An Audacious Cross

The cross of the Fame VF+ son, Audacious PS

Audacious PS (Fame VF+ x Hal Flirtatious)

with the QR Excel daughter, Satine IA

Satine IA (QR Excel x Psyches Euphoria)

has produced some of the most beautiful Varian Arabian horses, proving that something extraordinary, even magical, exists when you combine the bloodlines of these two particular individuals.

Several years ago, I stumbled onto Santino V's video on the Varian Arabians' website. I was impressed with the overall substance and scope of this young horse, who for being big, still possessed an abundance of breed type, grace and elegance. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Santino's beautifully-shaped neck, laid-back shoulder, deeper heart girth and well-muscled hind end, conveying great power. Santino also had a whisper of familiarity to him, which got me to really thinking about where I had seen him (or a horse like him) before. I didn't have to look very far for an answer, as  that feeling eventually led me to Desperado V and his son, Maclintlock V. So, naturally, I wanted to compare Santino's pedigree with Desperado's pedigree, looking for any commonality that would explain what I was seeing and feeling.  I found an answer almost immediately through  the Varian-bred Bay El Bey, who appears in the sire line of both horses, albeit through two different sources: the Jennie Walton-bred Bey Shah (through Fame VF+) and the Sheila Varian-bred Huckleberry Bey (in Desperado V). Through Fame VF's pedigree, we find more common ground through the Raffon daughter, Raffoleta-Rose, while on the dam side of Huckleberry Bey's pedigree, we also find Raffon, through his daughter, Taffona. So, in both horses we have this influence of Bay El Bey, combined with Raffon (Gazon x Vadraff). In Maclintlock's pedigree, we have an additional source of Bay El Bey, on the dam side (Marigold V), reinforced with the blood of Khemosabi, which we also find through the maternal side of Satine's pedigree. I am reminded that even though Audacious was not bred by Sheila Varian, he is so complementary to the Varian breeding program,  almost as if  Sheila had bred the horse!

Digging a little deeper within Santino's pedigree, I was also surprised to find several Egyptian lines, on both sides of the pedigree, with an overall percentage of Egyptian blood at approx 13 -14%. The Egyptian influence comes through the stallions Ibn Antar, Ruminaja Ali, Julep, Aswan and through multiple crosses of the Babson horses like *Fadl, *Bint Serra I and *Bint Bint Sabbah. Although the percentage of Egyptian blood is very small, it's still there and long ago genes are sometimes expressed mysteriously, like the curvey physique that hints (to me) of Ibn Rabdan's presence.

Santino V (Audacious PS x Satine IA)

Santino V, foaled in 2012 and now, an important breeding stallion for Varian Arabians, was not an isolated "home run hit out of the ballpark" for Sheila Varian. This cross, two years later,  would yield an equally beautiful full brother, in a completely different color, who was named The Seeker V, a gorgeous red chestnut colt. Like Santino he is breathtaking, impressively conformed and not lacking any of the unique characteristics we cherish as breed type. A Scottsdale Reserve Champion Colt, I think that The Seeker V has a bit more length to his neck, with a super fine throatlatch and extra length in the poll. His head has a pronounced jibbah and like his brother, his dramatic Arabian look is intensified through his large, black, expressive eyes. And, he has that tail carriage!

The Seeker V (Audacious PS x Satine IA)I

In 2013, right smack in the middle of the two beautiful colts, Serendipity V was foaled, the only mare born from the union of Audacious and Satine. She is black in color and a little different in her phenotype, as compared to her full brothers: Santino V and The Seeker V. She is refined and elegant, in a feminine way, and maybe her breed type is a little more subtle, as compared to the dramatic intensification of type found in her brothers. She has a beautiful neck, well-set, long and with a nice shape. She really looks Saklawi, with her longer legs, long neck, longer face and longer back. She has her sire's eyes, deep and black, radiating kindness. And, like her brothers, she has a beautiful, high tail carriage. What a formidable mare, to establish a breeding program.

Serendipity V (Audacious PS x Satine IA)

and finally, in 2015, the following year after the birth of The Seeker V, the last foal from this cross was produced, a grey colt named Safari V. If body color follows phenotype, it will be interesting to see how he matures and whether he will look like his sire, especially as his grey coat turns silvery white. Safari was gelded and will make a wonderful friend for his owner, as he also possesses a kind eye. She is really lucky.

Safari V (Audacious PS x Satine IA)

Satine IA was recently sold by Varian Arabians and on Thursday of last week, on Valentine's Day, I learned the tragic news that Audacious PS had died. I hesitated on writing this blog, as I don't want to be disrespectful or insensitive to the people who will be saddened over Audacious' death. If anything, it is important to speak about great horses because through the telling of their many stories, their life is celebrated and their significance in this world is spread even farther. Forget for a minute the many prizes Audacious has  won and the champion get he sired. While important statistics, they don't define the intangible treasure that lies deep within a horse. The fact that he made Sheila happy was a powerful thing that he did, because from that, came all the opportunities to make other people as happy as he made Sheila.