Colt at the Egyptian Event Bahrain who has started his career in the breeding barn with a “homerun filly.” Nadeer’s sire is World Champion ZT Faa’iq, a legendary horse who has given the world many exciting moments in the show ring as well as many valuable offspring. ZT Faa’iq (Anaza El Farid x ZT Jamdusah, by Jamil) was bred by Count Federico Zichy-Thyssen and foaled in Argentina. A smooth and exotic bay whose pedigree embraces the revered blood of his illustrious ancestors, ZT Faa’iq was a European and World Champion Junior Colt with Reserve Championships earned at the All Nations Cup and the Egyptian Event. His sons and daughters have earned a plethora of show honors on nearly every continent.
ZT Faa’iq Anaza El Farid x ZT Jamdusah
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Also contributing to the Al Rashediah stallion roster is another legend, Jamil Al Rayyan. Paty agrees with the worldwide opinion that he is one of the top-producing Straight Egyptian stallions in the world. The son of Ansata Hejazi and Dana Al Rayyan was the Egyptian National Reserve Champion Junior Colt in 2008 before siring a score of champions. As one example, his daughter, Sheika Al Fala, won the Gold Champion Yearling Filly title at the 2017 Egyptian Event Europe, before she was also named the Gold World Champion Straight Egyptian Yearling Filly. Photos: Gregor Aymar
Recently the Stud has made some of its foundation stock available for purchase. Gerard Paty explains, “As we gain daughters from our first group of mares, it is only right that we let some of the other breeders in the world have access to these great mares.” As those astute breeders begin to take advantage of such a fantastic opportunity, they will facilitate spreading the contribution of the horses of Al Rashediah to farms all over the planet. In that way, they are also spreading the dreams of Abdulrahman Al Jasmi and his son Rashid, by creating new and fertile ground for the breeding of the world’s finest Straight Egyptian Arabian horses.
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Abhaa Arabians
AB Muhra
Royal Colours x Hamra Music Memo
While much of Kuwait and its neighboring countries are covered in desert sands, the city of Wafra, nestled in the far south against the Saudi Arabian border, is surrounded by fertile soil and lush farmland. Underground lakes provide the water source for growing produce and nourishing the pastureland for horses and other livestock. It was the perfect location for Ahmad Abdulaziz Al Babtain to pursue his lifelong dream of raising Arabian horses, and he founded Abhaa Arabians in 2012. The name of the farm is an homage to the Straight Egyptian breeding farm of the same name. Located in Saudi Arabia, it was established by Al Babtain’s close cousin and very good friend, Saud Al Babtain in 2006. It was an easy choice to keep the name in the family, especially because Ahmad Al Babtain’s motivation to have horses in the first place came from his father. He explains, “In my childhood, my father bought for me an Arabian horse - then it became a passion! So, when I finished my studies, I started to live my passion by founding Abhaa Arabians. I started with
the horses that had Straight Egyptian bloodlines close up in the pedigrees, but after two years, I changed my mind to use all Straight Egyptian lines.” The breeding philosophy of the farm is to find solid, good-bodied mares with excellent pedigrees, then add refinement and other qualities by focusing on the pedigree match with correct stallions. Al Babtain’s vision is to continue to breed toward the ideal Arabian horse. There are over 25 horses in the Abhaa herd, each one of them are specially selected to support Al Babtain’s vision without restricting a variety of Straight Egyptian bloodlines. One broodmare that stands out among the foundation mares is Bint Farid Nile Moon (Farid Nile Moon x Bint Farid, by Anaza El Farid). She is not only the dam of 2016 Czech National Champion Stallion, DHS Tahrir, she is also the dam of one of Ahmad Al Babtain’s finest homebred fillies, 2017 Straight Egyptian Gold World Champion Junior Filly, AB Faridah, by DF Malik Jamil. Foaled in 2015, Faridah has earned numerous other
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titles including Gold Champion Junior Filly at the West Coast Cup Egyptian Event, where she also won the trophy for the Best Straight Egyptian horse at the show. This year, Faridah was named the Gold Champion Junior Filly at the Kuwait All Nations’ Cup / Straight Egyptian. AB Muhra (Royal Colours x Hamra Music Memo), another homebred, made her show debut in 2018. She won her class and was the Silver Champion Yearling Filly at the Kuwait Local Show and won her class and was the Silver Champion Yearling Filly at the Kuwait All Nations’ Cup / Straight Egyptian, where she was also the highest scoring yearling filly. Al Babtain considers his Dalal Zamani (Laheeb x Zena Al Burar) to be one of the best Straight Egyptian mares of this time. She was the Gold Champion Mare at the 2016 Egyptian Event Europe after earning Silver Champion Yearling Filly at the 2014 Event. Ahmad Al Babtain continues to build towards his vision of the ideal Arabian. “I have just added a stallion, Ibn Farida Sakr, a beautiful Tallahsman son out of Farida Sakr,” Al Babtain explains. He plans to use the horse on his own mares, as well as offering him at stud to the public.
Dalal Zamani
If all goes according to plan, this will be the next successful chapter in the story of Abhaa Arabians, Kuwait.
Laheeb x Zena Al Burar
AB Faridah
DF Malik Jamil x Bint Farid Nile Moon
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Al Juman Stud
Sheikha Al Juman For centuries, the pearl divers of the Arabian Gulf risked their lives to harvest the magnificent jewels produced by local oysters. So perfect were they, the rare pearls were in high demand throughout the world. When Jasim Al Mesbah and Mohammad Al-Awadhi decided to establish an Arabian horse breeding farm in the lush Wafra region of Kuwait, they wanted the name to reflect that history. “Al Juman is a synonym to pearls,” explains Jasim Al Mesbah. “Pearl diving, in the old days, was the main source of income for many Kuwaitis despite the hardships faced by many divers in the vast wide seas. We were thinking of a name that is related to our heritage in Kuwait and at the same time represents a valuable and a precious thing.”
RFI Farid x PF Panama
Established in 2012, Al Juman set an early goal to breed a select group of Arabian horses. Presently, the farm has 13 horses of Ali Jamaal, El Shaklan, Padron and Egyptian bloodlines. “We like to keep the group small, but high in quality,” Jasim states. “We aim to keep only the mares, and sometimes colts, who have a future in shows and can contribute to the development of our breeding program.”
Geneva Rose (Shagran Al Nasser x Psytaniums Mist
Kuwait
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Jasim mentions Geneva Rose (Shagran Al Nasser x Psytaniums Mist, by Psytanium) as a prime example. “She is the best producer at our home stud,” says Jasim. “She has an extreme head and type that she always passes on to her foals. Geneva Rose is a special mare to us because we won with her in our first appearance at an international championship.”
Al Juman Arabian Horse Stud Caesar Al Juman FA El Rasheem x
Photo: Azza
li
Latikka Del Palazzotto
Geneva Rose was the Bronze Champion Junior Filly at the 2013 Kuwait International Arabian Horse Festival. At Al Juman, stallion choice depends on what the mare lacks. “We look first to the stallion that has the phenotype to complete her without sacrificing other qualities and ensure that he is passing these features to his offspring,” says Jasim. “Then we look at his genotype and pedigree also.” On the horizon is the show debut of a colt that the Al Juman team is very excited about, Caesar Al Juman (FA El Rasheem x Latikka Del Palazzotto, by Royal Colours). “You’ll see him soon in the show ring,” Jasim assures us. “He is a very promising show and breeding colt coming from precious bloodlines. He is carrying the refinement from his sire FA El Rasheem, and the attitude and charisma of Royal Colours.” The horse that has had the most impact on the farm to date is their beautiful homebred filly Sheikha Al Juman (RFI Farid x PF Panama, by WH Justice). Foaled in 2016, Sheikha won the Gold Champion Filly Foal title at the 2016 Montefalco Spring Show and was the Silver Champion Foal overall at the 2016 Arabian Futurity Europe. In 2017, Sheikha Al Juman was Gold Champion Yearling Filly and Best in Show at the Arabian Horse Weekend and was the Gold Champion Yearling overall at the Arabian Futurity Europe. She was also Silver Champion Yearling Filly at the AHO World Cup, Bronze
Champion at the Sharjah International Arabian Horse Festival and Top Four at the 2017 European Championships. “It is our success story,” Jasim relates. “Our first leased mare PF Panama, our first embryo transfer, and our first home-bred foal, Sheikha Al Juman was shown around the globe and competed against the best of the best.” Deluged with requests to buy her, Jasim and Mohammad made the difficult decision to sell Sheikha to Al Bariq Stud of Kuwait. “Sometimes you have to let go of even the best ones when the right time and home comes,” Jasim advises. Through Sheikha and the homebreds to come, Al Juman Stud will influence the quality of Arabian breeding in Kuwait and around the world.
Sheikha Al Juman RFI Farid x PF Panama
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Al Khashab Stud
Bint Hazy Al Khalediah Mubarak and Adel Al Khashab share a deep and abiding passion for the Arabian horse. As is customary among the people of the Arabian Peninsula, the brothers grew up steeped in the knowledge that desert horses were intrinsic to their native culture. Many families owe their very existence to the horses who developed side-by-side with their ancestors. As adults, Mubarak and Adel determined that they would establish a breeding farm where they could raise Arabian horses which were as close as possible to their ideal image. In the latter part of 2012, they established Al Khashab Stud in the fertile Wafraa region of Kuwait, near the shores of the Arabian Gulf. The farm is quietly elegant, with shimmering desert sands relieved by landscaping that includes a forest of palms, their fronds on full display. The stables are a classic showcase for the exquisite horses that they house, with additional facilities that provide full-service care to all of the equine residents. From the beginning, the brothers set a high standard for their worldwide search for foundation stock.
With a core group of mares now well-established and producing wonderful homebred foals, they are still continually on the lookout for exceptional horses to add to their program. For example, the beautiful Sahara Angel, a daughter of WH Justice and Annjolina, was purchased at the 2017 Schoukens Training Center auction. An elegant addition to the Al Khashab collection, Sahara Angel was the Gold Champion Junior Filly at the 2017 Deauville Arabian Cup. The horses of Al Khashab have made names for themselves and the farm in the show rings of many countries and are developing a following. Perhaps their most well-known mare is the very popular Bint Hazy Al Khalediah (El Palacio VO x Hazy Al Khalediah). A many-time champion in the past, she is being campaigned again this year and was recently named the 2018 Silver Champion Senior Mare at the very prestigious Mediterranean and Arab Countries Arabian Horse Championship in Menton. It was her second Menton win, having brought home the Bronze championship as a yearling.
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Sahara Angel Rshediah
WH Justice x Annjolina
Al Khashab
EKS Alihandro x Symphony of Love
Bint Hazy Al Khalediah El Palacio VO x Hazy Al Khalediah Bint Hazy has earned a mountain of other honors in the show ring, including 2015 Silver World Champion Junior Mare and 2016 Bronze World Champion Junior Mare. Bint Hazy Al Khalediah was also the Gold Champion at the 2017 AHO World Cup, the 2015 UKIAHS at Addington, the 2015 West Coast Cup and the 2015 Emerald Trophy show. Twice, she has been named Majeedah CF Best in Show in addition WH Justice x to winning gold; those Maharani CF victories were at the 2017 AHO World Cup and the 2015 Emerald Trophy shows. Another crowd favorite is the lovely Majeedah CF (WH Justice x Maharani CF), who represented Al Khashab brilliantly in 2016 when she earned the Gold Champion Senior Mare titles at both the West Coast Cup and the Bruges International.
She capped her winning season by being named the European Silver Champion Senior Mare. Mubarak and Adel Al Khashab are proud of the achievements of their horses in competition with the finest in the world. They did extremely well at the 2018 Kuwait International Arabian Horse Championship “A” show, with homebred Rshediah Al Khashab (EKS Alihandro x Symphony of Love) winning the Gold Champion Junior Filly title. Rshediah Al Khashab was the Gold Champion Yearling Filly at both the 2017 KAAHC Championship “A” show and the 2017 Kuwait National Championship “B” show. Rshediah Al Khashab is also the 2018 Silver Champion Junior Filly from the Menton Arabian Horse
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Champion Yearling Colt honors at the 2015 Al Ahsa Saudi National Championship. Zaher has also been named the Bronze Champion Junior Colt at the 2017 King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center Show. Zaher Al Muawd is out of Espinilla, who comes from the finest Egyptian bloodlines through her sire Al Maraam and the finest Polish bloodlines through her dam Espadrilla, a Monogramm granddaughter. They are particularly thrilled with the foals that Zaher Al Muawd is producing: Modmozel Al Khashab, from Eriana FMA; Rahma Al Khashab, from SA Minerva and Zaher Al Khashab from Nardin are all showing exceptional promise.
Malikat Al Moluk Mameluk x Asalat Al Hala
Championship and earned the Silver Champion Junior Filly honors at the 2018 AHO World Cup. The brothers have high hopes for her continued success on the European show circuit this year. Stablemate Malikat Al Moluk (Mameluk x Asalat Al Hala) added to the farm’s glory in Kuwait when she won the Silver Champion Mare title. Malikat has numerous previous medals including Silver Champion Junior Mare at the 2016 All Nations Cup and 2016 West Coast Cup. Malikat Al Maluk was also named the Gold Champion Junior Mare at both the 2016 Tulip Cup and the 2016 Emerald Trophy shows.
The Al Khashab brothers have developed reciprocal relationships with many other breeders, allowing them the opportunity to be flexible with their herd and to manage its growth. They have benefitted from leasing great mares from outstanding farms and they are willing to offer that same advantage to other breeders. Mubarak and Adel also know that in order be creditable as breeders, they sometimes have to let some of their best horses go to new homes. Their lovely mare CAP Bianca (Shanghai EA x Arabians Blanca) is a good example of such a sacrifice. She had great success for Al Khashab in the show ring, garnering the Silver National Champion honors at the 2016 Kuwait National Championships. She was also the Gold Champion Senior Mare at the 2016 Berlin Cup International. In keeping with their philosophy, CAP Bianca will be offered for sale at the Schoukens Training Center auction to be held in October 2018.
Three Al Khashab yearlings also won important prizes at the 2018 Kuwait International Championship. Jude MS (Abha Ubangui x JJC Lourdes) was the Bronze Champion Yearling Filly, while two offspring of Al Khashab’s herd sire Shakar Pegasus (Shaezz El Madan x Jameel Pegasus) also ended up in the winner’s circle. Shakar Pegasus won Gold Champion Senior Stallion honors at the 2016 West Coast Cup and is now making a name for himself as a sire. His lovely daughter, Ghazl Al Khashab, was the 2018 Bronze Champion Yearling Filly. Out of Majeedah CF, Ghazl also placed first in her section of fillies at the Kuwait National Championships. Mubarak and Adel have high hopes for their young stallion, Zaher Al Muawd. A son of the Polish-bred international champion Equator, Zaher Al Muawd is a multiple-gold champion himself. He was the Gold Champion Junior Colt at the 2017 Kuwait International Championship show after already earning Gold
Zaher Al Muawd
Equator x Espinilla
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left:
Shakar Pegasus Shaezz El Madan x Jameel Pegasus right:
Ghazl
Al Khashab
Shakar Pegasus x Majeedah CF
With so much success already in the books, the Al Khashab brothers are enjoying the fruits of their labor of love. They see their horses winning in the international spotlight and, more importantly, see their vision of the ideal Arabian horse coming to fruition. With every new foal, they get ever-closer to that goal. Mubarak and Adel Al Khashab welcome all who love the Arabian horse to visit Al Khashab Stud should your path lead you to Kuwait. There you may find a horse that is the answer to your dreams!
Rshediah Al Khashab
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Al Safinat Stud
Firas Al Safinat
Sinan Al Rayyan x Agayeb Al Rayyan
The Arabian horse breeders of Kuwait share a special commitment to each other and to the horses that they hold dear. Together, they have worked to restore and enrich the breeding of Arabian horses following the devasting Gulf War in 1990-1991. Because underground water supports the country’s only uniformly fertile area in the southern region around Wafra, nearly all of the breeding farms in Kuwait are in close proximity to each other, another important factor in the development of the collaborative spirit that has fueled their successful effort. Among those to make an early contribution to the rebirth of Arabian breeding in Kuwait was Khaled Ben Shokor, who founded Al Safinat Stud near Wafra in 1995. Khaled Ben Shokor has loved Arabian horses for many years, admiring everything about them. His reverence for every detail is evident in his reason for choosing the Arabic name Al Safinat for his farm. “It symbolizes the characteristics of Arabian horses that stand on three legs,” he explains, “the fourth leg relaxed on the tip of the hoof.” Khaled Ben Shokor’s appreciation for every
element of the horses, including their typical behaviors, contributes as a factor in his ongoing success. “My plan did not change over the years,” he states. Khaled Ben Shokor visited many farms in many countries all over the world, learning from and mentoring with some of the most successful breeders in the Arabian horse business. His basic breeding philosophy remains the same, “to maintain the quality and purity of my breed.” It is a worthy goal. More specifically, Khaled’s vision into the future is to, “breed correct and elegant Straight Egyptian horses.” Bait El Arab, the state stud farm of Kuwait, has been at the center of reconstruction of the Arabian breed for many years now. In their 2008 brochure, they endorse Al Safinat’s owner, offering him their sincere praise, “Khaled Ben Shokor is … honest and open about his horses and his goals in breeding, which makes a visit to see his farm both delightful and educational.” The many Arabian horse enthusiasts who have visited Al Safinat Stud would agree.
Kuwait
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Al Safinat Stud has a present roster of around 45 mares and fillies, and four stallions, a number that Khaled thinks is just about right for them. He keeps the numbers fairly constant by sometimes selling horses to interested breeders and only purchasing a new horse if it would be of significant value to the breeding program. Not all the horses are shown, some are only for breeding and some are used for pleasure riding. Khaled Ben Shokor is grateful for the positive impact that the horses have on the lives of the people he loves the most. “All my family are involved in Arabian horses,” he declares, “as the horses became part of my family.”
Photo: Irina Filsinger
Al Safinat employs the most current breeding techniques,using frozen semen and/or embryo transfer when necessary. They cater to each mare and stallion’s preferences, breeding by both natural service and via embryo transfer. The horses receive nothing but the finest of care in every area, undergoing a light training routine that keeps them in good condition.
Aliikat
Ruminaja Ali x Katourah
majority of the Al Safinat mares. Sometimes, individual mares are sent abroad for breeding to outside stallions if Khaled thinks that would be the best cross. He still has two of the original four mares with which he founded the farm over 20 years ago: Aliikat 1989 (Ruminaja Ali x Katourah, by Mohssen) and RN Rayana 1994 (Prince Fa Moniet x Ansata Sharifa, by Ansata Ibn Shah).
RN Rayana
Khaled takes the breeding of Straight Egyptian horses very seriously, using his accumulated knowledge to select each stallion/mare combination with the greatest of care. He pays particular attention to the strains that trace back to some of the Arabian breed’s greatest desert-bred foundations. “I use mainly Dahman Shahwan bloodlines through Sabah and Farida,” he says. “And Saglawi bloodlines through Moniet El Nefous and Ghazala.” He bases his decisions on the conformation / phenotype of the horses in addition to their Straight Egyptian pedigrees. Khaled offers his four stallions at stud for other breeders to share, as well as using them on the
Photo: Gigi Grasso
Prince Fa Moniet x Ansata Sharifa
Kuwait
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Exotica had a number of excellent children for Khaled, including Arak Al Safinat by Alidaar, and the elegant Kamar Al Safinat by Ansata Hejazi. It was Exotica’s 1992 daughter Ansata Shahrezade (by Ansata Halim Shah) who has had the most impact on the family to date. Her first two foals, by Ansata Iemhotep, placed well at shows in Europe and the Middle East, with her 2000 son Ansata Alghazzali winning the senior stallion championships at the Northern Group AHS show in both 2004 and 2005. Her son Labbad, by Ansata Nile Nadir, placed well in national competitions in Sharjah, Ajman and the UAE, and he has proven himself to be a useful sire. But it was a daughter who would add the most luster to the family tree. The ethereal beauty, Ansata Bint Shahrezad was born to Ansata Shahrezade in 2002. Her sire, Farres, is a son of Anaza El Farid. It was no surprise when Bint Shahrezad won her class and was named the 2005 Egyptian National Champion Junior Female. She followed that up by earning the 2006 Egyptian National Champion Senior Female honors. Upon retiring from the show ring, Bint Shahrezad produced excellent offspring, including Motair Al Baidaa, by Tarres Rasheek Al Qusar, who was the 2013 Silver Champion Junior Male at the 15th Sharjah International Championships.
Nefisa Al Safinat
Ansata Hejazi x Aliikat
Aliikat is an elegantly beautiful daughter of the legendary Ruminaja Ali, still gorgeous at nearly 30 years old. She has produced foals by a number of different stallions, with two of her finest offspring being full sisters by the remarkable Ansata Hejazi (Ansata Halim Shah x Ansata Sudarra, by Ansata Abu Sudan). The eldest, Nefisa Al Safinat, was foaled in 2001. She placed well at the 2010 Kuwait National Championships before being sold to Al Waab Stud together with her daughter Najlaa Al Safinat (x Wahag Al Rayan). RN Rayana is another grand mare who has produced well for Khaled Ben Shokor when bred to Ansata Hejazi and the Salaa El Dine son, Adnan. Rawan Al Safinat, by Hejazi, has produced several show winners, as has Rayana’s Adnan daughter, Rimaa Al Safinat. While these two mares deserve high accolades, when asked which of the Stud’s mares was the most important to mention, Khaled named Ansata Exotica (Jamilll x Ansata Ghazala, by Ansata Ibn Sudan). Foaled in 1986, Ansata Exotica is a product of Don and Judy Forbis’s fabled Ansata Arabian Stud.
Najlaa
Al Safinat Wahag Al Rayyan x Nefisa Al Safinat
Kuwait
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Rimaa Al Safinat
Rana Al Safinat
Ansata Exotica
Ansata Hejazi x RN Rayana
As the heat of summer begins to wane, the horses of Al Safinat Stud continue to blossom. It is they who will keep Khaled Ben Shokor’s dream of the ideal Arabian horse alive, with each ensuing generation bringing him closer to that goal. It is the horses who will enrich the gene pool in Kuwait, providing a rich palette for the future.
Kamar Al Safinat Jamilll x Ansata Ghazala
Kuwait
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Adnan x RN Rayana
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Ansata Hejazi x Ansata Exotica
Asayel Stud
Khaled Abdulaziz Al Nughemshe grew up dreaming about raising the desert horses that are a part of his heritage. He eventually began a hobby farm, naming it Asayel, which Khaled describes as “identical to the Arab identity.” As he and his family became more involved in the breed, Khaled began to turn his hobby into a full-fledged Arabian horse business in Al Wafra, the southernmost area in Kuwait. With over 150 horses, the Asayel herd is robust and includes 12 stallions that serve the farm and visiting mares. Khaled believes that reasonable prices on good horses will create more demand and secure their value to the horses’ best advantage. With so many successful homebreds, Khaled only buys horses that will have a significant impact on the Asayel program. His horses are in demand by other breeders and are valuable additions to the local gene pool. Asayel Stud has produced a dozen and more Gold Champions and has promoted many others.
In particular, the Asayel Stud stallions have brought notoriety to the farm through their many wins in the stiffest international competitions. This year, in a dominating display by two of the farm’s stallions, PSE Al Rakhan (Royal Colours x PSE Mistrez) and Naseem Al Nakeeb (Murtajab Al Nakeeb x Nessma), they brought home both the Gold and Silver Senior Stallion titles, respectively, at the Kuwait All Nations Cup for Straight Egyptians. PSE Al Rakhan was previously named the 2016 Gold Champion Senior Stallion at the Egyptian Event Europe and the 2014 Gold World Champion Colt at the Straight Egyptian World Championships. At the 2013 Egyptian Event Europe, Al Rakhan was the Gold Champion Colt and the Best in Show. Later that year, he was named the Best Straight Egyptian at the 2013 Arabian World Championships in Paris. PSE Al Rakhan’s stellar show record comes as no surprise, as he was the 2012 Gold Champion Foal at the Egyptian Event Europe, scoring 93.5 points, with four 20’s!
Kuwait
Naseem Al Nakeeb was also shown prior to this year, including winning the 2015 Silver Champion Senior Stallion title at the Kuwait International Egyptian Event. That same year, one of Asayel Stud’s most exciting junior stallions was foaled. D Arghad (FA El Rasheem x Krystal Tiara) is a stunning bay who was named the 2018 Bronze Champion Junior Stallion at the Kuwait International Arabian Horse Championships. Van Gogh AM (Magnum Psyche x Ynazia HCF, by AF Don Giovani) is one of the most popular show horses and sires in Europe. His offspring have won scores of gold, silver and bronze titles all over the world. Van Gogh has been earning championships at the most prestigious shows on the planet for more than six years. In 2011, he was the Silver Champion Junior Stallion at Menton to start the summer, earning the Silver Champion Junior Stallion title at the All Nations Cup in Aachen later that year.
pse Al Rakhan
Van Gogh AM Magnum Psyche x Ynazia HCF
Royal Colours x PSE Mistrez
Photos: Elisa Grassi, Gigi Grasso
Van Gogh earned a Bronze in Menton the following year as a junior stallion, and in 2015, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and most of North America to become the Gold Champion Senior Stallion at the Scottsdale International Arabian Breeders Classic in Arizona. Van Gogh was also the Gold Champion Stallion at shows in Italy and France that year. More recently, he was named the 2017 Gold Champion Senior Stallion and the Crowd Favorite at the Elran Cup. He earned a third Menton title in 2017, Bronze Champion Senior Stallion. Khaled Abdulaziz Al Nughemshe has much to be proud of. Through his efforts, the horses of Asayel Stud will continue to prosper.
Kuwait
D Arghad
FA El Rasheem x Krystal Tiara
Design by Melanie Groger Text by Theresa Cardamone for Arabian Horse Times Abroad
Geert Oben
Uri Shaked
Where were you when you saw an Arabian for the first time? Was it an Egyptian? 1986, when my father bought his first Arabian.
In the village in the kibbutz where I grew up, we had a farm of Arabian horses where I took riding lessons since the age of eight, but no Egyptians.
Who was the first straight Egyptian horse you saw that left a lasting impression? Ansata Sinan.
That was many years ago El Maraam at Ariela Arabians when he was a young colt. He was beautiful as a young colt.
If you could put one of your current horse loves in your suitcase, who would it be and why? Hatem ll Al Safi, as he is so kind and makes me smile every day.
I have at my farm, a beautiful white mare who is super sweet. And every morning when I pass by in the aisle, she calls for me and asks me to come. And then when I come and start petting her, she gets really excited. And this continues every time I pass by her. She is for sure, one of the sweetest.
Next to you, of course, who is the best handler in Europe? And secondly, worldwide? Europe, Glenn Schoukens.
There are many good ones; it’s really, really hard to point out someone specific. I would say Giacomo. I’ve worked with him many years and spent a lot of time with him, closely.
Worldwide, Ted Carson.
Worldwide would be Steve Dady. I used to spend a lot of time with him and he really give me a lot in my way of training and showing.
If you had the power to dictate the future of the straight Egyptian horse, what is the first thing you would do? Care more for elegance and less for face. Same with pedigree and breed for a future.
I would love to create, I don’t know how, a beautiful stallion that has a totally different pedigree, so everyone can use him and not inbreed like we do so much these days.
When you look in the mirror at yourself, what do you see? Why most think Tom is older.
Are you see the same young kid that tried to live his dream since eight years old?
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Noble Straight Egyptian Breeders Festival ... It’s About Camaraderie, Not Competition by Susanne BÖsche
A
babble of voices from the grandstand is heard when someone asks for a show halter in one of the stable tents. “No problem,” soon comes the answer. Another one is asking for help during the presentation of his group of four horses. “Of course, no problem,” is the answer again. It is the unique spirit that this social experience of camaraderie and solidarity has had on the participants during the second edition of the Noble Straight Egyptian Breeders Festival. The horses are the focus, of course, but this is also a festival about camaraderie, not competition, and this is not just another empty phrase. After its successful premiere in 2017, Mahmoud Anzarouti and his team again provided the full treatment and warm welcome to all participants and visitors. From the luxurious flower decorations to delicious appetizers served during the day, or the fine walking dinner in the evening, every detail stood for cultivated hospitality. Even soccer fans were satisfied with the World Cup final shown on a large screen on Sunday evening. About 120 horses from 30 different stud farms came before the public—Arabian horse breeders and enthusiasts from all over the world. “The camaraderie was great,” confirms Gabriele Seidlitz-Oster from Germany who presented, together with her husband Dr. Matthias Oster, a mare and her produce. “During the presentations or pause, breeders were walking through the stables having a closer look at horses of other participants. Everybody had a happy smile and a friendly word for each other. It was easy to feel comfortable here at the Noble Festival. The thinking goes, if more people value their relationships with one another, the better they will perform for one another and, thus, for the organization. But can you have too much of a good thing?”
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Fun, not competition was the priority. This, plus the chance to present his lovely Tamria granddaughter Tarissia B to confessing admirers of the straight Egyptian, coaxed Gregor Pintar to drive 1.000 kilometers from Slovenia to the Netherlands. Not only famous breeders like Judith Forbis, Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel, and Mohammed Jassim Al Marzouq, followed the presentation. Internationally renowned artists like Karen Kasper and Heidi Frank were among the guests, as well as Cynthia Culbertson, President of the Pyramid Society, and Bettina von Kameke, President of the Pyramid Society Europe. Among the many breeders from Europe, South Africa or the Middle East were also owners of Shagya Arabians like Anja Paltra, who followed the Noble Festival via live stream in 2017 and was just excited about the atmosphere. “This event I didn’t want to miss,” she says. And Davide Iacomino from Italy adds, “Most participants are looking for a social experience. It is all about you creating a personal connection with other people.” Seeing new bloodlines, was another advantage in the opinion of Saeed Al Buwayt, Saudi Arabia. “At the Noble Festival, I saw horses I have never heard about, I saw stallions and their get I have never recognized before,” he shares with enthusiasm. “You see the different horses and you meet people of different walks of life. Obviously, it is a chance for small breeders to present their horses to the public. You do not need a professional trainer, no make-up, no panda eyes. It is a relaxed way to show the horses next to famous breeders. We really need an event like this in Saudi Arabia. Socializing, discussing, learning … all this is so important to any horse breeder.” Debbie Fuentes, Registrar of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), like many other visitors, took the opportunity to combine Dr. Nagel’s Open House and the Noble Festival. “An absolutely remarkable and unique event,” Debbie can’t stop rhapsodizing. “You can feel the camaraderie in every second. I love the very natural style of the horses and it is refreshing to see owners presenting their own horses; you can feel their deep connection to their beloved Arabians. We do not have similar events like this in the USA. I want to extend my thanks to Mahmoud Anzarouti on his generosity and I admire speaker, Klaus Beste, who seems to be a walking studbook.” International judge and breeder Dr. Francesco Santoro of Italy, adds, “It is important to find cooperation among us straight Egyptian enthusiasts. Why not combine the Egyptian Event Europe with the Noble Festival? I would imagine that both could benefit from this.” After the last horse left the arena, Mahmoud Anzarouti received a unanimous standing ovation. Did he foresee this when he fell in love with the Arabian horse and started his never-ending journey? “This journey has led me and my amazing team here, to the Noble Festival, where everyone can share their journey, learn together and get inspired by each other in camaraderie, not competition.”
photos by Diane Cantey and Arlette Studer A HT Abroad
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Tallahsman —Farewell Sweet Prince
by Susanne BÖsche
photo by R Sovilo
When Bint Atallah (Ruminaja Ali x AK Atallah) presented a foal early on the morning of April 14, 1996, owner Judy Guess felt that this breeding was one that would be remembered.
the very upright colt with extra long legs, a smooth body, and upright in the neck with a chiseled head crowned by tippy ears and intelligent eyes. “And Tallahsman could really move when he wanted to,” adds Judy, with a wink.
The grey colt stood up almost immediately and from the beginning, had an attitude of a Prince. He knew who he was and let Judy know that he was special. “I named him Tallahsman, from his dam’s nickname, along with the meaning of talisman, a portent of luck!”
Tallahsman was “one of a kind”, proven in the land of his nativity, Egypt, where the stallion spent most of his life and made a name for himself as a great sire. One of his famous daughters is the fantastically producing Magda Sakr, dam of several champions. Before Tallahsman traveled to his final home, Al Waab Stud in Qatar, to accompany his famous daughter Nabeela Sakr, the 2012 Egyptian World Champion Mare, he went to Al Khaled Farm in Saudi Arabia, where he left his last foal crop. The fillies Saei’dah Al Khaled and Sadn Al Khaled out of Sadah Madheen, as well as Sultan Al Khaled out of Saraa Al Kaheld, continue Tallahsman’s heritage there.
From the beginning, Tallahsman had a mind of his own, a tribute to his exquisite dam who had always been dominant, like a true warhorse with pride and nobility. “Tallahsman commanded attention and respect, and in turn would give that back to those he felt deserved it. Otherwise, he marched to his own drum,” Judy says. In 1997, Omar Sakr, famous around the world, was looking for a special colt or stallion in the USA. He chose Tallahsman, A HT Abroad
Tallahsman died April 21, 2018, at 22 years old. Farewell, sweet Prince, you will be remembered. You have left the world with many excellent sons, daughters and grandchildren.
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From a young and fearless girl who rode racehorses in Turkey to a determined woman who through her clear and brilliant vision changed our breed forever, the horses of and from Judith Forbis’ Ansata Arabian Stud still continue to change the breed while it’s founder resides on a lake outside of Mena, Arkansas. Since the early 1950s, when Judith Forbis and her late husband, Donald, lived and traveled through the Middle East, they got to know, not only the Arabian horse there, but also the people and culture that created them. What began with the purchase from the Egyptian Agricultural
Organization
of
three
yearlings:
Ansata Ibn Halima, Ansata Bint Zaafarana and Ansata Bint Mabrouka, turned out to be a globally influential breeding program known under the prefix Ansata. For more than 50 years, every generation produced new stars and legions of success. Second to no other American stud regarding their influence of straight Egyptian Arabian horse breeding, Ansata Arabian Stud has also had an enormous impact in show and mixed-blood Arabian horses around the globe. Ansata Ibn Sudan, Ansata Shah Zaman, Ansata Imperial, Ansata Abbas Pasha, Ansata Samantha, Ansata Rosetta, Ansata Halim Shah, Ansata Hejazi, Ansata Sinan, Ansata Majesta or Ansata Malaha … the names alone, are music to the ears of Arabian horse lovers on every continent. Judith Forbis is also an international judge, lecturer and author. Her books are core literature for Arabian horse breeders and enthusiasts. She is a Founding Member, Trustee and Past President of the Pyramid Society; Founding Member of Pyramids Egyptian Arabian Horse Foundation of Egypt; and former Secretary of the Arabian Horse Trust in America. Judith and Donald Forbis … they had a dream and they believed firmly, that it might come true. This is not the first Lifetime Achievement Award for Judith and Don. Back in 2002, Arabian breeders of America honored the Forbises for their accomplishments. In 2016, Judith accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the All Nations Cup Committee, which honors her for her contribution to the Arabian horse, for her visionary ideas and the treasures she gave the world.
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Your highly regarded breeding program and respected articles and books have made you a celebrity within the Arabian horse scene; often seen surrounded by your many admirers at Arabian horse events. How does it feel giving up your anonymity? Although I have always been in leadership roles throughout my life, I learned what true celebrity status is while living abroad. In 1957 I joined the International Cooperation Administration (i.e. the Marshall Plan) and was sent to Ankara, Turkey. It was here that I bought my first Arabian mare. After riding her to the civilian jumping championship of the country and winning the governor’s trophy on a black American cavalry mount, photos appeared in all of the newspapers of the “American woman” who had even defeated male cavalry riders. Overnight I became “a celebrity.” Don and I met and married in 1958. He was manager of Halliburton’s oil field operations. To be closer to the oil field exploration, we were moved to Diyarbakir, a fortress town whose huge basalt walls had been erected in A.D. 394 by the Roman Emperor Constantius. Don also loved horses, and we purchased two Arabians to train and compete with in the local races. Don trained them and I was the jockey. In this primitive bastion, far away from western-oriented Ankara or Istanbul, women had just come out from behind the veil. I was competing against Arabs, Kurds and Turks in a proud man’s world—and winning! Women came out to see the races for the first time ever, and crowds gathered wherever we went. While competing in Kiziltepé on the Turkish/ Syrian border, the race officials had to call in the gendarmes to keep people from touching me—as if I was something from outer space! From those days in Turkey onward, I realized what celebrities, particularly movie stars, go through. Eventually I wrote the book Hoofbeats Along the Tigris to record our challenging and contrasting experiences of that era. I have experienced nothing like those days ever since, and don’t consider myself a “celebrity”, even though people often approach me at Arabian horse related activities.
Three yearlings are born at El
The Forbises’ lease four mares from
Ansata Bint Bukra (Nazeer x Bukra)
Zahraa, destined to write history in
renowned Babson Farm: Fa-Habba,
is imported from El Zahraa, carrying
straight Egyptian breeding: Ansata
Aana, Fay Sabbah and El Maar
a foal by Sameh. The resulting filly
Ibn Halima, Ansata Bint Zaafarana
to combine the “new” and “old”
born in 1966 is Ansata Bint Misr
and Ansata Bint Mabrouka, all
straight Egyptian bloodlines
exported by Judith and Donald Forbis to the USA in 1959
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Ansata Ibn Halima wins Class A Park Championship, also U.S. National Top Ten with Tom McNair, while his son Ansata Ibn Sudan wins U.S. National Top Ten Judith co-founds The Pyramid Society with Douglas Marshall; Don Forbis later serves on the Board
Ansata Ibn Halima is awarded a U.S. National Top Ten in 1966 and again in 1967
Birth of Falima (Ansata Ibn Halima x Fa-Habba), the founder of the world-famous Ansata Nile family
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How would someone get your special attention? I don’t discriminate when anyone tries to get my attention; however, potentially serious breeders may get a longer visit, especially ifit is a subject I’m keen about. Most of the answers to people’s questions about breeding principles I’ve covered in my books, so I suggest they read them. Sometimes we receive telephone calls at the office to inquire about horses or books for sale, and the caller will say, “I can’t believe I am actually talking to Judith Forbis.” I gently remind them that I enjoy speaking with anyone and to never forget that “all idols have clay feet.”
What is the best compliment you have received? That is a hard question, but I would have to say when I became the first woman to win the John W. Galbreath Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurship in the Equine Industry. This happened in 2004 and it was an overwhelming compliment, indeed. This prestigious award is presented annually by the University of Louisville and had been won by icons in the entire international horse world, such as John A. Bell, John R. Gaines, Robert Clay, John Lyons, and D. Wayne Lucas, among others. To be included among these remarkable horsemen is unforgettable.
What is your greatest strength and weakness? My strengths have been achieved through many trials after living abroad in foreign jungles, deserts, mountains, large cities and small towns, but most of all, surviving the loss of favorite foals and mature horses and never giving up. As to weakness, I have a hard time saying “no” when I am asked to write something special, help or edit other journalists, give lectures at home or abroad, or attend special equine functions. At some point in time I guess I’ll learn to say the word!
Judith Forbis publishes
Ansata Ibn Sudan is named
Ansata Arabian Stud moves from
her first book, “Hoofbeats
U.S. National Champion Stallion
Oklahoma to Lufkin, Texas
Along the Tigris”
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Ansata Ibn Halima turns 20, and the Forbises celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary “The Classic Arabian Horse” appears in print; to this day, a ‘must read’ book for anyone interested in straight Egyptian Arabian horses. The very same year, another book by Judith Forbis (and Walter Schimanski) is published, “Royal Arabians of Egypt and the Stud of Henry B. Babson”
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If you had not become a successful Arabian horse breeder, which career would you have chosen? I loved drawing animals and horses as a child and planned to become a commercial artist. After graduating from high school, I attended Syracuse University College of Fine Arts. For a period of time I worked as a greeting card artist, learning much from my supervisor, a former Disney designer. Over the years, painting and photographing horses fine-tuned my eye to correct equine conformation and helped me to apply the knowledge gained in our breeding program. I always suggest to anyone wanting to breed horses they should first learn to draw them. This will quickly teach assets and faults if the right reference material is used, as will sketching horses from real life.
Besides Arabian horses, is there something that touches you emotionally, i.e. a certain piece of music or another piece of art? All the arts are interconnected, but certain instances touch the soul forever. I recall attending a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House where famed soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was featured. Critics have described her voice as having a “platinum tone and regal aura.” That day she hit a high note that sent shivers down my spine. I knew then how sound can shatter glass … or perhaps had moved the blocks of granite that built the great pyramids of Egypt. Another time I was visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I was overwhelmed by Rembrandt’s masterpiece
Ansata Halim Shah (Ansata Ibn
Fa Halima (Ansata Ibn Halima x
Halima x Ansata Rosetta) is born
Sabrah) is named U.S. National Champion Mare
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of Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer. I just stood still, as if transfixed. At a Pyramid Society Egyptian Event, Edwin Bogucki exhibited his bronze sculpture of King Tut in his chariot hunting lions. It took my breath away! The emotions we feel are not confined to any one art. As noted in my book, Authentic Arabian Bloodstock II, “From time immemorial there has been an insistence on the interdependence of the Arts, united in universal correspondence and harmony. Color, music, poetry, dancing, sculpture and architecture, perfumes and tastes, natural and cosmic rhythms all correspond to one another like the many facets of a polished jewel.”
What was your most important decision and why? Marrying Don Forbis! After Don and I met in Turkey, from then on, we dedicated our lives to owning and breeding the finest Arabian horses possible. We discovered Egyptian Arabians during our quest, and it opened a whole new world of opportunities and challenges. We made countless sacrifices to enable purchasing and maintaining our first three yearlings: Ansata Ibn Halima, Ansata Bint Mabrouka and Ansata Bint Zaafarana, binging a new appreciation of Egyptian bloodlines to America and eventually the world.
Did you ever make a mistake when assessing a horse; meaning did you miss a breeding opportunity or did you sell a horse too soon which turned out way better than you had thought? I’m sure there were instances where mistakes and assessments from 60 years of breeding horses were made in both categories. However, I do remember purchasing a lovely mare that turned out to produce certain objectionable conformational qualities that I had not anticipated, even though she and her foals were beautiful. Don had not wanted to buy her, but he gave in to my pleading. I don’t know any breeder that has not had regrets from time to time, but fortunately in our case there weren’t many of them.
Ansata Arabian Stud,
A remarkable exchange of stallions: Jamilll (Madkour I x Hanan), (pictured left)
including the three Nazeer
bred by Nagel’s Katharinenhof Stud, Germany, stands at Ansata Arabian Stud,
offspring Ansata Ibn Halima,
while the young Ansata Halim Shah (Pictured right) is leased to Dr. Nagel, leaving a
Ansata Bint Bukra and
lasting influence on European Arabian horse breeding
Ansata Bint Nazeer, move to Mena, Arkansas. Ansata Ibn Halima passes the very same year
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(Top) Ansata Majesta, pictured right, (Ansata Halim Shah x Ansata Malika) and Ansata Splendora (pictured middle) are sold to Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani and are exported to Qatar, introducing Ansata bloodlines to the Arabian Gulf
Sale of Ansata Haji Jamil (Jamilll
Ansata Hejazi (x Ansata Sudarra) is
x Ansata Delilah) as a birthday gift
born, becoming the successor of his
from his people to HRH King Hassan
famous sire, Ansata Halim Shah
II of Morocco
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Did you discuss and make all your breeding decisions together with Don? In the early years of our marriage, we were sent by Halliburton to various foreign countries (e.g. Turkey, Iran, Libya, Greece, Egypt, Columbia, England). I came home twice a year to oversee our farm and the breeding activity. Eventually Don retired and from then on, managed construction and maintenance of the farms in Texas, Arkansas and Kentucky—the pride of them being the total construction of the Ansata ranch in Mena. We always discussed the breeding program, as Don had a very good eye for conformation and athletic ability from having played sports and football, but basically, the selections were my decision.
And if you didn’t agree, who made the final decision? We didn’t disagree often, but we usually compromised unless I was adamant. Then I guess I won out!
You introduced the Kuhailan strain to your breeding program through Hanan’s sire Alaa El Din. Was there a reason why you didn’t establish a Kuhailan dam line? We did establish a successful Kuhailan Rodan line later in our program, as will be noted under that strain in the Ansata Studbook, Authentic Arabian Bloodstock II - The Story of Ansata. However, during our first visits to the EAO in the late 50’s and early 60’s, we were drawn to the Dahman strain particularly through Bukra and the Farida line, and the Saklawi strain primarily through Moniet El Nefous and her family, including Morafic. The Hadban strain was also very appealing through Yosreia and Kamla. For the qualities we personally envisioned, these were the most consistent in nobility, balance and refined classic type in addition to possessing beautiful heads and character. Of the stallions we saw at that time, Alaa El Din (Nazeer x Kateefa) was indeed elegant and refined but there were certain conformational traits and an expression that did not fit our criteria; neither did Rashad Ibn Nazeer (Nazeer x Yashmak) who additionally was much coarser and different in type. Some Kuhailan mares in Egypt we liked, but not
Ansata Halim Shah is exported to
Ansata Arabian Stud celebrates
Ansata Hejazi is sold to visionary
adorn the stables of Al Shaqab
its 40th anniversary with a special
breeder Mohammed Jassim Al
Stud, proudly owned by H.H. Sheikh
seminar and a tribute to
Marzouq, and exported to Kuwait
Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir
Ansata Ibn Halima
of Qatar
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what we preferred to select at that time. However, when the Marshalls and McNairs came to Egypt in the late 60’s and together we chose the horses for Hansi Heck’s Serenity Farm importation, we included the beautiful yearling filly Sonbolah (renamed *Serenity Sonbolah who became 1971 U.S. National Champion Mare). By now the combination of Sameh on the Kuhailan Rodan broodmares proved to be excellent—producing such glorious individuals as Romanaa II, Fawkia, Shamah, Ana Gayah, among others imported and/or bred by Gleannloch Farms. Two other exceptional mares were Omnia by Alaa El Din x Ameena, and the Morafic daughter Enayet (dam of Saqr), the latter whom Mike Nichols tried to buy. The cross of Ansata Halim Shah with Alaa El Din through his daughter Hanan of the Ubeyyan line, eventually proved a remarkable combination for the Nagel breeding program in the 1980’s. Alaa el Din’s daughter Magidaa, of the same Ubeyyan family, worked consistently with Morafic (particularly through son Sheikh Al Badi) accounting for Ruminaja Ali, Bint Bint Magidaa, Alidaar, etc. Therefore, one learns over time to “never say never” because while certain combinations don’t work in one generation, they may “click” in a later one and become absolutely outstanding.
When have you been most satisfied in your life? When I was a child my uncle George Whitwell taught me about the wonders of Egypt. There is an inexplicable power there which continually attracts one to “return to the Land of the Nile.” Living in Egypt after the six-day war in the late l960’s was a dream come true despite the varying crises. Our home, located in the Touring Gardens near the Mena House, was the magnificent Villa Akhnaton that had been constructed for Hearst Newspaper’s prime foreign correspondent, Karl von Weigand. The upstairs library windows overlooked the desert and the Great Pyramids of Giza in the distance. Here I began writing The Classic Arabian Horse and translating the Abbas Pasha Manuscript with Gülsün Sherif. Don and I purchased two Arabian riding
Arabian Breeders of America honors
Judith Forbis is the first woman and the
The World Cup Lifetime
the Forbises for their accomplishments.
first Arabian horse breeder to receive the
Achievement Award is given to
Judith recalls the moment: Arabian
prestigious Galbreath Award for
Judith Forbis in Las Vegas
Breeders Award 2002, in center ring at
outstanding Entrepreneurship in the
U.S. Nationals with Bazy Tankersley,
Equine Industry, presented by the Univer-
who received the 2003 award. Both
sity of Louisville, Kentucky. The Forbises
were awarded at the same time, “she
also receive the Ellen Scripps Davis
was my first mentor and corresponded
Memorial Breeders Award, presented by
with me when Don and I lived in Turkey.”
the U.S. Equestrian Federation
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horses and rode in the desert almost daily. We constantly entertained guests from America and Europe who were flocking to Egypt at that time to purchase Egyptian Arabians. I spent days at the EAO doing research and photographing horses (which helped illustrate my books). Time was also well spent at the HRH Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik palace where I located early photographs of his famous horses. I also became close friends with Ahmed Pasha Hamza and created the Hamdan Stables Studbook which he looked forward to seeing in print before he passed away. It was a magical time.
Tell us about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career. There are so many in different fields, but two in opposite ones stand out. First, producing superior breeding stock, such as Ansata Halim Shah, whose extreme type became dominant in Egyptian-Arabian breeding programs worldwide. Almost equally, some books I’ve published were significant accomplishments, but most of all I had dreamed of locating the “vanished” Abbas Pasha Manuscript handwritten in 1853 A.D. by the Pasha’s scribes. I had read about it in publications by Lady Anne Blunt and HRH Prince Mohammed Ali and Carl Raswan. While living in Egypt I became friends with the Ahmed Sherif family, descendants of famed breeder Ali Pasha Sherif. It so happened the manuscript had been quietly resting in the family’s library. Gülsün Sherif and I began translating it, and to me, this was on a par with Howard Carter finding King Tut’s treasures. After the English translation was published by Ansata Publications, which also included a separate background history of the era during which the manuscript was written, the original Arabic manuscript was then acquired from the Sherifs by the late HRH King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, an avid collector of books on horses and horsemen. The manuscript, which contains
Judith accepts the Lifetime
Judith’s book, “Ansata Hejazi - Born to
The Pyramid Society honors
Achievement Award from the
Rule,” is published, thus making
Ansata’s 60th Anniversary
All Nations Cup Committee
her collection of books and contributions to Arabian periodicals unique in Arabian horse history
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information about the Al Saud horses in the early 1800’s, now has an honored place in the King Abdul Aziz Public Library in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An exact facsimile of the original manuscript was published by the library and copies of it presented as gifts to various dignitaries. Other students of Arabian horse history have taken inspiration from this publication and are undertaking additional research on their own.
You published an amazing book about Ansata Hejazi last year and there are rumors you already have plans for another book. What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work? Why does a bird sing or a master artist continue to paint? It is in the DNA. All my life I have been a competitor and active in sports and the arts. I like to learn, and when I feel I’ve accomplished something worthwhile, I want to pass on that knowledge. It is hard for me to realize others have not had the experiences I’ve had; that they never saw Nazeer, or Morafic, Ansata Ibn Halima or Bukra, Moniet El Nefous, Maaroufa, etc., among other great foundation Arabians of our modern Egyptians. However, these horses live on through stories, photos, films, books and consequently through social media. That I was able to contribute to Arabian horse history has been worth the countless hours spent on the road, in the air, judging, giving seminars, lecturing, photographing horses and writing about the breed. As to another book, I am still resting after Hejazi. But I do get restless without a new project!
What is the most spontaneous, unusual, or outrageous thing you have ever done? When I purchased George, my 6-week-old Pomeranian puppy (he was born on the same day and year as William and Kate’s Prince George), I expected him to arrive mid-afternoon on the scheduled Delta flight to Fort Smith. Meanwhile, Delta had told the breeder in Ocala, Florida that the flight he was booked on would not take live animals; that she must go to a different airport and ship him to Atlanta. There he would now have a six-hour layover instead, which turned out to be much longer. A tired puppy—so happy to greet me—arrived on the delayed flight near midnight with water spilled in his crate. I was furious! Spontaneous, unusual, or outrageous, I “taught” George how to write a letter to Delta’s executives. “He” sent it by registered mail along with his irresistible photo which had caused me to purchase him! You’d be amazed at how fast George received a response and apology, plus a gift from an important Delta executive.
Social media has changed our lives and our way of communication. It also changed the media industry regarding books and magazines. Surveys show that younger people draw their information from social media and no longer from a daily paper, news broadcast, and books. In which way do you think social media influences Arabian horse breeding? I’m not big into social media. Regrettably, true experts are too few and either don’t take the time to post or don’t care. Today there is a new generation of breeders and owners, many without serious experience or staying power. It is difficult for a novice, and sometimes a knowledgeable viewer, to “separate the wheat from the chaff.” Additionally, by relying only on comments by unknown entities or “wannabees” and not actually going to see horses in the flesh, one can be fooled by photo shopping or pictures taken from a horse’s flattering angles. However, social media does offer immediate research opportunities through pedigrees and images that were not promptly available when I first began in the Arabian horse world. I’ve enjoyed maintaining a business Facebook site (Ansata Arabian Stud - Official Site), and have kept it serious, educational and positive, although I don’t always have time to keep it fresh. I think there have probably been less than five removable comments/people over the years I’ve hosted and monitored it. Nevertheless, there are still countless books and magazines about horses on the market and I think there always will be those who want to hold something that is warm and pliable in their hands. There is still joy in visiting a library!
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50 Years Of Nagel’s Katharinenhof by SUSANNE BÖSCHE
For 50 years, breeding Arabian horses has been a fantastic pastime for Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel, beyond his hectic professional life that involved making quick decisions. Always following his own vision, never the market, he created his own standard and market. His farm Katharinenhof, located in the little village Großenkneten close to Bremen, Germany, is a favored address with lovers of straight Egyptian Arabians. Inconceivably, it was pure coincidence that Dr.
Authenticity, openness, hospitality, inspiration and diplomacy … these qualities come to mind when thinking of Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel. For decades, he has not only been a worldwide respected breeder, but somebody who always used his personal contacts to solve problems, such as president of WAHO and the German Registry. His story begins in 1930 when he was born. He grew up with horses and was grateful for every horse book he could read. After studying economics, he spent all his working life in the field of animal husbandry and has been involved with the development of modern animal breeding techniques in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In the 1960s, his business took him to the Hungarian State Stud Bábolna, where he met the Arabian horse for the first time, and to Egypt where he took the time to visit the Egyptian state stud farm El Zahraa and met Dr. Ameen Zaher. “After seeing these horses, I was sure that I would like to see this type of Arabian horse at home,” Dr. Nagel recalls. “The decision fell because of their appearance. I had no idea about quarrels regarding pedigrees, no idea about Asil or Blue List.”
photo by Debbie Fuentes
Nagel chose Egyptian bloodlines.
For professional reasons, Nagel regularly traveled to Egypt, visiting El Zahraa many times, and began to think about the horses and breeding. “Since I was engaged in livestock breeding, I almost inevitably had interest in the breeding program of El Zahraa. Why I chose Arabian horses of Egyptian bloodlines? I preferred this type of horse. In addition, it is a small population. As a breeder, dealing with a manageable number of animals, you can develop a particular type faster than with a large gene pool.”
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50 Years Of Nagel’s Katharinenhof Essence Of Knowledge Four fillies … Hanan, Lotfeia and Mahiba, all sired by Alaa El Din, and Marah, sired by Galal, were destined to become the foundation for Nagel’s newly founded stud farm in Germany; chosen on the advice of Dr. Zaher, whose career began as a young veterinarian in El Zahraa in 1936. “I am grateful for our deep friendship,” says Dr. Nagel. “Dr. Zaher knew all his horses in El Zahraa exactly, knowing about the pigmentation problems of some lines. What Dr. Zaher told and taught to me has become an essence of knowledge that is still valuable in my decisions on my own breeding activity still today.” The influence of many businesses travels to the Middle East cannot be underestimated. A walk through Katharinenhof’s redbrick stables and over the pastures with the sandy soil—so typical for the region—clearly shows that Nagel has a clear imagination of a particular type. In fact, he breeds an Arabian horse that suits his personal taste. “I’m an orientalist, so to speak,” says Dr. Nagel. “I want to be surrounded by horses that exude the flair of the Middle East and would fit in such an environment.” He does not expect other people to share his views. Likewise, he respects when other breeders tend to prefer Arabian horses which are bred to European and American tastes. “These are wonderful and impressive horses which today, have a high acceptance by the public,” he admits, adding, “over the years, I’ve noticed that those who argue too much often have no idea what they’re talking about nor what they want to achieve. But this is precisely what matters.” Champion titles are of secondary importance to Dr. Nagel. Although Hanan’s son Jamil (by Madkour I) accomplished 1983 U.S. National Top Ten Senior Stallion, Sherif Pasha (Ansata Abbas Pasha x Sabah) garnered World Junior Champion, and Shahin (Salaa El Dine x Ameera) became Swedish Reserve National Champion in 1990, offspring being of primary importance for a future breeding decision, not just champion titles, has always been Nagel’s premise. Confidently, Nagel embarked on a personal journey that has brought him the admiration of breeders around the globe. By the early 1990s, he once said, “Of course, I listen to what others say; I am even grateful for that. Then I think about it. What was said, is it correct? Finally, I do what I want and think is right. People who are guided by fashion will never be able to come up with a breeding concept.”
Personal Experiment From the originally imported mares, Alaa El Din’s daughters Lotfeia (x Bint Kamla, by El Sareei) and Hanan (x Mona, by Badr) play the main roles; the Katharinenhof program concentrating on them. But above all, of course, the worldfamous Hanan, who set herself a memorial with her 11 foals and whose line can be found around the globe. At Katharinenhof, Hanan’s splendid daughter Ghazala (by Ghazal) and her
NK Nadirah
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granddaughter Amarilla, sired by Jamil (Madkour I x Hanan) and out of Ghazala, continue the flourishing line. Lotfeia spent many years in Bábolna, Hungary, before arriving as an older mare at Katharinenhof in the late 1980s. The grey Lotfeia accompanied her old friend Hanan in her last years, but also brought three foals, all by Salaa El Dine (Ansata Halim Shah x Hanan): the grey stallion Nejdy and the chestnut mares Nashua and Nashwa. It was Nejdy who founded the most influential sire line via his son Ibn Nejdy (x Ghazala), and grandson NK Hafid Jamil (Ibn Nejdy x Helala) at Katharinenhof.
NK Naala
While Nashwa was exported to Kuwait, Nashua remained to continue the female line—famed for her exceptional face adorned with huge eyes—and succeeded. Her beautiful 2001 born daughter NK Nadirah, by Adnan (Salaa El Dine x Ghazala), is a worthy successor. Herself a grey, NK Nadirah brought the bay stallion NK Nizam, by NK Hafid Jamil, who goes back to Hanan seven times and combines the full siblings Nejdy and Nashua in his pedigree. Also from this family comes the 2017 born NK Naala (Jamal El Dine x NK Nabeelah, by Nahaman), having 18 crosses to Hanan, 11 to Ansata Halim Shah, and five to Lotfeia. “He really tries it on,” visitors of the 2013 Katharinenhof Open NK Lubna House said. The current foal crop has more than 20 lines to Hanan. Increasing the concentration in his breeding program is the declared goal of Dr. Nagel; it is his very personal experiment.
Arabic Values The name of the chestnut mare Mahiba is inseparable from Nagel’s Katharinenhof. She is sired by Alaa El Din and out of Mouna, by Sid Abouhom, who in the eyes of Dr. Nagel, is the most beautiful daughter of Moniet El Nefous. The first steps of this line were conceivably difficult. Mahiba brought only four foals, but this quartet— Kis Mahiba and Sabah (both by Ibn Galal), as well as Ibrahim and Mona II (both by Mahomed)—influenced Nagel’s, and later, Arabian horse breeding worldwide. Horses such as Maysouna, Madinah, Mofida, El Thay Maheera, Mesoudah-M, Imperial Madheen, Sameer and Sherif Pasha, come from this family that stands for longevity, a willingness to perform and high fertility; values for which the Arabian horse has always been recognized. The Katharinenhof-born, 2005 grey mare NK Lubna (NK Jamal El Dine x NK Layla [Salaa El Dine x Sanaya, by Kais I]) traces back to Mahiba through Kis Mahiba, though Hanan’s influence is strong in NK Lubna’s pedigree. Another representative of this family is the dark chestnut NK Kamar El Dine daughter NK Lina out of Muneera Al Ariba (KEN Asam x KEN Mufaji). In NK Lina’s pedigree, we can find two lines to Kis Mahiba and one to Ibrahim.
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50 Years Of Nagel’s Katharinenhof The Fourth Family Marah did not leave any impact in Nagel’s breeding program but became an important foundation mare for other breeders. Another family, however, was established at Katharinenhof. All straight Egyptian lovers admire Ansata Rosetta (Ansata Shah Zaman x Ansata Bint Bukra) as the dam of Ansata Halim Shah. Her influence in all Katharinenhof horses is not restricted to Ansata Halim Shah. Ansata Rosetta’s granddaughter Ansata Ken Ranya (Salaa El Dine x Ansata Prima Rose [Jamil x Ansata Rosetta]) and great-granddaughter Helala (Salaa El Dine x Ansata Gloriana [Jamil x Ansata Ghazia]), established branches of the Ansata Bint Bukra line in the tail female line. Outstanding mares of this fourth Katharinenhof family are NK Hind (NK Jamal El Dine x Helala), or NK Habiba (NK Nadeer x Ansata KEN Ranya).
NK Habiba
A Breeder’s Vision Every broodmare, no matter how great she is, needs suitable stallions to propel her line. In Hanan’s case, these were Ibn Galal, Ghazal, Ghalion, Madkour I, Malik, Mohafez and Ansata Halim Shah. Nagel proved remarkable foresight bringing the stallions Mohafez, Ansata Abbas Pasha and Ansata Halim Shah to Europe. Jarrell McCracken, owner of Bentwood Farms, was a good friend of Dr. Nagel. It was on Bentwood’s vast pastures where Nagel discovered the young bay stallion Mohafez (Ibn Moniet El Nefous x Ahroufa), who later was honored with the VZAP-Elite title thanks to his excellent offspring. In 1981, Nagel leased the proven stallion Ansata Abbas Pasha (x Ansata Bint Mabrouka) from Jarrell McCracken. This Ansata Ibn Halima son influenced the Marbach program thanks to Nusra and Nasrodin, and became the sire of the aforementioned World Champion Sherif Pasha. The lease of the young untried Ansata Halim Shah (Ansata Ibn Halima x Ansata Rosetta) in 1983 sparked real hype. The stallion was available for a limited number of mares and silenced his critics (too fine, too feminine) with his above-average offspring. Numerous Elite horses and licensed stallions in German private studs, Marbach and Bábolna, prove that. Hanan’s last foal was by Ansata Halim Shah, the VZAP-Elite stallion Salaa El Dine, who died in 2006 at the age of 21. Salaa El Dine established a vital stallion line through his Salaa El Dine
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daughters, but above all, through his son Nejdy and his great-grandson NK Hafid Jamil. This is what stallions like NK Kamar El Dine (NK Hafid Jamil x Ansata KEN Ranya) and his full brother NK Jamal El Dine stand for. The NK Hafid Jamil son, NK Nadeer, already sired the next generation with NK Nabhan, born in 2013 out of NK Nerham, by NK Jamal El Dine, and tracing back to Nashua via NK Nabeelah. Always open for discussion, talking to Dr. Nagel is not only educational, but also inspiring. The distillation and beliefs of his NK Nadeer longtime experience as a horse breeder he wrote down in a book, The Story of Hanan (1998). It was in this book where Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel wrote, “It would be unfortunate if not at least once a fantastically exciting event had seized a person with a chill, a wonderful experience would have remained closed to him.” The source of Nagel’s inspiration was the small bay filly Hanan who he discovered on a morning in 1967 in a sandy paddock of El Zahraa, Egypt. Being a dedicated horse lover, Dr. Nagel, who celebrated his 88th birthday in August, was concerned that the positive attributes and merits of the Arabian horse, in general, did not find much recognition anymore. For him, the Arabian horse offers a lot of abilities, show horses are just one aspect; however, he recognized a concentration on this point. Interested in the wellbeing of the Arabian horse, Dr. Nagel started a new book project about the influence of nature and human beings inbreeding, which was published in 2013 under the name of, The Arabian Horse – Nature’s Creation and the Art of Breeding. Breeder, author, office bearer … all can be applied to Dr. Nagel. But above all, he is a horse lover. Surrounded by his mares grazing on the green pastures of Katharinenhof, it is easy to feel how much he enjoys and loves his horses. “My breeding is a fantastic pastime. In the business world, I had to make quick decisions, but I can take my time in horse breeding,” he once said. “After making a breeding decision, I can only wait. Breeding can be an interesting balance for people who live a hectic life. You never come to an end, you can always try something new. Persons with false ambitions, however, go crazy.” NK Nabhan
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An Interview with
Dr. Nagel
What is the best compliment you have ever received? That’s difficult, but maybe the best was, “You’re a very persistent breeder. You’re a very persistent breeder and you have your own mind.”
If you had not become a successful Arabian horse breeder, which career would you have chosen? Gardener. I love gardening, too much. And I do it every day … two hours. When you’re gardening, you see the result; immediately the flowers are growing, you see them blooming and growing. Gardening is very satisfying to me and nature offers immense different alternatives, you’re not limited. I choose carefully which flowers I plant. For example, before, I was buying roses that looked beautiful, and then everybody came and put their nose into the rose. They didn’t smell, and that irritated me. So, I changed all the roses that guaranteed had a good smell.
1973 Hanan’s first daughter Ghazala is born. This mare
1968
becomes Hanan’s most important daughter, and not only the last foal of her sire Ghazal, but also
Mahiba (Alaa El Din x Mouna), a 2-year-old
one of only three straight Egyptian foals this
filly destined to become the foundation
Nazeer son left.
mare in an influential dam line, is imported by Dr. Nagel to Europe.
1967
1972
1978
Dr. Nagel discovers an
Nagel’s first imported
Mohafez (Ibn Moniet El Nefous
exceptional bay filly in
horses go to Bábolna,
x Ahroufa), bred by Bentwood
the sandy paddocks of
Hungary. Hanan’s first foal
Farm, is imported by Dr. Nagel,
El Zahraa. It is Hanan
and an influential sire, Ibn
becoming the sire of two
(Alaa El Din x Mona),
Galal I, is born there.
precious Hanan daughters,
who later becomes the
Amal (1979) and Ashraff (1980),
foundation mare of Nagel’s
and several licensed stallions
Katharinenhof.
in Germany.
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Besides Arabian horses, is there something that touches you emotionally? For example, a certain piece of music or another piece of art? Music … I like too much church music. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, for example, a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor. Maybe you know his second Oratorium “Elias.” There are a lot of amazing German composers of the Romantic period. Another one I like is Johannes Brahms. There are a lot more well-known composers, but I mainly listen to these two. And on the Opera side, I really like Guiseppe Verdi, not so much Richard Wagner. Verdi is happier, more easy and full of fantasy.
Did you ever make a mistake when accessing a horse? Meaning, did you miss a breeding opportunity, or did you sell a horse too soon, which turned out way better than you thought? Not really. I’ve sold a lot of nice horses. Honestly, I want other breeders to succeed. I want to spread the idea that Arabian horses can make other people happy too, not only me. I sold, for example, a nice mare to Osama Al Khasemi. NK Nada was one of my best Adnan daughters, but at that time, I thought this man needed something special, so I sold NK Nada to him who soon became the star of his farm. And then I came to see my former horses at his farm and I was happy to see how much they are appreciated by Osama and other Kuwaitis. The Kuwaitis are very intelligent people. To win at shows isn’t too important for the straight Egyptian breeders in Kuwait. They’re not going to buy spontaneously, but they study the pedigrees and the horses and
1983
1981
1983
Ansata Abbas Pasha is leased by
Ansata Halim Shah (Ansata
In exchange, Jamil (Madkour I x
Dr. Nagel. The Ansata Ibn Halima
Ibn Halima x Ansata Rosetta) is
Hanan) is sent to Ansata Arabian
son is the first Ansata stallion who
leased by Dr. Nagel and leaves
Stud, garnering a Top Ten when
came to Europe. Among his get are
tremendous influence in Europe.
shown at the U.S. Nationals.
the valuable stallion Nasrodin, and
Among his famous sons born on
the broodmare Nusra, both bred by
European soil is Salaa El Dine,
Marbach, as well as Sherif Pasha.
Hanan’s last foal (1985).
the eighties
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An Interview with
Dr. Nagel then they buy. I like that. So, that’s it. I sold a very, very nice horse, but with intention.
Is there someone you discussed your breeding decisions with, in the early days? And has that person stayed your sounding board along the way? A very nice friend close to me was Dr. Tauschke. He was a very nice man. We had a great sympathy towards each other, and he was, if maybe even more, crazier than me on this thing. I discussed with him. I talked a lot with Judith Forbis; we saw and see each other regularly, from time to time. And I got a lot of basic information from Dr. Ameen Zaheer.
Project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
1984
After a lot of work, experience and studying in the field of poultry, I got a contract from the Iraqi government, to create a poultry farm that would supply each Iraqi person 100 eggs a year. With 16 million Iraqis living at that time in 1976, that meant 1.6 billion eggs. That also meant that we had to build houses for 8 million layers because one layer makes 200 eggs. At that time, in the early 1970s, Iraq was full of money. They said, “If you can do it, we will send you 15% up front.” From one day to another, I had $30 million in my account.
1985
1988 The Malik son, Asfour out of
Salaa El Dine is licensed at
Hanan, is born and sold to
the yearly Stallion Licensing
Marion Richmond in Australia.
Sherif Pasha (Ansata Abbas
of the German Arabian horse
This fleabitten stallion becomes
Pasha x Sabah), bred by Dr.
studbook VZAP.
an incredible sire for Simeon
Nagel, accomplishes World
Stud; among his get, the World
Junior Champion Stallion for his
Champion Stallion Simeon Sadik.
owner, Willi Poth.
the eighties
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1991
This project had to be completed in nine years, but the Gulf War changed all conditions. I contacted Bábolna, the Hungarian State farm, with which I had very close cooperation, to join me in this project. They did not only breed horses, but they had also acquired experience in the poultry industry, too. I got people from Germany, some Hungarians, and in addition, had 3,000 Polish workers. After about 1987, it was completed: a huge farm, cold stores and feed mills exclusively for poultry. Iraq came under the control of Saddam Hussein during this period. It was a difficult political situation and sometimes I thought I could never finish: But in the end, I did. On the other hand, it was also amazing and challenging. They offered several lots of land – each one about 300 hectars – and I could choose which one I liked for building … so, this one and this one and this one. One had to look for water, road connections and then start to organize and build from zero. I think at the time, it was the biggest farm ever, and after, this kind of technology spread everywhere in the Middle East. Later, I made something similar in Saudi Arabia, but this one in Iraq was the first. and most spectacular one. I stayed alive and even found good support, though I worked under Saddam’s dictator regime. I learned under the most perfect conditions, having worked before for the Lohmann company in Germany, a poultry industry pioneer in Europe started in the 60s. I became selfemployed when the Arab countries woke up in the early 70s and looked for assistance and help to build their own industries in agriculture.
1992
photo by Susanne Bösche
1998
Aisha (Ansata Halim Shah x Ghazala)
In March, a spitting image of Hanan
and her colt Safir (photos above),
is born, Helala (Salaa El Dine x
by Salaa El Dine, are among other
Ansata Gloriana). Though Helala
horses sold to Sheikh Abdulaziz
traces back to Ansata Bint Bukra in
Bin Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani and
tail female line, she has two crosses
Dr. Nagel publishes his book about
are exported to Qatar, introducing
to Hanan through her sire and
his beloved Hanan and his thoughts
NK Katharinenhof bloodlines to the
maternal grandsire Jamil.
about breeding Arabian horses.
Arabian Gulf.
the nineties
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An Interview with
Dr. Nagel
What is the most spontaneous, unusual or outrageous thing you’ve ever done? Unusual? I’m not a person who does things without thinking; I’m not. I think first. So far, I would say I haven’t done anything major I didn’t do without consideration first.
2018 2013
“The Arabian Horse - Nature’s Creation and the Art of Breeding,”
NK Katharinenhof celebrates 50 years of
written by Dr. Nagel, is published
Arabian horse breeding with an Open House.
and launched during a remarkable Open House, celebrating 45 years of Katharinenhof breeding.
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An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
How was Arabians Ltd. created? What brought you and Jim to start this breeding program and did anyone think you would be here over 40 years later? Jim was having lunch at the country club and just happened to be seated next to the table where David Gardner, then General Manager of Bentwood Farms, was also having lunch. David was with some of his farm’s clients, and Jim overheard their conversation. He was not that interested in the horse part of what they were discussing, but the dollars spoken was what caught his ear. Jim, not one to be shy about introducing himself, resulted in him meeting David Gardner and purchasing a filly, two mares and a stallion syndicate share. Even after years of marriage, Jim did not know I loved horses. He did not initially tell me about his investment, but when he did, I was over the moon and promptly made him take me to Bentwood to see our new horses. I was in love and the rest is history.
Judy and Rhapsody in Black (Thee Desperado x Aliashahm RA, by Ruminaja Ali), dam to Bellagio RCA.
The Gardner/Sirbasku team went on to collaborate on horses the likes of Ruminaja Ali, and together created Arabians Ltd. I often wonder what my life would be like if Jim had not had lunch at the country club on just that day.
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1978
An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
“Like most life-impacting events, Jim and I became involved with Straight Egyptians via a totally chance meeting.�
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What does it mean to you to be the breeder/owner of two of the world’s most influential Straight Egyptian stallions, The Minstril and his son, Thee Desperado? Honestly, I never felt like I owned either stallion, mostly Desperado. He was quite his “own man” so to speak. It was an honor to have he and The Minstril in my life. I considered their care, happiness and careers an enormous responsibility. I believe both Thee Desperado and his sire were destined for greatness as breeders began to see the two for themselves, and the magic began.
1983 1984
Judy and Jim Sirbasku and David and Marion Gardner – The Minstril bronze that they commissioned from Artist Karen Kasper.
Ruminaja Ali is named U.S National
The Minstril is born
Reserve Champion Stallion
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An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
Talking about The Minstril and his son, Thee Depserado, share with us your thoughts about what they had in common and where did you see differences (character, appearance, as a sire ‌). The Minstril was the quieter of the two; the most sensitive and required more attention to keep him secure and happy. Desperado on the other hand, was confident from his first day of life. He would tell us what to do and kept Shawn on her feet constantly. Desperado got most of the credit as a sire. He was like a movie star; people flocked to the farm to see him. And for 24 years, they continued to come from every corner of the world. To this day, people have Desperado memories etched in their minds and in their hearts. People loved The Minstril, too, yet I don’t think many gave him the credit he deserves as the one who changed the look of Egyptian horse. Before *Bahila was bred to Ruminaja Ali and produced The Minstril, we had never seen horses that looked like he did. The genetics that produced Desperado took the quality and look to even another dimension, but it was his sire who changed the look for us and many breeding programs worldwide.
Thee Desperado with long time handler Luis Paniagua.
1987
1989
The Minstril begins to draw a crowd
Thee Desperado is born (pictured at
wherever he goes (at the Kentucky
five weeks)
Thee Desperado at 20 years of age
Horse Park, Barn #1, the same barn Rock Creek Arabians has filled every year of the Egyptian Event).
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What are your fondest memories you have with The Minstril and Desperado? Anything personal you’d like to share with us? Shawn and I got to visit with The Minstril shortly before he passed. It was very emotional, though we did not acknowledge it. We both knew it was the last time we would spend with him. As hard as it was, the twinkle in his eye that said he was so happy to see us was priceless. There were many, but my most treasured moment with Desperado was the night that he was named U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion. I was just so proud of him. He was only five years old, yet already a crowd favorite—that probably meant the most to me. We celebrated into the wee hours of the morning; it was a magic night and one that I will never forget as long as I live.
1994 Thee Desperado is named Unanimous Scottsdale Champion Stallion with good friend Bob Boggs.
1992
The Minstril
1996
Thee Desperado at U.S. Nationals, the
Thee Desperado’s son, BJ Thee
night he was named Reserve National
Mustafa with handler Frank Sponle,
Champion Stallion.
is named World Champion Stallion, in Paris.
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An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
Who are your most important broodmares that created their own families at Arabians Ltd.? I have collected a diverse group from all over the world. Rhapsody In Black, Bellagio’s dam, is “the queen of the farm.” Of course, the Bint Magidaa daughters and granddaughters are among our best, in addition to our mares from the AK Fariha and Sohier II lines. But it is the *Omayma female line that possibly will go down in our history as one of the best. They have produced amazingly, first with Ali, then with The Minstril, Thee Desperado and now with Bellagio, and the younger stallions … extraordinary.
2003
2004
Bellagio RCA is born
Judy and Jim purchase The Sequel RCA (the
Following in the footsteps of his sire line, he soon is a superstar in
only horse in the Sirbasku breeding program
the eyes of many, today proving to be a remarkable sire.
produced by breeding full sister to full brother).
~ 2004 Unanimous Champion Egyptian Breeders Challenge
With Mishaal on board and having babies with
~ 2005 Unanimous Egyptian Event Jr. Champion Colt
a totally different look (he was homozygous
~ 2006 Scottsdale 3rd Place Stallion in class of 20
grey), Sequel was insurance that the Desperado “look” or genetics, would never be lost. Seen as one of the best decisions made.
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2006
Mishaal HP arrives in Waco from Frank Sponle’s in Germany looking fantastic. At 15’3 and 1,100 lbs., he was “loud” but anyone could handle him; a very easy horse to keep happy. Mishaal HP is named 2006 Egyptian Event Reserve Senior Champion Stallion with Frank on the lead.
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An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
After the untimely death of Mishaal HP, who would you say is the regal heir of this sire line? Are you looking for other new influences or another outside stallion to be crossed with the Thee Desperado daughters? Mishaal was the opposite to Thee Desperado. Which, lucky for us, turned out to be the most remarkable cross. Thank goodness, I had meticulously selected and consciously chose to keep a number of his fillies out of our very best Desperado daughters. When we lost Mishaal suddenly (on 2/12/13), we had sixteen colts on the ground, from newborns to 3-year-olds. We were heartbroken, so decided to keep all until we could make good decisions. A good friend leased us a special Mishaal son, so we could take our time to choose his heir. In the end it was one of the youngest that Shawn and I kept coming back to. Shah Mishaal RCA had that something special from birth and a tail female line (to *Imperial Mistill x *Jamilll) that we admired much and had little of. Shah Mishaal (born June 6, 2012) is out of a Sequel daughter, so we knew we would not have any surprises baby-wise. He has been a great gift to all of us. Yes, we always have our eye out for a stallion that would be a great fit for us. As Mishaal brought 100% out-cross blood and worked so well, add in Alixir and Desperado’s sons of varied female lines (also, I continue to add mares of different blood) … I don’t feel an urgency. The consistency of our babies now is amazing.
2014
2012
Judy is awarded the rarely given
Judy and Shawn are awarded the
Trustee’s Award, by the Pyramid
Arabian Breeders Association
Society. Long-time friends, David
Ambassador Award at the Breeders
and Marion Gardner, fly to Kentucky
World Cup in Las Vegas.
to be by Judy’s side for this special moment in time.
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Have you ever been involved with non-Straight Egyptians? If no, why not? If yes, what was the experience? In 1982, since Ali Jamaal arrived at the farm at 9 months old, it was easy to recognize the importance of the Egyptian cross, and we all know the story of his legacy. I believe one of the primary reasons for breeding Straight Egyptian’s is to ensure that their genetic strength is preserved for centuries to come; to always be available for breeders of other Arabian bloodlines to dip into for a number of well engrained traits. In 40 years, I have bred less than a handful of Egyptian cross foals, except for our first Bint Gypsy Rose … there was some situations with each that prompted those matings, but each of those turned out to be exceptional individuals. Thee Desperado was, and now Bellagio is, proving to be a notable sire on purebred mares. A young stallion, Lark RCA (Bellagio RCA x Star of Marajj), is owned by good friends and looking like one to bet on. Bint Gypsy Rose (Ali Jamaal x AR Gypsy Rose) was like Marilyn Monroe, you could not take your eyes off of her. She taught me so much about being a competitor, about the un-conditional love that you can have for a horse, and how no matter how painful, how to let them go when you know it is the right thing for them. She was one-of-a-kind and I will never forget her.
2015
Shawn Crews and Bint Gypsy Rose
2016-18
Shah Mishaal RCA begins breeding. He has big shoes to fill and proves he is worthy. All his first foals
Twenty-two Straight Egyptians,
shown are champions. Photos l-r: Shah Mishaal RCA, Mishaals Jatab and Haanadi RCA.
including Bint Bellagio all with Thee Desperado’s bloodline, are exported to Kuwait.
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Marbach RCA
One of the mares that journeyed to Kuwait, Alia Galal RCA (by Alixir and to the mare *Ibn Galal 1-16), is the dam to an inspiring colt that Judy retained. Sired by The Sequel RCA, he bears an uncanny likeness to his late sire. Marbach RCA, already a multi-champion, has garnered titles from Kentucky to Scottsdale, and has an enthusiastic group of lifetime breeders. Marbach has just bred his first mares. The first baby to arrive is out of Bint Bint Asila, Shah Mishaal’s little sister. Sometimes we don’t expect it, but in breeding, if you persevere, all things do come full circle. This colt, and looking forward to the babies of which will be a blend of Desperado, Sequel, Alixir and Mishaal’s blood, makes it easy to grasp why Judy and all of her Arabians Ltd. family continue to see great promise for the future.
An Interview with
Judy Sirbasku
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THE WORLD-WIDE INFLUENCE of AR ABIANS LTD.
As Arabians Ltd. celebrates their 40th year with the Egyptian Arabian horse, it’s abundantly clear that this is a love story that just keeps on giving. Owner Judy Sirbasku’s vision for Arabians Ltd. has grown over time but what has always remained constant is her unwavering commitment to the Egyptian Arabian horse and the people who share her same passion. Evidence of the successes for Arabian Ltd. continues to span the globe, but the real rewards in Judy’s eyes are the accolades bestowed on the knowledgeable breeders who are changing the game with Thee Desperado+ and *Mishaal HP get and grand get. Even though she is being honored by The Pyramid Society as the recipient of their highly coveted Milestone Award, Judy would still say that her greatest pleasure is watching the awe and wonder in the eyes of those that have met their first Arabian horse by walking the barn aisle at Arabians Ltd.
REPRESENTING the STALLIONS of ARABIANS LTD. BE L L AGIO RC A (Alixir x Rhapsody In Black by Thee Deseprado+)
w w w. a r a b i a n s l t d . c o m COLTHILL CRESCENT | AMETHYST ACRES EQUINE CENTER SCOTTSDALE DIVISION AT ARABIAN EXPRESSIONS
ARABIANS LTD. | JUDY SIRBASKU Owner
SHAWN CREWS General Manager | Waco, TX | 254-714-1803 | info@arabiansltd.com A HT Abroad
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THE INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE of ARABIANS LTD. For decades, the Arabians Ltd. bred horses have been making their way to far corners of the globe. Today their impact on the breed is immeasurable. We are immensely grateful to those breeders and are humbled every time they have chosen one from our bloodlines. The last eighteen to twenty-four months have been possibly the most exciting of our forty years. A record number of our remarkable and rarely-bred Egyptian Arabians have made their way from Waco, Texas to all corners of the U.S. and overseas. We extend a heartfelt thank you to our clients for breeding for the best and sending us your very best to offer. We hope you enjoy reading a few stories about some of our clients abroad and how the Egyptian
M I SHA A L A BE L L E RC A
(Mishaal HP x Desperados Belle RCA by Thee Desperado) 2012 Grey Mare bred by Arabians Ltd. and the Shabella Group
T H E E M ASADA DB
(Thee Desperado x Makeda DB by Mishaal HP) 2014 Black Stallion bred by Ruel and Virginia Gober
Arabian horse has connected hearts, united dreams and created amazing friendships that would otherwise be unlikely.
KA R E E NA KA M A L A S A
(Kamal Ibn Adeed x Kareena RCA by Thee Desperado) 2015 Bay Mare bred by Sharon Redman
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S AF I NA RC A
(Thee Desperado x MB Isheena) 2008 Grey Mare bred by Judy Sirbasku
THE ARABIANS LTD. INFLUENCE in KUWAIT Rarely have we met a young breeder with as much vision, determination, a keen eye and natural instinct for quality as Ayad Abdul Mohsen al Thuwainy, owner of Al Ghanayim Stud of Al Wafrah, Kuwait. Ayad has methodically assembled one of the finest groups of Straight Egyptians to be found anywhere. Pictured on this and the page opposite are several of his horses acquired from Arabians Ltd. He has created a peaceful sanctuary for his horses and a relaxing environment for his family and friends to gather. Most often, breeders hesitate to sell their favorites primarily because they worry about their care and future. Very quickly for Judy and Shawn, there was an instinctive “knowing” that our horses would be loved and cherished. Ayad is dedicated and capable of carrying our bloodlines into the next forty years. We can’t wait to see how he puts his own touch and look on the Al Ghanayim breeding program in the future.
AT TI MO
(Bellagio RCA x Desperados Fatinah by Thee Desperado) 2012 Black Stallion bred by Mark and Deb Burke and the Fatinah Partnership
BI N T BE L L AG IO
(Bellagio RCA x Princes Hamamaa by Thee Desperado) 2015 Black Mare bred by Arabians Ltd.
SAMIR ALI
(Bellagio RCA x Barakis Gem by Al Baraki) 2012 Black Stallion bred by Brenda Dumas and Lora Gilbert
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BI NT FAI T H RC A
(Thee Desperado x RSL Faith by Alixir) 2008 Black Mare bred by Judy Sirbasku
MORO C C O RC A (Bellagio RCA x Serendipitys Lady by Thee Desperado) 2014 Black Stallion bred by Arabians Ltd. and the Serendipity’s Lady Group
THE ARABIANS LTD. INFLUENCE in KURDISTAN This past spring, Lady Madinah RCA, the 2017 Scottsdale International Straight Egyptian Gold Champion Filly and her best friend, the popular young stallion Morocco RCA, made the long journey to their new home in Kurdistan. Morocco RCA, the 2017 Egyptian Event Bronze Champion Junior Colt and the 2018 Scottsdale International Straight Egyptian Silver Champion Stallion will soon be breeding his first mares. The owners at Kurdistan Arabian Stud, LLC are new to Straight Egyptian Arabians but certainly not to horses. Their equine facility is a state-of-the-art, world-class operation with covered arenas, a swimming pool for the horses, and the top trainers, grooms and veterinarians to care for any need a horse may have. Kurdistan Arabian Stud also has a number of extraordinary purebred Arabians that have competed successfully in the U.S. and European circuit. They are also warm, wonderful people passionate about their horses.
L ADY MADI NAH RC A (The Sequel RCA x Scarlet Madinah RCA by Mishaal HP) 2015 Grey Mare bred by Arabians Ltd.
It means much that Morocco RCA and Lady Madinah RCA (who is in foal to Bellagio RCA) were chosen to be the foundation of the Kurdistan Arabian Stud Straight Egyptian breeding program. With great anticipation, we look forward to watching the future unfold for these great people and horses.
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AL I X I R (The Elixir x The Prevue by The Minstril) 1998 Bay Stallion owned by Al Jood Stud, Doha, Qatar
THE ARABIANS LTD. INFLUENCE in QATAR Mohamed Jaidah of Al Jood Stud in Qatar has said, “You never plan to fall in love. You don’t wake up and think, today, I am going to fall in love.” But from his first sighting of the big bay horse, one of the rare jewels at Arabians Ltd., that is exactly what happened. Judy never intended to part with Alixir, but she could clearly see that he was meant to spend the rest of his life with Mohamed. She is keenly aware of the importance of “passing the torch” and supporting the next generation of breeders who will protect the Egyptian Arabian horse. In life and in breeding, things often happen that feel miraculous. Call it God’s hand, luck or serendipity, we are often grateful for unforseen events and their resulting treasures. Just like when Mr. Ayad had inquired about Alia Galal RCA — a black Alixir daughter who was then in foal to The Sequel RCA. Shortly after her stunning bay colt, Marbach RCA, was born, Mr. Ayad called and confirmed he wanted her. With Alia Galal now in Kuwait, Alixir in Qatar and the loss of The Sequel RCA this past spring, Marbach is a one-of-a-kind treasure that can never be duplicated. His first foals will be arriving next spring and Judy along with his Lifetime Breeders feel so blessed to have a final gift from this incredible pedigree.
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M AR BAC H RC A (The Sequel RCA x Alia Galal RCA by Alixir) 2016 Bay Stallion owned by Judy Sirbasku
BINT MAGGIE MAE | A Dreamco Foundation Mare
Thee Desperado+ x Miss Maggie Mae | Dam of Miss Magidaa Mae DB
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E
gyptian
Destiny Dreamer DB | 2015 Filly Pimlico RCA x Dixie Dreamer DB
event contenders
Miss Magidaa Mae DB | 2016 Filly Bellagio RCA x Bint Maggie Mae
The Rueler DB | 2017 Colt
The Sequel RCA x Amirah Gemaal DB
Dreamco is proud to present this beautiful group of young horses at the 2018 Egyptian Event in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. They are being masterfully prepared and presented by Arabians Ltd and are available for purchase. We have carefully crossed our most treasured mares with 3
of the leading Egyptian stallions in the world. For information on these or other Dreamco bred
Arabian horses, contact Shawn Crews of Arabians Ltd or Riyan Rivero of Dreamco Arabians. Shawn Crews | Shawn@ArabiansLtd.com Riyan Rivero | RiyanR@mac.com www.DreamcoArabians.com
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A Abhaa Arabians................................................................................................................. 12-13Bahrain/Kuwait (98, 99) Agricon Logistics Horse Transports...............................................................................................................................12 Al Baydaa Stud........................................................................................................................................................ 13-22 Al Juman Stud............................................................................................................... 14-15Bahrain/Kuwait (100, 101) Al Khashab Stud............................................................................................................16-19Bahrain/Kuwait (102-105) Al Nasser Stud..........................................................................................................................................................IFC, 1 Al Rashediah Stud........................................................................................8-11Bahrain/Kuwait (94-97), 160, IBC, BC Al Safinat Farm..............................................................................................................20-23Bahrain/Kuwait (106-109) Al Thumama Stud........................................................................................................................................................2, 3 Alorasia Stud......................................................................................................................... 6-7Bahrain/Kuwait (92, 93) Arabians LTD....................................................................................................................................................... 149-153 Ariela Arabians.........................................................................................................................................................82, 83 Asayel Stud.................................................................................................................24-IBC Bahrain/Kuwait (110-111) Authentic Ibn Nawaal..............................................................................................................................................78, 79
D Danubis Arabians.....................................................................................................................................................14, 15 DG Arabians...............................................................................................................................................................9-11 Dreamco Arabians...............................................................................................................................................154, 155
E El Farida Stud..........................................................................................................................................................74, 75
H Hanaya Stud........................................................................................................ FC, 25, 26 1-20Hanaya (27-46), 47, 48
I Insha Allah Arabians................................................................................................................................................18, 19 IntArah...........................................................................................................................................................................84
J Jacobs, Glenn & Greseldis....................................................................................................................................... 80, 81
S Sapphire Arabians LLC.......................................................................................................................................158, 159 Silver Maple Farm...........................................................................................................................................................7 Simeon Stud...................................................................................................................................................................23
T Ted Carson Training.................................................................................................................................................78, 79
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Ibn Raad by Theresa Cardamone
T
he exotic straight Egyptian stallion Ibn Raad (Scapa x LPS Thunderstruck), is now the standard-bearer for owner Michelle Pinell and her Sapphire Arabians, in Griffin, Georgia, USA. An elegant, well-balanced horse with a gorgeous head and neck, strong, smooth coupling and an abundance of charisma, Ibn Raad is the very image of the ideal Arabian. Ibn Raad has an incredible record, competing against the finest straight Egyptian horses year after year at the U.S. Egyptian Event. In his first trip to the Event as a yearling, Ibn Raad came home the High Score Futurity Colt in 2012. In 2013, he was the unanimous Champion 2-Year-Old Futurity Colt and the Silver Champion Junior Colt overall. The following year, Ibn Raad brought home the Champion Straight Egyptian 3-Year-Old Colt title and was again awarded the Silver Champion Junior Colt. In 2015, Ibn Raad repeated as the champion of his age group and was named the Bronze Champion Senior Stallion. In his most recent appearance at the U.S. Egyptian Event in 2016, Ibn Raad was the Gold Champion Senior Stallion, receiving the highest scores of any stallion. Also vying with non-straight Egyptian competitors in some of the most prestigious shows in America, Ibn Raad was the 2013 Silver Champion Junior Colt at the Arabian National Breeder Finals and earned top five honors at the 2014 Arabian Breeders World Cup and at Scottsdale in the 3 & Over Stallion Championship in 2015.
Irraadessa
It is only fitting that Ibn Raad was beautifully represented at the 2017 Egyptian Event by his daughter, Irraadessa, who won $12,000 when she was named the Egyptian Breeder Challenge Champion Filly. In addition to his being an Egyptian Breeder Challenge Nominated Sire, Ibn Raad is a Nominated Sire for both the Region 12 Spotlight Futurity and Arabian Breeders Sweepstakes, making his foals eligible for additional lucrative payoffs. A HT Abroad
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