Khamsat A magazine devoted to the Bedouin Arabian Horse as recognized by Al Khamsa, Inc.
Volume Thirty-One Number Three
Anusa 1
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January 2021
Cover Images Front: Anusa, unknown 19th century artist. Image credit: Dorotheum. Thanks to Dan Metz. A grey mare named Anusa (Djerid x Goa IV) was an 1880 foal from the Hassfoura line at Weil Stud, Germany. She was the dam of the stallion Anvil who was sold to Pelkinie. While it is not certain that this painting is of the 1880 mare, it is at least a strong possibility. Back: Sobha (AP) in Russia, History of Russia in Photographs, courtesy of Kate McLachlan, and Daughter of the Wind blog.
… The horses are small, not rising in general above fourteen hands one inch; but they are fine, and have great power and size for their height. I do not suppose that they would be much admired by a purely English horseman; in fact, we see every day that Arabs brought into England don’t faire fortune, and experience teaches one that the English and the Arab horse look each absurd by turns, as the eye has grown accustomed to the other. But to my eye, used for some time to rest on nothing but the Eastern horse, they seemed to exceed all that I had yet seen in point of beauty. Stallions used to be led into our camp, looking like horses in a picture; the limbs flat, broad, and powerful, deep below the knee, small and fine about the fetlock, of a cleanness and beauty of outline enough alone to stamp blood on their possessor; the neck light, but yet arched; the flanks closely ribbed up; the tail carried out with a sweep like a palm branch; and the small head terminating in large nostrils always snorting and neighing. It was a beautiful sight to see one of them when he got wind of another stallion, draw himself up with his neck arched, his ears pointed, and his eyes almost starting out of his head; his almost rigid stillness for the instant contrasting curiously with his evident readiness to break out into furious action. Watching such a horse at such a moment one feels the truth of the figure of speech by which the horse is called noble. Noble, knightly, heroic, he seems less a brute than an incarnation of high blood and fiery energy; a steed that Saladin might have mounted, and that would well have matched his master. ~ John Wycliff Thompson in “Horse-Dealing in Syria, 1854” part one; published in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine No. DXXVII, September 1859, Vol. LXXXVI.
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Publisher: Al Khamsa, Inc. Business Office 470 Folsom Jonesville Road Jonesville, KY 41052 970.439.5941 www.alkhamsa.org Printer: Jostens/PrintLynx Sedalia, Missouri Editor:
Khamsat A magazine devoted to the Bedouin Arabian Horse as recognized by Al Khamsa, Inc. • Volume Thirty-One Number Three • January. 2021
Jeanne Craver 709 Brackett Lane Winchester, Illinois 62694 the_khamsat@alkhamsa.org
AL KHAMSA, INC., a Tennessee not-for-profit organization, publishes the Khamsat magazine. ‘Al Khamsa’ and the ‘Five Bedouin Riders’ Logo are registered trademarks of Al Khamsa, Inc. SUBSCRIPTION RATES for four issues: US — US$20; Canada and Mexico — US$30, other countries — US$40. See page 3. TO SUBSCRIBE, renew a subscription or change an address, please send information and US$ (check, MasterCard/Visa) to the Al Khamsa Business Office at the above address or via www. alkhamsa.org. SUBMIT all advertisements, unsolicited editorial materials, and correspondence to the Al Khamsa Business Office at the above address, or to the Editor at the_khamsat@alkhamsa.org. ©2021, Al Khamsa, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, electronically or otherwise, without permission is prohibited. Al Khamsa, Inc. is an organization whose supporters embrace a wide variety of viewpoints on many issues. Recognizing that the free flow of ideas is essential to the growth of knowledge, Al Khamsa, Inc. encourages the reasoned presentation of information and theory by its supporters. Publication of such material in the Khamsat does not imply agreement with the ideas expressed therein by any portion of the supporters or membership of Al Khamsa, Inc., nor does it constitute an endorsement or support for any portion of such material by Al Khamsa, Inc. or the Khamsat, regardless of any position or office held by the author(s). All such material represents a comment and/or a personal opinion of the author(s), and does not necessarily represent the official attitude, opinion, policy or position of Al Khamsa, Inc. on any issue. While the Khamsat has not intentionally printed incorrect materials or made adverse omissions, the contents are nevertheless the responsibility of the parties furnishing material for this magazine. Accuracy of information is subject to information known to us at printing deadline. We apologize for any errors which are sometimes unavoidable. EDITORIAL POLICY: The policy of the Khamsat is to emphasize the aspects of owning, enjoying, breeding and learning about Bedouinbred Arabians as recognized by Al Khamsa, Inc. Al Khamsa’s standard has always been to treat all Al Khamsa bloodlines equally. The Khamsat allows more freedom of expression for independently written articles that deal with a specific breeding group. Al Khamsa reserves the right to refuse or edit articles that, in its opinion, violate the spirit of the standard of treating all bloodlines within Al Khamsa equally. Suitability of all material and ads submitted will be judged on the basis of being consistent with the goals and interests of Al Khamsa, Inc. Al Khamsa, Inc. reserves the right to reject any text or graphics submitted for publication in the Khamsat.
Contents Features: Al Khamsa Community Hub .................................................................................... 3 Bits & Pieces ................................................................................................................ 4 2020 Convention Report .......................................................................................... 6 Preserving the Abbas Pasha Heritage by Bev Davison................................................................................................. 14 Treff-Haven by Kate Rhodes.................................................................................................24 The Royal Crabbet Mare Amida by Robert J. Cadranell.....................................................................................28 Preservation Task Force Update by the PTF..........................................................................................................32 Through Annie's Ears, Part 5 by Ellen May with Cathy Rochon..................................................................34 Al Khamsa History Ancestral Elements Series: Huntington ......................................................52 Departments: President’s Message .................................................................................................. 2 Al Khamsa, Inc. Administrative Information ......................................................... 2 Advertising Information and Advertisers ...........................................................55 Donation Levels and Donor Listings..............................................................56–57
Editor’s Note: Contact the Al Khamsa Business Office (info@alkhamsa.org, 970.439.5941) or Jeanne Craver (the_khamsat@alkhamsa.org, 217.742.3415) if you are interested in contributing a photo, article or advertisement. Coming: Preserving Abbas Pasha Heritage, part two; the Blunt hujaj from Ali Pasha Sherif Rather than announce a closing date for advertising in advance, we will be in touch through Inside Al Khamsa and social media when the feature articles are nearing final form. 1
Al Khamsa, Inc. Administrative Information
President’s Message 1/20/21
2020-2021 Al Khamsa Officers, Board of Directors and Committees
At the dawn of a New Year, I personally find this to be the dark time. It’s cold where I live and wet and everything is more difficult, but there is also beauty and toughness in withstanding harsh climates. On the other hand, I’m already thinking of spring, breeding horses, gardening, watching the beauty of sleeping nature emerge. After a particularly challenging year for most of us, I hope that we may breathe a little, appreciate all that we have, and help those who are going through a tough time. Kindness matters.
Dear Supporters,
Business Office Manager Patricia Lawrence 470 Folsom Jonesville Road Jonesville, Kentucky 41052 970.439.5941 info@alkhamsa.org President Monica Flynn Respet 6635 Central Road New Tripoli, Pennsylvania 18066 610.760.1372 monicarespet@gmail.com
Megan King 23477 Path Valley Road Doylesburg, Pennsylvania 17219 717.889.6808 megan.king23477@gmail.com
Vice President P.J. Altshuler 2900 Hemming Rd Valley View, Texas 76272 972.802.4660 pguth24916@aol.com
Jennifer Krieg 17429 Hoskinson Road Poolesville, Maryland 20837 301.221.2531 jkrieg@isicollc.com
Secretary Kim Davis 7275 Manchester Road Capron, Illinois 61012 815.540.3060 kdavis@sharontelephone.com
Patricia Lawrence 470 Folsom Jonesville Road Jonesville, Kentucky 41052 970.439.5941 alfadee05@gmail.com
Co-Treasurer Debbie Mackie 24610 Middletown Blacktop AV Greenview, Illinois 62642 217.968.5374 dmmackie@gmail.com
Kate Rhodes 6305 Hilltop Road Van Buren, Arkansas 72956 479.651.1715 kt19992000@gmail.com
Co-Treasurer Mary Gills POB 882560 Steamboat Springs, CO 80488 970.846.3747 mgills327@gmail.com
Pam Studebaker 9160 Post Town Road Trotwood, Ohio 45426 937.837.2829 stuzerpd@yahoo.com
The Annual Meeting and Convention required rethinking and changing some of our habits. An opportunity for growth emerged and we brain stormed for solutions. Volunteers stepped up and joined forces, researched and worked together to create a new kind of Virtual Convention. We had some bumps and lessons learned, but we also had a wonderful group of participants and speakers worth watching over and over. Every one of you who participated made it a successful meeting. The speakers who volunteered their energy, talent and knowledge impressed us all. Hearing your participating voices from around the world incited a new energy of cooperation and shared goals. Inspiration was viral! Our world and vision are largely shared, we have much more in common than we have differences. We share a passion. That is a gift and a blessing for every one of us. The Board of diligent Directors faces challenges with reworking the Database, raising money for expenses, and lots of research and volunteers are needed. We have planned an intense brain storming board session in mid-January and we will share the outcomes with you. Lots of work to do, but together, we can accomplish much.
Edouard Al-Dahdah 4932 Melinda Court Rockville, MD 20953 ealdahdah@hotmail.com Kathy Busch 24 College Street Madison, AL 35758 913.645.0236 katbuseq1@gmail.com Jeanne Craver 709 Brackett Lane Winchester, Illinois 62694 217.742.3415 mowarda@gmail.com Rosemary Byrnes Doyle 63295 Johnson Ranch Road Bend, Oregon 97701 541.389.9515 rosemary@doylearabians.com Karin Floyd 4515 N Lason Lane Tucson, Arizona 85749 818.219.9226 kvf369@gmail.com Nichole Grodski 17 Blue Stem Lane Hawk Point, Missouri 63349 631.879.1502 westcreekarabians@gmail.com
Income to support our organization is needed. The Annual Meeting and Convention brought in a very strong bottom line, thanks to YOU, for registration, donations, auction item donation and purchase, donating shipping and time. We have some new income programs in infancy through finance that you will hear about. We now have a place to donate on-line to the general fund, preservation task force, AERC and the endowment fund. Identifying what areas you wish to support gives the Board information about your values. Building a long-term endowment fund to secure Al Khamsa’s future has been in our sights for some time, and now we have started the mission in earnest.
2020–21 Committee Chairs Awards: Monica Respet & Janet Maurer Convention: PJ Altshuler & Pam Studebaker Database: Jeanne Craver External Relations: Rosemary Doyle AERC Liaison: Edie Booth Middle Eastern Liaison: Edouard Al-Dahdah Finance: Mary Gills & Debbie Mackie Promotions: PJ Altshuler Nominations & Succession Planning: Rosemary Byrnes Doyle Preservation Task Force: Edouard Al-Dahdah & Kate Rhodes Publications: Jeanne Craver & Kathy Busch Social Media: Nichole Grodski & Jenny Krieg Website: Jeannie Lieb
2020 has taught us how we are resilient we are, how we can work together if we really want to for a common goal. Though we have differences we can respect one another. I look around at our Al Khamsa Community, and I see people helping those in hard times, helping horses in need, breeding and owning together for our common cause, shipping semen internationally. Raising and training horses builds countless partnerships with the horses and our fellow humans. Let us build on these partnerships, work together and keep our common cause for the future of the asil horse and for our shared purpose. Our visions have gone global with those who share our respect and love for the Arabian horse.
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Be well, stay safe and live our shared passion!
Al Khamsa Community Hub Calendar
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March 6–7, 2021: The American Endurance Ride Conference 2021 Unconventional Convention will be held online. It was originally scheduled for San Antonio, Texas. Al Khamsa is continuing its support of the AERC. April 10, 2021: Al Khamsa Virtual Gathering. Save the date!
Blending at least 15% chaff with a horse’s feed can increase consumption times and reduce health risks such as colic and choke. https://thehorse.com/193870/study-add-chopped-forage-to-feed-toprolong-horses-meals/ ***
Cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the soft connective tissues under the skin, causes sudden, extreme swelling in the affected area, often in a leg. We talked to Dr. Luke Fallon of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute about how to care for cellulitis, starting with getting a diagnosis. https://www.usef.org/media/equestrian-weekly/treating-cellulitis
July 17–24, 2021: US Youth Nationals, Oklahoma City, OK. August 5, 2021: Pyramid Society Egyptian Breeders Challenge, Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, Virginia. September 13–18, 2021: US Sport Horse Nationals will be held at the World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio.
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https://thehorse.com/187218/putting-weight-on-an-older-horse/
October 15–17, 2021 Al Khamsa Annual Meeting will be virtual again this year, as it is impossible to plan for an in-person gatherings at this time. October 22–30, 2021: US Nationals, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Links of Interest While the national horse population is trending down, the abundance of options available to horse buyers have left some segments teetering on the edge of catastrophic loss. https://thehorse. com/180264/preservation-of-rare-horse-breeds/
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AramcoWorld is a terrific magazine about the Middle East and the Muslim World. Two-year (12-issue) renewable subscriptions to the print edition of AramcoWorld are available without charge to a limited number of readers worldwide. Highly recommended. https:// www.aramcoworld.com/Subscription-Services/Print-Subscriptions ***
Washington’s Best Saddle Horse, by Ben Hur (Western Horseman Jan/Feb ’46). Ben Hur was the pen name of the Arabian breeder and serious student of the breed, Herbert Tormohlen. https://cmkarabians.com/2006/07/05/washingtons-best-saddle-horse/
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Diagnosing Insulin Resistance: Q&A with Researchers: https:// thehorse.com/152666/diagnosing-insulin-resistance-qa-with-researchers/ and this is a pre-breeding treatment for insulin resistant mares: https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/issues/proceedings-09proceedingsz9100109000326.pdf ***
Disaster Planning: https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/ news/internal/readiness-essentials-10-steps-to-take-now ***
33 Do’s and Don’ts: https://thehorse.com/features/dealing-withequine-colic/ ***
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is a neurologic disease that can be difficult to diagnose and can threaten a horse’s athletic future. https://thehorse.com/191462/10-epm-resources-on-thehorsecom/?utm_medium=Health+enews&utm_source=Newsletter ***
Doxycycline, the broad-spectrum antibiotic might be a safe and viable option for treating infections, including placentitis, in late-term mares. https://thehorse.com/184859/doxy-passes-prelims-in-late-term-mares/ 3
Caroline Elik of Alton, Illinois was featured in an article in Arabian Horse Life, 2020 issue #3, with her 2003 Al Khamsa chestnut gelding, DB Jasur (Desert Dhelall x DB Jamala). She speaks of her start riding, then graduating to Jasur, and taking him to her first Youth Nationals competition, all without a trainer. The road to the 2019 Youth Nationals was long, but the hard work paid off with two Top Tens, including third and fourth places.
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mare], sure enough. Were it not for her injury, nothing could be more beautiful, pure white, with a head such as Schreyer would have sought as a model. Her exact counterpart can be seen in the picture of her daughter Ghazala, printed herewith. But her off fore leg! This had been broken between the knee and shoulder, and the bone so shattered it had never knit. The leg hung loosely, the toe just touching the floor of the stable. Her shoulder also was broken, and the gentle creature stood always on three legs, the fourth could support no weight. When she would move about, the mare reared a bit, hopped around with the good front leg, the poor useless foot dragging. The exclamation came unbidden, “For Heaven’s sake! How long has that mare been in that condition?” The owner answered, “For eight years!” She then told the story of the accident. Bint Helwa had been brought to England from the Egyptian stud with two other mares, and the three turned at pasture together. At nightfall the other mares returned to the stables, Bint Helwa was missing. Search for her being made, she was found standing in the road outside Crabbet Park, which is up a long hill, beside which road was a ditch. She had jumped the fence about the pasture, landed in the ditch where her leg and shoulder were broken, the other mares apparently had followed, jumped on her, and broken two ribes. She had gotten out of the ditch herself, come part way to her home, and there was found, and helped into the hovel where the visitor saw her eight years later.
Ghazala, the Arab By Col. Spencer Borden, Our Dumb Animals, Vol. 48, No. 1. page 5, June 1915 Among the animals to be shown at the Fall River Horse Show on June 10, is one that should attract attention. Reference is made to the white Arabian mare Ghazala. Besides being one of the last representatives of the famound Arabian stud gathered by Abbas Pasha [sic], former Khedive of Egypt, Ghazala is in herself a remarkable animal, of a famous family. As is well known, Abbas Pasha probably had the greatest stud of Arab horses ever owned by one man, since the time of Solomon, son of David, who, the Bible tells us, had 40,000 stalls for his horses.
The accident happened June 13. She was put in slings where she remained for nine months, when the supports were gradually removed, an attendant remaining with her day and night the entire time. April 18, following, her foal was born, and she had [italics: produced seven other foals since her accident], when seen by the American visitor. She was then nineteen years old.
Abbas was brought up, as a child, by the Sheikh of Mecca [Sherif ]; and while a youth got his love for horses, also his knowledge of what were the most desirable strains of pure bred Arabs, and where to find them. When he came to the throne in Egypt, he gave rein to his passion, and procured the best, no matter what the expense or labor. One mare that he got from Nejd — in the heart of Arabia — was too old to travel, so he had her brought 1500 miles in an ox cart. It is believed that mare is the maternal ancestor of Ghazala, who was born in the desert back of Cairo, nineteen years ago, bred by Ali Pasha Sherif, nephew [sic?] of Abbas.
This story of the soundness and endurance in the mare seen at Crabbet Park, would lead one to believe the many other tales of animals of this breed. The experiences of her daughter Ghazala in coming to America, and her trial of 1914, are proof that she inherits the enduring qualities of her dam. Ghazala was foaled at the Sheykh Obeid stud of Lady Anne Blunt [sic], at Ad Shems, back of Cairo, Egypt, nineteen years ago. She is therefore just the age of Bint Helwa when seen in England. In 1909 she was bought to come to America, delivery to be at the boundary of the Ad Shems estate. She had never seen a railway train; yet she was taken by Cook and Son in a car to Alexandria, then sent by sea to Liverpool. Eighteen days, from September 16 to October 3, she sailed through stormy seas. At Liverpool she rested two days, then said for Boston. The voyage was one of the worst the ship ever encountered, and it took nine days for that crossing, twenty-four hours more than usual. Ghazala was thrown on her head against the solid woodwork of the vessel, raising a bunch from which a pint of bruised blood and pus was removed, the skin dragged from her head by the halter, her legs strained and skinned. Reaching Boston she had to be taken to the veterinary hospital in an ambulance. There her injuries were treated, and in ten days she walked over the road to Fall River [NH], her American home, fifty miles away. Here she has had three foals, one of them the beautiful grey stallion Giaour, owned by Chas. A. Stone, Esq., of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and to be shown also at Fall River.
The sire of Ghazala was Ibn Sherara, son of Sotamm [Sottam] and Sherara, one of Abbas’ choicest Seglawi Jedran [SIC] stallions, of the strain of Ibn Sudan of the Roala tribe of Bedouins. The dam of Ghazala, also a Seglawi Jedran, was Bint Helwa, known the world over as the famous “Broken-Legged Mare.” A visitor to Crabbet Arabian Stud in England, in 1905, noticed that first one, then another, particularly attractive animal, was pointed out as akin to the “Broken Legged Mare.” Finally he asked, “What is the Broken-Legged Mare, and where is she?” “You shall see,” answered Lady Anne Blunt. This most interesting woman, now more than seventy years of age, is grand-daughter of Lord Byron, has traveled extensively in the East, made two trips to the heart of Arabia, one of them to Nejd — never visited by more than a half dozen white people. She speaks and reads Arabic like a native, has two studs of Arabian horses, one in England, one in Egypt, and is recognized as the foremost authority on the subject in the world. [sic?] She led the way to a large box-stall, standing by itself, of which Bint Helwa was the sole occupant. Here was a [broken-legged 4
As Ghazala has no foal this year, she will be shown under saddle. At her age — now in her twentieth year — she should not be expected to win over younger mares, as she has been ridden but little, and has had seven foals. That she still retains her vitality, same as her mother, is shown by her experience of 1914. February 27th of last year she had a fine filly foal, Gulnare, by Segario. June 29, another mare at Interlach [SB’s stud], Rosina, a daughter of Segario, heavy with foal, slipped, fell, and broke her back. As the mare could not be saved, her foal was taken from her, and lived. The problem was to raise the foal. Ghazala’s filly being four months old, she was weaned and taught to eat solid food, and Ghazala was compelled to adopt the orphan colt of Rosina. This she consented to, and nursed him until the end of October. She thus was mother and foster-mother to two sturdy youngsters, from February till nearly November 1, and both are fine specimens this year. Of course, the mare had to be fed pretty well, but she accomplished what was asked of her; and her appearance at the Horse Show in June will prove that no serious injury was done her.
*Ghazala, illustrating the Borden article.
New photos of both familiar and unfamiliar horses keep turning up. One of the best at locating such images is Michael Bowling. At right is a photo of the Davenport import *Muson, with his new owner, H.W. Jacobs, near Chicago, Illinois. He was transferred to Jacobs in 1916, and reported dead by 1918. Below is believed to be a photo of *Obeyran, of the Hamidie Society. Most photos of *Obeyran show him as an aged horse, but this shows him at a younger age, in the mid-1890s, likely not long after he was obtained by Peter Bradley.
Khamsat Advertising Advertising Rates can be found on page 55 of this issue. You can send your advertising to the Al Khamsa Business Office or to the editor by mail or by email, or you can order advertising directly on the Al Khamsa website as part of the Al Khamsa store. Click on the main drop-down menu under Publications / Khamsat, and you will find links to selected articles, to a listing of all articles that have been published in the Khamsat since its inception in 1984, to an order form for back issues, to order forms for advertising and subscriptions. We will be happy to create an ad for you to your requirements, or you can find specifications for preparing a copy-ready advertisement yourself under that advertising link. 5
2020 Al Khamsa Virtual Convention
the schedule. Business matters were covered and updates from the various committees were presented. Monica Respet gave her welcome and opening remarks as President. Conner Chambers provided a Zoom navigation tutorial for attendees. Jeannie Lieb gave an update of the Preservation Task Force efforts and an update to the Website upgrade. Mary Gills provided the finance report. Pam Studebaker made a plea for donations and made announcements. The chatrooms were left open afterward for people to visit with one another. Saturday, October 17, the convention resumed; this meeting was attended by a larger audience and joined by several international guests. The advisory council met and selected a new Board of Delegates and preference for the upcoming President. Edouard Al Dahdah and R.J. Cadranell delivered a passionate speech on Ghadir. Joe Ferriss presented a first-year roster proposal for Gamil Al-Din, which was passed. The Board of Delegates selected the new Board of Directors for 20-21. The chatrooms were again left open after the meeting for a productive and fun visitation with plenty of horse talk. The convention ended after the first meeting of the 2020-21 Board of Directors on October 18, 2020.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention The beginning of 2020 started like everyone else’s — a normal year. The convention was slated to take place at McMinnville, Oregon, in October of 2020. Our hosts Steve Langer and Terry Brooks were underway scheduling venues. The committee was working on selecting speakers when we found ourselves faced with the COVID Pandemic. As Americans and the world hunkered down, the convention committee was at a crucial time with strategic planning for the upcoming event. Then, the West Coast news was reporting uncontrollable fires throughout Oregon. So, in the wise words of Plato who said, “necessity is the mother of invention,” it was time to start inventing. We could not go forward with the traditional meeting format for the annual convention. It was apparent that some sort of virtual meeting would have to suffice. The committee re-structured itself to bring in a different group of committee members to facilitate an online experience. With the help of a recruited friend, Conner Chambers who was knowledgeable about Zoom.com, and our own tech-savvy Jeannie Lieb, we set out on the new adventure. The predicament made pathways to possibilities. This new venue would allow us to invite international guests. Our Fantasia could include horses from all regions of North America. It gave Al Khamsa horse owners a chance to advertise their horses; it could be done economically for all and would be profitable for Al Khamsa. We spent the first few weeks of the summer researching and selecting applications to bring together the convention’s different aspects. It was then with all hands on deck, we set voyage to our first-ever virtual convention for October. Pam Studebaker, Monica Respet and Megan King worked diligently to obtain auction items and orchestrate speakers. PJ Altshuler and Kathleen Jost collected, edited and loaded videos for the fantasia and speakers. Kathy Busch beautifully developed the convention program. Jenny Krieg, accompanied by Jill Erisman, pumped out event announcements, and all the while, Jeannie Lieb was miraculously keeping all tech issues in motion.
32auctions.com very successfully facilitated the online auction for the convention. There were 37 horses in the Fantasia, and we introduced 24 Al Khamsa foals on YouTube videos. We also enjoyed YouTube presentations from Basil Jadaan of his Syrian Horses; Beth Minnich provided a report on Managing Genetic Disorders;
The Zoom meeting took place starting with the Board meetings on October 15 and 16. The Board had met a few times already on Zoom and was comfortable with the format. The Board with Monica at the helm was able to accomplish quite a bit of important business in the meetings. Friday the 16th, the convention opened mostly to an American audience due to
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Laurence Perceval led us on a tour of her breeding program in France; Crockett Dumas and Terry Bannister discussed the Endurance Horse, Riding and Tack; Joe Ferriss took us on a look back to Al Khamsa horses in the ‘70s; and Michael Bowling shared a report on Homer Davenport and the horses of the Hamidie Hippodrome Co. All YouTube presentations were able to be viewed at each attendee’s convenience. Even though there were some minor missteps in this new adventure, the over-all report was a feeling of success and proved to be profitable for Al Khamsa. We all want to thank all of you that attended and supported our first-ever Al Khamsa Virtual Convention.
2020 Annual Meeting Business Reports Board Meeting – Thursday, October 15, 2020 Called to order at 4:15pm ET. Present: PJ Altshuler, Edie Booth, Jeanne Craver, Kim Davis, Mary Gills, Megan King, Jenny Krieg, Monica Respet, Pam Studebaker. Some people have work conflicts that are unavoidable. Committee Reports:
Awards: Four awards were chosen to present this year. Janet Maurer is unable to attend, but the awards will be presented on Saturday. Convention (PJ Altshuler): Speeches are being uploaded to YouTube. The Auction is up and running with over $1,000 already bid. [The convention was a success, not just in programming and attendance, but financially as well, even though fees were greatly reduced with the virtual format, so were expenses. Al Khamsa’s financial picture was much improved with the convention’s success.] 7
Pam offers appreciation to PJ for all her work. Everyone agrees!
we engage people and grow interest and increase help? Kate said many people on Facebook are willing to help, but we need to sell the horse first and the pedigree second to new people. We can confuse them and turn them off.
**Debbie Mackie joined at 4:25 pm Database (Jeanne Craver): The committee is currently on hold with Randy Abler retiring. Creating a Database Task Force to study and recommend options for moving forward with a new process for creating pedigree pages on our website. Task Force members: Megan King, Jeannie Lieb, Kim Davis, Jeanne Craver, Moira Walker, Karsten Scherling, Ambar Diaz.
Nominations & Successions (Rosemary Doyle): For stability this year, we are recommending all officer positions remain in place. Edie would like to step down from the Board, but will still do AERC outreach. Suggestions requested for additions to the Board. Social Media (Jenny Krieg): Jenny requested someone else to take over as chair of the committee. Mary asked if Nichole Grodski would be interested in co-chair. Discussion followed on marketing using digital marketing opportunities. We need fascinating content. Do we have videos of past Fantasias and Conventions?
**Yasser Ghanim joined as a guest Publications (Jeanne Craver): Khamsat 31.2 is being delivered now. We have gone from losing $1500 per issue to now making $1300 per issue. We currently are also up a bit in subscriptions.
**Margie Johnson joined as a guest at 6:30pm.
**Rosemary Doyle joined at 4:35 pm External Relations (WAHO – Rosemary Doyle): With the meeting postponed because of COVID-19, there are no updates.
Discussion about digitizing films and/or VHS tapes. It is possible that there are grants available to help with the expense of this.
External Relations (AERC – Edie Booth): AERC wants our $500 Silver Sponsorship. Most rides have been canceled this year so AERC is low on funds. Recommendation — we should continue sponsorship and ad.
Website (Jeannie Lieb): written report received earlier. Monica pointed out that we need a volunteer to head up educational Web Content: more of a manager than a writer. This is an important task! Discussion held about new committees and updates. Start with the Finance (income) committee and then finding a new chairperson for Social Media committee. Planning for online convention video continuance and how that would work: by link from our website paywall section.
Finance (Mary Gills): PowerPoint presented, and to be attached to minutes. **Kathy Busch joined at 4:55 pm Continuing Finance. there was a lengthy discussion on forming an income subcommittee of Finance.
Karin brought up the sales pages on the website — refreshment is needed so it can become more active. Links to Facebook comments help drive traffic to our site.
Formation of a Promotional Sub-Committee, to report to the Finance committee. Monica Respet, PJ Altshuler, Jill Erisman are all interested. They would work on planned ways to bring income to Al Khamsa. Suggestions for other participants were made. Yasser Ghanim suggests a focus on digital marketing and social media. There was discussion of an online fundraiser some time mid-year and of a possible matching dollars campaign.
Monica brought up the topic of identification branding. There needs to be a consistent message and careful wording. The purpose of Al Khamsa is research and education for people interested in the history of the Arabian Horse. Monica gave a reminder that we have to be careful of anything we put in print and we as a Board have responsibilities and to make a good faith effort in everything we say and do. We are known for our credibility and don’t want to lose that.
Khamsat renewal cards: To save money, it was decided to continue to email those we can, and mail the rest. There should be a second reminder. Auto renewal was again brought up, but it is too expensive with everything that has to be followed in order to store individual payment information, and there are liability risks involved.
Pam asked if we should consider a mid-winter board zoom meeting — consensus was Yes. Monica said that we still need to pick up donated items from the Institute for the Desert Arabian Horse, with discussion of how to get the items moved and to where.
**Break at 5:22pm, Debbie and Yasser left at break, Kate Rhodes and Karin Floyd joined at 5:35pm, and the meeting started back up at 4:40pm.
Recessed meeting at 6:30pm.
Mary asked what she should emphasize in the Finance Report during the Convention. The website will continue to have extra expenses with creating a paywall section, and the online database project is an open-ended expense item at this point.
Board Meeting – Friday, October 16, 2020 Present at 12:00 pm: PJ, Edie, Jeanne, Rosemary, Mary, Megan, Jenny, Debbie, Monica, Pam and guests Joe Ferriss, Margie Johnson and Moira Walker.
Jeanne brought up ISSUU (the software that is used for the digital Khamsat) and how long can we expect them to maintain Khamsats on their website. Work must continue on getting back issues on our website, emphasizing the need for a paywall section. Joe Ferriss is creating PDFs directly from his original files where possible.
Joe Ferriss made a presentation about his Roster Proposal for Gamal El Din. The vote passed unanimously by all directors present. **Kim joined at 1pm. A discussion was held about seeking volunteers for various jobs. Utilize social media as much as possible.
Preservation Task Force: Karin reports she has one Code Red foal due next year, and Kate is working on some. Written committee reports have more details and updates. Monica asked: how do
Megan said we need to link people ready to retire with new people, both for horses and materials, but also for passing on history and context. 8
**Nichole Grodski joined as guest at 1:35pm.
Presentation: Goodbye Zobeyni, Hello, Gadir.
Board of Delegates Nominations: Holly Reuter, Jill Erisman, Nichole Grodski, Darlene Summers, Maria Wallis. Unanimous vote by Board. Board list to go to Advisory Council – current members minus Edie, nominate Joe Ferriss as addition. Accepted slate as presented – current Board plus Joe. Unanimous vote by Board. **Karin Floyd and Joe Ferriss joined at 2:15pm, Basil Jadaan joined as guest at 2:20pm. Joe declined nomination to the Board. Discussion: Should we plan on the 2021 Convention in person or virtual next year? It seemed wise to plan for a virtual convention, with regional gatherings encouraged if the pandemic permits. **Kathy Busch joined at 2:30pm, Joe left meeting at 2:40 pm. Jeanne moved to adjourn the 2019–2020 meeting, Pam second. Advisory Meeting will be tonight at 7:00pm. Meeting Adjourned at 2:45pm Advisory Council Meeting – Friday, October 16, 2020 The meeting began at 7pm.
Edouard Al Dahdah and RJ Cadranell made an hour-long presentation on their research into the pedigree of the Ali Pasha Sherif stallion, Aziz (APS). It was absolutely the most absorbing presentation made in many years at an Al Khamsa convention. Questions followed, with great interaction with the audience. The Roster Proposal vote was announced: it was approved with 64 in favor, 11 opposed. The Board of Delegates was convened om a separate Zoom room, as below, to appoint the President and Board of Directors. Board of Delegates – Saturday, October 17, 2020 Present were all members: PJ Altshuler, Kim Davis, Jill Erisman, Mary Gills, Nichole Grodski, Jenny Krieg, Debbie Mackie, Monica Respet. Appoint President: Jill moved to appoint Monica Respet as President for 2020-2021. Nichole second. Passed unanimously. Appoint Board of Directors: Jill moved to nominate last year’s Board minus Edie Booth (Monica, Kim, Mary, Jeanne, Rosemary, Megan, Patricia, Carrie, PJ, Debbie, Edouard, Kathy, Karin, Jenny, Kate, Pam) plus Nichole Grodski. Monica second. Passed unanimously. The Awards Ceremony was held (see pages 10–11).
Committee Reports:
Finance Committee (Mary Gills): To be included in the next Khamsat. Preservation Task Force (Jeannie Lieb): The emphasis currently has been on Code Red in tail-female and tail-male. Edouard Al Dahdah and Carrie Slayton are the co-chairs and that they are adding Moira Walker and Karin Floyd to the committee. Khamsat (Jeanne Craver): Since the annual meeting in 2019, the Khamsat has moved to digital production (with print copies available at cost), and that this has already turned our per issue loss of c. $1500 per issue to c. $1300 gain. Website (Jeannie Lieb): Recent activity has been all about getting the virtual convention produced, with online registration and fantasia and speaker videos prepared. We are changing hosts to a company more supportive of our underlying Joomla software, and that has been the focus of the year. Advisory Council Meeting – Saturday, October 17, 2020 The meeting was called to order at 12:06pm. Pam Studebaker and Nichole Grodski suggested a mid-winter chat/visit on Zoom, perhaps even monthly chats. There were 86 attendees. Joe Ferriss made a presentation to the Council on his Roster Proposal for Gamal El Din, and an online voting service was used to allow for people to be approved for voting as members of the Advisory Council, and to vote on the Roster Proposal and Elections. Elections Results:
For Board of Delegates: Jill Erisman, Nichole Grodski and Jenny Krieg were approved to represent the Advisory Council. A nomination to the Board of Directors was made for Michael Bowling (he declined). 9
Edouard and RJ’s speech and awards were not recorded by accident. The presentation will be recreated and included with the rest of the convention videos. Sunday Board Meeting
The meeting was called to order by President Monica Respet at 12:00 pm. Also in attendance were Edouard Al Dahdah, PJ Altshuler, Kathy Busch, Jeanne Craver, Kim Davis, Rosemary Doyle, Mary Gills, Nichole Grodski, Megan King, Jenny Krieg, Debbie Mackie, Kate Rhodes, Pam Studebaler. **Guests: Jennifer Payne, Marcia -, Brigitte Killian, Margie Johnson. Appointed Officers: Pam moved to appoint PJ as vice-president, Kim as secretary, Mary & Debbie as co-treasurers, Patricia as Business Office Manager. Mary seconded. Approved. Committee Chairs: Awards – on hold Convention – Pam & PJ Database – Jeanne External Relations – Rosemary, Middle Eastern Relations – Edouard, AERC – Edie Nominations & Succession – Rosemary PTF – Carrie & Edouard **Beth Minnich joined as guest at 12:15pm Publications – Jeanne and Kathy as backup Social Media – Nichole and Jenny as backup Website – Jeannie L Finance – Mary Pam moved to approve the slate as presented. Debbie seconded. Approved. The meeting was recessed at 12:30pm, to reconvene online. Monthly Board meetings will be the third Sunday of each month at 2pm Eastern time.
Al Khamsa Inc. Awards
2020 Newcomer’s Award Al Khamsa , Inc., and its goals have been blessed over the years with many “angels” in the form of our volunteers. Since we are a group without membership and hence without dues, these volunteers become even more important in attaining our goal of education. Without volunteers there would be no conventions, no directories, no roster, no Al Khamsa Arabians I, II, or III, no web site, and probably a lot fewer horses with traceable bloodlines to the desert. Each year at our convention, we like to honor those volunteers whose efforts stand out from all others.
2020 Phyllis Ramsey Breeders Award Al Khamsa, Inc. and its goals have been blessed over the years with many “angels” in the form of our volunteers. Since we are a group without membership and hence without dues, these volunteers become even more important in attaining our goal of education. Without volunteers there would be no conventions, no directories, no roster, no Al Khamsa Arabians I, II, or III, no web site, and probably a lot fewer horses with traceable bloodlines to the desert. Each year at our convention, we like to honor those volunteers whose efforts stand out from all others.
The Newcomer’s Award was established to honor those individuals who, though new to Al Khamsa, have contributed in outstanding sweat equity to serve Al Khamsa’s mission in her/his first two years of involvement with the organization. This may be help with a convention or two, a successful fund raiser, an ongoing education project or service to the Board on an assigned project that requires many hours of personal time during their first two years with Al Khamsa. In 2020 Al Khamsa recognizes Moira Walker.
The Phyllis Ramsey Breeders Award is an award for longterm dedication to the Al Khamsa Arabian horse, including multiple generations of her/his own asil horses and their preservation for the future. In 2020 Al Khamsa recognizes Homer and Tina Penniman for their many contributions to the Al Khamsa horse.
Moira Walker attended her first Al Khamsa convention last year in Arkansas. Before she even joined the Preservation Task Force in October 2019, Moira was doing good deeds for the PTF. She moved our shared PTF work on determining Code Red Foundation horses in the tail female and tail male positions from Dropbox to Google Docs.
Homer and Tina Penniman established Treff-Haven Arabians in 1964 in Waldron, AR where they bred Egyptian horses who trace in all lines to the desert tribes. Raised by his grandfather who was a master farrier, Homer learned the trade. A farrier for Ansata, Serenity, Gleannloch and Masada among others led Homer to research and travel through much of North America to find Al Khamsa horses, particularly those in declining lines for their farm’s breeding program. As a trainer, Homer appreciated the using ability of those lines. In the 1980’s theirs was fully an Al Khamsa herd.
Then Moira dove into the t-shirt fundraiser and set up an example under a new vendor as our usual one was no longer offering zip front hooded sweatshirts. Most helpful of all has been her research of potentially endangered lines and tracking down “lost” horses. Moira has shared some of that research about historical asil horses with the Daughters of the Wind blog. Now with her first Al Khamsa mares, Moira is excitedly expecting her first Al Khamsa foal in 2021. Welcome aboard, Moira!
Originally the Pennimans had combined source horses with mainly Egyptian blood, with an eventual emphasis on EAO and Inshass blood. They kept the Gassir branch of the Jamil el Khebir sire line alive. They helped keep the non-Nazeer EAO group alive. Tina and Homer shared the Treff-Haven program for 26 years. Tina continues their bloodlines alone as Homer unfortunately died in 2013. Currently the Al Khamsa Breeder’s Index lists 54 horses in the Treff-Haven registration.
The Awards At the founding 1975 Al Khamsa Convention, it was agreed to compile the first Al Khamsa Directory. Jeanne Craver, Jackson Hensley, Carol Lyons, and Diana Marston produced the Directory in 1976. Advertising Chair and Board Member Jackson Hensley did the original artwork for the cover in red Conté pencil, a composite of several Al Khamsa mares he had known. The giclée print from the original has been signed and numbered by American Realist, Jackson Hensley, for your Al Khamsa award. The frames have been handmade from cherry by Jerry Martin and hand rubbed with lemon oil by Jackson Hensley.
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2020 Charles Craver President’s Award Al Khamsa, Inc. and its goals have been blessed over the years with many “angels” in the form of our volunteers. Since we are a group without membership and hence without dues, these volunteers become even more important in attaining our goal of education. Without volunteers there would be no conventions, no directories, no roster, no Al Khamsa Arabians I, II, or III, no web site, and probably a lot fewer horses with traceable bloodlines to the desert. Each year at our convention, we like to honor those volunteers whose efforts stand out from all others. The Charles Craver President’s Award is presented at the Board’s pleasure to honor unique achievement by a supporter or group of supporters in advancing the role and mission of Al Khamsa. It is awarded only when the Board finds a case, domestic or international, current or posthumous, of exceptional merit. In 2020, Al Khamsa recognizes Kim Davis.
2020 Carol Lyons Volunteer of the Year Award Al Khamsa, Inc. and its goals have been blessed over the years with many “angels” in the form of our volunteers. Since we are a group without membership and hence without dues, these volunteers become even more important in attaining our goal of education. Without volunteers there would be no conventions, no directories, no roster, no Al Khamsa Arabians I, II, or III, no web site, and probably a lot fewer horses with traceable bloodlines to the desert. Each year at our convention, we like to honor those volunteers whose efforts stand out from all others. The Carol Lyons Volunteer of the Year Award is presented for extraordinary contribution to the mission of Al Khamsa, Inc. An award is presented to the individual who has exhibited knowledge of the goals of and belief in Al Khamsa through her/his years of activities supporting our mission. This may include exhibiting the ability and willingness to educate others of our goals, efforts in fund raising, and hands-on work in preserving the past for the future. In 2020, Al Khamsa recognizes Mary Gills. If you know Al Khamsa business at all, you have run into Mary Gills. When there is a job that needs doing, she picks it up and runs with it. She has served Al Khamsa as Secretary from 20072013 and as President from 2014-2016. She joined the Finance Committee in 2015 and is currently co-Treasurer for Al Khamsa. She assists Pat Lawrence with the Business Office, holding Al Khamsa supplies and mailing them out. Mary offers a smile and enthusiasm to all. No problem is too challenging. If she has never done a particular job before, she learns and does it well. “Having Mary's ongoing volunteerism,” says President Monica Respect, “makes Al Khamsa a better place. When there is a need, Mary steps up.” She loves to ride her horses. Living in Steamboat Springs, CO has given Mary many lovely places to do just that. She is learning Parelli and is breeding Davenports at her Windsor Arabians. 11
Kim Davis has been a part of Al Khamsa from its beginnings. She helped her mother, Rivian Gardner, put on the 1982 Al Khamsa Convention, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Henry Babson’s importation of two stallions and five mares from Egypt. Kim followed her parents onto the Al Khamsa road, but took a different turning to Davenport breeding. She is a senior breeder and serves on the Board of the Davenport Arabian Horse Conservancy. Her Hawks Haven Farm in Capron, IL specializes in Krush Davenports. Kim took over the Al Khamsa Business Office in 1993, serving for over 20 years! She is currently helping the Database committee evaluate registrations and is serving as Secretary for that Committee. President Monica Respect appreciates Kim’s keen voice of reason on the present Al Khamsa Board. “Kim quietly gets things done,” continues Monica. “She does not speak often, but when she does, it is worth the listen.”
Bear Creek Ranch Proudly Supports the Al Khamsa Straight Egyptian Arabian horse
Featured is our stallion Nebras Al Rayyan (Ansata Hejazi x Naama Al Rayyan). Nebras is the epitome of how kind, intelligent and loving the Al Khamsa horse is. We would like to welcome you to come visit us in person or virtually soon. We look forward to hearing from you! Carol and Reilly
Bear Creek Ranch
Carol & Reilly Maginn carolmaginn@gmail.com 1135 Schuelke Road Lockhart, TX 78644 USA 512-359-2842 www.bearcreek-ranch.com www.maginnmedia.com 12
Hawks Haven Farm
Davenports of the Kuhaylan Kurush strain. HH Spartan Krush (HH Solstice Krush x HH Nadira Krush) Kim Davis 7275 Manchester Road, Capron, IL 61012 815-540-3060 kdavis@sharontelephone.com
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Preserving the Abbas Pasha Heritage, Part One by Bev Davison
The SpiritWind Horses SpiritWind Desert Arabians, LLC 1991-2021 Update
It began with a road trip, or two. There is nothing like seeing and feeling horses in the flesh, experiencing them in their glory — especially at liberty. Better yet, to touch them and look into their eyes. So special! Thirty-plus years ago, the internet, email, and even cell phones were yet to be the tools they have become today. Photos and video were often distorted — if you could successfully download them. Being near the horse in person was imperative, particularly if you were looking with the intent to breed. Seeing Sierra Sandarac, “Sandman,” as he was fondly called, for the first time and watching him move was something I hope I never forget. I am naturally drawn to the deep, rich-coated types, and it was equally appealing that 3he had a very calm, approachable presence, as well. He was an extraordinarily strong, masculine creature, yet his eye was soft. Those nostrils flared like big jet air intakes. His chest was wide and powerful. He was full-bodied with wellsprung ribs and a hind-end motor that exuded power! His legs were chiseled, with short cannons and dense with noticeable bone of durability. His feet, sure as the sun, devoured the ground, yet he moved with the grace and athleticism of a much more lightly built animal. I was transfixed! Watching Sierra Sandarac running across the Colorado landscape at the Maloof ranch is where the SpiritWind chapter truly began. Sierra Sandarac be- Sierra Sandarac AHR #115265, 1974 bay stallion, Sierra came the foundation sire of the SpiritWind effort in 1991. He was to continue Sand x Sierra Sable, 50% Babson – 50% Doyle, Saqlawi-Jithe Babson/Doyle blend with their high percentages of Abbas Pasha blood. He dran, Third Generation Pure in the Strain, B. Maloof photo, came to Minnesota in early winter at the age of 18. I remember him coming 65.7% Abbas Pasha. off the trailer in the dark, under a yard light. He calmly assessed the new surroundings, and then turned to the hauler and nudged him hard in a rather obvious way as if to say, “You can go now, I’m good here.” We all looked at each other in astonishment and chuckled. He was ever the sage and clown. Thus began our whimsical relationship. He was bred by Jerry Smith, of Caballos Sierras/Sierra Arabian Horses, Inc., also from Colorado, and was born in 1974. He was 50% Babson — influenced by Mahrouss (Fay-El-Dine x Khedena) on the top and Negem (Fa-Serr x Fay-Negma) on the bottom. He was also 50% Doyle — influenced by Gulnara (Ghadaf x Gulida) on the top and Jadera (Jadib x Im Gulnar) on the bottom. In addition, he was of the now very rare Fay-El-Dine sire line,1 third generation pure in the strain Saqlawi Jidran of Ibn Sudan, and he carried 65.7% blood from the heritage of Abbas Pasha I (AP)!2 (Note: The use of AP% in this article includes the combination of Abbas Pasha and Ali Pasha Sharif heritage into one source percentage number. This practice is supported by research provided by Edouard al-Dahdah, to be published in a forthcoming book this year.) Sandarac came from excellent stock. His sire, Sierra Sand, also boasting 66.26% of AP blood, is listed as bred by Ellen Doyle. Jerry Smith acquired him and used him many times on his mares and considered him “by far the best stallion that I raised.”3 He described him in his Latigo Ranch Reference Sires listing as “an extremely classic stallion with a lot of substance, standing 15-2 hands, copper chestnut with white markings.”4 Jerry lived on a working cattle ranch. He used his Arabians in everyday ranch work, and his family enjoyed showing in local cutting, reining, trail and western pleasure classes. When frustrated by the lack of Arabian shows, and even fewer Arabian horses participating in the working western classes, Jerry and his family started a Western Fun Day at their ranch and invited Arabian competitors. He felt he could showcase his unique Arabians and that more working events would attract people into owning and showing Arabians, making it more fun for all. A feature in the February 1974 Western Horseman, described the day as follows: “And fun they had. Sedate, winning western pleasure horses spun booger-eyed in terror when faced by yearling Angus calves. Well-broke show ring veterans bucked. The crowd relaxed, laughed, and tried their luck at new and fast-moving events. To some owners’ surprise, their inexperienced horses handled the critters fairly well, considering. 14
Everyone went home with a sunburn (the Colorado sun was generous that October day) and a determination to do it again. Classes included only one western pleasure class (to get everyone warmed up), and then western riding, stock horse, cutting, egg and spoon race, team penning, working cowhorse, flag race, team roping, and calf daubing. Each class was explained for those not familiar with the event, then competition started under the auspices of a judge and AHSA rules.” 5 Jerry Smith bred roughly 20-plus Babson/Doyle blended horses6 between 1965 and 1976, and they were indeed “using” horses, but when the Smith family retired from breeding Arabians, many of their horses were not used to carry the blood forward.
Left, Sire of Sierra Sandarac: Sierra Sand (Mahrouss x Gulnara) 15.2h, 1967 chestnut stallion bred by Ellen Doyle, 66.26% Abbas Pasha. Right top, Mahrouss (Fay-El-Dine x Khedena), age four, 1954 grey stallion bred by Henry B. Babson, 68.07% Abbas Pasha. Right bottom, Gulnara (Ghadaf x Gulida), age two, 1952 chestnut mare bred by J.L. or Ellen Doyle, 64.45% Abbas Pasha.
Fortunately, the 1967 black-bay mare Sierra Sable, dam of Sierra Sandarac, did. She is listed by the Al Khamsa online pedigree roster (2019) as having 52 descendants. She, as well, carried significant Abbas Pasha blood at 65.14%. Upon seeing Sierra Sable in person at Jerry Smith’s ranch, Joe Ferriss reacted as follows: “Wow, what a mare. Very high quality, and of the few Babson/Doyles that I had seen in person, she was right at the top. Very friendly and confident personality. Sable was very dark so as to appear seal brown, the color associated with *Astraled and his son Sotamm. She had large almond-shaped eyes and her overall silhouette was of ideal balance and harmony.”7 These words also described Sierra Sandarac — bold, confident, friendly. His presence demanded your attention, and his intelligent, playful character would often catch you off-guard! He was the perfect individual to establish a new foundation and to continue the blending of these two fine groups.
Left, Dam of Sierra Sandarac: Sierra Sable (Negem x Jadera), 1967 bay mare bred by Sierra Arabian Horses/Jerry Smith, 65.14% Abbas Pasha. Right top, Negem (Fa-Serr x Fay-Negma), 1956 black stallion, bred by Henry B. Babson, Betty Rider photo, 68.17% Abbas Pasha. Right bottom, Jadera (Jadib x Im Gulnar), 1962 chestnut mare bred by Ellen Doyle, D. Bohart photo, 62.11% Abbas Pasha.
The idea to blend the horses of the Babson and Doyle programs really began roughly 30 years before my Colorado visit. It was first initiated by Ellen Doyle, wife of Dr. Joseph L. Doyle, after his passing in 1957. Fa-Serr, the well-known and successful 1947 black Babson stallion, was bred to the first-generation 1952 chestnut Doyle-bred mare, Gulnara. The result was the first blending of Babson and Doyle stock, producing the 1959 bay stallion Serg (AHR#015681). Like Sierra Sandarac, Serg was a rich, darker bay of substance and good 15
mind. Serg is shown in the 1969 photo (below), standing calmly in a Pleasure Driving class at Pueblo, Colorado, his first time shown in this class.
Left, Serg (Fa-Serr x Gulnara) 1959 bay stallion bred by Ellen Doyle, Leslie Neppel photo, 66.99% Abbas Pasha. Right top, Sire of Serg: Fa-Serr (*Fadl x *Bint Serra I) 1947 black stallion bred by Henry B. Babson, 69.53% Abbas Pasha. Right bottom, Dam of Serg: Gulnara (Ghadaf x Gulida), age two, 1952 chestnut mare, bred by J.L. or Ellen Doyle, 64.45% Abbas Pasha.
Serg represented the beginning of the blending of the Babson and the Doyle programs. It was a resourceful idea to do so as both groups descend from remotely similar roots yet provide diversity to each other, and most importantly they bring together some of the highest concentrations of Abbas Pasha (AP) heritage available worldwide. It must have been disheartening to realize during those years that the AP blood had already been outcrossed without maintaining a core group from which its original old-world purity and Desert type could be preserved. This was a driving force for Joseph Doyle when he put Ghadaf, Gulida, and Nusi together. Being of Abbas Pasha heritage was and remains a valuable distinction in the Arabian horse world. Abbas Pasha I (born July 1, 1812 – assassinated July 16, 1854) ruled as Viceroy of Egypt from 1848 to 1854.8 He was the son of Tousson Pasha, nephew of Ibrahim Pasha, and grandson of Viceroy Muhammad Ali (March 4, 1769 – August 2, 1849). While all were horsemen, Muhammad Ali was known to have assembled one of the largest and finest collections of Desert Arabians in the history of the breed. Abbas Pasha lost his father at a young age. His grandfather raised him in the Desert, fostering his own passion for the finest of the Desert Arabian horses. He was put in charge of the administration of his grandfather’s breeding stations by the age of 23. Later, when he had financial resources of his own, he set out to gather the best horses he could find from throughout the region of Desert Arabia. He employed Bedouins to continue their husbandry and historical knowledge to best ensure the maintenance of the true noble quality of these Desert gems. He went to great lengths to ensure each horse’s pedigree was of utmost quality and their history completely reliable. He was the first to put such information in written form, keeping meticulous records himself. While opinions of him as a ruler or a man may not have been stellar,9 his permanent impact on the quality and purity of the Arabian breed is without question. Today, in the words of Edouard Al Dahdah, noted authority on the Desert Arabian horse and its history: “The Abbas Pasha blood continues to bear the hallmarks of undisputable authenticity of blood and high breeding. The Abbas Pasha bloodlines flow seamlessly in the herd Ali Pasha Sharif assembled during and after Abbas Pasha’s lifetime, until the Ali Pasha Sharif stud dispersed in 1896. In turn, these bloodlines made their way through the studs of other Egyptian royals and that of Lady Anne and Wilfrid Blunt at Crabbet Park in Great Britain and Sheykh Obeyd in Egypt. Today, the ‘unmistakable stamp’ (as Lady Anne Blunt put it) of the Abbas Pasha/Ali Pasha Sharif blood continues to mark many lineages of Arabian horses around the world. One can safely say that the greater the percentage of Abbas Pasha blood in a horse, the better the horse.” From the beginning, the SpiritWind program has focused on very basic principles: Preserve the ancient Desert blood and type; use horses of high percentage Abbas Pasha/Ali Pasha Sharif heritage; seek to use the highest possible concentration of this blood; and breed true to its source and with like individuals only. In partnership with the blood, the priority goal is to breed Desert Arabians whose intelligence, work ethic and temperament exceed all stereotypes and who can and will do what a companion horse should be able to do. As natural in-your-tent family horses they want to be with us, but they are also ranch horses, and sport horses, and reliable trail horses — “doing” horses. These attributes are not guaranteed unless you start with quality animals and cultivate the generations to follow. The blend of the Babson and Doyle stock combines the best of both groups in an animal with extraordinary potential. Highest on that scale of potential is their innate genetic power to excel in the sport of Endurance. The numerous records of ancestors’ achievements, whether from cavalry/remount or other predecessors’ accomplishments, support this. This phrase best captures the resolve of the SpiritWind Desert Arabians, LLC program: “The Spirit of the WarHorse with the Temperament of the TentDweller.” 16
This source blood brought forward through the Babson and Doyle programs is strong. The nine core horses within the Babson (six) and Doyle (three) groups provide closeup lineage not only to their Desert roots, but specifically to the Abbas Pasha (AP) heritage. The 1923 bay Babson mare *Bint Serra I provides the highest AP influence, with 75%. (See Table 1 below.) She also provides this influence in the straight Babson and Babson/Brown groups. Table 1. AP Influence of the Babson & Doyle Root Horses used in the Babson/Doyle Horses Name
Birth Sex Color
Sire
Dam
Group
Breeder
Tail Male
*Fadl
1930 gs
Ibn Rabdan (RAS)
Mahroussa (MNL)
Babson
Prince Mohamed Aly
*Maaroufa
1931 gm
Ibn Rabdan (RAS)
Mahroussa (MNL)
Babson
*Bint Serra I
1923 bm
Sotamm (BLT)
Serra (BLT)
*Bint Bint Sabbah
1930 bm
Baiyad (RAS)
Bint Sabah (RAS)
*Bint Saada
1930 cm
*Bint Bint Durra
Tail Female
Strain
%AP
Jamil El Kebir Ghazieh (AP) (APK)
Kuhaylan Ajuz of Ibn Jallab
64.06
Prince Mohamed Aly
Jamil El Kebir Ghazieh (AP) (APK)
Kuhaylan Ajuz of Ibn Jallab
64.06
Babson
Prince Kamal al-Din
Zobeyni (AP)
Ghazieh (AP)
Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn Sudan
75.00
Babson
Royal Agricultural Society
Saklawi I (APS)
El Dahma (APS)
Dahmah Shahwaniyah
63.28
Ibn Samhan Saada (MNL) (RAS)
Babson
Prince Mohamed Aly
Jamil El Kebir Roga El Beda (APK) (APS)
Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn Sudan
46.88
1930 cm
Ibn Rabdan (RAS)
Bint Durra (RAS)
Babson
Royal Agricultural Society
Jamil El Kebir Bint El (APK) Bahreyn (KDV)
Dahmah Shahwaniyah
43.75
Ghadaf
1929 cs
Ribal
Gulnare
Doyle
W.R. Brown
Zobeyni (AP)
Ghazieh (AP)
Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn Sudan
65.62
Gulida
1939 cm
Gulastra
Valida
Doyle
Francis J. Clarke
Zobeyni (AP)
Ghazieh (AP)
Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn Sudan
63.28
Nusi
1928 cs
Gulastra
Nusara
Doyle
W.R. Brown
Zobeyni (AP)
Dajania (BLT)
Saqlawiyah Jidraniyah of Ibn Sudan
56.25
*1932 Babson Importation.
A Different View
The terms used to identify and categorize today’s breeding groups are well-earned labels. Many are family names. They reasonably frame and package their efforts (and there are many) and pay respect to those who have labored to keep the Desert Arabian horse alive and available for the future. One might compare them to the use of strain associations used in the oral tradition of the Bedouins, maintained until this day. If we are to understand the true depth of the blood, though, we must look beyond them for a moment. Attempting to thoroughly explain the common sources of the original Desert and old Egyptian stock that brought forward what we have remaining of the Abbas Pasha Stud is a task for true historians. It is also likely truly of interest to select few students of the breed and blood history. What follows, instead, are some highlights and comparisons of ancestors who have, in my experience, influentially formed this group, and who have been recognized within the Babson/Doyle and Pritzlaff/Babson/Doyle horses that have graced the SpiritWind pastures. As these individual horses were located across the United States and were coming together physically during 1989–1991, I was studying the possibilities for matings and generations to follow. Many discussions with much more senior horsemen and researchers than I took place on that topic. In the early years I believed that in time, the blending of this blood would create a consistent type, one phenotype, a merging of all that either group had to contribute. Today, I know this to not be true, nor do I wish it to be! It is true that with certain combinations of this intensely pure genetic source, the blood does seem to bring up reflections of ancestors more removed than others. And it is also true that this group has developed its own distinct uniqueness, separate from either parent group. This is apparent daily in person and hopefully well demonstrated in the following photos (see also Part II of this article in the next Khamsat). While there are indeed blended characteristics that are by desire and design, there is clearly a minimum of four, possibly five, distinct types that appear from these old blood sources coming together in a mindful manner. Each subtype is complete with its own natural attributes and tendencies, personalities and colors. It is, in my opinion, a natural statement of the depth and strength of the genetic diversity that remains within this ancient blood. 17
One might ask, “Why preserve this group when both source groups are available, and blending can be initiated at will?” It is my belief that there is much to protect and treasure in the close-up old blood that can only be tapped into from the direct lines that connect it together, to itself, and to the babies that place their feet on the ground today. Once we leave it behind, it is out of reach, and history is replete with genetic losses from such oversights. It is inexpressibly important to preserve the original old Desert Arabian. It is not a point that preservation breeders should let loose of. Many challenges and sacrifices are accepted along this journey. The reward at times is simply having those moments when the eye catches a glimpse of a horse from the past who has, in a fleeting moment, stepped into the flesh of the present. When you pause to appreciate, even awe, at the realization that some do so from as long ago as 100 years or more in one five-generation pedigree, it answers that question, “Why?” It is likewise affirming when an outside observer comments, “Oh, that horse looks just like so-and-so,” as is seeing the past in the most recent babies who will carry it all forward. It is as always, “in the eye of the beholder.” This continuity of breeding from the day of Abbas Pasha to today, as seen in the SpiritWind horses, will be demonstrated in detail in Part II of this article. There, we will explore the physical appearance, temperament and personality of the following Asil ancestors who have influenced the forming of the Babson/Doyle group: Mesaoud, *Rodan, *Bint Serra I, Gulastra, Fa-Serr, Subani, Bint Gulida, Saafaddan, Jady, Jadera, Parnell, Bint Bint Subani, Serg, and, of course, Sierra Sand, Sierra Sable and Sierra Sandarac. Their presence is apparent in many cases from as far back as 100 years or more. The Part II photo comparisons are provided to highlight the diversity and depth of this unique group and to increase the awareness of its contribution to the genetic strength of the future of the Desert Arabian. Today’s Ongoing Efforts
In recent years, much effort has been spent battling nature and time while attempting to replace aging animals with current foals. The ongoing goal of maintaining the highest influence of AP blood has also been top priority. As of late Fall 2019, the dark bay Babson/Hallany Mistanny stallion Maarakesh (Zarife el Mansour x Maahroufa) joined the herd here. His AP percentage is an amazing 66.22%. His first foals from one (confirmed), possibly two Babson/Doyle mares, are due in 2021 and will carry 65.56% Abbas Pasha blood. There are also “straight” Babson horses with high percentages of *Bint Serra I, and consequently high percentages of AP blood, that we will continue to pursue. An additional older mare will be added to the hopeful list for 2021–22, gifted from the Doyle family: Hampshire’s Joyce, a 2001 chestnut mare (Maloof Najid x Yasmin Khanum DC), will be paired with Sierra Cheyenne, Subanet Jabbar SDA and/or Maarakesh in hopes for future foals with AP heritages of 64% or better.
Maarakesh (Zarife el Mansour x Maahroufa) 2000 bay stallion, BjDavison photo, 66.22% Abbas Pasha.
Chris Mellen of Utah has bred Babson/Doyle and Pritzlaff/Babson/Doyle lines for well over two decades. Her 1998 chestnut stallion Sierra Cheyenne, a Sierra Sandarac son, is one of the few remaining representatives of the nearly lost Fay-El-Dine sire line. His daughter, the 2003 chestnut mare Al Jahaarah, out of Sally-O-Doyle, 1988 chestnut mare (Ghalidar x Bint Subani), will also be paired with Maarakesh and/or Subanet Jabbar SDA for future 2022 foals who would register AP concentrations of 64-65%.
Left, Al Jahaarah (Sierra Cheyenne x Sally-O-Doyle) 2003 chestnut mare, 15.2hh, S. Stevens photo, 63.83% Abbas Pasha. Right, Sally-O-Doyle (Ghalidar x Bint Subani) 1988 chestnut mare, BjDavison photo, 63.20% Abbas Pasha.
Not all efforts are a success. There are always stories. I am keeping the hope that this story will have a happy ending. It involves Sierra Sandarac, dearest to my heart and whose influence I’m grateful to have grounding this group; his dear, sweet daughter Binty (Bint Sandarac SDA), who was lost this year at her young age of 25; and her only daughter (by Sandarac) — a father/daughter combination I wish I had been brave enough to repeat many more times: Sariah Sand SDA. Sariah is a 2002 black Babson/Doyle mare who, for me, is perfect in all ways imaginable (well, no horse is perfect) except, she is battling a non-genetic disease Left, Sierra Sandarac (Sierra Sand x Sierra Sable) 1974 bay stallion, BjDavison photo, 65.7% Abbas Pasha. Center, Bint Sandarac SDA (Sierra Sandarac x Bint Bint Subani) 1995 bay mare, BjDavison photo, 64.10% Abbas Pasha. Right, Sariah Sand SDA (Sierra Sandarac x Bint Sandarac SDA) 2002 black mare, BjDavison photo, 64.90% Abbas Pasha.
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that has interfered with her reproductive abilities. Asymptomatic to date, it was recently discovered to be compounding the natural complications that aging has on reproductive success. She will continue treatments and live with Maarakesh, who has happily embraced this as his mission! Since the beginning of this journey, the Pritzlaff blood has been a secondary program at SpiritWind. The first foal to land on SpiritWind soil was the flashy Pritzlaff/Babson/Doyle-bred colt — my beloved Rajabani SDA (far right). Clearly a descendant of Subani by looks, he also shared in willing tent-dweller temperament and all-around athletic abilities. Rajabani had promise for a long career in Endurance but was lost in his teens unexpectedly while I was in Idaho looking at mares to breed with him in the future.
Left, Subani (Ghadaf x Im Gulnar) 1955 chestnut Doyle stallion. Right, Rajabani SDA (RajmonoRSI x Bint Bint Subani) 1993 Pritzlaff/Babson/Doyle chestnut stallion with the author, photo T Webber.
In recent years, through cooperative efforts with Edouard al-Dahdah and Chris Mellen, a few new individuals have been added to the very lean group of tail-female Basilisk (1875 grey mare) mares via Rabanna (1947 grey mare). This was accomplished through the use of the long-established blending of Pritzlaff, Doyle, and later Babson/Doyle breeding, and in this case, specific mares bred by Sheila Harmon. DA Ginger Moon (DB Destiny Moniet x Kumence RSI) has had two fillies by Rajabani SDA’s half-brother — Subanet Jabbar SDA (highlighted in Part II of this article) — and is due again with a June 2021 full sibling. DA Elusive Melody (DB Destiny Moniet x SongOfJoy RSI) had a 2017 chestnut filly by Sierra Cheyenne, Cheyenne’s Melody. And DA Willow Windsong (Serr Serabaar x DA Elusive Melody) will be bred to SpiritWind Ahsahm for a 2022 foal to contribute to this tail female line. DA Ginger Moon’s full sister, DA Moon Dancer, was sadly lost to stomach cancer this year, an unfortunate loss for this small group. In other updates of the SpiritWind and Babson/Doyle horses, notably, six stallions within this group are of the Fay-El-Dine sire line and may be among the last anywhere! This is a lineage that needs immediate attention if valued. It is currently present in two active and one retired Babson/Doyle stallions, and through SpiritWind Ahsahm and his two recent sons of a new and old Egyptian blend. This blend occurs through another use of Pritzlaff breeding. SpiritWind Ahsahm (2001 black stallion) is Babson/Doyle bred, a direct son of Sierra Sandarac, but with 25% new Egyptian heritage through *Lancers Sahm (1974 bay stallion) on his dam’s side. The use of Ahsahm maintains the rare, almost extinct Fay-El-Dine sire line of Sierra Sandarac and carries it forward to his two current sons SpiritWind Baasil (2018 grey stallion) and SpiritWind AhsahmMoon (2020 grey stallion). These two boys are out of another Sheila Harmon mare, DA Moniets Dove (2007 grey mare), whose paternal grandsire DB Destiny
Sierra Sandarac (Sierra Sand x Sierra Sable) 1974 bay stallion, B. Maloof photo, 65.7% Abbas Pasha.
SpiritWind Ahsahm (Sierra Sandarac x EDA Sahmantha) 2001 black stallion, 62.18% Abbas Pasha.
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Cheyennes Melody (Sierra Cheyenne x DA Elusive Melody) 2017 chestnut mare, Pritzlaff/ Babson/Doyle, tail-female Rabanna/Basilisk, S. Stevens photo, 61.97% Abbas Pasha.
Left, *Lancers Sahm (Sabeel x Aziza) 1974 bay stallion, bred by EAO, Sparagowski photo. Right, DA Moniets Dove (DA Blue Moon x DA Moniets Lark) 2007 grey mare, BjDavison photo.
Full siblings: SpiritWind Baasil, 2018 grey stallion and SpiritWind AhsahmMoon, 2020 grey stallion, both (SpiritWind Ahsahm x DA Moniets Dove) BjDavison photos, 60.69% Abbas Pasha.
Moniet (1981 chestnut stallion) is a son of the previously highlighted Babson/Doyle mare Sierra Sady (Serg x Jady). This blend is therefore one of a more common heritage than is obvious at first glance. Closing thoughts – Part I The Babson/Doyle and the Pritzlaff/Babson/Doyle horses are from great old blood. They are a joy to handle and share life with — and a lot of fun to ride! Their intelligence, confidence, funny personalities, insatiable work ethic, and smooth, powerful way of going are understated qualities to be appreciated. Part II will provide a visual comparison tour of today’s horses with those from the past who have contributed great influence in this unique group. It will offer descriptions and reactions from those who had the privilege to stand next to these grand horses in person and further demonstrate what the horses with the “Spirit of the WarHorse with the Temperament of the TentDweller” embody. In the words of Edouard Al Dahdah: “The breeding program of Bev Davison at SpiritWind Desert Arabians, LLC is a gem. It consistently produces superior individuals of the old type of Arabian horses, with high withers, deep girths, long hips, broad chests, highly set and carried tails, an expressive head, and superlative, powerful, flowing movement and style. It is a case study in what careful planning and tireless observation of current horses and their antecedents can achieve over the years, when paired with indisputably authentic blood of the highest order.” Notes:
1. Personal correspondence/research information with Chris Mellen, Edouard al-Dahdah, and Arlene Magid. 2. Heirloom Egyptian Arabian Horses 1840-2000, John Fippen; The use of combined AP/APS% and *Eid AP/APS% calculated at 50% derived from personal correspondence with Edouard Al Dahdah. 3. Maloof, Bruce E. “An Interview with Jerry Smith,” Foundations, 4:4 (Winter 1994-1995): 13-15. 4. Latigo Ranch Reference Sires Descriptions, Jerry Smith — hand-typed copy. B Davison personal collection. 5. Thompson, Robin. “Fun Day for Arabians,” Western Horseman, February 1974: 66-68, 144. 6. Al KhamsaTM Arabians 2019 Digital Roster v9.0. 7. Ferriss, Joe. Personal correspondence via email, description of Sierra Sable. 11-30-20 8. White, Linda, “Horse in History - Abbas Pasha Revisited,” Arabian Horse Times, September 2007: 329AA-336AA; Aug 31, 2011. 9. Doaa Kandil, Faculty of tourism and hotels, Helwan University “Abbas Pasha: A Ruler at Odds,” Journal of Association of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality, Vol. 12 No. 2 (Dec. 2015) 15:41.
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SpiritWind Desert Arabians
, LLC
Established 1991
Celebrating 30 years! Hard to believe it has been 30 years since my first AK horse arrived! It all began with “Sandman” (Sierra Sandarac) and many words of advice and encouragement from so many of YOU! Had I known then, a fraction of what I have learned over the years, I could not have picked a better group of horses to spend my years with!
Preserving high percentage Abbas Pasha Heritage – Endurance Athletes
“The Spirit of the WarHorse with the Temperament of the TentDweller”
Age 30
Sierra Sandarac (Sierra Sand x Sierra Sable)
Age 18 (BMaloof photo)
1974 Bay Babson/Doyle Stallion – age 18 (BMaloof photo)
SpiritWind AhsahmMoon (SpiritWind Ahsahm x DA Moniets Dove) 2020 grey stallion – 60.69% Abbas Pasha
SpiritWind AhsahmMoon was born on April 7th of 2020, the eve of the “most super of super moons” for the year, and his maternal grandsire is DA Blue Moon, but he is known as “Booger” due to a curious mark seen over his nostril before turning grey. He is of the wonderful Pritzlaff, Babson, and Doyle blend with one additional EAO line through the classy *Lancers Sahm. He has the greatest temperament consistent with his sire-line through SpiritWind Ahsahm and Sierra Sandarac, making him one of the few remaining stallions of the Fay-El-Dine sire-line in existence! Beautiful mover and in your pocket personality, nothing concerns him, and he is a willing partner. Should mature 15’1h or better. Consider him for your future athletic pursuits and breeding interests! See Video Here: https://youtu.be/k0-i6rzuFOQ Bev Davison – SpiritWind Ranch - 2337 Meadows Ln – Indian Valley – Idaho – 83632 spiritwinddesertarabians@ctcweb.net - 208-963-2459 Facebook page & YouTube Channel: “SpiritWind Desert Arabians, LLC” and FB pg: “Doyle & Doyle-blend Desert Arabian Horses”
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Windsor Arabians Lili Marlene SHF
Ayar Pieper
2004 cm (Sergeant Major CF x Kestrel CF)
2011 bs (Presto CF x Raghida CF)
Thank you, Fred and Barbara Mimmack
Thank you, Jack and Claudia Burris
Counting My Blessings I am so grateful for the recent opportunity to have these two wonderful horses join my small group of Davenport Arabians.
Summer Blush WA 1998 km (Persuasion x Modesty Blaise) & Gypsy Moth WA 2006km (Barbican CF x Summer Blush WA)
Mary Buser Gills (970) 846-3747 mgills327@gmail.com
PO Box 882560 Steamboat Springs Colorado 80488
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Davenport .................................. Action!
Linda Sherrill photo
CJ Flashback SHF (Bah-Rani LF – Lili Marlene SHF) Since the 1950’s when Charles Craver started collecting and preserving Davenport Arabian horses, a significant number of these horses has come along displaying exceptionally beautiful and athletic movement. We believe that our Flashback “flashes back” to those horses. Flash now makes his home in Cedar City, Utah, with Jay Wilson and Chris Leombruno. Davenport Arabian Horses Dr. and Mrs. Fred Mimmack Smoky Hill Farm 16619 E. Easter Avenue Foxfield, CO 80016 303-766-0885 • fmimmack@gmail.com
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Treff-Haven: Champions of The Horse by Kate Rhodes
“If I knew then what I know now” ~Tina Penniman
stories about horses in the past and paints a beautiful picture in your mind. She loved and appreciated each individual for who they were and were not. She still loves a functionally conformed, well trained, thoughtfully conditioned horse in the ring to be inspected. However, “feed ‘em and lead ‘em” was not their mission and it shows in the individuals she chose to breed as well.
I did not expect to hear that accent on the other end of the phone. That northern New England sharpness and directness was not mistakable, and it felt like home as my father spoke similarly. It took me by surprise because I was a new transplant from Massachusetts to Arkansas and it was the last thing I expected. He told me he noticed I had just purchased MB Leisa (Imperial Saturn x Leilaah) and had moved her back to Arkansas. He owned her mother, Leilaah, and used her in his breeding program and he and his wife wanted to come see Leisa. Little did I know that this was one of most pivotal moments in my life as a horsewoman. I said yes and have never regretted a day…
My favorite quote ever came from Tina and it was in regard to looking at both the individual and the pedigree when assessing a horse for a particular purpose. “It’s like being able to like lemon meringue pie even though you may not like lemons”. One of my most valuable lessons regarding pie was learning about their acquisition of Nagsous (Makhsous x Nagliah). They wanted to buy Nagliah at the Gleannloch sale but that did not happen. Nagsous was at her side at the time. They were contacted shortly after to purchase Nagsous and chose to take the chance. Had they retained a narrow focus on acquiring the dam’s lines only, they would have missed owning a hugely prolific and influential stallion. To quote Ralph Suarez on his Egyptian Arabian Blogspot: “Nagsous was 10 foot tall and bulletproof.” I met him. I know many of his get. This headline is no Tina Penniman and Treff Haven Alizeer (Treff Haven exaggeration. Xplorer x Aliama)
Homer Penniman was raised in Vermont, mainly by his grandparents while his father served in the military. His grandfather was a farrier who raised horses, used drafts for farming, and even had The Justin Morgan boarded at his barn at one point. Homer unknowingly was raised relatively near W.R. Brown’s Maynesboro Stud, and told me a story about an old horseman who commented that a particular horse “always had his tail up” and didn’t like it in his face when he was hitching him to drive, but had seen that trait often in the area. Homer remarked that he didn’t understand what he was hearing at the time, but he suspected many horses like this in Vermont were bred or influenced by the early imports of W.R. Brown and wished he had known then what he knew now. Regardless, he was raised where one respected the work of the animal, took responsibility for its training and care, but did not glorify that which was not there. That came to be the quality I most admired in him as a breeder and a horseman. It shows strongly in the stock he bred.
For me, another major impact was seeing Bint Lebleba (*GAF Hosam x *Lebleba) and seeing her and her offspring changed the course of my future as a breeder both instantly and permanently. She was a big, substantial mare with a gorgeous face, awesome bone and was a freight train of a mover. I saw six of her offspring and they were all unmistakably her children. Lebby influenced me greatly, enough that I bought her son, Treff-Haven Sabeel. I remember leaving their farm the first time and my mother and I looked at each other and knew how we were going to move forward. It was going to involve using the Penniman’s stock and studying the choices they made.
Tina Penniman is a strong-willed, soft-spoken woman who thinks deeply about the horses she has seen and chosen to raise. “I love the Arabian breed!” Tina is passionate about everything Arabian, and more specifically, the Al Khamsa Egyptian Arabian, but is honestly a true champion of all good Al Khamsa lines. She tells
Many associate Treff-Haven Arabians with the Non-Nazeer, New Egyptian group. This is because both Homer and Tina 24
recognized, in the heyday of breeding Arabians, that there was a high percentage of breeding to Nazeer-bred stallions and mares and then onto themselves again and again. They simply recognized the need to keep variation and lines alive for future generations long before the genetic bottleneck took hold. It was not to create a “new group” as so many have misunderstood over the years. The EAO did not inbreed small groups, thus eliminating lines, and Homer and Tina tried to follow this as closely as possible. Over the years they bred many with Nazeer and owned many lines, both Straight Egyptian and combined source, that did not fall into the Non-Nazeer category.
Above, Nagsous (Makhsous x Nagliah)
Below, Bint Lebleba (*GAF Hosam x *Lebleba)
My last memory of Homer was when he was sick and we sat in his house and we talked horses, and the future of his animals, the future of the Straight Egyptian Arabian and the future of our beloved Al Khamsa Arabian horses. I still talk with Tina on a regular basis, share stories about the horses we have now and how she feels they relate to the horses she saw in the past. Homer and Tina poured their heart and soul into breeding and it was evident when one got to see the variety and quality they had to offer. I only wish I had listened better to Homer. A new ear is not as capable of hearing things a seasoned ear can catch. Had I known then what I know now… So I listen more now in hopes of gleaning whatever I can.
Above, Treff Haven Hotai (Tai RSI x Ru Maroussa)
Below, Treff-Haven Sabeel (Treff-Haven Emir x Bint Lebleba)
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The Doyle Arabians Celebrating 70 years of Preservation Breeding
Smyrna DE, a 2005 chestnut Saqlawiyah Jadraniyah of Ibn Sudan mare Huntington Doyle x Gulida Kells DE
63295 Johnson Ranch Road Bend, Oregon 97701 541-788-5639 rosemary@doylearabians.com Facebook: The Doyle Arabians http://doylearabians.org
Breeding the strain of Saqlawi Jadran of Ibn Sudan
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Al Khamsa Ar abians: The Or iginal Family Horse
Cerulean Davenports & Desert Ice Arabians Carrie Slayton • 2100 West Avenue L12, Lancaster, CA 93536 661.992.2289 • carrie.sootie@gmail.com
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The Royal Crabbet Mare Amida by Robert J. Cadranell
Unfortunately, we know of no photos of Amida herself, so we must rely on her sire, her dam, her sister, and her progeny. Above left, Ibn Yashmak, sire of Amida. Above right, Ajramieh, dam of Amida.
Amida appears in modern Al Khamsa pedigrees through *Ana and *Aldebar, her two foals by Dwarka, an Arabian stallion imported to the U.K. from India. Of these two foals, the better known is *Aldebar, a 1919 stallion bred by the Prince of Wales that stood later in life at the Babson Farm in Illinois. But how did a mare bred at England’s seminal Crabbet Stud find her way into Royal ownership?
Amida had two older full brothers bred in the Newbuildings Half, both sold as two-year-olds (an unnamed 1909 colt and Azhar), and a younger full sister named Ajjam – judging from how often this cross was repeated, Ibn Yashmak on Ajramieh seems to have been regarded as a successful pairing. After a decade of slowly dwindling in size, due largely to Wilfrid Blunt’s failing health, the Newbuildings Half came to an end in March of 1916 when he made over the last of his breeding stock to Lady Anne. See Archer, Pearson, & Covey (AP&C), The Crabbet Arabian Stud, Its History and Influence, p. 150. This transfer included the filly Amida.
Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt started their Crabbet Stud in Sussex, England, with 1878 and 1879 importations of horses from the desert, some of which they obtained with the assistance of the British Consul at Aleppo, James Skene. Later, the Blunts added horses from Ali Pasha Sherif ’s collection in Egypt. But by 1906, the Blunts’ marriage had broken down, and they decided to separate. They partitioned the Crabbet Stud so that each could manage their own half.
Amida however did not remain long in Lady Anne’s ownership. In 1915, Lady Anne had sold the Mesaoud daughter Rakima (x Rosemary) to J.Q. Eddy of Plymouth. Rakima was supposed to have been in foal, but when Eddy found her to be open, Lady Anne gave him the three-year-old Amida in July of 1916 as a replacement for the foal Rakima was supposed to have been carrying.
Amida was foaled in 1913 in Wilfrid Blunt’s portion of the Crabbet Stud, known as the Newbuildings Half. Wilfrid Blunt had chosen Amida’s sire and dam, Ibn Yashmak and Ajramieh, at the 1906 partition. The Blunts had bred Ibn Yashmak (Feysul x Yashmak by *Shahwan) at their farm in Egypt at Sheykh Obeyd Garden, from Ali Pasha Sherif bloodlines, and imported him to England in 1904. The Blunts had bred Ajramieh in England. She was one of their many daughters of Mesaoud, a horse bred by Ali Pasha Sherif. Ajramieh was out of Asfura, a daughter of two Blunt desert imports, Azrek and Queen of Sheba.
This transaction angered the Blunts’ daughter, Judith, who became Lady Wentworth following her mother’s death in 1917. Judith wrote in the Crabbet Herd Book (CHB) that Eddy had “extracted” Amida from Lady Anne, who “had a somewhat mistaken idea of her obligations” to Eddy after having sold Rakima to him for just 25 guineas, “a ridiculous price.” Given the influx of horses from the Newbuildings Half, and that World War I was causing shortages of labor and fodder, it is understandable that Lady Anne would have made Amida available to Mr. Eddy. Lady Wentworth was frequently critical of her parents’ business practices and also “the sharks who imposed on the Blunts.” However, even Lady
This complete history includes horses that are not Al Khamsa horses. Those names are underlined.
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Ajjam (Ibn Yashmak x Ajramieh), fulll sister of Amida.
Anne’s manager, Arthur Caffin, testified in court when asked about her, “If she had a fault it was that she was inclined to be too generous.” London Times, February 20, 1920, p. 4. Lady Wentworth had a reputation as a shrewd and largely unforgiving negotiator. She once commented, however, that the Russians who bought a large draft of horses from her in 1936 were the hardest people to deal with that she had ever met. (AP&C, p. 185). One would not be surprised to learn that the Russians felt the same way about her. Lady Wentworth wrote in CHB that by December of 1916, Eddy had sold Amida to King George V. That Eddy did not keep Amida seems to have angered Lady Wentworth still more. In 1918, Amida was bred to Dwarka, then owned by the Prince of Wales, who was later briefly King Edward VIII and then, following his abdication in 1936, Duke of Windsor. Amida produced her first foal at age six in 1919, a chestnut colt registered as Aldebar in the Arabian section of Weatherby’s General Stud Book (GSB), but as Aldebaran in the stud book of Britain’s recently founded Arab Horse Society (AHSB). *Aldebar’s breeder was not George V but rather his son, the Prince of Wales. Lady Anne Blunt died late in 1917, and by 1919, her husband and daughter were in a bitter dispute over ownership of the Crabbet horses. In 1920, the courts finally decided the resulting lawsuit in Lady Wentworth’s favor, but during this time and continuing after the lawsuit was decided, Lady Wentworth had been buying back Crabbet horses previously sold by the Blunts in the U.K. (and even some they had sold overseas, in the case of *Battla and *Nafia). Lady Wentworth wrote in CHB that after breeding for the Royal family, Amida “was sold at auction with broken knees 1919.” Lady Wentworth bought Amida in 1919, either at the auction or shortly after, in foal again to Dwarka. Amida remained at Crabbet long enough to foal her 1920 bay Dwarka filly, named *Ana, before Lady Wentworth sold both Amida and her foal *Ana to Sidney G. Hough of Springhouse Park, Theydon Bois, Essex, along with a seventeen-year-old mare named Simrieh. Simrieh then foaled her 1920 filly, *Selmnab (by Nawab), in Hough’s ownership. Although Hough had a small stud, he had begun breeding Arabians as early as 1903, when his mare Riad (*Hail x Raschida) produced the filly Sheeba by Ben Azrek (Azrek x Shemse). 29
Astrella (Raseem x Amida), daughter of Amida and dam of Oran.
Amida’s sale to Lady Wentworth in 1919 explains why the stud books name Crabbet Stud as *Ana’s breeder — Lady Wentworth bought Amida in foal to Dwarka, but because the British stud books named the breeder as the owner at time of foaling, not the owner at time of covering, *Ana is registered as having been bred by the Crabbet Stud, and not by the Prince of Wales. Before 1920 was over, Lady Wentworth took Amida back from Hough in exchange for a young mare named Halima plus a sum of cash. Amida produced her 1921 chestnut colt Afrit, by Lady Wentworth’s stallion Rasim, at Crabbet. Lady Wentworth sold Afrit to Peru as a yearling. In 1922, Lady Wentworth sold Amida to S.G. Hough once again. Amida was carrying a 1922 foal, registered in both GSB and AHSB as a chestnut filly named Akabah, and foaled in Hough’s ownership. Both stud book authorities name the grey Skowronek as sire of Akabah. However, Akabah notwithstanding, Skowronek is known to have been homozygous for the grey color, meaning that all of his foals should have been grey. So either Akabah turned grey as she got older, or she was not really by Skowronek. CHB shows that Amida was bred to Skowronek in 1921 and then later that season to the chestnut Rasim, who is probably therefore the actual sire of Akabah. The question is of academic interest only, because although Akabah produced a 1930 filly bred by Wilfrid Lavington of Poplar Cottage, Bracknell, Berkshire, her line did not continue. Amida’s 1923 foal was a chestnut filly bred by Sidney G. Hough and named Abideh, sired by *Nuri Pasha, a stallion bred by Hough. Lady Wentworth commented in CHB that Abideh was “very good,” but that she died of sunstroke as a young animal. AHSB volume 3, page 199, confirms that Abideh was destroyed in 1925 after a heat stroke. Sidney Hough died in the hunting field on October 31, 1923, age 60, and his 27-year-old son Cecil W. Hough took over breeding the Hough family’s Arabians. Almas, a grey full sister to Abideh, was foaled in 1924, and bred by Cecil Hough, who retained her as a broodmare.
In 1924, Cecil Hough sold both *Nuri Pasha and *Ana to Albert W. Harris of Chicago, Illinois and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. That year, Hough bred Amida to Shahzada, a 1913 stallion bred by Henry C. “Inky” Stephens, who seems to have provided Sidney Hough with his initial Arabian stock. Amida produced the grey colt Amizada in 1925. Amizada was gelded as of AHSB volume 3 (see p. 199), printed in 1930, and has no registered progeny.
What follows is a closer look at those of Amida’s foals which left descent. *Aldebar, 1919 chestnut stallion (Dwarka x Amida) *Aldebar remained in the ownership of his breeder for most of his life. *Aldebar sired seven Arabian foals born in England between 1923 and 1930, three bred by the Prince of Wales and four bred by Mr. Tom C. Armitage of Dene Court, near Taunton, Somerset. It is unclear whether Armitage had a special connection to the Prince, or whether Armitage used *Aldebar simply because of Taunton’s proximity to the Tor Royal Stud in Dartmoor.
Amida was not covered in 1925, but in early 1926 Cecil Hough bred her to another of his stallions, Nuri Sherif. Lady Wentworth then bought Amida back for Crabbet for the third and final time, through Col. J. Hamilton Leigh, on April 22, 1926. However, Amida apparently had not settled to Nuri Sherif, and she had no 1927 foal.
In 1929, the Prince sent *Aldebar to his E.P. Ranch in Alberta, Canada. He had purchased this ranch of more than 1,440 acres in 1919 and stocked it with horses, cattle, and sheep. He owned the ranch until 1962, although his visits were infrequent. *Aldebar’s 1929 arrival in Canada was covered in the Toronto newspapers.
The GSB lists a 1928 grey colt by Naseem under Amida’s production record and gives his name as Dafiyan. The careful reader will have noted that Amida was from Crabbet’s “A” mare family, and that all seven of her foals thus far had names beginning with the letter A: *Aldebar, *Ana, Afrit, Akabah, Abideh, Almas, and Amizada. Dafiyan is an unlikely name, therefore, for a foal bred at Crabbet in the 1920s out of Amida. Lady Wentworth also had at Crabbet a desert bred Kuhaylah Kurush mare named Dafina, imported in 1927. Because Dafina was imported after the GSB had closed to new imports, Lady Wentworth could not register her in GSB. As for the AHSB, which had been founded in 1918, although Lady Wentworth had initially registered all the Crabbet horses in its stud book, up to and including her 1922 foals, she had shortly after fallen out with the Society. Lady Wentworth’s 1924 stud catalogue proudly claimed that Crabbet had “No Connection with any Arab Society.” It was not until sometime in the 1930s that Lady Wentworth rejoined the Arab Horse Society, and in the meantime she had no place to register those few of her horses, such as the imported desert bred stallion and mare *Mirage and Dafina, who had arrived in England after the GSB had closed to new imports.
Volume I of the Canadian Arabian Horse Stud Book relates of *Aldebar: Anything associated with that ranch purchased in 1919 by the then Prince of Wales was assured of the widest publicity and people drove hundreds of miles to see the proud chestnut horse. But, again, there being no pure bred mares of the breed with which he could be mated, his Canadian influence was restricted to crossing with Dartmoor ponies and Thoroughbreds then on the ranch. From these crosses, however, came some fine show horses, the first half-Arabs and Anglo-Arabs many westerners had seen. In September, 1938, the aging horse was sold to Henry B. Babson of Chicago and went to the United States…. *Aldebar’s first U.S. foal was born February 11, 1941, indicating his arrival at the Babson Farm in Illinois probably no later than March of 1940. *Aldebar sired just two foal crops in the U.S., born 1941 and 1942, with a total of nine foals bred by Henry Babson, one by Albert Harris, and one by Alfred Watt. These foals included Baarouf (x *Maaroufa), who briefly succeeded his sire as a Babson
AP&C, p. 108, states that Dafina’s first foal at Crabbet was in 1928. According to CHB, Amida was barren in 1928. Dafiyan has no progeny, but the evidence suggests he was actually out of Dafina, not Amida.
Below, *Aldebar (Dwarka x Amida), on arrival in Canada.
Lady Wentworth next bred Amida to Raseem, and she produced an extravagantly marked chestnut filly named Astrella in 1929. Astrella is noted in Crabbet records as having an “Enormous blaze with horns.” Lady Wentworth sold Astrella to Mr. and Mrs. Kent, for Lady Yule, in 1932. Astrella became a broodmare at Lady Yule’s Hanstead Stud. Amida’s last foal at Crabbet was a 1930 colt by *Nureddin II named Ashram. Although Lady Wentworth retained Ashram for some years, he has no recorded Arabian foals, and was eventually sold to George Grant of Tottingworth Park, Heathfield, Sussex. Amida was bred to Naufal in 1930 and then sold to Roger Selby of the Selby Stud in Ohio. In Ohio, Amida died foaling a bay filly in 1931. The filly died too. Amida was never registered in the U.S. and her name is almost never included in the story of the Selby importations from Crabbet, but she was apparently part of the large 1930 Selby importation that included *Mirage and the mares *Kiyama, *Selmnab, *Hilwe, *Namilla, *Rasmina, and *Rose of France. 30
Farm breeding stallion before going to Roy and Nellie Jackson in California, and Durral (x Fadurra), a foundation stallion for Bill and Pat Trapp of Wisconsin. *Ana, 1920 bay mare (Dwarka x Amida) Imported to the U.S. by Albert Harris in 1924, *Ana produced four foals for Harris between 1925 and 1929, three by *Nuri Pasha, and one by El Sabok. Her production record had a second phase from 1936 to 1942, during which she produced four foals for another Chicago businessman, Philip K. Wrigley. Almas, 1924 grey mare (*Nuri Pasha x Amida) Cecil W. Hough retained Almas for her entire breeding career. She produced nine foals for him, the last in 1942. She was put down in 1943. Astrella, 1929 chestnut mare (Raseem x Amida) Astrella spent her entire production career with Lady Yule at the Hanstead Stud. During that time, she produced two Anglo-Arab fillies and eight Arabian foals. She was put down in 1948. Her bestknown foal was her son Oran, by Riffal. Lady Wentworth offered to buy Oran from Lady Yule when he was three, but she turned the offer down, apparently in retaliation for Lady Wentworth’s earlier refusal to sell Indian Grey to Hanstead. According to Rosemary Archer (AP&C, p. 188), Lady Yule sold Oran the next year, in 1944, to Mr. C. McConnell, who sold him to the British Bloodstock Agency, from whom Lady Wentworth purchased him: “So far as Lady Yule was concerned, Oran’s arrival at Crabbet was the final straw and thereafter all horse dealings between the studs came to an end.” Oran was the last stallion at Crabbet bred entirely from the bloodlines of the Blunts and became a major post-war sire for Lady Wentworth. He died at Crabbet in 1968, age 28.
Ajman (Feysul x Ajramieh), three-quarter brother to Ajjam and Amida, as a youngster at Newbuildings. Ajman was sold to Felix Buxareo y Oribe (Hernan Ayerza’s brother-in-law), Uraguay, 1912, and then later either loaned or sold to the Ayerza program.
Ashram (*Nureddin II x Amida)
Daughter *Ana (by Dwarka), above left. Grandsons of Amida: at left, Baarouf (*Aldebar x *Maaroufa) and above, Oran (Riffal x Astrella).
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Al Khamsa’s Vanishing Lines
PTF News — January 2021 Update
by the Al Khamsa Preservation Task Force
Al Khamsa’s Preservation Task Force has been in action for some years, and is currently re-evaluating its priorities and goals, in order to do the best job possible in preserving Al Khamsa rare lines and genetic material for the future. Kate Rhodes has joined Edouard Al Dahdah as co-chair, and a group of enthusiastic members are volunteering to get the Al Khamsa website and Social Media working together to help the cause.
In fact, almost any line that is not Straight Egyptian (and some that are!) should be considered Endangered. All Combined Source bloodlines are especially at risk. Time has never been more urgent!
There are multiple paths to preservation: rare Ancestral Elements, like Crane, where the whole Element is hanging by a thread; rare Foundation Horses like *Mirage, where his presence is scarce anywhere in a pedigree; and rare Tail Male or Tail Female lines, where *Wadduda, a mare that is not uncommon in the middle of a pedigree, is nearly gone in Tail Female.
Some people might imagine that a line that is rare might be that way because of lack of quality, or beauty, or authenticity. However, in the vast majority of cases, this is just an accident of life. For instance, sire lines tend to diminish in number over time. This is a process that has been going on since the domestication of the horse, but it doesn’t mean only the best survives. It is often just the lucky.
Preservation can be a joy! Fulfilling, feelgood stuff. ~ Jenny Krieg
If you feel you would like to be a part of Al Khamsa’s purpose in preserving bloodlines — such a worthwhile part! — please contact preservation@alkhamsa.org.
Preserving Rare Lines can mean preserving beautiful horses that have just a different touch!
Of course, there are breeding groups like the Babson-*Turfa group, and subdivisions of breeding groups like the Core Haifi within Davenport breeding, or special subsets of Straight Egyptian breeding like the El Deree sire line. The Preservation Task Force cannot take on everything, but supports efforts in support of all of these.
Listen to your horse. Watch your horse. Value your horse. And you will be rewarded beyond measure.
Brownstone Farm
Our Farm Since 1972 Joe & Sharon Ferriss 1059 Lukesport Road • Quincy, MI 49082 Tel. (517) 639-4443 • e-mail: ferrissjs@dmcibb.net
Taali Jmal, 1998 bay mare (Latif MA x Taali Monieta), traces in Tail Female to *Wadduda.
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Bashir al-Dirri (Tamaam DE x Sarita Bint Raj)
“Learning the joy of riding a Davenport Arabian”
Endurance breeding — Doyle, Pritzlaff, & Babson with Code Red endangered lines. Athletic, correct and willing.
‘Finny’ Fin DeSiecle CF ‘Penny’ RL Bilquis 1999 cm 2006 cm Jeannie Lieb & Granddaughter Rylan
Jenny Krieg 17429 Hoskinson Road Poolesville, MD 20837 ululu@verizon.net
Sahra Arabians, Carlisle, MA, JeannieMLieb@gmail.com
RIV’S ARABIANS Straight Babson Egyption Females for Sale Angels Lonesome Dove Fay Ibn Serramed x Aamalas Angel AHR #676390, foaled 3-12-2018, grey She will be bred to HR Hasims Legacy in 2021.
Ali Bint Breeze Fay Ibn Serramed x Axioms Gamila Breeze AHR #681930, foaled 2-29-2020, bay
Sabrina Fabint Sierra HR Hasims Legacy x Du Sierra Sunrise AHR #682130, foaled 5-15-2020, bay Contact Rivian Gardner 225 Hazel Road Simpson, Illinois 62985 618-672-4650 33
Distance Riding on Al Khamsa horses
Through Annie's Ears — The Great Adventure Episode Six: 2018, the Grand Finale! by Ellen May, with Cathy Rochon
Introduction:
2018
This is Episode Six of a story of an amazing feat: A journey that took more than six years from start to finish and covered more than twenty-five thousand miles. Ellen May started with a dream, an indomitable spirit and a curiosity about all the places she’d never seen. Her dream, first conceived somewhere around the summer of 2012, was to ride in all of the lower forty-eight states on the same horse. Her partner for this remarkable journey has been a little red chestnut Al Khamsa Arabian mare whose willingness to go places and do things is no less remarkable than Ellen’s own. “Annie” or more formally Sabiaana (Masada Sabar x Masada Adriaana) was born on Ellen’s farm in 2006 from a breeding recommended by Walter Schimanski. Ellen has done all of Annie’s training herself and they have become a team to be reckoned with. Episode One was in two installments in Vol. 30 No. 1 and No. 2. Episode Two was in Vol. 30 No. 3. Episode Three was in Vol. 30 No. 4. Episode Four was in our first digital issue, Vol. 31 No. 1. Episode Five was in Vol. 31 No. 2. This feature is “mostly” in Ellen’s own words, in diary format, much like Lady Anne Blunt’s travels. We join Ellen and Annie at the beginning of their "2018” ultimate rideabout in the scenic West ………>
June 1, 2018: This ride about will be about 7,000 miles by the time I add a detour over to the dry side of Oregon. Length of time on the road: three and a half months by current estimates, and number of stops, 40 at last count. It is indeed the biggest Ride About of them all. If everything goes well, it will certainly be a grand finale!
Top: Near Chacon Valley, New Mexico.
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On my way to Dallas, I stopped last night to visit my old friend Sue Burnham. Enjoyed some morning kisses from a beautiful little filly. The company of a good friend surrounded by gorgeous horses makes a nice way to start any day
For those of you who may dream of hitting the open road in search of fun times and trail riding adventures, remember there will be days like this, too.
June 2, 2018: Made it to Dallas/Ft. Worth area yesterday. Had a nice lunch and visited with my nephew Taylor and later splashed around with my niece Jade and her kids, my great-niece Kennedy and great-nephew Nate (whose high school graduation is today!) I discovered a must-have pool fashion accessory — an inflatable unicorn ears and horn.
June 14, 2018: I certainly hope I am getting the minor mishaps out of the way early on this trip (and we successfully dodge all the major ones)! Blew a tire on the trailer south of Sioux City but managed to get pulled over at a rest stop and changed it myself. These are new tires (aaargh) and the blowout tore out the wiring to my new front disk brakes and a running light in the process. Bought another pair of tires as I passed through town and made plans with Debbie Palmer to bring connectors and a crimping tool to the campground in North Dakota in hopes of repairing the wiring.
June 9, 2018: Now the next big adventure really begins! After a series of what I will consider good omens (a rainbow yesterday evening, a coincidental departure time of 11:11 this morning and an escort through a tunnel of trees by a hawk flying in front of us for a long way as we drove off), we have started our final Ride About, states #43 through #48 (plus a whole lot more). We arrived safe and sound at our first stop, Rachel Martin’s ranch in Eastern Kansas. Just watched Justify win the Triple Crown. KANSAS
June 10, 2018: First ride for this tour around the cattle ranch with Addie and Rachel. Green green green rolling fields... and cows, lots of cows: like 1,600-2,000 cows. At one point, a large herd came stampeding straight for us! While I have confidence in Annie’s level-headedness and my riding skills, I was relieved when they turned and went another direction. June 11, 2018: Annie obliged Tyler and Rachel’s youngest with a gentle ride yesterday. Juley, age 5, is a ‘powerful lot of company’, a comment once made about me when I was her age. She decided to camp in a tent in the backyard last night and has a sweet little pony named Daisy. I certainly enjoy our visits to the Martin ranch and their busy loving family, the only place I’ve stopped on three of our five Ride Abouts. But it’s time to move along to our next stop — Nebraska! NEBRASKA
June 13, 2018: Annie and I made it to the southeast corner of the state yesterday afternoon. We were both overheated so I drove past the horse camp and headed down to the Missouri River to cool off. I had to use every braking trick I know to not have the truck, trailer and all end up in it as the road was quite steep without any warning. I sponged Annie off and she drank a lot of water. Once we got back to camp and finished setting up, the heat and humidity were still insufferable and the biting bugs were relentless. I soon figured out why as the wind picked up, dark clouds rolled in and the sky turned green. I got Annie loaded back in the trailer right before a major storm blew in. According to the feed bucket, we got over 3 inches last night. Supposedly Indian Cave State Park has some nice riding trails. I say “supposedly” because they were way too slick and muddy to ride today. So we rode along the park roads and around empty campgrounds for an hour or two. This afternoon was again oppressively hot and muggy and there’s no electricity at the horse camp so I can’t use the new a.c. in my trailer. I spent most of the day with a small battery operated fan aimed at my sweaty face. 35
#43 SOUTH DAKOTA
Newton Hills State Park has a lovely little horse camp and it’s 20+ degrees cooler here than it was in Nebraska, so that’s good. Although it rained lightly last night, I decided to go ahead and ride this morning. I planned what looked like an easy six-mile loop. It started out well enough with a brief visit to see the Big Sioux River before heading up into the hills. The eastern part of the state is lush and green and, as I soon discovered, quite slick and muddy after a rain. Things moved from gorgeous, easy sandy trails to “greasy” (a Northern term for super slippery) and “slick as snot on a doorknob” (a Southern colloquialism) as we climbed higher. It reached a point where it simply was not safe to stay mounted. So I got off and put on Annie’s emergency halter and let out 20 feet of lead so she could get well ahead of me. There where points where we were both literally skiing down long, steep slopes and scrambling to stay upright climbing up, up, up in deep mud. Somehow we managed to make it out alive and amazingly unharmed, although I thought I might have a heart attack during some of the climbs. There are no photos from those sections of trail. After hosing Annie off and cleaning my filthy boots and tack, I decided an afternoon nap was in order. I slept so hard I must have gotten my arm caught in a funny position and sprained my wrist. It hurts but feels better after icing it and applying Sore No More and vet wrap. Seriously, so I survived this morning but got injured sleeping?! Oh, how I love irony. #44 NORTH DAKOTA
June 15, 2018: Annie likes it here... Sheyenne Grasslands, North Dakota. Tomorrow we ride. Note to friends: Please do not try to contact me via Facebook Messenger when I am on the road. I cannot retrieve messages without difficulty and even then, only on rare occasion. In the meantime it drives me nuts wondering what’s up. Texting or calling is the most reliable way to contact me. Also, because I am often in remote areas or driving from one remote camp to the next, I sometimes go many days without cell or internet reception. I appreciate your concern but don›t worry if I ‘disappear’ for a few days. June 18, 2018: The southeastern side of the state features 70,000 acres of Sheyenne National Grasslands, an area of lush rolling grass fields, sand hills (which were formed as drifts during the Dust Bowl in the 30s) and shady oak forests. Debbie, her husband Bruce and friend Rob met us at Jorgens Hollow to camp for a
few nights and we shared two very nice rides through this area. We celebrated an ‘event-free’ couple of rides through the Sheyenne Grasslands at the Silver Prairie Saloon in McLeod, ND, population 30. North Dakota, more like I always imagined it. Miles and miles of wide open spaces. Bruce and Debbie were kind enough to put us up for a night at their ranch so I could take a shower and do a load of laundry. Debbie and I took a short ride around the ‘hood. We are headed for Ft. Ransom in a few minutes to enjoy more good riding in ND. I am ready to declare southeastern North Dakota one of trail riding’s undiscovered gems. Debbie set out to show me some of the excellent riding available in her ‘backyard’ and what a fine job she did!
Just because she’s a sugar cube and thinks she will melt if she gets wet, I removed Annie from her corral and loaded her in the trailer. Moments later, “all hail broke loose”. She didn’t like the pounding racket on the metal roof at all but it was way better than getting pelted by large hail stones. Boy, am I glad I chose to take the day off from riding and stayed in camp to let us both adjust to the altitude.
This park offers campsites with water and electric and many miles of beautifully manicured trails up verdant hills, through hardwood forests, over gently rolling bluffs with panoramic vistas and along the scenic Sheyenne River. Even Mother Nature cooperated today with ideal weather; cool and clear with low humidity. I don’t think Annie wants to leave all this luscious grazing but tomorrow we move on towards the Black Hills of South Dakota.
June 24, 2018: After giving Annie and myself 48 hours to adjust to the altitude (turns out I’m having an allergic reaction to something in the air around here which is making me feel awful), we went on a short ride out from Hay Creek Ranch. It has continued to rain off and on following the horrendous hail storm and some of the trails were more like riding ankle-deep in a rushing creek. I’m sitting up in the night drinking chamomile tea and hoping to help my sinuses drain. In the morning, I’ll be moving over to Elk Haven Horse Camp between Mt. Rushmore National Forest and Custer State Park, picking up Leslie and Jeanne at the airport in Rapid City and finding something to relieve this relentless headache. Looking forward to feeling better, seeing my good friends and riding more in the Black Hills. June 25, 2018: Turns out, Annie likes coffee A LOT, maybe too much in fact. Just what I need — an Arabian jacked up on caffeine. Thanks, Leslie Flavell Reynolds, for letting her try a sip and Jeanne Neumeier for serving her a bowl of it. June 28, 2018: Keystone, SD. All’s well that ends well, RIGHT? Leslie. Jeanne and I were joined by local horsewoman and new friend, Beth for a couple of hours of trail riding on Monday in the Black Hills. Beth brought some very nice Quarter Horses, picked up Annie and hauled us all over to a trailhead in the Black Elk Wilderness. We started off down one trail but after a number of water crossings which had step-downs and then blind plunges into deep streams flooded by recent rains, we decided to turn back and take an ‘easier trail’.
DX Ranch, Eagle Butte, South Dakota
SOUTH DAKOTA (again!)
June 21, 2018: DX Ranch, Eagle Butte, SD. Located where the sky and earth meet in central South Dakota, there is something magical about this place. The address says Eagle Butte, which is the closest town about 60 miles away. They run cattle, teach horsemanship, make strangers feel welcome and occupy the land once the home of their Native American ancestors and a Frenchman who settled there long ago. Truly an amazing experience to stay there. Had a visit amongst their broodmare and foal herd. They have an apprentice staying with them from Saudi Arabia. Upon meeting Annie, he paid her one of the best compliments I’ve heard. He said she made him homesick
We followed along the road for a ways to another trailhead and then headed up into the mountains. We rode along for a few hours navigating some challenging water crossings and climbing gradually through some spectacular scenery. As we ascended, the trail became increasingly steep to the point of becoming outright dangerous. Between downed trees, mud, large rocks and dense undergrowth, we began to have our doubts that we were actually on the “easy” loop trail and about to find the road again. We were not far from a summit when Leslie realized she finally had a phone signal and decided to look at a map online.
Almost into the Black Hills now. June 22, 2018: Well, that was fun (not)! What started out as a crisp, clear morning here in the Black Hills QUICKLY turned into a vicious storm. The bright blue sky grew some tall white clouds and then transformed within minutes to a dark, ominous black.
As she and Beth looked that over, I too looked at our location, made note of the time and decided to call back down to camp to 36
let the owner know we might be in a bad situation. Fortunately, I had been making a mental note of the trail markers we occasionally passed and the name of the peak we were near. The camp owner became quite concerned saying we for sure could not get out continuing in the direction we were going and said we needed to turn around immediately and head out the way we came in as quickly as possible. By this time, daylight was failing. We picked our way down the steepest, most difficult terrain I have ridden, each of us doing a damn fine job of riding, making good time and keeping our wits about us in the last remaining hour of daylight. Beth felt just awful for getting us into this jam but anyone who trail rides knows that anyone can get lost, make a wrong turn, miscalculate the distance, etc. As night fell, it grew a little chilly, especially since my jeans and boots were wet from dismounting to allow Annie to cross some of the tougher boulder-strewn creeks without also having to balance me. Annie boldly took the lead as darkness descended, traveling at a brisk pace, confident in the trail to take to get us back out. She never put a foot out of place or disregarded my directions to walk on ahead of me as I clung to her leadline and tail through areas that were not safe to ride. She seemed to understand our dire situation and my need for her to stand quietly while I remounted or held her in check to wait for the others at critical junctures. About a mile from the trailhead, my phone suddenly received a call from a search and rescue captain about the time I spotted flashlights headed our way. The camp owner, a member of the local Search and Rescue team himself, knew we could be in big trouble and called the crew out. We rode in, somewhat embarrassed and hugely grateful, deeply exhausted but unharmed. We loaded the horses and said our profuse thank-yous. As we drove off, one of the crew waved and said, “See you later” to which I replied, “No offense, but I hope not”. There were lots of lessons learned, many of which were more like reminders of things I already knew but to which I had become inattentive. I am so grateful to Annie for probably saving my life, to Jeanne, Leslie and Beth for keeping it together and supporting each other and me through our ordeal, and to the heroes of Custer County Search and Rescue. Turns out, that area is a major location for large mountain lions who feed at night. Last year, someone who had become lost in that same location died from hypothermia on a cold night in August. While this would not be anything I would have chosen to do, it did serve as a timely wake-up call. Carry a map even when you think you know where you’re going (or are following someone who does), have a flashlight, knife and lighter on you. Watch your time and, if in any doubt, turn around while you have daylight to go back out the way you came in. When you do not know, ask about potential hazards. Stay calm and work as a team when the going gets rough. Trust your horse with your life and make sure your horse can trust you. Post Script: Annie and I were both pretty sore after 7+ hours and 20+ miles across rough terrain so we’ve taken a few days off to relax and recover at Elk Haven Ranch (love this place). On the way out, Annie lost her front boots. One was broken and we picked it up. The other was lost in the darkness and we were not going to 37
stop to look for it. Losing a couple hoof boots is a small price to pay when in such circumstances. When we were chatting with the search and rescue personnel, I mentioned this to a nice gal named Khris, a horsewoman herself who was one of the people hiking in carrying emergency medical supplies. I assumed the boot was gone but that was no big deal. Little did I expect her to ride that trail the next day looking for it. She found it and brought it by Elk Haven. I bought her lunch and a beer and found a new friend. June 29, 2018: Still feeling a little worn and weary from the rough ride Monday, I decided to take a short ride yesterday to a meadow not far from Elk Haven Horse Camp that offered a spectacular distant view of Mt. Rushmore. It was one of those “must have” between-the-ears photos. It was a lovely little ride that got us both loosened up and ready for the next, hopefully less dramatic and dangerous, adventure. June 30, 2018: Keystone, SD, United States. On Tuesday, we got a good view of Mount Rushmore, went to a wine tasting, visited Crazy Horse museum and monument (and returned that night to watch the bi-annual carving blasts) and had dinner in Custer. It was fun playing tourist and taking a break from riding. WYOMING
July 2, 2018: On Saturday, Jeanne, Leslie and I enjoyed a trail ride up into the Big Horn Mountains outside Buffalo, WY, led by ‘Superman’ cowboy Adam (he did resemble Chris Reeves) and his lovely German wife, Claudia. It rained and drizzled and even hailed on us up in the high country, but it was a magnificent ride nonetheless. After a nice picnic lunch, we decided to continue riding down in the foothills. Regrettably, my headache/ Devil’s Tower, Wyoming dizziness returned so I opted out of the second ride to just hang with Annie and take in the scenery from the ground. Later when Leslie mentioned a narrow trail along a high cliff, I was really glad I stayed put. I turned Annie out for a little exercise in the rodeo arena next to the campground here in Ten Sleep. We’re heading on to Yellowstone/Tetons today.
July 3, 2018: My hair is on fire, figuratively speaking. Thank goodness for friends who know how to roll, land back on their feet and share a bottle of wine with you in the most trying of circumstances.
Didn’t get any photos of the action (impressive barrel racing and bull riding) as I was too busy admiring all those super-fine cowboy butts. July 8, 2018: The last big adventure rafting the Shoshone River yesterday What a fun river trip! Although our original plans were altered, we landed on our feet, kept the good times rolling and had a FANTASTIC time in and around Cody, WY.
You will not believe this story. I still can’t. Almost a year ago, Angie, Leslie, Jeannie and I decided we would spend a special week together at Heart 6 Guest Ranch here in Wyoming. The place had a stellar reputation and is gorgeous so we decided to splurge and book a large cabin together. I sent them a sizable deposit and received a confirmation. We planned on horseback riding, rafting and having a good time and were very much looking forward to it. About a week ago I received an email from them with a final confirmation suggesting we schedule any activities we might want to do. So we called. At first they couldn’t find our reservation and when they did, they had moved us to a small honeymoon cabin instead of the large cabin we had paid for. (The new owner moved into the cabin we had reserved.) I tried for many days to speak to the owner or manager trying to get something sorted out, without any response. The other three arrived midday, had gone out to the ranch and said the rooms they had for us were dirty and entirely unsuitable. The owner said we could stay the night and look for another place the next day (its peak season here, of course). By the time I arrived yesterday late afternoon in Jackson Hole and confirmed we were on our way to check in, I was told they had cancelled our reservation and then they refused to give us a refund! The manager even threatened to have us arrested if we showed up on the property. Mind you it was late in the day, and I had just driven across half of Wyoming to get here, or I would have gone out and dared him to do that as I waved my confirmation notices. After sharing some ‘choice words’ with the manager over the phone, and meaning each and every thing I said, the girls helped me get situated at the county fairgrounds with Annie and went to town to find a motel room for the night. They came back out later to the fairgrounds and we hung out in the parking lot drinking wine and not letting the bastards get us down.
Near Wapiti, Wyoming.
Today I saw certainly one of the most scenic drives in the entire U.S., with some of the most fun women I know to see it with. The drive up from Cody is nothing short of astounding along the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, over Dead Indian Peak to Beartooth Pass and on to Red Lodge. If you are ever in this area, don’t miss this drive! Took a ride with Leslie and Angie Psait, and we climbed up into the mountains behind Rand Creek Ranch in Wapiti, WY. Their most excellent wrangler, Kendall, took us up some spectacular trails to see breathtaking vistas. Annie lost a hind boot somewhere out there in the sage brush so I turned back and hunted for it while they went on into the National Forest. The boot is still up there somewhere enjoying the view. Annie and I enjoyed a very peaceful 5-night stay at this wonderful ranch near Cody. Nicest hosts you will ever meet with a beautiful place near the east gate to Yellowstone National Park. Leaving this morning for Dubois, WY and some good times saddling and paddling with Biggi Hayes.
After a rough night’s sleep with Annie in the trailer, I woke up this morning and wrote a couple of scathing reviews on TripAdvisor and Google. Then I called the Wyoming Dude Ranch Association and they are definitely taking this matter seriously. They were very apologetic and I trust they will deal with it appropriately. I also went by the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce this morning and told them what happened. And I’m just getting started. I will pursue legal recourse if I have to. They definitely pissed off the wrong person!
July 9, 2018: Driving through Wind River Canyon: I decided to make a loop back around from Cody to Dubois the way I came in to the region last week (a much easier haul than coming through Yellowstone and Tetons National Parks). This time, I had time to stop and soak at the famous hot springs of Thermopolis. I also repeated this stretch of highway which was worth seeing again. I still can’t figure out the optical illusion created by driving downhill for about 20 miles with the river appearing to run uphill next to the road.
The other three decided to get a room in Cody, Wyoming, and I found a darling little place about 20 miles away called Rand Creek Ranch which has provided Annie and I an ideal place to kick back, relax, ride and enjoy our stay. July 4, 2018: Annie and I hauled across the Continental Divide again to get back up and over to Cody, WY yesterday. Breathtaking drive through the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Eager to ride in this area, but there’s a 4th of July Parade and Rodeo in town today.
Made it to Dubois, WY. Annie likes it here too. July 12, 2018: On Monday, Annie and I rode in Turpin Meadow with Biggi on her straight Babson gelding, Star. Not far from the Continental Divide, we got caught in an afternoon pop-up thunderstorm. The Tetons were visible in the distance. The fragrance of the flowers there was almost overwhelming.
Cowboys, Indians and lots of celebrating the American Wild West. Went to the famous Cody Championship Rodeo afterwards. 38
Two-fer Tuesday, Biggi and I paddled in the morning. We took kayaks up to the third in a series a clear, deep glacial lakes not far from Dubois, WY. This was the smallest of the three (actually named Trail Lake but I called it Baby Lake) — so sweet, still and tranquil. We paddled a short way up the river that feeds it from snow melting in the higher elevations.
phobic. Phone was dropped a week or so ago and has been acting strange ever since. Too vital to risk it so am facing one of my biggest fears; young male electronics nerds. Wish me luck! #46 IDAHO
I had mentioned to her earlier that I hoped to see some Bighorn Sheep sometime during my travels. After loading up the kayaks, she drove me a short distance up from the lakes and we came upon a herd of ewes and lambs. Ah, life is good. Tuesday evening, Biggi saddled up Sunshine, her Babson-cross Arabian mare, and we rode from her house to a spectacular wildlife management area nearby. I am running out of adjectives to describe the beauty I am seeing. Annie finally met a chestnut mare who could out-walk her, leaving us to see the view and eat the dust we have so often provided those riding with us. Crossing back through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks tomorrow over to Grand Prismatic Spring in West Yellowstone, Montana. I got a message from some friends from Missouri, Tom and MJ McHaffie saying they were in the area. We met for breakfast on my way out of town. It was great to see them again and such a nice surprise! #45 MONTANA
July 13, 2018: What’s more frightening than running into a Grizzly bear on the trail?? Running into a Grizzly bear CUB! I checked in at the office yesterday morning of the Diamond P Ranch in West Yellowstone to pay, to check on trail conditions and to let someone know I was headed up the mountain to ride for a while. They reminded me to carry bear spray and said a mother Grizzly and her cubs were seen up there recently.
July 14, 2018: Annie loves it here! We are in Bellevue, Idaho staying at a small private stable at the foothills of the Sawtooth Mountains. They had everything all set up for us. I am parked next to her run-in shed (they had this bed already made for her) and she has a safely fenced half-acre grass paddock next to their horses. We have a view of the surrounding hills and it’s very quiet and relaxing here. Later today, I think we’ll take a leisurely ride around this area and along the nearby river. Tomorrow I’ll haul up towards Stanley for a real mountain ride.
So with canister firmly on hip, following a short bit of target practice, I saddled up and rode anyway. Annie climbed a gentle series of switchbacks to an upper meadow. We had just ducked back into the heavily wooded forest when about 50 feet ahead, I saw it: a young adolescent cub off in a dark corner. It saw me, I saw it and we both had the same reaction — RUN! I’m not even sure if Annie alerted to it as I felt no tension or hyper-vigilance from her, but I am grateful that when I suddenly told her to rollback and run, she did! We were back across that meadow moments later and setting into an open trot to gain even more distance from what could likely be one pissed off momma bear. So that was my first ride in Montana. I’m going on to Idaho tomorrow, a state I’ve longed to see since I was a teenager. I’ll be riding up near Stanley in the Sawtooth Mountains and staying safe at a private ranch in the foothills for five nights. Eventually this trip will have me circling back to see more of Montana up near Flathead Lake. I just had to get this state checked off my list before hitting the final three: Idaho, Oregon and Washington (with a special side-trip to Northern California.) One of my scariest adventures to date: I had to go to an AT&T store in Idaho Falls trying to get my phone either fixed or replaced without losing my contacts, photos, etc. I am seriously techno-
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Greenhorn Gulch, Idaho.
July 16, 2018: The folks Annie and I are staying with connected us up with some other trail riders in the area who were headed up Greenhorn Gulch to ride the Imperial Trail yesterday. I was grateful for the good company of Basha and Martha Miller and going out into such a spectacular place with someone who knew the trails. I did have to battle some of my personal anxiety about heights and chose to dismount and walk a particularly narrow and steep section at the top. Four + hours riding at this altitude in the lower Sawtooth National Forest left us both feeling like today would be a good day to
rest up, attend to some other things and get ready for another epic ride at an even higher range tomorrow.
Risa shared a sad but sweet story with me about losing a dearly loved Paint mare she had raised from birth and in her grief decided, “Death took something away from me. I’m going to take something away from Death”. Her new mare was en route to slaughter, as an untrained 4-year old, when Risa saved her.
July 18, 2018: Took an utterly magnificent ride yesterday near Stanley, Idaho from Redfish to the Bench Lakes. Much of the trail was along a ridge with the Sawtooth Mountains on one side and Redfish Lake with the White Cloud Range on the other. Spectacular views in all directions! We climbed our way up to the two pristine little Bench Lakes. I ate lunch on a shady rock while Annie munched on some lush grass at the edge of the water. It was quite a haul over the Galena Pass to get to this area, but so worth it. I even got to see the Salmon River where it starts as a nondescript little stream high in the mountains.
NEVADA
July 22, 2018: Spent last night near Winnemucca, NV and am now headed to Tahoe National Forest to Skillman Horse Camp for three nights. I’m ready for something other than sagebrush and high desert hills! Excited that Linda Steinle and her friend will come ride with us tomorrow and hopefully later in the week. Don’t worry if I seem to have ‘disappeared’ as I may not have a signal in the woods. Will emerge at Auburn on Wednesday ready to help crew for Stephanie Chase and her wonderful Babson-sired Al Khamsa Arabian horse, DA Serabaars Secret, during the Tevis Cup next Saturday.
After our ride, I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner at the historic Redfish Lodge before braving the pass back to Bellevue. Upon pulling into the tiny parking lot jammed with tourists there to swim and enjoy the marina and lodge, I knew it was going to be tricky to get through it and back out. To complicate matters, someone parked their big Lincoln Navigator boldly in a no parking zone. As I swung wide hoping to miss it, I failed to notice another vehicle parked along the other side, also in a no parking zone. Although I was creeping along, the fender of my trailer caught the quarter panel of the second vehicle. Aaargh! So I borrowed a phone to call the sheriff to file an accident report, called my insurance company and snapped some photos.
July 26, 2018: 10:39 PM. I am getting way behind on posting updates, partly because I’ve been in remote, signal-less areas and partly because I’ve been on the go! For my last full day in Southwestern Idaho, Candy of Neverdull Ranch planned a great day trip for us to the quaint little town of Murphy which features a fascinating museum rich with artifacts and history of the area and an impressive spur and bit collection. On the way we stopped at a funky little roadside attraction where the ferry used to cross the Snake River that had an extensive handmade birdhouse collection among other things. After the museum we took a scenic drive into a green valley of vineyards and ate at a great little restaurant in an area known as Sunnyslope. What a fun day that was!
After pulling some of the dents out of my trailer fender with my tire iron and with some help from the nice deputy who came, I squeezed through and on out of the parking lot. Not one to be deterred from my plan to have dinner before leaving, I found a parking spot at another lot up the road, gave Annie a bag of hay and a bucket of water and returned to the lodge. It was lovely and I enjoyed a memorable trout dinner putting the fender bender incident out of my mind. As I was getting ready to leave, a gentleman approached, said he had seen the fiasco in the parking lot, paid for my dinner and wished me a good day. How sweet was that!?
Somewhere in the ‘small world’ of things, a friend of Candy’s recognized the DA prefix on the name of the horse I will be helping crew for during Tevis and reminded me this stood for Destiny Arabians and that Sheila Harmon owns his sire and lives in the area.
Annie scores again! I promised her I would do my best to find nice spots where she is safe, has room to move and some grazing after all the time she spends in the trailer. We are now near Boise, Idaho (actually Meridian) in a cozy, quiet spot. Hoping to ride a little at Eagle Island and visit Candy Odiorne. It is HOT here and the a.c. in my truck works off and on, mostly off. Once we arrived and Annie was settled in, I decided to crank on the a.c. in my living quarters and take a short nap. I woke up three hours later after dreaming I was in a blizzard. Yep, that a.c. works real good! July 19, 2018: Happy Birthday, dear Chevy! I’m celebrating a little early, just 75 miles shy of 200,000 miles. For its birthday, it got a new compressor and MY AIR CONDITIONER IS WORKING AGAIN!! Much gratitude to Candy for the referral and assistance and to the capable mechanics at Restoration Rods in Garden City, ID for their quick diagnosis and repair. We›re so cool now! July 20, 2018: The barn owner Risa hauled us and her pretty little rescued Pinto mare over to Eagle Island yesterday evening for a ride. Although we sprayed ourselves and our horses thoroughly and repeatedly with repellent, we were bombarded with mosquitos. After a short ride, Plan B — which was to load up and go have dinner and a few beers — worked out fine.
Ellen with Stephanie Chase and DA Serabaars Secret at the Tevis.
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We were able to meet for lunch before I left for Nevada and points west. That was a nice addition to my brief stay in the Nampa area. CALIFORNIA
July 27, 2018: 6:51 AM. So after driving across the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana and southern Idaho, I was growing tired of seeing desert and sagebrush. I wanted to see TREES, and I got trees, lots of trees and big trees at our site at Skillman Horse Camp in the Tahoe National Forest and one vista across the road as we headed down the mountain to Auburn. Lovely area, with TREES. Linda and I had a super ride through the trees from Skillman Horse Camp in the Tahoe National Forest. Turns out, she’s as much fun as I thought she would be. Not only have we enjoyed some good times riding and kayaking together, I am keeping Annie and my trailer at her place while I’m busy crewing at Tevis. The place I had arranged in advance turned out to be way down a crazy mountain road and she’s letting me home-base from Auburn instead, but after coming out of the Tahoe National Forest and discovering it was well over 100 degrees down in Auburn, Linda suggested we go kayaking instead of trail riding. We went to the American River before it becomes Folsom Lake. It was crystal clear and so refreshing! So, now on my way up to the starting line for the Tevis Cup. Honored and excited to be crewing for Stephanie and her amazing DA Serabaars Secret. Will do my best to keep everyone posted as they head out on the most challenging 100-mile endurance ride in the country starting Saturday morning at 5:15. They will have 24 hours to make it to the finish across extremely difficult terrain in sweltering heat and humidity. July 29, 2018: 10:17 PM. Got a few random ‘Day after Tevis’ photos and a pretty good story. One is Stephanie and DA Serabaars Secret totally ROCKING Cougar Rock. Two Mustangs finished in the Top Ten. A dark chestnut, MM Cody who was ridden by a Junior Rider, received the highly coveted Haggin Cup for Best Condition. Also of note, a 27-year old Arabian successfully completed this year’s ride in 13th place, in a year when only 43% of those who entered finished. After dropping by the temporary Tevis Store just before the awards banquet this afternoon (which included a nice long chat with the photographer who captures those awesome Cougar Rock pictures), Linda and I went to see an art exhibit at the Auburn City Hall featuring Tevis and horse-related photos, paintings and sculptures. Linda had some of her best ‘between the ears’ photos on display. Then she tells me she just got a text saying that there’s an estate sale at the home of Wendell Robie’s granddaughter. Wendell basically was the founder of the Western States Trail and Tevis Cup and his granddaughter, Maryanne, also rode endurance quite successfully, winning the Tevis in 1969. So we hopped in the car and scurried over there. We found some great memorabilia, household items and riding gear including a rare book signed by Wendell himself and some assorted award buckles from various endurance rides. Perhaps the best part was that Linda, a born-here local girl, and the nice fellow charged with distributing the property were able to connect. He was keenly interested to learn of the Western States Trail museum and other Tevis history-preservation organizations that would be good permanent homes for some of the more valuable and significant items. 41
Using both hands on No Hands Bridge!
July 30, 2018: 12:30 PM. Auburn, CA. Annie made it to the finish line of the Tevis at the end of the Western States Trail in Auburn. It was a grueling 3.6 mile trailer ride from Linda’s house but she arrived sound and in good shape. Her heart and respiratory rates were amazing, like she had been resting for days. In fact, she has so much energy and stamina, I think we will ride to No Hands Bridge and back. August 1, 2018: 8:41 AM. Left Auburn yesterday and drove up through the Napa Valley. If I wasn’t hauling a horse trailer, I would have loved to stop at some of those vineyards! (I’ll be back.) Anyway stayed last night at this cute little place called Thunderbird Ranch. It’s an event center with a lot of history behind it that allows horse camping. Was met by an old friend from Eureka Springs I had lost contact with and haven’t seen for decades, Marianne Fulton. It was wonderful to reconnect with her (thanks to Facebook). She took me into Healdsburg for a fun evening of food and music on the downtown square. On to Arcata and the Redwoods today! August 2, 2018: 9:14 AM. Drove north out of Napa Valley, up the coast and through the Redwoods yesterday to Arcata, CA. Along the way, I took a scenic detour through the Avenue of the Giants. Wow! Towering many hundreds of feet, this is some of the remaining 4% of ‘old growth’ forest still in existence today. Greedy humans are such idiots. Logging destroyed in a few decades what had taken many thousands of years for nature to create.
Cat Koshkin and I loaded up our horses and hauled to a nearby community-managed park, one that was logged leaving a handful of those behemoth trees, lots of smaller regrowth (some of these are now are 3-4 feet in diameter so still BIG trees) with a lush forest floor of ferns and flowers.
worse from here, much worse”. So I tried for a while with the help of a few very kind strangers who happened upon the scene but wasn’t making much progress.
Morning mist now, and I am grateful for the moisture, green color everywhere and to Cat and her husband Patrick for their gracious hospitality last night. Later today I will go a little further up the coast to Orick to ride the beach and Cat and her friend Cindy will join me tomorrow to ride in the preserved old growth Redwood forest there.
About that time a woman with tattoos and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth came down the hill. (She reminded me of Large Marge in Peewee’s Big Adventure.) She slowed down, rolled down her window, said she was an licensed OTR trucker and then, masterfully stringing together a single sentence that combined the “fword” in more creative ways than I knew were possible, suggested I drop the trailer, get the truck turned around, then re-hook and jack-knife my way out.
August 3, 2018: 6:43 AM. Orick Beach, California: Joined by a Frenchman named Yvon, we rode from camp yesterday evening, crossed Redwood Creek and followed it along the levee out to the Pacific Ocean. Fantastic ride!
Following her sage and colorful advice actually did work. I reloaded Annie, went back down the mountain to the turn I had missed, and the sign I had missed, back around to the trailhead and enjoyed a magnificent ride in the giant Redwoods.
August 4, 2018: 11:53 AM. Cat sure showed me a good time during my visit to this part of California. Yesterday she and her friend Cindy joined me for a magical ride in the old growth Redwoods near Orick. To be in the presence of these ancient trees, to breath the oxygen-laden air, to look up in disbelief at their enormity, to feel the effects of a ‘forest bath’ (a Japanese phrase that comes close to describing it), is an experience like none other
#47 OREGON
August 4, 2018: 7:10 PM. Ambassador Annie, at it again: We no sooner got relocated and settled in at Ormans Guest Ranch in Crescent City, CA when Annie drew a crowd of kids. I had some sliced carrots for them to feed her and she gently accepted their offerings. This little girl really wanted to carry her grain and hay, so I let her. I liked her enthusiasm. August 5, 2018: 5:43 PM. Crescent Beach, California. Annie and I are staying at a cozy campground about 30 miles south of the Oregon line. It has big grass paddocks and shelters for horses with access to beaches and giant Redwoods only a short distance away. Will be in the big trees again tomorrow. Today was a beach day!
August 7, 2018: 8:31 PM. After a spectacular drive up Highway 101, we arrived at Bullard’s Beach State Park this afternoon and rode out to the Coquille River Lighthouse (above).
August 6, 2018: 5:14 AM. Before riding, I went to lunch (working on correcting my Midwesterner’s seafood deficit) at the Chart Room on the marina. Spotted sea lions basking on a dock and a lovely view of the beach I would be riding. I encountered a herd of elk on the way back to camp.
August 9, 2018: 6:49 AM. Anne, Dee and I rode Bullard’s Beach yesterday morning. The sand was deep but otherwise it was a super nice ride. I think Annie is finally accepting that the waves aren’t out to get her. Afterwards we drove to the nearby cute little historic port town of Bandon for some fresh seafood and a little tourist fun.
August 1, 2018: 3:38 PM. Signs. Signs are good. Signs are important. Pay attention to signs!! A simple hop up the road a few miles turned to near-disaster when I missed my turn. I was busy looking for a landmark which I never saw, tried to stop short when I saw the right street and then back up. But I made the wrong decision to drive a little further instead to look for a place to turn around when I saw traffic coming my way. What I DIDN’T see in all of that was THE sign. So as a two lane narrowed to a twisty one lane which then turned to steep gravel with no place to get turned around, I knew I was in trouble.
Today, I will be heading inland and up to the Willamette Valley. Anne will join me there this weekend. First order of business is to get my brake rotors turned and an oil change. Those trips up and down the Continental Divide in Wyoming, Donner Pass in California, and the hellish dirt road in and out from Robie Equestrian Park during the Tevis Cup, have rendered my truck brakes in need of some attention.
I spotted a slightly wide spot, pulled over, got Annie out and tied safely to a distant tree, ran down the hill 100 feet or so around the blind curve and placed an orange traffic cone and then began the slow ziggy-zaggy process of maneuvering a tight U-turn with a gooseneck trailer. I waved down the first vehicle I saw coming down and asked about the road further up. They said “It just gets
Brake update: Fried another set of rotors. New ones all around. August 11, 2018: 3:31 AM. Oregon Wine Country, Willamette Valley West of Eugene. Oh yes! August 12, 2018: 7:31 AM. Took a really nice ride along the McKenzie River near Eugene with Sarah from the stables where I’ve been staying in Oregon. Today’s my last day at this location 42
and I’m trying to figure out how to fit in another trail ride and a few more wineries. I’m sure I’ll manage somehow. August 15, 2018: 6:09 AM. Oregon — The “Dry Side”: I’ve been visiting Terry and Rosemary Doyle near Bend. After crossing over the Cascades at McKenzie Pass, the green trees, rivers and vineyards changed to ancient, twisted junipers, sage and presently, smoke. I am finding that arid climates simply do not agree with me. There are those who find great beauty in the desert. To me it looks like everything is struggling to just survive and not always succeeding. I rode out from behind their ranch, Doyle Arabians, onto BLM land late yesterday afternoon. Terry, age 85, was going to join me but his riding horse had developed some girth galls from a recent saddle change. I would have enjoyed his company but was relieved in a way since he still competes in Endurance. He recently completed a three-day, 75-mile ride and I was genuinely worried I would not be able to keep up with him! August 16, 2018: 9:42 AM. Well, that slow leak in my transmission transfer case that was discovered during a routine oil change in Junction City turned into a big leak after I left Bend.
August 21, 2018: 1:12 PM. As I suspected, the smoke is too thick in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington to ride much. What light there is has a strange pinkish gray cast to it and visibility is greatly diminished. I had hoped to ride to the top of Mount Muller as I have heard the views are normally nothing short of spectacular. It’s a 1500+ foot climb so there’s NO WAY I would ask Annie to exert herself that much with this crummy air quality. Instead we took a ride through the forest on level ground at the base of the mountain. August 1, 2018: 9:02 PM. We are up in the eastern corner of the Olympic Peninsula now at a neat little (currently empty) horse camp. Air continues to be quite smoky, enough so that any strenuous effort is not advised. So instead of a trail ride up to see across the sound to the Canadian city of Victoria, we played on their obstacle course. It required low respiratory exertion and is something we hadn’t done in a while. My obstacle-challenged friends might pick up a few ideas and see some old stand-bys for arena obstacle courses. Annie likes it here because she has a little pasture. I’m happy because she’s happy. Tomorrow we move on, but I suspect the smoke is there too.
Very fortunately, I was able to limp on in to Dee Van Gilder’s ranch near Wasco, have Annie happily settled in there and then get it in with her mechanic in The Dalles this morning. More good news is, it’s a relatively simple fix. #48 WASHINGTON
August 19, 2018: 6:36 PM. Well, we did it. Annie and I have now officially ridden in all 48 states. This journey has been one of challenges and changes, joys and excitement, and immense beauty — and it’s not over yet. We are about 3,000 miles from home with a few more adventures still ahead as we continue traveling and trail riding on our return. Tomorrow we will head a little further up Highway 101 along the Washington coast to the point where we either end up in Canada or the Pacific Ocean, or turn right and start the long trek back. Our first stop will be at Camp Littleton at Mount Muller in the Olympic National Forest. From there we will head for the mountains east of Seattle and on through Idaho, Montana, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico before shooting across Texas and Oklahoma back to Arkansas. I am grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way thus far, whether it was a place for us to stay, a trail riding buddy, some local advice or logistical support, a meal, a shower or a load of laundry — or a new friendship — or all of those things! The personal connections I’ve made have been as important to me as the road trip itself, the sights we’ve seen and the trails we’ve ridden. Thank you to all who have supported us along the way! 43
Smoke on Lake Kachess, Washington.
August 23, 2018: 7:46 AM. Dee and her chestnut mare, Treasure, met up with us to camp a couple of nights in the mountains east of Seattle. We’re still taking it easy due to the smoke-filled air but enjoyed a nice level ride out to Lake Kachess. Campground is fine but a bit too close to the highway for any total peace and quiet. Hoping the rumor that air conditions will improve today are true so we can head up into higher elevations. Either way, I’m sure we’ll still have a good time! August 24, 2018: 8:07 AM. The dense smoke gave way to blue skies and a perfect day for trail riding with Dee yesterday. I finally got a glimpse of the beautiful mountains and northern Washington scenery which had been obscured for days. Truly magnificent! IDAHO
August 26, 2018: 6:15 AM. Had quite a fine day yesterday starting near Sandpoint, Idaho with a lesson in Cowboy Dressage from Jenni Grimmet. I’m working on trying to be a more balanced, kinder and softer rider for Annie. Afterwards, we took a short trail ride from her Lucky Duck Farm to Muskrat Lake. I was excited to buy a copy of Jenni’s recently released beautiful book, Dressage the Cowboy Way, one I would recommend to anyone seeking to better their riding skills and relationship with their horse.
Then Jenni updated Annie’s health certificate (she’s a large animal vet) with a 30-day destination of HOME, we loaded up and made the scenic albeit smoky drive along Lake Pend Oreille into Montana. The day ended with a nice long soak in Big Medicine Hot Springs. It was great. Soaked in there with a Native America multi-generational family speaking a language I’ve never heard, followed by a yummy dinner on a mountain top with my overnight hosts, Ron and Deb, who are friends of Jenni and Dan’s. MONTANA
Today we are headed into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for five nights of camping and trail riding. The first three will be with Rebecca Myers and the last two will be on our own. We will be at Owl Creek Pack Station southeast of Flathead Lake. After that, we will start the rapid drop south before winter arrives in the mountains. I suspect I won’t be online for a while. Don’t worry, I have bear spray!
Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. Below, Holland Falls.
parts of the already treacherous trail were further eroding off the hillside. (Later I heard from a forest ranger one mule broke its leg on that stretch this summer. You know it’s bad when mules are getting hurt.) Anyway, we stopped for lunch at the waterfall but my nerves were so jangled I couldn’t eat. I stayed dismounted for the top part of the way down, glad for the exciting experience and splendid scenery but equally glad to be off that mountain! We then took a short ride past Owl Creek camp down to the lake to take pictures and unwind from our adventure.
August 1, 2018: 11:15 AM. Plain, Montana (it used to be called Wild Horse Plain): This area is known as Montana’s ‘Banana Belt’ because it experiences milder winters than elsewhere. The wild horses figured that out and would migrate here to winter pastures. I did overhear an old timer at breakfast saying there’s snow up above 7,000 feet already. Yikes! August 29, 2018: Owl Creek Packers Camp, Flathead National Forest, MT.
I am grateful for the clear skies yesterday so I could actually see some of Montana’s renowned beauty and for Rebecca’s company these past few days. Next stop, after I get back to ‘civilization’ and can make some phone calls, is the Bitteroot Mountains in southern Montana before heading south along the Salmon River into Idaho.
Here’s a neat place for a small gathering of trail riding friends. Situated at the trail head which goes up into to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, this camp serves as a staging area for mules and horses packing hunters and explorers up into ‘the Bob’. It also has a small rustic cabin ($30), one large and one medium sized pipe corral ($20) and plenty of parking areas for LQs (no charge), a few with electric. There’s potable water, fire rings and picnic tables throughout the campground. Cabin has four twin beds (BYO bedding), a stove, small fridge, pots, pans, dishes, etc. and a large wooden table with chairs. It has electricity, water and vault toilets outside, and heat from a wood stove. Bring weed free hay.
We are out from ‘The Bob’, or actually it was more of a ‘NearBob Experience’. The Bob Marshall Wilderness, simply referred to as ‘The Bob’ around here, starts at a high and distant pass accessed only by steep and narrow trails that climb up from Owl Creek Packers Camp. I opted to tackle some of the trails up and around Holland Lake from there rather than ride quite that far or quite that wild.
September 2, 2018: Challis, ID. Riding up to Holland Falls in the Flathead National Forest of Montana. Rebecca and I rode up, up, up along a lovely trail over Holland Lake towards the pass that is the boundary for the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The last half mile or so before we made it to the waterfall was rather terrifyingly narrow and rocky with steep drop offs — but gorgeous views. I could see where some horses or mules had missed their step and
IDAHO
September 3, 2018: Challis, ID. Annie was ready for a day off and I was ready for a day on the water. The outfitter I had tentatively arranged in Challis to float the Salmon River had not returned 44
from the backcountry so I went into town to have cell service and make some calls to try and figure something out. From what I had gathered the previous day, I was going to have to drive an hour+ back to the town of Salmon or up to Stanley (which is gorgeous but over another high pass and I had just hauled across the Continental Divide the day before). I happened to stop for breakfast at an inconspicuous diner and noticed a small sign that said “We rent boats”. They catered to fishermen but had a single person ‘cataraft’ available and were willing to shuttle me to put in at Challis Hot Springs and leave my truck at a bridge about 10 miles downriver. [Note to self: Did he just say ‘hot springs’?!]
to visit and ride in areas I missed on my 2015 trip. First stop is to see my cousin, Debbie Highsmith and ride with Stephanie, the woman I crewed for at Tevis earlier this trip) near Salt Lake, then on to Moab, Escalante and the Paria River canyon region before heading east towards home. September 6, 2018: (morning) Poor Annie! We had a minor veterinary emergency yesterday but she’s okay now. I noticed in the morning she seemed to be chewing her feed a little oddly. I went into town and attended to numerous errands such as laundry, groceries, oil change, feed store, etc. When I came back a few hours later she had a profuse amount of drool and thick clear mucus hanging from her mouth. All of her vitals were normal, I couldn’t find anything in her mouth and she was willing to graze. After a while, everything seemed okay. An hour later I checked her and the drooling mucus problem was back. I knew something was definitely amiss. Very fortunately the vet that Stephanie uses in Park City could see her right away, so I loaded her up and in we went. After sedating her and cranking her mouth open with that equine dental torturelooking device, he reached in with some pliers and extracted a 3/4 inch piece of hay which had somehow impaled itself about halfway into the back of her tongue. While he was in there, he noticed some sharp points on her teeth and filed them down. He said not to ride her that day but that she would be fine to travel and continue our normal activities today. So Stephanie and I enjoyed a very pleasant food-eating, winedrinking but non-riding evening together. Today, Annie is 100% back to her normal self and we will be heading south to Moab. UTAH
I was a little nervous hitting an unfamiliar river solo but was assured it would be an easy float. So with pink hat, sunscreen and life jacket on, I shoved off. I quickly determined that this otherwise stable watercraft did not steer like a kayak. It did not steer like a canoe. In fact, it did not steer at all! I finally decided after being at the mercy of the swift current that the only hope I had was to treat it like a homemade raft and paddle low in front on either side in a near futile effort to avoid the occasional low branch and driftwood. Later, someone explained that fishermen paddle facing backwards making the split oars and catamaran design make some kind of sense. Duh.
September 2, 2018: (evening, after traveling during the day) Our camping spot for the night at Ken’s Lake, Moab, Utah, is magnificent, just very open and dry. It’s absolutely amazing but the lack of shade for us both and water for Annie is a concern. She seems more anxious than usual so that has me keyed up a little too. We will probably both feel more settled in a while. It was a long day on the road and the immensity of this place hasn’t sunk in yet. September 7, 2018: We took an amazing ride this morning up into those canyons. But upon our return, I decided to relocate a few miles up the road to Spanish Trails Arena. The lack of accessible water for Annie made it necessary, plus I wanted a few “amenities”
Anyway, it was a magnificent and mostly peaceful four-hour float through some amazing rock formations. I spotted two bald eagles, ducks, geese and assorted waterfowl and had the river all to myself. Afterwards, I headed back to the hot springs for a nice long soak to end the day. I particularly enjoyed the hot shower before the thermal pools. You know you are past due for a real one, not just a sponge bath, when you are thinking back to recall your last and it was well over a week and a couple of states ago. September 4, 2018: Had some plans change in my travel itinerary which opened up a few extra days to spend in Utah. Excited 45
Moab, Utah.
myself. Water, precious water, to refill water containers and take showers (Annie got one too). There was even water to irrigate a small green lawn, where Annie munched happily for a while as she dried in the warm sun.
and drive down through Boulder to Escalante. The terrain varies so much in this area, it’s like you are in another part of the world, or on another planet entirely, every few miles.
She was not entirely comfortable out there without any other horses anywhere, and NO GRASS. Plus she has this freaky thing about ‘cars at a distance’ and there were some lightly traveled roads crossing the desert. She would go onto alert mode all night when lights randomly passed by, even though they were far away. I’m sure she didn’t rest well. But now we are content and wellhydrated and ready to roll on to Escalante in the morning. Annie is pooped. She’s finally laying down and occasionally going flat out. Even though this area lacks the sheer beauty of the other place (you can still see the mountains and cliffs but there’s buildings, barns, traffic, corrals), it’s a bargain at $20 which includes a large corral, RV spot, water, electric and a great hot shower! September 8, 2018: I’m never one to miss a photo op or a chance to see someplace spectacular. So I just had to take a drive through Arches National Park this morning, leaving Moab on our way to Escalante. And yes, in the midst of tourist traffic mayhem, I unloaded Annie and snapped a few pictures at the iconic arch. She was totally cool about it. I’m wearing one of my Al Khamsa t-shirts in recognition of the annual convention which I am regrettably missing this weekend. But I’m pretty sure my AK friends will understand.
I had to pull over at the summit and let my truck catch its breath (all gauges were pegging out in the red zone) and thought I was going to hyperventilate driving down what seemed like a wall of the Grand Canyon. There were a few place where it was just the two-lane road on top of a high ‘backbone’ ridge, no rails and sheer drops for thousands of feet off either side. If I had been trail riding, I would have dismounted and walked. And, like when trail riding, I was too preoccupied with staying alive to take photos of that section of the trail. We settled in at the old racetrack/rodeo grounds in Escalante and were visited by Crockett Dumas. (If you don’t know who he is, look him up!) He pointed us in the right direction for a ride today and will come join us if we’re still out exploring this afternoon.
Excalante River Canyon, Utah.
September 10, 2018: Escalante River Canyon, Utah. What an amazing place! My neck got tired from looking up in awe at the amazing rock walls towering hundreds of feet above us. We somehow missed connecting with Crockett and Terry as they rode into the canyon from their place and I entered from the trail head. We did get together later for a nice dinner and relaxing evening at The Outlaw Ranch.
At Arches National Park, Utah.
I drove from the town of Escalante through Bryce Canyon and on around to the southern region of Grand Escalante National Monument earlier today. Snapped a few quick pics from the road near where Annie and I rode three years ago on the western side of Bryce. I was glad to go through there again and am excited to get a chance to explore the Paria area of Utah for the next two days. I also noted I have reached roughly the same latitude as my home in Arkansas. From here, we zig and zag and have a few more trails to ride, but we will be primarily headed east over the next two weeks. Annie found the only patch of grass in southern Utah, of course.
September 9, 2018: Yesterday was one for the record books as far as scenic drives and cramming a lot into one day goes. We left Moab and drove through Arches National Park in the morning and then looped back west to Escalante. That drive which starts off rather boring down Hwy 24 across barren desert, gets outrageously beautiful as you go through Capital Reef, and totally insanely spectacular after you turn on Hwy 12 as you cross over a high pass
We’ve got some riding to do from Paria River Ranch, Utah. One can ride off in any direction, across open plains, through colorful rock mesas and deep canyons. The canyons get steeper and deeper and more beautiful around every narrow turn. September 12, 2018: Got some more photos from a ride yesterday with some fun riding buddies I met at camp, Jena Stewart and 46
Leslie Malone (from Georgia). They allowed me to tag along on a ten-mile ride up and back through Buckskin Gulch up to
COLORADO
September 14, 2018: Camping in southwestern Colorado.
Buckskin Gulch, Utah.
Saddlehorn Pueblo, near Cortez, Colorado.
September 15, 2018: 8:38 AM. Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Cortez, Colorado. Protected traditionally by the ‘Sleeping Ute’ mountain (and now Federal regulations), this area is rich with the history and archaeological sites of the Ancestral Puebloan people. Remnants of their cliff dwellings and artifacts abound in this high desert area. Exploring the canyon geology combined with the views and unique ancient Native American cultural heritage made for a fascinating trail ride yesterday. NEW MEXICO
September 16, 2018: Northern New Mexico. Annie and I crossed the Continental Divide yesterday for the last time on this trip. Now it feels like we are officially headed home. We’re staying for a few days at a really nice horse camp called Taos Horse Getaway. Nothing fancy but a magnificent view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and endless miles of trails through Carson National Forest all around us. The best part is that Annie can be out grazing on the sparse but actual grass... and there’s trees! No offense to you desert-lovers but I’ve seen enough sagebrush and cactus to last me a while. the slot canyon near Paria. These photos give you a glimpse of the unique and varied terrain as we rode in and out of the canyon. We even saw some pictographs! I wanted to ride in a ‘slot canyon’ and got my wish yesterday at the end of Buckskin Gulch near Paria (pronounced Pah-ree-uh) Utah. I have a bunch of photos of the entire awesome ride. Dim light, difficult footing which often alternated between deep mud and rock rubble and an excited horse (and a cheap cell phone camera) doesn’t do the place justice. The most ‘exciting’ portion was as we got into the slot area, we encountered very deep, thick mud that tried to swallow us up. We worked our way around most of it and a lot of rock rubble but finally had to turn back when it just got to be too dangerous. They were fun gals to ride with on good horses that took it all in stride. I’m headed on to the Four Corners area of Colorado this morning. Between this trip and a visit three years ago, I’ve spent a month exploring Utah, and feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of this state. If you are looking for a place that offers endless riding through diverse and interesting geography, Utah certainly offers that! 47
Near Taos, New Mexico.
September 19, 2018: I’ve enjoyed three fabulous days here near Taos. Two were spent riding in the beautiful Carson National Forest with Eron, a neighbor here at Taos Horse Getaway. Turns out we know a handful of people in common from the ‘endurance set’ and like going about the same pace and distance. We looked for a herd of wild horses, actually small roan ponies that live in the forests
Chef Al Khamsa and the Roster
My farm is Dhabi Farm at dhabifarm.com The horses are Dhabi Arabians. My Abayyan stallion, Navelli (Mahkiavelli KA x DKA Nadir), is gorgeous and wants to get some registered foals on the ground. ~ dhabigirl64@gmail.com
Chef Al wants to know if you use the Al Khamsa Roster. Once a year? Ten times a Year? Every week? How much is that amazing tool worth to you? Like Public Radio, there is no toll when you access the Roster. Al Khamsa has no dues. Our volunteers do much of the work of the website, but there are continuing costs to maintain our presence on the internet. Won’t you make a contribution to support this wondrous service? The Roster is just a part of the information you can find about the Al Khamsa horse or about your own Al Khamsa horse on the website.
and meadows in this area. We didn’t see them but saw plenty of evidence that they were around. We also saw an elk whose latenight whistling and bugling during rutting season has been very upsetting to Annie.
You can designate your donation specifically for the General Fund, the Endowment, the AERC Fund or give to the Preservation Task Force by pressing this button at https://alkhamsa.org/about-us/how-you-
can-help:
The day in between, I spent soaking and rejuvenating my weary body and soul at Ojo Caliente near here. If you are a spa-hopper like me, this is one of the best! It features a wide assortment of natural springs with differing mineral contents and temperatures, sauna, steam and a mud bath. They’ve managed to retain the peace and tranquility of this ancient place of healing.
or by mailing your check to the Al Khamsa Business Office, 470 Folsom-Jonesville Road Jonesville, KY 41052
I finished off the day yesterday after a long morning ride with a trip into Taos and a walk around the plaza. I then met up with my dear old friend, Sharon, for some food and brews with live Blues music at a local hangout. We went to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge at sunset, although the height was unnerving to me. Annie and I’ll be headed over to her place on the other side of the mountains later today.
P.S.! Remember to designate Al Khamsa, Inc., when making an AmazonSmile purchase!
September 22, 2018: Yesterday was our last ride for this trip. I chose to go up the mountain overlooking Chacon Valley, NM, from my friend Sharon’s home. [Lead photo.] Annie and I have both been cozily holed up here enjoying the cooler fall weather, green grass, beautiful vistas and the gracious hospitality of one of my dearest old friends. It has been restful, and we really needed some of that.
Have you visited our website?
Tomorrow we are back out on the road for a three-day haula-thon across the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, then we pick up Aaseff and Lightning and get home! We’ll be making a few stops along the route, one to meet Sharon Casey Pappas Jackson and see her horses near OKC. Looking forward to getting home and deeply grateful for having seen what I’ve seen between Annie’s ears. [Editor: We are deeply grateful, also, to Ellen and Cathy and Annie, of course, for sharing the stories!]
Davenport Arabian Horse Conservancy Ask us about the Davenport Arabian Horse as Homer Davenport knew it in the desert, and as we still know it..
Only a few copies are still available of the essential reference book, HEIRLOOM EGYPTIAN ARABIAN HORSES, 1840-2000 by John W. Fippen. Hardcover, 592 pages, with over 400 archival black/white photographs. Please visit the website for excerpts and ordering information.
Secretary Jeanne Craver 709 Brackett Lane. Winchester IL 62694, mowarda@gmail.com www.DavenportHorses.org
www.heirloomarabianstud.com 48
TWIN BROOK FARM Offers for your Consideration, Al Khamsa, Blue Cataloged, Straight Egyptian, Asil Bloodlines Kamal El Farid AHR #639179
Fakhoor El Kadeen AHR # 671473
Bay stallion, 6/13/2008 (Shaikh El Farid x Al Niswannah by Almawardy+), bred in the strain Abeyyan Tail Female to *Magidaa.
Dark bay colt, 8/25/2017 (Anaza El Kadeen {full brother to Anaza El Farid} x Fahdeelah Ajiba). Abeyyan Strain Tail Female to *Magidaa Abeyyan Strain Tail Female to *Magidaa.
SCID clear, LFS negative & N/N for CA. DNA Test: Ee/Aa (carries the black gene)
SCID clear, LFS negative & N/N for CA. Beautiful head and eye. Tall, leggy colt, balanced body. A colt who runs with the herd, well-socialized. Well-mannered colt for show and/or stallon potential. https://www.allbreedpedigree.com/ fakhoor+el+kadeen
Runs year round in pasture with colts and geldings here at the farm. He has sired quality foals who inherit his stellar disposition, sturdy correct structure with excellent bone. Excellent to handle for hand or pasture breeding. https://www. allbreedpedigree.com/kamal+el+farid
***
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Adeb AHR #671776
Al Nazer Kamal AHR #660974
Grey colt, 6/21/2016 (Ansata Qasim x Fahdeelah Ajiba), Abeyyan Strain Tail Female to *Magidaa.
Bay gelding, 5/17/2013 (Kamal El Farid x Badiha). Hadban Enzahi Strain. SCID clear, LFS negative & N/N for CA.
SCID clear, LFS negative & N/N for CA.
Beautiful head with eyes full of expression, super friendly and attentive attitude. Stands 15.hh barefoot, a full-bodied horse with depth of hip. Wide chest, sturdy, clean legs and feet. Trained to saddle, a true trail enthusiast, he would make an excellent CT/Endurance horse. https://www.allbreedpedigree.com/al+nazer+kamal
Ansata Qasim is by Farres by Anaza El Nisr, the grey full brother to Anaza El Farid. True to his breeding, a quality colt; runs with the stallion Kamal El Farid and the geldings. Beautiful head and set of neck, balanced body on excellent legs with superb motion and size. https://www.allbreedpedigree.com/adeb
Plus Mares and Fillies available: check out our website.
Contact: Marguerite Illing
milling853@gmail.com ~ www.twinbrookarabians.com ~ or call 845-292-7797 in the evenings only after 8pm EST for details, photos, current videos upon request and prices
Davenport Stallion Available at Stud
Monologue CF Riposte CF x Soliloquy CF 2002 bay stallion (2012 photo) Proven Sire of Quality Arabians
Darlene Summers and Edouard Al Dahdah quiltingbeans@gmail.com ealdahdah@hotmail.com
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Monsoon
CRAVER FARMS
(Tripoli x Ceres)
Winchester IL 62694
1967 cs
Supporters of Al Khamsa
Davenport Arabian Horses
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Lothar Ibn Lothar Shar Sabbah Abbas Ibn Lothar Mah Hab Roulett Fa Lothar Azaba Saafaddan Ibn Saafaddan Daal Aba Almoraima Neblina Mahrouf Marlaroufa Bint Bah Roufa
*Fadl x Habba Negem x Gammousa Mahrouf x Bah Habba Bint Roulett Mahrouf x Roulena Faddan x Saaba Daaldan x Fay El Aba Fabah x Aaroufa Ibn Fa-Serr x Bah Roufa
Taliid Faye Neblina Fleet-Foot Sera DahmanSabbah Khezera Bedu Sabir Negem Shar Sabbah Gammousa Aareebah Ibn Fa-Serr Midbar Fa Rabdan Aroufina Almoraima Alegria Mahrouf Fa Mahrouf Bint Bahretta
Khebir x Nadra Ibn Faddan x Aradan Fa-Serr x Fay-Negma *Fadl x Fay-Sabbah Fa-Serr x Fa Deene Fabah x Roufina Fabah x Aaroufa Serr Rou x Bahretta
Living with this lovely 2016 SBE filly is easy, she’s a delight in every way!
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co-owned by Linda & Frank Bochansky and Monica & Patrick Respet at Husaana Arabians 6635 Central Road New Tripoli, PA 18066 monicarespet@gmail.com
Al Khamsa History
Ancestral Elements Series: Huntington
Al Khamsa’s ‘language’ about pedigrees can seem complicated at first, but it is actually meant to be a simplification of the process of understanding the total pedigree of an Arabian horse. You need to learn two terms: Foundation Horses and Ancestral Elements. These terms are explained briefly here, but for detailed information, please see the research work, Al Khamsa Arabians III (2008). A Foundation Horse is what it sounds like: when you go back as far as you can in a pedigree, you stop with either a Bedouin tribe or with a recognized source that is believed to have stock only from the Bedouin tribes. Ancestral Elements are the Building Blocks of Al Khamsa Pedigrees An Ancestral Element refers to the country, stud farm, person or group who imported or was primarily associated with the Foundation Horses concerned. Four Foundation Horses were acquired individually and are designated by their own names. Simple parenthetical codes follow the names of Foundation horses, which help identify the Ancestral Element blocks to which they belong. Khamsat V29N1 began this series, AYERZA; V29N2: BISTANY; V29N3: BORDEN; V29N4: COBB; V30N1: BLUNT; V30N2: CRANE; V30.3: DWARKA, V30.4: DAVENPORT, V31.1: HAMIDIE, V31.2: HEARST. Terminology: a hujjah (hujaj, plural) is a signed and sealed document of evidence/testimony about a thing. In Al Khamsa terms, this means a testimony about the provenance of an Arabian horse. When such a document survives, it is the most important information about an Arabian horse.
u
HUNTINGTON
Randolph Huntington established his Arabian stud farm in New York in 1888. It was the first Arabian farm in the United States with modern-day descendants. Although he did not personally import horses directly from the desert, certain horses are included under his name as a matter of long-standing tradition in American breeding. Huntington had a great enthusiasm for horses of the Mu’niqi strain and acquired horses primarily of that strain. Huntington imported horses just one or two generations from the desert from breeders in England. Haidee and Yataghan had been selected by Mr. Skene, H.M. Consul of Aleppo, the agent and one-time partner of the Blunts. The term HUNTINGTON applies to the following Foundation Horses. • Haidee (GSB) 1869 chestnut mare • *Kismet 1877 chestnut stallion • *Leopard 1873 grey stallion • Maidan (GSB) 1869 chestnut stallion
• Yataghan (GSB) 1867 chestnut stallion
HAIDEE (GSB) An 1869 chestnut Ma’naqiyah Hudrujiyah mare of the marbat of Ibn Sbayyil (or Ma’naqiyah Sbailiyah) purchased by Mr. James Henry Skene, H.M. Consul at Aleppo, for Mr. Arthur Sandeman and imported in 1874 to England by Sandeman. By a Ma’naqi Hudruji out of a Ma’naqiyah Hudrujiyah (of Ibn Sbayyil). NOTES: The above information (except for the Sbaili family) is from the entry for Haidee in Weatherby’s General Stud Book, Vol. XIII, p571. Entry #3262 in the Raswan Index describes Haidee as purchased by Maj. Roger Upton for Mr. Skene. This entry also shows Haidee as bred by Shaykh Sulayman Ibn Murshid of the Qumusah section of the Saba’ah tribe. Upton made two trips to the desert: in late 1874 and again in early summer 1875, both times with Mr. Skene. The GSB shows the 1874 Skene/Sandeman horses as a different importation from the 1875 Upton/Chaplin horses, including Kesia I, among others. It appears that the two importations should not have been completely separated. A letter from Upton quoted by Rev. Francis Furse Vidal to Randolph Huntington [Chard, 1942] corroborates Upton’s connection to Haidee, of the 1874 Sandeman group. This letter from Upton also indicates that Haidee was of the Ibn Sbayyil marbat of the Ma’naqi Hudruji. [See the entry for Kesia I (GSB), p181, and the extended note under Yataghan (GSB), p223.] Dam of 1 registered foal:
AN EXISTING AL KHAMSA DAM LINE
*Naomi 1877 cm by Yataghan (GSB) (1877 is the birthdate shown in the GSB for *Naomi. Huntington claimed the mare to have been imported to England in-utero from the desert. The extended note under Yataghan (GSB) indicates that this might have been possible. However, if *Naomi was imported inutero and if the 1874–5 importation date shown in the GSB is correct, *Naomi would have been foaled in 1875–6 and the 1877 foaling date shown for her in the GSB would have been incorrect.) In progeny lists, italics are used for horses not in Al Khamsa pedigrees. Only eligible-to-be Al Khamsa horses are shown in the progeny lists.
Unreferenced page numbers refer to Al Khamsa Arabians III.
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*KISMET 253
*LEOPARD 233
1877 chestnut stallion imported in 1882 to India by the ‘aqayl, ‘Abd al-Rahman, then imported in 1884 to England by Mr. Broadwood, and finally imported in 1891 to the USA by Randolph Huntington.
1873 grey Saqlawi Jidran stallion bred by Sultan ‘Abd al-Hamid II of Turkey and imported in 1879 to the USA as a gift for President U.S. Grant from the Sultan. NOTES: The above information is from the Vol. II (1918) Arabian Horse Club stud book entry for *Leopard, his initial and posthumous entry.
NOTES: The above information (except for the transfer to Huntington), which shows no strain, is from *Kismet’s entry in Weatherby’s General Stud Book Vol. XVI, p.657. *Kismet’s strain on his Arabian Horse Club register page is listed as “Keheilan-Montefik,” but the stud book entry reads “Maneghi-Hedruj.”
According to Raswan Index entry #5548, the breeder of *Leopard (originally called Nimr, or leopard in Arabic) was Jad’aan (“Djeytan”) Ibn Mhayd of the Fid’an tribe, who had presented him to the Ottoman governor of Syria, who in turn presented him to Sultan ‘Abd al-Hamid II. This entry describes *Leopard as a Saqlawi Jidran by a Kuhaylan Ras al-Fidawi. [See under Breeder, p15.]
The stud book strain information appears to have been provided by Huntington. Entry #5224 in The Raswan Index quotes the GSB entry but follows Huntington’s lead in showing *Kismet as a Ma’naqi Hudruji. The Index entry erroneously attributes the “Keheilan-Montefik” information to the GSB entry. The Muntafiq is a tribe. [See the list and map of Bedouin tribes, pp37–8.]
Sire of 1 foal: Anazeh 1890 cs out of *Naomi
Sire of 3 foals, including: *Nimr 1891 cs out of *Nazli *Garaveen 1892 bs out of Kushdil (GSB)
MAIDAN (GSB) 1869 chestnut stallion imported in 1871 to India by the aqayl, ‘Abd al-Rahman, purchased by Col. Brownlow in 1871, then sold “to Major Brough, who sold him to Captain Fisher. He... was then purchased by Lord Airlie. He was three years in Afghanistan” and finally imported in 1885 to England by the Hon. Eustace Vezey.
Above, *Kismet. Below, Maidan. At right, *Leopard.
NOTES: The above information, which shows no strain, is from the entry for Maidan in Weatherby’s General Stud Book Vol. XVI, p657. According to the registration application for *Nazli at the Arabian Horse Registry, Maidan was said to be a “Managhi-Hedruj.” The strain information was apparently provided by Randolph Huntington, who imported *Nazli. Entry #5795 in the Raswan Index shows the same information as the GSB entry, but references the Huntington strain information. Sire of 7 foals, including: Jamrood 1888 bs out of Jerud [Pharaoh (BLT) x Jerboa (BLT)] *Nazli 1888 cm out of *Naomi Sohail 1891 cs out of Jerud 53
quoted by Thornton Chard: “From Needham Market to Oyster Bay,” The Horse, May-June and July-August 1942 issues.) [See also the entries for Haidee (GSB), p170, and for Kesia I (GSB), p181.]
YATAGHAN (GSB) 1867 chestnut Kuhaylan Jurayban stallion bred by Shaykh Sulayman Ibn Mirshid of the Qumusah section of the Saba’ah tribe, selected by James H. Skene, H.M. Consul at Aleppo, for Arthur Sandeman and imported in 1874 to England by Sandeman.
Sire of at least 1 foal: *Naomi 1877 cm out of Haidee (GSB) (1877 is the birthdate shown in the GSB for *Naomi. Huntington claimed the mare to have been imported to England inutero from the desert. The extended note under Yataghan (GSB) indicates that this might have been possible. However, if *Naomi was imported in-utero and if the 1874–5 importation date shown in the GSB is correct, *Naomi would have been foaled in 1875–6 and the 1877 foaling date shown for her in the GSB would have been incorrect.)
By a Kuhaylan Khallawi out of a Kuhaylah Juraybah. NOTES: The above information is from the entry for Yataghan in Weatherby’s General Stud Book Vol. XIII, p570. Raswan Index entry #11095 incorrectly quotes Weatherby’s as showing Yataghan (GSB) as a Ma’naqi and full brother to Haidee (GSB). Haidee, also of this importation, was registered as by a Ma’naqi Hudruji out of a Ma’naqiyah Hudrujiyah of the marbat of Ibn Sbayyil. Raswan also says that Yataghan (GSB) and Haidee (GSB) were selected by then-Captain Roger D. Upton for Mr. Skene. The Raswan information appears to be based on the writing of Randolph Huntington—owner of *Naomi (Yataghan x Haidee)—who stated in correspondence that Yataghan and Haidee were full siblings chosen by Upton. Upton himself rules out the “full sibling” statement, as shown below. Upton made two trips to the desert: in late 1874 and again in early summer 1875, both times with Mr. Skene. The GSB shows the Skene/Sandeman importation—dated 1874—as a different importation from the Upton importation—dated 1875—of *Kesia I, among others, for the Hon. Henry Chaplin. It appears that the Sandeman and Chaplin horses should not be completely separated, however. The Sandeman entries in the GSB, in addition to Yataghan and Haidee, include a mare named Zuleika, who was by a Ma’naqi Hudruji out of a Ma’naqiyah Sbailiyah, the same as Haidee.
Above, Yataghan and Haidee’s daughter *Naomi, with her inbred son, Khaled, shown with Randolph Huntington.
An Upton letter is quoted by Rev. Francis Furse Vidal, who owned *Naomi in England, as follows: “I have tried to get a Managhi Hedrudj of the family of Ibn Sbeyel of the Gomussa tribe of the Sebaa Anezeh... I have succeeded and one of them is now in my stable. I had enquired at the same time about mares; and two have come of the same family. The four are as follows: No. 1, Chestnut stallion, 4 yrs. old, 14.2. His dam a Keheilet Jeabeh taken from the Heissa Anezeh, and his sire the famous Keheilan Hellawi of the Shammar tribe. No. 2. Pearl Grey stallion with black mane and black tail, tipped with white, 4 years old 14.2. His dam ‘Managhi Hedrudj’ of Ibn Sbeyel family of Gomussa Anezeh, and his sire of the same breed, now in the stud of the King of Italy. No. 3. Bay mare 5 years old 14.1 1/2. Same breed as No. 2, but dam and sire not the same. No. 4. Chestnut mare 4 years old 14.3. Same breed as No. 2 and 3, but dam and sire not the same....” [Emphasis is Al Khamsa’s.] No. 1 corresponds to the GSB entry for Yataghan. No. 2 does not correspond with any entry in the GSB. No. 3 corresponds with the GSB entry for Zuleika. No. 4 corresponds with the GSB entry for Haidee.
Below: Yataghan.
Vidal wrote to Huntington about the Sandeman importation: “Mrs. Upton cannot remember the date of the arrival—but she thinks it must have been in March or April 1875 or 1876. The latter date would tally with Naomi’s age and with what Mr. Sandeman told me.” (Both letters 54
Index of Advertisers
Advertising Policy 1. Horse advertising is limited ONLY to AL KHAMSA ARABIANS. We accept some horse-related and non-horse advertising that is consistent with the interests of Al Khamsa, its breeders, and its supporters. 2. We assume no responsibility for copy taken over the telephone, corrections taken over the phone, OR handwritten copy. Please type your copy or send copy and corrections by email to khamsat@alkhamsa.org. 3. Materials are sent at sender’s risk, but all reasonable care will be taken to safeguard your ad materials. 4. If you wish to have your photographs or other ad material returned to you, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 5. Advertisers are solely responsible for all costs/damages resulting from their ad message. 6. While the Khamsat takes steps to assure the correctness of material it publishes and does not intentionally overlook incorrect material in advertisements, the responsibility of the contents of each advertisement belongs to the parties furnishing advertising copy for this magazine. 7. The Khamsat assumes no responsibility for the terms and conditions under which an individual photographer may have made a photograph available for publication as part of an advertisement appearing in the Khamsat. Photographer consent forms are not required. However, we Khamsat crediting the photographer and accept internal signatures. 8. The Khamsat reserves the right to reject any advertisement for any reason without liability. 9. Advertisers grant Al Khamsa, Inc. the right to use their ads in reprints of the Khamsat in print and electronic form. 10. Copy-in-hand Advertising Deadlines will be sent via broadcast email to all who have subscribed to the Inside Al Khamsa email list. In addition the deadlines will also be announced on both the Al Khamsa, Inc. and Al Khamsa Arabian Horse Breeders Facebook pages.
Al Khamsa, Inc. ................................................................................48 Craver Farms ....................................................................................50 Davenport Arabian Horse Conservancy ................................48 Davis, Hawks Haven Arabians.....................................................13 Davison, SpiritWind Desert Arabians .......................................21 Doyle Arabians ...............................................................................26 Ferriss, Brownstone Farm ............................................................32 Floyd, Heritage Arabians..............................................................20 Gardner, Rivs Arabians..................................................................33 Gills, Windsor Arabians ................................................................22 Heirloom Arabian Stud ................................................................48 Illing, Twin Brook Farm.................................................................49 Kirmis, Dhabi Farm.........................................................................48 Krieg ...................................................................................................33 Lieb, Sahra Arabians .....................................................................33 Maginn, Bear Creek Ranch...........................................................12 Mimmack, Smoky Hill Farm........................................................23 Respet, Husaana Arabians ...........................................................51 Saqlawiyat Arabians .......................................................................13 Slayton, Cerulean Davenport & Desert Ice Arabians ........27 Summers / Al Dahdah ..................................................................49
Advertisers/Subscribers waive any and all claims for liability that may arise by virtue of their relationship with Al Khamsa, Inc. and the Khamsat magazine.
Khamsat Back Issues
Khamsat Advertising Information
$6 each until 12/31/2020 from the Business Office
Vol. 8.3; Vol. 9.1, 9.3, 9.4; Vol. 10.2, 10.3; Vol. 11.1, 11.2, 11.4; Vol. 12.3, 12.4; Vol. 13.1, 13.2; Vol. 14.2, 14.3, 14.4; Vol. 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4; Vol. 16.1, 16.2; Vol. 17.2, 17.3; Vol. 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4; Vol. 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4; Vol. 20.1, 20.2; Vol. 21; Vol. 22.1, 22.2; Vol. 25.1; Vol. 27.2, 27.3; Vol. 28.1, 28.4; Vol. 29.1, 29.2, 29.3, Vol. 30.1, 30.3, 30.4; Vol. 31.1, 31.2.
After 12/31/2020, issues will be $10 each.
Because the Khamsat focuses on Al Khamsa Arabians, your ads become part of the continuing legacy of Al Khamsa, and help to support Al Khamsa educational activities. Khamsat Ad Rates Per Insertion (All rates US $) Size Full Page Half (1/2) Third (1/3) Fourth (1/4) Card (1/12)
B&W/Color 1 Time $150/$200 100/125 75/90 60/75 25/30
B&W/Color Repeat w/o Change $120/$170 85/110 65/80 55/70 20/25
Classified Ads: $0.35 per word ($7.00 minimum) Copy-in-hand Advertising Deadlines will be sent via broadcast email to the Al Khamsa, Inc. email list. Advertising Payment Payment in full must accompany each ad in USl$ only. In order to keep costs low, we do not offer billing. We accept Personal Checks drawn on US banks, Visa or MasterCard, PayPal and Money Orders in US funds.
Karen Kasper Prints
Choose from five different artful renditions of Al Khamsa’s Past Carl Raswan, above, 1988, mounted on desert horse with falcon, Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik, 1989; King Ibn Saud, 1991; Lady Anne Blunt, 1998. Black and white print (signed and numbered, $35 postpaid, unsigned $15 postpaid) Al Khamsa The Legend, 22 x 28 full color, $25 postpaid
Advertising Specifications Khamsat advertisements are now available in color or black and white. Please send all advertising copy to the_khamsat@alkhamsa.org. Please send payment to the Al Khamsa Business Office, address below.
Al Khamsa, Inc. Business Office • 470 Folsom Jonesville Road • Jonesville, KY 41052 • 970.439.5941 • info@alkhamsa.org 55
Thank you! Al Khamsa, Inc. hopes that you will express your generosity and support in contributing to advance the goals of Al Khamsa toward the education about and preservation of the authentic Bedouin Arabian horse. The following levels are suggested for your consideration.
2021 Khamsat Digital Subscription $20
2021Al Khamsa Supporter Levels: Donor $50-$99 Subscription to four issues of the Khamsat and a four-time listing in the Donor’s section in the Khamsat.
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Patron $100-$199 Subscription to four issues of the Khamsat, a four-time listing in the Patron’s section in the Khamsat and an Al Khamsa Pedigree Certificate (please specify Al Khamsa Horse).
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Benefactor $200-$299 Subscription to four issues of the Khamsat, a four-time listing in the Benefactor’s section in the Khamsat, a Business Card Ad in the Khamsat issue of your choice, and Al Khamsa Pedigree Certificate (please specify Al Khamsa Horse).
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Sponsor $300+ Subscription to four issues of the Khamsat, a four-time listing in the Sponsor's section in the Khamsat, a ¼ page Ad in the Khamsat issue of your choice, and Al Khamsa Pedigree Certificate (please specify Al Khamsa Horse).
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Please include full name and registration number of an eligible Al Khamsa horse when submitting your choice for the Pedigree Certificate.
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Foreign Shipping Charges Shipping will be calculated by postal code.
Sponsors
Al Khamsa, Inc. wishes to recognize the following Sponsors for their generosity and support in contributing $300 or more to advance the goals of Al Khamsa toward education about and preservation of the authentic Bedouin Arabian horse. Crockett Dumas Outlaw Trail Arabians POB 470 Escalante, UT 84726 Steve & Gwen Farmer 2859 S 7700 W Cedar City, UT 84720-4907 David & Amber Finnigan 3625 S. Mountain Road Knoxville, MD 21758
Janet Franz 181 Polk Road 616 Mena, AR 71953 Mary Gills Windsor Arabians POB 882560 Steamboat Springs, CO 80488 Jackson Hensley & Alice Martin Bedouin Arabians 6059 N State Hwy 37 Watson, IL 62473
Dean Homstead Grove Hill Farm POB 216 Pittsfield, ME 04967-0216 Diana Johnson 20712 W. Durango Street Buckeye, AZ 85326-5652 Andrea Kaiser Karl-Broeger-Strass 8 91257 Pegnitz Germany
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Keith Kosel 3394 Thornberry Trail Highland Village, TX 75077 Mr. & Mrs. Brian McClure 9950 Pumphouse Road Toppenish, WA 98948-9750 Monica & Pat Respet Husaana Arabians 6635 Central Road New Tripoli, PA 18066-2025
Kate Smutnick Rhodes & Carol Rhodes 6305 Hilltop Road Van Buren, AR 72956 Carrie Slayton Cerulean Arabians 2100 W Avenue L12 Lancaster, CA 93536-3333 Linda & James Uhrich Kalmay Arabians 7618 Gypsy Moth Drive New Tripoli, PA 18066-4540
Benefactors
Al Khamsa, Inc. wishes to recognize the following Benefactors for their generosity and support in contributing $200-299 or more to advance the goals of Al Khamsa toward education about and preservation of the authentic Bedouin Arabian horse. Honorary Benefactor Peter Harrigan Hope Cottage, Marks Corner NewPort PO30 5UH, Isle of Wight, UK Honorary Benefactor Sara Jones 1700 South River Road #181 Janesville, WI 53546
Honorary Benefactor: Karen Kasper 3452 Newtown Pike Lexington, KY 40511-8436 Margaret Laverty 21650 Sweeney Road SE Maple Valley, WA 98038
Honorary Benefactor W.G. Olms Olms Presse Hagentorwall 7 D-31134 Hildesheim, Germany Gert & Elisabeth Stam Caherhurley, Bodyke Broadford, Clare, Ireland
Honorary Benefactor: Peter Upton The Old Vicarage Clun S47 8JG, Shropshire, UK
Dawn & Bob Woods 9 Buck Lane Drummond, MT 59832
Edna Weeks 326 Timberline Trail Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Patrons
Al Khamsa, Inc. wishes to recognize the following Patrons for their generosity and support in contributing $100-199 to advance the goals of Al Khamsa toward education about and preservation of the authentic Bedouin Arabian horse. Hussain Abulfaraj 544 W Melrose Street #155 Chicago, IL 60657
Elta Cooke 620 Overlook Tr. Port Orange, FL 32127
Marwan Abusaud & PJ Altshuler 2900 Hemming Road Valley View, TX 76282
Christine Cooper 757 Old Grist Mill Road Appomattox VA 24522
Jeanne Craver Frank & Linda Bochansky Craver Farms 1321 East. Circle Mountain Road 709 Brackett Lane New River, AZ 85087 Winchester IL 62694 Kathleen Cameron 55 Hillside Drive A Pottstown, PA 19464
Bev Davison SpiritWind Arabians 2337 Meadows Lane Indian Valley, MID 83632
Chris Carlton & Peter Rankaitis POB 1013 Melvin & Sally DePra Silver City, NM 88062 35380 CR SS Wiley, CO 81092 Robert Coleman 805 Carmel Line Millbrook, ON L0A 1G0 Canada
Terry & Rosemary Doyle The Doyle Arabians 63295 Johnson Creek Road Bend, OR 97701 Joe & Sharon Ferriss 1059 Lukesport Road Quincy, MI 49082 Judith Franklin 20451 Road M Cortez, CO 81321 Catherine Fye 4150 Russell Street Cedar Springs, MI 49319 Thelma & George Hooper Hisani Farm 45 Railroad Street Bryant Pond, ME 04219
Jennifer Krieg 17429 Hoskinson Road Poolesville, MD 20837
Anne McGaughey POB 130 Pomfret, MD 20675
Jeannie Lieb Sahra Arabians 288 Maple Street Carlisle, MA 01741
Jon Michael 2888 Rush Branch Road Bradfordsville, KY 40009
Carol & Reilly Maginn Bear Creek Ranch 1135 Schuelke Road Lockhart, TX 78644 Diane Malone POB 448 Alvarado, TX 76009 Bill & Georgia Martin 1463 Goose Pond Road Manchester, TN 37355
Joan Schleicher 465 Santa Rosa Creek Road Cambria, CA 93428 DJ Sheldon 151 Denson Road Lawrenceburg, TN 38464 Joyce Sousa POB 728 Hydesville, CA 95574
Margaret Johnson 75 Washington Ave. Unit 4-305 Hamden, CT 06518
Donors Al Khamsa, Inc. wishes to recognize the following Donors for their generosity and support of $50-$99 to advance the goals of Al Khamsa toward education about and preservation of the authentic Bedouin Arabian horse. Saleh Alsahli • Edie Booth • Cheryl Fippen • Dick & JoAnn Fletcher • Tom & Sue Karsies • Steve Langer • Carol Maginn • Ellen May Beth Minnich • Mike Nesbit • Robert Root • Sabrina & Karsten Scherling • Laurie Stempo • Pam Studebaker & Deb Switzer • Kelley Tucker Maria & Bobby Wallis • Kathy Werking • Peggy Wojchik
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Sobha (AP) in Russia
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