quarantine and then flew again to Australia, arriving in 1979. The first foals were eagerly awaited and these were to prove to be the real success of the Farleigh program, combining the best of Crabbet, Colonial and Egyptian bloodlines.
The number of broodmares at Farleigh was growing and Zenith 11 was well represented with daughters from Memory’s Pride, Lady Diana and her Crystal Fire daughter, Lady Crysan.
Phyllis began placing her horses with friends but continued her involvement with all things horsey by attending campdrafts with Alan and even getting to the odd horse show and endurance ride. Two of the precious Lady Crysan mares, Farleigh Crystine (by Zenith 11) and Lady Crysani (by Sir Ibn Moniet) went to Dick Collyer. Crystine produced the Open endurance horse, Crystalara by Shah Dara; but it was Lady Crysani who produced two outstanding endurance horses – Crystabarbara by Shalaz and Crysari by Shah Dara. Both of these mares have multiple Quilty buckles and many other successes. Lady Anne-Lee, owned by Rob and Ann Scott, was another Sir Ibn Moniet mare that did well in endurance. She became an Open endurance horse and later was the dam of two Quilty buckle winners, Sarandeep (by Sachin) and Manet Ibn Rashan (by Arundel House Rashan).
On a visit hosted by Peter Pond to the United States in 1977, Phyllis saw for the first time some of the Egyptian bloodlines previously unsighted in Australia. Basing her views and expectations on working Arabians, she saw some Morafic daughters which seemed to fit the bill of being good sound working types but with striking Arabian characteristics. At Bentwood Farm in Texas was the well-known show and stud Arabian sire, Ibn Moniet el Nefous. Phyllis still treasures the fact she was able to ride him, albeit for a short distance, during her visit there. A 30-day-old colt by him from the Morafic daughter, Bint Cleopatraa, was available. After much deliberation back home in Australia, Phyllis and Alan decided to purchase this colt subsequently named Sir Ibn Moniet. His importation was not without difficulty as he travelled by air to England for six months
Some 18 broodmares were in the stud in the 1980s and it was a pleasure to walk through the paddocks at Cinnabar with Phyllis and Alan. They were able to discuss in great details all the characteristics of every mare and foal and most times, the mares would follow us back to the gate. Most times, the foals were sold before weaning, with many repeat buyers.
Deneeka, were purchased from Greg Carson and a number of foals bred. Deneeka bred Nasr by Mahzin Ibn Cairo and he is going along well in endurance for Michael Coombe. Deneeka also has a number of younger progeny starting off in endurance.
In the early 1990s the decision was made to cut back on breeding Arabians and Sir Ibn Moniet went to live with Rick Cummins at Laggan in NSW. Zenith 11 had passed away and the mares were quietly grazing in the paddocks. Then the opportunity arose for Count Chatain to return to his birthplace for one season, thanks to the support of his owner Greg Carson. So began a hectic once only breeding season with 18 foals on the ground in 1993. From this foal crop there came a number of horses which were to go on to do very well as riding horses.
In 2003 Alan passed away and Mount View was sold. Phyllis shifted to Goomeri but still kept up her involvement with breeding horses, as two Count Chatain mares, Countess Crysan and
Peter and Penny Toft very kindly made Chip Chase Sadaqa available, so Countess Crysan duly presented two fillies and a colt by him. The first filly, Countess Crysda, is an Open endurance horse. The colt, Count Crysdafa, has developed into a lovely Crabbet-Bostocks type of horse, exactly the type that was the foundation for Farleigh Stud so many years ago. He began his endurance career in 2014. It is interesting to note at the 2014 Queensland Endurance State Championships held at Clifton that all three winners of the weight divisions were sired by Farleigh-bred stallions. They are: Annordean Lady Lilly in the Lightweight, sired by Sir Ninian, a very successful endurance horse (Sir Ibn Moniet x Lady Nina by Zenith 11). Middleweight winner was Hillbrae Alec, sired by the Count Chatain son, Count Blond-N, who was from a Sir Ibn Moniet mare. And Bellabin took out the Heavyweight and he was sired by Serabin (Sir Ibn Moniet x Lady Diana). So from a humble start in the 1950s to today there have been over 260 Farleigh Arabian horses bred, all with the great emphasis on sound working stock. And all of the current ones contain the bloodlines of Darribee Blue Diamond, Phyllis’s original acquisition in 1959.
Far Left: Alan and Phyllis Hopf with Sir Ibn Moniet. Left: Crysanna and her filly Lady Anna Lee sired by Sir Ibn Moniet. Top Right: Memory’s Pride with filly Pride-NJoy sired by Sir Ibn Moniet. Right: Four generations of Farleigh breeding (right to left) Lady Diana, Lady Crysan, Crysanna and foal Lady Anne Lee.
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One of the best of the colts born at Farleigh during this time was Count Chatain, sired by Count Manilla (GB) from Lady Tania, herself by Castaneer from Lady Blunt. Count Chatain was sold as a foal to the Naaman Stud in New South Wales (NSW) and went on to have a successful show career, culminating in winning Supreme Purebred Exhibit at the National Horse and Pony Show in Sydney in 1976. Lady Tania was later sold to Dick Collyer, who bred a number of good endurance horses from her, including the well-known Sigmund by Scimitar Shareef. Sigmund finished up with numerous Quilty, State Championship and open completions to his credit and was able to introduce many younger riders to the sport. Sigmund’s full sister, Lady Thalia produced Thalara (by Shah Dara) and Thalara completed 11 seasons of endurance riding without a vet out, including a Quilty, a Far-a-way marathon and multiple State Championships. Her final ride was the Clifton State Championships in 2014, where, rising 18 years she was fourth Junior. She is now in foal to Count Crysdafa (Chip Chase Sadaqa x Countess Crysan). Lady Thalia is also the dam of the stallion Stravynsky sired by Shalaz.