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T Above: Mikayla, Keitha, Mackenzie and Dane Adams. Facing Page: Torque AWR (Thee Desperado x Thee Prevue) and Thee Apache Moon (Alixir x Belovedd Infidel.
he story of MacKayne Arabians almost seems like a chapter from the famous movie “Seabiscuit.” It all began with a wild Arabian horse called Tolla, owned by a family friend. No one was able to ride him, and all of the trainers who had tried to work with him gave up. They claimed that this horse was hopeless — just plain “impossible to train.” Enter Keitha Adams — a young and fearless teenager. “It’s no wonder this horse had trouble learning,” recalls Keitha, “his so-called training amounted to being beaten into submission.” The young girl saw something in Tolla that his trainers seemed to miss — something unique and special. “As I looked into Tolla’s eyes, it was as if I could see into his soul and I just fell in love with him.” Tolla’s exotic face, huge nostrils, and untamed spirit captured Keitha’s heart. Despite the predictions of his former trainers, it wasn’t long before Keitha was able to ride Tolla anywhere, even in local rodeos. Keitha remembers how she would just lightly tap Tolla on his side, and he would rear up as the crowd cheered. Keitha was only 15 years old at the time, but even then, there was no doubt in her mind that there would come a time when she would have an Arabian horse of her very own.
A Dream Finally Realized Over 20 years had passed since her love affair with Tolla when one day Keitha found herself at the local Barnes and Noble, gazing at a photo of a beautiful straight Egyptian Arabian stallion on the cover of Arabian Horse World Special Edition. She remembers devouring the entire magazine that day; reading all of the articles and studying the many photos of incredibly beautiful Arabian horses featured on its pages. Once again, Keitha secretly dreamed of owning an Arabian horse, but now the dream was much bigger — clearer and more real. She saw herself living on a beautiful farm out in the country, raising Arabian horses with her family. Standing in that bookstore, she could almost smell the crisp country air against her face and feel the warm breeze flowing through her hair, as she brushed the mane of the beautiful Arabian horse at her side. BY
CAROL
MAGINN
·
PHOTOS
BY
NANCY
PIERCE
Keitha and Wayne Adams are dear friends and have assembled an incredible foundation for their breeding program. Keitha has an excellent eye and is well-versed in pedigrees. MacKayne Arabians’ enthusiasm and dedication will definitely make a mark in the breeding barn and the showring. Bob Miars — Miars Arabians 3 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Above: Alia Valentino (Thee Desperado x Ali Maarlia) with Mikayla and Keitha Adams. Facing page: Alia Mar (Thee Infidel x Aliashahm RA)
As she continued leafing through the pages of the magazine, Keitha came across an ad for a horse farm that was hosting a seminar the following month. “I couldn’t wait to see these horses in person,” Keitha says. “I asked my husband, Wayne, if we could enjoy a romantic weekend trip which just happened to include a visit to the farm that was hosting the open house and seminar.” Well, her husband agreed … and it was at that seminar that Keitha fell in love again — with an Egyptian Arabian mare named MC Alexsis. Keitha vividly recalls that day, the day that marked the beginning of her life’s journey with Egyptian Arabian horses. “The seminar we attended was so exciting, and my husband mentioned that he had no idea what a wonderful opportunity it would be for me to begin a business with these majestic horses. In 2008, Wayne purchased Lady Mishaal RCA (*Mishaal HP x Thee Scarlet Lady), Alia Valentino (Thee Desperado x Ali Maarlia), and Pimlicos Dream RCA (Pimlico RCA x Minstrils Dream) as gifts for me. Then, as a Christmas present, he purchased an embryo out of the MC Alexsis daughter KBF Starlight. It was a joyous day for me to say the least.” Keitha’s dream is now a reality, shared by the entire family, including her daughters Mikayla and Mackenzie, as well as her son Dane. Today, MacKayne Arabians continues the journey of preserving rare and precious straight Egyptian Arabian bloodlines by incorporating new sources, creative ideas, and promotional programs.
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The Farm Located in the heart of East Texas, MacKayne Arabians is breeding, raising, and showing straight Egyptian Arabians. The initial herd has grown to 27 horses with three more foals on the way. The herd roster includes the straight Egyptian champion mare Alia Valentino, as well as individuals of bloodlines from many notable Egyptian Arabian champions, such as Thee Desperado, *Mishaal HP, and Ruminaja Ali. “We also have a new purebred colt by Falcon BHF out of Alia Valentino, and we are expecting a foal by *Escape Ibn Navarrone-D out of Gala Ali Shaqab, any day now,” says Keitha. “The rest of our herd is all straight Egyptian. We have a seven-stall mare barn, and are in the planning stages of building a new show barn with presentation arena, a covered training arena, and 16 additional stalls.”
Working with Keitha Adams has been a real pleasure. Her enthusiasm for the breed is contagious and inspiring. We are so proud that Keitha bred one of her best mares, Alia Valentino, to our stallion EA Java, and selected Antar for her program as well. We are very much looking forward to some amazing foals for MacKayne Arabians, now and in the future. Charlie and Martha Suarez — LaDulce Vida Arabians 5 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Left: Dreamers Juell AWR (The Sequel RCA x Pimlicos Dream RCA). Right: MA Latico (Pimlico RCA x Latte)
Facing page: Lady Mishaal RCA (*Mishaal HP x Thee Scarlet Lady)
The Team “Running such a major breeding operation takes a full-time staff capable of handling the many daily challenges and operations,” Keitha says. “Larry Hall is our farm manager, who ensures that the farm runs as efficiently as possible. It is hard to find someone who ascribes to the same principles and management style, and Larry always knows the best way to deal with whatever issues arise to ensure success.” Keitha continues, “We are very fortunate to have recently hired Kimberlee Kydd as our mare care manager. I’ve known Kimberlee since high school and we became like sisters immediately. Within two weeks of meeting her I had talked her into joining the riding club with me. We performed at numerous rodeos all over Texas and also did some barrel racing together at local arenas. Kimberlee has been around horses all of her life and shares our passion for the breed. She is going to be learning equine massage, and soon every horse in our herd will have massages on a regular basis. Kimberlee has been a wonderful addition to our facility and our program. “Brad Scott manages the conditioning and training of all our mares and foals, and next year will handle our stallion conditioning program as well,” Keitha says. “I have been so impressed with Brad, who has a true gift with horses; everyone at the farm is drawn to watching him work with them. He has the foals trying to crawl in his lap from the moment they hit the ground and they come running to him from across the pastures as soon as he arrives each day. “Ashley Reeder rounds out our team here,” Keitha adds. “She is going to college this summer and will stay with us part time. Ashley assists in the care of the horses and would make a wonderful vet for us in the future.” 6 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Breeding Philosophies and Principles Keitha describes the MacKayne Arabians breeding philosophy as a consistent commitment to producing the best horse possible, regardless of the bloodlines utilized. Although breeding straight Egyptian Arabians is their main focus, they also have a small purebred Arabian breeding program that includes non-straight Egyptian lines. “Interestingly, the straight Egyptian horses have been the cornerstones of both programs. Stallions such as Ruminaja Ali, Ansata Sinan, Asfour, and *Orashan are all stallions who have influenced our breeding program tremendously.” Keitha explains, “You can see, for example, the contribution of these great horses in both the *Gazal Al Shaqab daughter Gala Ali Shaqab, and our Falcon BHF foal. From our straight Egyptian program our filly Lady Asileh AWR is the closest we have come so far to breeding our ideal horse. We attribute her extreme type, beauty, and movement to the combination of Ruminaja Ali blood crossed back on *Mishaal HP, which in turn adds the blood of his sire, Ansata Sinan. Another foal we are extremely pleased with is our colt Valentino El Din AWR out of Alia Valentino by Bellagio RCA. Valentino is a big bold colt with the size
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Facing page: Alia Valentino and *EAI Eskalia Afeena (Safeen x Eskada Alicia). Below: Alia Valentino with Keitha, Dane, Mackenzie and Mikayla.
and type needed to take on all comers including those in main ring halter. Once again, we see how using such a high concentration of Ali blood has produced the results we seek. “Our business principles include honesty, commitment, and courage,” Keitha says. “Honesty means with both our clients and with ourselves in evaluating our breeding results. Commitment includes our focus on always learning as much as possible about pedigrees, other breeders’ programs, and our own bloodlines and historical horses. We feel courage is probably the most important principle. We breed the horses we would like to own rather than simply what the market currently wants.”
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Alia Valentino needs to be included in everyone’s oncein-a-lifetime category for beautiful Arabian mares. She has power and grace that goes beyond many of the horses I have trained. She loved working with me in halter and we had a blast together in her first show, winning the championship and even most classic head. She will always have a special place in my heart. Keitha, you have a true Jewel of the Desert — and she is a diamond! Cheryl Balmer, owner — C’s Arabians
The Stallions The stallions standing at MacKayne Arabians include SS-Rashad Ibn Sinan (Ansata Sinan x Thee Isis SSE), and Negm Al Sahra, sired by the Ansata Sinan son El Khaled and out of Almase Amira. “Ansata Sinan has been a cornerstone of our breeding program,” Keitha says. “We acquired SS-Rashad Ibn Sinan and Negm Al Sahra to bring more Sinan blood into our program. We are blown away not only by the beauty of these two stallions, but also by their athleticism. Rashad will probably compete in dressage in the future. His movement and conformation are ideal for performance and his mind is solid. He learns quickly and is eager to please. Negm Al Sahra, or ‘Star’ as we call him, is extremely exotic and we look forward to seeing his first foals.” Most recently several outcross stallions have been brought in, including *Simeon Ibn Sehavi and Orashans Legacy. *Simeon Ibn Sehavi is one of only two sons sired by Imperial Madaar and the only son of Simeon Sehavi in the United States. “We have long admired Simeon Sehavi — certainly one of Marion Richmond’s best mares. Simeon Sehavi was sold to Dubai Stud, and her extreme type, movement, and charisma have been recognized worldwide,” Keitha says. “In looking at our herd and seeing how well our mare lines have crossed with Asfour and Imperial Madaar blood, we expect great things from bringing in this blood. We are so thankful to DeShazer Arabians for the opportunity to lease this beautiful stallion, who is so much like his dam.
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Keitha Adams has acquired some of the most treasured and rare bloodlines in America. Recently, MacKayne Arabians leased *Simeon Ibn Sehavi, a beautiful chestnut stallion and the only son of *Simeon Sehavi in the country. I am very excited to see how he will cross with the different mare lines at MacKayne Arabians. Keitha’s constant drive to learn, her compassion for others, and her commitment to the breed are keys to her success. Carol Maginn – Bear Creek Ranch Facing page and left: *Simeon Ibn Sehavi (Imperial Madaar x Simeon Sehavi).
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Keitha has already put together an impressive group of straight Egyptian Arabians in the short time that she’s been in this business. She has a commitment to this breed and high goals for the future of her breeding program. This is one to watch and sure to produce some impressive foals — already has, actually. Louise DeRusseau — LD Arabians
“Orashans Legacy RAF is one of the last sons of his famous sire *Orashan. In addition to being the son of such a world-class sire, Legacy is out of the mare Mystify HG, dam of Egyptian Event Champion Mare DSA Hey Baby, who is owned by Dogwood Springs Arabians. Legacy has captured the attention of visitors worldwide with his beautiful face, smooth body, charisma, and movement. We expect the hybrid vigor that will result from crossing these new lines in with our existing breeding.”
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Facing page: Orashans Legacy RAF (*Orashan x Mystify HG) Below: SS-Rashad Ibn Sinan (Ansata Sinan x Thee Isis SSE)
The Journey “Our journey of living our dreams has been extremely exciting. Every day something new happens, and there is something new to learn. It’s never dull — that’s for sure. One of my most memorable times was the 2009 Egyptian Event — the first time Wayne and I had been to the Event. We took two horses, including a two-year-old filly, Lady Mishaal RCA, and a beautiful mare, Alia Valentino. Both mares showed in the world classes for their age groups and won their classes! We were extremely proud to have only brought two horses who won two first-place ribbons! What an amazing week that was.” It is interesting to note that in 2010 Alia Valentino won her class again, to move on to the Saturday night Championships — and brought home the Supreme Reserve Champion Mare title. “As thrilling as it was to win in the showring,” recalls Keitha, “I would have to say that delivering our first foals was equally as joyous. We anxiously await the arrival of every foal — looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labor. I cannot imagine a more exciting thing to do than to breed Arabian horses — creating something so precious and ensuring a legacy for the future.”
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I have known Keitha Adams (and Wayne) for a few years now and what comes first to mind about Keitha, besides her warmth to friends and love of family, is the fact that when she decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of breeding Arabian horses, she went right to the top. What strikes me about Keitha is she is a “natural” breeder and has, in a few years, achieved the Rubik’s Cube of breeding. She has won at the Egyptian Event, at Regionals. and at Nationals.
Right: Thee Apache Moon (Alixir x Belovedd Infidel) Facing page: Lady Asileh AWR (Thee Asil x Lady Mishaal RCA), left, and Al Amir AWR (Thee Desperado x Lady Mishaal RCA), right.
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Keitha acquired the breathtaking and beautiful Alia Valentino early on and has not looked back. When you visit her farm (and you should) you will walk among some of yesterday’s as well as tomorrow’s champions. Moreover, Keitha (with Wayne, who is the perfect balance to Keitha and someone on the top of my “enjoy having a beer with” list) has amassed friends of quality as she has horses. I could say so much more about Keitha, Wayne, and their wonderful family, but instead I will just invite you to visit their website, their farm, or walk up and meet them at the next Event where champions gather. Jerel Kerby — Dogwood Springs Arabians 15 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
The Future Asked about her visions for the future, Keitha replies, “I would like to be known for inspiring people and giving them the opportunity to follow their dreams. By breeding top-quality Egyptian Arabian horses and inviting people to our farm — by sharing the magic and joy that is the essence of this endeavor, we will be able to play a part in preserving a legacy not only for our farm and children, but for everyone whose life will be forever touched for the better by living with Arabian horses. In addition to leaving a legacy for others to share, it is my hope that through our horses we will be one of the top breeding programs, one that has made a major contribution to preserve the straight Egyptian Arabian horse and community.”
Falcon AWR (Falcon BHF x Alia Valentino)
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Oras ans Le ac
One of the last sons of the great *Orasahan
RAF
(*Orashan x Mystify HG by The Minstril) 2010 grey straight Egyptian colt
Offering extreme type, movement, and charisma For breeding information contact owner Keitha Adams 903-880-6589 keitha.adams@yahoo.com or Carol Maginn 512-415-4255 carolmaginn@mac.com
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Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 17 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Simeon * I n Se avi One of only two Imperial Madaar sons
(Imperial Madaar x Simeon Sehavi) 2007 chestnut straight Egyptian stallion
Siring extreme type, movement, and charisma Thank you, DeShazer Arabians, for the opportunity to lease this exotic stallion.
Standing at Miars Arabians Murchison, TX 903-681-0302 bob@miarsarabians.com www.miarsarabians.com
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Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 18 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
& the only Simeon Sehavi son in the U.S.
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Negm Al Sahra The blood of Ansata Sinan
(El Khaled by Ansata Sinan x Almase Amira by Al Baraki) 2010 grey straight Egyptian colt
Extremely exotic and athletic For breeding information contact owner Keitha Adams 903-880-6589 keitha.adams@yahoo.com or Carol Maginn 512-415-4255 carolmaginn@mac.com
M acKa ne A R A B I A N S
Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 20 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Rashad Ibn Sinan R SS-
(Ansata Sinan x Thee Isis SSE by Al Baraki) 2008 grey straight Egyptian stallion
Conformation, movement, beauty, and athleticism Standing at Miars Arabians, Murchison, TX 903-681-0302 bob@miarsarabians.com www.miarsarabians.com
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Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 21 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Lad Mis aa
Producing extreme exotic foals
RCA
(*Mishaal HP x Thee Scarlet Lady by Thee Desperado) 2007 grey straight Egyptian mare
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Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 22 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
To be presented at the Egyptian Event by Rory O’Neill
Lad Asi e
AWR
(Thee Asil x Lady Mishaal RCA) 2011 chestnut straight Egyptian filly
A Amir
AWR
(Thee Desperado x Lady Mishaal RCA) 2011 grey chestnut colt
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Mabank, Texas · www.mackaynearabian.com 23 ▪ MACKAYNE ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
M acKa ne A R A B I A N S 16861 Tarlton Drive · Mabank, TX 75147 903-880-6589 · keitha.adams@yahoo.com www.MackayneArabian.com
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