2022 - Your Favorites

 

Here we are, once again, at the doorstep of a new year! Before we get into the most favorite blogs of 2022, let's do a little housekeeping, as far as the stats are concerned. I added 64 more blogs this year, 80% of them were original, newly written and published for 2022. In return, you visited the blog 26,000 times this year!  As a result, all for the love of a horse blog  was included in FeedSpot's top 10 list of Arabian Horse Blogs and Websites of 2022! We were #7:

There are several ways to present the list of favorite blogs. If I just rank the blogs by the number of page views received, regardless of when they were published, the most popular blogs in 2022 are:

1. The Straight Babson Egyptian Arabian Horse
2. A Fascinating Son: *Ibn Safinaz 1981 - 2008
3. Ameer El Koloob
4. Gulastra, Mesaoud & Egypt
5. Nehaya: Off the Richter Scale

However, the ranking, as I explained, considers all blogs, regardless of the publishing date. What would the list look like if we limited the page views to only the newly written and published blogs for 2022? It's interesting that #3, 4 & 5 from the list above, now become #1, #2 & #3 below:

1. Ameer El Koloob
2. Gulastra, Mesaoud & Egypt
3. Nehaya: Off the Richter Scale
4. Imperial Baedrah
5. HR Roujuan

In the summer of 2023, all for the love of a horse will be 17 years old! How do the favorite blogs of 2022 compare with the all-time favorite blogs? Only the Babson blog, your favorite blog of 2022, is the 2nd favorite blog of all time!

1. Butterfly
2. The Straight Babson Egyptian Arabian Horse
3. Bedouin Beauty: Jibbah
4. Aneesilnefous Ezzain
5. Bedouin Beauty: The Soulful Eye of the Arab Horse

The "honorable mentions" for older blogs who made it into the 2nd half of the 2022 top ten favorites:

• The Great Pumpkin
• The Tamria Story
• Bashar Al Kamar MH
• Black is the New Black
• *Nebras Al Rayyan

This year, I thought to ask myself which blogs were my personal favorites:

1. The Laheeb blog in the spring of 2022 helped me to deal with the sadness I felt, after learning of Laheeb's death. Laheeb was special to me, his courage in the face of adversity was inspiring and I hope you were touched by his story.
2. A reader of this blog had asked me to name my favorite mare. With so many beautiful mares to choose from, I thought this an impossible task. And what does favorite really mean? I hope my Fa Halima blog will inspire you with the same awe and wonder that I feel for this unbelievable mare.
3. I have wanted to write a blog about *Ibn Hafiza for a long time but the words just never felt right. I have danced around the topic for a while, authoring blogs on his granddam, Mahfouza, his dam, Hafiza and his daughter, Nagliah, in addition to a blog about horses whose pedigrees do not contain the Blunt desert-bred horses. I am so happy to finally pull it all together and tell what I believe, is his unique story.
4. Ekstern's story is also the story of his sire, Monogramm and the many people who worked diligently behind the scenes to bring Monogramm to Poland. Ekstern is the kind of horse who appeals to a wide variety of people, regardless of bloodline. He was an unbelievable sire, his daughters matured into valuable mares of great influence, all over the world A senior-aged horse at the time of his death, it was still a shock to learn of his death. 
5. The YouTube thumbnail for the Arabian Essence video of the Spanish Arabian stallion, Fanatico, competing at the AECCA show in October, inspired me to also write the blogs on Titanic and Tarambana Qahira. However, writing these blogs made me more aware of the plight of the Spanish bloodlines and how close we are to losing many of the lines forever. Less than 1 percent of the total Arabian horse population is represented by Spanish Arabians. They are rarer than you believe. Martina Minhard, the breeder of Tarambana Qahira, has been very outspoken on the impending extinction of these lines. I hope my blogs will inspire someone towards the preservation of these lines, sooner rather than later.

As I said in November, I am grateful for you dear readers, because you are the reason this blog exists. I hope that each blog will continue to inspire you with a desire to learn more about Arabian horses, so you can better understand them. And if along the way you receive equal helpings of some good old fashioned awe and wonder, well, then my part in all of this has succeeded, all for the love of an Arabian horse.

Best wishes to all for a Happy New Year 2023!

Tarambana Qahira

"...seek out the old, pure spanish lines with their dark black eyes, curved necks, fantastic toplines and strong legs with superior movements." - Martina Minhard

Tarambana Qahira (Estopasan x Mel Sirilla) as photographed by Alessandra Sarti

Sometimes, life can be well, surprising, in a very unexpected way. On a rainy Saturday morning, I stumbled upon the Facebook page of the Spanish-bred stallion, Ojinegro Qahira (Ghandour x Bel Princess), where I found photo-after-amazing photo of this stallion, sailing over jumps, with his front legs tucked close to his chest. A few more clicks and I ended up on the web page of his breeder, Martina Minhard, Al-Qahira Stud Farm, Austria. I know Martina. Many years ago, she participated in the same Egyptian Arabian horse forum that I did and I enjoyed exchanging messages with her, not only within the forum but also, by email. I remember  that Martina is a driving enthusiast and owned an Arab-Haflinger cross, before purchasing Spanish-bred Arabian horses. In those early days, during the second half of the 1990's, Martina slowly built her breeding program. The Arabo-Haflinger was joined by L.M. Libretto (Drago x Dadobia) and then, the Spanish mare, Shamal (ABHA Harim x ABHA Saira). From these beginnings, Martina has built a formidable breeding program, which includes European and Austrian champions, in halter and performance. A few years ago, I was really lucky to meet Andrew K. Steen and to purchase from him, a copy of En Busca Del Caballo Arabe by Captain Luis Azpeitia De Moros. What struck me most about the story was how many horses the Captain and his team had seen during their multi-country journey (well into the hundreds) but only purchased 23, their selection standards being so strict. The Captain's focus in selecting horses for the Cria Caballar, reflects the attributes which are important to generations of Spanish breeders like Martina, that is, refined, elegant horses who possess functional conformation and sound minds.

Tarambana Qahira, a 2003 Estopasan daughter, is one of the current broodmares of the program, bred by Martina. She is out of Mel Serilla, a 1989 mare bred by Melissa Stal of the Netherlands. She is sired by Calero (Kadi x Nayade) and out of Mel Orilla (Pintor x Mel Hazana).  

*Rastano (Jaguay x Arilla) as photographed by the late Johnny Johnston

What's interesting is the relationship between *Rastano, the sire of Estopasan and Pintor, the sire of Mel Orilla. They are full brothers, sired by Jaguay (Zancudo x Zalema) and out of Arilla (Malvito x Kayan), bred by Don Miguel Osuna Escalera, who also bred the globally influential mare, *Estopa. What makes this fact even more interesting, is that this breeding combination of Zancudo (Congo x Yaima) top-crossed onto a Malvito (Gandhy x Egina) daughter is repeated in the mare Nayade (Zancudo x Comedia II). In my opinion, these two sires nicked well with each other and you can see their continuing influence alive in this mare's smooth body. Another point is that the stallions, Galero and Jaguay were full brothers, both by Zancudo and out of Zalema. While there are a number of crosses to Jaguay in Tarambana Qahira's pedigree, there are no crosses to Galero. Why can this be important? Outcross.  One of my regrets is that I was never able to meet *Rastano in person, before being sold and exported to Brazil. His son, Estopasan, was also a horse that I admired and not only wished to meet him in person but also, to own a daughter. To me, he was everything I could wish for in a horse. His daughter, Tarambana Qahira, also creates the same feeling. I still remember talking with Sigi Siller on the telephone, having reached out to her about breeding my straight Egyptian mare to *Sanadik El Shaklan, whose book, I learned, was unfortunately closed at the time. Om El Arab also had Estopasan, who combined with my "Rosie" would be like Sigi's "golden cross" in reverse and the temptation to possibly, produce a female version of *El Shaklan was really tempting! Little did I realize at the time, that somewhere in the distant future, I would find a photo of an Estopasan daughter and remember all of this "stuff" once more. Yes, life can be most surprising, in the most unexpected ways.

Tarambana Qahira is a proven broodmare, having produced several foals for Martina, including a son, Banderin Qahira, sired by Ojinegro Qahira, the horse who initially captured my attention and charted the course of this rainy day journey. However, she appears to be a formidable producer  of daughters, having foaled the full sisters (by Valeroso Qahira): Dinerada Qahira in 2008 and Narcissa Qahira in 2020, the full sisters (by L.M. Libretto) Niloofar Qahira in 2011 and Quiniela Qahira in 2017. It is wonderful to see that a mare of her caliber has matured into an important and vital part of a pure Spanish breeding program,  her sons and daughters will inspire a new generation of horse lovers and fuel their passion for the Spanish Arabian horse.

***with many thanks to my friend Arlene Magid Williams. It was Arlene's FB post that led me to Ojinegro Qahira. I appreciate Arlene's unique and insightful perspective and encourage you, to contact her for more information on her services.*** 

Season of Gratitude

There are many people who have no idea of the impact they make in another person's life, specifically mine, within the context of this blog. We have never met or even, heard each other's speaking voice, live thousands of miles from each other, speak in different languages, shaped by uniquely different cultures and yet, through the Arabian horse, we are more similar than we are different. While I am reminded to count my blessings during this celebratory season, I am overwhelmed when I stop to consider the many people, who through their generosity, enable this blog to continue,  post after post after post. Where would I be without any of the photographers, the "visual storytellers" of our breed, who allow me to post their pictures and to the people behind Arabian Essence TV and Arabian Insider for their coverage of the most compelling Arabian horse events? Bloggers like Edouard Al-Dahdah and Rania Elsayed who are deeply passionate people, my friend Joe Ferriss, whose deep insight comes from a lifetime of study and personal observation or Arlene Magid Williams, who has built a successful business helping people to better understand their horses and the breed! Also, Al Khamsa and All Breed Pedigree for their online indexes and of course, to the authors of the many books and magazine articles that I have read and been inspired by, over the course of my lifetime. You have made such an impact on my life! And finally, I am so grateful for you dear readers, because without you, there would not be a compelling reason for a blog. You have no idea of the crucial role you have here, within the context of this blog. I hope that each post will help you to realize the awe and wonder of this breed and thereby, solidify the common ground we share, all for the love of an Arabian horse. 

Something About Legacy

Something really wonderful happened at the World Championships. Did you see it? On Friday, in Class 6B, Senior Stallions Section B, the 2014 stallion, Alexxanderr, won the class, earning a score of 94.43 and best head. Placing second to him, with a score of 94.36 was Alexxanderr's sire, the 2011 stallion, Excalibur EA! Later, I learned that the scores earned by both stallions were the highest points awarded at the World Championships! This father/son win is equal parts inspiration, motivation and even, reassures us that our breed, despite all that is happening in our world today, can still lift spirits high, through the awe and wonder of the Arabian horse. For a few minutes, we can experience peace and joy, in a world where either feeling is hard to find.

Alexxanderr is American-born, bred by Butler Farms in North Carolina, representing the combined forces of Frances Butler and Brandi Carson. He is currently owned by Alsayed Stud in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Alexxanderr's dam is the 2007 mare, AR Most Irresistible (ML Mostly Padron x Flirtatshahn BHF). Immediately, you will notice that some of the breed's most influential and enduring horses are represented in her pedigree: *Padron, Bey Shah and Khemosabi. Her maternal  great-granddam is a mare named Arabest Danna, a Nabiel daughter out of Sudanna (Ansata Ibn Sudan x Ro Hulu Amira). It's not a completely Egyptian matriline, due to the presence of the stallion, *Aldebar but in tail female, she traces all the way back to Bint el Bahreyn. 

Normally, I will tell you how much Egyptian blood exists and in this case, we have quite a bit of it, almost 25%, mostly through Excalibur's side of the pedigree but also through the Bint el Bahreyn matriline. However, what made a powerful impression upon me, more so than the percentage of  Egyptian blood,  is the presence of significant paternal strings of influence within the pedigree, one after another. For example:

•  *Padron-Padrons Psyche-Magnum Psyche-WH Justice
• Shaker El Masri-*El Shaklan-Sanadik El Shaklan
• Bay-Abi-Bay-el-Bey-Bey Shah-Fame VF
• Nazeer-Hadban Enzahi-Malik-Ibn Estasha
• Gazal El Shaqab-Marwan El Shaqab
• Ferzon-Gazon-Raffon
• Nazeer-*Ansata Ibn Halima-Ansata Ibn Sudan
• Nazeer-*Morafic-TheEgyptianPrince-Prince Fa Moniet-Ansata Sinan-Khidar
• Skowronek-Raseyn-Ferseyn-Amerigo-Khemosabi

Which brings us to the contemporary paternal combination of stallions, that is, the father, son and grandson, whose significant wins we are celebrating: Shanghai EA, Excalibur EA and Alexxanderr. It's like this victory was genetically foretold within the pedigree of these particular horses.

Excalibur EA (Shanghai EA x Essence of Marwan EA) represents the multi-generational program known the world over as Equus Arabians, owned by Albert Sorroca of Spain, his breeder. The Equus Arabians breeding program, is unique in our world, because it is a longer term program (ver few e Istanbul now) and within the context of the paternal side of the pedigree of Alexxanderr,  goes all the way back to Esta-Ghalil & Aica, approximately 6 generations. One of the elements in Excalibur's pedigree is the use of the mare, Elizja (Esta-Ghalil x Aica), the dam of Khidar. She is also the dam of Essence of Marwan EA, the dam of Excalibur EA. Almost 20% of Excalibur's pedigree carries the influence of Elizja. Excalibur EA is currently owned by Al Saqran Stud and leased to Akmal Stud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

My favorite photo of the straight Egyptian stallion, Nazeer, is this one, because it accurately portrays the phenotype of a horse whose influence is still relevant in this modern world. 

Nazeer (Mansour x Bint Samiha)

It makes every hair on my head stand on edge, when I view this photo against Alexxanderr, Excalibur and Shanghai. It's this type, paternally influenced and so carefully preserved from generation-to-generation, despite using a wide variety of bloodlines, which takes the Nazeer influence into the modern show ring and remains competitive on the world stage.

***********BREAKING NEWS**************

As I was writing this blog on Saturday morning, because of the time difference between Paris and America, the Championship class was held, which placed Alexxanderr as the Gold World Champion Stallion, while Excalibur EA was named the Silver World Champion! The stallion, HL El Ganador (HP Shakir-TE x Lonco Bay Maria) was named the Bronze World Champion. It's also interesting that the 4th place horse, Pireno, was also sired by Shanghai EA (x Pirana KA). In addition, the Excalibur EA son, D Shahhar (D Shihanah), bred and owned by the Dubai Arabian Horse Stud, was named the Bronze World Champion Junior Colt. Congratulations to everyone involved, as this is an exciting day for our breed!

***where would I be without my "window to the world" known by everyone as Arabian Essence TV? Many thanks to Arabian Essence team for their coverage of the 2022 World Arabian Horse Championships,  held at Paris Parc des Exposition, Le Bourget, France.***

Ameer El Koloob

Ameer El Koloob pictured with his new owner Diane Wilson, at her farm, Agecroft, photographed by Christine Emmert

A uniquely-bred horse, Ameer El Koloob is a 2016 straight Egyptian son of Nour Al Kamar MH (Imperial Al Kamar x Binte Aziza MH), out of DHS Tarah (Lohim x Teebah). He was bred by Christine Emmert of California, USA and now, makes his home in  Australia with Diane Wilson, at her farm,  Agecroft, located in Queensland.

Half of Ameer El Koloob's pedigree represents the contemporary breeding program of Dr. Joseph Cruz's Rancho Bulakenyo, that of Imperial Al Kamar top-crossed with the Inshass blood brought forward by BintAzizaPrincess. The other half of the pedigree is populated by unique combinations of horses who are not as commonly found in straight Egyptian breeding, outside of Egypt. 

Ameer's dam traces through the Rabab Stud's Teebah (SEA Maddah x Kout El Koloob), all the way back to Roga el Beda, the root mare of the Saqlawi strain, as recognized within straight Egyptian breeding. However, if you look beyond the matriline to study all of the other horses, particularly those individuals who populate the 6th generation, you will discover that over 30% of the pedigree is influenced by the Hadban strain! The Saqlawi strain and Dahman strain fall to secondary importance, in terms of percentages, as each strain is equally represented at  22%. In a previous blog, I explained the complementary relationship between horses of the Hadban and Saqlawi strains. Judith Forbis in her classic work, Authentic Arabian Bloodstock (the blue book) wrote that despite being a substrain of the Kuhaylan strain, the contemporary Hadban strain horses physically resemble the type we associate with Saqlawi horses while Philippe Paraskevas, the author of The Egyptian Alternative, Volume II, reminded the reader of the important role that the Saqlawi strain had upon the early development of the Hadban strain.

 "The way Venus was bred is noteworthy, as this line was immediately infused with original Saklawi Gidran blood: her daughter Hadba was by Saklawi I himself. Hadba's daughter Bint Hadba El Saghira was by a Saklawi I son, El Halabi. What we have here is a very high concentration of added-on SGIS blood at a very early stage of Hadban Enzahi development in Egypt."

Dr. William Hudson, within his important mtDNA study of the EAO matrilines, revealed that the 1882 mare, Roga El Beda and the 1880 mare, El Dahma, share the same haplotype, suggesting that both mares descend from a long ago ancestress. They are more related than we ever believed them to be. If we think along these lines, that of common ancestry, then the matrilineal strain becomes the dominating strain, as 44% of the genetic influence is driven by the combined influence of the Roga el Beda/El Dahma horses. In light of the common ancestry between the Saqlawi and Dahman strains, I also found it interesting that a single individual,  *Ansata Ibn Halima, exerts a larger percentage of influence, as compared to the other horses within the 6 generations of Ameer's pedigree.  I really believe that this is the "common ground" that unifies both sides of Ameer's pedigree. On the sire side we have *Ansata Ibn Halima mainly through his sons, El Hilal, Nazim Pasha, Hossny and El Halimaar; while on the dam side, you'll find another son, Ansata Halim Shah, the sire of the Rocaille Ranch-bred sire, Lohim. One of my all time favorite mares, ever, was Maar Bilahh, an El Halimaar daughter out of Bint Nabilahh. Lohim, offers similar genetic building blocks that we also find in Maar Bilahh. It is especially sweet for me, to discover another version of these lines coexisting within the same pedigree that also includes the Rancho Bulakenyo horses like El Halimaar. In addition, we also find several key individuals whose influence, like that of *Ansata Ibn Halima, is intensified through multiple lines: *Morafic, *Farazdac, Sameh, Bilal I and Bint Om el Saad. 

Ameer El Koloob, as photographed by Christine Emmert in May, 2022

What impressed me most about Nour Al Kamar MH is the scope and strength of his body, while not forsaking the unique hallmarks that make one horse obviously Arabian, while another, not so much. A pure-in-strain Kuhaylan stallion, Nour's muscling conveys great power, wrapped in the beauty of classic Arabian type. When I was learning about Nour, I wondered how Nour would uniquely influence his get and so, I asked Jody that question.  Jody answered, "he sires lots of front end, necks, super bodies, tail and trot." Ameer is obviously his father's son and is a living testament to what Jody has said. As robust as his sire, Ameer has great depth through his shoulders, heart girth and hip, a well set neck, with length in the poll, a fine throatlatch and a beautiful underline. His wide back is strong, smooth and level. The prominence of the bone in his face is unbelievable, the fine quality of his skin accentuates the look of a desert horse. 

Diane Wilson's straight Egyptian breeding program began with the purchase of the straight Egyptian mare, Talika Neshinah (Neshan x Talika Fazarah), whom she bred to Talika Sirdahn Halima, an AK Sirhalima son out of an Al Nahr Janie daughter. The resulting filly, Talika Sirina Bint Sirdahn, now age 24, is the dam of Agecroft Sidra & Agecroft Layla (full siblings sired by Talika Farad), plus Agecroft Ghayl (sired by Greenmantle Ghashahn). Diane  plans on breeding her mares to Ameer El Koloob.  As Nour Al Kamar MH complemented DHS Tarah via *Ansata Ibn Halima, it is exciting to also contemplate the common ground that exists between Diane's 4 home-bred mares and Ameer El Koloob, through the *Ansata Ibn Halima sons, AK Sirhalima and Ansata Halim Shah. Plus, Diane will further intensify the lines to *Farazdac and *Morafic, whose genetic presence also exists in her mares. This summer, Diane also imported a 2-year old straight Egyptian filly, also from America, Khe Amiin Tabou SSR (Al Reyhan Marou x Anisa Gamal), who combines Babson elements with *Ansata Ibn Halima, Pritzlaff and Gleannloch breeding. Eventually, when she is mature, she will also be bred to Ameer El Koloob.

However, it's important to point out the unique lines within Ameer El Koloob's pedigree, especially the double dose of the Shams El Asil stallion, Bilal I, who was treasured by his long time owner Dani El Barbary. Bilal I is out of the Inshass mare, Mona, a Badr daughter out of Mahdia, just like the mare, Hanan, whose blood is found all over the world. Hanan and Bilal I are maternal siblings, both sired by a Nazeer son. It's a significant opportunity for straight Egyptian breeders in Australia, especially those breeders who have horses with multiple crosses to Hanan, to now have an alternative source of the same blood to utilize within their programs.

Wahg Albadeia

My favorite class at any horse show is the mature mare class. It is my opinion that it takes this amount of time for mares to evolve and finally embody their classic desert destiny. At the Egyptian Event, held in Cairo this weekend, I was thrilled to see the 10-year old mare, Wahg Albadeia, an Al Maraam daughter out of Badeea Albadeia (Magd Albadeia x Hekayet Albadeia). Why do I say thrilled? Seven years ago, as a 3-year old, Wahg Albadeia was shown at the Berlin Cup International Egyptian Arabian Horse Show where she was named a Silver Junior Champion Filly. I was excited to find an Al Maraam daughter in a competition and all these years later, I am still excited to see her! In 2009, Al Maraam stood at Albadeia for one breeding season. Wahg, along with her paternal siblings: Dorrah Albadeia (out of Zaghroudat Albadeia) and Asalah Albadeia (out of Kenooz Albadeia) proved the wisdom of the late Nasr Marei's decision to incorporate Al Maraam within the Albadeia breeding program.

 

Wahg Albadeia (Al Maraam x Badeea Albadeia) as photographed by the late Erwin Escher

While Wahg is very much her father's daughter (look at that shoulder), her maternal granddam, Hekayet Albadeia, is an Anaza Bay Shahh daughter out of Simeon Safir (Asfour x Simeon Safanad). In September 2016, in an interview with Samantha Mattocks of The Arabian Magazine, Nasr shared how he felt about Simeon Safir: 

"I also bought two beautiful mares who have added wonderfully to the programme: Simeon Safir (Asfour x Simeon Safanad by Sankt Georg) and Ansata Majeeda (Ansata Hejazi x Dal Maharia by Dalul). Both mares continue their extraordinary grace and classic looks as they become long-time residents at our farm." - Nasr Marei 

As I watched Wahg Albadeia walk into the ring with her handler, I was once again reminded of the 1821 lithograph, An Arabian Horse, by the French artist, Jean Louis André Théodore Géricault.

In studying the 6th generation of Wahg's pedigree, you will find that of the 32 horses who populate this section of the pedigree; Wahg is equally influenced by the Saqlawi strain, as she is by the Hadban strain, and of lesser influence is the Dahman strain. However, in Dr. William Hudson's important mtDNA study of the EAO matrilines, we learned that the 1882 mare, Roga El Beda and the 1880 mare, El Dahma, share the same haplotype, suggesting that both mares shared a long ago ancestress. They are more related than we ever believed them to be.  If we think along these lines, that of common ancestry,  more than half of the genetic influence is driven by the combined influence of the Roga el Beda/El Dahma horses. Judith Forbis in her classic work, Authentic Arabian Bloodstock (the blue book) wrote that despite being a substrain of the Kuhaylan strain,  the contemporary Hadban strain horses physically resemble the type we associate with Saqlawi horses. Philippe Paraskevas, within Chapter 6 of The Egyptian Alternative, Volume II, also wrote,

"The way Venus was bred is noteworthy, as this line was immediately infused with original Saklawi Gidran blood: her daughter Hadba was by Saklawi I himself. Hadba's daughter Bint Hadba El Saghira was by a Saklawi I son, El Halabi. What we have here is a very high concentration of added-on SGIS blood at a very early stage of Hadban Enzahi development in Egypt." 

However, with all that said by the two authors, let us not forget the relationship between science and strain theory, as Dr. Hudson shared within his monumental study,

"these data confirm that modern mtDNA haplotyping does not correspond to the traditional strain designation based on Bedouin breeding traditions that depend on maternal lineage."

Rather than focusing on whether Wahg conforms to the traits and characteristics associated with one strain over another; maybe the way in which to reconcile the type expressed by this  beautiful mare is to celebrate the combined genetic power of all the horses who came before her, to perpetuate the Nejdi horse into the modern day.  

 ***Many thanks to Arabian Essence TV for their coverage of the 2022 Egyptian Event Cairo, held at the Pegasus Equestrian Center, Giza, Egypt.***

Fanatico

At the AECCA show, there were two stallions competing in Class 7, for stallions 7 years old and older. As I explained in the previous blog, Lanceador was the winner of the class. Fanatico, the other horse in the class, is a 2005 stallion, also bred by Nicolás Domecq Ybarra. A son of Suspiro (Dakalieh x Honrosa), it's interesting to point out the family relationship between Suspiro and Eclipse, the sire of Lanceador. They are maternal siblings, both out of Honrosa (Abutig x Calatrava).  

Like Titanic, Eclipse and Lanceador, Fanatico's sire line traces to Seanderich, a 1902 Saqlawi stallion, imported from Istanbul in 1908, who founded one of two major sire lines in Spanish Arabian horse breeding. However, it's Fanatico's matriline, through his dam, Campana (Al Jauf x Lavada), which I find so unique.  Moving past his dam to Lavada, Escafa, Urbana, Gabarda and Saboya, we find a mare named Selimieh, a 1924 mare bred  by the Saba'ah Bedouins  and imported by the Yeguada Militar in 1927. The Ma'naqi Hudruj horses bred and raised by this tribe were recognized as Ma'naqi Sbayli and celebrated for their speed,  beauty and size. In American Arabian horse breeding, we find this esteemed  strain within the Davenport breeding group, which in turn, influenced other long term breeding programs like the program established by William Randolph Hearst at his estate named San Simeon, located in California's central coast region. In a world dominated by Saqlawi, Abeyyan and Dahman horses, it's very nice to see a beautiful representative of the Ma'naqi Sbayli strain competing at a major show, which celebrates the Arabian horse, as uniquely bred in Spain and specifically, Fanatico.

***Many thanks to Arabian Essence TV for their coverage of both the 2022 Spanish Nationals and the 2022 AECCA Arabian Horse of Spanish Lines Show, Cordoba, Spain.***

A HORSE OF TITANIC PROPORTIONS

Titanic (Heleno x Kenya) as photographed by Pilar Capi

I am a fan of Todo Caballo, a weekly television show exclusively focused on topics of interest for Spain's horse community, as presented  by the host of each episode, Juan Ramón Romero. Several years ago, Titanic, a 1998 stallion bred by Nicolás Domecq Ybarra, appeared in a segment of Todo Caballo. My mouth gaped open, every hair on my head stood on edge and my heart raced with excitement, as Titanic, a radiant vision in white, pranced all over my television screen. Here was a near perfect Arabian horse, a visual representation of the horse that I dream about, and up until a few minutes before, I didn't even know he existed! Possessing all of the qualities that are important to me, he was strong and smooth of body, substantially curvey and compact, with large, dark eyes, set low on a short, broad head. I was fascinated by him and quickly, tried to learn everything I could.  Twice a National Champion (2000 Spanish National Champion Junior Colt and 2004 Spanish National Champion Stallion), Titanic is Kuhaylan Rodan in strain, his matriline traces back through Reyna (one of the 5 Skowronek daughters purchased by the Duke of Veragua) to Rodania, while his sire line traces to Seanderich, a 1902 Saqlawi stallion, imported from Istanbul in 1908. In Spanish Arabian breeding, there are 2 major sire lines, that of Seanderich, a desert-bred; while the other is the Polish-bred Ursus (Dahman-Amir x Hagar). Titanic possesses the blood of both horses but his sire line is that of Seanderich.

So fast forward to 2022 and the AECCA show held in Cordoba, Spain approximately 2 weeks ago. AECCA is the Asociación Española de criadores de caballos Árabes or loosely translated, "Spanish Association of Arabian Horse Breeders". Their show, only open to horses of Spanish lines, ran in conjuction with the Spanish Nationals, held on the same weekend.

Thanks to Arabian Essence, who made the videos from the show available, one particular mare stood out from all the others and that was Basara PE, #99, a 2015 mare, who earned the top spot in Class 5, Mares 7+ years old. Eventually, she was also named the Senior Gold Champion Mare of the show. Do you know who her sire is? Yes, that's right, TITANIC (x Reina Cid)! 

In Class 7, for stallions who are 7 years old and older, I found # 111, Lanceador, a 2011 chestnut son of Eclipse, who is sired by TITANIC (his dam, Ukola, is sired by Olimpico, who is also sired by Heleno, the sire of Titanic)! Lanceador was named the Gold Senior Stallion Champion, while his son, Fuego FS (x Filula) was named the Bronze Senior Champion Stallion.

Titanic (Heleno x Kenya) as photographed by Wojciech Kwiatowski

Sadly, I learned that the beautiful Titanic died just this past March.The memory of that long-ago Todo Caballo episode flooded my mind, as I realized his role in the pedigrees of Lanceador and Basara.  How I wish that I had the opportunity to meet Titanic, an exquisite,  shimmering white, fairy-tale stallion come to life.  It is comforting to know that his get and grand-get continue to further his legacy in our world and maybe, the fairy tale will live once again...once upon a time.

 ***Many thanks to Arabian Essence TV for their coverage of both the 2022 Spanish Nationals and the 2022 AECCA Arabian Horse of Spanish Lines Show, Cordoba, Spain.***

HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan

 

HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan (HR Wajur x Mah Bah Roufa), as photographed by Kim Cooper

HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan, foaled in 2005, is a son of  HR Wajur (ASF Wadi x Jusera). Like HR Roujuan and HR Ahmar Shaitaan, he also has a Mesaoud sire line:

HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan->HR Wajur->ASF Wadi->El Reata Juan->Julyan->Julep->Gulastra->*Astraled->Mesaoud

His dam, Mah Bah Roufa, is a straight Babson Egyptian daughter of Mahrouf (Fabah x Aaroufa)  and Bah Rous Amira (Ibn Fa-Serr x Bahrou).

A proven breeding stallion, as well as a versatile performance horse who is kind, generous and willing,  HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan has sired a 2007 son, HR Sadiq (x Tariifah) and 3 daughters: HR Dantillia in 2008 (x  HR Jusenias Jusera), Axioms Jadhara Mist in 2009 (x DHAR Aziza) and Axioms Emaah Turfina in 2012 (x TS Cheyenne). 

Unfortunately, HR Jamil Ahmar Hisaan was gelded and sold to a riding home, to live a horse's dream life, as a trusted partner, companion and best friend, so the continuation of the sire line can only be through his son, HR Sadiq. However, with that said, I am not sure if HR Sadiq has remained a stallion, through the present day.

***While the perpetuation of this sire line is vitally important, we must remember that our brothers and sisters in this community are just like us, saddled with a similar burden of responsibilities, limited by the extent of their resources. That's important to say, especially in these times, when horses, through no fault of their own, find themselves unwanted and unloved. A horse who finds himself (or herself) in a loving home is also cause for celebration. Remember the role we all play, in creating a being who brings joy into another person's life. Be kind, no judging, no criticizing.***

The Faces of a Dying Sire Line

HR Ahmar Shaitaan (HR Roujuan x HR Tali Tiflah) as photographed by Kim Cooper

HR Ahmar Shaitaan is an HR Roujuan son, foaled in 2001. Considering the critical status of the Mesaoud sire line (within straight Egyptian breeding), a son is sufficient reason for a celebration, balloons, marching bands and blizzard-like confetti, falling from the sky. However, in this particular case, the celebration was short-lived, as HR Ahmar Shaitaan was gelded.  Prior to being gelded, he did sire a son, HR Fabah Zahaa, a 2003 stallion out of the Fadaan-sired daughter, HR Tariifah, doubling the Mesaoud sire line in one individual.  Unfortunately, just like his sire, the sire line was cut short, as HR Fabah Zahaa, was also gelded. 

***While the perpetuation of this sire line is vitally important, we must remember that our brothers and sisters in this community are just like us, saddled with a similar burden of responsibilities, limited by the extent of their resources. That's important to say, especially in these times, when horses, through no fault of their own, find themselves unwanted and unloved. A horse who finds himself (or herself) in a loving home is also cause for celebration. Remember the role we all play, in creating a being who brings joy into another person's life. Be kind, no judging, no criticizing.***

HR Roujuan

As stated in a previous blog, the Mesaoud sire line, in straight Egyptian form, is in critical danger of completely disappearing from our gene pool, with a small handful of horses descending from the only 2 surviving straight Egyptian branches: El Reata Juan (Julyan x Mist-Aana) and Fadaan (Julyan x Mist-Aana). Of this remaining population, long-time breeders Cheryl and Pat O'Donnell of  Hidden River Arabians in Indiana, currently own three of these horses, all mature stallions, foaled before the new millenium: HR Serrdaan (HR Ibn Fadaan x Bint Serasabba), HR Basiir Shariif (ASF Wadi x Jusera) and HR Roujuan.

HR Roujuan, foaled in 1997, is sired by ASF Wadi, an El Reata Juan son, out the Fabo daughter Masada Mishannah. 

SIRE LINE: 

HR Roujuan->ASF Wadi->El Reata Juan->Julyan->Julep->Gulastra->*Astraled->Mesaoud

Bred and owned by Cheryl O'Donnell, Roujuan's dam is the straight Babson Egyptian mare, Fa Mah Roufa, a Mahrouf daughter out of Fa Bah Roufa, a full sister to the great show mare, Roufah (Ibn Fa-Serr x Bah Roufa), as well as the beloved stallion, Fadl Starr, who remains the only Babson-bred  stallion who was ever leased back by the Babson Farm for breeding. The majority of HR Roujuan's pedigree (87.5%) is populated by horses bred by the Babson Farm.

As impressive as his genetic exclusivity is; he is equally impressive, physically. While not extreme of face, per today's show ring standards, he is a strong-bodied horse, with a broad chest, laid-back shoulder and a deep heart girth. His well-muscled, generous hind end balances the power of his front end. 

For a 25-year old stallion, I think you will agree that his youthful appearance is amazing! His top line is unbelievably smooth and strong. His skin quality is excellent, not only because of the darker pigment but also, the fine quality of the skin, which dramatically accentuates the prominence of bone and vein, especially in his face. The width of his facial crest bone is amazing! His body radiates health, his coat hair is luminous, with a sheen that tells a most wonderful story of the excellent care he receives from his loving owner. 

A proven breeding stallion, he has sired 2 sons (HR Ahmar Shaitaan & Van Alma Shalom) and a daughter (Van Alma Sophia), which, given the critical status of the sire line, is somewhat hopeful. His son, HR Ahmar Shaitaan, prior to being gelded, sired a son, HR Fabah Zahaa, a 2003 stallion out of the Fadaan-sired daughter, HR Tariifah, doubling the Mesaoud sire line in one individual, as well as doubling the Babson lines of Fa Mah Roufa. Unfortunately, HR Fabah Zahaa, like his sire, was also gelded. With the resources available to me, I am not sure if HR Fabah Zahaa sired any get, prior to being gelded.

It is my hope that this blog will inspire a breeder to react quickly with the remaining horse(s), insuring the survival of the sire line within the small family of horses established by HR Roujuan. 

***with many thanks to Cheryl O'Donnell for her friendship, for the many questions she patiently answered, and of course, for all the horses she has bred and continues to lovingly care for, as well as her kindness and generosity for sharing the photos of HR Roujuan***

Imperial Baarez

Imperial Baarez (PVA Karim x BB Ora Kalilah), as photographed by Javan

"He is simply a once-in-a-lifetime stallion," said the late Barbara Griffith, "he's the best horse we've ever bred, and proving to be the most consistent sire." - from the Anne-Louise Toner article, published in the December 2010 issue of Arabian Horse World

When I saw Imperial Baarez for the first time, the handler had stood him up, with his hind end facing me. I remember the impression that his powerfully muscled, generously curvey hind end made upon me. I was overwhelmed by the strength and power of his body.

At the time, the word "baroque" was quickly becoming a buzzword in the dressage community, to describe horses with an "old world" look, horses who, like Baarez, were rounder, more compact, more densely muscled and better able to perform the collected movements required in the higher levels of the sport. I was reminded of this long ago experience because I just learned that the ultimate Arabian horse, Imperial Baarez, has died. A sad day, it's true, as we bid goodbye to a beloved horse like Baarez. He was 26 years old.

The Great Pumpkin

"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." - Linus, from It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

So much has been written about Thee Desperado; he really was a giant in the world of Arabian horses. So great was his popularity, that his image was cast in tenite plastic, as a Breyer horse model. Several years later, his daughter, Rhapsody in Black, would also enjoy the same honor!

I don't remember how I found this photo of a very young Thee Desperado. I think Shawn Crews took the photo, which shows the horse as more of a colt, than a stallion and you can compare/contrast against all the other photos that show him as a mature horse, to gain  insight into his phenotype and better understand him, as a specimen of the Arabian horse breed. Until I found it, I had never seen this photo before and I thought dear reader that perhaps, it is the same for you.

In the old days, as the marketing machine behind Thee Desperado grew in strength and Thee Desperado started to sire a record number of horses; preservation advocates voiced their concern over the "homogenization" and thereby, the loss of key (and rare) ancestral elements, in their original form, as breeders incorporated more and more of his blood within their programs. Prior to the emergence of Thee Desperado, there really wasn't a horse EVER like him and his meteoric success frightened people. I really believe that most people, including myself, could not deal with the magnetic star quality of this beloved horse. It really wasn't until his son True Colours started to become popular  and I began to think differently about the use of Thee Desperado as a sire. You see dear reader, I used to be one of those people who expressed concern over the dilution of our older bloodlines, as I watched breeders begin to "paint themselves into a corner" and place our small gene pool into a precarious state, losing the diversity needed, in the form of healthy outcross opportunities. Somewhere in this time, a friend named Bianca, who breeds Egyptian Arabian horses in Europe, pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to think differently about Thee Desperado, especially when strategically utilized in  unique combinations of bloodlines. I couldn't think of a more unique cross than combining Desperado with a Dalul daughter who possessed a maternal line going back to some of the most revered horses in German straight Egyptian breeding. When German dressage rider and straight Egyptian breeder, Hansi Heck-Melnyk, who trained with the classical riding master, Egon Von Neindorff, spoke glowingly of True Colours, that was it for me and happily, I jumped into "the deep end of the pool" without hesitation, fear or worry that I may not remain afloat and sink to the bottom of the pool.

Judith Forbis has been an extremely important and influential figure in my educational development and understanding of the Egyptian Arabian horse. Through her many books, magazine articles and photos, I gained an appreciation for the horses of the past, who would prove to be vibrantly strong and  consistent, as expressed within the genetic fiber of present day horses and the horses yet-to-be-born. As I read The Classic Arabian Horse, I became fascinated with El Araby, one of the most beautiful stallions ever bred in Egypt and tragically, killed in his youth. Thanks to Judith Forbis, I understood that Gleannloch Farms purchased *Ibn Hafiza to cross onto their *Morafic daughters, in the hope of producing another horse like El Araby. Many wonderful horses resulted from this cross but never, a horse like El Araby or so we thought.

Bianca's insightful and wise words concerning a more select and unique use of Thee Desperado propelled me on a soul-searching journey.  Like the photo of Thee Desperado as a colt, I was more of a child and less of a man when I discovered El Araby for the first time and held onto a long-time expectation that a breeder, somewhere in the world, would breed a horse just like him. After all, we did have the bloodlines to accomplish this reproductive miracle. I don't remember exactly when I started to look at the pedigree of Thee Desperado a little more differently but the more I studied his pedigree, the more I started to connect horses and the role they were playing in Desperado's pedigree. All of a sudden, like a lightning strike, I realized that Thee Desperado himself was the unique genetic expression and the "Holy Grail", right before my eyes. It made sense to outcross the *Ibn Hafiza granddaughter, Asmarr (*Zaghloul x Nagliah) with a very concentrated source of Moniet el Nefous and Nazeer blood, as found in the stallion, TheEgyptianPrince. The result from this cross was the grey mare, AK Amiri Asmarr, who in turn, was bred to The Minstril,  infusing still more *Morafic blood into the cross. The result was Thee Desperado. After all these years, the most desired horse of all horses had been born and lived an amazing life, while I had failed to recognize him, trapped in thoughts and feelings that today, seem ridiculous. I felt like Linus, sitting in a pumpkin patch, waiting for the great pumpkin to appear with one difference: the great pumpkin appeared in my pumpkin patch but I wasn't there to greet him. It remains one of the most powerful and truly humbling moments of my life. Thee Desperado...there just wasn't enough time to let him know how truly special he was.

***I wrote this blog in October, 2019 to reconcile the many conflicting feelings that I felt about this most incredible horse, Thee Desperado. I want to be honest and transparent, as I have a deep reverence for our older Egyptian blood and yet, adore the results when these old bloodlines are combined with newer Egyptian blood, like Thee Desperado.***

***This blog is lovingly dedicated to Shawn Crews, whom I deeply respect and also, admire. I wish I were more like you Shawn and less like me! I am still grateful to you, for taking the time to meet Princeton Maarena. I wish that I could have bred her to Thee Desperado, as we had discussed****

My Favorite Aachen

The straight Egyptian mare, Wadad Zamani (Laheeb x Zena Al Buraq), foaled in 2011, was shown earlier today in Aachen, within Class 9, for mares aged 11+ years old. She placed first, with a score of 93.75. The 2nd place mare, D Aziza, an Ajman Moniscione daughter, earned 93.25 points, while the 3rd place mare,  Al Inaya, a WH Justice daughter, earned 90.75 points. Bred by Osman Kasasi, Wadad Zamani is owned by Hanaya Stud. I wish the scoring system awarded points for an even, confident, comfortable-in-your-own-skin, level headed temperament. She would score a perfect 20. Frank Sponle did an excellent job with Wadad Zamani. Congratulations for safeguarding this mare's dignity.

What I find interesting about her pedigree is one horse: Imperial Imdal+. He represents almost 40% of the pedigree, as the sire of Laheeb, Al Maraam and Luiba. However, something to consider is Ansata Imperial (Ansata Ibn Sudan x Ansata Delilah), the sire of Imperial Imdal+. He exists in an additional line, as the sire of Imperial-Alamonra, almost 22% influence, which is equivalent to the weight that a grandparent exerts. We can say something similar about *Ansata Ibn Halima, who carries a percentage of 12.5%, about that of a great grandparent. By far though, the ancestor that appears with more frequency than any of the horses mentioned is *Morafic, approximately 17 times and almost 18% influence, which is significant, as his position in the pedigree, depending on the particular ancestor is way beyond the 6th generation, all the way to the 10th generation. 

Additionally, Wadad Zamani, via the mares, Ramses Nagdia and further back, Om el Saad and her dam Yashmak, traces to one of the most powerful and enduring dam lines in our breed: Rodania, by way of her great-great grandaughter, Bint Rissala, one of 2 Rodania line mares purchased from Crabbet. However, Wadad Zamani is grey in her coat color and the Rodania matriline exerts itself a little differently than if she were chestnut. I feel like she has these powerful sources within her, brought forward by Laheeb and intensified with *Morafic and combined with Rodania, which helps to explain the really strong body infused with that classic dry elegance, creating the dramatic look of a desert horse. She's beyond beautiful and the best horse, in my opinion, male or female at the All Nations Cup this year. It will be interesting (and exciting) to watch her compete in the mare championship, later today.

 ***Many thanks to Arabian Essence TV for their coverage of the 2022 All Nations Cup, Aachen, Germany.***

The Desert Queen and a Princess

The beloved portrait of *Turfa, created by Peter Upton

*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 King Ibn Sa'ud, 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. King George VI had originally intended for the people-friendly and charming *Turfa, to become his daughter's personal riding horse, however, *Turfa, at four years of age, was a young, charismatic mare, responsive to the lightest of aids and maybe, required a rider whose level of expertise in the saddle was more highly developed than that of young princess Elizabeth, who at age 25, upon her father's death, became Queen Elizabeth II. Imagine if *Turfa had remained with the young Princess, instead of her purchase by Brigadier General William H. Anderson? 

A Labor of Love: Bint Skyy TF

Bint Skyy TF (The Sequel RCA x Skyy) as photographed by Suzanne Sturgill

Bint Skyy TF, a 2010 bay mare, is sired by The Sequel RCA (Thee Desperado x LA Marsala) and out of Skyy (Thee Desperado x Ansata Justina). A very people-oriented mare, both sweet and kind; she is one of my favorite Arabian horses. No horse is ever really perfect but Bint Skyy TF comes really close to being just that for me. It is because of her that I have so much esteem for The Sequel RCA. Bred by Lisa Cifrese of Thornewood Farm Arabians; she is co-owned with Arabian Skyy, LLC. 

Her pedigree is one of the more interesting pedigrees that I have encountered. Thee Desperado, as an individual, accounts for 50% of the genetic influence in the pedigree, however, Thee Desperado is a son of The Minstril and AK Amiri Asmarr and it is this combination of horses which is repeated 3 times in the 4th generation (great grandparents). Let me say it another way: in the 4th generation, there should be eight horses populating the pedigree, each horse contributing 12.5% genetic influence. In Bint Skyy's pedigree, there are half that number, with 2 of those 4 horses representing three quarters of the pedigree! While nothing is ever guaranteed in the science of breeding horses, the concentration of the genetic fiber that produced Thee Desperado and his full sister, LA Marsala, is concentrated in Bint Skyy, offering the straight Egyptian breeder a little more predictability in breeding for  a new generation of straight Egyptian horses. It's exciting.

More than a few years ago, I was able to tour the exhibit, A Gift from the Desert, at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was there that I discovered the 1821 lithograph, An Arabian Horse, by the French artist, Jean Louis André Théodore Géricault. At the time, I was the owner of a mare who shockingly, resembled the horse in the lithograph. Little did I realize that five or so years later, when I met Bint Skyy in person, I would once again experience similar feelings of awe and wonder, as I realized that Bint Skyy also resembled the horse in the Géricault lithograph. 

Dr. Hans Nagel, in his book, Hanan: The Story of an Arabian Mare and of the Arabian Breed refers to the Nejdi horse as "the horse of the south". Up until the 19th century, the Bedouin tribes in Central Arabia lived in isolation, geographically cut off 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, which he took back with him to 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."

Bint Skyy TF is a proven broodmare, having been bred to the exquisite stallion, Al Ayal AA (Al Ayad x The Vision HG) and producing a filly, Aahliyah TF in 2017. Aaliyah TF represents a tremendous opportunity for the SE breeder, as she remains concentrated in the blood of Thee Desperado through The Minstril, AK Amiri Asmarr and TheEgyptianPrince. Almost 60% of her genetic influence comes from these 4 horses and yet, through her paternal grandsire, there is outcross blood introduced into the mix through the German SE stallion, Al Ayad, who also complements the blood of *Jamil, her maternal great-great grandsire. The matriline of Moheeb, the sire of Al Ayad and Madkour I, the sire of *Jamil, trace back to the 1951 EAO mare, Moheba (Sid Abouhom x Halima). Also, the line of Moheba is duplicated on the paternal side of Moheeb's pedigree, as his sire, El Shahwan is a son of Saemah, who is sired by Madkour I. This bloodline of Moheba also complements the Ansata blood that is found through Ansata Judea, the dam of Ansata Justina and Ansata Halim Shah, the sire of Maysoun.

Aaliyah TF (Al Ayal AA x Bint Skyy TF) as photographed by Suzanne Sturgill

Over the years, I have come to appreciate the Nejdi type, as an original representative for the traits that the Bedouin admired and selectively bred for, thousands of years ago, insuring the horse's survival in the harsh desert climate. This is the horse who captured the attention of our early breeders like Abbas Pasha, Ali Pasha Sherif and Lady Anne Blunt. This is the horse who has been admired on painted canvases all over the world. And today, we have horses like Bint Skyy TF and her daughter, Aaliyah TF, who help us to understand better the significance of the Nejdi horse, in the hope that these particular horses will also exert their impact in the perpetuation of the Nejdi type. 

***a year ago, September 2021, I published my 400th blog about an impressive colt, Hadiya Al Kamar RB. Today, here I am, releasing #450. It had to be about a really special horse to mark what is, a very special milestone for me, as I get closer to reaching my big, hairy and audacious goal of 500 blogs. Hope you enjoy reading about this very special and uniquely bred mare, Bint Skyy TF, who is co-owned by equally special people, Howard and Carol. To them, I lovingly dedicate this blog.***

A Mare, A Book & the Diversity Which Shapes Us All

Kirbys Shadow (Sahar El Pharo x Joans Melody),  casually  photographed by her owner, Christine Emmert

"A long neck, a noble head, although not very small, with distended, thin and moveable nostrils; a splendid high carried tail. I feel, the first time in my life, that during the purchase of a horse I am fainting."- Bogdan Ziertarski, as quoted in Arab breeding in Poland, written by Edward Skorkowski 

Kirbys Shadow, a 1991 dark bay mare, is sired by Sahar El Pharo, a son of Raisuli El Pharo, an *Ansata Ibn Halima son out of Al Nahr Modonna, an *Ibn Moniet el Nefous daughter. Sahar El Pharo's dam, Bambi Lea, brings in more Egyptian blood through Maar-Rab, *Maaroufa and Gulastra (Gulnare, Gulastra's dam, is also the dam of Gharifet, the granddam of the stallion, Al-Marah Radames, the sire of Bint Roghara, the dam of Joans Melody, the dam of Kirbys Shadow). 

By virtue of her pedigree, Kirbys Shadow carries 43.75% Egyptian blood, most of which is focused in the Saklawi strain. However, all is not what it appears to be and something interesting happens when you dig a little deeper within the pedigree of *Ibn Moniet el Nefous.  There are multiple sources of El Dahma within his dam's (Moniet el Nefous) ancestry, which complements the influence of *Ansata Ibn Halima. Additionally, Dr. William Hudson's landmark mtDNA study of the EAO matrilines suggests a common ancestress between El Dahma and Roga el Beda, which further intensifies the complementary genetic influences of both root mares within the Egyptiam portion of the pedigree. 

More than a few years ago, I was able to purchase, In Search of the Arabian Horse, written by Captain Luis Azpeitita de Moros, translated and annotated by Andrew K. Steen. Quickly, it became one of my favorites. The book is Captain Luis Azpeitita de Moros' personal account of a 7-month journey through the Middle East, to purchase Arabian horses, as commissioned by Spain's Cria Caballar. As a member of the Spanish cavalry, the author knows horses intimately and has enjoyed success in selecting and purchasing horses of other breeds, sometimes under challenging time lines. The selection  standards employed by the Captain were not only demanding, they were rigorous, despite the breed and unlike the desert adventurers of his era, he was not influenced by the romanticized legends that were popular at the time. Zulima was one of the first horses purchased, 22 days into the trip. The Captain wrote, "The mare Zulima has a pretty exterior, an expressive head and good legs. Her swollen abdomen makes us believe that she is pregnant, as her owner also maintains." Upon closer inspection, the Captain writes further that Zulima did not "have any defects or exterior illnesses." It's an engaging story, at times even funny, while accurately describing the struggle and hardships of locating and purchasing well bred horses in the desert. I strongly recommend it, if you haven't had the opportunity to read it. 

So, what does this book have to do with Kirbys Shadow? In the 6th generation of the maternal side of Kirbys Shadow's pedigree, you will find the Draper-bred mare, Jubilee (Jubilo x Menfis). From Jubilee, the matriline traces back through several Spanish generations to this mare, Zulima, purchased by Captain Luis Azpeitita de Moros for the Cria Caballar in 1905:

JUBILEE->MENFIS->SIRIA->ORIENTAL->ZULIMA

 

Furthermore, Andrew Steen considers Zulima to be one of the 5 most important mares in Spanish history. I also found it interesting that Zulima was of the Saklawi strain, as the Spanish-bred matriline, as diverse as it is to the rest of the pedigree, further complements the Egyptian Saklawi influences of the sire side of the pedigree.

At the top of the maternal side, to reinforce the Saklawi matriline, we find an additional Saklawi influence through the ethereal stallion, *Nabor, the sire of Druzba, the paternal grandsire of Joans Melody, the dam of Kirbys Shadow. In an article about *Nabor,  beloved author Mary Jane Parkinson wrote,

"The Poles loved him, for they found in *Naborr a resemblance to the Arabian horses painted by Juliusz Kossak, considered the best painter of oriental horses. *Naborr's remarkable Arabian type, dry fine head, swan-like neck and milk-white hair (unusual for his age) all related to the Poles ideal Arabian."

Kirbys Shadow is a proven broodmare, having produced a pure-in-strain Saklawi stallion, Al Ghazal, sired by The Renagade (Thee Desperado x Waratah) in 2002 

and a daughter, Noor Al Sahra, by Imperial Al Kamar (El Hilal x Imperial Sonbesjul) in 2009. 

It's interesting to consider that Noor Al Sahra, outcrossed as she was to the Kuhaylan Rodan strain, was more like her dam than her maternal sibling, who was bred within the same strain. I'm thinking that the Dahman sources found through El Hilal, as combined with the Dahman sources existing within Raisuli El Pharo exerted the most impact. The quality of both her foals was so high, that I find myself wishing that Kirbys Shadow had produced more progeny and specifically, a filly foal sired by Gazal Al Shaqab. What a foal that would be!  

When Christine sent me the photo, at the end of a long, hot day; I was tired and could barely keep my eyes open. All at once, I was inspired by her classic beauty and youthful appearance. I felt like Bogdan Ziertarski, when he saw Ofir for the very first time. In a fraction of a second, I had forgotten how tired I was, enchanted by Christine's photo. Such is the amazing power that a photo can have upon you! 

If you haven't worked out the math, a mare born in 1991, is 31 years old in 2022 and a strong testament of the quality care that my friend Christine gives Kirbys Shadow, whose beautiful and healthy body blooms with heavy dappling. And all of a sudden, I am encouraged by the beauty that still exists in this world, as richly diverse as we know it to be and yet, I'm finding much common ground hidden within it.