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The Tales of your Passion. The breeDer’s MAnUAL by Hans J. Nagel
Comprehnsive and Informative for Every Breeder TIMELESS AND TOPICAL ISSUE ANCIENT AND MODERN BREEDING HIGHLY EDUCATIONAL 540 PAGES, 400 ILLUSTRATIONS PRINTED IN ENGLISH, GERMAN AND ITALIAN SPECIAL PRICE
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Desert Heritage Magazine n.52 iscr. trib. di Milano n. 466 del 20/09/02 Expedition in A.P. 70% Milano
Alim Editrice s.n.c. via Ressi, 22 - 20125 Milano (Italy) e-mail: info@tuttoarabi.it www.desertheritagemagazine.com instagram: @desertheritagemagazine Publisher Simone Leo mobile: +39 348 5640190 leo.simon@tiscali.it Editor Fabio Brianzoni fabiobrianzoni56@gmail.com Account Office/Subscription Office Barbara Belloni amministrazione@alimeditrice.it Writers Dr. Hans J. Nagel Monika Savier Sunny Sassudelli Judith Wich-Wenning Digital Artwork Viviana Castiglioni Printed by AGF Spa San Giuliano Milanese Milano (Italy) Advertising Alim Editrice s.n.c. via Ressi, 22 - 20125 Milano (Italy) tel. +39 02 36762850 e-mail: info@tuttoarabi.it © www.desertheritagemagazine.com
Pag. 20 El Thayeba Arabians in Germay, Thoughts, Breeding Goals and Results Pag. 38 El Adiyat Stud Farm in Kuwait and Katharinenhof Stud in Germany Pag. 72 MH Arabians Pag. 88 Arabian Horses in Beirut Pag. 96 Agricon Logistic Pag. 101 Sunny Photogallery Pag. 110 The Egyptian Event Cairo Pag. 128 A Portrait of Stacey Mayer
In the cover
BK LATIF NADER AL JAMAL | LATIFAH AA photo by Antonia Bautista
H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Stud Manager: Antonia Bautista info@antoniabautista.com | +34 679834156 www. a l s h i r a a a r a b i a n s .com
Photo: Judith Wich-Wenning
www.desertheritagemagazine.com
©
Orienta Arabians presents...
Ansata Malik Bey (Ansata Malik Shah x MB Moneena by Safeen) Straight Egyptian Stallion born 2006, Saklawi Jedran Bint Mona - Moniet El Nefous line
Photo: Judith Wich-Wenning
Orienta Adnan
(Fahad Al Rayyan x Orienta Aysha by Al Adeed Al Shaqab), Straight Egyptian Colt, born 2018, Kohailan Rodan, Riyala Malaka Family
Orienta Arabians Judith Wich-Wenning Eichenbuehl 26, 96352 Wilhelmsthal, Germany Tel.: ++49 (0) 9260 9639022 - E-mail: JudithWich@t-online.de www.OrientaArabians.com - Straight Egyptians -
HOME OF SELECTED STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN ARABIAN HORSES IN UMBRIA “If you have seen nothing but the beauty of their bodies, then their true beauty is hidden from you”. Al-Mutanabbi ( بيطلا وبأ915 a.C, Arab Poet)
TRE BALZANE STUD ~ ITALY CAVALLI ARABI EGIZIANI D’AUTORE
“L’ACQUA È MIGLIORE ALLA SORGENTE”
“WATER IS BEST AT THE SOURCE”
L’allevamento Tre Balzane, fondato quasi 30 anni fa nel centr’Italia, in Umbria, pratica l’allevamento di cavalli in stile tradizionale, conseguendo successi che non hanno nulla a che fare con il caso. Ci assumiamo la responsabilità per i nostri cavalli, perche abbiamo imparato che tutto ciò che diamo ai nostri cavalli, essi ce lo restituiranno: soltanto un cavallo felice è un cavallo bello.
Tre Balzane Stud was founded almost 30 years ago in the Umbria region of Central Italy, Here, horse breeding is done the traditional way and when it yields successes, they are not just accidental. We take responsibility for our horses, as we have learned that whatever we give to them, they will return: only a happy horse is a beautiful horse.
www.straightegyptians.it
TB HEBA (NK Sharaf El Dine x TB Hasna) Obayan strain. *2011 In foal to NASEEM AL RASHEDIAH
TB MUNEERA (TB Hafid El Nil x Mia Mouna) Obayan strain. *2014
In foal to Nabeel Al Khaled
Filly: TB Malak by Shamek Al Danat and Elisabeth Auer
Photos: Joanna Jonietz - Graphic design: Mario Brunetti
HOME OF SELECTED STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN ARABIAN HORSES IN UMBRIA
TB HELWA (Ibn El Nil rhm x TB Hasna) Obayan strain. * 2009 In foal to Jamil Al Rayyan
www.straightegyptians.it
TB HAYA (Jamil Al Rayyan x TB Helwa) Obayan strain. *2020
TB
TRE BALZANE STUD
MONIKA SAVIER 06044 Castel Ritaldi, Umbria - ITALY Mobile +39 335 5235135 e-mail: savier@arabi-egiziani.it Stud manager: Elisabeth Auer +39 346 9818427
”It’s for sure I won’t let myself be carried away
into breeding a horse that doesn’t correspond to my ideas, just in order to serve the market. ”
Cornelia Tauschke
El Thayeba Arabians stud in Northern Germany can look back upon a success story of 50 years. Last century, horses with a Straight Egyptian pedigree had added value because they were so rare. This changed even during the 1990ies when the market for Straight Egyptians started booming, not only on the continent, but also in the Gulf States. By now, there are enough Straight Egyptians in the world, and the demand is now for “quality rather than quantity”. Only those studs who made the effort to constantly improve their horse stock by applying a concept and criteria, lending their horses a profile of their own, developed into influencers with a great name. “El Thayeba” stud became one of them. That this place of breeding has been so successful up to today is to be attributed to the owner, Cornelia Tauschke, even if the person who laid the foundations of the stud fifty years ago was her late husband Dr. Hans Joerg Tauschke. However, it was „Conny“, as she is called, who was brave enough to go on after his death and to systematically implement her visions. She remained faithful to her time-proven noble mare strains and can, today, refer to five generations of top-notch quality offspring. Arabian horses with the El Thay logo can be found in many studs and pedigrees world-wide today. Her horses do not only have beautiful heads, but also athletic bodies of perfect functionality. In all areas of the breeding work, she gets supported by her domestic partner Klaus Beste. Conny is riding many of her horses, with the stallions in particular being schooled from the saddle, among others. Animal wellbeing plays a significant role in this stud. The horses have a barn as beautiful as you can wish for, the spacious box stalls flooded with light and with big pastures and meadows attached, and grow up with minimum stress in small herds. Let us wish, for the horses in traditional studs such as this one, that they will cope well with the crises of their times and will have a future of many more generations.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 21
www.desertheritagemagazine.com
by Monika Savier z photos by Gigi Grasso, Joanna Jonientz, Nicole Sachs
©
El Thayeba Arabians in Germany, Thoughts, Breeding Goals and Results
Monika Savier talking with the lady breeder and owner of El Thayeba Stud in Germany, Cornelia Tauschke. Monika Savier: El Thayeba Stud has been a well-known player in the Egyptian field for fifty years now – not just in Germany, but world-wide. How did all of that start? Cornelia Tauschke: El Thayeba Arabians was first named‚ Oberland Stud‘ and was founded by my late husband Dr. Hans Jörg Tauschke in 1971. He lived and practiced medicine in Bad Heilbrunn in Bavaria, in the “Oberland” area. We then moved, in 1981, to Grossenkneten, which is a small village in between Bremen and Oldenburg. He loved and bred different animals and had always been fascinated by the history and the culture of the countries of the Orient, and by art. Which is why in our stud work, he would have his focus on studying pedigrees and developing breeding strategies. In the early 1970ies, the so-called “Arabitis” was very much in the air. There were very few Arabian breeders in Germany; Arabian horses were rare, they were exotic, and they were smaller than the usual warmblood horses. So some people thought they might turn to Arabians just because their small size would make them easier to handle, and they were beautiful, too. Then, people would realize that arabian horses have very special qualities that go far beyond that, and they would fall in love with them. So they became the horses of choice for people who love special horses.
Monika Savier: Looking back, what did you like best in the early years? What was different and why is it no longer there today? Cornelia Tauschke: Fifty years is a very long time, indeed! A lot has changed in that time. During the 1970ies people were glad if they were able to get their hands on a horse of Arabian blood at all. The first ones were Arabians from the Lebanon and mares from Russia, and my late husband started to breed with these. The Arabian Scene was much more familiar overall, everybody knew everybody else and almost all of the horses, as most of the important things happened right here in Germany anyway. Of course there was El Zahraa in Cairo, which was almost a place of pilgrimage for German breeders. It was spine-tingling to be there and
El Thay Ibn Halim Shah (Ansata Halim Shah x Mahameh by Ibrahim and Mona III) Premium Stallion and Winner of Stallion Licensing through Racing with his breeder Dr. Tauschke (left)
El Thay Mansour (Ansata Halim Shah x El Thay Maheera by Nizam and Mona II) Multi Champion Stallion - shown here by Cornelia Tauschke at the Asil Cup
22 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Monika Savier: What was your initial role in the stud? Cornelia Tauschke: My practical horsemanship and experience increased in 1978 when I met my then future husband and joined him. Until then I had worked mainly with warmbloods sports horses, and had gotten my first riding lessons as a young girl. I took over the practical matters at the stud which included the daily care, handling and managing of the horses, as well as training and riding the youngstock, monitoring the foaling, and taking care of the coverings of the mares.
Kamla II (Ansata Halim Shah x Mona III by Hadban Enzahi and Mona II)
El Thay Kamria (Ansata Selman x Kamla II by Ansata Halim Shah and Mona III)
see those famous horses, of the ancient bloodlines, in their country of origin. The USA were far away, and they only started getting more interesting during the 1980ies. Today, the “Arabian Horse Industry”, as the scene is often called after the fashion in English-speaking countries, has become highly globalized and is dominated by the countries of the Near and Middle East. By the way I hate that word, industry, in this context. Horses are living beings, no less, and they ought not to be treated and marketed like some industrial commodity, like merchandise. Monika Savier: Yes, you are right, I never use that term either. It creates a mental picture of industrialized livestock farming, that is horrifying. Luckily, however, we breed Arabian horses according to the principle of quality,
not quantity. Which brings me to my next question: how do you select your sires? Do you miss that time-proven German procedure of Stallion Approval, of presenting the stallions and awarding premium ribbons? What did that do for your breeding? Cornelia Tauschke: A stallion approval, or a presentation of all sires within a breeding association, that does make sense for me – however, only if we are mindful of the fact that Purebred Arabians as a breed come in a wide range. What they do in the German Arabian breeding association today, in my eyes, is to try and achieve a standard type of Arabian modeled after a riding horse. This doesn’t make sense to me. Of course, a purebred Arabian needs to be built correctly and functionally, just like any other horse needs to be, but these criteria cannot be the dominant considerations for selection. There is the risk that the type of the Arabian breed and the variations in type will be lost – but that, after all, is what makes our horses distinctly different from all other breeds. I would like to present my young stallions to an approval commission whose members are really interested in Arabians, and know enough about breeding, that they are able to assess the pedigrees, and the phenotype that rose from them, in the greater context of that horse’s bloodline, or breeding program, or origin, and to compare him with that. I have always been in the habit of carefully selecting my stallions for the presentation. Those I believed in, I would prepare myself, and it would be me who brought them to the approval or presentation event and who would handle and present them there.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 23
El Thay Mashour (Madkour I x El Thay Bint Kamla by El Thay Mansour and Kamla II) National Champion Stallion
Monika Savier: If one of your stallions would not receive a premium ribbon from the presentation of the association’s sires, how did you react? Did you wait until his first foal crop was born, to be assessed for giving their sire a second chance, or would you start breaking him in for riding as soon as you had brought him home? Cornelia Tauschke: If the commission made a different decision from what I had thought, I used to accept that, learn from it, and on my way home call my vet to set a date for castration. Stallion Approval events, and Sire Presentations of our breeding association, were particularly helpful for newcomers looking for information as a basis for their decision for a particular sire. After all, there were many sires assembled there in one place, you were able to assess them in different situations, their build, their walk, their trot, and running loose, and you could listen to the commentaries the commission gave. That’s highly educational, especially for new breeders. Today, the stallions that are advertised the most are also those that are used the most. What this results in, is an extreme loss of genetic diversity, and a standard type. We have lost the variety of type in the course of recent years. Monika Savier: Customers used to buy a colt planning to use him for breeding later on. Why is it that today, this rarely happens? Cornelia Tauschke: With colts, strict selection has always been necessary and still is today. Mediocre horses will have a better life as geldings for riding. In the beginning, there were not so many Arabian horses overall, so people were more ready to give a young stallion the chance to grow, and then present him to the approval commission. If he was approved, that was an obvious sign of his quality, and if he was meant to be sold on, a buyer would quickly be found. However, today there is much more choice in horses, while the buyers are a completely different group now. Many are not able to assess a young horse and have no background knowledge regarding a horse’s ancestry. So they prefer to buy a stallion that’s all made, maybe has
El Thay Malakah (El Thay Mashour x El Thay Mahfouza by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah and El Thay Mansoura)
24 • Desert Heritage Magazine
El Thay Kamla (El Thay Mashour x Kamla II by Ansata Halim Shah and Mona III) owned by Al Waab Farm, Qatar
produced good offspring already. There are not so many horse people around anymore. Some never cared for a horse themselves, they don’t know anything about foal births, or about the fact that a stallion can do a natural mating, or how that is done. Monika Savier: Do your stallions do natural coverings? If they do not, do you see changes in behavior with stallions who only ever get a phantom mare to cover? Cornelia Tauschke: I do think semen quality suffers when a stallion never gets to see a mare and all he is ever offered is the dummy. We mostly prefer natural
coverings and hardly ever employ that phantom mare. When we do, the stallions are somewhat confused and annoyed, and it is easy to see what they prefer. Monika Savier: How do you chose the stallions for your mares? Cornelia Tauschke: The stallions I chose for breeding need to match the mares, in phenotype as well as in genotype. This means I will pay close attention to what I would like to improve in my mares, or what to maintain. With mares who are quite close to the ideal already, that’s not always easy to do, and then I will prefer a stallion who is not too strong a transmitter. Genetically speaking, the stallion’s pedigree should not be too far away from my mares’ ancestry. My mares will produce just one foal per year which they will carry themselves, full term. And I just get five to seven foals per year anyway, so I like each of them to come close to what I imagined. In my experience, the probability to achieve that is highest in line breeding.
El Thay Mahfouz (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mahfouza by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah and El Thay Mansoura)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 25
Monika Savier: Can you explain that in more detail to our readers? What you mean by line breeding, and how you use it? Cornelia Tauschke: Line breeding can be considered a “softer” form of inbreeding. I try to concentrate on a particular horse in the pedigree, one whom I admire or prefer, in order to obtain offspring that is closely related to this particular horse. In my interpretation, this procedure allows many choices: from a very closely
related horse in the first or second generation position, to horses more distant, or even to horses far distant which are more or less re-introduced into the breeding line. In German terminology, we talk about “Blutanschluss”, which means more or less “closing the gap between blood relatives”. Line breeding starts where inbreeding ends, which means to breed uncles, aunts, cousins and more distant relatives to each other.
Some line breeding examples in El Thayeba breeding: El Thay Kamla and El Thay Kais Al Sabah EL THAY KADIRA AL SABAH, grey, 14.06.20, Dahman Shahwan (El Dahma), Sabah / Halima - Moheba II - Kamla II family
EL THAY KARIM SHAH gr 2013 ARABIAN
EL THAY KAIS AL SABAH b 2017 ARABIAN
EL THAY KATEEFA AL SABAH gr 2009 ARABIAN
AJMAL TAMEEN* gr 2008 ARABIAN
AJMAL TAMEEN* gr 2008 ARABIAN
EL THAY KONOUZ gr 2008 ARABIAN
gr 1988 gr 1985 gr 15.0H 1992 gr 1992
ANSATA HEJAZI*
ANSATA HEJAZI* gr 15.0H 1992 ARABIAN AHR #479624
EL THAY MAHFOUZ* gr 2003 ARABIAN GASB
EL THAY KAMLA* gr 1999 ARABIAN Bred by El Thabeya Stud, D
EL THAY MAHFOUZA* gr 1994 EL THAY MASHOUR* gr 1994 KAMLA II* gr 1985 ANSATA HALIM SHAH* gr 1980 ANSATA SUDARRA* gr 1982
G SHAFARIA* EL THAY MASHOUR* KAMLA II*
G SHAFARIA* EL THAY IBN HALIM SHAH* EL THAY MANSOURA*
EL THAY MAHFOUZA* gr 1994 EL THAY MASHOUR* gr 1994 KAMLA II* gr 1985
ch 1983
gr 1974
Out of Kamla II gr 1980
EL THAY MOFIDA 2018 ARABIAN EL THAY MAHFOUZ* gr 2003 ARABIAN GASB
gr 15.0 1958
ANSATA ROSETTA* gr 1971 ANSATA ABU gr 1974 SUDAN* ANSATA DELILAH* gr 1972 gr 1962 gr 1976 gr 1980 gr 1978 gr 15.0H 1992 gr 1992 gr 1985 ch 1983
MADKOUR I* EL THAY BINT KAMLA* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
gr 1971
MONA III*
gr 1974
gr 1989 gr 1980
This filly is line bred to the foundation mare of EL Thayeba, Kamla II through her daughters El Thay Bint Kamla, dam of El Thay Mashour, El Thay Kamla and El Thay Khadija, both by El Thay Mashour, as well as to Tamria II through Tabanya, the dam of Ajmal Tameen and very strong line bred to Ansata Halim Shah through his sons El Thay Ibn Halim Shah, El Thay Mansour, Ansata Hejazi and through his grand sons Ansata Selman, Ajmal Tameen, his grand grand sons El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Karim Shah.
26 • Desert Heritage Magazine
EL THAY KAREEMA* gr 2007 ARABIAN
gr 1985
MONA III* ANSATA IBN HALIMA*
G SHAFARIA* EL THAY IBN HALIM SHAH* EL THAY MANSOURA*
EL THAY KARIM SHAH 2013 ARABIAN
gr 1985 gr 15.0H 1992 gr 1992
gr 1971
ANSATA HEJAZI*
AJMAL TAMEEN* gr 2008 ARABIAN
gr 1994
MADKOUR I* EL THAY BINT KAMLA* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
HAMASA NABIH* FARAG* gr 1988 NAFTETA* ANSATA HALIM TAMRIA II* SHAH* gr 1985 211 ZOHAIR* ANSATA SELMAN* gr 1999
gr 1982
TAMRIA II*
ANSATA SELMAN* gr 1999
EL THAY MAHFOUZ* gr 2003 ARABIAN GASB
gr 1980
HAMASA NABIH* ANSATA HEJAZI*
TABANYA* gr 1996 ARABIAN EL THAY KENANA gr 2014 ARABIAN
TABANYA* gr 1996
ANSATA HALIM SHAH* ANSATA SUDARRA*
ANSATA SELMAN* EL THAY KAREEMA* gr 1999 gr 2007 EL THAY ARABIAN KAMLA* gr 1999
EL THAY KHADIJA* gr 2001 ARABIAN
EL THAY KADIRA AL SABAH gr 2020 ARABIAN
ANSATA HEJAZI* gr 15.0H 1992
EL THAY MOFIDA, grey filly, born 2018 - Dahman Shahwan (El Dahma) Sabah Farida - Halima - Moheba - Malikah family
EL THAY MAZYOUNA 2011 ARABIAN EL THAY MALIKAH* gr 2004 ARABIAN GASB
ANSATA HEJAZI* gr 15.0H 1992 ARABIAN AHR #479624
TABANYA* gr 1996 ARABIAN
ANSATA SELMAN* gr 1999 ARABIAN AHR 566312 EL THAY KAMLA* gr 1999 ARABIAN Bred by El Thabeya Stud, D ANSATA SELMAN* gr 1999 ARABIAN AHR 566312
gr 15.0 1958 gr 1971
ANSATA HALIM SHAH* gr 1980
ANSATA IBN HALIMA*
ANSATA SUDARRA* gr 1982
ANSATA ABU SUDAN* gr 1974 gr 1972 ANSATA DELILAH*
HAMASA NABIH* gr 1988
FARAG*
gr 1962
NAFTETA* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
gr 1976
211 ZOHAIR* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
gr 1978
TAMRIA II* gr 1985 ANSATA HEJAZI* gr 15.0H 1992
ANSATA ROSETTA*
gr 1980
gr 1980
ANSATA SUDARRA*
gr 1982
G SHAFARIA* gr 1992
PRINCE FA MONIET*
gr 1981
ANSATA SHARIFA*
gr 1987
EL THAY MASHOUR* gr 1994
MADKOUR I*
gr 1971
KAMLA II* gr 1985 ANSATA HEJAZI* gr 15.0H 1992 G SHAFARIA* gr 1992
EL THAY BINT KAMLA* gr 1989 ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
gr 1974
ANSATA SUDARRA*
gr 1982
PRINCE FA MONIET*
gr 1981
ANSATA SHARIFA* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
gr 1987
EL THAY IBN EL THAY MAHFOUZA* HALIM SHAH* gr 1994 gr 1985 MAHAMEH* ARABIAN EL THAY MANSOURA* MACHMUT* GASB ch 1983 MORAWA* ANSATA HALIM ANSATA ANSATA SELMAN* SHAH* HEJAZI* gr 1999 gr 15.0H 1992 ANSATA SUDARRA* ARABIAN PRINCE FA MONIET* G SHAFARIA* AHR 566312 gr 1992 ANSATA SHARIFA* EL THAY MASHOUR* EL THAY MASHOURA* gr 1994 gr 1997 EL THAY BINT ARABIAN MOFEEDAH* gr 1990
gr 1980
MONA III* ANSATA HALIM SHAH*
MADKOUR I*
gr 1980
gr 1980 gr 1979 gr 1979 gr 1979 gr 1980 gr 1982 gr 1981 gr 1987 gr 1971
EL THAY BINT KAMLA* gr 1989 EL THAY IBN HALIM SHAH*
gr 1985
MOFEEDAH*
gr 1972
This filly is line bred to Ansata Selman (3 times in the 3rd generation) and his sire Ansata Hejazi (4 times) as well as to El Thay Mashour (2 times) and to Ansata Halim Shah (9 times)
El Thay Kateefa Al Sabah (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Khadija by El Thay Mashour and Kamla II)
El Thay Kahila (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Kamla by El Thay Mashour and Kamla II)
El Thay Konouz (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Kamla by El Thay Mashour and Kamla II)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 27
Monika Savier: Are there still breeders, customers, or visitors who like to drop by on a weekend to have a look at the horses? Or do you find that the analogous world of horse breeding has vanished into what you do privately, while going out for public relations work is something that’s done digitally only? Cornelia Tauschke: During the summer months we do have visitors, mostly from abroad, who want to see the new foal crop or look for general information on the stock of horses in the stud. Sometimes, these visits result in sales. With most of these sales, the background is that the persons involved would like to own an El Thayeba horse because they have known the stud and the type we breed here for a long time, or because we have been recommended to them by their fellow breeders. Monika Savier: What kind of media relations do you maintain, and why? Cornelia Tauschke: Being present on social media is something I hardly do. I’m with Instagram and will post a picture now and then, but that’s more for giving some information on what’s new with us, and for maintaining
my contacts with other breeders, or to make new contacts. Of course I will write a short message to an interested person. Sometimes, I put in an advertisement or a piece of text. Monika Savier: For more than 20 years now, horses from Europe have been flying across the sea to the Gulf countries. Likewise, many come from there to live with us. How have you been able to use that globalization for your stud? What are, for you, the benefits and the disadvantages of globalization? Cornelia Tauschke: I don’t think globalization is the reason why everybody uses stallions that have come in from abroad. Ansata Halim Shah flew across the Big Pond even in 1983 in order to cover mares in Germany. At that time, „globalization“ was not even a term that was used in Arabian horse breeding. Of course you can obtain frozen semen from many well-known stallions all around the globe, but getting a valuable stallion to be stabled in your own stud, in order to cover your own mares and other people’s mares naturally, that’s a matter of trust. Which is what ought to be at the basis of the whole process.
El Thay Munifa (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Malakah by El Thay Mashour and El Thay Mahfouza)
28 • Desert Heritage Magazine
We were very lucky to be able to use Ansata Halim Shah in the mid-1980ies when he was on lease with Dr Nagel. Via his offspring, he stamped the El Thayeba breeding program to quite some extent. Later on, I was able to get leases for the stallions Ansata Selman and Ajmal Tameen, both by the Ansata Halim Shah son Ansata Hejazi. Both have left sons and daughters in El Thayeba stud, and these offspring have a vital role in the ongoing development of the stud. Monika Savier: When there is demand for mares, it is mostly for young mares up to 8 years of age. What do you think of this kind of „best-before date“ that plays a great role in the Arabian countries in particular? Cornelia Tauschke: When interested buyers from Arabian countries prefer mares who are already old enough to breed but not too old overall, that’s probably because for one thing, they don’t want to wait very long for the first foal to be born, and for the other thing, they know that elderly horses have a harder time to get used and adapted to a new environment and to the extreme climate in particular. In the Middle East, mares age more quickly than in Europe, because of the extreme
heat and the farming methods resulting from that. In our climate and area, it’s not unusual for a mare of 20 years or older to be in foal. In the Arabian countries, that’s much more rare. Personally, I won’t sell a mare of 13 years or older into an Arabian country because of these reasons. I would feel somewhat guilty if I did. Monika Savier: During the 1990ies, I saw you in Aachen, where you handled your horses yourself for their show presentations. You used to like to take part in shows, but you are less often there by now. What is the reason for that? Cornelia Tauschke: Well yes, shows used to be fun then. There was not so much of that predominant rivalry, of that competitive mode. Everybody would washing and grooming their horses, and of course the stand-up was practiced as well as trotting in hand. Everybody would handle and present their horses themselves, and be proud of it. Achieving a good score came second. Above all, we just loved to spend a nice weekend with likeminded people. The visitors that came to see the shows were actually interested in the horses, and we used to be addressed by
El Thay Toya (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Taqiyah by Ansata Selman and El Thay Tiffany)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 29
El Thay Mazyouna (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Malikah by Ansata Selman and El Thay Mashoura)
Ajmal Tameen (Ansata Hejazi x Tabanya by Hamasa Nabih and Tamria II), bred and owned by Mr. Mohammed J. Al Marzouq, Ajmal Arabian Stud, Kuwait
30 • Desert Heritage Magazine
El Thay Karim Shah
El Thay Kenana (Ajmal Tameen x El Thay Konouz by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Kamla)
people during the shows, and many of them were new to the field. They asked questions, and they really wanted to acquire information. There was nothing like a VIP area. Everybody was on equal standing with everybody else. Today, horses that are intended for shows need to work through lengthy and costly training. If you watch the visitors in the VIP area, you will see them engaged in animated conversation with not a lot of attention spared for watching the horses in the arena. If there is interest in horses, it’s usually just in the horses owned by that person, and mostly restricted to those who produce a championships title for you. More often than not, the owners are not even there, sending their managers to accept any trophies. Monika Savier: Is it possible to breed successfully without taking part in shows? Cornelia Tauschke: Fortunately, I breed Straight Egyptian Arabian horses – that’s just a small group among the purebred Arabians, and the breeders involved with them are mostly not really interested in the show circus. In my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to breed “show Egyptians”. Show horses have been invented already!
El Thay Marwa (El Thay Karim Shah x El Thay Malikah by Ansata Selman and El Thay Mashoura)
It would be better for Egyptian breeders to be really interested in maintaining the variety of bloodlines, and the variations of type within them. Monika Savier: What are possible alternatives to the shows we know? Cornelia Tauschke: Well, presentations such as we had with the Noble Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse Breeders Festival in Lochem, the Netherlands, which was organized by Mr. Mahmoud Al Anzarouti, Sham Stables in 2017 and 2018. There, breeders could present their home-bred horses to highly interested visitors without having them judged, which I think is much more sensible, and events such as these should be organized increasingly more often.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 31
El Thay Mofida (El Thay Karim Shah x El Thay Mazyouna by El Thay Mahfous and El Thay Malikah)
Monika Savier: For many breeders and owners, their horses are projection surfaces. Correspondingly, they are subject to optimization. The type is getting ever more extreme due to the selection done on this basis. You, on the other hand, breed in generations, which means that changes come in small but consolidated steps. How can we bring this concept across to the customers? What is your answer to the demand for horses of extreme show quality? Cornelia Tauschke: In order to answer this question, we need to define what is meant by type, first of all! For me, type is the outer appearance as a whole, not just the head. A noble, harmoniously built horse, with a head that fits his ancestry, so a short head or a longer one. Attentive round eyes I can see while standing in front of the horse, meaning the forehead must be broad with no extreme bulging. A fine muzzle with the nostrils beautifully formed, and a refined and well-carried neck is important to me, too, just as a proud tail carriage when moving. I used to train our stallions for the stallion performance test myself, by racing them. I obtained an official license from the Direktorium für Vollblutzucht und Rennen for home-training racing horses. All of my stallions, even if they are just leased for some time, were and are ridden regularly. And I try to maintain or optimize all the traits I mentioned. I think I succeeded in breeding an El Thayeba look. Generally, the breeders of Egyptians are quite interested in breeding for a specific look of their own, which will make it possible to say which stud a horse came from. Monika Savier: In your breeding strategy, does embryo transfer have a part? Cornelia Tauschke: I will only consider embryo transfer on medical grounds, like when an outstanding mare is, for reasons of her own health, not able to carry a foal herself. I believe it is very short-sighted to produce too many foals. It cannot be beneficial for the market. Arabian horses used to be rare! Excessive use of embryo transfer makes these horses into a mass product. In the end, only the best and most typey ones are in demand and will find buyers.
El Thay Kais Al Sabah (El Thay Karim Shah x El Thay Kateefa Al Sabah by El Thay Mahfouz)
32 • Desert Heritage Magazine
El Thay Kalilah (El Thay Karim Shah x El Thay Konouz by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Kamla)
El Thay Kadira Al Sabah (El Thay Kais Al Sabah x El Thay Kenana by Ajmal Tameen and El Thay Konouz)
El Thay Kidounah Al Sabah (El Thay Kais Al Sabah x El Thay Kamria by Ansata Selman and Kamla II)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 33
Monika Savier: … and these are, usually, a dam’s natural foals, as she doesn’t only transfer her genes to them, but also her behavior and movements ... Cornelia Tauschke: … I dread to think what becomes of all the mediocre horses produced for the show scene and not meeting expectations. I’m glad the breeders of Egyptians are a bit more guarded when it comes to using ET. I also feel that Egyptian foals do not „function“ as smoothly within these unnatural proceedings as horses from other bloodlines apparently do. Breeders are responsible for the offspring out of matings they planned, and they ought to be aware that every foal that is not used for breeding stock replacement needs to be passed on into good care. If there are more mediocre foals being produced per year because of ET, there are more foals for sale in the market, and all of them need
Nader Halim (Maydan Madheen x Moufisa Al Kidir by Al Kidir and Moufisa Halima)
El Thay Minouha (Nader Halim x El Thay Mazyouna by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Malikah)
34 • Desert Heritage Magazine
El Thay Mouna Al Ryah (Nader Halim x El Thay Mayassa by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Magidaa)
El Thay Kameelah (Nader Halim x El Thay Kareema by Ansata Selman and El Thay Kamla)
a new good home. Basically, however, everybody needs to decide for herself or himself how they will treat the animals they accepted responsibility for.
but still with a horse passport. Ultimately, it is still every breeder’s responsibility to use this means of reproductive technology with great care.
Monika Savier: So how can we get to grips with this problem? After all, there is also the fact that fewer and fewer Arabians are bought as riding horses. Cornelia Tauschke: One measure to regulate the use of ET might be to have the breeding associations or studbook institutions intervene by registering no more than two foals per year per mare – a mare might have two foals if she was carrying twins. A problem with that might be that breeders using ET may still produce a higher number of foals per mare and year, but may then select the maximum of two from for registration with their associations. The rest of the foals, those that do not live up to quality requirements, will then go to market without a pedigree,
Monika Savier: Do you still like to be active as a breeder? Cornelia Tauschke: I look forward to the new foal crop every year! No matter how many years I have spent as a breeder, I keep being thrilled by finding out if the matings I did resulted in what I hoped for when planning them. Monika Savier: Do you feel that the limits of growth and globalization have been reached? Cornelia Tauschke: New markets keep cropping up, such as recently Pakistan, or Iraq. In these countries, breeding Arabians is still in the early stages, and it’s good to see that young, committed breeders are existing and want to get something done.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 35
El Thay Komeira Al Sabah (NK Nabhan x El Thay Kateefa by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay El Thay Khadija)
El Thay Kamala (NK Nabhan x El Thay Konouz by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Kamla)
Monika Savier: Are the horses still going to play an important role in your life? Cornelia Tauschke: I’m sure horses will always play a role in my life. However, I don’t know today if I’m going to be breeding when I have reached old age. As long as there still are breeders pursuing the same visions and values as I do, things are going to keep moving. It’s for sure I won’t let myself be carried away into breeding a horse that doesn’t correspond to my ideas, just in order to serve the market. If I were ever forced to do that, that would be the point in time when I ‘m done with breeding . q
Cornelia Tauschke and Klaus Beste with El Thay Malikah and the Australian Shepherd Jaden
36 • Desert Heritage Magazine
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Zahia Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x Zubaida Eladiyat) Right : Amal Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x NK Ahlam)
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El Adiyat Stud Farm in Kuwait and Katharinenhof Stud in Germany: A Close Cooperation in Arabian Breeding
The people of Kuwait have maintained strong ties to their history up to today, not just because of their religion and cultural heritage, but also because this is how they structure their lives, and those of their horses, of course. Many horse breeders in Kuwait invest a lot of time and effort into preserving the cultural history of their country, including arts, and into actively keeping Bedouin traditions alive. For them, Arabian horses signify authenticity, elegance, and Arabian noblesse; and they love the pure beauty of these horses. Of course, beauty is not everything there is – and still, beauty is more important than we usually assume. Everything else aside, seeing your beautiful Arabian horses in the morning light is what carries the breeders on and makes them forget about all their efforts.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 39
(jonientz@web.de)
n by Monika Savier in collaboration with Dr. Hans J. Nagel All photos by Joanna Jonientz
The well-known success of Kuwait’s breeders does have to do with their fascination for this beauty, but alongside that, it largely results from their characteristic bonds of friendship and level of cooperation among each other, both invested into reaching a common breeding goal. They laid the foundation stones for this development in the 1990ies in Al Wafra, an oasis bordering on Saudi Arabia. Today, the studs that have been built there are major players in international Egyptian Arabian horse breeding. The original gene pool there was primarily based on imports, of course; however today, every stud has their own aims and goals, and most of them have their very own story of success to tell. It was not an accident, therefore, that alongside Egypt and Qatar, it was the country of Kuwait
Mahmood Al Zubaid with NK Jamal El Dine (NK Hafid Jamil x Ansata Ken Ranya)
40 • Desert Heritage Magazine
that radiated, with its horse breeding, a strong fascination which attracted the long-term connoisseur of the Orient, Dr. Nagel. Even in the 1990ies, he had realized that Arabian horses could maintain the historic traits of their breed most easily when experiencing the climate and natural surroundings of the Orient. The fascination of being able to further develop and observe his own breeding strains under these conditions – this was what made him decide to make his experiment of a “closed studbook” possible to take place in one more country: Kuwait. The results in this country prove him right. I asked him to tell us the story of this experiment and of the cooperation with the Kuwaiti breeder Mr. Mahmood Al Zubaid:
The first time Mr. Mahmood Al Zubaid of El Adiyat
private breeders had bought some Arabians from
Arabians and Dr. Hans Nagel of Katharinenhof Stud
Syria and Egypt. And there were these two Arabians
met in North Germany was in 1996. Mr. Mahmood
from Germany which the government had imported
came directly from Kuwait for this visit and brought
years before. One was the stallion called “Ibrahim”
with him a recommendation and cordial greetings
and the other was an older mare. It happened that
from Sheikh Abdul Aziz al Thani of Qatar, whose
Ibrahim had been bred by Dr. Nagel. He sold him, as
Al Rayyan Stud Mr Mahmood had visited and where
a colt, to a friend and when this shipment of horses
he had seen, in the stables, four nice mares which the
was organised, it was decided to choose him as the
Sheikh had bought a few years before from Dr. Nagel’s
most suitable stallion for this project, a project to
place. There were already some foals and young
bring the first so-called “Asil Arabians” to Kuwait.
daughters born from these mares, but the Sheikh was
They survived the Iraqi invasion in 1990 by chance,
not prepared to sell any of them, instead he advised
because Kuwaiti people had hidden them away.
him to try his luck directly
Some years before Sheikh
at Katharinenhof.
Abdul Aziz had decided to a
bring Egyptian Arabians
newcomer in this field.
to Qatar. He already kept
Kuwait at that time was
some Syrian and English
not at all a place where
Arabians in his stud, and
Arabians were bred. The
on a trip to Syria, he saw
police managed a stable
there an Egyptian Arabian
with horses, there were
stallion
horses on the race course,
brought from El Zahraa in
all of them looked like part-
Egypt to Damascus. This
bred Arabians, only two
fact encouraged him to
Mr.
Mahmood
was
who
had
been
Dr. Hans Nagel and Mahmood Al Zubaid
Desert Heritage Magazine • 41
NK Laymounah (NK Nadeer x NK Leena)
42 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Amal Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x NK Ahlam) with her colt Ahmer Eladiyat by NK Nabhan make a visit to El Zahraa Stud in Egypt where he
of the ten boxes looked a daughter of Ansata Halim
found out that a full brother to this stallion in Syria
Shah or Jamil and one daughter of Ibn Nazeema.
had been sold to Katharinenhof in Germany. His
Never had he seen something similar. Now these
name was “Ibn Nazeema”. Consequently, he travelled
mares and this type of horses became his target and
to Germany to see this horse, with the strong idea
at the end of the visit, he bought three mares for his
to buy him. He arrived at Katharinenhof on a very
stud, and many more followed in the coming years.
cold winter day, together with some friends, between
The same experience which the Sheikh had in
Christmas and New Year. They rushed quickly into
Germany, Mr. Mahmood made in Qatar years later.
the warmer stables and as he told Dr. Nagel later, he
This is why he came so quickly to Germany; he was
was totally surprised by what he saw: Out of each
so impressed by these mares in Al Rayyan Stud.
Desert Heritage Magazine • 43
Zahia Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x Zubaida Eladiyat) It happened that these two men, Mr. Mahmood
Dr. Nagel of his own story. He, as well, had started his
and Dr. Nagel, had from the beginning a perfect
farm including some old buildings to enjoy country
understanding between each other. Mr. Mahmood is
life and country work, which ended up becoming
an architect running a construction and development
Katharinenhof Stud.
business, and had just bought a piece of land of 10
Now there are more than a hundred Arabian horse
hectares in Al Wafra with the idea to make it into a
studs in Kuwait. One area in the North of Kuwait,
general farm to grow maybe vegetables, to keep some
where different Arabian types are bred mainly for
livestock such as sheep, goats and chicken – but first
shows, and another one in the South, in Al Wafra,
of all, to start to breed Arabians horses. This reminded
where the majority of horses are Egyptian Arabians.
44 • Desert Heritage Magazine
NK Lamees (NK Kamar El Dine x Munira Al Arabiya)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 45
NK Jamal El Dine (NK Hafid Jamil x Ansata Ken Ranya)
Mr. Mahmood was the very first who established his horse farm in this Al Wafra. The visit in Germany took a few days. It was not easy for Dr. Nagel to sell some of his foals. He liked to keep them to increase his own breeding stock. However, finally a bay filly named Bint Nashua, a grey filly named Nadeema, and a colt were chosen to go to Kuwait. Dr.Nagel was very keen to know how these young horses would be kept in Kuwait, so he
Amal Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x NK Ahlam) with her colt Ahmer Eladiyat by NK Nabhan
46 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Desert Heritage Magazine • 47
Lubna Eladiyat (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Lamees) decided to fly together with these horses on a freight
improvements. Dr. Nagel was very pleased when
flight to Kuwait, which at that time was an experience,
he saw all these preparations. Overnight after their
nowadays it is a usual business.
arrival the foals stayed in their boxes; the next day it was a pleasure to let them out and to watch them
Mr. Mahmood had refurbished an old chicken barn,
after they were brought into the paddocks, enjoying
which was located on his land and had built inside ten
their liberty to run freely in this sandy place. They
boxes of a comfortable size. Outside he had arranged
galloped away and showed now and then their easy
very large paddocks with a little bit of doubtful wooden
flying trot. It must have been a wonderful moment
fencing, which definitely needed reinforcement and
for Mr. Mahmood, really a sensation to have his first
48 • Desert Heritage Magazine
NK Aya (NK Nadeer x NK Aziza) Arabians in Al Wafra. The stud Al Rayyan of Sheik Abdul Aziz in Qatar and the stud of Mr. Mahmood, El Adiyat in Kuwait, became a big attraction in the following years, visit after visit followed. Mr. Mohammed Al Marzouk, Mr. Khaled Ben Shokr, Mr. Talal Mehri and the late Mr. Usamah Al Kazemi, all started to think to enter into Arabian breeding. Beautiful and large studs came
Lamsa Eladiyat (NK Nadeer x NK Lobelia) Desert Heritage Magazine • 49
Zahia Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x Zubaida Eladiyat) Amal Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x NK Ahlam) under construction and one of the most impressive
became the second, much bigger source for acquiring
community of Arabian horse studs cropped up in this
Egyptian Arabians of similar type. Already Sheikh
area of Kuwait in a relatively short time.
Abdul Aziz had visited Ansata Arabians and had chosen the best foals every year for his stud. Now
But where to find the Arabians which were required
the Kuwaitis, mainly Mr. Mohammed Al Marzouk,
for these new studs? The Katharinenhof in Germany
followed and Ansata horses became as popular in
was breeding only 8 – 10 foals per year, not enough
Kuwait as in Qatar. And also Sheikh Abdul Aziz
at all. But since Katharinenhof and Ansata Arabians
helped some breeders in Kuwait and was selling them
in the US had been practising a perfect cooperation
some of his best offspring.
for years, it was only natural that Ansata Arabians
The Kuwaitis are known to be good and capable
50 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Zahia Eladiyat (NK Jamal El Dine x Eladiyat) and her daughter Zaytoona Eladiyat (NK Nabhan x Zahia Eladiyat) businessmen, and also they are perfect in management and execution and like to work in partnership or by cooperation. A very nice group of breeders developed under these circumstances and very friendly bonds existed between them; but also between Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Mr. Mohammed Al Marzouk, Mr. Mahmood Al Zubaid, Dr. Nagel, and Judith Forbis, the owner
Ahmer Eladiyat (NK Nabhan x Amal Eladiyat)
Desert Heritage Magazine • 51
NK Luza (NK Nadeer x NK Lubna) of Ansata Arabians – the most important five persons
the US and some from Egypt directly.
for the fact that the Egyptian Arabians had such a
Only
great acceptance in Qatar first and later on in Kuwait.
Katharinenhof Arabians, which became by that time
In the course of time it became evident which type
well known under the name “NK Arabians”; they
and kind of Arabian was chosen for further breeding
had their own typical look. One of these two was
by the major breeders. Most of them kept Ansata
the late Mr. Usamah Al Kazemi. He was breeding
Arabians and their offspring. A few of them were
his Arabians in his own way. He had asked for “NK
breeding their Ansata Arabians and crossing them
Qaswarah” from Dr. Nagel, a wonderful, very delicate
with horses which were coming from Katharinenhof.
and prepotent stallion, who “made” his stud. One
Some other breeders imported other Egyptians from
could say it became a “Qaswarah Stud”.
52 • Desert Heritage Magazine
two
breeders
worked
exclusively
with
NK Mouna (NK Jamal El Dine x Munira Al Arabiya) The story of Mr. Mahmood was different. This
Mahmood for his El Adiyat Stud in Kuwait, with the
situation is due to the fact that both, Mr. Mahmood
result that representatives of these four families are
and Dr. Nagel, are open-minded people, always ready
the base of his breeding herd as well.
to learn and always ready to give. Ultimately, both
A Siglawy family, based on the rootmare “Mahiba”
studs keep the same breeding stock tracing back to
An Obayan family, based on the rootmare “Hanan”
Egypt. In 1968 Katharinenhof brought its first mares
A Hadban family, based on the rootmare “Lotfeia”
from Egypt to Germany and this rootstock is still
A Dahman family, based on the rootmare “Bukra”.
the same since that time, four families have been the
These Dahman family came via Ansata Arabians to
base of breeding for 50 years. In the course of time,
Dr. Nagel and went from there to Mr. Mahmood.
offspring of these four families were bought by Mr.
At this time about 15 – 20 mares are kept in each
Desert Heritage Magazine • 53
NK Nizam (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Nadeerah)
54 • Desert Heritage Magazine
NK Nizam (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Nadeerah) stud which are representing these four bloodlines and
offspring of a certain type of Arabians will appear,
families.
a feature which is genetically strongly fixed. Such
Katharinenhof has been working self-sufficiently for
a programme will only work when three or better
35 years. It is closed to any outside breeding horse
four families are involved, when the breeding stock
since that time, this refers to stallions and mares. It
is free from all vertically transmitted diseases such
is an experimental concept which is said to be have
as SCID or CA, and when no major faults in the
been used in the early times by the Bedouin breeders
structure of the Arabians are existing. And finally,
in the Arabian Peninsula, with the result that these
all the necessary good features and characteristics
horses as a whole became a highly homozygous
must exist in this closed population, wherever they
population. Such a programme has to be handled
might be.
with great care; it will guarantee that always an
It is so important that such a program does not
Desert Heritage Magazine • 55
Badra Eladiyat (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Bint Nashua)
56 • Desert Heritage Magazine
NK Nabhan (NK Nadeer x NK Nerham) only exist in one place, but is backed up by another
A typical nice impressive head, a perfect high
population in another place. Otherwise major
tail carriage, a good conformation and a friendly
accidents and mishaps could not destroy all these
character.
many efforts made in previous years.
Concerning his stud as a property, he has arranged his
Mr. Mahmood is a person who loves and cares about
place different from all the other farms. He kept the
his Arabians, and he is able to run his stud very
old stable building properly refurbished, he greened
successfully concerning health and fertility. He pays
his paddocks and was able to let a whole variety of
great attention that the vital points of an Arabian are
desert grasses and shrubs grow on his land; palm trees
properly fixed in all of his horses:
and high eucalyptus trees surround the paddocks and
Desert Heritage Magazine • 57
Zeina Eladiyat (NK Nadeer x Zubaida Eladiyat) provide fresh air and shade. Altogether a well cared-
environment – sandy and hot here, fertile and moderate
for green oasis in which his Arabians are living.
there – work with the same breeding stock and apply
A yearly exchange of major stallions between the two
the same management. They have together about the
studs whenever needed, and the evaluation of their
same number of broodmares as the Egyptian El Zahraa
foals after each breeding season, are always a highlight
Stud had around 1960. Also this El Zahraa population
in this cooperation. In addition there are continuous
started at the beginning with a few broodmares only, as
discussions about the offspring – who should stay in
one can read in its original first studbook. It remained
the programme, and about the question to which mare
a close population for a long time until it was opened
a certain stallion should be bred.
by introducing other stallions who were not part of the
Both studs, with the exception of the very different
Abbas Pasha heritage.
58 • Desert Heritage Magazine
NK Nabhan (NK Nadeer x NK Nerham) This cooperation also gives a clear answer to the
and tight stabling, inadequate exercising and artificial
often discussed question: If the environment as such
breeding practices. This kind of management might
is changing the Arabian type. In fact, it is not the
deform an Arabian from a creation of nature to a man-
weather, the rain and the sun, the cold and the heat
made artefact. Positively expressed: The management
which have a lasting effect on the type of horses in
should be adapted and in conformity with the general
general. Definitely it was like this when for hundreds
requirements of an Arabian horse, in order to maintain
of years Arabian horses lived in the desert exposed to
and safeguard this breed as a true creation of the desert,
poor conditions for survival. Today this “environment”
and in order to guarantee, this way, the splendid future
is replaced by management, a combination of feed
of this unique breed. Now the fate of these Arabian
quantity and feed quality, of housing, of limited freedom
horses lies in the hands of men only. q
Desert Heritage Magazine • 59
Giacomo Capacci Arabians
INVESTING IN INNOVATION CREATING OUR FUTURE WHILE CELEBRATING TODAYS SUCCESSES & CHERISHING OUR HISTORY
Giacomo Capacci Arabians - Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 / giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
Giacomo Capacci Arabians © Nawaf Al Johani
A L A Y A L A A (Al Ayad x The Vision HG)
2008 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
© Gigi Grasso
A L W H A I D E L D I N E (Salaa El Dine x Gioia APS) 2012 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
Standing at Giacomo Capacci Arabians / Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
Giacomo Capacci Arabians © Glenn Jacobs
A N S A T A N I L E E C H O (Ansata Hejazi x Ansata White Nile) 1996 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
© Alessio Azzali
A Y A L S P E A R L (Al Ayal AA x O Rosettas Princess) 2013 Straight Egyptian Chestnut Stallion
Standing at Giacomo Capacci Arabians / Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
Giacomo Capacci Arabians © Alessio Azzali
E Z Z A L D A N A T (Shamekh AlDanat x Shalwa)
2014 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
F A R H O U D A L S H A Q A B (Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Johara Al Shaqab) 2008 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
Standing at Giacomo Capacci Arabians / Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
Giacomo Capacci Arabians © Alessio Azzali
N A S E E M A L R A S H E D I A H (Al Adeed Al Shaqab x Nabaweyyah Ezzain) 2014 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
S H A H E E N A A (Al Ayal AA x Saniyyah RCA)
© Bar
2015 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
Standing at Giacomo Capacci Arabians / Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
Giacomo Capacci Arabians © Alessio Azzali
S M B A R I Q (Sameh Al Rayyan x Shawq Al Nasser)
2014 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
A L Z E N A L D I N M A (Nader Al Jamal x Zena Al Buraq)
© Alessio Azzali
2010 Straight Egyptian Grey Stallion
Standing at Giacomo Capacci Arabians / Italy +39 (0) 575 17 87 099 giacomo_arabs@yahoo.com / www.giacomocapacciarabians.com
Dame Josephine
72 • Desert Heritage Magazine
“
Everything in Harmony “ That is the Construction of Beauty
www.desertheritagemagazine.com
Outstanding Straight Egyptians in England
Desert Heritage Magazine • 73
©
MH ARABIANS
by Monika Savier
Straight Egyptians have always been the bloodline of choice for people who don’t just prefer beautiful Arabian horses, but also see them as an integral part of the culture of the Orient that spans millennia. More than any of the other types within the breed, the Straight Egyptians attest to the rich past of the Arabian Peninsula, as horses who up to today live not only as a breed, but play important roles in the arts, poetry, and history of their countries of origin. It is not accidental that people with a passion for the Straight Egyptians are often themselves involved in arts, music, archaeology, research, and cultural proceedings, even if it’s often just a hobby. The two key players of MH Arabians, however, are professionals indeed. Both Dame Josephine Barstow and Jihoon Kim are opera singers on the highest level. The two of them could hardly be more different with respect to their ages and ethnic backgrounds, but in music and in horse breeding, they have found not just one but two common denominators. And their combined „double dynamite“ effect lends wings to the stud. MH Arabians raises the claim of breeding spectacular horses
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of historic value. Arabian horses who do more than just carry a long history along due to their genetic makeup: Arabians who combine their cultural heritage with the requirements and aims of today’s Arabian horse breeding for both show and riding. For 30 years by now, great horses have been and still are created from the stock at MH Arabians. Dame Josephine used all her know-how and passion to lay the foundations; young Jihoon Kim has been introducing new ideas to breeding and implementing them in creative ways for a few years now. Arabian horses have been an integral part of England’s history for three centuries. As war horses and as noble riding horses, both of whom required a combination of qualities such as plain courage, outspoken heroism, and horsemanship, they made history, but simultaneously, during colonial as well as post-colonial times, this country’s main interest was in breeding and improving their native horse breeds on the basis of Arabian bloodlines. Their main project was the English Thorough Bred. Hardly anybody was interested in keeping the imports from the Orient pure, although breeders in England, courtesy of their compatriot adventurer Lady Ann Blunt, had been able to make use of the first imports from Greater Arabia 150 years ago. However, even here they produced a new bloodline of Arabian horses, the Crabbet Arabians, who are to be found all over Great Britain and the Commonwealth today and still play a distinct role in sports and riding. Dame Josephine, on the other hand, dedicated herself to the preservation of Authenticity. She has been taking loving care of her Straight Egyptians in England all along, just like you would do with delicate desert flowers. As Arabian horses are citizens of the word, it is hardly surprising that her stud has been able to maintain international contacts even without any neighbors also getting involved in breeding Straight Egyptians. Now, after the Brexit has become reality, organizing an analogous world of interchange has gotten even harder, and the digital world of communication is not an adequate alternative by far. Which is why it is all the more important that the international community of breeders should not lose sight of England. It is worth the effort, for the horses of MH Arabians are an exciting reality we should take to heart and keep an interested eye on.
MH ARABIANS
of the beautiful horses forming the current herd of MH Arabians. The MH being a tribute to Maar Hala. In 2008 another colt was introduced to the herd: MUHANED AL RAYYAN (Ashhal Al Rayyan x Al Wajba Al Rayyan). Purchased as a small foal, Muhaned has matured into a ravishingly beautiful, kind, highly intelligent stallion with spectacular movements. His foals are a delight!
Jihoon Kim 2016, Opera ‘Tosca’
Dame Josephine Barstow 1973, Opera ‘La Traviata’
photo by Donald Southern
photo by Robert Workman
The foundations of the breeding programme of MH Arabians were laid very many years ago. In the early 1980’s, opera singer Dame Josephine Barstow and her opera and theatre director husband Ande Anderson bought a farm, Malthouse Farm, in Sussex, England. Jo, who had always loved horses, now had somewhere of her own to keep them. She decided to breed one of her mares. On a silent February night, with snow softly falling outside the stable, an exquisite colt arrived into her waiting arms. Jo was hooked! After much study and research, Jo made the decision to breed Straight Egyptian Arabians. At this time she was singing frequently in the United States and in her free time she would drive round, wherever she found herself, looking for her perfect foundation mare. The search proved long and Jo must have seen perhaps thousands of horses. That search ended in 1988 in San Luis Obispo when Jo found an exquisite six month old filly MAARTRABBI by Al Metrabbi out of the legendary RDM Maar Hala. The following year she bought a young colt KERIM SHAH (Prince Ibn Shaikh x Siralima), a grand son of Maar Hala. (His first foal Kazim Shah at the age of only four became the youngest ever British National Champion Stallion in 1997.) From Maartrabbi and Kerim are descended the majority
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Muhaned’s son MH MAARIUS 1 out of MAARTINE (Kerim Shah x Mahalia Bint Maartrabbi) was Bronze Champion at the 2019 Egyptian World Championships in Milan. The only European horse to receive a medal and without one scrap of promotion. After the death of her husband Ande, Jo moved the stud to Devon. However she has now returned to Sussex to a lovely farm with 122 acres of pasture on which she has built a beautiful new facility for the herd. Trainer Miles Buckley loved the place and now is also based there. Yet more exciting new blood has come into MH Arabians more recently, in the shape of another opera singer! A fine bass from South Korea, Jihoon Kim. Jo met him at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where she has been teaching. Jihoon was one of her star pupils. Jo and Jihoon are now partners in the business of MH Arabians. From never having had any experience of horses just a few
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years ago, Jihoon has developed spectacularly. Since August 2020 he has been looking after all of the horses entirely on his own. The horses have never been so well cared for and they all love him. In his determination to give them the very best possible attention, he has even trained under a master of foot trimming and developed the skill to a very high level. He has also brought new energy and enthusiasm into the running of the business. Last year he introduced the pedigrees of some of the late Count Zichy-Thyssen’s horses to Jo, full of the names of the wonderful Arabians she saw in the States in the 1980ies. Tail female lines to mares like the amazing Serenity Sonbolah, a mare Jo saw just before she died and has revered ever since. Unsurprisingly some of those mares are now members of the herd, thus widening excitingly the spectrum of the breeding programme. Stand by for fireworks!
Italian breeder and horse journalist Monika Savier met with Dame Josephine Barstow and Jihoon Kim of MH Arabians for an interview. Monika Savier: Although Lady Blunt played an important role in the emergence of straight Egyptians world-wide, there are hardly any straight Egyptians in England. How has breeding developed there historically? How could your breeding develop without other SE breeders in the area - or do they exist? Have you only been able to use your own stallions for breeding, or have you imported semen or leased stallions? Which ones?
Maartrabbi (1988-2018) (Al Metrabbi x RDM Maar Hala) yearling
Kerim Shah (1989-2016) Prince Ibn Shaikh x Siralima
photo by Frank Little
photo by Emma Maxwell
Dame Josephine: The breeding programme was started with imported stock from the United States, however Straight Egyptians in this country, owned by different studs, have occasionally been used. Twenty years ago, NAAZIM (Nabiel x Norra) owned
at the time by Donald Duke, provided us with a daughter MAHALIA BINT MAARTRABBI whose blood is still strong in the herd. When bred to our original imported stallion KERIM SHAH (Prince Ibn Shaikh x Siralima) she produced one stallion and three daughters, all still with us and breeding. Likewise, in 1997 we bred to SIMEON SADIK (Asfour x Simeon Safanad) owned by Shirley Watts and have a gorgeous old lady MAARAA still producing now. For several years we were able to carry on breeding using only the horses we had. Eventually of course one arrives into a corner. That is when I went shopping to Qatar and came home with our wonderful MUHANED AL RAYYAN.
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photo by Glenn Jacobs
Muhaned Al Rayyan, 2007, Stallion (Ashhal Al Rayyan x Al Wajba Al Rayyan)
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Jihoon Kim: There are few straight Egyptians in the UK, but you are right about breeding, we are definitely the source of SE in the UK unless people want to import or lease the stallions. For the last few years, we haven’t bred many horses as we had to move the farm from Devon to East Sussex in the South of England where we have built a brand-new farm. This was a big project. We have 2020 foals, but our previous breeding was 2016 foals. So, we didn’t need to think about the stallions much before as we have our own good stallions as well as Muhaned Al Rayyan with all new blood. We have several different bloodlines so
photo by Alessio Azzali
we still can use our own stallions. From now on as we have started to breed the mares by Muhaned, we have to seriously consider outside stallions to introduce to our herd. We can import semen or lease a stallion, but sometimes Dame Josephine and I are talking to have a colt from outside as well. People think having too many stallions is not a good idea but Dame Josephine and I love keeping the boys as well. So, it is not a big problem for us. The most important thing is to have the right one for our herd whom potentially many UK SE breeders can use as well. We have provided stallions in this country many times.
MH Maarius I, 2016, Stallion Muhaned Al Rayyan x Maartine (Kerim Shah x Mahalia Bint Maartrabbi) 2018 Silver Champion Egyptian Event Europe 2019 Bronze Champion Stright Egyptian World Championship
photo by Alessio Azzali
Monika Savier: What is the breeding goal of the stud? What role did beauty play? What role does functionality play? Both of you are musicians, and arts and beauty are important to you. How can you realize that with your horses? Dame Josephine: For me, there is little more exquisite in nature than a good Arabian horse with proud, flowing movement and presence. When setting out to breed, of course an aim is Beauty. But in Beauty there is Harmony.
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photo by David Saunders photo by Jihoon Kim
MH Maarlon - Mahmoud Shah x Maaralisa (Crusader x Maartrabbi)
MH Maaralec, 2020, Colt Muhaned Al Rayyan x Maarina (Kerim Shah x Mahalia Bint Maartrabbi)
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Jo is leading 2 pregnant mares. Maarina (left), MH Aisha (right)
MH Maarvana, 2011, Mare - Muhaned Al Rayyan x Maarlene (Kerim Shah x Mahalia Bint Maartrabbi)
This wonderful species of animal that we can see pictured on the temples of Egypt, harnessed to chariots, three thousand years ago was not bred by man. It arose in the desert and became the friend of man. In the hands of men, it has since influenced every breed of horse in the world. It is the source of all warm blood. The good Arabian horse is an athlete. It has balance, it’s a machine that functions naturally. It has bone that matches the scale of the animal, it can move freely, joyfully but also usefully. It has speed, it has stamina. Get the conformation right, without losing elegance and refinement. Nothing stressed, everything in harmony - that is the construction of Beauty. The good Arabian enjoys its relationship with us. It enjoys being challenged physically and mentally. The eyes reflect intelligence, kindness, caring, understanding. The good Arabian horse knows and
understands still mysteries we have forgotten. This amazing creature is our responsibility. Jihoon Kim: Firstly, I started to live with Dame Josephine after a long time having singing lessons. I knew Dame Josephine has horses but never met them before. And I haven’t had any experience with any horses in my life. I started to live in this current farm before the new farm buildings went up. Finally, one day, all the horses arrived while I was rehearsing in London. When I got home, I went out to the field to meet the mares, and they were galloping down towards us. I was so scared and jumped out through the gate. That was in 2018 and now I am dealing with all the horses, as with this Covid I have a lot of time to stay at home. I have learned trimming the feet, I have helped foaling and handling all the foals, treating injuries and making a feeding program etc. Now I am
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involved in the breeding program as well. With my short experience in horses, I completely fell in love with our horses. With their beauty of looks, good temperament, individual personality. I know Dame Josephine has done a lot already for our breeding program for more than 30 years and I do love what Dame Josephine has achieved with our herd. Natural beauty, good temperament, good conformation. Our horses have our own herd look. And everyone can tell this is one person’s herd. Probably for me, keeping this is going to be more challenging rather than having a goal of the stud. But if I have to define the goal of the stud, I would hope we can breed a literally breathtaking horse. So that everyone who meets that horse is bowled over by it and is rendered speechless in its presence! I have heard a lot of stories from Dame Josephine about when she met certain horses and felt she had nothing to say but the tears running down her cheeks spoke for her. I think this is not only beauty of the looks, this is a spiritual connection which Arabian horses can easily make happen. I am trying to show the horses whenever we can, as we have to say to the world we are here.
on the British Isles, although there were and are famous breeders there. But this post-colonial phase seems to be over, doesn’t it?
Monika Savier: Tell us about the horse lovers in England: what do they do with Arabians? Do they go to shows or attend Foxhunts? Is there a passion for riding Arabians? I think on the continent, people know very little about the Arabian horses
Jihoon Kim: I haven’t got much experience in the horse world. So, I cannot say much. What I can tell is that England has really good support for the horses. There are a lot of horse yards, and people are enjoying having the horses and riding them. I know a lot of people ride Arabian horses for endurance in the UK. But I do believe the Arabian horses could do more under saddle. We need to see more and more Arabians doing everything a horse can do, with happy people on their back!
Dame Josephine: I fear that the Arabian horse has lost favour somewhat among general horse people in England. This is a great sadness to me. The popularity of Arabian racing for example has waned. Some time ago, a horse I bred won a race. It was one of the most exciting moments in my life. Endurance riding is going well and we have sold several horses for that. It is great to see them competing without fear and loving it. I have always thought it vital to encourage the riding of Arabians. In the past I broke and rode some of our horses myself including stallions. There is nothing like the pleasure of riding out on a horse one has bred and backed and loved. Our lovely MAARIUS 1 (Muhaned Al Rayyan x Maartine) who was a Bronze Champion at the 2019 Straight Egyptian World Championships in Milan is now being backed and we hope to compete him under saddle this season if things open up.
photo by Emma Maxwell
Monika Savier: What is the role of today’s reproductive technology in your country? Do you do embryo transfer, ovum pick-up or some such? Does natural breeding still play a role on your farm?
Maartrabbi with MH Maarbeau
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Dame Josephine: I must admit that personally I am old fashioned in my views on this subject. My preference is absolutely for natural covering. I have always wanted my stallions in particular to enjoy their covering duties. Jihoon however belongs to the modern world. I cannot stand in the way … Jihoon Kim: I think in England, the breeding
photo by Alessio Azzali
MH Maarbeau, 2012, Stallion (Muhaned Al Rayyan x Maartrabbi)
photo by Jihoon Kim
technology is well developed. But I do believe it is best if we do as much, we can do naturally. Maybe this well-developed technology is killing the horse world, as we have a lot of offspring from the same sire/dam every year. Too many foals are born, the gene pool is getting smaller as a lot of people consider using famous stallions from all over the world. On the other hand, this technology offers more chances to approach the outside blood more easily, efficiently and economically. We haven’t done any of the mare side technology yet. But if we have good reasons, we will definitely consider using the technology available.
MH Maarangelo, 2020, Colt MH Maarbeau x MH Aisha (Mahmoud Shah x My Lady Anne)
Monika Savier: How is the market for straight Egyptians in England today? What impact does the Brexit have on globalization now? What advantages or disadvantages does it have for you? Dame Josephine: At the moment Covid and Brexit have collided together in such a way that as yet,
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photo by Alessio Azzali
photo by Steven Bond
MH Maalik, 2006, Stallion - Mahmoud Shah x My Lady Anne (Hadaya El Tareef x Fatima Sharaf )
Mahmoud Shah, 2000, Stallion (Kerim Shah x Mahalia Bint Maartrabbi)
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the influence of each is unclear. We can only hope for clarification on all fronts to emerge as quickly as possible. We would love for our beloved chief stallion Muhaned Al Rayyan to have an opportunity to breed more and varied mares. So, we are considering leasing opportunities in Europe for the season. Jihoon Kim: With the Brexit on top of the Covid situation, we don’t know where we are going yet. For sure it will be very difficult for the time being until all the rules are settled and clearer. A lot of people wanted to use our stallions from outside of the UK. But we were not ready for that, and while we are planning to do that, all this happened. For the time being, if there are many requests for using our stallions, we will consider letting them stand in Europe or lease them out to give good influence to the horse world from our stallions.
photo by Alessio Azzali
MH Maarbiel, 2007, Stallion Mahmoud Shah x Maaralisa (Crusader x Maartrabbi)
photo by Gregor Aymar
MH Maaria, (Mahmoud Shah x Maaraa) 2009, Mare
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Monika Savier: How do you plan the future of the stable? What is your breeding strategy? And which role are the social media playing in that context? Jihoon Kim: We have a lot of plans with our horses now. Breeding, showing etc, as we have settled in the new farm. We will keep breeding what we believe is a good horse. I think that is the beauty of breeding animals as everyone has a different taste and use of the animal. But if we can be accepted by more people with our horses, that could be wonderful. We cannot satisfy every single person in the audience from the stage, but if the majority of the audience appreciates our performances, that is the goal of the performing arts. I do believe breeding animals is the same. But definitely we have to have individual ideas for that. Otherwise, it is going to be the same performance whoever plays the role. Monika Savier: What do you think of alternatives to the Show Business, such as the Noble Festival or Open House activities?
Dame Josephine: We look forward to the possibility of welcoming visitors from everywhere to share for a moment our lovely green farm and our beautiful happy horses. Monika Savier: Josephine and Jihoon, thank you very much for this interesting discussion!
photo by Alessio Azzali
Jihoon Kim: I think this show and presentation are
different and are not an alternative for each other. In the opera world, we have competitions too, to see the potential of young opera singers. But it does not follow that the winner will become a good performer in the future and doesn’t mean who didn’t win the competition cannot do well in the performance. The competition result can be different all the time dependent on the judges, their personal taste, the participants’ condition on the day of the competition and so on ... I am sure the horse show is like a music competition. Presentation is more likely to make clear the potential of the horses as we can see in a group of horses what the sire and dam have done for the breeding program and what they passed on to the next generation.
Miles Buckley, Josephine Barstow, Jihoon Kim with Muahned Al Rayyan
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MH ARABIANS +44 (0) 7492 863004 Highlands, Chiddingly, Lewes, BN8 6HB, UK jihoon.kim@mharabians.com damejosephine@icloud.com
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Donors Needed!
The Situation for the Arabian Horses of Beirut is Near to a Catastrophe. Is There still Hope for the Hippodrome? How Can the Horses Survive? by Monika Savier Photographies: Monika Savier, Press Archive Beirut
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call for Support for the arabiaN horSeS iN beirut
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Getty Images
ebanon, the beautiful country on the Mediterranean, is experiencing one of the most serious crises in its history. The capital, Beirut, is fighting for survival. The economy has collapsed, with the Corona virus having great influence in that, as it made the situation worse. There is hardly any money, electricity is provided ever less often, and a large part of the population is unemployed and now lives in poverty. The explosion disaster in Beirut is accelerating the city’s decline. Beirut used to be a multicultural promise, but now the city is in the danger of living just a memory of her former beauty and wealth, of her democratic society which was more free and more colorful than anywhere else in the Middle East, and where the racetrack with its horses played an important role for everybody within the frame of the cultural scene of the city. The grandstands have been wrecked since the last war, but the racetrack is a symbol for the fact that in spite of wars and conflicts, things would always go on somehow. For a long time, when many people in Beirut still had money enough, politics would determine what went on the racetrack, as powerful family, finance, and religion lobby groups all had their say and influence. These times, however, are gone. The city will have to change if it wants to have a future. Fortunately, there are still Lebanese who, despite all the blows, have not given up hope of a turnaround and are fighting to make the city liveable again for humans and animals. Among them are those responsible for Beirut’s hippodrome, who are living for the future of the horses there. Horse Culture must not be subordinated to the economy, but money is needed to survive, and to be able to learn the lessons from that experience of having failed, so things can be done better next time. Lebanon is profoundly a ‘horse country’. Arabian horses have been part of the civil society for hundreds of years. During the times of war, the racetrack and its horses played a unifying role, bringing together people across their many religions and cultures. Now, however, we have arrived at a point when the city is in fear of her future. Today’s crisis is the saddest of all the city ever went through, and external help is necessary and essential. The horses are at the center of this crisis and urgently in need of protection.
The Romans already recognized the affinity between humans and horses and built the first racecourse in Tyre, Lebanon 2000 years ago. “The citizens need bread and games” was the political concept of Caesar, the Roman emperor. Today the ruling politicians of Lebanon do not even have bread for the whole population. And if the racetrack of Beirut, in the heart of the city, has to close, a cultural center will die that not only cultivated the proud tradition of Arabian horse breeding in the country, but has also been a popular stage where the horses and their jockeys have created a passion shared amongst people of all classes and religions, men, women and children. You might remember this feeling with the goose bumps that start with a distant gallop noise, the hectic loudspeaker announcement about the course of the race, and then the horses come around the bend and run into the finishing straight. Who will make it to win? The people on the grandstands become louder and louder and accompany with their cheers the horses and jockeys who give their last to the finish line.
Spectators who didn’t know each other hug because they bet on the same horse. Others throw away their betting slips and check the program to see what chances they will have in the next race. This shared enthusiasm with people and horses must be preserved. The Lebanon Arabians, the historical asil breed of horses from the Arabian Peninsula, and the WAHO Arabians, which are imported from all over the world and trained for the gallop races, risk extinction when the curtain comes down and the stage is dismantled there. We, the Arabian horse community, remain committed to overcoming the dangers the current situation poses to the Arabian horses of Lebanon. And we need the support of the Arabian horse community. Without action being taken now, there is even the possibility that they might not survive. We have to ensure the future of the horses and of the racetrack. The races themselves have to continue. Only by keeping the horses and races alive can we safeguard the racetrack for everybody, and with it, the green heart of Beirut.
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Last week I got a phone call from the Director of SPARCA, Nabil Nasrallah. He described the situation in some detail. Of course, with a fund-raising campaign like this, we all want to be sure that any donations arrive at the clearly defined target. Therefore, I asked Nabil very directly about how transparency can be guaranteed to the donors. As is clear in the interview that follows, Nabil gave every assurance. This is the time to use the Arabian horse world social media to draw attention to the scale of the crisis. We need to raise awareness and we also need to raise funds. We almost have to try, and if we don’t succeed and the history of the hippodrome will no longer exist, you knew that all along at least – for this story really needs to be told so the hippodrome and the horses will stick in our memories.
Monika Savier asked Mr. Nabil Nasrallah, the General Manager of SPARCA, about the situation at the racetrack and what steps need to be taken to help save the horses and the racing business there. Savier: The horses at the Beirut Hippodrome du Parc are going through a huge crisis. What factors triggered this crisis? Nasrallah: The country was already going through hard financial times and economic unrest. This has been going on for many years, but with the October Revolution in 2019 it all accelerated, bringing about the financial collapse. And before the targets of that revolution had been met, the Covid 19 pandemic hit us hard with complete lockdowns for many months. In addition, as if all of the above was not enough, Beirut suffered what is now known as the biggest non-nuclear explosion in recent history, killing hundreds, injuring thousands, and displacing over 300,000 households from their homes in Beirut. All of that has taken place with complete absence and denial from the political authorities. Today the Lebanese pound has lost over 300% of its value in less than 1 year, putting everyone on the verge of bankruptcy. Our Arabian horses found themselves in the middle of all of this. With no one paying any attention apart from SPARCA with its very limited resources. Perhaps also 92 • Desert Heritage Magazine
some few people with a passion for these horses and a handful of breeders. Savier: What has been and still is the cultural role of the racetrack for the people of the city? Nasrallah: The horses and the racetrack go together. The one cannot exist without the other. The Beirut Hippodrome, the only racetrack in Lebanon, has been the custodian of major historical events of our country. From the declaration of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920 to the Independence in 1943, to witnessing the different wars and occupations that Lebanon went through, to remaining the green spot in our city, granting the peaceful coexistence of all religions and the beacon of hope for humans and horses alike. Savier: Who owns the racetrack in Beirut? Nasrallah: With a total surface of 210,000 m2, making it among the biggest green spaces in the Beirut capital, the racetrack is fully owned by the municipality of Beirut. However, the management of the racetrack and all the related activities were mandated to the NGO SPARCA. The aftermath of the 4th of August explosion, along with the corona virus, it is no longer possible to support the horses or the green environment. SPARCA as an NGO is therefore left with absolutely no resources.
the horses and the racetrack, as they could donate prize money … Could increased prize money per race improve the survival rate of the studs and the horses? Nasrallah: With the current financial situation, it is difficult to grant any prize money for participating and non - winning horses. Being able to first increase the prize money (currently 2 million Lebanese pounds equaling less than $150 today) and distributing participating prizes for all horses is our goal, but for the moment it’s only a dream. That would be an awesome approach, the races would be named for the sponsors if they want that, they can donate a trophy and a sum of money for the horses in the race. Savier: What would the price money for a race be? Nasrallah: 1000 Euros and a trophy cup per race, the money to be distributed among the participants, Jockeys, horse owners, trainers and 10% to the race track for organization costs, that would be a great help. A whole race day might total 5000 Euros and the trophy cups on top. But any other even small donation is most welcome. Savier: Can the resumption of racing maybe solve the crisis? If so, how? Nasrallah: The main thing at this moment is to protect and care for the horses. If they can survive and be trained, we can believe in the resumption of races. We also must boost confidence in the continuity of the racetrack for everyone, the horse owners, the passionate admirers of these horses, and the breeders. Continuous weekly racing with adequate prize money and numerous participants are the main requisites for a healthy protection of the Arabian horse industry in Lebanon. Savier: So this would be a good opportunity for breeders from all over the world who want to support
Savier: Many horses on the track come from old Lebanese bloodlines but they are not “WAHO Arabians”. They are domestically bred Arabian racehorses, who didn’t succeed in being in time for WAHO registration or the pedigree was not clear. But they all share the characteristics of a race horse: courage and speed. Would the international interest in the racetrack also help by donating WAHO Arabians for race training to increase the international attractiveness? Nasrallah: For centuries, the Arabian horse originating from the migratory Bedouin tribes in the desert has been renowned for his courage, speed, endurance, beauty and good temperament. The modern Arabians in Lebanon share these same characteristics, they are still chosen by their owners for both their beauty and
Potential sponsors will also gain visibility because the aim of our campaign is to reach a large worldwide audience. The results of these actions together with the names and logos of the donors will be published in articles in Tutto Arabi Magazine, Desert Heritage Magazine and Arabian Essence email blast over the coming months.
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their performance capabilities. And they have to survive as well. In recent years, also ECAHO shows for only WAHO registered horses have been held at the Hippodrome, but for us, the ideal Arabian horse remains one who can do both, win a race and perform successfully in a show class. Savier: Does it make sense if breeders from Europe or the Gulf area send WAHO Arabians to Beirut for race training? They would be paying for the feed and training expenses, which would put money back into the circuit to benefit the employment situation on the racetrack. Nasrallah: This would be a powerful idea, too. If the horse owners were to invest the cost for two years of stabling and training their horses here, that would be a big support against unemployment on the racetrack. The horses would be broken to the saddle and trained well. In addition, there would be more WAHO horses taking part in races, horses who would also be interesting for Arabian breeding in Lebanon. Savier: What would the cost per month be for training a horse on the racetrack? Nasrallah: The cost for 2 years of maintenance and training would be150 euros a month. Savier: How many families are directly and indirectly dependent on the horses at the racecourse? Nasrallah: The ecosystem of the racetrack expands to the whole of Lebanon. Beirut itself has more than 600 families financially and socially dependent on the racetrack, the breeders are situated in rural areas between the north, south, and the Bekaa, and the different horse studs are located in various areas, making the total number of families depending fully or partially on the racetrack above 2,500.
After he finished his engineering studies in Germany, Nabil Nasrallah was appointed, in 1971, at the Beirut Hippodrome du Parc as General Manager of the Society for the Protection and Improvement of the Arabian Horse in Lebanon (SPARCA, a NonProfit Organization – NGO). Its mission is to protect the Arabian horse, ensuring its sustainability through registration and paternity checking as well as organizing competitions and racing. Mr Nasrallah is also the registrar of the WAHO studbook in Lebanon. 94 • Desert Heritage Magazine
If you need more information: www.bhr-lb.com - sparca.leb@gmail.com phone number: +961 1664302 Here are the special bank account details: SPARCA BANQUE LIBANO-FRANÇAISE S.A.L. Branch: HAZMIEH- LEBANON Iban: LB42001000000017865423001840 Swift: BLFSLBBX Currency: USD Purpose: Donation Savier: What happens if the racetrack has to close? Nasrallah: If SPARCA is no longer able financially to continue with its mandate to manage and maintain the racetrack, the municipality will take back possession of the hippodrome. They will certainly be forced to close the hippodrome once and for all. The worrying part is that, once done, the park will be commercially evaluated, which is expected to reach a phenomenal value as it is located on 2 main avenues and offers unlimited real estate opportunities. But the priceless loss would be that Lebanon will lose a long tradition of Arabian horse breeding. It will lose the great cultural value of the racetrack and the role of competition, excitement and cultural events for the citizens. The race horses might not survive and Beirut would lose its second biggest green space. Thousands of families would lose their income, with a big number of them being fully dependent on Arabian horse breeding for generations. Savier: In case money is donated to maintain the
horses, the hippodrome and its activities, how is the money distributed? Who decides? Are there democratic structures that guarantee that money is distributed according to an emergency or contingency plan? What transparency can donors expect? Nasrallah: All donors’ money will be treated with full transparency, offering full access, at any time, for the donors and public to check and audit every dollar spent. I have to just hope that the hippodrome and the race horses will not die. They have been part of the culture of our capital for a hundred years, however, and we hope that we can learn from that experience of failure and will develop a strategy for survival. We will do so with the help of the worldwide family of the Arabian Horses breeders and horse lovers. Savier: Thank you, dear Nabil Nasrallah. I very much hope that many breeders and lovers of Arabian horses will take these pieces of information to heart and will support and make a financial contribution to save the horses and the hippodrome in Beirut. Desert Heritage Magazine • 95
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Maximum comfort and minimum t ransport t ime for your horses.
gricon-Logistic GmbH & Co. KG | International Horse Transports argloy 17 | 27793 Wildeshausen (Germany) on: +49 (0) 44 31 - 73 84 -80 | Fax: +49 (0) 44 31 - 73 84 -81 Mail: info@agricon-logistic.com
www.agricon-horsetransports.de
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International horse transport - Import:
Profit from our passion for horses. Win time and security with Agricon Logistic horse transport.
We take care of everything and ensure you a safe and smooth transportation of your horses! A professional and secure horse transport requires not only a lot of experience and knowhow, but also a comprehensive and competent preparation. Before your horses arrive at the destination, you will of course receive a detailed and professional advice of the entire shipping process. That way you have a secure feeling from the start. From the application of permits, the preparation of health certificates, the clearance and inspection by the official veterinarian, the transportation in special horse transport trucks to the airport, plus the customs clearance to load
96 • Desert Heritage Magazine
your horses into special flight containers and the airfreight to country of destination we take care and watch over everything during the horse transportation. We assure that, throughout the whole horse transport your horses will be attended and cared by our own professional grooms. Starting with the preparations and the coordination of loading, the securing of your horses for a comfortable and safe transport through to the reception at the destination. We are there when your horse needs us. If requested, we have the capacity to prepare your horses in our own stables consisting of 25 boxes as well as a separate quarantine barn with 20 horseboxes.
INTERNATIONAL HORSETRANSPORT Horse transport - Attendance: We know what your horses feel.
The preparation for transport of course includes the professional and permanent support from the stables of departure to the final reception barn. In addition to the employed staff of our professional flight attendants, we only work with reliable horse grooms (according to IATA Live Animals Regulations), professional
horse transport companies and specialized agents. To ensure an optimum of supply, jerry cans, buckets, hay net and bedding are of course provided. The flight attendants for our international horse transports are precisely briefed in advance to assure that your horses are in good hands during the entire flight.
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Profit from our ambition to find and realise the optimum for your horse transport! Profit from our passion, our experience and our highly qualified team. Profit from our worldwide network of selected partners who share our passion for highest standards in horse shipping - worlwide. • road transport in Germany and Europe • Import and export clearance • application and preparation of all required documentation incl. health certificates according to countries of destination • pre export quarantine in our own quarantine stables • Preparation of horses for export, blood tests, official
veterinary inspection at our own stables incl. grazing. • transport to/from airport in special horse trucks • completion of all customs formalities • stabling at airport of departure upon request • global horse shipping by airfreight • coordination and secure of the horses • flight attendance by professional grooms • preparation of import- and export documentation • application of import and export permits • import and export customs clearance • veterinary inspection and clearance at airport of destination • road transport to stables at destination
Desert Heritage Magazine • 97
International horse shipping - Export: We accompany your horse safely through all requirements.
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of import customs and veterinary clearance in the destination country, as well as the booking of any required post-arrival quarantine.
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Afterwards the horses are then moved in special horse transporter to reach the stable. Everything for your horse transportation is planned to the smallest detail, so that your horses arrive comfortably and safely in the country of destination.
Horse Transport:
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Agricon Logistic sets up highest standards for the safe transport of your horses. We exclusively work with reputable airlines such as Lufthansa, KLM, Martin Air, Emirates, Qatar Airways and experienced horse transporters. The horses entrusted to our care are transported safely to and from the airport by special horse-trucks. At the airlines handling terminal the animals are loaded in disinfected special horse transport containers before shipping by air. Of course the containers
98 • Desert Heritage Magazine
meet the requirement of the IATA Live Animals Regulations. If necessary, the horses can be stabled at the airport before departure. That way the horses get the opportunity to get some rest before going on a long trip. We can assure that the monitoring and comprehensive care of the horses are guaranteed at any time during the entire horse transport. This way it is guaranteed that your horses are safe and sound until they reach their point of destination.
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Agricon-Logistic GmbH & Co. KG | International Horse Transports Agricon-Logistic GmbH & Co. KG Bargloy 17 | 27793 Wildeshausen (Germany) Bargloy 17 - 27793 Wildeshausen - Germany Fon: +49 (0) 44phone: 31 - 73 84+49 -80 (0) | Fax: 44 31 44+49 31(0) - 73 84- 73 -8084--81 Fax: +49 (0) 44 31 - 73 84 -81 - E-Mail: info@agricon-logistic.com Mail: info@agricon-logistic.com
www.agricon-horsetransports.de www.agricon-horsetransports.de Desert Heritage Magazine • 99
PHOTOGALLERY STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN
n
sunnysassudelli@gmail.com n
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AYAL EL ASIL
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JAMAL EL ASIL
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www.tuttoarabi.com - TUTTO ARABI | 109
THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT text and photos by Sunny Sassudelli
“The Arabian horse shares its history of antiquity with no land more than Egypt. With its timeless treasures, the Egyptian Arabian Horse, a unique breed within the Arabian horse breed renowned for its unique type and distinguishable qualities, is a living link with the past and is yet another of Egypt’s eternal contributions to civilization.” The Egyptian Arabian Horse Pyramids Foundation
110 • Desert Heritage Magazine
The Egyptian Event owes its great fame to a worldfamous personality, Mr Omar Sakr, long time breeder and head of the organization of a unique team, the Egyptian Arabian Horse Pyramids Foundation, which is affiliated with the Pyramid Society. This team managed to organize a simply unique and highly elegant show. The Pyramid Society was founded in 1969, today includes as members six continents and over 15 countries,
Desert Heritage Magazine • 111
it is an international breeders’ organization dedicated to the preservation, perpetuation, and promotion of the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse as the premiere source of classic Arabian type in the world. The Egyptian event is a prestigious show in Cairo, held from march 25th to 27th 2021 in an unique and lavish location: the Pegasus Equestrian Center, Dreamland. Just a few kilometers from the magnificent pyramids was held one of the most important events all over Egypt, where breeders competed with their best horses. The program was splitted in 3 days to make it comfortable to admire a big number of horses: the first day qualifying classes fillies and colts 1 and 2 years; the second day mares 3 -7 years and stallion 3-6 years. The last day in the morning the last 3 classes. In the afternoon finally the championship, with the stallion parade before the stallion championship. The organizing team of this edition was composed by Mr. Omar Sakr, Mrs. Nagwa El Daly, Mr. Hatem El Daly, Mr. Mohamed El Bourini, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Fetouh. They chose carefully the official panel of judges: Mr. Klaus Beste (Germany), Mr. Koenraad 112 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Detailleur (Belgium), Mr. Cristian Moschini (Italy), Dr. Mahmoud Mohsen (Egypt); ring mastering was Mr Roberto Ceccaroni (Italy); Disciplinary Committee was composed by Dr. Mohamed Hammad (Egypt), Mrs. Ils Van Dun (Belgium), Dr. Islam El Mahdy (Egypt). The speaker was Ms. Yassmine Atieh. Even if this was only the third edition of this great show, the event has seen great horses compete, accompanied by a great cheer from the spectators. Despite the predictable sunshine one can expect in Cairo, temperatures were much lower than normal because of a very cold wind which caused program changes but spectators and breeders were not discouraged and made this great show unforgettable! As well as unforgettable was the huge cake decorated with the colors of the show arrived to celebrate the birthday of the president of the association, Mr Omar Sakr. The event had two peculiarities in the rules that are noteworthy: first, any form of shaving was prohibited; and second, the trot was shown to the judges one competitor after another, so the judges had a complete idea for a better comparison of the class, only later any horse walked to the judges without stress for standing evaluation. The quality was very high, an example was the high score of 93.17 for the unanimous gold junior female champion, Malika Badrawi, a beautiful mare owned and bred by one the oldest farms in Cairo, the Badrawi Family. q “This event is not just a horse show, it is an opportunity for breeders, enthusiasts, artists and business leaders from all around the globe to come together to honor the horse’s classical spirit that has joined all of them in this worthwhile pursuit of happiness and the elusive goal of breeding “the perfect Egyptian Arabian horse.” Omar Sakr
Desert Heritage Magazine • 113
THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVE
GOLD MEDAL Junior Fillies (1-2 YEARS OLD)
GAMILA EGA
AMIR EL OMARA EL SHEROUK X AMAL EL SHEROUK B/O: EGA STUD
114 • Desert Heritage Magazine
ENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT
GOLD MEDAL Mares (3-6 YEARS OLD)
MALIKA BADRAWI JASSER AL RAYYAN X NEFISA BADRAWI B/O: BADRAWI STUD
Desert Heritage Magazine • 115
THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVE
GOLD MEDAL Senior Mares (7+YEARS OLD)
MADINAT AL ASHRAAF JAMIL AL RAYYAN X RIHANA EL GABRY B/O: AL ASHRAAF STUD
116 • Desert Heritage Magazine
ENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT
GOLD MEDAL Junior Colts (1-2 YEARS OLD)
HAMAD AL TARZY KASEM SAKR X HALA EL TARZY B/O: AL TARZY STUD
Desert Heritage Magazine • 117
THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVE
GOLD MEDAL Stallions (3-6 YEARS OLD)
MOHANAD BADRAWI SAFIR BADRAWI X KAMAR BADRAWI B/O: BADRAWI STUD
118 • Desert Heritage Magazine
ENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT
GOLD MEDAL Senior Stallions (7+YEARS OLD)
MALIK EL NILE AL SHARBATLY DF MALIK JAMIL X AMAL EL NILE AL SHARBATLY B: AL SHARBATLY STUD O: EZZAMAN STUD
Desert Heritage Magazine • 119
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO
SILVER MEDAL JUNIOR FILLIES (1-2 YEARS OLD)
SHEIKHA BADRAWI JASSER AL RAYYAN X SAFIRA BADRAWI - B/O: BADRAWI STUD
BRONZE MEDAL JUNIOR FILLIES (1-2 YEARS OLD)
KAMAR EGA HAKEEM EL SHEROUK X MAHA AL BAWADY - B/O: EGA STUD
(3-6 YEARS OLD)
SAYEDA BADRAWI SAFIR BADRAWI X HAWANEM BADRAWI - B/O: BADRAWI STUD
BRONZE MEDAL MARES (3-6 YEARS OLD)
MARIA EL AZZAB MOUSTAFA EL SHEROUK X MONIET EL NEFOUS EL SHEROUK - B/O: TURATH EL AZZAB STUD
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F
SILVER MEDAL MARES
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO
SILVER MEDAL SENIOR MARES (7+YEARS OLD)
BADAWIA EL FARIDA IMPERIAL BAAREZ X IMPERIAL KAAVETA - B/O: EL FARIDA STUD
BRONZE MEDAL SENIOR MARES (7+YEARS OLD)
FATHIA AL NAJEDIAH KENZ NOUR X TAMARA AL NAJEDIAH - B: AL NAJDIAH STUD - O: EL NOCKRASHY STUD
(1-2 YEARS OLD)
HAYMAN AL FARAZDAK MADHEEN AL NAKEEB X HAMSA HAMMAM - B/O: AL FARAZDAK STUD
BRONZE MEDAL JUNIOR COLTS (1-2 YEARS OLD)
SHEIKH AL ASHRAAF AJMAL OMAR X MADINAT AL ASHRAAF - B/O: AL ASHRAAF STUD
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F
SILVER MEDAL JUNIOR COLTS
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO
SILVER MEDAL STALLIONS (3-6 YEARS OLD)
MOURAD EL FARIDA MARAWAN EL FARIDA X IMPERIAL BARELLA - B/O: EL FARIDA STUD
BRONZE MEDAL STALLIONS (3-6 YEARS OLD)
MASHHOUR EL FARIDA FRASERA MASHAAR X CFL ESTELLE - B/O: EL FARIDA STUD
(7+YEARS OLD)
FARID KHEIR HILAL AL NAKEEB X BINT AL SHAHBANDAR - B: KHEIR STUD - O: AL HAWAJER STUD
BRONZE MEDAL SENIOR STALLIONS (7+YEARS OLD)
SOHEIL AL YASSER HAMRA ALIGANCE X WAAD AL YASSER - B: AL YASSER STUD - O: KARIM HASSAN ABDOU BERAISH
EGYPT F THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F EGYPT THE EGYPTIAN EVENT CAIRO F
SILVER MEDAL SENIOR STALLIONS
PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOP
PLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F PEOPLE F
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A PORTRAIT OF
STACEY MAYER n by Judith Wich-Wenning
The American Arabian horse artist Stacey Mayer has a very modern approach to painting. Digital drawings and social media play an important role in her work. This article gives some background information about her personal life, her life-long love for the Arabian horse and her artwork.
“I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, USA, a city surrounded by water, mountains, and evergreen forests”, relates Stacey Mayer. “I grew up just a few miles from the remaining horse pastures and equestrian centers of the suburbs. Later, I kept my horse just north of the city, and spent the weekends riding with my dearest friends.” Asked about her art education, Stacey Mayer remembers: “I attended university for two years, before leaving to marry my husband, Phil. While attending Washington State University, I was introduced to dressage, and had a great instructor, Betty Tukey. My instructor emphasized the “form to function” of each animal. Conformation is certainly the study of a lifetime, and I am still learning.” As long as she can remember, Stacey Mayer was fascinated by Arabians: “Arabian horses seem to ‘talk’ to us; with their lively movements, and facial expressions, those equestrians
128 • Desert Heritage Magazine
Dreamers Horse Desert Heritage Magazine • 129
Silver Stallion
with a long history around horses, find Arabians to be the most ‘talkative’ and intelligent of breeds. Their long history with us has created a wonderful riding companion. They are marvelous to ride!” When asked if she has a favorite Arabian, Stacey Mayer enthusiastically points out: “Oh, yes! The round, lofty motion, laid back shoulder, and beautiful carriage of the chestnut Ga’Zi (Abu Farwa x Ghazna) were impeccable. He was an important Champion stallion and great sire, born in 1949. That very look is captured by his three times descendant, Barzan Al Shahania, who also fortunately descended from *Barich De Washoe, another great Pacific Northwest progenitor. Yes; my eye looks for the roundness of *Muscat, with the desert beauty of the stallion The Egyptian Prince. I was fortunate to have my eye trained by seeing these great Northwest horses.” Regarding the role Arabian horses and art play in her life, Stacey Mayer ponders: “Phil and I had four children, and we owned several Arabians while our children were young. Now our daughters are grown, I am drawing, painting, and sculpting Arabian horses whenever we’re not spending time with family, and our horse loving friends. We share our home with our eldest daughter, her husband, and my grandson, Benjamin. He often sits on my lap while I’m painting. Sometimes, that means rescuing my latest painting from his ‘additions’ of fresh, black, acrylic paint! 130 • Desert Heritage Magazine
He is just three years old, which means his ability to get into messes increases daily. We really watch him, and work to stay ahead of his determination to paint. He also can sit at the table beside me, and use his own watercolors, brushes, and paper. But he insists on lap time, first. We certainly welcome his passion!” But how did Stacey Mayer become interested in Arabian horses? “My lifetime passion for Arabian horses came from the ancient Greek coins at the Seattle Art Museum. My parents were both trained in classical music, and they frequently brought us to the museum. “SAM”, as we call our museum, had a beautiful collection of Greek and Roman coins, many featuring images that look like Arabian horses. Later, when I was in my first year of junior high, a friend asked me, “why do all of your horses look like Arabians?” I thought, don’t all of the best horses look like Arabians? I did finally learn another way to see the horses in my mind. But, I always come back to the curves, and natural collection of the Arabian horse. My parents, who unfortunately died in a boating accident right before my last year of high school, bought a wonderful Ga’Zi grandson for me when I was eleven. He was an AngloArabian gelding, a blend of a Thoroughbred mare, with an Arabian stallion, and his affection and conformation, were a great influence in my art, and life. I spent the rest of my public school and college years riding him over the hills.”
Young Horses Playing
Digital painting Desert Heritage Magazine • 131
Arabian mare (digital drawing)
Asked if she has visited Arabian horse stud farms and shows, Stacey Mayer replies: “I haven’t been to many breeders lately, but I did sneak in a visit here and there, while we raised our family. However, I often visited Kale’s Arabians while growing up, and Phil and I visited Patterson Arabians together, during the days of the great Polish sires *Cytrys, *Dar, Meridian, and Negatraz. We went to Rafter G Arabians when we were first married, the home to Ansata El Salim, and the incredible *Bint El Bataa, the black daughter of Nazeer. Seeing this herd was a lesson in the true Bedouin horse of the desert, and have helped to shape the ideal in my mind’s eye. I have attended the Scottsdale show a couple of times, and I loved it. Seeing *El Shaklan was unforgettable. You can see every horse, meet every artist you’ve ever admired, and enjoy the most delicious blueberry and whipped cream covered waffles for breakfast! Meeting Edwin Bogucki, and experiencing his artwork in person, was worth the whole trip. U.S. Nationals has a tough time competing with the friendly, laid-back atmosphere of Scottsdale. National Champion First Cyte was more beautiful than his photos could ever convey, and he was also born and bred in the Pacific Northwest. 132 • Desert Heritage Magazine
I’ve visited Ron and Lisabeth Robertson’s at Royal Legend Egyptian Arabians of Bryan, Texas, over the years, and I love the kind of horses they’re breeding. They satisfy my search for an Arabian with riding horse structure, combined with uncompromising beauty. Lisa blends the Imperial Imdal sire line, and Rancho San Ignacio lines, with the German, Straight Egyptian *Bakil sire line, to create a beautiful sport horse, and loving companion. When I find breeders striving for a well-conformed riding horse, looking for the, “rounded” outline of horse I draw and paint, these are the Arabian horses I want to meet.” When talking about art techniques, Stacey Mayer explains: “I love acrylics. The bright colors available, and quick drying time of acrylics, have always been my favorites. Good, large sized watercolor paper is very dear now, so I create larger paintings more often with acrylics on canvas. My watercolors are usually on smaller papers. The Daniel Smith Company, my art suppliers in Seattle, have recently developed a new line of water-based oils. Daniel Smith became known worldwide for the quality printing inks they developed; I’m looking forward to experimenting with PrimaTek original oils.”
Zeinas Gift
Digital drawing
Calling the Wind (digital art)
Two Stallions
When asked about the inspiration for her work, Stacey Mayer replies: “I read about other women who are also entering the ‘third age’; after the children are grown, and now they have time to seek after the horses they loved in their youth. I participate in several Facebook groups, and I actively follow several Arabian breeders, owners, and riders on Instagram. I am inspired by many young riders, too!”
little. It helps save the rest of the house! Large roll ends of newsprint were a wonderful source of paper, and my Dad too, made sure to bring home the ‘recycling’ computer paper, so I always had lots of drawing paper. It’s fascinating to see this determination to draw, repeated in our grandson.”
“There are several old masters I admire”, Stacey Mayer continues. “We had wonderful art books in our school library, and our neighborhood Seattle branch library, too. My favorite artist was always Eugene Delacroix. His dramatic use of colors, action, and beautiful Arabian horses captured my eye from the beginning. He was a true romantic, telling stories with his paintings, and depicting large eyed, arched neck Arabians with every opportunity. He is still a favorite.”
When asked if she has a dream connected to Arabian horse art, Stacey Mayer remembers: “Once, I attended an art seminar in Pioneer Square, the art district of Seattle, and was excited to finally show my artwork to the professor on the last day. I had given up several Saturdays, (while I was still nursing my first baby), to be able to learn from this highly esteemed art professional. He saw my original porcelain sculpture, and called it, ‘commemorative work’. I cried so hard! He wasn’t worth the agony of being parted from my new baby, and it took years for my artistic ego to recover.
Then Stacey Mayer reflects: “My artwork was filled with horses from the moment I began to draw, and like my grandson Benjamin, I was passionate about drawing with whatever was at hand. We had a horse over the fence in my backyard when I was a child, and I was always begging to be lifted up, to touch him. Thankfully, he was a sweet tempered horse, that carefully nibbled on apples proffered by small children. Now, I better understand my mother’s focus on supplying me with plenty of drawing material, even when I was
Finding young artists before someone kicks their dreams apart is crucial to their eventual development. Encouraging young artists to keep drawing, keep learning about correct conformation, and to learn to ride, is my personal mission. Equine art has been a part of the human repertoire since the time of cave painting. My online coloring books, “https:// www.awhitehorse.com” have been maintained since 1996 to help find young artists, and keep them going! Equine art is certainly fine art; and it’s a part of our souls.”
Bronze Trophy for an Arabian horse club in California
Arabian horses naturally bring people together, as experienced by WAHO, and the yearly success of the Paris World Championships. Among my life goals are to meet some of my worldwide Arabian horse friends in person. I look forward to Paris, 2019!” Sculpture (now in a private collection)
Regarding her plans and hopes for the future, Stacey Mayer explains: “My hope for the future is to plan for many future adventures. Our grandson Benjamin, just had his Aortic Septal Defect surgically repaired this past September. We’re thankful for the time we’ve been able to spend with him after nearly losing him twice. Now that his accompanying heart defect has been repaired, we’re able to look forward with more confidence. It’s like the clock has started again. I have a couple of local Arabian horse owners who are already planning Ben’s first visit to ride an Arabian horse. With his heart repair a success, we can begin to do the little things you take for granted, such as visiting friends and family, traveling, and taking Ben for a horseback ride. I’m getting back to painting and sculpting regularly, for the first time since he was born, in the summer of 2015.” Then she continues: “Recently, I started a YouTube channel to share what I’m currently painting, and we discuss Arabian horses, stallions and mares I have known over the years, and what the breed has taught me. Occasionally, I have, ‘gone live’ on Instagram, and it’s an incredible experience to draw and paint, while talking live to other Arabian horse people from around the world. I’m quite new at this whole idea, but no one seems to mind.
Stacey Mayer adds with a smile: “I think it takes a lifetime to learn about equine conformation, and the process of creating art is certainly endless. Exploring the history, and diverse cultures touched by the Arabian horse through time, will keep me busy for my lifetime. The little gesture drawings that I draw with my finger on my cell phone, and then post to Instagram in the middle of the night, are the foundation for all my artwork. I love creating artwork that shares the energy of the Arabian horse. My little digital Arabian horses have proven to be among the most important drawings I create. They share the inner workings of how I draw.” Stacey Mayer ponders: “I’m so grateful my parents supported my precocious talent. My dad had a Masters degree in music, and my mother almost completed her degree, before their untimely passing. They both understood my artistic intensity, and their example has helped me raise our four daughters also born with this similar tendency, and now, allow us to recognize this talent in Ben. If God wills, he’ll be joined by more grandchildren, as my other daughters start their families. We’ll bring our grandchildren to see the SAM exhibits, and they’ll press their noses to the glass near the ancient Greek coins, just like their grandmother. I’ll happily show each one of them, how to draw and paint good horses, as the years go by. I have a feeling their horses will look like Arabians, too.” q Desert Heritage Magazine • 135
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