THE SOUTH CENTRAL STATES
*Bint Maisa El Saghira
*Sakr+++ with Tom McNair
Katie Harvey with parents David and Marion Gardner and Thee Desperado.
TEXAS ____________________________________________
Much of the land in Texas is arid, hard, and desolate; it does not give up its resources easily. Yet, as unyielding and inhospitable as the terrain might be, you can still feel the deep love and pride Texans feel for their land. Perhaps the harsh conditions inspire the fierce, independent nature and maverick attitudes of Arabian horse breeders in Texas. Two of the most influential early Texas breeders were Douglas and Margaret Marshall of Gleannloch Farms in Spring and later in Barksdale. The Marshalls acquired their first purebred Arabian *Moftakhar in 1951. Between 1962 and 1964, they imported 10 horses from the EAO, including the legendary *Bint Maisa El Saghira. As the first imported Egyptian mare to win at the U.S. Nationals, she still holds the record as the only mare to be named a top ten winner in halter, English pleasure and park. She was also the dam of the legendary stallions Shaikh Al Badi and Amaal, both sired by *Morafic. Also among that first importation was *Bint Nefisaa, the dam of the important sire, El Hilal, by *Ansata Ibn Halima. Then, in 1965, they imported 13 additional horses including the legendary *Morafic. Another important stallion, *Sakr, was imported in 1968, a multiple halter champion and
Ar abian Horse Times | 5 |
Ruminaja Ali
Judy Sirbasku with The Infidel.
three-time national champion in park and native costume; shown to many of his championships by trainer, Tom McNair. Very active members of the Arabian horse community, the Marshalls joined several other breeders of Egyptian Arabians and established The Pyramid Society in 1969. The Gleannloch Farms dynasty came to a close with their passing (Margaret in 1993 and Douglas in 2007), however, their contributions live on through every horse that traces back to their brilliant breeding program. Arabian historian Jeff Wallace once worked for Jarrell McCracken of Bentwood Farm in Waco, home of the largest herd of Egyptian Arabians in the country in the mid-70s, including the prolific sire *Ibn Moniet El Nefous, along with David Gardner, Shawn Crews, Stanley White Jr. and Sarah Strobe. David went on to establish Gardner Bloodstock in China Springs, where he bred The Minstril and syndicated the great stallion Ruminaja Ali. Judy Sirbasku and Shawn Crews of Arabians Ltd. and Rock Creek Arabians in Waco, are two well known names in the world of straight Egyptian Arabians. Judy’s late husband, Jim, introduced her to Arabians over 30 years ago. They owned the world famous Egyptian stallion Thee Desperado.
south central arabians