*NEJDME: First in Our Hearts and Our Studbook by Jeanne Craver
“Scene at the Arabian Village”, featuring *Nejdme.
When the founding fathers of the Arabian Horse Club gave the honor of being the first entry in their studbook to *Nejdme, they chose well. *Nejdme was considered first class by A.G. Asdikian, Rev. F.F. Vidal, Homer Davenport, Randolph Huntington, J.A.P. Ramsdell, J.R. Dolbony, Khalil A. Bistany, and just about everyone who ever saw her. Photos of her adorn photo albums of the Chicago World’s Fair. Thousands of dollars were asked and offered for her during one of the deepest depressions this country has seen.
*Nejdme was not just an authentic beauty from the Anazeh. She performed well under saddle, learned to drive as a mature mare, and produced many fine foals. Her genes are still available in the Arabian breed, and she even has a tail-female line functioning 100 years after her birth. Unfortunately, within Al Khamsa itself, her bloodlines are scarce (with less than 200 descendants since 2000) and are gone in tail female. This article attempts to put as many comments about *Nejdme by people who knew her together in one place as possible, as well as to point out *Nejdme’s production record and breed influence.
Reprinted and updated from September 1989 Arabian Visions
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