A Yule Prodigal

"Hi Marky, it's me. Just calling to tell you that I hung the ornament you made for me on the tree today. Remember that? I love you and miss you so much. Please honey, come home soon." I knew my Mom well enough to recognize that her voice, so warm and soothing, was holding back a sob. She was trying hard to sound strong and courageous. I thought of my mother and of the loving home that she created for me, all these years. Gosh, I lost count of how many times I must have broken her heart, including tonight.

HOME...

"I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know,
it's a long road back

I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas."-from the song, I'll Be Home for Christmas, written by Kim Gannon  and Walter Kent 

Like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz movie, I wanted to click my heels together and say, "there's no place like home" and find myself walking the long gravel driveway that led back to the farmhouse with red shutters, a warm and inviting glow radiating from all the windows. Home...my home. My heart fluttered. How I missed home. I imagined opening the front door, to fall into the waiting arms of my loving mother. Nothing could define home more concisely than my mother.

When I left home, I was determined to become my own person and do all the things I wanted to do, when I wanted to do them and never apologize.

LIVE FAST and DIE YOUNG.

Life,  for me, was meant to be lived on the edge, played hard and loud...like rock music. And yes, I had done exactly that...except that I hadn't bargained on living a life that was less than full, a life that paled in comparison to the quality of life I lived when, yup, you guessed it...when I was home. I was ready for a change and now, listening to my mother's voice...well, I was not so proud of my so-called independent life. And yet, I knew that no matter what I did, what I said or how ugly I got, I knew that my mother would still love me. My mother still believed in me, even when I wasn't worthy of her trust. I craved forgiveness and I was struggling with the whole concept of redemption...and God. "Maybe, that's how I need to think of God...like I think of my mother, a person whose love knows no limits, always there for me. That's how God must love me too, maybe...even more."

"Preparing for Christmas means looking deep within ourselves and asking if our hearts are truly at home in the lives we are living. "-Mary Lou Redding, from her book, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent

I really needed to do something, maybe I needed to accept this gift of love that I had been given...and so, I picked up the receiver and dialed.
 
One...two...three rings...no answer...
 
...just when I was ready to hang up...
 
"Hello?"

*pause*
 
"Hello?"

I was quiet for a second, thinking of all I wanted to tell her and couldn't. I was afraid.

"Hello?

*pause*

Is someone there?

*pause*

Marky? Is this you?

*pause*

Please, Marky, say something...anything," she pleaded.

*pause*
 
"Mom...uh, yes...it's...it's Marky." I paused and said, "Mom...uh..I'm sorry...for everything. I've been so wrong about so many things...and..about Christmas, well, can I come home?" as I finally started to tear down the walls of anger and bitterness, that kept me separated from the people and the place I knew as... 

 
HOME.

***This is an oldie too, maybe 10 years old or more. It just came to me one night and I was lucky enough to have paper and pen at that moment.  I try to publish it at Christmastime each year. Apologies, for the delay and thank you dear reader, for visiting the blog over this past year.***

Finding JOY in a Pandemic

If only I had a horse...How many times had I said these words to myself? If only I had a horse, I would be so happy and that happiness, would trickle into other parts of my life. I would have tons of friends and a full engagement calendar, because I would be more fun to be around. My sales would be off the charts, from all the clients I would charm with all that new found charisma. And with all that money, guess what I could buy? Horses...if only, if only, if only...I was getting desperate...and dare I say, older. I was starting to believe that owning a horse would never happen for me.

The thermometer barely registered 15 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a bitter cold December morning. My hands ached. I drove them deeper into the pockets of my coat, searching for any warmth I could find within them. Even though I dislike wearing a mask, I was grateful for the warmth it offered my nose and lips. Last night's snowfall, now frozen hard, crunched under my boots, as I carefully navigated the unshoveled stretches of sidewalk.  It was Christmas time and festive lights twinkled all over town but deep inside, nothing made me joyful and I felt really down. I did everything I knew to do, to keep myself healthy, virus-free and working. I had worked harder than I have ever worked before and was not any better financially, than I was last Christmas. Who was I becoming and how did I let that happen? How could I even think about horses? I thought of all the bills that I needed to pay in a few weeks and my stomach started churning. A horse, really?

My boss was an intimidating man. He always got what he wanted and he was willing to do whatever he needed to do, to get it. He had been riding me pretty hard, as my current year sales were falling short of my forecasted budget. "Your sales are really, really bad and your pipeline isn't any better. Unless you do something about it, and do it fast, we are going to be having a different kind of conversation." he said.

"Pressure, pushing down on me, Pressing down on you,  no man ask for, Under pressure"-from the song, Under Pressure written by David Bowie and Queen

My head was spinning. "Doesn't he understand about the pandemic and the effect it is having on everything, including my sales?" The fact was that my sales were almost 90% to budget; a worthy accomplishment on its own, in terms of the new growth which cushioned the economic impact of the spring lockdown. It had been a long, challenging year and frankly, I just wanted to get past Christmas and into what I hoped, would be a more prosperous new year.

I heard him before I could see him. "C'mon baby....let's go!" he shouted at her. He slapped the reins hard against her back and she sprang forward, digging her hooves into the asphalt, every muscle in her powerful body straining, until finally, the carriage started moving in the frozen slush. She was a dark bay mare, a little over 16 hands tall, with powerful shoulders, a strong, wide back and a well-muscled hindquarter.  She really didn't look like a carriage horse. I thought she looked more like one of the crossbred sport horses advertised in the English riding magazines. She was beautiful and her body just screamed to be ridden. I picked up the pace and soon, I had caught up with the carriage. Now that I was closer, I could see that the mare looked tired, cold and hungry. "She's no carriage horse." I thought.

The carriage driver was an older man, about 70-something, maybe a little older. "Hey mister, how much for a ride?" I asked. He turned to face me. "Where you headed?" I noticed the twinkle in his eye and a faint smile of recognition spreading across his face. "500 Market Street, right at the corner of Broad." I told him. He looked at me intently, as if he was studying every feature on my face. "10 bucks, not a penny less." he said. I dove deep into my pockets and pulled out a ten dollar bill and gave it to him. He nodded at me, tipped his top hat and then, he patted the empty seat next to him. "C'mon up and sit here next to me kid. I want to talk with you but do me a favor and take that ridiculous thing off your face. There's no virus here. I scrub this carriage clean in the morning and then again at night. In the old days, a fella who covered his face spelled trouble, for an old fella driving a coach like me."  I pulled the band of my face mask from around my left ear, as I jumped up into the carriage and sat down next to him. "You on your way to work, kid?" he asked me. I nodded, while my stomach turned. "I know how you feel kid, I know how you feel. This cold weather, well, it's hard on an old guy like me. I'm cold all the time. No matter what I do, I'm just cold.  And now, this virus. No one wants to take a ride anymore. What's an old guy to do? Well, I'll tell you what I want. I want something warmer and kinder to these old bones. Today, I am dreaming about Florida. You know, my sister has been trying for years to get me to retire down there. She's got a cute little place in Cocoa Beach.  You know about it?" I shook my head. "Well, it's all about palm trees, flowers, blue sunny skies and no worries. I think she's onto something. Yup, I really think it's time." he said and then he asked me, "so, what time is it for you? Looks like you are about ready for a change too." The mare turned her head around to look at me and then,  I noticed the shape of  the star on her forehead. It looked like a "thumbs-up". I couldn't believe it and I laughed. "You think it's funny to move to Florida?" he asked. "No sir, I just noticed the shape of your mare's marking, on her forehead. It looks like.." but before I could finish, he interrupted "a thumbs up", finishing my sentence.With a sweet face, begging me to help her, she nickered to me and SUDDENLY, what I had been thinking, illuminated into an idea and from there, a plan.

"Hey kid, I think she likes you. That's my Joy, always flirting with the boys." he chuckled to himself. I looked at my watch...quarter past seven. Time was running out and I needed to be in the office in a little more than an hour. "Hey mister, it sounds like you are ready to make a change in your life and well, meeting you and Joy this morning, makes me think that I need to do something different too. So how 'bout it, are you up for sunny Florida and a change?" I asked him, summoning up every bit of courage I could and hoping that this quickly concocted plan would work. Many dollars later and a first class ticket to Florida, I was the proud owner of Joy, a draft cross mare with a "thumbs-up" mark on her forehead. 

When the driver had pulled the harness off of her, it was hard not to miss the loud sigh of relief that came from a place deep down inside of her. Her head rubbed my chest, her sweet breath making me feel both warm and wonderful. As the realization of something much larger than I could ever imagine hit me, a greater question flashed in my mind: 

   Just who is the real angel in all of this? 

and the image of the carriage driver's face popped into my head.. "I thought there was something really familiar about the guy. I just knew it! And it wasn't because he looked like Peter Falk either." I laughed at the thought, as I saw a picture of Columbo, his trademarked trench coat with angel wings, in my mind. My heart, which had been so weighed down with discouragement only a few moments before, became happier, lighter and dare I say, joyful?  "Did I just experience a little miracle and could that driver have been an angel in disguise, sent down from heaven to help me this morning?" I asked myself. "That's another thing too..he kept calling me kid." I smiled, after all, it was Christmas and don't we all become more like children at Christmas? I really felt the holiday spirit or better said, I felt joyful, when a few minutes earlier, I had lost all hope. I  shook my head, trying to shake myself back to reality. "Gosh, I am starting to sound like I have been watching one too many Hallmark channel Christmas movies but I met this guy out of nowhere and now, I have the one thing I have always desired, since I was a child. "If only..." had suddenly materialized into real and tangible joy. It was not exactly how I expected horse ownership to happen for me, here, on a cold and dark city street. However, that's what made it so....miraculous! I felt like singing at the top of my lungs, for all the world to hear

                JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy has finally found me this Christmas!

****This is a fictional story that I wrote many years ago, rewritten to reflect the times we live in. Many thanks to you dear reader for taking the time to visit the blog over the course of 2021, to read the stories of these wonderful horses. I am grateful for you, your kindness and support.  At this time of the year, regardless of who and what you believe in, I hope that when you look at an Arabian horse and become overwhelmed by the horse's beauty, that you also stop for a brief second to also consider the Creator of the universe and the kindness of the Creator to give this most wonderful horse to us as a gift. The Arabian horse, in his living existence, really does  reveal the magnificence of the Creator to us, also a part of creation. Happy Holidays.***

2021: Your Favorites

The straight Egyptian stallion, *Nebras Al Rayyan (Ansata Hejazi x Naama Al Rayyan), your 8th favorite blog of 2021

When a year is as challenging as 2021 has been, should we be surprised (or delighted) to find ourselves a couple of weeks from celebrating the New Year? The news has been awful over the past month, in the face of the new Omicron variant and the impact it is quickly exerting upon our daily lives. Things are feeling so uncertain again, as we move forward into 2022. 

What did the blog mean for you in 2021? I hope it offered respite to you, that is, a chance to get away from the intensity of COVID-19, even if only, for a few minutes. 

Over the past year, you have visited the blog 35,000 times...THANK YOU. Including this blog, I will have published 75 blogs in 2021 and you will have left 41 comments. While I don't want the blog to become like a forum, it still is rewarding to read your comments, as the realization for me is that you are reading the published content  and therefore, the memory of these wonderful horses will now live on, through you...THANK YOU. 

There are a couple of ways to present this end-of-year review. The list below reflects your overall favorites, in order of most clicks received, regardless of when the blog was written and published (a couple of them go all the way back to 2006).

1. Tammenaa MH 
2. The Straight Babson Egyptian Horse
3. Al Adeed Al Shaqab in 1-2-3
4. Historic Marbach Importation
5. To Serr, with Love
6. *Bint Moniet El Nefous
7. The Tamria Story
8. Bedouin Beauty: Jibbah
9. Restoration: Portrait of a King
10. An Ekstern son: TA Arapaho

However, if I consider only the newly-written and published blogs of 2021; which ones are your favorites? The following list is the result, your 2021 top ten, in order of most clicks received:

1. Tammenaa MH 
2. Al Adeed Al Shaqab in 1-2-3
3. Historic Marbach Importation
4. To Serr, with Love
5. An Ekstern son: TA Arapaho
6. The Color of Perfection
7. #400
8. *Nebras Al Rayyan
9. Khartoum RA
10. Bel Gordas

I hope that 2022 will usher in a year filled with joy, prosperity and good health for you and your families, dear reader. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your kindness and support, all for the love of the Arabian horse.

Happy Holidays,

Ralph

Mare Power

Emira (Laheeb x Embra)

An email blast sent by Arabian Essence for the beautiful show mare, Belladonna AT (Wadee Al Shaqab x Om El Bellatrix), led me to Al Thumama's extraordinary website, which is where I found the above photo of the Laheeb daughter, Emira, out of the Monogramm daughter Embra. The power that is radiating from this mare's body is impressive and out of all the beautiful mares pictured on the mare page, it was this one photo that captured my attention. The elasticity in Emira's hocks, the generously muscled hindquarter and the ability to drive herself forward must be why someone was inspired to coin the phrase, "poetry-in-motion." The way in which Emira is using the muscling in her back and abdomen, allows her to move with a powerful and yet, a supple and free stride that many Arabian enthusiasts recognize as "floating." That moment of suspension, when the horse strikes off the ground and for a fraction of a second is airborne, remains fascinating to me, no matter how many times I see it. She's a beautiful mare, bred by Michalow Stud in Poland, who has won many prizes over a long halter career, beginning in 2001 when she was named the Polish National Junior Champion filly but for me, it's a single action photo, captured within one stride in a free-moving liberty session that makes her unforgettable.  I can't make out the photographer's signature in the photo, so I "googled" to see if I could learn the name of the photographer. 

Złota Nić (Emigrant x Zlota Orda)

And that's how I found the photo of the pure Polish Emigrant daughter, Zlota Nić, also bred by Michalow. If I thought that the elasticity of Emira's hocks is amazing, is there an English word to describe the feeling I experience when I see Zlota Nić? A 2005 mare, owned by Polia Arabians and sold to Morocco, she is a maternal granddaughter of Zagrobla, also a Monogramm daughter like Embra. Zlota Nić also uses her back well, as she drives herself powerfully forward like Emira. 

Taghira B (El Thay Mameluk x 211 Zohair-2)

And as it always happens for me, that is, one horse will remind me of yet another horse and in this case it is none other than the straight Egyptian Taghira B , a 1995 mare sired by El Thay Mameluk and out of the Zohair daughter, 211 Zohair-2, bred by The Babolna Stud. She is photographed by Gigi Grasso, who owned her together with Paolo Damilano of Alfabia Stud. We see the same type of movement in Taghira B, as we see in Emira and Złota Nić.

The late classical riding master, Egon von Neindorff, in his literary masterpiece, The Art of Classical Horsemanship, speaks of another book written by Lieutenant Colonel Otto de la Croix, published in 1902 and specifically a particular section which emphasizes the importance of the back, in helping a horse to move powerfully but in a supple manner. He wrote, "it is the hindquarter activity and primarily the back which resembles a feathering spring that builds an elastic bridge between the horse's forehand and hindquarters."  All three mares share common ground in their excellent use of the back muscles, naturally. The challenge, as it is with any horse, is to replicate the same movement, while balancing the added weight of a rider on her back. With the World Championships a week away, it is reason to  celebrate purebred Arabian horses who move like these mares do. It is poetry-in-motion.

***with many thanks to Arabian Essence.  You can't imagine what an email can do for people like me, in love with the Arabian Horse, as he exists, all over the world.*** 

Déjà vu

Simeon Sebedee, a 2006 stallion, sired by Imperial Madaar (Imperial Madheen x Ansata Nile Mist) and out of Simeon Sehavi (Asfour x Simeon Sheba) was shown over the weekend at the 24th Qatar National Arabian Championship. You will remember that I blogged about him in February. He was shown Friday night, in Class 14, Stallions 11 years and older. I stumbled upon his video, while writing yesterday's blog about Invictus. Last year at the 23rd Qatar National Arabian Championship (actually held in January, 2021 because of Covid), Simeon Sebedee had placed 2nd to Gazwan Al Nasser (Gazal Al Shaqab x Ftoon Al Shaqab) who also won the same class this year (24th Qatar National Championship). It's interesting to learn that 10 months later, even with 2 of the same judges (Tamas Rombauer & Tomasz Tarczynski), the results are similar and I still feel, despite showing signs of advancing age, that Simeon Sebedee, as he powerfully marches into the show ring, is the kind of horse who captures my attention and makes my hair stand on edge.

***with many thanks to Arabian Essence, for making these videos available on YouTube. You can't imagine what it does for people like me, in love with the Arabian Horse, as he exists, all over the world.*** 

UNCONQUERABLE

"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." - Invictus, by William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1903)

It was this particular thumbnail that came up in my YouTube subscription feed. The expression and position of the horse's body speaks volumes without saying a word. Invictus has moved left, placing the outside of his body closer to his handler. In a situation where he is bombarded with new sights, scents and sounds, his comfort is with the person on the other end of the lead. It is within these moments, if you are paying attention, that one catches a glimpse of the unique intangible characteristics that define the Arab horse breed. So, I clicked and proceeded to watch Invictus, a 2014 stallion by Cavalli (DA Valentino x Aspyn) and out of Althea (Ajman Moniscione x Naama Della Vigna). 

The YouTube video is from Class 14, 7 - 9 year old stallions at the European Championships in Verona, Italy. A later email blast from Tutto Arabi would confirm that Invictus not only won his class; he was also named the 2021 European Champion Stallion. One can say that Invictus fulfilled the prophecy held within his name!

As I watched the video, I couldn't shake the feeling that Invictus has Egyptian blood coursing through his veins. A quick check of his pedigree confirmed my suspicion. He has almost 30% Egyptian blood. He has multiple crosses to Aswan (Nazeer x Yosreia) and Shaker El Masri (*Morafic x Zebeda) but he also carries lines to Egyptian horses like *Soufian, Dalul, Mohssen, Ruminaja Ali, Salaa El Dine, Mohafez, Halim Raquim, *Ibn Moniet el Nefous,  *Fadl and *Maaroufa, two of the horses that Henry Babson imported from Egypt in 1932. As I dug around looking for the sources of Egyptian blood, I slowly realized that Invictus also carries pockets of Spanish breeding, on both sides of his pedigree. As a matter of fact, his tail female line, through Amiranda (Algebi x Lagunita) runs through to Yeguada Militar breeding, ultimately reaching Farja I, a Hamdanieh Simrieh mare imported from the desert by the Yeguada Militar in 1908. She went on to found an important family in Spanish breeding. Combined with the multiple sources of *Estopa, A Fancy Miracle (the dam of Magnum Psyche) and the stallion AN Malik (Galero x Ispahan), Invictus carries almost 15% Spanish blood. In this day and age, when Spanish blood seems to be scarcely represented, I choose to celebrate every drop. 

I also found it interesting that he is linebred to the stallion, *Padron (Patron x Odessa) through his son, Padron's Psyche (out of Kilika), grandson Magnum Psyche (out of A Fancy Miracle) and daughter, Padron's Ghibli (out of Santana's Dalight). Invictus carries as much influence to *Padron, as he does in Spanish blood. You can see the *Padron influence expressed in his phenotype, although he bears a stronger resemblance to Padrons Psyche than *Padron himself, even down to his red chestnut coat color.

I learned that Luca Oberti, who showed Invictus, is also his breeder and owner and that, explains the connection between horse and man that I noticed throughout the video.  Naturally, a relationship is established with the horse, as a result of consistent training and handling. However, in this case, that relationship already existed between man and horse, as Invictus has known Luca Oberti all his life. One can say that the consistency of training and handling further deepened the relationship that was already in place. In the old days, the show ring included many owners who showed their own horses and very successfully too. I'm thinking of people like Stanley White, Bill Trapp, Paul Polk, Don Forbis and Sheila Varian, to name a few people off the top of my head. Watching Luca Oberti show his beautiful horse, as well as observing the trust and affection that Invictus has for Luca Oberti, remains a wonderful reminder of the way things used to be and how it can be again, if more owners got a little more hands on with their horses.

In the Al Adeed blog, I included a quotation that I read in Rania Elsayed's blog, which I feel is also applicable to Invictus, as it was the beauty that he holds inside which attracted and motivated me to click on his YouTube video:

"The most beautiful of horses which a horseman owns is a horse that embodies excellence in behavior and physical qualities, as our predecessors wrote."

 This quote remains like a compass for me, within a world that sometimes can be overwhelming and a bit confusing, by reminding me what is really important and in this case, it is a preference for those horses who possess the tangible and intangible characteristics unique to the Arabian horse breed. Many  congratulations to Luca Oberti and his team, for presenting such a wonderful horse to the world.

***with many thanks to Arabian Essence, for making these videos available on YouTube. You can't imagine what it does for people like me, in love with the Arabian Horse, as he exists, all over the world.*** 

Apple Hill Angel

Apple Hill Angel (Ansata El Nisr x Rose Halima) as photographed by Judith Wich

Apple Hill Angel was a 1981 grey mare, not straight Egyptian, as she traced through her maternal great granddam, Kadorzah (Kahar x Dorzah) to non-Egyptian but Al Khamsa recognized horses bred by Paula Fatjo, Albert Harris, WR Brown, the Van Vleet Arabian Stud, Hernan Ayerza and the Hamidie Society, among others. The majority of Egyptian influence in Apple Hill Angel's genetic fiber came by way of her sire, Ansata El Nisr, an *Ansata Ibn Halima son out of *Ansata Bint Zaafarana. Her dam, Rose Halima was a paternal sibling to Ansata El Nisr, as she was also sired by *Ansata Ibn Halima. The influence that *Ansata Ibn Halima exerts upon Apple Hill Angel is 50%, a percentage usually attributable to a sire and not a grand sire. I feel that his influence is unmistakable, as you study the phenotype of this beautiful mare.

The stallion, Hallany Mistanny (*Zarife x *Roda), although bred by General Dickinson of Travelers Rest, was by and out of, horses bred by Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik. Hallany Mistanny is the sire of San Luis Rose of Zarife, the dam of Rose Halima. Hallany Mistanny's sire, *Zarife, appears again in the pedigree as the sire of Dorzah, the dam of Kadorzah (the dam of San Luis Rose of Zarife). However, if you look at the pedigree of Croisedore, the dam of Dorzah, she is sired by the stallion *Nasr, another stallion bred by Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik. The interesting relationship between *Zarife and *Nasr is the mare, Bint Yamama. She is *Nasr's dam and she is the maternal great-granddam of *Zarife! This is the same dam line that we find in the pedigree of *Fadl and *Maaroufa, both imported by Henry Babson from Egypt in 1932. I think it is clever to intensify this wonderful damline, through multiple sources of the same blood: *Zarife, *Roda and *Nasr.

Kahar (Katar x Niht) brings in more Egyptian blood through Gulastra (*Astraled x Gulnare), the sire of Katar. The mare Niht, the dam of Katar is the great grandaughter of a mare named Nonliker, a daughter of the Dahman Shahwan stallion bred by Ali Pasha Sherif and sold to the Blunts.

In 1983, Apple Hill Angel went to the Egyptian Event and was shown in the 2-year old Filly Futurity class which she easily won. I guess the success she achieved in Kentucky inspired her owners to show the mare in the more competitive world of main ring halter, despite that the venue was dominated at that time by the Polish and Russian horses. The photo above, taken by Judith Wich, appeared in the leading breed magazines of the day. Whenever I hear Apple Hill Angel's name, this is the image that immediately  pops in my head. I was so happy to find the photo on line, as it is one of my favorites.

Unfortunately, Apple Hill Angel did not produce any offspring, as she died while she was still a young horse. Her dam was bred to Ansata El Nisr and produced the full siblings: Apple Hill Ahkita in 1976, Apple Hill Atari in 1978, Apple Hill Aclsic in 1980 and AppleHillAzourrak in 1982. Apple Hill Aclsic produced a filly in 1990 by RG Joshua (Alcibiades x Faaraa), while AppleHillAzourrak has sired a number of horses, furthering the influence of this family  farther in the world.

Al Adeed Al Shaqab in 1-2-3

Al Adeed Al Shaqab with Michael Byatt, as photographed by the late Erwin Escher

I have wanted to write about Al Adeed Al Shaqab for a long time but the challenge in writing about superstar horses like Al Adeed is the extensive amount of information which already exists about him. What more can be said without being redundant? And that's when I thought, an Al Adeed story, as told within the context of 3 favorite photos.

One of my all-time favorite photos, is the photo that appears above, taken by the late Erwin Escher, who captured Al Adeed with his camera, circa 1999, at the beginning of what would be his meteoric rise to the top, when he was named Middle East Champion Stallion. You can see so many of the outstanding qualities of this horse, for example, a lovely, arched neck, including a beautiful underline, a strong and smooth topline, well-laid back shoulders, a longer forearm vs. a shorter cannon and beautiful tail carriage. He is smooth-bodied, so harmonious and for me, a living standard, more powerful than any illustration and the image that frequently comes to mind, when horse lovers hear the words "Arabian horse". In those early days, it was exciting to follow him, win-after-win, all the way to his first showing at the World Championships in 2002. I can still feel the shock and disappointment, when he was stripped of his 2002 World Championship win. The following year, Al Adeed returned to Paris and was named the 2003 World Champion Stallion. 

Al Adeed Al Shaqab was a son of Ansata Halim Shah and out of Sundar Alisayyah, a Ruminaja Ali daughter out of Imperial Sayyah, an Albadeia-bred mare, imported in utero by Imperial Egyptian Stud. Al Adeed Al Shaqab was Hadban Enzahi by strain, as he traced over the course of 11 generations to the chestnut mare, Venus, an 1890 mare purchased for Khedive Abbas II and considered by many historians as the root mare of the strain. However, if you study all the horses within his sixth generation (great-great-great grandparents), you get a much different impression over the strains of influence, as Al Adeed is 37.5% Hadban but he is also 25% Kuhaylan (he is impacted by 3 Kuhaylan strains: Mimrah, Jellabi & Rodan), 21.875% Saqlawi, 12.5% Dahman and just a little touch of Abeyyan at 3.125%.  I am reminded of a passage that I read within The Blue Arabian Horse Catalog, created by Miss Jane Llewellyn Ott, "A breeding-prospect should always be judged on its bloodlines first and its own merit afterwards. The reason for this is that an animal can transmit from any or all of its immediate progenitors, not just from those it happens to resemble itself." 

Al Adeed Al Shaqab with Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani, as photographed by Nicole Sachs

If you dear reader, have followed Al Adeed over his lifetime, you are aware of the relationship that Sheikh Hamad enjoyed with Al Adeed Al Shaqab.  In an interview for Arabian Horse Times Abroad, Jeff Wallace had asked Sheikh Hamad one final question, "What characteristic stamps a Sheikh Hamad-bred Arabian Horse?" and before Sheikh Hamad could answer, Jeff further refined his question as, "what is the one characteristic that most have, that you keep and carry forward?" Without any hesitation, Sheikh Hamad answered, "Al Adeed." A few seconds later, Sheikh Hamad further adds, "He's my boy. I don't know why I love this boy. I ride him. I ride him every morning." You can hear the surprise in Jeff's voice over learning that Al Adeed is ridden by Sheikh Hamad every day. Sheikh Hamad reminds us of the unique relationship that develops between man and horse, as a result of consistent training and handling. Recently, I was reading Rania Elsayed's blog, The Horse in Word and Picture and specifically, her newest post which examines the qualities of the Arabian horse, as found in vintage Arabic manuscripts. The following passage, so profound in its simplicity, really impressed me: "The most beautiful of horses which a horseman owns is a horse that embodies excellence in behavior and physical qualities, as our predecessors wrote." The more I thought about it, the more I believed that Al Adeed Al Shaqab, in his earthly life, balanced his physical beauty, with that of his inner beauty. He was a complete horse, a horse who was sound of mind, body and spirit.  Photos such as this particular photo taken by Nicole Sachs, another favorite, helps us to observe and better understand the intangible qualities of the Arabian horse breed, that otherwise, would be invisible to us. 

Al Adeed Al Shaqab, as photographed by Nancy Pierce

When Al Adeed Al Shaqab arrived in America, I was overjoyed to learn the news, as I hoped for the opportunity to see him in person. I don't exactly remember why but unfortunately, I didn't get to see him in real life but I did stumble upon photos taken by Nancy Pierce at Michael Byatt's 2007 Open House, when Al Adeed was officially presented to the American public. Al Adeed would have been 12 years old at the time. I love all the photos that Nancy shot of him in Texas but this particular photo eclipses all the others, as it highlights Al Adeed's extraordinary beauty. It's difficult to narrow the appreciation that I feel for Al Adeed to a specific part of his anatomy, as he is the sum of all parts. And yet, it's the shape of his skull with a pronounced jibbah, together with the broad forehead and defined jowls. The fine quality of his heavily pigmented skin accentuates the prominence of his bones and veins, intensifying the clean and dry elegance of a desert horse. The shape of his well-set ears, the delicately shaped nostrils which are wider at the base than they are on the top and his dark, large eyes, set lower in the head, all work together with his grey coat color, to create a dramatic expression of the proverbial fairy-tale horse come to life. 

A sire of excellence, with many lovely sons and daughters to his credit, I want to highlight Naseem Al Rashediah (out of the Ezzain-bred mare, Nabaweyah) and  Fayad Al Shaqab (out of the Richter MH daughter, Exotic Tremor), as well as the Janow Podlaski-bred, Pilarosa (out of the Fawor daughter, Pilar). Al Adeed is also the grandsire of a noteworthy young stallion, the jet black Atum (out of the Al Adeed daughter Aleah Al Moutribah). While the many articles and videos published about Al Adeed help to memorialize the once-in-a-lifetime-horse that he was; it is through his get and their progeny that Al Adeed Al Shaqab's name will forever live on our lips. He may be gone from this earth physically but he will never be forgotten.

From Perry Poems: A Collection, Bethany A Perry

***Did you enjoy this blog? Don't miss the expanded version of Al Adeed's story, published within the next issue of The Arabian Breeders Magazine***

Bel Gordas

Bel Gordas (Sirecho x Habba)

Bel Gordas was a 1956 grey stallion, bred by Mrs. John Ekern Ott, who had purchased his dam, Habba (*Fadl x *Bint Bint Sabbah), from the Babson Farm in 1954. Bel Gordas' sire, Sirecho, foaled in 1939, was also purchased by Mrs. Ott, from Clifford Lodwick, in the same time period of the Babson Farm purchase. Bel Gordas was the first foal that Sirecho sired for Mrs. Ott and eventually, he became a herd sire for her program. The interesting thing about Habba is that a maternal line, in straight Babson Egyptian form, no longer exists. Horses like Bel Gordas and his descendants, remain the ways in which we can incorporate the influence of Habba within a breeding program. 

In the Spanish language, the name, "Bel Gordas" translates to "beautiful fat ladies" however "beautiful" in this sense, does not refer to an outwardly physical beauty but rather, an in-born beauty, like a spiritual beauty. For most people who have been involved with Asil or Egyptian horses, they are familiar with Mrs. Ott and her daughter, as both ladies are largely responsible for developing awareness and appreciation in America for the preservation of the Bedouin-bred Arabian horse, as catalogued within their famous publication, The Blue Arabian Catalog. The Otts were passionate about the horses and their communication style, reflected the passion they felt. I have always wondered if the name of Bel Gordas was like an "inside joke" for Mrs. Ott and her daughter. Needless to say, whenever I see Bel Gordas' name, I always chuckle, thanks to the Otts. 

One of the stories that I heard about Bel Gordas involved Richard Pritzlaff, who owned the mare, Rabanna (Rasik x Banna). Richard loved the mare and because of her dam, Banna, Richard was also enamored of the stallion, *Nasr (Rabdan el Azrak x Bint Yamama). He desired to incorporate more *Nasr blood within his program, so he contacted the Otts, in the hope that he could lease Sirecho for breeding. However, Sirecho was an aged stallion by that time and it wasn't in the horse's best interest to ship him all the way to New Mexico. So, instead of sending Sirecho to Richard, Mrs. Ott sent Bel Gordas to Jackson Hensley instead. Bred to *Bint el Bataa, Bel Gordas sired the mare, Naszala for Richard but he also sired RA Leila, out of the *Bint Moniet el Nefous daughter, RSI Rara Del Sol, for Jackson, among other horses.

Bel Gordas sired a little less than 20 horses and of those horses, 3 were out of the Sirecho daughter, Faarecho (out of Faara by Faddan x Fa Aana), 3 were out of Jasmyn (Fa-Rousse x Dahlya), who incidentally, was a granddaughter of Dahma Al-Zarka, who also was bred to Bel Gordas in 1965, producing the daughter, Belle Dahma, who was later exported to Germany. Bel Gordas was also bred to the mare Zahlya twice. Zahlya was by Zarlan and out of Dahlya, the dam of Jasmyn! The Sirecho daughter, Sirulla (out of Drissula) was also bred to Bel Gordas, as was her daughter, Zarrulla.  For a smaller number of get sired, the Bel Gordas family has prospered over the years and Bel Gordas has 963 descendants through the present day, with approximately a third of those descendants born in the years 1990 through 1999. 

I was born in the sixties, so Bel Gordas, as a living individual in the physical world, was a bit before my time. It would be through his daughter, Belle Echo (out of Faarecho, also by Sirecho) and her daughters: Masada Bellesabah (Lothar), Masada Saabellah (Saafaddan) and Masada Bellisima (Fabo) that I learned of Bel Gordas. These were very pretty and really sweet mares, who produced equally sweet horses. Sirecho, a curiously intelligent horse, was remarked to have a wonderful, easy going personality that he passed onto his sons and daughters as well as a voluptuous phenotype, like an "old world" type, their bodies comprised of flowing, circular lines, just as if they had stepped out of a museum painting. Many, many years later, to illustrate how small the world can be, I would have the opportunity to own Princeton Maarena, a great-granddaughter of Sirhabba, who just happens to be a full sister to Bel Gordas! It would be this experience which has left me a forever fan of this particular bloodline.

***I published this blog earlier this year, on March 13th. Bel Gordas is one of my favorite horses, one of my favorite lines in straight Egyptian breeding. If you missed his story the first time, here's another opportunity to read his blog.***

Window of the Soul

The late EAO stallion, Tagweed (Gad Allah x Tee) as photographed by Mohamed Abdo

A long time ago, or so it seems, the presence of any white in an Arabian horse's eye was considered to be a major flaw, no matter how completely wonderful the rest of the horse was. I find the number of modern Arabian horses possessing a varying degree of white in the eye, to be a disturbing trend. 

This weekend, I was once again reading Count Waclaw Rzewuski's book, Concerning Oriental Horses and Those Originating From Oriental Strains, as translated by James E. Luck and annotated by Andrew K. Steen and found the following passage, which I want to share with you:

"The anatomy of his eye, the black which predominates in the part that is white in other horses and colors the eyeball, and his black eyelashes endow this horse with excellent vision. It seems that nature has adorned his eyes with such a perfect blackness in order to better concentrate the beams of light entering them." 

The late Ansata AlMurtajiz (Ansata Hejazi x Ansata Samsara) as photographed by Jennifer Ogden

In another part of Concerning Oriental Horses, Count Rzewuski further writes,

"The eye is large, protruding, black and alert. The countenance gentle and intelligent is characteristic of Nejdis. The pupil is elongated and straight, of a deep blue color toward the upper part of the pupil. The globes are quite strong and irregular; they should resemble truffles. The rest of the orbit is blackish, brownish; the darker it is, the more the Arabs like it."

The great Michałów-bred stallion, Ekstern (Monogramm x Ernestyna) as photographed by Ewa Imielska-Hebda

In these times, when many of us are pursuing a more authentic horse; how and why have we been convinced that white in the eye is as beautiful as a large, fully black, luminous eye? And how do we get back to where we were so many years ago, when breeders did not accept the presence of any white in the eye? 

***This blog post is lovingly dedicated to a mentor, friend, master breeder and authority on the Egyptian Arabian horse, Marilyn Lang.  Since the early 70s, Marilyn has been breeding straight Egyptian horses! It is only because of Marilyn that I have learned to fully appreciate a black, large and luminous eye.***

****If you haven't yet purchased a copy of Count Rzewuski's book, I encourage you to contact Andrew K. Steen, at Tales of the Breed.****

*Wadeea

*Wadeea (Zahi x Ferial) as photographed by Scott Trees

*Wadeea, a 1976 chestnut mare, was bred by the late Sayed Marei of Albadeia Stud in Egypt. Both her dam, Ferial, by Anter, and her granddam, El Ameera (Nazeer x Zaafarana), are recognized as "Dams of Distinction", as published in a May 1984 Arabian Horse World magazine study.

*Wadeea was purchased and imported to America by the late Don Ford of Lancer Arabians in 1977. After the dispersal of Lancer Arabians, *Wadeea was purchased by Imperial Egyptian Stud and incorporated into the breeding program, producing a US National Top Ten stallion, Imperial Alamonra by Ansata Imperial, as well as a full sister, Imperial Imwasama (both sired by Ansata Imperial) and Imperial Oreeyah by *Orashan. Eventually, she was sold to Valour Arabians and was bred to Imperial Imdal, producing Valour Wadalah and then to *Ibn Safinaz, producing Valour Sadeea.

By virtue of her tail female line, *Wadeea is Saqlawiyah by strain, tracing to the RAS mare, Zaafarana, a daughter of Samira by Balance, who is a full sister to the celebrated stallions, Hamdan and Shahloul.  Beloved author, breed historian and authority on the Egyptian Arabian horse, Judith Forbis, coined a name for the full siblings sired by Ibn Rabdan and out of Bint Radia. She called them "the fabulous four".

One of the more interesting things about *Wadeea is her sire, Zahi. A son of *Ibn Hafiza, he is out of Bukra. Why is this interesting? In straight Egyptian breeding, Bukra (Shahloul x Bint Sabah) is largely represented in combination with *Ansata Ibn Halima and *Ansata Bint Mabrouka, as bred by Ansata Arabian Stud. In German straight Egyptian breeding, particularly through Ghazala, bred by Katharinenhof, the Bukra bloodline prospered, thanks to her son, Ghazal (Nazeer x Bukra). In Kuwait, Bukra is also represented by Bait Al Arab's Latiefa (Hamasa Khazzan x Hamasa Tarifa), who descends from Nagwa (Sameh x Bint Bukra) through her daughter Menha by Mohawed, as bred within George Olm's Hamasa breeding program. In the case of *Wadeea's son and daughter by Ansata Imperial,  I personally found the multiple lines to Bukra, through different sources, to be particularly interesting and clever. 

Fa Gamal MH (Fayad Al Shaqab x Imperial Baedrah) as photographed by Christine Emmert

"Ibn Hafiza is very strong in producing smoothness of body and a tremendous hip. Which gives his get a lot of action. They are bred to move." - Judy Gunzner, Green Mountain Arabians, who owned *Ibn Hafiza at one time, as quoted in Sameh, A special section presented by The Arabians and written by Peg Davis Johnson

How is the legacy of *Wadeea represented today? Earlier this year, at Rancho Bulakenyo, Imperial Baedrah, a great-grandaughter of *Wadeea, foaled a spectacular colt, Fa Gamal MH, sired by Fayad Al Shaqab (Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Exotic Tremor MH). Not only does this colt possess four lines to Bukra, he also carries two lines to *Ibn Hafiza, as well as uniting a sire and dam whose maternal lines are anchored by Inshass breeding. He is a strong-bodied colt with an impressive hind end, both in size and shape and yet, he has not lost the refinement which the Bukra horses are noted for passing onto their get. Again, just very clever breeding, which resulted in what I believe, is a very promising colt, who will further the Bukra legacy, in combination with the Inshass blood, further in this wonderful world of straight Egyptian horses.  

Khartoum RA

Khartoum RA (Baha AA x Bint Anjalima), as photographed by Holly Reuter

Earlier this week, I read a new comment posted within the 2016 blog I had written about *Bint Moniet el Nefous. Jo Lynne is interested in horses of Pritzlaff breeding and wondered if anyone was still breeding these lines exclusively. Crockett Dumas, Sheila Harmon, Jane Bohn and Pam Studebaker were the breeders who instantly came to my mind. As I searched for other Pritzlaff breeders, I stumbled upon a magnificent stallion named Khartoum RA. 

Khartoum RA is a 2016 son of Baha AA (Al Ayad x Baraqa AA) and out of the mare, Bint Anjalima (Al Maraam x Anjalima). He was bred by Inga Applequist of Rosecrest Arabians and is now owned by Holly Reuter of Holly Arabians. He is Dahman by strain, tracing through Ansata Justina to the Farida daughter, Futna, eventually reaching El Dahma. In sire line, he traces through several generations of German straight Egyptian breeding to Nazeer and ultimately, to Saklawi I.

Khartoum, in Northeast Africa, is the capital of Sudan. The name "Khartoum" has a wide variety of meaning, depending upon the scholarly theory you choose, however, this is a story of a horse named Khartoum and the most relevant translation comes from the Beja people, who inhabit the region of Sudan, Egypt and the Eritrea. They called this place "hartoom", a place of meeting, where the Blue Nile and the White Nile rivers "meet". The White Nile gets its name from the clay carried in the water, which differentiates it from the Blue Nile and yet, despite the difference in color, both rivers combine to form the great Nile River, as it flows north to Egypt. In a similar way, one can say that the Ariela-bred horses meet genetically with other sources of Egyptian breeding, resulting in Khartoum RA.  For example, let's look at the clever cross of Baraaqa AA (on the paternal side of the pedigree) with Al Maraam (on the maternal side). Baraaqa AA is a Laheeb daughter out of a Vision daughter, while Al  Maraam is an Imperial Imdal son (Laheeb's sire) out of The Vision HG.  The stallion, Baahir (Ibn El Mareekh x GF Nasra Bataa), whose presence as the sire of Baraqai AA (the dam of Baraaqa AA) plays a role like the clay in the White Nile, introducing several outcross lines that serve to keep two similarly-bred horses different from each other. By the way, Baahir, through his tail female line, traces back to Richard Pritzlaff's black mare, the 1958 import, *Bint El Bataa (Nazeer x El Bataa).

Khartoum RA (Baha AA x Bint Anjalima) as photographed by Holly Reuter

Conformationally, my eyes were drawn to Khartoum's deeper heart girth. I also appreciate his close-coupling, smooth, strong back, the added length to his neck and poll, as well as the nice underline to his neck and the powerfully muscled, laid back shoulder. He is airborne in this particular photo, the moment of suspension when the energy from the hind end is driving the horse forward. While judging the self-carriage of a horse at liberty, without a rider on his back, is a bit different from a horse balancing the added weight of a human; it is photos like this one which inspire me to think: what does it feel like to ride a horse like this?

The Vision HG (Thee Desperado x Belle Staar) appears twice in Khartoum's pedigree. She represents approximately 20% of Khartoum's pedigree. She is the maternal great-granddam of Baha AA, as well as the paternal granddam of Bint Anjalima. Khartoum is strong in his look for this most beloved black mare. You don't even have to look at the pedigree to know she is part of the genetic fiber which resulted in Khartoum.

As the years pass, the appreciation that I feel for Al Maraam deepens.  I wish that I had realized the significance of exactly who he was and the impact that he would have as a breeding stallion, when he was alive. For many years, Al Maraam lived his life, while I lived mine; neither life intersecting with the other. I knew of him, I admired him and unfortunately, I acted as if he would live forever.  He didn't. Holly Reuter, on her website said, "Khartoum has a kind easy going disposition and is a pleasure to be around." As soon as I read her words concerning Khartoum's character, I thought of Al Maraam. In spirit, Al Maraam was kind, easy-going, sweet and people-oriented. Many of his get are like him, that is, easy horses to live and work with. In reading what Holly Reuter said about him, I think the 25% of Al Maraam in the pedigree had an impact upon Khartoum RA. 

I found it interesting that Holly Reuter also owns an Al Maraam daughter named Desert Treasure EF. A 2009 straight Egyptian mare, she is out of Desert Shimmer (Gatsby CC IASB x SF Malachite). She is a Kuhaylah Rodaniyah in tail female line, as she traces to Bint Bint Riyala, one of the two Rodania line mares imported to Egypt from the Crabbet Stud.

Desert Treasure EF (Al Maraam x Desert Shimmer), as photographed by Christina Rousseau

If Desert Treasure was my mare, I would breed her to Khartoum RA, as the resulting foal, which hopefully, a filly by gender, will carry almost 40% influence of Al Maraam! 

Through the pages of this blog, I have expressed the deep sorrow that is felt whenever a beloved horse dies, whether the horse belongs to me or not. Love is love, despite ownership and the heart still breaks in the same way. Perhaps, one of the greatest lessons that I have learned from the life of Al Maraam is that life is far too precious for any of it to be taken for granted or even, wasted.  As uniquely special and beloved as Al Maraam was, maybe, continuing to grieve his physical absence from this world might be an unintended injustice to the horses of the present, who are equally special horses within their own expressed individuality. Still, a great horse will always be a great horse. For that, is what Al Maraam will always be for me...GREAT.

“I remember when your name was just another name that rolled without thought off my tongue. Now, I can’t look at your name without an abundance of sentiment attached to each letter. Your name, which I played with so carelessly, so easily, has somehow become sacred to my lips. A name I won’t throw around lightheartedly or repeat without deep thought.” - Jamie Weise

NADINA RAF

Nadina RAF (Shahir IASB x NF Nawrah) as photographed by Darryl Larson

Nadina RAF is a 2012 daughter of Shahir IASB (Salaa el Dine x Imperial IM Phayana) and is out of NF Nawrah, an interesting mare, as Prince Fa Moniet represents almost 40% of her pedigree! Through the tail female line of Shahir IASB, Nadina RAF traces to the EAO-bred mare, Tamria (*Tuhotmos x Kamar) who became 9 Tamria, an important broodmare for The Babolna State Stud. Tamria's great-granddam, Layla (Ibn Rabdan x Bint Sabah) was Bukra's maternal sibling, as both horses were out of Bint Sabah (Kazmeen x Sabah). Nadina RAF is part of the unique Tamria-focused breeding program of Jamie Zissis' Rosehaven Arabians.

"What was the pedigree of this ethereal young creature with the large dark eyes and beautiful face - so refined for one so young?" - Judith Forbis, upon meeting *Ansata Bint Bukra for the first time, from Born to Reign

In tail female line, Nadina RAF traces to *Ansata Bint Bukra, a Bukra daughter sired by Nazeer:

The tail female line: Nadina RAF->NF Nawrah->Ansata Neoma->Ansata Bint Halima->Ansata Delilah->*Ansata Bint Misr->*Ansata Bint Bukra

In fact, Nadina RAF has multiple lines to *Ansata Bint Bukra, approximately eight lines and a genetic influence of almost 10%, given that *Ansata Bint Bukra first appears in the 6th generation of Nadina's pedigree:

• Ansata Rosetta - 3 lines (Ansata Halim Shah)
• Ansata Delilah - 5 lines (Ansata Imperial 2x, Ansata Sudarra 2x, Ansata Bint Halima 1x)

Nadina RAF is also overwhelmingly Dahman, as 56.25% of her pedigree reflects horses of this strain.

There is a very special look or rather, an expression that some, not all, of the *Ansata Bint Bukra horses possess, as we observe in the above photo of Nadina RAF.  Carl Raswan, within an article published by Western Horseman magazine, mentioned this unique expression.  Through his experiences living amongst the Bedouin, he learned of psychic powers, passed from the dam to her daughter. These special horses were referred to as Muluq. Raswan further 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."

Within the second volume of Authentic Arabian Bloodstock, Judith Forbis wrote about Ansata Delilah (grandaughter of *Ansata Bint Bukra), "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." Carl Raswan believed that these horses often spent their time listening and meditating, giving the onlooker an impression of being deep in thought.

If what Carl Raswan wrote about the psychic gifts bestowed upon the 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, if we remain open to them. You will notice this unique expression in several of the photos published, many never seen before, in Judith Forbis' book, Born to Reign, newly published last year. Have you had the opportunity to purchase this remarkable book, Born to Reign? 

While the centerpiece of Born to Reign is the life of *Ansata Bint Bukra and the families of horses which descend from her; it is also the story of Judith Forbis and of the experiences which shaped her young life and eventually led her to the EAO. *Ansata Bint Bukra's story, so intertwined with the amazing life that Judith Forbis created will inspire you with a similar amount of courage, faith and determination. You will feel empowered to do the same and make all that you dream and believe in, a reality. I strongly encourage you to purchase a copy of Born to Reign, while the book is still available. As we head into Autumn and then, Winter, this book will become a most beloved fireside companion.

#400

Hadiya Al Kamar RB, as photographed by Christine Emmert in August, 2021

Hadiya Al Kamar RB, bred by Dr. Joseph Cruz of Rancho Bulakenyo, Los Osos, California, is a 2021 colt, sired by *Hadban Al Shaqab (Ashhal Al Rayyan x Sundar Alisayyah) and out of Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB, an *Asala Hafid Nahman daughter out of Hassanieh Al Kamar RB (Imperial Al Kamar x EAI Hassimah). You know what is interesting about this colt? The "RB" suffix, which is added to the end of his name. Dr. Cruz, in using this suffix (instead of "MH") is telling us  that there is no RDM Maar Hala (El Hilal x Maar Jumana) blood in this colt. 

In tail female line, Hadiya Al Kamar RB traces to the mare, Bint El Bahreyn (same tail female line of Rancho Bulakenyo's Moon family); while in sire line, he is a Saklawi I:

• via his tail female line, *Hadiya Al Kamar RB is Dahman by strain: Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB->Hassanieh Al Kamar RB->EAI Hassimah->Bint Hassenah->Hassenah->Hebet Allah->*Soheir II ->Tifla->Elwya->Zareefa->Durra->Dalal->Bint el Bahreyn

• via his sire line: Hadiya Al Kamar RB traces to Saklawi I: *Hadban Al Shaqab->Ashhal Al Rayyan->Safir->Salaa El Dine->Ansata Halim Shah->*Ansata Ibn Halima->Nazeer->Mansour->Gamil Manial->Saklawi II->Saklawi I

The Gleannloch Farms breeding program exerts a significant influence in the pedigree of this colt, more than any other breeding program, at approximately 28%; while the Ansata program represents an influence of almost 15%, largely through the stallion, Ansata Halim Shah, who interestingly (and uniquely), impacts 20% of the pedigree through horses born in several countries, namely America and Germany.  

Cell phone pic of Hadiya Al Kamar RB with his dam, Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB

While the focus of this blog is Hadiya Al Kamar RB; this is also a story of how breeding programs, already hugely successful in their consistency year-after-year, remain willing to evolve, as they add to their genetic mix of bloodlines. In the case of the long-term Rancho Bulakenyo program, Dr. Cruz had been searching for an outcross stallion and specifically, a bay-colored horse of Ansata lines, blended with those of Katharinenhof. An advertisement placed by Tanja Lux of Asala Arabians in a popular Egyptian Arabian horse website at the time, caught Dr. Cruz's attention. Foaled in 2008, *Asala Hafid Nahman (DF Malik Jamil x Asra Milahaa) was the promising five-month old straight Egyptian colt described in the ad. Intrigued by both the additional conformation photos that he requested, Dr. Cruz decided to fly to Germany and see the horse in person.  The colt turned out to be everything that Dr.Cruz had been looking for and shortly before he became a yearling, *Asala Hafid Nahman arrived at his new home. In 2013, his first foals started to arrive. Bred to an Imperial Al Kamar daughter, Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB, was foaled the following year. 

Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB, the dam of Hadiya Al Kamar RB, as photographed by Christine Emmert in April, 2021

Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB is unmistakable, for the look of her sire. As a breeding stallion, Dr.Cruz could not have found a horse who sired more like an outcross than *Asala Hafid Nahman was doing. He was very prepotent and his bay-colored get look very much like him, right down to the smaller, sharper pointed ears! Tragically, he passed away while still a young horse and did not sire a large amount of get, as compared to longer-lived stallions. However, what I found impressive, is the larger amount of fillies he sired and perhaps, it will be through his daughters like Nahjiyah, that his greatest legacy will be felt.  Hadiya Al Kamar RB, whose name means "gift" may prove to be just that, *Asala Hafid Nahman's greatest gift, in return for the faith that Dr. Cruz had in him as a breeding stallion. 

Hadiya Al Kamar RB has a full sister, Aleah Naamah, bred by Robin Lee, who had leased Nahjiyah Al Kamar RB from Rancho Bulakenyo. Robin decided to breed her to *Hadban Al Shaqab, sired by Ashhal Al Rayyan (Safir x Ansata Majesta) and out of Sundar Alisayyah (Ruminaja Ali x Imperial Sayyah), a maternal brother to the late Al Adeed Al Shaqab. Ashhal Al Rayyan carries 50% of Ansata Halim Shah blood, through both of his paternal grandparents (Salaa el Dine and Aisha) in addition to his dam, Ansata Majesta. While considered "maternal siblings", the two horses are genetically closer, when you factor Ansata Halim Shah's influence within Ashhal's genetic make-up. It was the beauty of Aleah Naamah, that inspired the repeat breeding to *Hadban Al Shaqab. 

One of the things that I have learned over time is that love seems to always be at the source of life's greatest gifts. If love is missing, life, over time will confirm love's absence and in this emptiness, no one finds fulfillment or satisfaction. The love I feel for this breed has sustained me over these last fifteen years. It hasn't been easy and there have been many sacrifices, some even so challenging, that giving up, crossed my mind. With all that said, here we now are, at what is for me a special milestone, the 400th blog post.  400! Do you know dear reader that the number 400 is associated with "uniqueness", "new beginnings", "determination", "focus" and "building a foundation for the future"? I was impressed to read this, as these are also some of the descriptive things that people say when speaking of a special new-born colt and prospective breeding stallion. I can't think of a better way to mark this special moment, than with the birth of what is a truly extraordinary colt and *Asala Hafid Nahman's special gift to Rancho Bulakenyo - Hadiya Al Kamar RB.