The Lion of Thuringia

NK Hamza (NK Kamar El Dine x Andorra Bint Asfoura), Lena Panholzer photo

What does it mean to love horses? Most people will see a picture of a horse and say, "what a beautiful piece of art, I love it." They might be driving on a country road and pass a pasture with horses grazing and say, "Isn't that beautiful? It's just like a painting, I love it." How about the heartwarming Budweiser television commercials broadcast during the Super Bowl and a person will say, "that was so touching, I love it."  For most people, the admiration felt for and any interaction with horses is kept at an arms distance, safe, without a personal cost but alas, engagement with the horse, who has so much to offer us, is lost. Not so for those whose appreciation for horses, has crossed from enthusiasm, into passion. Horses dominate our time, our activities and thoughts while we are awake and during our sleep, horses are still present, running wild and free in our subconscious mind. Linda Kohanov, the author of The Tao of Equus among other books, in a conversation with Warwick Schiller (Journey On Podcast), acknowledged an intelligent creative life force, somewhat mystical, that she explained as "the collective wisdom," "collective memory" or "collective consciousness" that desires to express itself in our world and chose the form of the horse to do just that: 

"the wisdom that gives rise to the form of the horse." - Linda Kohanov

While our ancestors may have been more in tune with this collective wisdom, we, on the other hand, immersed within a more urban lifestyle, have not only lost the ability to connect to it but also, to even recognize it!

"The good fortune of horses  is in their chestnut coloring, and the best [swiftest] of all horses is the chestnut horse." - Islamic tradition, credited to the Prophet (PBUH), as curated by Judith Forbis in her landmark book, The Classic Arabian Horse

I remember the minute that I saw the photo of NK Hamza for the first time. His image is one that I will never forget and reminds me of the experience, years ago, when I saw a photo of El Thay Mameluk for the very first time. That particular photo, remains an image wrought with emotion, a reminder of what we are able to accomplish in this world, breeding Arabian horses. I had read an interview between Monika Savier and Dr. Hans J. Nagel, where he mentioned an impressive chestnut stallion. So, I was looking for that horse, whom I didn't find but in the process of using Google,  I stumbled upon a photo of NK Hamza, posted on Instagram by his owner, Sabine Klee. I was surprised to find a horse so reminiscent of El Thay Mameluk and in that moment, nothing mattered more to me, than learning the identity of this horse.

NK Hamza (NK Kamar El Dine x Andorra Bint Asfoura), Lena Panholzer photo

Foaled in 2011, NK Hamza is sired by NK Kamar El Dine, a stallion resulting from the 4th generation of Dr. Nagel's closed breeding program. This is the generation that established the significance of NK Hafid Jamil, the chief breeding stallion at the time and NK Kamar El Dine was one of 3 sons retained by Katharinenhof, along with his full brother, Jamal El Dine, both horses are out of Ansata Ken Raya (*Jamil x Ansata Prima Rose). In a 40-year period, Dr. Nagel's program produced 130 colts or so. Of that number, 10 or 11 of those colts matured into stallions worthy of the roles that they had been bred for. It is important, here, to say that NK Kamar El Dine, was one of those horses. I was impressed by Dr. Nagel's assessment of NK Kamar El Dine, written within his latest book, The Arabian: Nature's Creation and the Art of Breeding, published by Nawal Media. 

"As a bay horse, he seems to be stamped by other genes in his genetic make-up. He stands on shorter legs which are typical for a Dahman Shahwan, he is longer build than his full brother, but also has the fine and elegant neck and shoulder combination. His topline and hindquarters as well as his hindlegs are obviously better than those of Jamal El Dine and, in fact, are almost perfect." 

NK Hamza's dam is the 2001 Adnan daughter, Andorra Bint Asfoura, out of the Ansata Halim Shah daughter, Asfoura, whose dam, Ameera reflects the very beginning of the Katharinenhof breeding program: Madkour I bred to Hanan. Asfoura is one of the Katharinenhof mares, who took the influence of Katharinenhof farther in the world, to England, where she created her own family of horses at Briery Close Stud. Asfoura's  daughter, NK Hallah (by Adnan), produced NK Hebbatollah by Ibn Nejdy, an important mare in the Ezzain Arabians breeding program. 

If you look carefully at the pedigree, you will realize that it is Ansata Halim Shah (via his son and directly, by himself), top-crossed onto a Hanan daughter, sired by a carefully picked outside breeding stallion. Like many of Dr. Nagel's horses and in keeping with the format of his breeding program, Salaa El Dine exerts a strong impact genetically, approximately 35%. In matriline, NK Hamza traces throught the Inshass program to El Shahbaa, a 1925 mare purchased by King Farouk in 1931. NK Hamza is Abeyyan, in strain.

Sabine Klee, in Central Germany, has owned NK Hamza for the past 8 years. The initial impression that NK Hamza made, speaks of the instant connection a horse can make upon a human, who is already passionate about the subject. In this case, Sabine had searched for a long time, for the type of horse that eventually, she found in NK Hamza. Is it an example of the collective wisdom of the world, recognizing that NK Hamza was the horse that Sabine had spent so much time looking for and manipulating people, events and time to lead this horse to Sabine? Linda Kohanov said it best, when she said, "the wisdom that gives rise to the form of the horse." 

NK Hamza (NK Kamar El Dine x Andorra Bint Asfoura) with Sabine Klee, Lena Panholzer photo

For those like Sabine, who accept the horse's invitation to engage, love blossoms and intensifies into an incredible relationship, which earlier, we defined as a conduit for the collective consciousness. This horse, with his long, full mane  and fairy tale appearance possessed the "wow" factor Sabine desired. Still to this day, 8 years later, Sabine remembers the day that NK Hamza arrived, as if it happened minutes ago, an unforgettable day and highlight of her life.

"And then Hamza got out of the truck and I was speechless. Such a beautiful stallion, as if he stepped out of the most classic painting.  His expression, so exotic and his mane! This friendly, open-minded  character of a stallion, I was in love! Hamza has a character made of gold, he is always easy to handle and willing, whether riding, covering or normal handling. He is even ridden by children and always stays cool and confident. This speaks for his unique character, which he consistently passes, as well as his exotic appearance to his get, his award-winning daughters and an approved (licensed) son, K Faysal (x Fiona).

K Faysal (NK Hamza x Fiona)

NK Hamza and his son, K Faysal (out of Fiona, Verbandsprämienstute and a Smaroel's Amgad granddaughter) are both proven breeding stallions, with a number of sired get recorded for each stallion, 

K Azrael (K Faysal x Aladiah)

for example a colt bred by Sabine, K Azrael, out of an Ansata El Salaam daughter, is a grandson of NK Hamza, while a son of K Faysal. Sabine currently has a full brother, K Aariz, for sale. 

K Aariz, full brother of K Azrael, Lena Panholzer photo

Hamza is a masculine Arabic name, one of many names used for "lion". However, the name can also mean strength and steadfastness. There is a story, one of many traditions in Islam, involving the uncle of the Prophet (PBUH), Hamza Ibn Abd al-Muttalib, a strong man, both a wrestler and an archer. It was said that he was unstoppable in battle. His story is included in the Hamzanama, an adventure epic that was written in Persian. Isn't it time for you to rewrite your adventure, perhaps your greatest adventure yet?  Both stallions are standing to the public for this breeding season. Sabine Klee invites your inquiry via Instagram or Facebook