The Transformative Power of Kayed

Kayed, pictured with Nasr Marei in 1980

Sayed Marei believed the EAO mare, Kaydahom (Azmi x Om El Saad), to be one of the best mares at El Zahraa. He wanted her for his own program but unfortunately, she was not for sale. However, in those days, the EAO wanted to encourage private breeders and would offer their most promising colts exclusively to them. When Kaydahom's *Morafic-sired colt was offered in 1968, Sayed Marei jumped at the chance to purchase this 2 year old colt. Sayed Marei later explained it like this, "We were convinced that by his pedigree alone, he was the best horse in the auction." Long legged and scopey, Kayed combined charm, great quality, type and electrifying movement. He was a living representation of Von Szandtner's successful breeding formula: the cross of Mansour on Ibn Rabdan daughters. However, with Kayed, there is an interesting twist to his pedigree which may help us to better understand how one horse could exert so much influence on an established breeding program. The sire of his dam, Kaydahom, was a horse named Azmi, a son of Sid Abouhom and the Kuhaylah Rodaniyah mare, Malaka. In 1958, he was sold to Russia, where he was renamed Nahr Al Nil and known thereafter as “Nil”. He was considered to be one of, if not the best, Egyptian stallion imported to Russia, even with the adulation paid to the legendary Aswan. Great horses like Plakat, Naina, Naslednik all carry his name in their pedigrees. The influence of Nil is even felt in Poland, through Palas, a son of the Nil daughter, Panel. With this strong genetic background, it becomes easier to understand how Kayed ushered a new era at Al Badeia. For the Marei family, who had been breeding Arabian horses since 1935, Kayed transformed the breeding program and took it in a completely different direction, as Sayed Marei explained in his own words, "As he matured, we really liked him. He was a tall horse, with a beautiful head, large eyes and a nice topline. The more important thing about Kayed was that he sired typey horses, no matter what mare we used." 

The Kayed son, Ameer Albadeia, with Sayed Marei

Kayed would ultimately sire 72 foals for the farm, including his son, Ameer Albadeia, who would take over his sire’s role, when Kayed met an untimely death from colic in 1982. For almost 25 years, Kayed was at the center of the Albadeia program. Kayed sired an amazing group of daughters like Kamar AlBadeia and Halawa, who, like their sire, would profoundly impact Albadeia, however, their Kayed influence would be felt from an entirely different position, from the dam side of the pedigree. Outside of Albadeia, the global influence of Kayed cannot be denied. At the world famous Ariela Arabians in Israel, the premier broodmare of this program, The Vision HG, is a great grand daughter of Hasna Albadeia, a Kayed daughter. Her sons, Al Maraam, Al Lahab and now, Al Ayal AA have spread the influence of Kayed further in the world, to Germany, Poland and the United States, a country who had already felt the profound influence of Kayed through the breeding program of Don Ford, Lancer Arabians, who imported a son, Lancers El Shadi (out of Nagdia) and three daughters: Lancers Nora (out of Manal), Lancers Rabha (out of Noosa) and Lancers Zeina (out of Farida). In Qatar, the breeding program at Al Shaqab has also been influenced by Kayed, one example is the 1999 mare, Hazmia Al Shaqab, the 2012 Saint-Lo, France, Gold Champion Mare and Blommerod Silver Champion Mare. Her connection to Kayed is doubly felt, through the sire side and then again, through the dam side of the pedigree. However, the greatest accolade that Al Shaqab could ever make on behalf of the legacy of Kayed, would come via the Kayed daughter, who also happens to be the full sister of the historically significant Albadeia sire, Ameer Albadeia. * Imperial Sayyah, imported in utero by Imperial Egyptian Stud was bred to Ruminaja Ali, to produce the three-time Egyptian Event halter winner and fabulous broodmare, Sundar Alisayyah, the foundress of a unique and dynamic family of ethereal, show champion straight Egyptian horses. It was this mare who would take the legacy of Kayed and redefine it forever. Her daughter by Imperial Al Kamar, Kamasayyah, was a Middle East Supreme Champion Mare, as well as the Qatar International Champion mare. Other daughters were equally successful in the show ring, like the Israeli National Champion mare, Imperial Kittana, who is also the dam of the Israeli Reserve Junior Champion filly, IK Kamilla. However, it would be her sons, who would bring the most acclaim to her name. When bred to Ansata Halim Shah, Sundar Alisayyah gave the world one of the most decorated and beloved horses, the world champion, Al Adeed Al Shaqab.

*Hadban Al Shaqab (Ashhal Al Rayyan x Sundar Alisayyah)

Not to be outdone, her son by Ashhal Al Rayyan, *Hadban Al Shaqab, now owned by Robin Lee of Aleah Arabians, earned the titles of Egyptian Event Gold Champion Stallion and the United States National Reserve Champion Stallion. Another son, also sired by Ashhal Al Rayyan, Al Asi Al Shaqab, was named a Qatar Junior Champion colt. The influence of Kayed comes full circle, as Bariq Al Shaqab, a son of Al Adeed Al Shaqab returned the influence of Kayed back to where it all started, at Albadeia. He has been an important part of Albadeia’s breeding program for several of the past breeding seasons. It is only when one considers the rich, full and vibrant impact that this family of horses has had on the global straight Egyptian horse, that the impact of Sayed Marei’s love affair with the Egyptian horse and in particular, with the mare who charmed him, Kaydahom, is fully revealed.