*Baha AA

*

JAVAN PHOTO

Baha

A A

Baha

SUZANNE PHOTO

*

A A

by DENISE HEARST

T

here is a quiet dignity about

a four-month-old weanling in 2008 by

*Baha AA (Al Ayad x Baraaqa

Avi Aharoni. “Avi really believed in

AA). He’s a sweet horse who

that horse and took great care of him.

wants to get along and be treated

He loved *Baha and babied him,” says

with kindness. Perhaps it’s because of

Raymond Mazzei, who has known the

all the love that was showered upon

horse since he was a yearling in Israel.

him as a young colt. Bred in Israel by

“He was a spectacular young horse,”

Ariela Arabians, he was purchased as

adds Raymond. The judges agreed. He

SAHARA > 2 < WORLD

“I have a deep appreciation for the straight Egyptian horse and the value of using that blood in a breeding program.”

—

JEFF SLOAN *Baha with Jamie Jacob and Jeff Sloan.

was 2011 Israeli National Champion

continues Raymond. “By that I mean he

Junior Colt as a three-year-old, and in

sires great foals out of Egyptian mares

2013 he was Senior Champion Stallion

as well as domestic mares. His maternal

at the Egyptian Event Europe.

grandsire, *Laheeb IASB, was a crossover stallion, too, as evidenced by his success

Today *Baha is owned by Baha Partners LLC, a group headed by Jeff

in America and Poland. It’s very unusual.

Sloan, who stands him at Sahara

When you get a straight Egyptian

Scottsdale. He showed up on Jeff’s

stallion that crosses out, you’re in great

radar in 2014 when Raymond and

shape.” [See Betty Finke’s “A Look Behind

Inga Applequist leased *Baha from Avi

the Paper” on page 6.]

and he came to Raymond’s Temecula,

Raymond has seen plenty of the *Baha

California, ranch, where he stood

get in Israel. “*Baha has some straight

for two breeding seasons. “I love the

Egyptians in Israel that are so exotic.

horse,” says Raymond. “I have seven

And the *Baha daughters in Israel are

of his daughters, the oldest of which

in turn producing great straights. *Baha

are coming three. I didn’t get colts!

has an incredible future as a breeding

“What’s interesting about him as a sire is that he’s a crossover stallion,”

horse. He always gives shape in the neck, and long lines from the wither to

SAHARA > 3 < WORLD

“The one horse in my history that has been, as far as temperament and breeding goes, the

—

OGDEN PHOTO

most consistent.”

R AY M O N D M A Z Z E I

poll, and motion. He’s 15.1, with good

Egyptians, finding one that is

bone, great feet, and good muscling.

great phenotypically is hard,” Jeff

His disposition is great. He’s a

continues. “So I kept my eyes open

horseman’s horse.”

because I’ve always wanted a straight Egyptian stallion. I thought *Baha

For Jeff Sloan, who started in the Arabian breed with straight

was the one. He’s beautiful, he’s

Egyptians, acquiring *Baha struck

charismatic, he’s really correct, but it

a nostalgic chord. “The first major

was the foals that pushed it over the

event I attended when I got into

top for me. It’s interesting, sometimes

Arabians was the Egyptian Event in

when you breed too tightly you can

1982. I went to all of the seminars,

get that straight Egyptian brand,

learned the strains, and developed an

but you don’t get a real high-quality

appreciation for the straight Egyptian

horse. But in outcrossing you can

horse and the use of that blood in a

produce an outstanding individual

breeding program.

that has hybrid vigor. *Baha is a great

“Because of the small gene

sire in both scenarios. An example

pool associated with straight

of a successful outcross is *Baha’s

SAHARA > 5 < WORLD

MACHMUT EL SHAHWAN SAEMAH MOHEEB IBRAHIM MAHAMEH MONA III AL AYAD ANSATA HALIM SHAH MAYSOUN MAYSOUNA

AL AYAD

AL MAMUNAH MAHOMED AMINAH BINT AQABA

Baha AA

*

AQABA

ANSATA IMPERIAL IMPERIAL IMDAL DALIA *LAHEEB IASB *IBN MONIET EL NEFOUS AK LATIFA SIRALIMA BARAAQA AA IBN EL MAREEKH *BAAHIR IASB GF NASRA BATAA AL BARAQAI AA

BARAAQA AA

THEE DESPERADO THE VISION HG BELLE STAAR

*

Baha A A

A L O O K BEHIND THE PAPER

by Betty Finke

The pedigree of *Baha AA is an exquisite blend of the best of straight Egyptian breeding from Germany through his sire, and the best of straight Egyptian breeding from the U.S., filtered through Israel, through his dam.

His sire, the sadly short-lived Al Ayad, was arguably one of the finest straight Egyptian stallions ever bred in Germany.

He was also a perfect example that great

horses do not always come from a large and/or famous farm. He was bred by a small breeder, Moritz Jakob, and foaled after his dam had been sold to an even smaller breeder, Monika Wenzel, who owned him for the rest of his life. A horse that was better than either of his parents, he burst on the show scene as a threeyear-old, becoming Junior Champion at the Egyptian Event Europe. He later made

SAHARA > 6 < WORLD

Andy Sellman showing *Baha AA to 2019 Scottsdale Champion International Arabian Breeder Straight

“I have so much respect for

Egyptian Senior Male.

*Baha. He is reminiscent of

filly out of U.S. National Champion Mare *MD Hibat Allah, Najima Aria, who was 2018 U.S. National Top Ten

the Gladys Brown Edwards

Breeders Sweepstakes Yearling Filly,

trophy – the ideal Arabian.“

2018 Scottsdale Top Ten Classic Yearling Filly January 1-April 15, 2018 Region 1 Breeders Sweepstakes Champion Yearling Filly, and 2018

—

SAHARA > 7 < WORLD

A N DY S E L L M A N

Senior Champion at the Israeli Egyptian Event in 2006 during his several years’ lease to Ariela Arabians, where he began his breeding career. After returning to Germany in 2008, he celebrated his greatest victory by being named Champion Stallion at the Asil Cup International.

Tragically, barely a year later, he fell victim to a horrific accident at the age of only 10 years. His death was a major loss and heartbreak not only for his owner, but also for the breed, because, in addition to being a superb individual, he had also proven himself as a great sire whose get include not just *Baha AA, but also *Al Ayal AA and Nashwah AA. Nearly all of them were bred in Israel; he only sired five foals in Germany after his return.

Al Ayad’s sire Moheeb was a typical product of the breeding program of Peter Gross, who concentrated on linebreeding to the Dahman Shahwan family through Moheba II. Moheeb had three lines to Moheba II, including tail female, plus another two lines to her full sister Malikah. He also had five crosses to the famous Nazeer son Hadban Enzahi. The horses from this breeding program were (and still are) characterized by exquisite type and refinement, and almost invariably white grey. Moheeb represented the 4th generation of this breeding program.

His sire, the aptly-named El Shahwan, was a chief sire at Peter Gross’s stud farm and the offspring of two of the best horses. His sire Machmut (Ibrahim x Molesta) was a very beautiful stallion, who unfortunately “lost” his back as a young horse due to an illness. As a result, he had an extremely low back throughout his life, but since this was acquired, he never passed it on, and he sired several significant stallions and mares in straight Egyptian breeding. El

Shahwan’s dam Saemah (Madkour I x El Samraa) was in many ways the crowning achievement of Peter Gross’s breeding p r o g r a m . O n e o f M a d k o u r I ’s b e s t daughters, she was virtually unbeatable in the show ring and became an Elite mare of the German registry. Her sire Madkour I (Hadban Enzahi x Moheba II) ranks as possibly the most significant straight Egyptian stallion ever bred in Germany. That’s quite something, if you consider that Rolf Ismer, when he purchased the weanling Madkour I from his breeder Prince Knyphausen, was ridiculed by some for buying such a “puny little animal.” Having seen him just after he arrived at the Ismer Stud, I have to admit that he did not appear very impressive at the time and looked quite small and delicate compared to the other yearlings. But the little white colt grew up to become a magnificent white stallion, an Elite stallion and German National Champion, and a sire second to none. Like Al Ayad, he was a better horse than either of his parents, and a strongly dominant sire.

Moheeb’s dam Mahameh (Ibrahim x Mona III) was a full sister in blood to Machmut, out of a mare who was a full sister to Madkour I. She was a key mare in Peter Gross’s breeding program, another Elite mare of the German registry, and famous as a producer of stallions. Her son El Thay Ibn Halim Shah was one of the finest Ansata Halim Shah sons. She produced several full siblings

by Madkour I, including the stallion Mahadin who was exported to Austria, where he became a show champion, and a sire of note.

Al Ayad’s dam Al Mamunah was a daughter of Maysoun (Ansata Halim Shah x Maysouna), who brings in the bloodlines of Dr. Nagel’s Katharinenhof

SAHARA > 8 < WORLD

MOORE PHOTO

Michael Byatt showing *Baha AA to 2017 Scottsdale Champion International Breeders Classic Straight Egyptian Senior Male.

Arabian Breeders World Cup Top Five

International Arabian Breeders

Yearling Filly Supreme Championship,

Straight Egyptian Senior Male.

owned by Alejandro Vigil, of Coronado,

Andy hadn’t been around many Egyptian Arabians, so for him, *Baha

California.”

proved to be a revelation. “*Baha is

Resident trainer for Sahara Scottsdale, Andy Sellman, has shown

such a pleasure to be with,” says Andy.

*Baha twice — once in New York at

“He doesn’t have any vices or faults.

the Central Park Show where he was

I really like his interactions with

Champion, and then at Scottsdale this

people. You can communicate with him

year where he was named Champion

very easily. Like any horse he does

SAHARA > 9 < WORLD

Stud. Günther and Karin Maiworm, who kept a small, but very successful straight Egyptian stud in the beautiful Sauerland region, purchased Maysouna from Dr. Nagel as a foundation mare.

Maysoun was one of the three best German Halim Shah sons, a multiple show champion, Elite stallion, and a prolific and highly successful sire and ranks as the crowning achievement of the Maiworm Stud. Al Mamunah’s dam Aminah Bint Aqaba came from the breeding program of the eccentric writer and artist Carl-Heinz Dömken, one of Germany’s oldest breeders, best known as the owner and promoter of the Nazeer son Ghazal. She was by his chief sire Mahomed (Hadban Enzahi x Malikah), a full brother in blood to Madkour I and also the sire of Ibrahim. Her dam Aqaba brings a little outcross blood into the closely woven web of Hadban Enzahi/Dahman Shahwan lines. Her dam Afifa, bred by the EAO, was the first *Morafic daughter imported to Germany.

Dömken bought her specifically to have a straight Egyptian mare to breed to Ghazal. Due to Ghazal’s untimely death, she only had one daughter by him.

All her subsequent daughters were by Mahomed except for Aqaba, who was by Sawlagan, a very refined and athletic Alaa El Din son. Since he was not used very much, this is quite a rare line in straight Egyptian breeding. While Afifa was hardly *Morafic’s prettiest daughter and imported mainly for her bloodlines, she founded a significant family with several non-Egyptian as well as straight Egyptian branches. Al Ayad was without doubt one of the finest representatives of this family.

Baraaqa AA, the dam of *Baha AA, represents the breeding program of

Ariela Arabians in Israel, which in turn is based on straight Egyptian lines from the U.S. Her sire *Laheeb IASB, by World Champion Imperial Imdal out of AK Latifa by *Ibn Moniet El Nefous, combines the breeding programs of Imperial, Ansata, Gleannloch, and Bentwood Farms, with the addition of Babson lines through his dam. He may well be the most prominent stallion bred in Israel to date, both on account of his show career, which includes twice Israeli National Champion Stallion, European Reserve Champion, and World Top Ten, but especially as a breeding horse. *Laheeb was the first straight Egyptian stallion ever leased by the Polish state studs, where his offspring include the current Janow Podlaski chief sire Poganin and the Michalow broodmares Wieza Babel, Galilea, and Emira. In Israel, Laheeb sired World Champion and international sire Al Lahab and his full brother Al Hadiyah AA, who was leased to La Movida Arabians in Austria, as well as Hanaya Arabians’ phenomenal show mare Wadad Zamani.

Baraaqa AA is a three-quarter sister to World Champion Al Lahab, who is out of Ariela Arabians’ celebrated foundation mare The Vision HG. Baraaqa AA’s dam is Al Baraqai AA, one of the few daughters of the The Vision HG, who is best known for her superb sons Al Lahab, Al Hadiyah AA, Al Maraam, and *Al Ayal AA. Al Baraqai, who is also The Vision’s oldest daughter, was sired by the U.S.-bred Baahir (Ibn El Mareekh x GF Nasra Bataa), bringing in outcross blood from the St. Clair and Pritzlaff breeding programs. The double The Minstril granddaughter The Vision HG hardly needs an introduction, being one of the most celebrated and influential straight Egyptian mares of our time.

S A H A R A > 10 < W O R L D

“He’s beautiful, he’s charismatic, he’s really correct, but it was the foals that pushed it over the top for me.”

—

JEFF SLOAN

SAPPHIRE BR (*Baha AA x Sephora PCF by *Jiuliusz De Wiec), 2018 Scottsdale International Breeders Classic Egyptian Heritage Champion Junior Female, owned by Peng Jiang, Beijing, China.

best when he’s treated respectfully and fairly. He’s just a lovely horse to be around. I have so much respect for *Baha. He is reminiscent of the Gladys Brown Edwards trophy – the ideal Arabian.

“We are thinking about showing him at Nationals. The premise is that we

ARIA BAKARE (*Baha AA x *Sofiya AA by *Al Ayal AA),

have a beautiful horse that we would

owned by The Aria Partners LLC, Birmingham, Michigan.

like to share with the people. Could he win? Sure. But no matter the result, we would leave there satisfied that we had shown our beautiful horse to the people at the U.S. Nationals.”

S A H A R A > 11 < W O R L D

“He is one of the best straight Egyptian breeding stallions in the world right now.”

— R AY M O N D

MAZZEI

S A H A R A > 12 < W O R L D

MIRAGE MTC (*Baha AA x RD Alotta Ambition by Bey

NAJIMA ARIA (*Baha AA x *MD Hibat Allah by

Ambition), 2018 Scottsdale Top Seven International

DA Valentino), 2018 U.S. National Top Ten Champion

Arabian Breeders Classic Egyptian Heritage Junior

Breeders Sweepstakes Yearling Filly, 2018 Scottsdale

Female, 2018 Scottsdale Second Place Arabian

Top Ten Classic Yearling Filly January 1-April 15,

Breeders Classic Egyptian Heritage Two-Year-Old

2018 Region 1 Breeders Sweepstakes Champion

Filly, and 2018 Region 7 Reserve Champion Two-Year-

Yearling Filly, and 2018 Arabian Breeders World

Old Filly. She recently sold to Falah Hussain Falah

Cup Top Five Yearling Filly Supreme Championship,

Alajmi of Abu Dhabi.

owned by Alejandro Vigil, Coronado, California.

“She’s an awesome filly,“ says Andy. “She’s taking the year off enjoying downtime with her family.”

shows as well as main ring shows. He’s

Andy is excited about the *Baha foals, and mentions the grey colt, Aria

tall, beautiful, he moves, he’s got a

Bakare out of *Sofiya AA (*Al Ayal AA x

beautiful tail, beautiful face, fine feet

Saniyyah RCA), who just came into the

and legs … I think he’ll be a really good

training barn. “He’s an awesome horse;

junior stallion for us.

alot like his sire,” says Andy. “*Baha is

*Baha certainly engenders admiration

an Egyptian horse that all horsemen

from those close to him. As Jeff says,

respect, and this colt is that way too.

“*Baha is really sweet. A gentleman

Bakare would do well in Egyptian

through and through.”

S A H A R A > 13 < W O R L D

“He was my dream horse to be around and to breed with, and I did almost all natural cover with *Baha.”

—

R AY M O N D M A Z Z E I

For Raymond, *Baha is, ”The one horse in my history that has been, as far as temperament and breeding goes, the most consistent. He was my dream horse to be around and to breed with, and I did almost all natural cover with *Baha. He is one of the best straight Egyptian breeding stallions in the world right now.”

When the day is done at Sahara Scottsdale, Andy observes, “In a training barn with 40 horses, it’s fun

*Baha AA and Raymond Mazzei

to see how the staff interacts with

enjoy a quiet moment awaiting

individual horses. Everyone responds

the results at the Egyptian Event where *Baha AA was 2014

to *Baha with reverence. There’s just

Egyptian Event Gold Champion

something about him that makes

Senior Stallion. He was owned at the time by Avi Aharoni and

everyone love him.”

What more can you ask of a horse?

Inga Applequist.

S A H A R A > 14 < W O R L D

APPLEQUIST PHOTO

on lease to Raymond Mazzei and

There’s just something about him that makes everyone love him.” —

A N DY S E L L M A N

Jeff Sloan, Jamie Jacob and Norm Pappas, Farm Owners Greg and Nancy Gallún, Managers | 480.656.2552 | info@SaharaScottsdale.com | Andrew Sellman, Trainer

Designed and produced by Arabian Horse World · 5-19

“Everyone responds to *Baha with reverence.