Jyar Meia Lua

Jyar Meia Lua (RFI Maktub x Jiullia El Jamaal),  the proud Arabian stallion come to life, thanks to Gigi Grasso & Arabian Essence

For many people, 2020 couldn't end soon enough. So, maybe it is a bit weird to express surprise, that here we are, almost a full year later, since Arabian Essence TV presented the quarantine video series, Stay at the Farm. So much and so little has happened over this past year, if it makes sense to say it like this.  If there is anything good to come out of the Corona Virus pandemic, Stay at the Farm is one good thing. 

I think I began to really love the show when Ferdinand Huemer of La Movida Arabians was the guest and he presented a young mare named Binta el Jyar and a stallion named Bari el Jyar. Full siblings, the two horses are sired by Jyar Meia Lua and out of the Marwan Al Shaqab daughter, Bali el Marwan.  About Binta el Jyar, Ferdinand said,

"she is very, very close to my ideal. She's huge..huge, super body, fantastic neck, incredible movement." 

At first glance, the horses appear different from each other; one is chestnut, the other is bay but when you study each horse a little more closely,  you will notice the consistency in their breed type, conformation and presence.  They are more similar, than they are different and this article, is about the special stallion, still so young and siring with consistency, across a wide variety of bloodlines.

Jyar Meia Lua, bred by the late Lenita Perroy, is a bright bay stallion, a son of RFI Maktub (Altam Yshmayl x RFI Cyntilation) and out of Jiullia El Jamaal (Ali Jamaal x Jullye El Ludjin). 

In 1971, Breyer Animal Creations, a Reeves International company, released mold #211, the Proud Arabian Stallion, sculpted by Chris Hess. Over the years, this same mold has been used to memorialize legendary Arabian horses like *Witez II and Thee Desperado. 50 years later, the resemblance between the model and Jyar Meia Lua is riveting to me. It makes me wonder about things like artist vision and inspiration, when art and life come together as one.

Jyar Meia Lua carries almost 30% Egyptian blood through the straight Egyptian horses: *Fadl, Hadban Enzahi, Malacha, *Fakher El Din, Ansata Abu Tai, Shaker el Masri, Nabiel and Ruminaja Ali. The common denominator in Jyar Meia Lua's Egyptian bloodlines is Nazeer, as he appears multiple times, anywhere from 50% (as the sire of *Fakher El Din) to 6.25% as a great-grandsire. 

Ibn Rabdan, painted by Mrs. Colmore, from the book written by Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfik, Breeding of Pure Bred Arab Horses 

However, further back in the Egyptian lines, resides a 1917 horse, Ibn Rabdan, whose influence is still relevant to the present, as it is manifested physically through the circular silhouette of Jyar Meia Lua's gloriously balanced body.  Jyar Meia Lua is very similar in phenotype to Ibn Rabdan, with his strong and smooth topline, deep and powerfully muscled shoulders, well-sprung rib cage, balanced hind end and beautifully shaped neck.  In my opinion, this is why Jyar Meia Lua has combined so well with the breeding program of Ariela Arabians in Israel, as the number of lines to Ibn Rabdan, complement those lines also present in the Ariela mares. 

What I also found interesting were the pockets of concentrated blood of a few modern horses like Ali Jamaal (37.5%), Bey Shah (12.5%)  and *El Shaklan (6.25%). In the case of Bey Shah, his dam, Star of Ofir was a *Bask daughter, which complements and intensifies the other *Bask lines in the pedigree through Toi Soldier (a *Bask son) and Coya-B (a *Bask daughter). With *Bask as far out in the pedigree as the 5th and 6th generations, it is impressive to consider the 5-to-6% influence he exerts in the pedigree. One can also point out that the blood of *Bask complements the blood of the Michalow bred mare, Dewajtis, a maternal great-grandaughter of Wielki Szlem (an Ofir son like Witraz, out of Elegantka, a tail female Gazella II) and *Naganka (a Negatiw daughter, who traces also to Gazella II and through her dam, Najada, a Fetysz grandaughter). 

I haven't even touched upon the common ground that exists between some of the Crabbet bloodlines and the horses that were exported from Crabbet and incorporated into the RAS breeding program, as well as the Crabbet blood that includes Skowronek and also found in some of the Polish bloodlines, like Negatiw.

While Jyar Meia Lua's pedigree at first glance, appears to be an outcross pedigree, uniting horses from different breeding programs and countries, on a deeper level, one finds common ground in the ancestral elements of Jyar Meia Lua's pedigree. These long ago horses who are just but a name to some, serve as connections, building bridges amongst the outcross opportunities.

Nader Al Roeya AA

Nader Al Roeya AA (Nader Al Jamal x The Vision HG)

Nader Al Roeya AA is a 2011 stallion, bred by Ariela Arabians and owned by Nayla Hayek of Hanaya Stud. He is a son of Nader Al Jamal (Ansata Sinan x Savannah CC) and out of The Vision HG (Thee Desperado x Belle Staar). Of his sire, Nader Al Jamal, Jeff Wallace of Arabian Horse World Magazine, recently posted on the magazine's Facebook page :

"some stallions are meant to be breeding horses and impose a positive influence wherever they land - therefore they build an importance around themselves. Nader Al Jamal is one of those stallions."  

I enjoy looking through the photos on Bar Hajaj's Facebook page, which is where I found the above photo of Nader Al Roeya AA. I am not sure if I can put into words what it is about this particular photo that grabbed my attention so suddenly and made me forget everything else. I mean, Bar Hajaj is one of my favorite equine photographers and it's expected that I would appreciate one of his photos and of course, Nader Al Roeya AA is so physically attractive, no surprise that he would command the full attention of anyone, including myself. His beauty is beyond compare but it's that scopiness hidden within that voluptuous multi-circular balance of beauty and classic Arabian horse type, that suggests effortlessness, ease, fluidity, sleekness, suppleness, smoothness, blended together to create something a little more exciting, a little more beautiful, a little more unique. It's in these details that one discovers quality, as defined through grace and elegance. Does that make sense?  As elusive as words are right now, how can I further explain what Nader Al Roeya means for me? My dear reader, if someone were to stop me on the street right now and ask me, point blank, to describe the ideal Arabian horse, the description I would offer them is Nader Al Roeya AA.

At first glance, you may be impressed knowing that Nader Al Roeya AA is out of one of the most celebrated and beloved mares in straight Egyptian breeding but as captivating as The Vision HG is, you would miss the unique story of this stallion's heritage and all the other horses who have a part in it, if you don't dig a little deeper. So, I went to his pedigree, directly to his tail female line and discovered Zaafarana (Balance x Samira), a 1946 mare, bred by the RAS. Her dam Samira (Ibn Rabdan x Bint Radia) was a full sister to the important stallion Shahloul and Hamdan, chief sire for Inshass. In tail female, she traces to the mare Bint Helwa, whom Lady Anne Blunt had purchased from Ali Pasha Sherif.  Zaafarana was celebrated in her time for her brilliant action and presence. She must have been electrifying, when moving. She captivated all who watched her, including Judith Forbis who once said,

"she was a mare of exceptional quality and brilliant action."

Zaafarana was an excellent producer, passing on her athleticism to her sons *Talal (by Nazeer) and Amrulla (by Sid Abouhom), who became champions and much loved racehorses in Egypt.  Six generations is all that separates Zaafarana from Nader Al Roeya. You will find the line of maternal influence through the following chain of mares: The Vision HG -> Belle Staar -> Alia-Aenor -> Hasna Al Badia -> El Ameera -> Zaafarana. For me and that of my level of understanding, The Vision HG was the extraordinary mare she was, only because she was a Zaafarana, one of the best dam lines in all of straight Egyptian breeding.

By strain, Nader Al Roeya AA is Saqlawi but it is interesting to note that he is influenced as much by the Saqlawi strain, as he is by the Hadban Enzahi strain. The pedigree unites a diverse collection of bloodlines together with a twist, as the blood of a few key individuals is further concentrated, to impact Nader Al Roeya AA in a most unique way.  It's really clever in hindsight, as it minimizes the number of horses expected within the first five generations of a pedigree. In this case, what should be 62 horses populating the first five generations is actually 45 horses, as 8 horses appear more than once in the first 5 generations, thereby increasing the contributing influence of  each of the 8 horses. For example, the 1984 stallion, The Minstril (Ruminaja Ali x *Bahila) appears four times in the pedigree, twice through his son, Thee Desperado and also, through two of his daughters: Belle Staar and Miss Maggie Mae. He represents almost 38% influence of Nader Al Roeya's genetic heritage. What's interesting though is that Miss Maggie Mae, is out of the paternal grand dam of The Minstril, helping to boost the percentage of influence that Bint Magidaa was already exerting through her son, Ruminaja Ali, to over 20%, just shy of the influence that a grandparent would exert in another horse's pedigree.  TheEgyptianPrince, through Thee Desperado and additionally, combined with Prince Fa Moniet and Alia-Aenor, contributes a similar percentage of influence. However, when you combine TheEgyptianPrince with the other sources of Moniet El Nefous blood, that percentage increases, just under 30%! As far as outcross blood is concerned, it is very small; primarily through the mares Fada (Fadaan x Aaroufa) and El Ameera (Nazeer x Zaafarana), both at a little over 3% each. One can make a case for Ansata Abu Sudan, introducing the blood of his dam, *Ansata Bint Misuna (Nazeer x Maysouna) into the mix and separately, the mare, Ansata Delilah, who introduces the blood of her dam,*Ansata Bint Misr (Sameh x *Ansata Bint Bukra), however, these individuals are further out in the pedigree and by their generational position, contribute a very small percentage of genetic influence, as compared to the other horses named previously. In deciding whether Nader Al Roeya AA is the right choice for your mare; you really need to focus upon the key individuals in the pedigree, study them and understand how their influence will complement the genetic influence of your broodmare. For example (my opinion), if I were to consider him as a suitable stallion choice, it would be because my mare(s) are strong and loyal to their strain, Kuhaylah Rodaniyah(s), with very little or no Thee Desperado/Minstril/Ruminaja Ali or Moniet el Nefous blood. Not that what I am writing to you dear reader is offered as a magic formula of success but rather, I say this more for the opportunity to develop unique combinations of widely-used bloodlines, in conjunction with other bloodlines that may not be so wide-spread (pockets of outcross opportunities). And, since we are discussing how to best use this horse's genetic legacy, can I add in closing that Nader Al Roeya is a proven breeding stallion and has been standing at stud with Uri Shaked Training Center since 2020. 

As I wrote in the blogs for Simeon Sebedee, *Hadban Al Shaqab, Thee Revolution, Fa Ali Bey and *Nebras Al Rayyan, no horse lives forever and the same reality that exists for all of these named stallions, also exists for Nader Al Roeya, whose own sire, Nader Al Jamal, tragically, died too soon. Nader Al Roeya AA is now 10 years old. In this community, I have seen too many really good stallions die, underused at stud, only to read breeders quickly express their "if only I had...". Well, here's a "heads-up" from me to you dear breeder...NOW IS THE TIME. Nothing lasts forever, not even Nader Al Roeya AA. Will you be ready when forever gets here? 

Simeon Sebedee

 

On the very first day of February, what can I possibly offer to lighten your heart, mind and soul dear reader, in what has truly been so far, a winter of discontent? 

"When a condition or a problem becomes too great, humans have the protection of not thinking about it. But it goes inward and minces up with a lot of other things already there and what comes out is discontent and uneasiness, guilt and a compulsion to get something--anything--before it is all gone." - John Steinbeck, The Winter of our Discontent

Now that January is behind us, do you realize that in less than two months (more like 48 days but who is counting), spring will return and so will the leaves on the trees, the green grass, warm breezes, the flowers and the songbirds? Do these words lift your spirit? If not, then think of the foals who will be born, the mares who will soon be bred, the new show season and more and more people will be vaccinated against the Corona Virus and life, hopefully, will slowly start to be good again! There is so much to look forward to, even if it appears not to be so at the current moment. I know, I know. I struggle like you to make sense of what really doesn't make any sense at all.  I am grateful for the horse, even in challenging times, he lifts the soul to a higher place than it was before but still, it's not easy and sometimes, we need to work at it, even with the horse's help. I promise you, if you allow me to continue, this particular blog will lift your spirit, if only for the few minutes that you spend reading the story of a fascinating horse.

 

Simeon Sebedee is a 2006 stallion, a son of Imperial Madaar (Imperial Madheen x Ansata Nile Mist) and out of the extraordinary chestnut mare, Simeon Sehavi (Asfour x Simeon Sheba). He was bred by Marion Richmond of Simeon Stud in Australia. I haven't checked Arabian Essence TV in a little while and the channel has uploaded new videos from very recent shows like the Bahrain Straight Egyptian show, the Bahrain Breeders show and the Qatar National Arabian show, which is where the video of Simeon Sebedee was taken. He was shown in the 11 year old and older stallion class, where he placed 2nd to Gazwan Al Nasser, a Gazal Al Shaqab son. The scores between the 2 horses varied by only one point and Mr. Rombauer gave Simeon Sebedee a perfect score for movement too!

Now, for some much needed housekeeping before we continue with our story. This blog, all for the love of a horse... is not sponsored by ArabianEssenceTV, despite mentioning them as frequently as I do. I am extremely grateful to ArabianEssenceTV for making the videos of the individual horses available. If you enjoy watching Arabian horses of all bloodlines and you have the ability to connect with You Tube, ArabianEssenceTV makes it so easy to experience each show.  You can pause on a frame, rewind, play in slow motion, everything you need to help you arrive at your assessment of any horse that catches your eye. It's a really huge gift that ArabianEssenceTV gives to Arabian horse enthusiasts all over the world, bringing horses to our consciousness that perhaps, without ArabianEssenceTV, we would otherwise, not know the horse even existed, like Simeon Sebedee. 

I was scrolling through the new video uploads, part of me not sure that it was what I wanted to do, when the name "Simeon" grabbed my attention. I am not sure what impressed me first: the willingness or rather, the earnestness that this horse possesses in trying to do what is being asked of him or his outrageously beautiful body. He is so close coupled! If a horse can be divided equally into thirds, as Carl Raswan once suggested, then it's that interior circle that just throws me into another sphere of delight. His barrel, well-sprung rib cage, the depth of his heart girth, the width of his back and the overall muscling are all splendid. I can't think of another horse more perfect in this area than Simeon Sebedee is. 

Simeon Sebedee is overwhelmingly Hadban Enzahi-influenced (that is his strain by the way, as through his damline he traces to Venus, the root mare of the strain), approximately 40% of his pedigree is influenced by Hadban Enzahi-strain horses, however, on a secondary basis, he is also influenced equally by the Saqlawi and Dahman strains, approximately 25% of each strain, which explains the refinement I see within an overall, masculine, substantial body. Through my friend and mentor, Marilyn Lang, I have learned to appreciate the presence of *Bint Serra I (Sotamm x Serra) in a straight Egyptian pedigree and this particular Saqlawi mare exists in the pedigree of Simeon Sebedee.  As a matter of fact, she is part of an intensified Saqlawi strain cross that  finds *Bint Serra I, combined with the Saqlawi line of *Tuhotmos, through Om Khamsa, a 1974 mare bred by Jean Jennings of Ra'adin Arabians. Do you know that she was named "Om Khamsa", in honor of "Khamsa", a straight Babson Egyptian mare sired by Fay-El-Dine (Tail female *Bint Serra I) and out of Khedena (also tail female *Bint Serra I)? Khamsa is the maternal great-grandam of Om Khamsa, by the way.

In the video, did you notice how Simeon Sebedee lifts his left hind hoof during the hard stance? That is eerily similar to  *Tuhotmos, who also lifted his left hind hoof, when  he asked to stand up!

Om Khamsa is the paternal granddam of Simeon Sheba, as she foaled Ra'adin Royal Star, the sire of Simeon Sheba. Personally, I am also fond of  Om Khamsa's other progeny, like the mares, Masada Fa Khedena by Fabo and Ra'adin Madonna by Ibn Morafic. One of the reasons that I love this cross so much is the concentration of the Prince Mohamed Aly Tewfk breeding program primarily through the  horses  that were imported to America like *Fadl, *Maaroufa and *Nasr.

To underscore the significance of Simeon Sebedee's tail female line, which through Simeon Sheba, includes the world famous Simeon Stud broodmare, 27 Ibn Galal V; in an interview with Samantha Mattocks of The Arabian Breeders Magazine, Marion Richmond explained how in 1975, with her parent's permission, she sold all of her horses (with the exception of Simeon Shirli) to focus instead on breeding horses closer to her ideal. Traveling all over the world in search of the perfect horse led her to to straight Egyptian horses and shortly thereafter, Marion purchased 27 Ibn Galal V. In Marion's own words, she states, 

"I was with Dr. Hans Nagel at the time and he both helped me and encouraged me with her purchase."

Asked within the same interview for key successes, Marion did not hesitate in naming Simeon Sehavi as one. In Dr. Hans Nagel's newest book, The Arabian Horse: Nature's Creation and the Art of Breeding, one finds the synergy that exists between these two breeders. Speaking about 27 Ibn Galal V, Dr. Nagel states,

"Also, the Simeon Stud in Australia was fortunate to buy a first class mare from Babolna, 27 Ibn Galal V. Her sire was the imported Ibn Galal, bred to the Egyptian mare 'Hosna'. This liver chestnut mare was of outstanding quality, and without doubt, she was largely responsible for the world-wide success enjoyed by Simeon Stud particularly when she was mated to the Katharinenhof-sired Asfour (Malik x Hanan). This mare was the first Australian National Champion mare and at a special 25 year celebration of the Australian Championships her granddaughter Simeon Sehavi (Asfour x Simeon Sheba) was also awarded the title of National Champion Australian Mare."

Simeon Sebedee has a full brother, the chestnut stallion, *Simeon Ibn Sehavi, a full year younger than Simeon Sebedee, which is good news for American straight Egyptian breeders. Although *Simeon Ibn Sehavi differs greatly in phenotype from Simeon Sebedee, it's a chance to incorporate the same genetic crosses, that were it not for DeShazer Arabians who imported him, may not exist in America. I think, but am not sure, that there may be another full brother, the 2008 stallion named D Fares, who appears to  have been an in utero foal, when the Dubai Stud purchased Simeon Sehavi from her breeder.

Simeon Sebedee is now owned by Al Aqeed Stud. Simeon Sebedee is a proven breeding stallion. His son, Wazeer Al Aqeed, out of Mabrouka Al Faya (sired by an Alidaar x RN Farida son, crossed upon EAO bloodlines), was shown in the yearling colt class of the Qatar National show. Interesting that the movement of this colt, earned the colt a higher place in the standings. It is exciting to see Simeon Sebedee's legacy (and that of his beautiful dam) carried forward into the future, so that other breeders can enjoy the promise offered by his genetic heritage and also, the work of dedicated breeders whose broad vision for the Arabian breed, made these horses possible.

I know that for some people who may read this blog, they may not understand the attention that I am paying to Simeon Sebedee because he placed second to another horse in a small class or maybe, because he didn't place in the overall Senior Stallion Championships. For these people, the show ring wins, not knowledge born of study, are more significant and an affirmation of quality. In a way, I can understand that, as everyone has a desire to be recognized as a "winner". However, what may appear initially as "winning" may not actually be that at all, five, ten, fifteen years from the big show ring win.  In an interview with Monika Luft, published by Tutto Arabi and available on the website, Polskie Araby, Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Al Thani, offers a different perspective to shows, points, first place/second place, championships and such; that is, how will any horse, show ring winner or not, if incorporated into your breeding program, produce the type of horse that you desire? 

"We went to many shows but we never stayed until the championships. We did not care about the champions because we already picked the horse we liked. I remember Sheikh Abdulaziz or Sheikh Nawaf, all the old friends, we talked later in the car about the horses that looked nice and that could fit our breeding and could be maybe fifth in class, not necessary be the winners. OK, we loved the horse who won, but did not care. It was important for the owner but not for us."- Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Al Thani

As I wrote in the blogs for *Hadban Al Shaqab, Thee Revolution, Fa Ali Bey and *Nebras Al Rayyan, no horse lives forever and the same reality that exists for these horses, also exists for Simeon Sebedee, who is now, 15 years old. In this community, I have seen too many really good stallions die, underused at stud, only to read breeders quickly express their "if only I had...". Well, here's a "heads-up" from me to you dear breeder...NOW IS THE TIME. Nothing lasts forever, not even Simeon Sebedee. Will you be ready when forever gets here?