hen the partners in the El Shawan Group h purchased the hot young stallion FA El pu Shawan, it was a business decision. All Sha Sh a experienced breeders, they had studied his expe ex per pedigree pedi pe digr gree e and looked at videotapes of him, but none had seen him in person; there was no opportunity for the visceral gut reaction that is so common to a charismatic Arabian. For some, the decision was encouraged by their faith in Rodolfo Guzzo, who had spotted what was then a 9-month-old colt at Scottsdale, and Bolivar Figueiredo, who had joined Guzzo in putting together the venture. The Group’s reactions after FA El Shawan arrived in Brazil, began winning titles, and in 2009, put babies in the show ring who were collecting silver as well, was a different matter—they had the right to fall in love. But in the beginning, nearly four years ago, it was FA El Shawan’s sheer quality and potential that sold them. This is the story of a business partnership that shows every sign of turning into an important contribution to the Arabian breed. Scottsdale, 2006. Yearling colts were in the ring, and Rodolfo Guzzo, standing on the rail, was intrigued by the black-bay youngster at the end of Keith Krichke’s lead. “I saw him come in the gate with a beautiful trot,” Guzzo recalls. “The movement was amazing.” He also recalls the frustration of having no program at the time, no way of knowing who the colt was; at last he got a listing, scanned through the numbers, and found that the handsome bay was FA El Shawan, a Marwan Al Shaqab son, bred by Marlene A. Rieder. He headed for Krichke’s barn and asked to see the colt trot again. Although he was tired, FA El Shawan set off down the barn aisle, head up, knees popping, game and fancy. Guzzo asked for a price.
2 FA EL SHAWAN | AR ABIAN HORSE TIMES