all for the love of a horse...
11 August, 2024
AIRBORNE
04 August, 2024
Anuncja
In Spanish language, "Anuncia" means "announcement", like when you want to share joyful news, for example, a wedding or a new baby. I am not fluent in Polish but I imagine that "Anuncja" means similarly, for example, a special filly, representative of the Janów Podlaski stud farm, soon to make her official debut, as she goes out into the world-wide community of Arabian Horse breeding, leaving Janów Podlaski behind. Oh my.
Anuncja is sired by Borsalino K, the late Ali Jamaal son bred by Murilo Kammer of Haras Aratinga, Brazil. However, it is Borsalino's dam, the Varian-bred, Keepsake V, a Huckleberry Bey++ daughter out of a Khemosabi daughter, who is at the center of this story. In her matriline, Keepsake V traces to the celebrated Queen of Sheba, an Abeyyah, purchased in the Syrian desert by the Blunts; while her *Mirage sire line includes 3 generations of Varian stallion power: Huckleberry Bey++->Bay-El-Bey->Bay-Abi. Keepsake V, when outcrossed with *Sanadik El Shaklan, produced the prolific broodmare, La Kelila, who produced horses like Lalique V, Lily Dancer V and Latigo V, all sired by Desperado V. Combined with Encore Ali, an Ali Jamaal son, the cross is similar to Sheila's use of *Jullyen El Jamaal in her program.
Anuncja is lot 2 in the forthcoming Pride of Poland Summer sale. Recognizing that approximately 25% of her genetic influence comes from the Varian program, imagine crossing her with Major Mac V, a 2012 dark bay stallion, sired by Maclintock V (Desperado V x Marigold V) and out of Majors Tiffany GA (DS Major Afire x Sabrina GA). While the blood of Queen of Sheba courses the matriline of Keepsake V; the blood of Rodania, another of the Blunt desert purchases runs through Major Mac's tail female line. Major Mac also intensifies the cross of Huckleberry Bey++ with Khemosabi, through Maclintlock V's grandam, Moska, a Khemosabi daughter, whose own daughter, Marigold V, was bred to the Huckleberry Bey son, Desperado V.
And finally, there is the matter of Angora, the dam of Anuncja. She is sired by the Monogramm son, Ganges and out of the Gazal Al Shaqab daughter, Anarchia. In tail female line, she descends from Gazella, an 1840 Kuhaylah Ajuz mare, purchased in Syria by Count Juliusz Dzieduskycki for Jarczowce Stud. Gazella founded one of the most influential families in Polish Arabian horse breeding and it is really something to realize her influence, in the same pedigree with Rodania and Queen of Sheba.
It is mares like Anuncja, who really surprise you, when you take the time to learn who they are and the opportunities they offer a prospective breeder, new or old. Many good wishes sent to all the attendees of the show and sales for the Pride of Poland Arabian Horse days, coming up this weekend.
30 July, 2024
Al Ayal "squared"
Al Ayal AA (Al Ayad x The Vision HG) bred and owned by Ariela Arabians |
He is the sire of Poganin, the sire of Kabsztad, who sired Dolores, the dam of Driada but Laheeb is also the sire of Karolina, the maternal great-grandam of Kampala! Between the weight of influence that Al Ayal exerts in the pedigree (50%) and the percentage of influence that Laheeb carries (6.25%), both mares are just slightly less than 60% Egyptian!
The Polish Arabian Days website includes beautifully shot video footage of every horse consigned to the sale. And that's where I lost it. I watched Kampala trot the same fence line that her maternal grandsire once trotted. Yes, a bittersweet experience but grateful that a horse named Ekstern is still, very much alive in this world. His daughter did that for me, all for the love of a horse...and my heart.
28 July, 2024
Important: Social License
Are you familiar with the term "social license" and how it applies to the community of people (aka horse industry) who own, breed, train, ride and care for horses? "Social license" from an equine perspective, is an agreement between the horse industry and greater society, that we will conduct our horse businesses in an ethical and moral manner. Through our activities with horses, we show that we are responsible horse owners, in sync with our horses' welfare, both physically and emotionally. This public trust results in a social license to operate. Although equestrianism and the relationship between horse and human, is ancient, the social license that exists between us and society, is tenuous, at best. For this reason, the recent news concerning beloved British dressage superstar, Charlotte Dujardin, is catastrophic. It comes at a time when society has already suffered through images of broken carriage horses, racehorses who no longer run like the wind and are sent to slaughter and sport horses whose tongues have been cut through abusive training practices. The general public does not differentiate between sport horses and Arabians, dressage, carriage driving and western riding. While vastly different to us, the horse lovers; to the public, it is all the same. Society today, does not absorb the differences. Negative media, results in a loss of public support, which then ushers government regulation and ultimately, a ban on equine sport. Do we really want the government to become involved with horses and mess that up too? There are people who believe that the equestrian disciplines of 3-day event, Dressage and Show Jumping should be banned from the Olympics (PETA announced recently that it has renewed its interest in pursuing this action). There are still others who believe that endurance racing, Thoroughbred racing and rodeo should also be banned. And there are still others who believe that no horse should be ridden, stabled or owned by people as pets and returned to the wild, to run free across the plains. Ugh. Sounds unbelievable, right? Its a mad, mad world. Well, let me remind you of the power that these groups can exert. After the Paris Olympics, show jumping will no longer be one of the 5 components in the sport called Modern Pentathlon. In England, where fox hunting originated, the sport is now banned. In Australia, jump racing is no longer allowed. The world is changing, faster than you think it is and the developments in equine science are amazing. We know today so much more about what horses need from us, as compared to what we knew 10, 15 & 20 years ago. So, if you are not familiar with Social License, I strongly urge you to watch the World Horse Welfare video, presented by their Chief Executive, Roly Owers. The video is a little less than 20 minutes and you will begin to understand one of the most important topics we face, as a horse-owning community. It's not far fetched to imagine that one day, we can lose our social license and then, I am not so sure of the future that will exist for our beloved Arabian horses.
***I am very saddened to learn the recent news concerning Charlotte Dujardin, one of the brightest dressage riders in recent times, who gave the world a most incredible horse named Blueberry. What would life be without Valegro and how he inspired us?There is alot being said about her right now, much of it is opinion based, written by people who only know of her. I just listened to a podcast where it was suggested that piaffe should be banned from the Grand Prix! There are many other places to express an opinion about Charlotte, my blog is not one of those places, so I have turned off comments to keep this respectful.***
29 June, 2024
A Little Something about Pride
I'm really loving Arabian Insider's new video of Al Ghanayim's Razan Al-Rayah (Bahhei Ezzain x Rana Al-Rayah). This exquisite black filly, an Abeyyah, is sired by a stallion I once knew, Bahhei Ezzain. I also knew his sire, the "dream maker" NK Qaswarah and his dam, Dhuha Al Nakeeb. So, for me, while initially a moment of surprise; the video inspires an overwhelming array of feelings for horses, people and the times shared with them. And yet, at the center of it all is pride, similar to how you feel when you attend an event which celebrates the achievement of someone you are connected with. To realize just who Razan Al-Rayah is and to whose origin story she is part of, is also bittersweet. While Mr. Usamah Alkazemi's absence from the community of straight Egyptian Arabian horse breeding is still greatly felt, his death is not final, as his dreams are very much alive and continue forward, as we see in this filly.
Bahhei Ezzain (NK Qaswarah x Dhuha AlNakeeb), as photographed by Jennifer Ogden |
Dhuha Alnakeeb (NK Hafid Jamil x Sabha Bint Ibn Halima), photographed by Jennifer Ogden |
From Rayah Al-Sharg's Farm brochure, photos by Gigi Grasso |
15 June, 2024
Eyes, Souls and Horses
*Ecaho (*Pepton x Etruria) as photographed by Anette Mattsson |
14 June, 2024
A Song of Carmagnole
*Carmagnole(*Camargue x Sa'lilah) |
Rosemary Archer with Sa'lilah (Silver Flame x Sunset) |
Had Sa'lilah foaled a filly, Gari had every intention of eventually breeding her to the Dutchess of Rutland's stallion, Silvern Idyll (Masjid x Silvern Dream).
*Carmagnole (*Camargue x Sa'lilah) |
He was a huge horse, 16 hands and possessing a spectacular temperament (he loved to lick people, it was his favorite thing to do). At the time, with three small children, a sales career that involved commuting to NYC, I was afraid to take on such a responsibility but *Carmagnole could be the perfect Arabian horse to help me realize my USDF dreams. Tentatively, I accepted Gari's offer and started to contact shipping companies for the transport of *Carmagnole to New Jersey from California. However, about a week or so later, Gari called me with the tragic news. *Carmagnole had colicked and tragically, died. I grieved over the loss of all that Gari had told me about him but I felt worse for Gari. Despite her unflappable spirit, it was a setback for her that she could not save him. She was that kind of person. Whatever she set out to do, she was victorious in her ability to carry it out. Gari loved *Carmagnole and there was no doubt in my mind that she would not offer such a wonderful horse to just anybody. I am honored to have shared a friendship with Gari and that she chose to trust me with such an incredible horse as *Carmagnole. I can't even come close to capturing with words, the gratitude that I feel, all because of "Arabdom's" finest lady.