Fabah

The Babson stallion, Fabah, was an influential individual, not only within the straight Babson Egyptian group but also, in straight Egyptian breeding. Think of horses like Mahrouf, The Shah, Fabo, Hadbah, Ahmed Fabah and Fadl Dan, all of whom claim Fabah as a sire. While it is difficult, if not impossible to find a Babson horse without Fabah present in the pedigree; on a greater note, the combination of *Fadl and *Bint Bint Sabbah is also prevalent in the Babson breeding group because these two prolific horses, together, produced nine other foals in addition to Fabah: Fadahma, Fa Saana, Khebir, Habba, Fad Sabbah, Fa Habba, Fa Saab, Faaba and Fa Abba. I have heard the term "Fabah-free" used previously, which is a term that confuses me. For example, the 1974 Saafaddan daughter, Masada El Aba, out of Daal Aba, may have been the last Babson horse without Fabah in her pedigree and yet, she carries lines to Fabah's full sisters: Fa-Habba and Faaba. So what does "Fabah-free" really mean, being that the combination of *Fadl and *Bint Bint Sabbah may exist elsewhere in the pedigree? The Babson Farm used Fabah on the Fa-Serr daughters and Ibn Fa-Serr on the Fabah daughters. For example, Fabah sired Sabrah (out of Serrasab), the dam of the US National Champion Mare Fa Halima and Ansata Sabiha, as well as the son, Sar Fadl Halim. Another Fabah daughter was the mare Aroufina (out of Roufina) in 1969. When Aroufina was bred to the *Ibn Moniet El Nefous son, Fa Noufas (out of the Fabah daughter, Shebaah), she produced Noufina. In turn, Noufina was eventually bred to the Sabeel son, *Lancers Sahm, to produce the mare PH Safina. PH Safina was bred to *Orashan, to produce the mare, BB Ora Kalilah, one of my favorite Imperial mares and the dam of Imperial Baarez (by PVA Karim). Fabah's daughter, Maarqada, produced the full sisters by Ansata Ibn Sudan: Ansata Jasmin and Ansata Jellabia, who in turn produced the stallion, El Hadiyyah. Maarena, bred to Ibn Fa-Serr, produced the dressage stallion Serr Maariner. Much can be written about Fabah, for he was truly an amazing sire of significance.