The 2011 WAHO Conference Arabian Farm Tours — Qatar

We thought we had never seen anything so beautiful in our lives … until dainty RN Farida (Salaa El Dine x Noha by Hadban Enzahi) joined him.

Fast forward many years to the farm’s head sire Ashhal Al Rayyan, a son of Safir, and out of one of the farm’s winningest mares, Ansata Majesta (Ansata Halim Shah x Ansata Malika).

Ashhal, Qatar National Champion Colt, International Junior Champion Colt, and Qatar International Champion Stallion is now one of the leading straight Egyptian sires in the region. Among his international-winning get: Nadrah Al Rayyan, Darine Al Rayyan, Dorar, and Athenaa.

Meanwhile, RN Farida amassed an impressive show record of her own: Jordan International Junior Champion Filly 1998; Middle East Junior Champion Filly 1998; Qatar National Senior Champion Mare 1999; Qatar International Reserve Senior Champion Mare 2000; and Qatar International Champion Mare 2001. She is the dam of the farm’s young sire Safir Al Rayyan (by Ashhal Al Rayyan). Now 16 years old, she is heavily flea-bitten and possesses an unbelievable dry and chiseled face and a RN Farida (Salaa El Dine x Noha) with Sheikh Saoud, the son of Al large flat cheek. Arabian heads simply do Rayyan’s founder Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Khalid Al Thani. not come more beautiful than hers.

Just off a busy street in the historic city of Al-Rayyan, Al Rayyan Farm has one of the world’s best-known Egyptian Arabian breeding programs. After “The most special horse on the farm to me is RN nearly 23 years of breeding, and more than 350 foals with Farida. She’s not our best producer — once you are the 35 coming in 2012, the stud is the pride of its founder top where can you go? But hopefully we can get Farida Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Khalid Al Thani. His oldest son, back in the next generation. We have Obeyyah Al Rayyan, Sheikh Saoud, is becoming more involved with the farm’s her granddaughter by Safir Al Rayyan, who looks like her. breeding and operation. Recently, we had a conversation And of course, Safir Al Rayyan himself, out of RN Farida, with the young sheikh about his passion for Arabians. is Ashhal’s best son.

“I was born on this farm. From when I was a child I “Our best producers are Ansata Majesta, the dam of had a love for horses. All my toys were horses. My videos Ashhal Al Rayyan, and Ansata Sherifa, a most important were horses. I feel that I will be like my Dad one day. The mare for us. We have four generations from her, each one a first time I thought I would be a breeder was when I went great producer. along with my Dad on his travels to visit farms in Europe.

“Al Rayyan type is characterized by the look of the I was at Dr. Nagel’s. It was Salaa El Din’s 20th birthday. I face from the front: the wide-set eyes, small ears, tapered felt special, seeing him. And even more so knowing that it muzzle. Our logo is Ashhal, who best represents my could be my last chance. He died the next year. father’s breeding.

31 ▪ WAHO QATAR ▪ WORLD