Shanghaied by Email

This morning, I received an email from Arabian Essence, announcing the availability of Shanghai EA for the 2021 breeding season at Frank Spönle Show Training. Shanghai EA is a 2008 son of WH Justice, out of the Khidar daughter, Salymah EA. He was bred by Albert Sorroca, of Equus Arabians, Barcelona, Spain and is now owned by Ajman Stud, United Arab Emirates. The Arabian Essence email reminded me of the 2019 Menton show, as if it were yesterday, well before our world, and all that we love, was forever impacted by COVID-19. The image of Shanghai EA, licking his lips, as he watched his handler intently, is one that I have not forgotten and I don't think I ever will. I went from not really being familiar with Shanghai EA to an overwhelming emotional impression of the horse and well, here I am again, sharing this blog with you once more, dear reader.  

I found it interesting that in these days, when longer-term, multi-generational breeding programs are becoming scarce,  the Equus Arabians breeding program goes all the way back to Shanghai's maternal great-great grandparents (Esta-Ghalil & Aica)  approximately 5 generations.

Do you know that Shanghai EA carries approximately 40% Egyptian blood? Through his sire, he has lines to Aswan, Shaker el Masri, El Hilal and Mohssen and through his dam, he carries lines to Ansata Sinan, Hadban Enzahi, his son Malik and the EAO stallion, Hindi (Korayem x Hindia), as well as additional sources to Shaker el Masri. There's an interesting Nazeer-type familiarity in Shanghai's phenotype and no surprise, considering the 20 or so lines to Nazeer in the pedigree.

Nazeer (Mansour x Bint Samiha)

Another interesting fact about Shanghai's pedigree, is found in his tail female line, which runs through the 1914 Pomponia daughter, Zulejma (one of 4 mares incorporated into Janow Podlaski after WWI) back to the desert mare, Sahara, imported by Count Julius Dzieduszycki of Jarczowce Stud and  who founded a significant foundational dam line in Polish Arabian horse breeding.

One of the most impressive things about Shanghai EA is his prepotency, across a wide variety of bloodlines, just like his sire, WH Justice.  However, Shanghai is consistent for siring horses who are not only like him in phenotype but over time,  are establishing uniquely influential families of their own, across a diverse combination of bloodlines, for example, his son Excalibur EA (out of Khidar's maternal half sister) has sired yet another influential horse, the stallion Exxalt (out of a Thee Desperado granddaughter), who is also becoming a strong sire and has sired several lovely daughters, like the young show mare, Lady X (out of an Egyptian Event Silver Champion Senior mare and a Thee Desperado daughter).

Sometimes, a horse, an event or even, a person catches your attention and that single moment remains forever etched in your mind as a point of transformation. In previous summers, it was immersing myself in the writings of Carl Raswan, in the hope of finding that single defining moment, where mind, heart and soul intersect. So on this first day of autumn, how was this summer significant? For me, this summer was all about Menton, a show that is historically, synonymous for the summer season.   I can't think of a horse who made a stronger presentation than that of Shanghai, for the intangible breed qualities which make this breed unique in the world of horses. Yes, the horse is really beautiful on the outside but it's the inside that you have to live with, day-in-and-day-out and it's also the inside that you fall deeply head-over-heels in love with. That's what this summer's greatest lesson became for me and why this summer will remain forever memorable...it's all for the love of an Arabian horse.

***Originally published in September, 2019****