l Naif Stud by Glenn Jacobs
The multi-champion stallion Ansata Nile Echo (Ansata Hejazi x Ansata White Nile by Prince Fa Moniet).
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hirty minutes outside Doha, the capital of Qatar, there is a green oasis surrounded by windswept deserts. Al Naif Stud, established in 1996 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasir Al Ahmed Al Thani and managed by Mr. Rashid Al Malki, has been producing some of the finest straight Egyptian Arabian horses in the region and perhaps even worldwide. In addition to its breeding program, Al Naif Stud is home to 150 racehorses of French Arabian and English Thoroughbred origin. Of these, many have claimed international victories in the Arabian Gulf and also in Europe.
The first Arabian horses arrived from England, soon followed by straight Egyptians were imported from the U.S. and from Australia. Today Al Naif Stud’s straight Egyptian program consists of some 40 horses and each year some 10 foals are born. Our breeding is extremely selective, so our breeding decisions are based on the knowledge we have gained over the years about the breeding capabilities of our mares, the family lines, pedigrees, and the superb stallions we have available in Qatar. Our first straight Egyptian foal was born in 1997 — the beautiful grey Shahlika (Ansata Halim Shah x Bint Hassema) came over from the U.S. in foal to Ansata Hejazi, and she produced Hejazia Al Naif. One of Hejazia’s youngest daughters, Rayyana Al Naif (by Shagran Al Nasser), garnered the titles of Qatar International Egyptian Event Junior Champion Filly and Qatar National Junior Bronze Champion Filly. Two promising colts that grew into two of the most important stallions in Qatar were imported in 1996 as well: the U.S.-born unbeaten Get of Sire Champion Ansata Shalim, the youngest son of Ansata Halim Shah out of Ansata Nefertari by Prince Fa Moniet; and the incomparable multi-champion Ansata Nile Echo by Ansata Hejazi out of Ansata White Nile by Prince Fa Moniet. Ansata Nile Echo is beauty in motion and widely known as the “King of Trot.” He distinguishes himself by his powerful and fluid movements, which he passes on to his get. Ansata Nile Echo descends from the same magnificent cross that produced the exquisite sisters Wafaa El Kuwait and Ansata Nile Pearl. The famous Nile family traces back to the Ansata foundation mare Falima (Ansata Ibn Halima x Fa-Habba by Fadl) and is pure in the Dahman Shahwan strain. Most of the horses imported in 1996 were still young, so it was not until 1999 that the first steps were made toward creating the breeding program we have today. Several mares were bred, resulting in two major international straight Egyptian champions in 2000 and 2001. The first was Jandeh Al Naif (Ansata Shalim x Ansata Nile Gypsy by Ansata Hejazi), a more refined version of his sire, who won multiple show titles over the years, including Qatar National Champion, Qatar International Reserve Champion Stallion, and several international championships in Europe. Jandeh Al Naif ’s winning streak has
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