Desert Heritage n.58 by Alim editrice

D E S E RT H E R I TA G E

Magazine

Nasser Al Rayyan

Sinan Al Rayyan | Nadrah Al Rayyan, 2010 grey stallion

photos by Alessio Azzali

Available fresh in Qatar

Fahad Al Rayyan

Sinan Al Rayyan | Noof Al Rayyan, 2009 grey stallion

photos by Alessio Azzali

Available fresh in Qatar and Frozen in limited quantities

Available fresh in Qatar

Efreen Al Rayyan

photos by Alessio Azzali

Al Adeed Al Shaqab | Sahla Al Rayyan, 2017 grey stallion

Available fresh in Qatar

Mueer Al Rayyan Al Adeed Al Shaqab | Sundos Al Rayyan, 2015 grey stallion

photo by Gleen Jacobs

Egaab Al Rayyan Ansata Nile Echo | Nadrah A Rayyan 2008 Straight Egyptian grey stallion

Sabeh Al Salhiyah | Serene Ciai Dii, 2016 grey stallion

Available fresh in Qatar

photo by Alessio Azzali

Dukhan Al Rayyan

Gold Medal Junior Champion 2021 Straight Egyptian World Championship

Available fresh in Qatar

Yazeed Al Rayyan Farhoud Al Shaqab | Murjanah Elalya, 2019 grey colt

Afas Al Rayyan Ezz Aldanat | Sulima Al Rayyan 2019 Straight Egyptian grey colt

Available fresh in Qatar

photos by Alessio Azzali

Silver Medal Junior Champion 2021 Straight Egyptian World Championship

Nawaal Al Rayyan Ansata Sokar | Nadrah Al Rayyan, 2012 grey mare

Ashhal Al Rayyan | Selma Al Rayyan, 2010 grey mare

photos by Alessio Azzali

Sulima Al Rayyan

Menouah Al Rayyan

Gold Medal Champion Mare Katara International Arabian Peninsula Horse Show 2022

photos by Alessio Azzali

Fares Al Rayyan | Bint Mesoudah M Hp, 2012 grey mare

photos by Alessio Azzali

Gold Medal Champion Mare Katara International Arabian Peninsula Horse Show 2022

Menouah Al Rayyan

Fares Al Rayyan | Bint Mesoudah M Hp, 2012 grey mare

Desert Heritage Magazine n.58 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 Edouard Al-Dahdah Fabio Brianzoni Betty Finke Tomasz Hebda Monika Savier 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. 28

The Mares of Al Qusar Stud and their Offspring, a Story in Generations

Pag. 52

The Legacy of Mahiba

Pag. 74

Hiding in Plain Sight. New Discoveries of Original Documents on the Horses of Abbas Pasha

Pag. 81

The Kingdom AHF for Straight Egyptian

Pag. 108 The Arabian Horses in Italy - part 2 Pag. 124 Brooke Majors artist

jassehr

MISHAAL HP | SHAHIRS ABRIEL

a ARABIANS

Citadel ARABIANS

FB @CitadelArabians @Jassehr www.citadelarabians.com Gameel Ismail: https://www.facebook.com/iSeeer

www.desertheritagemagazine.com

STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN STALLION

In the cover

El Thay Mayassa born 2009, by El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Magidaa by El Thay Mameluk and El Thay Maheera Mona II - Mahiba, Saglawi Jedran (Om Dalal) Moniet El Nefous Family

photo by Sachs

Cornelia Tauschke Kneter Sand 3, 26197 Grossenkneten Tel.: +49 0 44 35-55 52 - Mobile: +49 0 173-92 66 78 3 tauschke@el-thayeba.de - www.el-thayeba.com - instagram.com/elthayeba

The Mares of Al Qusar Stud and Their Offspring, a Story in Generations by Monika Savier

is a stud farm in Germany whose name stands for the successful breeding of classic Eg yptian Arabians whose offspring can be found in many studs around the world. The stud AL QUSAR Arabians has a long history, as it changed over the years from an internationally successful show-training stable to a successful stud for breed28 • Desert Heritage Magazine

“When I take the mares with their foals to the pasture early in the morning and see the babies exploring their environment, running after butterflies and do canter pirouettes in front of their proud mothers, then I know that I wouldn’t want to trade this 7-day job for anything in the world.” Robert Schlereth

All Photos are by Joanna Jonientz

ing straight Eg yptian Arabians. The two owners, Robert Schlereth and Volker Wettengl are experienced trainers and breeders who not only seek to realize their own interests through breeding, but are also influencers for many young and older breeders in Germany who have also succumbed to the fascination of straight Eg yptian Arabians. Desert Heritage Magazine • 29

You could say they are all part of a large network that not only exists in the social media, but also supports each other in real life, advises, and helps at events. In principle, they all agree that climate change is also a problem for horse breeding and that ecological farming and animal welfare play a major role, which in the reality of the studs has to some extent eclipsed the discussions about the past of Arabian horses. Large pastures, healthy feed, loving treatment of the horses, strategic planning of reproduction is almost a matter of course at the traditional studs in Germany. Critical, on the other hand, is the breeding and selection of specialized show Arabians, because a beautiful Arabian horse with type and charisma should not be judged by the show circus first but should rather become a successful breeding or riding animal according to other criteria. Quality, functionality, Arabian nobility and type, all these are characteristics are better evaluated in the studs, specifically when the horses can be judged in a relaxed way in their home environment, without being trained and presented according only to ECAHO show criteria. The first of the "Open House Presentations" was hosted at the Nobel Festival in Holland, and last year at the Open House of the studs at the Katharinenhof of Dr. Nagel, at the El Thayeba Stud and Al Qusar Stud- all three studs are located in the same place Grossenkneten in the north of Germany. It is thanks to these three world famous studs that the region has gained recently an international reputation for the breeding of Straight Egyptians.

Robert Schlereth and some of his mares

30 • Desert Heritage Magazine

If today the horses of Al Qusar are no longer to be found at shows, then there is a good reason for this. The stud was founded 25 years ago in the Lüneburger Heide in the north of Germany by Robert Schlereth and Volker Wettengl as a breeding and show training stable. There, everything has always revolved around Arabian horses, on the ground, in hand, in the saddle, and on the many kilometers on the road to the shows. Full of hopes, joy, sometimes disappointments, but always with the vision of an own breeding, which was successfully worked on in parallel over the years. This stud in the Lüneburg heathlands was an institution in Germany for many breeders and a great challenge for the two owners. But at some point, something had to change so that it could continue. Robert Schlereth: "We developed more and more away from the shows, because the way you have to train horses to be successful there was no longer acceptable to us. 20 years ago, it was enough to have the horses washed, nicely dressed up maybe and they then went to a show to perform. A really good horse had every chance of winning. But as time went by, it became all about the sponsors, who were more important to many show organizers than the horses, who are the real actors of the show. It was all about the money, to put it briefly. That's why today we prefer to meet with other breeders at the stud or at an event without the atmosphere of a competition generating winners and losers".

Volker Wettengl with Muneera and Natifa Al Qusar

Desert Heritage Magazine • 31

TEYMuR B Leading Sire

Muneera Al Qusar and Natifa Al Qusar 32 • Desert Heritage Magazine

ASSAD 1984

ANSATA HALIM SHAH 1980 ARUSSA 1977

TEYMUR B 1994 214 IBN GALAL I 1979

IBN GALAL I 1972 HANAN 1967

MASHAHANA AL QUSAR

EL THAY SHAH MABROUK 1990

EL THAY IBN HALIM SHAH 1985 EL THAY MAHEERA 1981

MAIDA BINT BINT MOHSSEN 1998 KP BINT MOHSSEN 1989

ASSAD 1984

MOHSSEN 1966 KP MOFIDA 1985 ANSATA HALIM SHAH 1980 ARUSSA 1977

TEYMUR B 1994 214 IBN GALAL I 1979

IBN GALAL I 1972 HANAN 1967

MUNEERA AL QUSAR

EL THAY MAMELUK 1988

IBN NAZEEMA 1983 EL THAY MANSOURA 1983

EL THAY BINT MAHEERA 1993 EL THAY MAHEERA 1981

NIZAM 1973 MONA II 1974

The horses and the owners of Al Qusar Stud all live together in a large historic farm surrounded by eleven hectares (110,000m2) of pasture land and with 21 large and bright horse stalls. Working with horses on the farm, farming and pasture care defines the lives of the residents there. "We are not here in this area by chance today, but because Dr. Nagel needed assistance at Katharinenhof and asked me if I could help out there. I agreed, because it was a new challenge for me, which I find very exciting, even if I have my own breeding strategy based on our regular horses. But with Dr. Nagel's stallions we have succeeded Desert Heritage Magazine • 33

ASSAD 1984

ANSATA HALIM SHAH 1980 ARUSSA 1977

TEYMUR B 1994 214 IBN GALAL I 1979 PAMINAA AL QUSAR

PRINCE FA MONIET 1981

IBN GALAL I 1972 HANAN 1967

THEEGYPTIANPRINCE 1967 FA MONIET 1967

ANSATA PRINCESSA 1992 ANSATA JAHARA 1988

ANSATA HALIM SHAH 1980 ANSATA JACINDA 1979

in breeding a successful line. We also feel very comfortable here in this village, we have a lot of contact with our neighbors, there are many studs and horses in this area and everyone helps everyone here". The horses at Al Qusar Stud are known for their beauty and good character. Indeed, it doesn't take a show judge to determine that. The straight Egyptian bred "Asil Arabian", or the classic Arabian type from the Nejd, the south of the peninsula of Saudi Arabia dominates the pedigrees of the horses in terms of genotype. As far as the phenotype is concerned, the Al Qusar horses are typey people-oriented horses with a lot of charisma and nobility. They come across as light and elegant, displaying calmness and composure. "We cannot turn back the wheel of time, the original Arabian from the Nejd desert does not exist anymore, but in the pedigrees of our mares you can still find exactly these ancestors. We try to breed by selection an Arabian horse that primarily represents classical beauty and the Arabian character that made it possible for these horses to develop an intensive relationship with us", Volker Wettengl describes his breeding concept. What criteria were used to select the stud's foundation horses? Robert Schlereth. "First of all, the broodmares must be beautiful and, in addition to good legs and a good croup with classic tail carriage, they must of course have type and character. As far as pedigree is concerned, the generations of parents and grandparents are most important to me. I try to avoid heavy horses in the pedigree. Many breeders of Straight Egyptians look at the pedigree first. I look at the mares first. If they don't trigger any emotions in me, they are out of the question for our breeding, even if the pedigree is considered particularly valuable. Maida Bint Mohssen was such a mare. She was not perfect, but she had these beautiful big black eyes, the fine typey face and an enormous charisma. When she was later imported to Qatar by Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Thani and became one of the foundation mares of 34 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Pandora Al Qusar

FA Merit Amun

Mahir Al Qusar Desert Heritage Magazine • 35

Maha Al Qusar

Majda Al Qusar

36 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Mufida Al Qusar

Murjanah Al Qusar Desert Heritage Magazine • 37

Al Rayyan Farm, her daughter Mashahana Al Qusar established the first important mare line at our stud. It was only later that I realized the importance of her famous Dahman Shawan bloodline. Also, the purchase of her sire, Teymur B (Assad x 214 Ibn Galal I), whom I was able to acquire in 1996 as a 2-year-old at the State Stud Babolna in Hungary, was rather a spontaneous and emotional decision. The fact that his sire was Assad, a famous son of Ansata Halim Shah and that his dam came from the beautiful Tamria line of the Dahman Shawan family was less important to me at that moment. But the history of our stud and the offspring of these horses shows that in the end phenotype and genotype must go together and quality comes from both." Not only the Dahman Shahwan family, tracing to Farida and Tamria are represented in the stud, but also a group of mares of the Siglawy Jedran Ibn Sudan strain represent the fine and typey Al Qusar horses. Root mares are the small bay El Thay Bint Maheera, whose daughter Muneera Al Qusar by Teymur B was able to establish her own family at the stud. The second one was Naafisa Al Qusar by KP Nameed out of Hayat II, who goes back to Mahiba. Today there are their third and fourth generation foals at the farm. How were you able to finance the stud? Robert Schlereth: "Only through hard work with the horses, countless show performances and training sessions were we able to implement our long-term strategy and acquire our foundation mares. It was crucial that we did not sell our own first good foal for good money right away, because even if that would have helped us for a moment, we would never have gotten to know if our breeding concept was right that way."

Madiba Al Qusar 38 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Mayla Al Qusar

Pamira Al Qusar

Jasina Al Qusar

Three Ansata mares were leased or purchased, as initially the Ansata Halim Shah aspect in Teymur B's pedigree was to be strengthened. Ansata Queen Nefr came, whose dam, Ansata Nefertiti, is also an Ansata Halim Shah daughter. Ansata Princessa came, she was a daughter of Prince Fa Moniet and through her dam Ansata Jahara, an Ansata Halim Shah granddaughter. Through Bagdady, another daughter of Ansata Halim Shah came to the stud. Over the years, new experiences were added, new mares and new foals. The foundation mares were handpicked and selected according to the highest standards and all the rules of the art, because the contribution of the mares is more influential than that of the stallion, in addition to genetics through pregnancy and education of the foal. Moreover, a broodmare at Al Qusar must be a good mother. It was soon realized that it was better to acquire a few very good mares than to own a larger herd of mediocre mares. Little by little, the offspring at the stud formed a group of impressive young mares from their own breeding. Last year the AK Nawal granddaughter FA Nefilim joined the group. She was at the farm for mating with the already successful young stallion Majd Al Qusar (NK Nadeer x Mashahana Al Qusar). After much urging with the owner, Robert Schlereth and Volker Wettengl were finally able to buy this mare. She gave them a beautiful filly this year, Authentic Nadirah. The successful breeding of Arabian horses is a long-term commitment, and at the beginning it requires a good concept to be in place. But with time, experience and results play an important role and the strategy may need to be readjusted. The easiest way to do this is to use different stallions flexibly. At Al Qusar, however, Teymur B was used for many years without moving increasingly to inbreeding. In fact, this strategy has brought the stud a lot of success. His cross-bred offspring are very successful, both at shows and under the saddle. Desert Heritage Magazine • 39

Mirah Al Qusar

Meryem Al Qusar 40 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Majd Al Qusar Junior Stallion at Al Qusar Stud From the root mare Mashahana Al Qusar, the successful daughter of Teymur B at the stud, her son Majd Al Qusar was selected as his successor. The young stallion with the large black eyes and small ears, representing the Dahman Shahwan line of both his parents, already has successful offspring. His sire, NK Nadeer (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Nadirah) from Dr. Nagel's Katharinenhof Stud, has passed on to him his impressive charisma and great trotting action, while his gentle character is certainly not only due to his parents, but also to the horse-friendly husbandry at Al Qusar Stud. "Our horses must be brave and curious with a clear mind and have a good nature. Visitors must also be able to touch them. But our breeding goal is not only to maintain and perhaps improve the Arabian type in the best manner, they must also have a healthy, athletic body," says Volker Wettengl. "Not only type and trotting action, but athletic ability, coupled with trainability, is one of the most desirable qualities. Whether our Egyptians can also be performance horses, that depends on the goals of the potential buyer. We do everything we can to give them a good basis for this," adds Robert Schlereth. Desert Heritage Magazine • 41

Fa Nefilim Who in the farm takes care of the foal births? "In spring, when the foals come, we both take care of the night watches and the foal births. It is of course very exciting to experience whether the foal lives up to our expectations. There are many horses I have bred that come close to my ideal. But one probably dreams of the perfect foal all one's life. But who knows- the next foal that is born could be our best? After all, I hope that with our breeding we have contributed to the preservation and improvement of Egyptian Arabians and I hope that we have been and will continue to be an inspiration to other breeders as well. ".

alqusar@aol.com v.wettengl@web.de Robert +49 1712175741 - Volker +49 1606356674 AL QUSAR 42 • Desert Heritage Magazine

LiST of STock

MERYEM AL QUSAR *2020 NK LOTFY x MIRIJA AL QUSAR

MARES And fiLLiES DAHMAN SHAHWAN STRAIN

fA MERiT AMUn *2007 EL AHHIM SHAH x EL FAIJUM

MASHAHAnA AL QUSAR *2003 TEYMUR B x MAIDA BINT BINT MOHSSEN

fA nEfiLiM *2010 FA MEDU NETER x NADIRAH EL SHAH

MASARAH AL QUSAR *2012 NEDSCHD MANSOUR x MASHAHANA AL QuSAR MASUdA AL QUSAR *2018 NK NIZAM x MASARAH AL QUSAR MURJAnAH AL QUSAR *2017 NK NABHAN x MASHAHANA AL QUSAR MAJdA AL QUSAR *2018 NK NIZAM x MASHAHANA AL QUSAR MoUniA AL QUSAR *2020 NK LOTFY x MASHAHANA AL QUSAR) MiRiJA AL QUSAR *2016 FA MEDU NETER x EL MASRIA AL QUSAR

AUTHEnTic nAdiRAH *2022 MAJD AL QUSAR x FA NEFILIM MiRA AL QUSAR *2018 MAJD AL QUSAR x FA MERIT AMUN MERiEM AL QUSAR *2020 NK LOTFY x FA MERIT AMUN PAMiRA AL QUSAR *2014 NK HAFID JAMIL x PAMINAA AL QUSAR PAndoRA AL QUSAR *2021 NK NABBAH x PAMIRA AL QUSAR SIGLAWY JEDRAN IBN SUDAN STRAIN

nAdiA AL QUSAR *2018 TEYMUR B x NAAFISA AL QUSAR MUnEERA AL QUSAR *2007 TEYMUR B x EL THAY BINT MAHEERA MUfidA AL QUSAR *2014 NK NADEER x MUNEERA AL QUSAR MAYLA AL QUSAR *2020 NK LOTFY x MUFIDAH AL QUSAR MAHA AL QUSAR *2016 FA MEDU NETER x MAHARA AL QUSAR JASinA AL QUSAR *2020 NK LOTFY x JADWA AL QUSAR STALLionS And coLTS DAHMAN SHAWAN STRAIN TEYMUR B *1994 ASSAD x 214 IBN GALAL I MAJd AL QUSAR *2015 NK NADEER x MASHAHANA AL QUSAR

nATifA AL QUSAR *2005 TEYMUR B x NAAFISA AL QUSAR

Natifa Al Qusar and Nafisa Al Qusar Desert Heritage Magazine • 43

Nizam

NK HAFID JAMIL | NK NADIRAH

NK NADEER | NK NERHAM

NK Katharinenhof - Dr. Hans J. Nagel Am Graeberfeld 13 - 26172 Grossenkneten - Germany - ph.: +49 4433-5581535 - fax.: +49 44331564 office@nagels-arabianstud.de

www.desertheritagemagazine.com

Nabhan

The

Katharinenhof Arabians Progeny

NK Katharinenhof - Dr. Hans J. Nagel Am Graeberfeld 13 - 26172 Grossenkneten - Germany - ph.: +49 4433-5581535 - fax.: +49 44331564 office@nagels-arabianstud.de

HOME OF SELECTED STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN ARABIAN HORSES IN UMBRIA

MARE POWER AT

TRE BALZANE STUD ~ ITALY

NATURAL IS THE NEW BEAUTY 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 HEBA (NK Sharaf El Dine x TB Hasna by KEN Mahbub) Obayan strain. *2011

TB JAIDAA * 2022, SE filly by Jamil Al Rayyan x TB Heba

HOME OF SELECTED STRAIGHT EGYPTIAN ARABIAN HORSES IN UMBRIA

TB MANAL * 2022 SE filly by Naseem Al Rashediah x Myniar by Ansata Shaamis

TB NOOR *2022 SE filly by Nabeel Al Khaled x Insha Safrahna by Miad Al Shaqab Owned by Al Murad Stud, Italy

Photos: Joanna Jonietz - Graphic design: Mario Brunetti

Owned by Mr. Abed S Burqan, Israel

www.straightegyptians.it

TRE BALZANE STUD ~ ITALY NK NASSAR (NK Nabhan x NK Nour by NK Hafid Jamil). Bred by Dr. H. Nagel, Germany

In co-operation with Tre Balzane Stud, NK Nassar will become part of the noble Straight Egyptian Stud Farm AIN AL HAYAH Arabians, Egypt.

Owner: Claudia Bögershausen, Cairo, Egypt. www.ain-al-hayah-arabians.com

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

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THE LEGACY OF MAHIBA

a DeSert flOweR with the kindest eyeS in the wORlD Some horses born to greatness, but have little time to achieve it. The mare Mahiba was one of these. In the brief time on Earth she was given, she produced only four foals. But these were enough to create a legacy far greater than other mares achieve with far more offspring. by Betty Finke Photos by Joanna Jonientz, Gigi Grasso, Rick van Lent, Erwin Escher, Irina Filsinger, Archive Dr. Nagel, Glenn Jacobs, Dr. Ali Hawaj, Nicole Sachs, Martin Kubat

Mahiba was foaled on August 22, 1966, at El Zahraa. She was the third of four full sisters by Alaa El Din out of Mouna, arguably the greatest daughter of the celebrated “Queen of the Nile”, Moniet El Nefous. The two oldest of the four sisters were retained by El Zahraa while the two younger ones, Mahiba and Moneera, came to Germany. One day when Mahiba was just a yearling, a young man came to El Zahraa to see the horses. His name was Dr. Hans Nagel, and he had already encountered Arabian horses at the state stud of Hungary, Bábolna. But he had never seen anything like this before. He describes his first encounter with Mahiba as follows: “Exotic – that was the proper word for this small, peculiar head. Delicate it seemed, with a slightly rounded, broad forehead, a groove bisecting the length of the profile.

52 • Desert Heritage Magazine

The nostrils opened wide and trembling, showing pink inside as they laboured to breathe out in the heat. The ears were short, much shorter than usual, and pricked alertly. The dark eyes were round, almost perfectly circular, and stood clearly out from the little head. Yes, the huge eyes were dark – and appeared even bigger because of the grey-black skin surrounding them. The whole body appeared dry and clearly defined, a fine skin covering bones, sinews, veins, and muscles; elasticity, lightness, hardiness and strength were evident (...) This little horse was not shy, not sulky. Its eyes were friendly, calm, and good-natured, a little bored, but alert and expectant as it approached. Trust instead of fear, serenity instead of tension (...) This was my first encounter with a true Arabian mare, exotic through and through, refined as a desert flower with the kindest eyes in the world.”

Mahiba, born 1966, by Alaa El Din x Mouna by Sid Abouhom and Moniet El Nefous, bred by El Zahraa, Egypt

Desert Heritage Magazine • 53

Heritage, Heartbreak, and a Friend in Need Dr. Nagel bought Mahiba, along with several other fillies, which for reasons of quarantine were first taken to Bábolna. They all grew up there and produced foals at Bábolna first. Mahiba had a daughter by Ibn Galal, who was retained as a broodmare under the name of 18 Ibn Galal. She produced two colts there, one of them a Shagya-Arabian stallion who became a chief sire. Mahiba’s first foal at Dr. Nagel’s stud was a full sister to 18 Ibn Galal, Sabah. Dr. Nagel describes her as different from her sister, more reminiscent of her sire. She produced several licensed stallions, the best known among them being Sherif Pasha (by AnsataAbbasPasha),

who was World Junior Champion in 1985. Her son by Mohafez , Sameer, was not a show champion, but did well as a sire and has international descendants, especially through his black son DF Siraj. Sabah’s Jamil daughter Sehnab established her own family. Sabah’s dam line also continues at other stud farms through her daughters Shahwana (by El Moniet) and Salua III (by Mohafez), Mahiba’s next two foals were sired by Mahomed (Hadban Enzahi x Malikah). The first was a colt named Ibrahim. Bearing a striking resemblance to his sire, Ibrahim became a well-known and popular breeding stallion in Germany at the El Shams Stud, siring numerous sons and daughters and gaining the title “Elite”. Among his outstanding daughters were

Mahiba (right), with her daughters Kis Mahiba (middle) and Sabah (left), both by Ibn Galal

54 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Kis Mahiba, born 1970, by Ibn Galal x Mahiba by Alaa El Din and Mouna, bred by the Hungarian State Stud Babolna she is a half sister to Mona II

Salua, born 1981, by Mohafez x Sabah by Ibn Galal x Mahiba, bred by Dr. Hans - Joachim Nagel

Desert Heritage Magazine • 55

Matari, who produced three stallion performance test winners; Shams El Inazaa, whose son Pamir I became a chief sire at Marbach State Stud; and most famously Mahameh, who was such a wonderful broodmare for Peter Gross. Mahameh was the dam of the stallions Moheeb (grandsire of Al Ayal AA), Mahfouz, Mahadin, and El Thay Ibn Halim Shah, who was one of the most influential Ansata Halim Shah sons in Germany. Ibrahim also sired the very successful and popular stallion Masoud (out of Mona III), also known as El Thay Masoud, who was an early sire for El Thayeba Stud. At an already advanced age, Ibrahim was one of the horses chosen as foundation stock for the new Kuwait state stud. But his second career proved to be shortlived. Ibrahim, along with many other horses, was lost during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and none of his blood survives there.

Katr El Nada Arabians. But Dr. Nagel bought back her granddaughter, Muneera Al Ariba, who descends twice from Kis Mahiba through her dam and carries an additional cross to Mahiba’s son Ibrahim through her sire. Her family is very strong at Katharinenhof at present, with two superb daughters, NK Lina and NK Lateefa, both by Kamar El Dine, in the broodmare band and several of their daughters waiting in the wings. El Thayeba and the Dynasty of Mona II Mona II, Mahiba’s last foal, may well be called her dam’s greatest triumph. She became one of the foundation mares for Dr. Hans-Jörg and Cornelia Tauschke’s El Thayeba Stud, which is continued today by Cornelia Tauschke and Klaus Beste and last year celebrated its 50th anniversary, making it one of the oldest straight Egyptian studs in Germany. It was there that Mona II firmly established her place in the history of the Arabian breed.

Mona II, Ibrahim’s full sister, was to be Mahiba’s last foal. As any horse breeder knows, joy and heartbreak lie close together. After only three foals, Dr. Nagel lost his beloved Mahiba to complications following pneumonia. Devastated, he called his friend Dr. Burgert, director of Bábolna, to tell him what had happened. And Dr. Burgert proved a true friend indeed: after hearing of Dr. Nagel’s loss, he sent Mahiba’s first daughter, 18 Ibn Galal, to Katharinenhof as a replacement for her dam. In Germany, she was renamed “Kis Mahiba”, meaning “Little Mahiba”, and she proved a phenomenal broodmare, producing seven fillies for Dr. Nagel. All of them became broodmares. The oldest, Maysouna, was by Kis Mahiba’s own sire Ibn Galal. She was an astonishing broodmare herself, producing 13 fillies and five colts, of which four were licensed. She is best known for her son Maysoun, one of the best sons on Ansata Halim Shah in Germany, champion of the last stallion licensing and a prolific and successful sire of both sons and daughters. The family continued at Katharinenhof through Kis Mahiba’s daughter KEN Muniba (by Mohafez), who was initially sold to Sylvie and Wolfgang Eberhardt, 56 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Ibrahim, born 1973, by Mahomed x Mahiba by Alaa El Din and Mouna, bred by Dr. Hans - Joachim Nagel – he is a full brother to Mona II and was used successfully by El Thayeba through his son El Thay Masoud and his daughter Mahameh, dam of El Thay Ibn Halim Shah

Mona II, born 1974, by Mahomed x Mahiba by Alaa El Din and Mouna, bred by Dr. Hans - Joachim Nagel - she is a full sister to Ibrahim and a foundation mare of El Thayeba Arabians

Her first daughter alone would have been enough to ensure that status. Madinah, a striking bay rabicano filly with a blaze, was sired by Ibn Galal who had already proved such a successful sire with this family. Professor Dr. Siegfried Paufler and his wife Ruth, looking for a future broodmare, saw her as a yearling and wanted to buy her, but she had already been sold to South Africa. However, the sale was still pending on the purchase price being transferred by a certain date. When the money didn’t arrive on time, Dr. Tauschke called Professor Paufler to ask if he was still interested. Professor Paufler hitched a trailer to his car and set out at once to collect the filly. And just as well he did, because the rest is history.

Madinah, born 1978, by Ibn Galal x Mona II by Mahomed and Mahiba, bred by El Thayeba, sold as a Yearling to Prof Siegfried and Ruth Paufler, Madheen Arabians, Germany Desert Heritage Magazine • 57

Imperial Madheen by Messaoud x Madinah by Ibn Galal and Mona II, bred by the Paufler family, owned by Imperial Stud, USA

Mesoudah M, by Maysoun and Madinah, bred by Prof. Dr. Siegfried and Ruth Paufler - she has Mahiba, the dam of Mona II through her sire and dam in her pedigree 58 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Mofisa, born 1979, by Nizam and Mona II - full sister to El Thay Maheera, bred by El Thayeba, sold to family Kuebe, Al Sachra - Brigittenhof Stud, Germany

Moufisa Halima, born 1987, by Halim Al Kadir x Mofisa by Nizam and Mona II, bred by Al Sachra Brigittenhof, owned by Michael Ponnath – she became a foundation mare of Ponnath Arabians, where her dynasty is existing since 5 Generations

Madinah became Professor Paufler’s only foundation mare, proving that a small breeder can achieve greatness with just a single broodmare – provided it is the right mare! Madinah’s legacy is impressive even if you just look at her sons. The oldest, El Moniet (by Mohafez), became a popular sire in Germany. Imperial Madheen (by Messaoud) needs little introduction – he was sold to Imperial Stud, USA, from where his blood spread across the world, even back to Egypt. His last owner was Omar Sakr, Sakr Arabians, who admired him a lot. And the black Madallan-Madheen (by Ansata El Salaam) was a hugely successful sire for Rothenberg Stud in Germany, and his line is still going strong.

Moufisa Al Kidir, born 1996, by Al Kidir x Moufisa Halima by Halim Al Kadir and Mofisa, bred by Al Sachra - Brigittenhof Stud, owned by Michael Ponnath, Ponnath Arabians Desert Heritage Magazine • 59

El Thay Maheera, born 1981, by Nizam x Mona II by Mahomed and Mahiba – full sister to Mofisa representing the Saglawi Jedran Strain – Moniet El Nefous at El Thayeba

But Madinah’s daughters were equally successful. Mesoudah-M, full sister to Imperial Madheen, produced the show champion and sire Maydan-Madheen (by Maysoun) and the international sire Mishaal HP (by Ansata Sinan), exported to Arabians Ltd, USA. Her daughter Mathea-M was an early foundation mare for Klaus Beste, Al Sabah Arabians, and has an extensive family herself. Mona II’s second daughter Mofisa (by Nizam) was a foundation mare for the Brigittenhof Stud, which flourished during the 1980s. Her family continues today through her daughter Moufisa Halima (by Halim Kadir) at the stud of Michael Ponnath through Moufisa Al Kidir, Nashua Halima (by Al Adeed Al Shaqab) and Nayla Halima (by ZT Mallah), and Mosa El Nile (by Kasr El Nil) at the stud of Rosemarie Kolster. Moufisa Halima’s daughter Monah Halima by Al Kidir became a foundation mare for Tameri Arabians of Christina Krumm.

El Thay Mansour, born 1986, by Ansata Halim Shah and El Thay Maheera by Nizam and Mona II full brother to El Thay Maheer

60 • Desert Heritage Magazine

El Thay Bint Kamla by El Thay Mansour who is by Ansata Halim Shah and El Thay Maheera - Mona II. She is a representative of the Dahman Shahwan (El Dahma) – Moheba II – Kamla II family at El Thayeba and influenced by Mahiba

El Thay Mashour, born 1990, by Madkour I x El Thay Bint Kamla by El Thay Mansour who is out of El Thay Maheera - Mona II. With the exception of El Thay Kamria he can be found in the pedigrees of all horses of the Dahman Shahwan Strain – Moheba II and Malikah family at El Thayeba

El Thay Kateefa Al Sabah (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Khadija by El Thay Mashour who is out of El Thay Bint Kamla - El Thay Mansour - El Thay Maheera - Mona II

Desert Heritage Magazine • 61

El Thay Maheera (Nizam x Mona II), full sister to Mofisa, was retained by El Thayeba. Like her dam Mona II and her granddam Mahiba, she was awarded the “Elite” title by the German registry and was a superb broodmare, though she started something that became a trend in this family: she produced one colt after the next. Excellent colts, it has to be said: El Thay Maheer and El Thay Mansour (both by Ansata Halim Shah), El Thay Moufeed (by Ibn Nazeema), El Thay Shah Manial and El Thay Shah Mabrouk (both by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah), all of them established and successful sires. But she also produced four daughters, of which three were retained. The fourth, El Thay Bint Maheera (by El Thay Mameluk), became a foundation mare for Robert

Schlereth’s Al Qusar Stud and has been very successful there. Her daughter Muneera Al Qusar is one of the best mares at the stud today. Maheera’s oldest daughter, El Thay Mabrouka (by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah) continued along the path set by her dam, producing six colts in a row. Eventually Cornelia Tauschke was fed up and sold her. Of course, she promptly gave her new owner, Gabriele Schuster and late Dr. Ferdinand Denzinger of Nedschd Arabians, two fillies... El Thay Magidaa (El Thay Mameluk x El Thay Maheera) did rather better and produced three fillies in between a

El Thay Kais Al Sabah, born 2018, by El Thay Karim Shah x El Thay Kateefa Al Sabah - He shows Mona II through El Thay Mansour - El Thay Maheera as well as Ibrahim, the full brother to Mona II in his sire and damline

El Thay Moufeed, born 1987, by Ibn Nazeema and El Thay Maheera by Nizam and Mona II 62 • Desert Heritage Magazine

El Thay Mabrouka, born 1988, by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah x El Thay Maheera by Nizam and Mona II - shown by Viktoria Tauschke. She was sold to Nedschd Arab, Germany

El Thay Shah Mabrouk, born 1990, by El Thay Ibn Halim Shah x Mahameh by Ibrahim, a full brother to Mona II and El Thay Maheera out of Mona II. He was awarded multi times Champion and later sold to Chile

majority of colts; but for some reason or another, they were all sold. But when her fourth daughter arrived, the glorious bright chestnut El Thay Mayassa, she was definitely a keeper. She was a daughter of the homebred stallion El Thay Mahfouz (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mahfouza), who carries two lines to Mahiba through Ibrahim himself. She was also her dam’s most look-alike daughter and a perfect example of her dam line. But the “colt curse” struck once more: Mayassa delivered five colts in a row. Cornelia Tauschke was beginning to despair of keeping the family going at El Thayeba. She finally gave up the struggle and sold Mayassa to Claudia Scheidel, Al Ryah Arabians. To replace her, she bought another mare of the same family, tracing to Mahiba’s full sister Moneera. But again, she got only colts.

El Thay Bint Maheera, born 1994, El Thay Mameluk x El Thay Maheera by Nizam and Mona II, owned by Robert Schlereth, Al Qusar Arabians, where she founded a very nice family Desert Heritage Magazine • 63

But meanwhile, Mayassa pulled the same trick as El Thay Mabrouka had done before her: once she had changed hands, she promptly produced a filly. Fortunately (having gotten wise after what happened with Mabrouka) Cornelia Tauschke had made provisions for such a case, and the filly returned to El Thayeba as a future broodmare. Mayassa didn’t stop there, though; she went on to produce another two fillies! So now, after having all but vanished, the Mahiba family at El Thayeba is going strong once more and has grown considerably. Mayassa’s first filly, El Thay Mouna Al Ryah, has now been joined by her dam Mayassa, who has come home again in hopes that she will have more fillies in the future. But that’s not all, because there are two more exciting new arrivals from the Mahiba family at El Thayeba.

Along with Mayassa and her daughter came the 4-yearold mare Moniet Al Ryah (Nader Halim x Maheebah Al Ryah). Her breeder and owner Claudia Scheidel has been reducing numbers, which is why these horses became available. The very appropriately named Moniet Al Ryah is not only of Mahiba’s dam line, but carries a total of six crosses to Mahiba: two through Kis Mahiba and four to Mona II, including both her sire and dam in tail female descent. The other new arrival is the stunning 2021 colt NK Laziz (NK Nabhan x NK Lateefa), tailing back to Kis Mahiba. This chestnut colt was one of the stars at Dr. Nagel’s open day in 2021, every inch a little superstar, wowing the spectators with his style and presence. He was not actually for sale, since Dr. Nagel has tried for years to breed an outstanding stallion from this family. So it took

El Thay Magidaa, born 1992, by El Thay Mameluk who goes back to Ibrahim, a full brother to Mona II and her dam is El Thay Maheera out of Mona II

El Thay Mayassa, born 2009, by El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Magidaa by El Thay Mameluk and El Thay Maheera Mona II. She continues the legacy of the family of Mona II. Photographed with her second daughter by Nader Halim Mounirah Al Ryah who is owned by Claudia Scheidel, Al Ryah Arabians 64 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Nader Halim, born 2012, by Maydan Madheen who goes back via Madinah to Mona II and out of Mofisa Al Kidir who also goes back via Mofisa to Mona II

El Thay Mouna Al Ryah, born 2020, by Nader Halim x El Thay Mayassa by El Thay Mahfouz and El Thay Magidaa Desert Heritage Magazine • 65

El Thay Mahfouz - he is out of El Thay Mahfouza who goes back to Ibrahim, the full brother to Mona II through her sire El Thay Ibn Halim Shah. He, his sister El Thay Malakah and his daughter El Thay Munifa represent the influence of Mahiba in the Kohailan Rodan – Bint Riyalla family at El Thayeba Arabians

some persuasion, and Dr. Nagel still retains a half ownership. It probably helps that the two farms are only a few miles apart. His full sister in blood, NK Lara (NK Nabhan x NK Lina), also born 2021, was sold to Doha Stud and very successfully shown at the Katara International Arabian Peninsula Horse Show, where she was awarded Silver Champion Yearling Filly, and at the Kuhaila Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse Show in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where she took the crown of the Gold Champion Yearling Filly. She is very similar to her brother in type, conformation and colour.

El Thay Munifa (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Malakah by El Thay Mashour - she traces back to Mona II via El Thay Mansour and to Ibrahim, the full brother to Mona II via El Thay Ibn Halim Shah 66 • Desert Heritage Magazine

El Thay Toya, born 2009, by El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Taqiyah who is double El Thay Mansour, a son of El Thay Maheera in her dam line. She represents the influence of Mona II – Mahiba in the Hadban Enzahi Strain – Taghreed - Yosreia family at El Thayeba Arabians

Moniet Al Ryah, born 2018, by Nader Halim x Madeenah Al Ryah by Farees Halim x Maheebah Al Ryah. She goes back to the daughters of Mona II which are Madinah and Mofisa as well as to Kis Mahiba, half sister to Mona II – influenced by the breeding programs of Ponnath Arabians and Tameri Arabians – a new addition to E Thayeba

Desert Heritage Magazine • 67

Today there is only one horse at El Thayeba that doesn’t descend from the Mahiba family. Most of them trace to her two or more times, through both Mona II and her full brother Ibrahim. Now Laziz is growing up at El Thayeba, and the future has never looked more exciting. The lines of Kis Mahiba and Mona II may soon be joining to create the next thrilling chapter in the story of the little mare with the kind eyes, who only had four foals, but became an icon of the breed. q

NK Lara, born 2021, by NK Nabhan x NK Lina by Kamar El Dine x Muneera Al Ariba – to Kis Mahiba, bred by Nagel’s Katharinenhof Stud, owned by Doha Stud, Qatar – she is a sister in blood to NK Laziz

NK Laziz, born 2021, NK Nabhan x NK Lateefa by Kamar El Dine x Muneera Al Ariba - to Kis Mahiba, a half sister to Mona II. The blood of Moniet El Nefous shows several times through Mahiba as well as Ibn Moniet El Nefous. He is bred by Nagel’s Katharinenhof and co owned by Dr. Nagel and Klaus Beste 68 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Muneera Al Ariba, born 2001, by KEN Asam x KEN Mufaji - going back to Kis Mahiba - a half sister to Mona II. The blood of Moniet El Nefous is several times in her pedigree through Mahiba as well as Ibn Moniet El Nefous

El Thay Masoud, born 1981, by Ibrahim (full brother to Mona II) x Mona III – he was an early sire at El Thayeba Arabians

KEN Asam, born 1982, by El Thay Masoud who is by Ibrahim full brother to Mona II and out of KEN Amal. Bred by Cornelia Tauschke, owned by Katr El Nada Arabian Stud of Sylvie and Wolfgang Eberhardt

Desert Heritage Magazine • 69

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74 • Desert Heritage Magazine

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ASCEnD

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photo by Simone Bergamaschi

The Kingdom AHF for Straight Egyptians 2022

by Tomasz Hebda z photos by Ewa Imielska-Hebda

In our many journeys that we take to be able to see and admire the unique beauty of arabian horses, every visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia astonishes us. It’s the place where tradition, rich arabic culture and modernity come together in perfect balance. Bearing that in mind, we were most delighted to attend the Straight Egyptian Show The Kingdom Arabian Horse Festival for Straight Egyptians (Kuhailah) was held from 25th to 26th of May 2022 . The show took place in the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, which is also known as the Kingdom’s largest exhibition and conference center, and to be honest a perfect place to stage these successful events. The show was affiliated by ECAHO and professionally supervised by King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center in Riyadh. We look forward to see and enjoy this show in the future and highly recommend it to all arabian horses enthusiasts from all over the world. Desert Heritage Magazine • 81

GOLD MEDAL YEARLING FILLIES - NK LARA

NK NABHAN X NK LINA - B: DR. HANS-JOACHIM NAGEL - O: DOHA STUD

SILVER MEDAL YEARLING FILLIES - SAHAB AL AOWRAN

JAMIL AL RASHEDIA X YOSREIA AL SILMANIAH - B/O: HUSSAIN ABDULRAHMAN ALQAHTANI/AL AOWRAN STUD

BRONZE MEDAL YEARLING FILLIES - NOOR AL KNNANYH

HALAYEL AL WAAB X DESHA KATYAH - B/O: ANAWR BIN MOHAMMED BUKANNAN/AL KNNANYH STUD Desert Heritage Magazine • 83

GOLD MEDAL JUNIOR FILLIES - ALAALIA AL WAAB

NASSER AL RAYYAN X SALMA AL WAAB - B: SHIEKH ABDULLA KHALID A AL THANI - O: DOHA STUD

SILVER MEDAL JUNIOR FILLIES - TAMRIA AL KNANYH

HALAYEL AL WAAB X ALFABIA TAMRIA - B/O: ANAWR BIN MOHAMMED BUKANNAN/AL KNNANYH STUD

BRONZE MEDAL JUNIOR FILLIES - JADHABAH NAWAYF NAHD

AL AYAL AA X AL ARYAM SAHARA - B/O: ABDULLAH AMER ABDULLAH ALNAHDI Desert Heritage Magazine • 85

GOLD MEDAL SENIOR MARES - LOUBANA AL QASEM AL AYAL AA X LOUBANA - B: TAHA SALAH - O: ALSAYED STUD

SILVER MEDAL SENIOR MARES - SEYTA AL ZOBAIR

EGAAB AL RAYYAN X BINT AL MAMUNAH AL ZOBAIR B: SHEIKH ABDULLA BIN MOHAMMED ALI ALTHANI - O: SHAHEEN ALI MAKKI ALMADEED/ALSHYAHEEN STUD

BRONZE MEDAL SENIOR MARES - DSA BABY DHALL

MISHAAL HP X DSA HEY BABY - B: JERRY & ANNETTE BOLES - O: NASER FAHAD MOHAMMED ALQAHTANI

Desert Heritage Magazine • 87

GOLD MEDAL YEARLING COLTS - JAMIL SKT

JAMIL AL RASHEDIA X ASMAA AL SOIKAT B/O: FAHAD ABDULLAH MOHAMMED AL-SUWAIKET AL-HAJRI/AL-SUWAIKET STUD

SILVER MEDAL YEARLING COLTS - ZAIN SKT

JAMIL AL RASHEDIA X ZINAT AL SUWAIKET B/O: FAHAD ABDULLAH MOHAMMED AL-SUWAIKET AL-HAJRI/AL-SUWAIKET STUD

Desert Heritage Magazine • 89

GOLD MEDAL JUNIOR COLTS - SALAM AKMAL

NASEEM AL RASHEDIAH X SALMMA BKV B/O: HRH PRINCE ABDULMAJEED BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD/AKMAL STUD

SILVER MEDAL JUNIOR COLTS - NADEER AL RAYYAN

EGAAB AL RAYYAN X MEHAIRJA AL RAYYAN B: AL RAYYAN FARM - O: MANA MOHAMMAD MANA AL ABASS/AL BADEEA STUD

BRONZE MEDAL JUNIOR COLTS - HAJLAN ALKENNANYH

M. RAED X AROOSAH AL KENANIYAH - B/O: ANAWR BIN MOHAMMED BUKANNAN/AL KNNANYH STUD Desert Heritage Magazine • 91

GOLD MEDAL SENIOR STALLIONS - NAYIEL AL KHALED ANSATA SAFEER X NEFERTITI B/O: KHALID AHMED BAGEDO/ALKHALED FARM

SILVER MEDAL SENIOR STALLIONS - JARAH AL SHAQAB AL ADEED AL SHAQA X KENOOZ ALBADEIA B: AL SHAQAB MEMBER - O: HUSSAIN ALI HUSSAIN AL SAID

BRONZE MEDAL SENIOR STALLIONS - SAWWAH ALZOBAIR

AL SA’EEDI X DALAL ALZOBAIR - B: SHEIKH SULTAN ABDULLA MOHD ALTHANI O: ZAAN STUD Desert Heritage Magazine • 93

photos by Simone Bergamaschi

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19-20 of August

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Let’s meet in Poland Nahil Al Khalediah - photo by Ewa Imielska-Hebda

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Dal passato a oggi ~ From Past to Present:

The Arabian Horses in Italy Un racconto in tre episodi ~ One Story in three Episodes

La svolta dell’Arabia con l’emergere dell’Islam. La Sicilia e l’Italia meridionale entrano a far parte dell’impero arabo-islamico The turn of Eras for Arabia Through the Expansion of Islam. Sicily and the South of Italy Become Part of the Arab-Islamic World Empire. Monika Savier Progetto grafico Mario Brunetti

Parte II dal 700 d.C. al XV secolo

Part II from 700 AC to 15th century

L’Arabia è un Paese desertico e stepposo circondato da montagne che offre agli abitanti poco spazio per coltivare terreni e pascoli. Gli arabi conducevano uno stile di vita nomade, costretti a spostarsi continuamente con i loro animali - cammelli, capre, pecore e cavalli - per inseguire le piogge monsoniche e raggiungere zone favorevoli al loro sostentamento e per penetrare in aree più ricche. La comparsa dell’Islam nel VII secolo d.C. e la sua rapida diffusione segnarono un punto di svolta per gli arabi e ancora oggi l’inizio del conteggio del tempo si deve a loro, in base agli anni della hejira (622 d.C.).

Arabia is a desert and steppe land with mountains on its edges, giving her inhabitants little space to open up arable and pasture land. Their way of life was nomadic and circumstances forced them to migrate together with their animals; their camels, goats, sheep and horses, always chasing after the monsoon rains and feeding grounds, advancing into richer areas. The emergence of Islam in the 7th century AC and its rapid spread meant a turning point in time for the Arabs; and until today, the counting of time by hejira years (622 AC). At that time,

108 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Islamic troops for the Holy War (Djihad)

La penisola araba divenne il centro degli affari mondiali e attraverso enormi battaglie di conquista gli arabi espansero il loro impero in tutte le direzioni, diffondendo l’Islam in tutte le regioni mediterranee. Mescolando le influenze straniere con le abilità degli arabi, in Italia e in Spagna emerse nel Medioevo una cultura fiorente.

the Arabian Peninsula becomes a center of world events, and by an enormous amount of fighting for conquest, the Arabs extend their empire in all directions. They also push into the areas of the non-Arab population and spread Islam throughout the Mediterranean. By mixing the foreign cultures with the skills of the Arabs, a flourishing culture Desert Heritage Magazine • 109

Dal 700 d.C. circa, i Saraceni (così venivano chiamati gli Arabi) invasero il Mediterraneo e occuparono Pantelleria, un’isola vicina alla Sicilia. Erano tribù della penisola araba, come gli Abbasidi, i Fatimidi e altri che si erano uniti dopo la morte del Profeta Maometto (Pbsl ) e avevano lasciato i confini dell’Arabia in cerca di terre fertili nelle quali diffondere l’Islam. La loro “arma delle meraviglie”, cioè i cavalli coraggiosi e veloci con i quali già dominavano gran parte del Medio Oriente, giocò un ruolo chiave in questo processo. La conquista araba, che era stata preceduta da diverse incursioni, si concretizzò nell’827 d.C. con la completa occupazione della Sicilia che sarebbe durata quasi 400 anni. La Sicilia divenne araba in quasi tutti gli aspetti, la maggior parte dei siciliani si convertì all’Islam, parlava arabo e Palermo, una volta città di turbolenza e povertà (Teodosio) divenne la sua capitale. Un secolo dopo, Ibn Hawqal scrisse con entusiasmo dello sviluppo culturale ed economico della città nel suo libro Forma e Terra (Surat Al Ard). Gli arabi trasformarono la povera città provinciale bizantina in una vivace metropoli di culture e religioni diverse, in grado di competere con le più importanti metropoli del mondo orientale, come Il Cairo e Damasco. Fu il periodo 110 • Desert Heritage Magazine

emerges in the Middle Ages in Italy and Spain. From about 700 AC on, the Saracens (that’s what the Europeans called the invaders from Arabia) invaded the Mediterranean and occupied Pantelleria, an island neighbouring Sicily. They were tribes from the Arabian Peninsula, such as the Abbasids, Fatimids and others, who had joined forces after the death of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and left the borders of Arabia in search of fertile land and to spread Islam. Their “wonder weapon”, namely the brave and fast horses with which they already dominated large parts of the Middle East, played a key role in this. The Arab conquest, which had been preceded by several raids, finally became a concrete fact in 827 AD, with the complete occupation of Sicily. This epoch was to last almost 400 years. Sicily became Arab in almost all aspects, most Sicilians converted to Islam and spoke Arabic; and Palermo (Teodosio), once a city of turbulence and poverty, became her capital. A century later, Ibn Hawqal wrote enthusiastically about the cultural and economic development of the city in his book Forma e Terra (Surat Al Ard). From the poor provincial Byzantine city, the Arabs made a lively metropolis of different cultures and religions, which could compete with the most important metropolises of the eastern world, such as Cairo

Muslim cavalry routs Sicilian cavalry in a miniature from the 11th century AC

di massimo splendore della storia dell’Isola. Amministrativamente, la Sicilia fu subordinata all’Emirato di Baghdad e non passò molto tempo prima che anche le città di Bari, Lecce e Taranto sulla terraferma italiana meridionale fossero prese. Anche la scienza fiorì rapidamente: la Fisica, l’Ottica, l’Astronomia e le tecniche di ingegneria conquistarono i risultati più importanti del loro tempo. “L’acqua scorre ovunque a Palermo, non solo per la gente ma anche per l’irrigazione dei fiorenti giardini della città” scrive Ibn Hawqal nel 973 d.C. Furono costruiti pozzi con un sistema di distribuzione chiamato “Senia” e i campi e i pascoli furono sistematicamente irrigati e fertilizzati. Grano e altri cereali presto rappresentarono le principali esportazioni di quest’isola e gli arabi importarono in Sicilia agrumi, pistacchi, cotone, canna da zucchero e datteri. È facile immaginare che anche l’allevamento dei cavalli non fosse lasciato al caso in questa società agricolo-scientifica e che la popolazione rurale musulmana fosse esperta nell’allevamento degli animali. Provenienti dalle regioni povere d’acqua della penisola arabica, gli arabi portarono con loro un alto grado di abilità ingegneristica e, usando nuove tecniche d’irrigazione, trasformarono l’agricoltura e l’allevamento della Sicilia in modo tale che dallo stato di abban-

Arab pottery with astronomical depiction of constellations and planets

and Damascus. It was the golden age of Sicily’s history. Administratively, Sicily was subordinate to the Emirate of Baghdad and it was not long before the cities of Bari, Lecce and Taranto on the southern Italian mainland were also taken. Science also developed rapidly. Physics, optics, astronomy and engineering techniques bring the most modern results of their time. “Water flows everywhere in Palermo, not only for the people but also for the irrigation of the city’s flourishing gardens” writes Ibn Hawqal in 973 A.D. The soil was fertilized and systematically irrigated and, besides the grain and other cereals that became the main exports of this island, the Arabs also imported citrus fruits, pistachios, cotton, sugar cane and dates to Sicily. It is easy to imagine that horse breeding was also not left to chance in this scientific agriculture and that the Muslim rural population were experts in animal breeding. Coming from their water-scarce regions of the Arabian Peninsula, they brought with them a high degree of engineering skills and, with new irrigation techniques, transformed the island’s agriculture and farming in such a way that its pre-Arabian state of neglect finally became history. Sicily became the breadbasket of Italy for centuries to come. Not Desert Heritage Magazine • 111

An orange crop on the slopes of Mount Etna. Oranges also came to Sicily through Arab settlement

dono pre-arabo si trasformasse finalmente in una fonte di fiorente ricchezza. La Sicilia divenne il granaio d’Italia per i secoli a venire. Non solo l’isola era ora in grado di nutrire con successo la sua popolazione e di sviluppare un’industria strategica per l’allevamento di cavalli, ma significasse la ripresa socio-economica e culturale del territorio e migliorò in generale la qualità della vita, come testimoniano ancora oggi le impressionanti architetture, l’urbanistica, la 112 • Desert Heritage Magazine

only was the island now able to successfully feed her population and develop a strategic horse breeding industry; the socio-economic and cultural upswing generally raised the quality of life, which can still be seen today through the impressive architecture, urbanism, literature and poetry. The Arabs had expropriated the large landholdings of the churches and monasteries from the Byzantine period and turned the former serfs of the nobles into free farmers.

The niche (Muqarnas) in the main hall of the Zisa Palace in Palermo

letteratura e la poesia di quel tempo. Gli arabi espropriarono i grandi possedimenti terrieri delle chiese e dei monasteri del periodo bizantino e trasformarono gli ex servi della gleba in nobili e liberi contadini. Ognuno ricevette un appezzamento di terra ripagando al califfato una piccola parte del raccolto. In questo modo, la popolazione rurale fu in grado di raggiungere una certa prosperità attraverso un’agricoltura e un allevamento coordinate e quindi

Each received a parcel of land and had to pay a small share of taxes from the harvest to the caliphate. In this way, the rural population was able to achieve modest prosperity through coordinated farming and animal husbandry and willingly accepted Islamic culture and dominance for centuries. “This type of land division led to a radical change in the economic life of the island, as it effectively eliminated Desert Heritage Magazine • 113

Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, with its five pink domes, is one of the most iconic landmarks on the UNESCO itinerary: Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale. It is a magnificent example of a Christian building, built according

to Islamic architectural designs. Its appearance, created by a succession of cubes topped by domes, has a powerful symbolic significance. In both Fatimite and Byzantine art, in fact, the square is the symbol of the earth, while the circle represents the sky

accettò di buon grado la cultura e il dominio islamico per secoli. “Questo tipo di divisione della terra portò a un cambiamento radicale nella vita economica dell’isola, poiché eliminò effettivamente la vecchia piaga della proprietà terriera su larga scala.” (Alberto Costantino, 2005). L’allora papa Gregorio IV a Roma non gradì l’”invasione” musulmana e ordinò di schiacciare l’insediamento arabo in Sicilia. Seguirono pesanti anni di guerra con combattimenti e massacri della popolazione da parte delle milizie cristiane del Veneto e di Pisa, ma queste non riuscirono a portare la popolazione sotto il loro controllo e dovettero lasciare nuovamente l’isola. In risposta, i Saraceni decisero di attaccare Roma. Gli storici riferiscono di una campagna brutale con un esito drammatico per la popolazione roma-

the old scourge of large-scale land ownership” (Alberto Costantino, 2005). The then Pope Gregory IV in Rome did not like the Muslim “invasion” and ordered the Arab settlement of Sicily to be crushed. Heavy fighting and massacres of the population by Christian militias from Veneto and Pisa followed, but they were unable to bring the population under their control and had to leave the island again. In response, the Saracens decided to attack Rome. Historians report a brutal campaign with a dramatic outcome for the Roman population. “Even the churches were destroyed or converted into stables for their small horses, and the altars were turned into feeding mangers”. (Benedetto da San Andrea). This raid went down in history as a trauma and led to the Sara-

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Arab-Norman art left remarkable traces throughout Sicily: the Arab-Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel in Palermo

na. “Le chiese furono distrutte o trasformate in stalle per i loro cavalli, e gli altari furono trasformati in mangiatoie”. (Benedetto da San Andrea). Questa incursione passò drammaticamente alla storia e portò i Saraceni ad essere chiamati barbari dagli italiani da quel momento in poi. Dalla storia e dalle numerose opere scritte dell’epoca, è chiaro che lo straordinario assetto fondiario islamico cambiò positivamente lo sviluppo socio-economico e culturale di tutta l’Italia meridionale nei secoli successivi. L’isola divenne cosmopolita e Palermo divenne una delle città più prospere d’Europa. La transizione della città dalla cultura bizantina (cristiana) a quella araba con elementi di migrazione moresca e berbera fu ulteriormente completata da comunità ebraiche e greche. La Sicilia, ma anche la Sardegna e il sud dell’Italia divennero colonie arabe e l’allevamento di cavalli assumeva un aspetto importante. Erano disponibili pascoli

cens being called barbarians by the Italians from then on. From history and from the numerous works written at the time, it is clear that the extraordinary Islamic land order positively changed the socio-economic and cultural development of the whole of southern Italy in the following centuries. The island became cosmopolitan and Palermo became one of the most prosperous cities in Europe. The transition from Byzantine (Christian) to Arab culture with elements of Moorish and Berber migration was further complemented by Jewish and Greek communities in the city. Sicily and also Sardinia and the south of Italy became Arab colonies where the breeding of horses was an important aspect. Finally they had pasture and arable land to grow cereals for animal breeding. Horse breeding requires experience and the right kind of feeding, so that the horses have Desert Heritage Magazine • 115

The “Admiral’s Bridge” was built by Giorgio D’Antiochia for Roger II King of Sicily in the flourishing period of Arab-Norman architecture around 1132. She is considered one of the most important medieval engineering structures in the Mediterranean.

The temple of Venus in Erice, Sicily was founded by the Phoenicians in 700 BC and dedicated to the goddess Astarte, and later by the Romans to the goddess Venus. On the columns of the temple, Roger I Count of Sicily built in the 12th century the ArabNorman Venus Castle, which is still preserved today

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Arab painter, Roger I Count of Sicily, Palatine Chapel, Palermo

e terreni per le coltivazioni dei cereali e per l’allevamento degli animali. L’allevamento dei cavalli richiede esperienza e una giusta alimentazione affinché gli animali abbiano la forza e l’intelligenza per poter interpretare il loro ruolo sotto la sella in battaglia contro l’avversario. Ancora oggi si dice che il cavallo arabo è un “one-man-horse”, un cavallo che conosce e difende il suo cavaliere e non si sottomette immediatamente a un estraneo. Essendo il mezzo di trasporto più veloce dell’epoca antica, era riservato soprattutto all’élite delle truppe da combattimento, la cavalleria. Un forte e bel cavallo arabo rappresentava anche uno status symbol e quindi anche un ambito oggetto di commercio che poteva rendere ricco il suo allevatore. A quanto pare c’erano cavalli in abbondanza. Quasi tutti gli storici raccontano dell’emiro Yusuff, vecchio e malato, che partì per l’Egitto, prendendo ed esportando dal castello di Maredolce a Palermo circa quattordicimila cavalle, più muli e altri animali. Il cavallo arabo ha conosciuto un’enorme espansione

the strength and intelligence to independently interpret their role under the saddle in the fight against opponents. Until today we say that Arabian horses are “one-man-horses”, horses that know and defend their rider and do not immediately submit to a stranger. As the fastest means of transportation of their time, they were reserved for the elites among the fighting troops in particular: for the cavalry. A good and beautiful Arabian horse was also a status symbol and therefore also a much-desired trade item that could make his breeder a rich person. Apparently, there were horses in abundance. Almost all historians tell of Emir Yusuff, old and ill, who left for Egypt, taking and exporting from the castle of Maredolce in Palermo some fourteen thousand mares, plus mules and other animals. The Arabian horse experienced an enormous expansion due to the Islamic globalization in the Middle Ages. And one of his original breeding areas was undoubtedly the south of Italy and her big islands, like Sicily and Desert Heritage Magazine • 117

Painting of Emperor Frederick II Holy Roman Empire and an eagle. Frederick II learned about hunting with falcons in Arabia

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Images relating to hunting scenes with the falcon; the emperor wrote the treatise De arte venandi cum avibus on it

grazie alla globalizzazione islamica nel Medioevo. E una delle sue aree di riproduzione originarie era senza dubbio il sud dell’Italia e le sue grandi isole come la Sicilia e la Sardegna. Il bisogno di forza militare di tutti gli avversari dell’epoca era enorme e il ruolo dei cavalli puro sangue da sella, era di conseguenza basilare. I cavalli erano quindi anche merce da rubae, bottino di guerra per i vincitori. Ma a partire dall’XI secolo, l’emirato cominciò a indebolirsi. Le dispute dinastiche tra musulmani sciiti e sunniti portarono a conflitti. Ruggero I il Normanno approfittò di

Sardinia. The need for military strength of all the war opponents of the time was enormous and the role of the purebred riding horses was correspondingly important. The Arabian horses were, therefore, also popular as stolen goods and booty of the battle winners. However, from the 11th century onwards, the emirate began to weaken. Dynastic disputes between Shiite and Sunni muslims and other difficulties led to conflicts. Roger I the Norman took advantage of this situation. He came from northern Europe with his fighters and evenDesert Heritage Magazine • 119

Prospere Lafaye, Roger I Count of Sicily at the Battle of Cerami in 1063

questa situazione. Venne dal nord Europa con i suoi combattenti e alla fine prese il potere sull’isola e nell’Italia meridionale. La città siciliana di Noto fu l’ultima cadere, presa dai Normanni nel 1091. Fu la fine del dominio islamico indipendente ma non quello della sua cultura e del modo di vivere islamico, perché Ruggero I sapeva meglio di tutti come preservare, anzi promuovere, le abitudini multiculturali della Sicilia. I metodi agricoli degli arabi e la libertà dei contadini furono conservate e anche la cucina e l’architettura locali fecero parte del multiculturalismo dell’isola per molto tempo. I musulmani rimasero liberi cittadini del Regno di Sicilia fino all’inizio del XIII secolo. Nel 1198, 120 • Desert Heritage Magazine

tually seized power on the island and in southern Italy. The Sicilian city of Noto was the last to be finally taken by the Normans in 1091. However, this was only the end of independent Islamic rule and not the end of Islamic culture and way of life, for Roger I knew best how to preserve, even promote, Sicily’s multicultural way of life. The agricultural methods of the Arabs and the freedom of the peasants were preserved for the time being, and the local cuisine and architecture were also still part of the multiculturalism on the island for a long time. Muslims remained free citizens of the Kingdom of Sicily until the early 13th century.

Thanks to the “Book of Roger” by the Arab geographer Al-Idrisi, in 1154, it was discovered that the fortress of Kalaat-al Bian was built by the Arabs during the Norman domination. Today it is called Castello Calatabiano and it is located in the province of Catania of Sicily.

Roger II King of Sicily

Federico II di Hohenstaufen divenne re di Sicilia. I Normanni prima di lui avevano integrato solo modestamente i loro potenti cavalli mezzo sangue nell’allevamento siciliano. Federico II, invece, era un appassionato cavaliere e falconiere, e usava con abilità un metodo di caccia con i falchi che esisteva in Oriente da migliaia di anni. Accompagnò questa passione a metodi scientifici e pubblicò un importante manuale in latino. In Sicilia ebbe facile accesso alle competenze arabe in questo campo e introdusse, ad esempio, il cappuccio da falconiere già diffuso in Oriente e fino ad allora sconosciuto in Europa. Per Federico II, la falconeria a cavallo era un esercizio preliminare ideale per

In 1198, Frederick II the Hohenstaufen became King of Sicily. The Normans before him had only modestly integrated some of their powerful warmbloods into Sicilian horse breeding. Frederick II, on the other hand, was an avid horseman and falconer, a method of hunting with falcons that had existed in the Orient for thousands of years. He accompanied this passion with scientific methods and also published an important manual about it in Latin. In Sicily, he had easy access to Arab expertise in this field and introduced, for example, the falconry hood already common in the Orient, which until then was unknown in Europe. For Frederick II, falconry on horseback was an ideal Desert Heritage Magazine • 121

The Benedictine monastery of the Cathedral of Monreale in Palermo, (12th century) of Arab-Norman design, with its palm tree stem fountain and Islamic-style decorations

la gestione degli uomini, grazie alla “combinazione di forza di volontà e cura” che richiedeva. Per lui, il falconiere ideale era il sovrano ideale. Federico II basò le sue scoperte non solo su fonti arabe, ma anche su anni di osservazione personale con i suoi cavalli e i suoi falchi da caccia. Secondo una sua decisione, dopo il suo soggiorno in Siria dal 1228 al 1230, fu realizzato un programma di allevamento con cavalli arabi provenienti dall’Oriente, che egli utilizzò per migliorare le sue razze reali. Essi furono utilizzati per migliorare la razza nobile dei Tressanti in Puglia e delle Marescalle in Sicilia. Sull’isola esistevano altre razze reali, la razza Araciae, che aveva ricevuto il nome spagnolo dalle bellissime giumente importate in Sicilia dall’Andalusia araba. La loro discendenza ha avuto particolare successo. Sotto Federico II, però, l’insediamento musulmano finì gradualmente, perché il Vaticano lo costrinse ad adottare uno stile di vita cristiano e pretese che il sud d’Italia e la Sicilia fossero nuovamente subordinati all’area culturale europeo-cristiana. Questo incluse una crociata a Gerusalemme, dove Federico II venne incoronato re di Gerusalemme senza combattere. In patria l’influenza culturale dell’Oriente si affievolì sempre più. Fino alla metà del XIII secolo, i musulmani potevano ancora convertirsi alla fede cristiana; coloro che si rifiutavano venivano reinsediati in 122 • Desert Heritage Magazine

preliminary exercise in human management because of the “combination of willpower and care” it required. For him, the ideal falconer was the ideal ruler. Frederick II based his findings not only on Arab sources, but also on years of his own observation with his horses and hunting falcons. According to a decision of his, after his stay in Syria from 1228 to 1230, a breeding program was carried out with Arabian horses from the Orient, which he used to improve his royal breeds. The Arabians were used for improving the noble Tressanti breed in Apulia as well as the Marescalle in Sicily. There were other royal breeds on the island, such as the Araciae breed which had received its Spanish name from the beautiful mares imported to Sicily from Arab Andalusia. Their offspring was particularly successful. However, under his rule, Muslim settlement gradually ended, as the Vatican forced him to adopt a Christian way of life and demanded that the south of Italy and Sicily once again be subordinated to the European-Christian cultural area. This included a crusade to Jerusalem, where he was crowned King of Jerusalem without a fight. But in his homeland, the cultural influence of the Orient faded more and more. Until the middle of the 13th century, Muslims could still convert to the Christian faith; those who refused were later resettled in Apulia on the initiative of Frederick II. After

The mosaics of the Salone Ruggero in the Palace of the Normans in Palermo

Puglia su volere di Federico II. Dopo quasi 400 anni, la storia islamica in Sicilia si concluse. Ma la cultura araba sopravvisse ovunque fosse stata assimilata dalla popolazione. Questo includeva non solo concetti ed elementi linguistici, comportamenti sociali, musicali e letterari, ma anche l’influenza sull’agricoltura e sull’allevamento, mai completamente scomparsa dall’isola. La Sicilia continuò a essere considerata l’”Arabia italiana” e i cavalli orientali della grande isola divennero famosi e ricercati nel corso dei secoli. Molti cavalli furono esportati alla corte reale di Spagna nel 1464, anche Lorenzo de Medici da Firenze li acquistò e anche papa Paolo II fece portare a Roma cavalli orientali dalla Sicilia per la sua cavalleria nel 1467. Il ruolo della fertile Italia meridionale e della Sicilia fu determinante per il successo dell’allevamento di cavalli arabi o orientali, ma anche il clima secco e l’ambiente favorirono lo sviluppo dell’allevamento in senso classico, perché i paralleli con le aree di origine erano dalla comune posizione geografica, quella tra il 36esimo e il 38esimo grado di latitudine nord della Terra. Quindi, se guardiamo alla storia, possiamo affermare che l’allevamento del cavallo arabo deve la sua origine, la sua diffusione e la sua straordinaria importanza a l’Islam e alle sue conquiste del Medioevo.

almost 400 years, the Islamic history in Sicily ended. But Arab culture lived on wherever it had been assimilated by the population. This included not only concepts and elements of language, social behavior, music, and literature, but the Arab influence on agriculture and animal husbandry also never completely disappeared from the island. Sicily continued to be considered the “Italian Arabia”, and the oriental horses from the big island became famous and sought after in the course of the centuries. Many horses were exported to the royal court of Spain in 1464, Lorenzo de Medici from Florence bought them as well, and Pope Paul II also had Oriental horses from Sicily brought to Rome for his cavalry in 1467. The role of fertile southern Italy and Sicily was among the decisive factors for the successful breeding of Arabian or Oriental horses, but there were also the dry climate and the environment that favored the development of breeding in the classical sense, because the parallels with the areas of origin also stem from the common geographical location between the 36th and 38th degrees of northern latitude of the earth. If we take a close look at history, however, we can say that it was Islam to which Arabian horse breeding owes its origin, spreading, and outstanding importance in the conquests of the Middle Ages. Desert Heritage Magazine • 123

Brooke

maJOr Brooke in her art studio in France

Brooke’s “Ultimate d’Iso” Champion of France 5yo Hunters: ontainebleau Breeders Cup 2013

n by Fabio Brianzoni

Professional American artist living between Normandy, France and Atlanta, Ga, Brooke Major practices a unique painting style mixing sculpture and painting and creates bas relief images using titanium white oil paint. In these pages you can see some of her amazing paintings. While attending university in Paris, Brooke found time to audit classes in the Fine Arts School in Paris to perfect her skills in drawing and painting. Passionate about horses since she was 3yo , Brooke has been practicing the discipline of showjumping in competition since childhood and the breeding of showjumping horses for over 20 years.This led Brooke to leave the city life in Paris once graduated from university, the desire for horse breeding led her to live in Normandy near the famous DDAY beaches. Her love of horses, and especially the breeding aspects have allowed an artistic perfection of the animal. Brooke passionately depicts the horse in all of it’s splendour by using them as subjects

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for her paintings. The equestrian subjects have proven to be judge’s choice award winners in art shows and contests and have led to many prizes and shows. Disciplines often used in her work are disciplines the artist has practiced and include broodmares, hunters, western, dressage, showjumping and polo. She has been asked on many occasions to create portraits of horses either through customers orders of their horses, as well as studying her own horses at all stages of growth and development. Other information is available on her website page: http://www.brooke-major.com where you can learn more about the artist and become familiar with all of the aspects of her universe.

Pirouette 90cm x 120cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2018 Winner of the Grand Prix “Salon Rene Clement Bayer 2018”

Desert Heritage Magazine • 125

maJOr

Brooke Trio 100cm x 100cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2017

Showjumpers 100cm x 100cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2015 126 • Desert Heritage Magazine

Polo 60cm x 60cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2017

Horses at He-ART 30in x 40in sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2014 Desert Heritage Magazine • 127

Mare and Foal 24in x 36in Sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2022

Warriors 80cm x 100cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2019

128 • Desert Heritage Magazine

maJOr

Brooke Piaffé 100cm x 100cm sculpted titanium white oil paint on canvas 2018 Winner of the Grand Prix “Salon Rene Clement Bayer 2018”

Bourgtheroulde 12in x 24in sculpted oil paint on canvas 2016

Desert Heritage Magazine • 129

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 -

Liblibah Elkuwait

(Marwan Elkuwait x Lubabah Elkuwait by Ajmal Talal)

NadrahElkuwait (Marwan Elkuwait x Authentic Nabeelah by Nabeel II)

Anoud Elkuwait

(Marwan Elkuwait x Arwa Elkuwait by Ajmal Al Kout)

SeenaElkuwait

(Marwan Elkuwait x Saaeydah Elkuwait by El Thay Khemal Pasha )

Menouah Al Rayyan

Fares Al Rayyan | Bint Mesoudah M Hp, 2012 grey mare

photos by Alessio Azzali

Gold Medal Champion Mare Katara International Arabian Peninsula Horse Show 2022