Bel Gordas

Bel Gordas (Sirecho x Habba)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Window of the Soul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Wadeea

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Khartoum RA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NADINA RAF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There is a very special look or rather, an expression that some, not all, of the *Ansata Bint Bukra horses possess, as we observe in the above photo of Nadina RAF.  Carl Raswan, within an article published by Western Horseman magazine, mentioned this unique expression.  Through his experiences living amongst the Bedouin, he learned of psychic powers, passed from the dam to her daughter. These special horses were referred to as Muluq. Raswan further explained, "The gift of an intelligent spirit was bestowed upon the mare of Ishmael and an intuitive soul to dwell within her beautiful, strong and symmetrical body. Psychic powers of her animal spirit were gifts of God, but her conscious mind developed through her intimate human association."

Within the second volume of Authentic Arabian Bloodstock, Judith Forbis wrote about Ansata Delilah (grandaughter of *Ansata Bint Bukra), "an independent soul marked Delilah from the day she was born. Standing in the pasture apart from her mother, she would look off into the distance at something sensed but not seen." Carl Raswan believed that these horses often spent their time listening and meditating, giving the onlooker an impression of being deep in thought.

If what Carl Raswan wrote about the psychic gifts bestowed upon the horses is truthful, then the way in which we measure these horses and the qualities that we have held dear for so many years, pale in comparison to who these horses really are and the significance they hold for our lives, if we remain open to them. You will notice this unique expression in several of the photos published, many never seen before, in Judith Forbis' book, Born to Reign, newly published last year. Have you had the opportunity to purchase this remarkable book, Born to Reign? 

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

#400

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ar-Ra'ad

Ar-Ra'ad (Faaris x Dahma Al Zarka)

Ar-Ra'ad was a 1958 straight Babson Egyptian stallion, sired by Faaris (Fa-Serr x *Maaroufa) and out of Dahma Al Zarka (Fay-el-Dine x Habba). Do you know what is interesting about this particular horse? His name. "Ar-Ra'ad" does not reflect the naming convention practiced by the Babson Farm.  Why? Ar-Ra'ad was not bred by the Babson Farm, he was bred by Mrs. John Ekern Ott, who bestowed upon the horse the Arabic name for "thunder".  However, Ar-Ra'ad is also a deeply religious name. The Quran is composed of 114 chapters or surahs and the 13th surah, the Ar-Ra'ad, shares common ground with the book of Revelation in the Christian bible. It's the chapter that presents the concept of Judgement day and the power that is found in truth, while exposing the weakness in lies. Indeed, a very powerful name for a horse, who remains relevant and vibrant to the present day, 63 years later.

Mrs. Ott, the pioneer preservationist behind the "Blue List" and "Blue Star" movement,  had purchased the 1954 colt, Faaris, together with three Babson mares: Habba (*Fadl x *Bint Bint Sabbah), her 1952 daughter, Dahma Al Zarka by Fay-el-Dine and Fad Roufa (Faddan x Fay Roufa). What is significant about the three Babson mares is that in the hands of the Otts, each mare only produced one straight Babson Egyptian foal before becoming part of the Ott's breeding program which included the stallions: Sirecho (*Nasr x *Exochorda) and his son, Bel Gordas. Prior to Habba's sale to the Otts, she had produced Bint Habba and Fay-Habba for the Babson Farm. 

In the early 1960's, Jean Jennings of Ra'adin Arabians decided to breed her foundation mare, Khamsa (Fay-el-Dine x Khedena) to Ar-Ra'ad. This breeding resulted in the 1964 mare, Allah Ateyyah, whose name means "God's Gift" restoring the holiness of Ar-Ra'ad's name for one more generation. I believe the name to be a blessing, for only a blessed mare could produce like Allah Ateyyah did. 

It is through Allah Ateyyah that Ar-Ra'ad remains relevant within straight Egyptian breeding, namely through her sons: Ra'adin Inshalla by *Ansata Ibn Halima, Ra'adin Shetan and Serr Al Sahih, both sired by Sireff (Fa-Serr x Sirefa) and her daughter, Ra'adin Hilal, also sired by Sireff. When Ra'adin Hilal was bred to the stallion, *Tuhotmos, she produced the mare, Om Khamsa, who in turn, was bred to ET Crown Prince (TheEgyptianPrince x RDM Maar Hala) and produced Ra'adin Royal Star, the sire of Simeon Shai and Simeon Sheba, the dam of Simeon Sehavi. It is the amazing production record of Allah Ateyyah, in the hands of Jean Jennings, that commands so much awe from me today. Even the Allah Ateyyah descendants that were sold by Ra'adin Arabians and incorporated into other programs turned out to be hugely successful broodmares for other breeders. For example, an additional mare that I found interesting is Ra'adin Kamar, a Ra'adin Hilal daughter sired by *Ansata El Wazir, who became a significant broodmare for Count Federico Zichy-Thyssen, producing foals (a majority of which were fillies) sired by Moniet el Nafis, Ruminaja Bahjat, Ansata Shah Zaman and even, *El Shaklan. With 2,000+ asil descendants recorded over ten generations, Ar-Ra'ad  remains relevant in both the straight Egyptian and Al Khamsa recognized breeding communities; however, he was used so sparingly within the straight Egyptian sector, despite the spectacular horses produced by his daughter, Allah Ateyyah. While I am grateful for the horses that Ar-Ra'ad remains part of; it's challenging not to lament the missed opportunity to have also preserved his bloodline, within a straight Babson Egyptian program.