l Maha Farm by Glenn Jacobs
T
here is one place in the Qatari desert where it is possible to walk among trees and over a flowing stream, watch brightly colored birds of paradise flit about and listen to vivid yellow golden conures chattering away at you. It’s not a mirage, but the superb wildlife reserve of Al Wabra. Powered by Sheikh Saoud bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani’s admiration for nature, this divine animal sanctuary is also home to Al Maha Farm, where the focus is on breeding black straight Egyptian horses. Al Maha’s program consists of some 40 horses, and every year about a dozen foals are born. Among the prestigious group of mares is Bint Moniettaa (Thee Outlaw x Jaytee Monietta) — she is an exquisite and refined black mare that already produced some wonderful offspring. Once you enter the stables you are greeted by her son, the equally impressive homebred stallion Soker (by DP Saud El Halima). This exceptional individual of European and American Egyptian origin must be one of the most exotic Egyptian black stallions in the world today. He stamps his foals
26 ▪ WAHO QATAR ▪ WORLD
Top: The Al Maha-bred black stallion Soker (DP Saud El Halima x Bint Moniettaa). Bottom: The dam of Soker Bint Moniettaa (Thee Outlaw x Jaytee Monietta), pictured with manager Abdelhak.