SUNDAY MORNING MEDITATION

Ansata Delilah (Ansata Shah Zaman x *Ansata Bint Misr)

"For my Dahma carries me to the realms accessible to none other." - Shahwan, as written and included within Authentic Arabian Bloodstock Volume II, by Judith Forbis 

In his earlier written work, published in Western Horseman magazine, Carl Raswan wrote of the psychic powers that Bedouins believed were bestowed, mare-to-mare, since the very first mare, the special mare, the wild mare of Arabia or as she is known by a holier name - Ishmael's mare. Raswan explained, "The gift of an intelligent spirit was bestowed upon the mare of Ishmael and an intuitive soul to dwell within her beautiful, strong and symmetrical body. Psychic powers of her animal spirit were gifts of God, but her conscious mind developed through her intimate human association."

Judith Forbis wrote something about Ansata Delilah within the second volume of Authentic Arabian Bloodstock, which caught my attention, as it reminded me of what I had read recently concerning the Muluq horses and their ability to think, reason and meditate upon the unseen. Judi wrote, "an independent soul marked Delilah from the day she was born. Standing in the pasture apart from her mother, she would look off into the distance at something sensed but not seen." If lightning would strike me during a rainstorm, it would not have any more power than the impact that this sentence had upon me.

You will remember that the Bedouins called this trait, Yuminuna Bi'l Ghayb, translated to mean: it is within them - the psychic power of an angel. Carl Raswan believed that our modern ways of equine husbandry, focused only upon their physical forms and animal minds, has prevented us from engaging in an intimate connection with these creatures and dulled our senses, so that we no longer communicated or even, understood their souls. Carl Raswan further writes, " the most perfect of Arabians then are the 'Muluq' (the Angel) Horses, who are not only physically the most beautiful and perfect, but who have one more feature, which is revealed in the "windows" (or mirrors) of their handsome heads: an expression in their eyes which proves that they are "thinking" (meditating), rational beings with a soul and not just subject creatures to serve us physically." Carl Raswan also learned that the Muluq horses, intellectually enlightened beings as they were, belonged to a spiritual assembly of animals called "wisal", unique creatures who knew God intimately and are very aware of God's presence. Raswan believed that these horses were quieter than most horses, often spending their time listening and meditating, giving the onlooker an impression of being deep in thought. Their charm, so entwined with the mystery of who they really are, is electric, affecting our senses, as no other horse can. Their touch is magnetic and even their fragrance is different from other horses. I found it really interesting that Ansata Sudarra, Delilah's daughter by Ansata Abu Sudan, was an independent soul, like her mother. It lends credibility to what Raswan has written, of how this psychic power is primarily transmitted - from mare-to-mare. Raswan says that stallions could possibly possess this psychic power, however, a stallion can never pass it onto his get, "AN ARABIAN sire communicates physical qualities and nervous energies, but never the elements of the mind and soul which are outside of the domain of physical laws and which were a spiritual gift to the first mare." In Judith Forbis' very popular new book, Ansata Hejazi: Born to Rule, she writes of the unique qualities that made Ansata Hejazi not only a charismatic and beloved stallion but truly special, in a most extraordinary way. Now, I wonder if these horses - mother, daughter and grandson are further proof of Raswan's psychic theories, possessing the qualities that Carl Raswan wrote about, so very long ago.

If what Carl Raswan wrote about the psychic and spiritual gifts bestowed upon these horses is truthful, then the way in which we measure these horses and the qualities that we have held dear for so many years, pale in comparison to who these horses really are and the significance they hold for our lives, that is, their ability to shepherd us towards our Creator and our celestial home.

 ***this blog is lovingly dedicated to Judith Forbis with much gratitude, for the significant impact she has made upon my life, through the Egyptian Arabian horse.***

ESSENTIALLY...LIFE

David picked up the phone and called his Dad. For the last couple of weeks, the news had become increasingly grim and nothing he seemed to do, say or even think, eased the growing concern he felt. David had always worked hard, did everything he was asked to do and then some. Still, that was not enough to protect him, as things turned out far worse than he could have ever imagined. His company, considered a non-essential business by state government, had furloughed him, one of the many companies affected by the corona virus pandemic.
NON-ESSENTIAL???
"Are they kidding me?" He thought of the many invitations he had declined because he had an urgent report due on Monday morning. He was unpopular with friends and family, who had been conditioned over time, that David, would forever be a “no-show” for their important gatherings. How many nights had he worked until midnight or later? The truth of the matter was that his job was essential to his life. And now, with so many people just like him, scrambling to make sense of what was happening, what did it all matter anyway? Living in the city, surrounded by millions of people, the likelihood that he could catch the virus was very real. Suddenly, the world seemed a strange place and nothing was making sense. Although he refused to admit it, way down deep in the pit of his stomach, David was scared.
He needed his Dad.
David needed to hear the sound of his voice and he needed his  Dad’s wisdom but most of all, he needed his Dad's strength. He was struggling with more than he felt he could handle, namely, the new feelings of fear and uncertainty that had shaken him to the core of his being.  He needed to know that although his world seemed to have been pulled inside out and upside down, the real world, the one that mattered to him the most, was basically the same as he had always known it. He needed the stability and the security that this real world, his Dad's world, offered, before the corona virus had stolen this truth from him. As the phone rang and he waited for his father to answer the line, he imagined the kitchen, an ivory colored house phone hanging on the wall and the faded blue gingham curtains that his Mom had sewn years ago, rippling in the light breeze of a warm spring day. He imagined standing in front of this window, the strong smell of vanilla, carried on the breeze and washing his body with it’s sweet fragrance. His Mom loved scented candles and he could almost see the flame flickering in the glass container. Home was still that real to him. He longed for home, so far away from the place where he stood now. Beyond the curtains was the farm, with the back pasture coming up pretty close to the house, bright green, luxuriant and so soft-looking. He loved taking his shoes and socks off and walking in the grass, always amazed by how cool the grass felt against the soles of his feet. From far away in his mind, he heard the sound of a familiar horse nickering. Isabella. Gosh, beautiful Isabella. The white mare galloped in his mind, tossing her head regally as she circled around him. Isabella was the foundation mare of his Dad's breeding program. She was the Queen of Brazos Valley Arabians. Nothing made his Dad happier than seeing beautiful Isabella grazing in the field behind the house. David had agreed with his Dad. She was like the horses that were depicted in the paintings that hung on the wall of the museum he had once visited in New York. Many other people had also agreed with his Dad, as Isabella had been shown extensively, including the Egyptian Event, the premier show of the year for Egyptian Arabian horses, where she earned the title of World Champion Senior Mare. Things were never really the same for his family or for Brazos Valley Arabian horses after the win. Things were better, far better. Dad's breeding program had become well-known and his horses were in demand all over the world. Many people came to visit his Dad after the Egyptian Event, including some from far away places, who offered a great sum of money for Isabella but his Dad would have no part of it. Isabella was his best mare and the cornerstone of his breeding program. Isabella had helped  Dad to give flesh to that imaginary horse in his head. David was still a little kid when Dad purchased Isabella from her breeder. Some people said that his Dad had worn the woman down, finally consenting to sell Isabella, in order to be rid of David's father and his never-ending phone calls. He wasn't surprised. At that point in his life, David's Dad was a high powered Tax Attorney, feared by many who foolishly got on his warpath. His Dad always got what he wanted, when he set his mind to do something. David would be forever grateful to this woman, as Isabella became the miracle in his Dad's life. David learned to understand that horses are very special animals, as he had witnessed very personally what Isabella meant for his Dad. She had produced eight foals and six of those foals had paid for his MBA. Now, in his Dad's retirement, the horses allowed for his parents to live comfortably, without worry. In this day and age, that was unusual. But aside from the financial rewards, his Dad enjoyed a deep satisfaction that filled every part of his life, giving him good health both physically and emotionally. The horses had made his Dad a better person, a better husband and definitely, a better Father. He was the most understanding person David had ever met, even when pushed to the very edge. "Yup, I had done more than my fair share of pushing." David laughed, as he remembered some of the more forgettable escapades of his life. His Dad had wanted him to take more of an active interest in the farm, in the hopes of one day taking over. And David really wanted that. Especially on a day like today, when he had completely run out of all the excuses he had offered not to. He needed an out now. There was stability in that feeling that he realized he was unconsciously drawing from, a feeling that gave him more security in fragile moments like this one.

"Hello, David?" were the words that suddenly reeled him in, as his Dad, out-of-breath, answered his phone call. "I was down at the barn, finishing up with the lunch haying, when I heard the phone ringing. Is everything okay son, you're calling a bit earlier than you usually do." I hesitated and then said, "no Dad, everything is not okay" and paused for a second, "My company furloughed me today, because of the corona virus." The sound of his Dad's long sigh almost made David come unglued with emotion, as he fully realized the severity of the situation. "That's a tough one son, really tough" he said. "But you know the truth, right Davey?" he asked. "What's that Dad?" David asked back, afraid of the answer that may come. "You know, and I know, that on your worst day, you are a hundred times better than the clowns you work with. C'mon home son, I need you." And David smiled, when he couldn't even find a reason to. "That's my Dad and that's why I love him, Egyptian Arabian horses and all" he said.

Brave

In 1939, an advancing German army was pressuring Poland from the west. By September, the air raids had intensified and artillery fire became heavier, as the Germany Army neared Janow Podlaski Stud. The Germans were determined to claim as much of Poland as they could, before the Soviets did. On September 11th, Stanislaw Pohoski and Andrzej Krzysztalowicz, the directors of Janow Podlaski Stud during this period of time, made the difficult decision to evacuate approximately 250 - 300 horses, to an area east of Janow Podlaski Stud, near the Bug River. Weary, after three days travel on muddy, unpaved country roads and having lost horses, Director Pohoski decided that they would return to Janow Podlaski and face whatever circumstances the stud farm was under. The horses returned to find Janow Podlaski occupied by the German army, however, not for long; as news from the east foretold of the arrival of the Soviets, who like the Germans, had a strong appetite for Poland and Janow Podlaski Stud was very much, the prize. The withdrawing German Army enabled Janow Podlaski to be briefly occupied by the Russians. When the Soviets left, they took all of Janow Podlaski's horses, except for one: the Fetysz daughter, Najada (pronounced neigh-yah-dah), out of the vitally important desert-bred mare, Gazella, imported by the Dzieduszycki family. As her assigned Soviet handler tried to load her into the railroad car, Najada was not having any part of it. She refused to be as compliant as the other horses were being. Whether she was as "head-shy" as she was remarked to be and did not appreciate a rushed, less-than-patient manner or the mare was extraordinarily perceptive and quickly understood that she would be leaving her beloved country forever; Najada refused to enter the box car. The more the handler insisted, the more violent her refusal became. Seconds became minutes, while minutes started to divide hours. One version of Najada's story is that she killed her handlers as they tried to load her into the railroad car and ran far away, where she was quickly forgotten by the Russian soldiers. Another story, says that her handler was not killed but severely injured and in the resulting confusion, Najada was forgotten and left behind by the Russian army. And yet another story tells of an impatient (and inexperienced) Russian soldier, under pressure by his superiors, quickly grew tired of the mare's antics and turned her loose, happy to see her gallop away. Whether or not her handler met with mortal danger is not important, as is the fact that brave Najada had made her point, without danger to herself and was left behind at Janow Podlaski stud, just as she desired. The Polish resistance had found a new heroine, in the form of a feisty and spirited mare. This mare, along with many of the horses  eventually returned to Janow Podlaski, would play a vital role in the years ahead. When bred to the Zabawa-bred Bad Afas (Kuhailan Afas x Bad), Najada foaled a filly named *Naganka. Purchased by Patricia Lindsay for Sheila Varian, she was exported to America, to become part of the Varian Arabian breeding program. Naganka was bred to Bay Abi and foaled Bay-el-Bey, an important stallion for Varian Arabians and the sire of Bey Shah (out of the *Bask daughter, Star of Ofir). Through Bey Shah, the blood of the brave Najada flows in  Marwan Al Shaqab and the incredible legacy of sons and daughters like QR Marc and his sons, the much loved world class stallions: Pogrom and Equator.

*Turfa: The Other Side of Desire

The significance of spending money within a war-time economy, when so many people were struggling, makes a deep impression upon me, in terms of the desire that led Henry Babson to purchase *Turfa. There is an implied statement within this transaction, which leaves the reader of history with an understanding for *Turfa's quality and despite the poor photography of this period, her appeal. However, *Turfa eventually, would suffer the same fate that Babson's other (non-Egyptian) horses met, that is, the Babson Farm would move away from *Turfa, in favor of the Egyptian imports exclusively, despite *Turfa's positive impact upon and compatibility with the Egyptian horses. I think of Henry Babson and imagine the first meeting between man and horse.

The old man stood against the fence watching the little grey mare intently. The mare's skin was extremely fine and he could see every detail of her anatomy in motion. Her movement was electrifying and the man was enchanted, as he had not seen a horse trot, quite like this before.  She had unbelievable presence and he was captivated by her charisma. It was colder than he had imagined and he was grateful for the excitement that this mare was personally causing him. His whole body, even way down through his toes, tingled with joy over finding this lovely desert creature. His gloved hands reached out for the top rail, searching for something solid and heavy to hold onto. He felt a little light-headed, resulting from the excitement of seeing something as unbelievably beautiful as this mare. He needed to feel something real, something he could get a grip on, to prove to himself that he was not dreaming. He had not seen a horse of this class since he toured the stables in Egypt with Dr. Branch. This mare was as good or better. He thought of his little *Maaroufa, whom he dearly loved. Turfa was extraordinary and he was not expecting for her to be as wonderful as the horses he dearly loved.

Henry Babson had already purchased six Egyptian horses in 1932 and was successfully breeding them. He had also imported the Polish horses in 1938 and was also breeding them. In the same year, 1938, he had also purchased the stallion *Aldebar (Dwarka x Amida), bred by the Prince of Wales. These are significant facts to consider, as the cost of purchasing and importing these horses, in a wartime economy, when most other Americans were struggling with rations, was considerable. It makes me wonder why Babson continued looking for more horses. What was he looking for, that he did not find in the horses he imported in 1932 or 1938? Henry Babson was on a journey of some sorts, to find the type of horse which physically represented to him what the Arabian Horse was all about and possibly, helping him to make the horse which galloped in his head, more real. That's the type of horse he wanted to breed. Henry Babson purchased *Turfa in 1941, as an eight-year old mare. His daughter, Elizabeth Babson-Tieken, once shared,

"he had liked her very much and made arrangements to buy her."

*Turfa was one of four Arabians chosen by King Ibn Sa'ud to be part of a coronation gift for George VI. The gift was important to the King, as he wanted to show his appreciation to the British people, for the hospitality and kindness extended to his son. It was a crazy time in England, as George's brother, Edward VIII had abdicated the throne in order to marry an American woman, Wallis Simpson and George became the successor to the throne. George VI had originally intended for the people-friendly and charming *Turfa, to become his daughter's personal riding horse, however *Turfa was a spirited mare under saddle and possibly, "too much horse" for young princess Elizabeth. Joe Ferriss had the opportunity to visit with Homer Watson in 1976 and recalls Homer saying of *Turfa,

"...she also had a great deal of spirit and fire, especially under saddle. She was an excellent mover and was very sensitive to the aids when ridden."

 *Turfa was a four-year old mare at the time. She was then acquired for training by the secretary of the Arab Horse Society, Brigadier General William H. Anderson. A year before *Turfa arrived in England, the Germans had waged an air campaign against the British. It was one of the largest bombing missions made by Germany, up to that point in time. What the Germans wanted to achieve was to destroy the air defenses and the supporting infrastructure of Britain. So, the decision was made by General Anderson to sell the mare. She was in foal to a British stallion by the name of Hilal (Uns-el-ujood x Shejret). So, when Henry Babson saw her for the first time, what did he feel? In all that we know, almost 70 years later, we understand that he liked her so much, that he immediately started making arrangements to purchase her. He recognized the rare desert  quality of *Turfa and he wasted no time in making his desire known: he wanted her. Babson feared losing the opportunity to own an authentic Arabian horse. Babson knew that she was bred by King Ibn Sa'ud, of the Nejd, presented as a gift by her breeder and not purchased,  as the Nejd horses were rarely ever sold to non-Arab people; captured in battle, yes, given as gifts, yes, inherited, as part of a family legacy, yes but purchased, rarely. Babson was also familiar with the written notes and diaries of the people who had traveled to Arabia like Upton, Palgrave, Brudermann, Tweedie and Guarmini. Through her first hand experiences, Lady Anne Blunt had written with extreme detail, the fine qualities of the Arabian horses of the Nejd:

"the Nejd horses have short necks, short bodies, good shoulders and a very good tail carriage. Their heads are better than the Anazeh's in every respect the Arabs admire: the heads are not too large, but neither too small, a great width between ears and eyes and between the eyes, but not between the ears; the profile concave below the eyes. The tails of the Nejd horses are thrown out in movement, like their heads, in a perfect arch."-Lady Anne Blunt

Dr. Hans Nagel, in his book, Hanan: The Story of an Arabian Mare and of the Arabian Breed, establishes a theory regarding the Nejdi horse, which he calls, 'the horse of the south". Up until the 19th century, the Bedouin tribes in Central Arabia lived in isolation, from the rest of the Middle East. The long-term effects on the breeding population of horses was significant, as the qualities that enabled a horse to survive in this challenging environment, as well as the traits selected by man, over thousands of years, also became the unique characteristics for which the Nedji horse would be recognized. When Mohamed Ali the Great invaded the Nejd, the horse became a prize of war and taken to the stables of the viceroy, in Egypt, spreading the influence of the Nejdi horse farther and wider in the world. Bred with other Nejdis and with the "the horse of the north", the blood became diluted and helped to create the diversity of type we find in our breed. Dr. Nagel speaks of the Nejdi type as,

"their characteristics are fine skin, hard sinews, compact and light bones of great structural density, dry muscles, tough and long, no excess weight of any kind. A physical size located at the lower end of the scale of the species, and typical characteristics that allow survival in a dry, hot climate: strong pigmentation as protection from the sun, few or no white markings, a short coat for better transpiration and a deposit of fat in the back or tail area for times of hunger. No fat within or among the muscles, but rather directly beneath the skin. Hard hooves that could stand up to the most rocky ground, and a calm temperament to preserve energy."

Were these the same qualities that Henry Babson observed in *Turfa on that cold winter's day, which made her all the more desireable,  as she was more desert authentic (as compared to his other horses). Did he anticipate that *Turfa, as part of his breeding herd, would restore these qualities which may have been missing in his other horses? That's a bit of a stretch but entirely possible.

At the Babson Farm, *Turfa eventually foaled the colt that she was carrying by Hilal. This colt was named Ibn Hilal and was sold. *Turfa was then bred exclusively to the Prince Mohamed Aly-bred stallion, *Fadl, producing the first of 6 horses which would become known as "Babson-Turfas. These horses, in birth order were: the mare Turfada, the mare Bint Turfa, the stallion Ibn Fadl, the mare Turfara, the stallion Fa-Turf and the stallion Tarff. Homer Watson recalls *Turfa as,

"an excellent producer and every one of her produce by *Fadl were very good."

Of her progeny, the most prolific horse was the stallion Ibn Fadl, siring 66 registered foals. He was a magnificent horse and worthy of the title, "Ibn". Homer Watson, the long time manager of the Babson Farm was extremely fond of the horse and believed that he was an excellent sire. He was retained by the Babson Farm for 12 years, after which, he was sold to George Searle. I personally believe that Ibn Fadl was a noted broodmare sire, as many of his daughters became outstanding producers. Most, if not all of the Babson-Turfa horses at the Babson Farm were heavily influenced by the Ibn Fadl daughters. It is amazing to consider how *Turfa has exerted her influence, for all of her desireable traits, primarily through Ibn Fadl. One only has to think of mares like Habbana, Raada, Abah and Blue Star, to understand his significance as a sire. Eventually, the *Turfa horses were dispersed, as the Babson Farm did not have enough facilities to address a larger population of horses, that is the straight Babson Egyptian breeding program plus the Babson-Turfa program. One group had to go and at the time, the greater demand was for the straight Babson Egyptian, so the decision was made to concentrate solely on the straight Babson Egyptian horse. In later years, Homer Watson would share his regret over the dispersal of the *Turfa horses. He felt that the *Turfa horses were exceptional.  Of all the horses that the Babson Farm had purchased, outside of the Egyptian horses, only *Turfa produced similarly and consistently, on par with the Egyptian horses. While Homer Watson was a modest man, of carefully chosen words, the *Turfa horses was like his "Achilles heel". Why? Because the *Turfa horses, collectively, were as good as the Egyptian horses. And over a 60-year period, the decision to end the program, will remain a poor decision, as this breeding population struggles to survive in the modern world. At one point, well before the decision to disperse the *Turfa horses, the farm was looking for new property to purchase, where they would move the *Turfa horses, to breed them exclusively at this new location. While that unfortunately, never happened, Homer took comfort in knowing that similarly minded breeders would continue breeding the *Turfa horses. Maybe in this time period, this seemed likely but the future would be grim for the Babson-Turfas. I think the Babson Farm made many great decisions, resulting in the production of many wonderful horses but the decision to disperse the *Turfa breeding program was a terrible mistake and Homer Watson, while he stopped short of saying this in public, felt the same way.

In the last 25 years, we have seen a renaissance in the Middle East for primarily, the Arabian horse of Egyptian bloodlines. I am puzzled over a mare like *Turfa. While *Turfa is not a straight Egyptian mare, she is 100% Asil. Why not the same interest for her blood? Especially in these times, when it is important for Arab breeders to reconnect with their rich and vibrant heritage. *Turfa is a vital part of this history, as bred by King Ibn Sa'ud from stock he had obtained from the Bedouin tribes like the Anazeh, Ruala and the Shammar.  As lovers of the authentic Arabian horse, we owe much gratitude for all the Sa'ud royal family has done, on behalf of the Bedouin-bred horse.

In an article which appeared in the October 1983 issue of Arabians, Mr. Joe Ferriss stated,

"The Sa'ud mare *Turfa nicked well with the Egyptian stallion *Fadl and similar success was experienced with other mares of *Turfa's bloodline at the Inshass Stud of King Farouk. King Saud gave several choice mares to King Farouk which nicked well with the Egyptian stallions of the Inshass Stud. A significant number of post-war Egyptian imports carry the blood of King Saud's breeding program, usually through the mares El Kahila, Nafaa, Hind (Inshass) and Mabrouka (Inshass)."

To illustrate the above quotation with a contemporary example, think of a mare like the Imperial Al Kamar daughter, Imperial Kaliya. She was out of AK Jaliya, a Zaghloul daughter out of Habeeba, sired by El Araby and out of Bint Hanaa. Habeeba traces to the Inshass mare Hind, through her maternal grandmother, Hanaa (El Belbesi x Hind). Hind was a gift, made by King Ibn Sa'ud in 1945, to King Farouk. Hind was by an 'Ubayyan al-Suyafi stallion and out of a Saqlawiyah mare. Imperial Kaliya has become an extraordinary broodmare for Al Nasser Stud, producing the mare Konouz (by Imperial Mahzeer) who when bred to Ashhal Al Rayyan, produced the lovely 2001 stallion, Suhal Al Nasser. This is only one example, which helps to illustrate the results that are possible when incorporating desert blood, especially Nejd desert blood within Egyptian Arabian horse breeding. It brings full circle to me, the importance of the mare *Turfa and what a 50-something year old man, a long, long, long time ago, may have been feeling, as he stood against a fence, watching desert brilliance, as she moved about  in the paddock.

PS I must give credit to Mr. Joe Ferriss for his article, The Tale of Turfa, which appeared in Volume #9, issue #6 of ARABIANS magazine and the Jean Jennings article, Salute to *Turfa, which was published in the July 1976 issue of Arabian Horse World. Also, Rudalaro Ranch: Sharing a Special Bond, written by Sandy Rolland and published in the June 1982 issue of Arabian Visions. And of course, Dr. Hans Joachim Nagel for his most wonderful book, Hanan: The Story of an Arabian Mare and of the Arabian Breed. The photo of *Turfa is from the Carol Schulz collection and was used in the 1983 edition of Al Khamsa Arabians. Many thanks to my friend Diana Johnson, for all of her help and support. Without any of these people, I wouldn't know anything.

***you can read a full version of Turfa's story within The Arabian Breeders' Magazine, Volume I, Issue IV***

Love and the Pink Tree

"Love or something damn near like it's got a hold on me."- K. Rogers, S. Glassmeyer 

"Wow, it's 7:15 already. I have no idea where this day went." he said to no one. He was tired, work was grueling, and he just wanted to forget about the day, even if only for a few minutes. He had just slammed the microwave door shut and with dinner in hand, he reached for the remote and turned the television set on, when the doorbell rang. He opened the front door and found two strangers. "Hi..my name is Carly and this is my daughter, Taylor. We live down the street from you, about 8 houses down, towards Royal Lane," she said, as she thrust her hand out towards him. The pushy confidence in her hand-shaking gesture did not disguise the nervousness in her voice. Her daughter, impeccably dressed and radiant, smiled shyly. "We  love the tree in your front yard. When it blooms, it's the highlight of my year. Is it okay if I snap a few pictures?" as she waved the camera she held in her hand.

It had been a long, hard day at work and all he wanted to do was sit in front of the TV and get lost for a little while. In his mind, he shouted, "Yes, you are bothering me...GO AWAY!" But he didn't, as the right thing to do would be to stand here, smile, be neighborly, even if he didn't really feel like it. Her voice broke into his thoughts, "It's Taylor's prom tonight and I wanted to take a picture of her in front of the tree. Is that okay? I promise we'll only be a few minutes."

"This tree? This frumpy, gaudy, old-lady-like tree? Is this some kind of a prank?" he asked himself. He looked to the street and then, to his left and right but he didn't see signs of a hidden camera. No one had ever just shown up at his door, to take pictures of his property. He didn't like the tree and he didn't like how it blocked the view of his beautiful home from the street. As a matter of fact, the son of a colleague at work had started a tree service and he had already scheduled to have him cut and remove the tree next week. He hated that tree.

Something was wrong and she knew she had something to do with it. Maybe, the giveaway was the remote control that he held in his  hand. So, she asked him, "You know, I never even bothered to ask you if this was a good time or not" and without even pausing for his answer, she continued, "I have the sinking feeling that we are bothering you but we knew the previous owner of your home and he let us take our family photos every year, right under this tree. We have a bunch of photos, just about every kind of family event you can think of, standing in front of this tree. This tree has been a good friend to my family, always in the background of our family milestones, keeping time for us," she explained and then asked, "where are you from?"

He shook his mind back to the present moment and this most annoying woman. For a second, he thought of excusing himself and heading back inside. She was starting to ask too many personal questions and he didn't like that.

"Tacoma." he answered.

"You mean clear across the country, like in Washington state, T-a-c-o-m-a?" she asked.

"Yup, that's the place." he said. "I work for Allied Chemical and I was transferred to the plant just down the road, about 4 months ago."

"Oh, I know Allied. My second cousin works there. In Engineering. Do you know him? His name is Marshall...Marshall Thomas. He's a nice guy, about your age. Have you got any family? A wife? Kids? A dog maybe?" she asked.

"My brother still lives in Tacoma. He's the only family I have now."

"Oh....you know, the couple who owned this home raised 6 kids here. They were a very loving family. Just beautiful people. Married for almost 40 years. We really loved them. Most of their kids have moved away, to follow careers and build families somewhere else. What a shame. They had a daughter, Lena,  who still lived at home. The husband died of a heart attack and with him gone, well, it was too much house for his wife. So, she bought a much smaller place, about 15 minutes west of here. I get to see her at church on Sundays but we still miss them. The tree is all we have now, to remind us of them and what is really possible, through love. Their memory pushes us to be better people." she explained.

He sighed a deep sigh and silently wished that she would take her damn picture and go home, so he could enjoy his nuked Salisbury steak dinner and watch TV. All of this talking made him feel uncomfortable. He had left Tacoma looking for a new life, leaving a few people disappointed.

"Mom, we have got to go. Chris will be here any minute to pick me up, along with Shelly and Mike. I can't be late for my own prom!" pleaded Taylor.

"Oh, sorry baby. Well, it was very nice to meet you...what did you say your name is?" asked Carly.

"I didn't. Paul...my name is Paul...Paul Robbins." he said. "Nice to meet you." he said, as he faked a smile and thought to himself, "I hope you don't make it a habit to ring my doorbell at dinnertime."

"Thanks for letting me know about the tree. I was planning to have a tree service come out on Monday and cut it down."

Carly stopped dead in her tracks and wheeled around to look at him, her piercing eyes radiating confusion and anger.

"You did WHAT?"

"I wanted to change things up a bit. The tree blocks the view of the street, from inside the house. I like to be able to see farther from my window. With the tree gone, I'll be able to see the ocean now." he explained. "It's a beautiful view. That's why I bought this house."

"Now hold on just a second mister..." but before she could finish, Taylor shouted,

"MOM!"

"I'm coming honey!" she replied and with a new found desperation, she grabbed his arm and said, "Please Paul, don't cut it down. This tree means a lot to many people in this neighborhood. It means alot to me, to my family. We all feel the same way about it...PLEASE!" she begged him, as she let go of his arm and walked to her car.

He was sorry that he had mentioned anything to Carly. He wasn't looking to form friendships with his neighbors but he didn't want to be disliked or even, hated. He turned around to walk back into his house, as he heard the car pull away. He didn't feel much like eating anymore. He walked over to the tree, stuck his hands in his pockets and let out a long and deep sigh. Six kids...wow. He thought about what Carly had just told him. He imagined the husband, tending to his lawn, his gardens, his tree...his family. He wanted to make sure that his home was beautiful and special, for his wife and kids, because he really loved them. What must it be like to possess this much love? For anyone?  The house was about 30 years old and the tree must have been purchased soon after the house was built.  He could almost imagine the couple, at the nursery, picking the tree and coming home to plant it in their front lawn. The tree blossomed from the love and attention it received, just as the family blossomed over the years; a mirror image in the physical world, of the love that binds a family together and the power that love has, in making lives more beautiful. He thought about it as the setting sun bathed the front of the house in light, intensifying the color of the blossoms and casting a pink glow over everything. A picture in a storybook could not be any more perfect, than this particular moment appeared to him. "Oh my, this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" he exclaimed in surprise. It took his breath away. If it wasn't for Carly and her daughter, he would have missed this extraordinary moment. "You know, it's not a bad looking tree, now that I really am looking at it." he thought. He smiled and shook his head, "okay, okay, you win. I'll call them in the morning and cancel the appointment." He shut the door behind him, as he turned the television set on.

Bashar Al Kamar MH

Bashar Al Kamar MH is a 2010 bay stallion, bred by Jody Cruz of Rancho Bulakenyo. His sire, Imperial Al Kamar, was representative of Imperial Egyptian Stud’s classic blend of bloodlines as he was a grandson of the Sameh daughter, *Serenity Sonbolah and through El Hilal, was also a grandson of *Ansata Ibn Halima. Imperial Al Kamar has two crosses to *Ansata Ibn Halima in his pedigree. *Sanaa (Hossny's dam) is a daughter of Yashmak, a Sheikh El Arab daughter, as is Halima, the dam of *Ansata Ibn Halima. Through Om el Saad, Yashmak appears again and provides another source of the Kuhaylan Rodan strain, through the tail female line of Imperial Al Kamar. So, in this stallion, we have the very dominant presence of the Rodania family; balanced not only by the Dahman lines through Halima and  *Bint Nefisa but also through Sheikh el Arab, who is the common ground between two mares who physically, couldn't be any more different from each other.

An elegant and exquisite grey mare, Binte Aziza MH, the dam of Bashar, was sired by a United States and Canada Top Ten Futurity Colt, Richter MH, a son of El Halimaar (*Ansata Ibn Halima x RDM Maar Hala) and out of the *Farazdac daughter, Fasarra (*Farazdac x *Masarra). On the maternal side of her pedigree, Binte Aziza MH was out of a beautiful Abenhetep (*Ibn Hafiza x Omnia) daughter named BintAzizaPrincess. One of the more interesting stories about the family of horses that Binte Aziza MH and her dam, BintAzizaPrincess descend from, involves General Pettko Von Szandtner, the Director General of the EAO. When the socialist revolution led by Gamel Abdel Nasser occurred in 1952 and King Fouad’s Inshass Stud became part of the newly-named Egyptian Agricultural Organization (EAO) at El Zahraa,  General Pettko Von Szandtner personally selected the 1951 mare Shahbaa, a Hamdan daughter out of Shahd (El Moez x Shams), who was the great-grand dam of BintAzizaPrincess. It gives me chills, when I think that a modern day horse like Bashar Al Kamar MH exists today because of the wisdom of a beloved and influential horseman like General Von Szandtner, based upon a decision he made, seventy years ago.

What I found interesting about Bashar's pedigree, despite the fact that he is a pure-in-the-strain Kuhaylan horse (and substrain, Kurush, through his dam), is that *Ansata Ibn Halima exerts a larger percentage of influence genetically, than any of the Kuhaylan strain horses. Through El Hilal, Hossny, El Halimaar and Nazim Pascha, he represents 28% of the pedigree, as compared to the Kuhaylan horses (12.5%) who appear in the same generation as most of the *Ansata Ibn Halima lines do (5th generation). Understanding the foundation of the Rancho Bulakenyo breeding program, I can't think of a horse who better represents the growth of the program from its inception, under the management of Dr. Felino Cruz, to the present day, through Dr. Joseph Cruz's direction.

Also, an important point to make about Bashar involves his coat color, which is a dark bay or as more commonly called, black-bay. In the early 2000s, I started to notice  that the Imperial Al Kamar-sired horses of this coat color, were of a completely different type than the grey-colored Kamar-sired horses. The bay Kamars generally have a larger, rounder, more prominent eye, set lower in their heads and short, tippy ears. They are more closely-coupled, with freedom in the shoulders, broader chests, deeper heart girths, higher set necks and a pronounced wither.  I last saw Kamar in 2004, way before Imperial decided to disperse its horses. I had mentioned this observation to Beverly Sziraky and she agreed, the bays were different from the gray Kamars and although of different lines, resembled the phenotype of Imperial Shehaab. I always wondered if this influence came by way of Imperial Sonbesjul, the Hossny-sired daughter of *Serenity Sonbolah. Both horses share common ground through this mare, albeit her influence comes from a different side of the pedigree in each horse. In a conversation with Jody Cruz, I asked him what is the best use of Bashar as a sire? Jody answered, "he's best with mares having strong hind ends and solid toplines. He will add face, eyes, amazing ears and presence."

Bashar has matured into a vital breeding stallion for Rancho Bulakenyo. How important is Bashar Al Kamar MH to Rancho Bulakenyo?  Of the mares that currently make up the breeding herd at Rancho Bulakenyo, a quarter of those mares carry the blood of BintAzizaPrincess and the mares that don’t, will be bred to Bashar or his full brother, Nour Al Kamar MH...but more about Nour later.

The Cross of Adaweya and Ikhnatoon

Adawy (Ikhnatoon x Adaweya)

"Adaweya was bred to Ikhnatoon (*Farazdac x Bint Om el Saad) for a 1982 foal, Adawy, a superior foal of high quality.”-Dr.Ibrahim Zaghloul

The cross of Ikhantoon with Adaweya, like the cross of Ikhnatoon with Enayah,  proved to be a good one, producing horses whose genetic strength and consistency, going forward, was expressed maternally, through their daughters, who would exert their influence through the progeny they produced. Adawy who is pictured above, sired 14 foals, of which 10 were fillies. Adaweya also produced by Ikhnatoon, Mohab, who like his full brother, sired 10 foals, 5 of which were fillies.

Mohab (Ikhnatoon x Adaweya)

What is interesting about these two Adaweya sons is that not only did they sire a higher percentage of daughters but their sons were outproduced by their daughters, in terms of exerting a continuing influence.

Farid HP

Farid HP (Farres x The Princess of Egypt)

Farid HP is a 2005 straight Egyptian stallion, bred by Horst Preuss. He is a son of Farres (Anaza el Farid x Shameerah) and out of a mare named The Princess of Egypt (Orayan x Shahneekha). He is Hadban Enzahi by strain, as he traces in his tail female line to the 1925 mare, Bint Samiha (the dam of Nazeer), the great-great granddaughter of the 1890 chestnut mare, Venus, considered to be the root mare of the strain in Egypt. Until I looked at his pedigree, Hadban was not the strain that I initially believed him to be.

I found his pedigree really interesting. Do you know that a little more than half of Farid's pedigree reflects the breeding program of Les and Lois St Clair of the St Clair Egyptian Arabian Stud?

Anaza El Farid (Ruminaja Ali x Bint Deena), Shahneeka (Anaza Bay Shahh x Anaza Dineekha), Ibn El Mareekh (*El Mareekh x Bint Deena) and *El Mareekh (Aseel x Rawayeh) are all horses that were either bred (or purchased, like *El Mareekh) by this most amazing, loving, knowledgeable and breed-dedicated couple, who not only impacted straight Egyptian breeding in America but through horses like Gazal Al Shaqab (Anaza El Farid's son), who in turn, sired Marwan Al Shaqab, the St Clair breeding program remains relevant and part of the genetic fiber of today's global Arabian horse.

Bint Deena (*Ansata Ibn Halima x *Deena) is another individual bred by the St Clairs. A 1979 bay mare, she represents almost a quarter of Farid's pedigree, through her sons: Anaza El Farid, Anaza Bay Shahh and Ibn El Mareekh. She is found on both sides of the pedigree, once through the sire side and twice through the dam side. However if you look at Narimaan, the dam of AK Fanniya, you will notice that she is also out of *Deena (Sameh x Dahmah II) by *Morafic.  If you haven't figured it out dear reader, Narimaan and Bint Deena are maternal sisters.

OK, so let's get back to the Dahman strain, if you look no farther than the 3rd generation, you will find that the Dahman percentage comes through 4 horses (Bint Deena, AK Shahniya, Oraya and Anaza Bay Shah), while in the 4th generation there are 9 Dahman strain horses, their combined influence, a little greater than 50%: *Ansata Ibn Halima, *Deena, AK Shah Moniet, AK Fanniya, Ansata Halim Shah, Messaoud, Ora, Bint Deena and Ibn El Mareekh.  However, in the 5th generation, that is, the generation of the great-great-great grandparents, the sources of the Dahman strain are brought forward by 17 horses (out of 32 horses), for a combined percentage of 53.125%. Compare/contrast with the percentage of the Hadban strain horses (12.5%) in the 5th generation: (*Khofo, Nazeer, Ibn Galal and Manal). Despite our breed traditions, regarding the assignment of the strain through the tail female line; when you look to the rest of the pedigree, Farid HP carries a much higher-percentage of the Dahman strain, than he does of the Hadban strain. No surprise that in phenotype, Farid HP resembles the phenotype that we have learned to associate with the Dahman strain.

***You can find more photos of Farid HP at the Facebook page for Al Qusar Arabians in Germany, the training and breeding farm of Robert Schlereth and Volker Wettengl. You don't have to have Facebook installed to view the page, as Facebook makes business pages visible to all. I am not sure who the photographer is, in order to give credit for this beautiful photo***