Crabbet Arabian World by Alora Warren

2011 | Volume one Issue IV

Contents

Boomori Julianna (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Crown Jewel) read more on page 10

The Bloody-shouldered mare

39 Gadebrook Stud UK

Equine Cerebellar Abiotrophy

45 USA show point scoring system

Boomori stud SA Australia

47 Part 2 Magic Domino AHS +++//

Travellers Tales Crabbet Park

Aur Magic+/ Aul Silver Myst SHN progeny

Influential sisters bred at Wellworth Stud click here for photograph galleries

Palmyra (Klinta Sultan/Palma Benay)

in North America

64 Enteroliths 70 Olford Stud South Africa 75 Web Links

Welcome Well foaling has started - we seem to be too old for the sleepless nights or so it seems until foaling is over then we forget about those sleepless nights until next year and enjoy the foals. Please send us your foal photographs as we will do a foal feature in the next edition. This is the last magazine for this year and we will celebrate one year in January I cannot believe how the magazine has grown both in size and also in the readership. To be able to continue this as a free magazine we need you all to consider advertising with us. The second part of the Magic Domino AHS +++// article is here and since the last magazine I have edited a book on Domino based on Arlene Magid’s research done for the articles. We are looking at the stud that bred Magic Domino AHS Anne Brown’s Gadebrook stud in the UK. Anne is a regular contributor. Carol Minnich who is Chair of the Arabian Horse Foundation’s Research Advisory Panel and the Arabian Horse Association’s (AHA) Subcommittee on Genetic Disorders, has written a great article on Equine Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA). Currently I am on a much larger task than I had expected, I have been sent a filing box full of information relating to the breeding programme at Warren Park Arabians which spans more than 50 years. You will read the first part of their studs’ life in the next edition and this will be ongoing with reference to studs with bloodlines closely related to those at Warren Park. In fact the next magazine will be mainly Warren Park and it’s associations with other studs. If you want to advertise in the next magazine please contact us or if you have anecdotes or photos you want to send us please do. I noticed that two Warren Park horses were featured on Arlene Magid’s research about the 2011 SHN so just wrote a little in this edition to whet your appetites for more about Sandy and Dick’s breeding programme. We are looking at an Australian stud we very much admire Dawn Suter’s Boomori Stud in Port Lincoln South Australia. This is a great article because most of the wonderful photographs are taken by Dawn who is a great photographer. In Travellers Tales Jackie and Neil Dand returned to the United Kingdom and this trip was a Crabbet/ Blunt pilgrimage. Jackie has written about Crabbet Park & Newbuildings Place. I would also like to thank Jackie for the time she has put in checking the magazine for errors - she is very good at finding the spelling mistakes. Wes Hayes has given an insight into where Betty Arnold’s Olford Stud in South Africa is heading under his stewardship. John Kohnke has written about Enteroliths which are apparently more prevalent in Arabians than other breeds. In Australia there are two mares, sisters who have left a huge legacy both here and overseas Wellworth Lilac & Leilani. In our mare feature Sean Johnson another of our regular contributors has written about these two amazing mares. I apologise that the magazine is out later this month but we were waiting for the second part of an article which we have not received. We were also hoping for more pictures from USA Sports Horse Nationals.

Publishers/ Editors Designer Technical support

Tony & Jennie Thompson Jennie Thompson Angus Thompson Abbi Thompson

Crabbet Arabian World

“The Legend of t he BloodyShouldered Mare”

Many years ago in the desert of Arabia, there was a Bedouin warrior who owned a very special Arabian mare - a mare he rode into a battle and to whom he entrusted his life. Theirs was a very special relationship, a bond of trust, love and mutual respect. Either would have given their life for the other. In fact, their bond of trust was so strong that the mare often “read her master’s thoughts,” doing exactly what he needed at exactly the right time, allowing them to win many battles and to be the envy of all the Bedouin tribes.Years passed and one day in a fierce battle the master was severely wounded, falling across the neck and shoulder The painting, entitled Lord Harley’s Bloody-shouldered Arabian, of his beloved war mare. Although was painted by John Wootton in 1723. her master was unconscious and she was miles from home, the mare carefully balanced him across her shoulder, carefully carrying him toward home. She went for days without food or water to return her master to his family. When the courageous mare finally arrived at the encampment, she was exhausted and weak, her master was dead. As the family carefully removed the master’s body, they saw that the mares shoulder was heavily stained with his blood, leaving a distinct red mark on her shoulder. Although they had lost their leader, the Bedouin family was eternally grateful to the mare for delivering his body from battle. They knew that the long journey had been very difficult for the courageous mare, and they were very concerned for her because she was heavily in foal. Finally the time of her foaling arrived, and there was great concern for the cherished war mare. But when the long-awaited foal was born, he was vigorous, healthy and of exceptional quality. He also bore the identical “bloody shoulder” that his mother had from her master’s blood. It was then that the tribe realized that Allah had rewarded this mare and their tribe for their courage, loyalty and faith and that the bloody shoulder was a reminder of his favor. Since that time, hundreds of years have passed, but once in a great while there is a mare of exceptional courage beauty and quality who foals a very special foal graced by God with the bloody shoulder. The Bedouins have continued to believe this is a sign of Allah’s favour  As told to Carol Deegan by a friend, horse master and scholar of the Howettat tribe From Arabian Horse World magazine May 2000 page 132

Editor comment As I started to look for pictures of pure Crabbet mares with a bloody shoulder I asked Fenwick & several other studs and nobody could tell me of a pure Crabbet mare with the mark. We own a pure Crabbet mare Magic Phantasy (Arabian Park Phaeton x Dreaming Magic byMagic Carpet) with a small bloody shoulder mark so I assumed there would be others out there. The stallions Hanson (Hanif x Sherilla by Bright Shadow) and Greylight (Bright Shadow x*Royal Radiance by Royal Diamond) both had the mark but did not breed it on; they both have Bright Shadow close up in their pedigrees is that the common factor!

Click here for photograph gallery 4

left Magic Phantasy (Arabian Park Phaeton x Dreaming Magic by Magic Carpet) she also has Mohammedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Photo credit S Meyers thumbprint

Hanson (Hanif x Sherilla by Bright Shadow) none of his progeny have a bloody shoulder

Right

*Greylight (Bright Shadow/*Royal Radiance by Royal Diamond) he had a bloody shoulder & flank Photo credit P Slater & R Ryan

Crabbet Arabian World

Equine Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA)

With special thanks to Dr. Cecilia Penedo for reviewing this material Beth Minnich is Chair of the Arabian Horse Foundation’s Research Advisory Panel and the Arabian Horse Association’s (AHA) Subcommittee on Genetic Disorders. She has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Equine Science from Colorado State University and is a former Field Representative for the Arabian Horse Registry of America. In addition, she chaired the AHA Task Force on Genetic Diseases and is also a former staff member of Imperial Egyptian Stud and Valour Arabians. A lifelong horse lover, Beth spends her weekends with her Davenport Arabian gelding trail riding in the Pacific Northwest/US.

Equine Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) is a genetic neurological disorder found predominantly in Arabian horses. Identified in a wide range of bloodlines within the breed, CA is one of three currently testable equine genetic disorders associated with Arabians, along with Lavender Foal Syndrome (LFS) and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). [see the July 2011 issue for information on SCID]

Background and Clinical Signs Though the causes may vary, cerebellar abiotrophy is also found in dogs, cats, and several species of livestock. CA is an autosomal recessive disorder that is characterized by degeneration after birth of nerve cells, called Purkinje cells, located in the cerebellar region of the brain. Purkinje cells are large neurons that transmit electrical signals between the inner and outer layers of the cerebellum, at which point the signal is then carried to the body. Because Purkinje cells control coordination and the refinement of movement, the degeneration of these cells results in varying levels of incoordination and lack of balance (ataxia) [see Figure 1].

Figure 1: : Microscopic image of a normal cerebellum (left panel) along side of the cerebellum of a 3-year-old Arabian colt affected with CA (right panel). Note the yellow circled areas and the difference in size of the Purkinje cells. Image provided by the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory

CA affected foals appear physically normal at birth. However, generally between six weeks and four months of age (although it can occur later), degeneration of the Purkinje cells begins and results in clinical signs that can 6

be wide ranging in expression and degree of severity. These clinical signs can include: lack of balance, head tremor, wide-based stance when standing still, exaggerated action when moving, and often the inability to rise from a reclining position. In addition, affected horses may startle easily and fall. As a result, CA affected horses are more prone to injury, so their physical signs may be attributed to a head or neck injury instead of CA. In some instances, CA cases may also be misdiagnosed as Wobbler’s Syndrome or some other neurologic disorder, such as Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). While CA is not fatal, due to problems with balance and coordination, most affected horses are euthanized because of the danger they can present to themselves and those around them. CA affected horses that are not euthanized are generally limited to life as pasture animals.

Research Efforts CA is a genetic disorder thought to be present in the Arabian breed for centuries, if not longer. Previously referred to as Cerebellar Hypoplasia, several papers were published during the 1970’s and 1980’s discussing clinical signs, pathology and a proposed genetic link for CA. In the mid-late 1980’s, additional research and some newly published work confirmed an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance for this disorder. In the early 1980’s, the late Dr. Ann Bowling began a small CA breeding herd at the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL). The herd was composed of CA affected horses and CA carriers that were donated to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. In addition to these breeding experiments helping to establish the mode of inheritance for CA, samples from these horses provided the foundation for the CA DNA research that has been conducted at the UC Davis VGL. This DNA study led to the development a marker based genetic test for CA, by the lab of Dr. Cecilia Penedo at the VGL, which became commercially available in 2008. In February 2011, the Penedo group published a paper in the journal, Genomics, describing the identification of a mutation associated with CA. Currently, Dr. Penedo’s group is continuing to further study this mutation. Additionally, the July 2011 issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Research published a paper on the inheritance of CA, based on work done by the Penedo group; this publication overviews a statistical analysis done involving approximately 800 Arabians. The results from this study confirm previous research that CA is consistent with a single gene Mendelian autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. In more simple terms, the inheritance of CA involves one gene pair, with both sexes having an equal potential to be affected, and two copies of the mutation (one from each parent) are required in order for a foal to be affected. Another paper by the Penedo group, which appeared in the March 2011 issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal , is especially illuminating in that the mutation associated with CA has been found in several breeds with an Arabian ancestral element. More specifically, the study looked at representatives from over 30 breeds and among that group at least once CA carrier was identified in three of the breeds: the Bashkir Curly Horse, Trakhener and Welsh Pony. Based on pedigree analysis and additional DNA study, researchers concluded that the CA mutation was introduced into these breeds by an Arabian ancestor(s). The results from this study reinforce the importance of CA awareness and testing for breeds that have Arabian ancestry.

Development of the CA DNA Test The recently announced identification of a mutation associated with CA is an important finding in the ongoing research and has advanced the CA test, now being offered by several labs around the globe, from a marker based test to a more fully developed DNA test. To help get a better understanding of how the CA test has been developed, there are a few key highlights that should be discussed.

The Early Work In 2001, the UC Davis VGL utilized a process known as genome scanning, using samples obtained from the VGL’s CA herd, in an attempt to identify which chromosome housed the “CA gene”. From 2003 to 2009, research progressed with access to additional samples and the use of valuable new tools developed from the mapping of the horse genome (which was completed in 2007). This phase of the research resulted in the 2007 mapping of CA to horse chromosome 2 (ECA2) [see Figure 2]. From 2007 to 2009, work continued in fine mapping in order to narrow the location of the CA gene on ECA2 and to develop a set of genetic markers associated with the disease. This set of markers was established which formed the foundation of the marker based DNA test, also known as a haplotype test, which was incorporated into the research project in 2007 and offered to owners commercially in 2008. 7

Crabbet Arabian World The Haplotype Test The basis for haplotype tests is that a particular mutation has a common ancestor; with this ancestor being the horse in which the original mutation first arose. This ancestor had a specific set of alleles (genes) at the markers in the area of the CA mutation. These markers are all close together and the concept is that they will "travel together” with the CA gene.

Figure 2: The CA gene has been mapped to horse chromosome 2 Image provided by the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory

The UC Davis VGL identified approximately 40 CA markers and developed the test around 17 of these markers. While this test was not a definitive test, it was the only tool available to assist owners in making breeding decisions regarding CA; to help avoid the mating of two carriers. Over the past several years, there has been discussion on the merits of offering a marker based DNA test vs waiting until a mutation is identified and a direct DNA test is developed. In reality, the marker based DNA test for CA gave owners an option, while research continued to identify the causative mutation. The Mutation and Ongoing Research –

In early 2011, the Penedo group published a paper announcing the identification of a mutation associated with CA. This potential causative mutation for CA is located in an area of ECA2 where two genes (MUTYH and TOE1) overlap one another. As such, the UC Davis VGL is conducting further study of these two candidate genes. As part of the work to further develop the DNA test for CA, all horses tested at the VGL with the marker based version of the CA test were retested with the recently identified mutation. Although the marker test had a high rate of accuracy, it was expected that, in a few exceptional cases, it might incorrectly indicate the presence of the CA gene. Results from that retesting indicate that the marker based test was 97% accurate in relation to the new version of the test which now incorporates the mutation. While no horses were changed from N/N (clear) to N/CA (carrier) or CA/CA (affected), of the approximately 500 horses retested, there were a small number of changes. Fifteen (15) horses previously tested as N/CA have been determined to be N/N and one (1) foal tested as CA/CA, who has shown no clinical signs of CA, has been determined to be N/CA. With the identification of a mutation associated with CA, the genetic test for CA is now firmly established as an accurate test to be used for determining clear, carrier or affected status of foals and horses to be used for breeding. Through the past several years of testing, an interesting aspect of CA has been brought to the attention of the researchers at the VGL; a small group of horses, which have been tested as CA/CA, whose owners report show no clinical signs of being affected. To further study these “reportedly asymptomatic” CA affected horses and see if there is an additional genetic component involved in the expression of CA, the VGL has incorporated whole genome scanning utilizing a new tool called the Equine SNP chip. Information gained from this part of the research project may assist in determining why some horses that are CA/CA are reportedly not showing signs. Data from this work is currently being analysed and should be available later this year. NOTE: Results from testing done at the UC Davis VGL are completely confidential and are not shared by the lab with any of the public reporting lists; only owners can make the decision whether or not to post their test results. More detailed information on the UC Davis VGL’s CA Research Project and the development of the CA test can be found at http://www.arabianhorsefoundation.org/news.html.

Breeding Strategies Through August, 2011, the UC Davis VGL has tested over 8,000 samples with the tested CA carrier rate remaining steady at 19% and the tested CA affected rate at less than 1%. Because CA is a recessive disorder, an affected foal must receive a copy of the gene mutation from both parents. However, a carrier will not show physical signs of CA and will not always produce affected offspring. As such, the CA gene can remain “hidden”, 8

so the trait’s expression may skip generations. With a DNA test available, there is no longer a need for guessing whether or not a horse is a CA carrier. More importantly, the production of CA affected foals can be completely avoided. Here in lies the true value of genetic testing; to provide an important tool for breeders to use. These tests should not be used against breeders nor should breeders feel the need to hide from using this technology. The information provided by testing should be used to make informed decisions in the best interest of the horses and the breed…nothing more and nothing less. Mutations are part of the life process and the Arabian horse has not been exempted from this basic biologic fact; so trying to ignore this reality will not make the breed mutation free. CA is not new to the Arabian breed. What is new, however, is the ability to test and know whether a horse is clear, carrier or affected. Responsible breeding involves a lot of decision making; there is no way around it. At some point in this process, challenging subjects will arise and that is where making informed choices becomes a vital part of being a good and responsible breeder. Breeders must realize that every breeding selection, with every resulting foal, is a piece of the large mosaic making up the Arabian breed; it is not just an individual program that is affected by breeding decisions. Every Arabian horse produced, regardless of who the breeder may be, is a reflection of the overall quality, health and genetic diversity of the breed. With testing comes understanding the results and using the information responsibly. So, what to do about CA carriers; should they be used for breeding? This is one of those challenging issues that first must be acknowledged, and then viewed not only from an individual breeder’s perspective, but also at the breed wide level. For an individual breeder, there is no right or wrong answer; it is a personal choice and either selection is valid. However, for the overall breed, the answer is more complicated because there are multiple recessive genetic disorders to contend with; the issue of whether or not to use carriers for breeding is not limited only to CA. In essence, to automatically remove all carriers from the breeding population, based solely on genetic testing status, would significantly impact the availability of bloodlines that are needed to help maintain genetic diversity. This genetic diversity is something that is vital for the long term well being of the breed. There is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water - it is possible to avoid the production of CA affected foals and limit the frequency of the CA mutation in the gene pool, while still maintaining as much genetic diversity as possible. This can be accomplished by testing and selectively using carriers. First and foremost, two carriers should not be bred together. In addition, the use of carriers in breeding should be limited to high quality or rare individuals. And, just as important, is using suitable clear offspring of carriers for breeding, when available.

Looking Forward The ever increasing advances in science are providing the opportunity for Arabian horse owners around the world to continue learning and improving the management of their horses. While some of this information may initially pose some challenges and bring with it some controversy, the Arabian horse community must maintain an open mind and be willing to learn and adjust. To react out of fear or misunderstanding, or even worse, to adopt the easy way out of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”, is not in the best interest of the horses or the breed. Breeders have the ability to boldly and responsibly face the reality of dealing with CA, as well as the other genetic disorders affecting the Arabian horse. The way forward is education, testing and disclosure. The CA Project, being conducted at the UC Davis VGL, is an excellent example of how support from the global Arabian horse community has provided valuable contributions for helping to move research forward. While tremendous progress has been made, the work is not yet complete and this continued support will be vital for the CA research efforts still to come. The Arabian Horse Foundation, as a financial supporter of this project, is providing periodic updates on the UC Davis CA Project at http://www.arabianhorsefoundation.org/news. html and additional information on CA can also be found at http://www.arabianhorses.org/education/ genetic/default.asp 

Crabbet Arabian World

Boomori Park

Port Lincoln South Australia I asked a very busy Dawn Suter to write a stud profile for me and I have so enjoyed setting this article some really amazing horses but type runs through all the pictures. Her tail female foundation mare actually goes back to our featured mare Rose of Sharon.

Boomori Park was originally established in the late 70’s at Port Lincoln in South Australia we initially produced part Arabian Galloways , then a small number of purebred Arabians , including, the stallion Boomori Izak (dec) by Chip Chase Kaiwanna from the mare Juanita (imp UK) Izak went on to become an A Class Show winner, Top 5 and classic head winner. He was the 1993 Winner of the SA Most Successful Horse of the Year Award (colt /stallion section) & the 1995 SA Champion Ridden Stallion at the SA Championships. He was also a successful sire of endurance horses. However Boomori Park is really about a small, select and reasonably closely related number of individuals (all tail female to Rafina * (Rustem/ Risala ) who were to become the foundation bloodlines of the horses produced after 1985 and from which all individuals are descended today. It was not until the purchase of the tall bay Pure Crabbet stallion Chip Chase Kaiwanna (Silver Spot /Kai ) in 1980 followed by the lease and subsequent purchase of the wonderfully bred Pure Crabbet mare Crown Jewel (Indian Jewel * /Browne Anne) in 1984 that we decided to follow a Pure Crabbet breeding programme may have been a “useful & interesting” thing to do.

Rafina* ( Rustem/Risala) Kaiwanna turned out to be a wonderful sire producing well conformed riding types with excellent temperaments, movement and versatility. His progeny both purebred and part bred excelled in 10

Chip Chase Kaiwanna ( Silver Spot/ Kai) many disciplines including showjumping, hacking, led classes, one day eventing and endurance. He was himself successful both led and under saddle. From limited showings his wins included the Ridden Arabian Stallion and Open Ridden Stallion at the 1983 Autumn Horse Show Perth and the Ridden Arabian Stallion Class at the 1983 Perth Royal Show. He had a fabulous front, shoulder and a super no fuss attitude to everything he was asked to do. He was truly a” once in a life time” horse for me. There will only ever be one Kaiwanna. Crown Jewel had been a prolific breeder prior to her purchase by us at 16 years of age , many of her foals having been

Crown Jewel ( IndianJewel*/ Browne Anne)

Above: Chip Chase Kaiwanna (Silver Spot/Kai) Below: Boomori Hallmark (Volcano/Boomori Kismet)

Crabbet Arabian World Championship winners. She went on to produce five more foals, all by Chip Chase Kaiwanna, four fillies and one colt. Three of these daughters are still in the stud today. Lovely ladies but sadly no longer breeding . Jewel’s oldest daughter Boomori Touch of Class (now rising 26 yrs) has now been retired after producing a final filly for us last season by Erin Park Nelson. She has been the best producer of the trio having had a total of 7 fillies and 2 colts and was wonderful show mare in her young days winning numerous Champion Arabian awards through the late eighties when classes were well patronized. She has wonderful movement a fabulous temperament and a very classic and lovely head.

Boomori Finale (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Dandaloo Baylina)

Boomori Touch of Class (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/ Crown Jewel)

In 1987 we were very fortunate in being able to lease the well performed mare Dandaloo Baylanie by Boyar (Sindh*/Balsora) from Dandaloo Stud. Between 1988- 1993 she produced four very good foals by Chip Chase Kaiwanna, a filly Boomori Kismet plus the stallions Dandaloo Khaalid ( dec), Dandaloo Kadet ( exp USA) and Boomori Kahlua. She was eventually purchased by Leon Bennett of Pevensey Arabians where she has also left a lasting and valuable legacy. We were so impressed by the Boyer/Kaiwanna cross that we purchased Baylanie’s full sister Dandaloo Baylina ( Boyar/ Windsor Park Bay Magic) in 1988. She also bred well to Kaiwanna producing two colts and two fillies Including Boomori Special Edition (dec) and the stallion Boomori Finale owned by Kamana Arabians. 12

Following the death of Chip Chase Kaiwanna in 1994, we were very kindly offered the use of the pure crabbet stallion Volcano by his breeder Dini Mercieca of Wyreema Arabians for the 1995 & 1996 stud seasons. Volcano was interestingly bred and a relative outcross to the lines within the stud. While with us he sired four foals, two fillies & two colts including the very typey Boomori Hallmark from Boomori Kismet. Hallmark himself has only had limited opportunity at stud but we have bred two very nice fillies by him out of the Crown Jewel daughters Top left Boomori Boomori Classic Touch Monique (Ruberto/ Boomori Touch of and Boomori Class) Touch of Class respectively. Top Right Touch of Class’s Boomori Sierra (Erin Park filly (Boomori Nelson/Boomori Special Obsession ) had Edition) a filly by Binley Prince Iqbal Centre Left last season and Boomori Kahlua Chip Chase hopefully is back Kaiwanna/ Dandaloo Baylanie Photo credit S Meyer in foal to him . Following Volcanos departure we were very lucky to acquire the chestnut stallion Bolshoi (full brother to the mares Dandaloo Baylina and Dandaloo

Centre Right Boomori Kismet full sister to Kahlua Bottom Left Boomori Obsession (Volcano/ Boomori Touch of Class) Bottom Right Boomori Kismet

Crabbet Arabian World

Boomori Golden Dream (Bolshoi/Boomori Touch of Class) Baylanie he was his dams’ last foal by Boyar). We intended to use him primarily over our Kaiwanna/ Crown Jewel daughters as the Kaiwanna/Boyar cross had worked so well in the past. Bolshoi produced three fillies while he was with us. Two from Boomori Touch of Class and one from the Ruberto daughter Boomori Classic Touch. Unfortunately his use in the stud became limited as two of the Crown Jewel daughters encountered breeding difficulties. Boomori Monique had to have an ovary removed due to a tumour and became a difficult breeder; Boomori Bint Jewel slipped a lovely little filly by Bolshoi eight weeks early, had a uterine prolapse and as result never bred again. Very sad, as she is a lovely mare and had great success under saddle. Her wins included Champion Ridden Arabian mare at the SA Championships in 1976 & 1978, as well as Reserve Champion Ridden Arabian Mare in 1997 . She was also the 1996 SA Performance Mare of the Year ( purebred or derivative ) and gained her Champion status Roll of Merit ( performance) over this period. Like all of the “Jewel “ foals she had a lovely action and wonderful temperament and often used to attract a crowd of admirers at shows because of her kind expression and sweet nature. Lynn had 14

quite a few people approach her wanting to buy “Binti” for their children to ride or show. In 2005 we were unexpectedly given the opportunity to purchase the big bay Crenel son Erin Park Nelson from Martine Stibbs of Hazelmere Park in the Adelaide Hills. He represented the style of horse which we liked and we thought that he would be an interesting cross over our current bloodlines. Top left: Boomori Queen of Diamonds (Bolshoi/ Boomori Touch of Class) Top Right: Boomori Touch of Class (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/ Crown Jewel) Centre Left: Boomori Obsession (Boomori Hallmark/Boomori/ Touch of Class) Centre Right: Boomori Bewitching (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Dandaloo Baylina) Bottom Left: Erin Park Nelson (Crenel/Fenwick Rosanna) Bottom Right: Boomori Wind Chase (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Saudi Windsong)

Crabbet Arabian World horses with excellent movement and temperament. We will continue to follow these ideals. However, we do intent is to wind our breeding programme down significantly over the next two years and hopefully place a number of horses with other dedicated crabbet enthusiasts . We will maintain only a small nucleus representing our main bloodlines and of course will continue to provide a safe and happy home for our wonderful old retirees who have given us so much pleasure over the years. We are very fortunate to have had the privilege to acquire some lovely horses over the years and thank their owners for entrusting them to us. Many of the individuals bred and their descendants deserve their own stories and will leave their own legacies ,I am sure, in the years to come  Boomori Bint Jewel (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Crown Jewel) So far he has produced eight foals 4 fillies and 4 colts both for us & for others who have purchased mares in foal. Two bay fillies from Boomori Special Edition (dec), a bay filly and a bay colt from Boomori Kismet, a chestnut colt from Boomori Classic Touch, a bay filly and bay colt from Boomori Touch of Class and a bay colt from Boomori Briana. Currently we have retained fillies out of Boomori Kismet and Boomori Touch of Class. His bay son Boomori Tribute by Touch of Class has recently found a new home with Jenna McGilvery in Queensland we wish her every success with him. Tribute was bred to two of our mares before leaving here; Boomori Queen of Diamonds produced a lovely elegant bay filly ( a double Touch of Class granddaughter).The other mare in foal to him Classic Touch by Ruberto unfortunately slipped a colt by him at 7 months and is now hopefully back in foal to Erin Park Nelson for a late foal this season. After the purchase of Erin Park Nelson it was decided to find a new home for Bolshoi The mares we could use him over had become very limited and we felt that his bloodline was too valuable to have him remain with us when he could be utilized by another crabbet breeding programme . Subsequently Bolshoi found a wonderful new home with avid crabbet enthusiast Sean Johnson in Victoria (owned in partnership with Lee Jamieson ) where he is a much loved addition to their horsey family, he is producing some lovely foals.

List of Horses Currently in the Stud Erin Park Nelson – bay stallion – 1992 - Crenel x Fenwick Rosanna

Boomori Hallmark – grey stallion – 1997 – Volcano x Boomori Kismet Boomori Touch of Class – Chest mare – 1985 – Chip Chase Kaiwanna x Crown Jewel Boomori Bint Jewel – bay mare – 1986- Chip Chase Kaiwanna x Crown Jewel Boomori Monique – chestnut mare – 1987- Chip Chase Kaiwanna x Crown Jewel Boomori Classic Touch – bay mare – 1993 – Ruberto x Boomori Touch of Class Boomori Queen of Diamonds – chestnut mare – 2001 - Bolshoi x Boomori Touch of Class Boomori Golden Dream – chestnut mare – 2002 – Bolshoi x Boomori Touch of Class Boomori Obsession – grey mare – 2004 – Boomori Hallmark x Boomori Touch of Class Boomori Autumn Rose – grey mare – 2005 – Boomori Hallmark x Boomori Monique Boomori Kateefa - bay mare – 2006 – Erin Park Nelson x Boomori Kismet Boomori Zaahra –bay mare – 2008 - Zahriz x Boomori Queen of Diamonds

It has always been our intention to remain a small Boomori Holly – bay filly – 2010 – Erin Park Nelson x stud, concentrating on quality rather than quantity. Boomori Touch of Class This has been essential over the past few years due to the small size of our property. We have always Boomori Queen of Hearts – bay filly - 2010 – striven to produce well conformed, well balanced Boomori Tribute x Boomori Queen of Diamonds Click here for photograph gallery 16

Above Boomori Special Edition (Chip Chase Kaiwanna/Dandaloo Baylina) Below Nakal (Fenwick Panache/Boomori Monique)

Crabbet Arabian World

Traveller’s tales A visit to Crabbet Park and NewBuildings Place by Jackie and Neil Dand Jackie & Neil Dand have recently returned from a trip to the UK visiting family & friends. This trip was also a Crabbet/Blunt pilgrimage. Jackie & Neil also visited Egypt and Lady Blunt’s tomb, which Jackie writes about in the next Crabbet Journal. The article below is about their visit to Crabbet Park & Newbuildings Place.

Our first glimpse through the undergrowth of the back of the house. A memorable sight!

We had tried to find Crabbet Park on the 1st of August this year(2011); having driven around the roads that were the boundaries of the old estate, we were unable to find the entrance. We went to our hotel and found directions on Google Earth and next morning found our way there very easily. We drove in down the lane, past the fitness centre and walled hotel grounds and came to an open gateway. The sign on the gate read PRIVATE

PROPERTY and underneath Crabbet Park Equitation Centre, Crabbet Park Livery and Crabbet Park DIY. We parked the car outside and I walked through the gateway on the left of which was a row of old stables which were in use. As I walked I heard a car coming in behind me and stopped and waited for them. The lady and her daughter asked me if I was lost. I said with a smile “No. I’m not lost, I know exactly where I am, Crabbet Park” The lady asked me to follow while she parked her car so her daughter could start her work at the livery stables. As we brought our car in and parked in the open parking area I saw that the livery stables were the old Coronation Stables. I was shocked at the state of the stables and the entrance Clock Tower was minus the roof and clock. It was all very dilapidated. I told Averil (the lady whose daughter worked there) that I was on a pilgrimage from Australia and would really like to see as much of Crabbet Park as possible. She told me that Val was the lady who ran the livery stables and she was lunging a horse at present but if I waited she would introduce me. When Val came back shortly after she was extremely pleased that somebody had come from Australia to see Crabbet Park and was interested in the history of the place. Val has been at Crabbet Park about 40 years and was saddened by the condition of the stables. She said that they were owned by somebody who wanted the land for development and so wanted the demise of the stables and would not do any repairs or maintenance. Val had been there

Side and front view of the house now and during Lady Wentworth era, note author walking in left picture

Left Painting of a horseman on the wall above the fireplace of one of the rooms similar to the picture on the right Right the entrance hall the painting seen here was a reproduction of a Velasquez painting added in the Blunts time

when one of the developers had come and attacked the Clock Tower with sledgehammers to prevent a Preservation Order being put on it. Evidently the chestnut trees have a Preservation Order on them, so that is good. We asked Val where the house was as we couldn’t see any sign of it. She very kindly showed us which way to go to see the house. She led us past a row of old wooden stallion stables that were in good condition and quite solid and down to the menage. She told us to go around the back of the menage and through the fence and up through the undergrowth and we would find the house. We thanked her for her kindness and she left to give a riding lesson to a pupil. We skirted the menage and found the fence and went through a nettle-filled ditch and over the rubble and ducked down under the low branches

of the chestnut trees. It was in this stooped position we caught sight of Crabbet House and stopped in our tracks. It was magnificent and it thrilled us to see it in good condition; as we were worried it may have been as neglected as the stable area. Val had told us the house was empty as the use was being changed back from commercial offices to a dwelling. Evidently the Change of Use takes a few years. I was pleased that it was going to be lived in again as it is a beautiful house. We walked around the outside and

The old stables at the entrance that were in better condition than the livery stables in the Coronation Stables.

Above The Coronation Stables showing the poor condition of stables and Clock Tower. Left Lady Wentworth outside the clock tower

Horses being lead towards the Coronation stables in Lady Wentworth’s era

Crabbet Arabian World

Above the real tennis court neglected after Crabbet Park was closed below the court is now restored and cared for note the wall on the left is in the pictures below

peeked in the windows. We saw the painting of the man on the horse over the fireplace that had been there when the Blunts were in residence. The rooms were large and high-ceilinged and in relatively good condition. The gardens were tended and everything looked cared for. As we went round the front of the house we could see the Real Tennis Court over a hedge .We had found the Tennis Court to be obscured from view by trees from the lane way so were pleased that we had a better view from the rear. This was the side from which some of the photographs of the horses were taken. The Real Tennis Court is in very good condition and a beautiful building. (Editor’s comment All the male members of my family had for generations

An old wooden hut; on staddle stones which historically kept the vermin out of sheds.

played Real tennis: it has been played for many centuries, having been enjoyed at Hampton Court Palace by Henry VIII. Although it has been marginalized by lawn tennis which is based on Real tennis. It was in the Blunts time a game played only by men. It is played indoors on a special court as either singles or doubles. It is still a popular game in some quarters but today there are less than 50 courts in the world. The game is scored by sets, and the player to average the most points is deemed the winner.) We returned to the stable area the way we had come and admired the row of old stallion stables that were very well built. There were some other stables across from them and an old wooden hut that once was used as the groom’s quarters. At the back of the stables was the corner of the walled garden that was partially obscured by vines and trees. This wall was the backdrop for many of the photographs of the horses and for the annual parade of the stud horses that Lady Wentworth used to host. It was sad to see Crabbet Park split up and the deteriorating state of the Coronation stables. Such a shame that it couldn’t have been preserved but we were thrilled to have seen it. We left Crabbet Park and headed towards

The wall in front of which all the horses were paraded on the open days at the right Dargee standing in front of the wall

Stables once used to house the stallions.One can only dream of the heads that looked out over these doors!

Above Newbuildings Place today Below a picture from Wilfred Scawen Blunt’s time

Southwater and Newbuildings Place about twenty miles away. Turning off the main road the lanes got narrower and we were unsure of our directions. We had stopped to allow a man with two large horses to pass us and as soon as we moved off again we saw the signs either side of the entrance “Newbuildings Place Blunt’s Yard” in a very regal blue. We drove into the driveway and parked the car off the very narrow lane. I got out and left Neil in the car as I thought they would not be as upset with a lone woman trespasser and maybe they wouldn’t throw me out! As I walked up the driveway I could see the house looking quite imposing and set back from the road. A man who was gardening stopped and watched me walking towards him. I told him I was hoping to be able to see Newbuildings Place where Wilfrid Scawen Blunt had lived for the latter years of his life. The man said he didn’t think that Lady Lytton would mind but to knock on the kitchen door and ask. I approached the house and knocked on the door but received no response so I made my way back and told the man that there had been no answer to my knock and would not impose any further. He said Lady Lytton would be probably gardening at the rear of the house and wouldn’t mind if we took a few photographs. Above The We thanked him and garden wall at Newbuildings left very pleased Place showing that we had been the Mounting successful in our block and an endeavour to visit engraved stone both Crabbet Park plaque with and Newbuildings Lady Blunt’s tomb in Egypt. initials WSB and Wilfrid Blunt’s tomb is in Place. It was a very the date 1883 ground of Newbuildings memorable journey Right close-up of Place and is very similar to and satisfyingly the plaque that of his wife worthwhile  Click here for photograph gallery

Crabbet Arabian World

AUL MAGIC+/ = += Champion Arabian Sport Horse Stallion

Aur Silver Myst A leading sport horse dam Aul Magic +/ and Aur Silver Myst were both bred by Sandy Warren then owned by Betsy Teeter and Sharon Byford-Ruth of Legendary Arabians: who bred two successful 2011 Sport Horse National champions from mating these two horses.

above left Aul Magic+/(Aulrab/Magic Alarieha by Lewis-

field Magic +/)in 1991 with Sandy Warren photo Carol La Gue right Aur Silver Myst (Aur Mystique/Aura Magic by Lewisfield Magic +/) Platinum 2003 full brother to Aul Turbo Charged & Aulways Magic photo Johnny Johnston

A very successful Aul Magic+/ photo credit Sharon Byford-Ruth 22

Arlene Magid the international Arabian consultant reviewed the 2011 Sport Horse Nationals results and in her list of the leading Dams is Aur Silver Myst (Aur Mystique x Aura Magic) who she writes â&#x20AC;&#x153;has two lines to the superb CMK stallion Aurab as well as one line each to the Crabbet imports *Silver Vanity and *Lewisfield Magic, both National Champions and sires of National Champions. Aur Silver Myst had 2 sons win their first National titles this year, both sired by Aul Magic and therefore triple Aurab and double *Lewisfield Magic. Aulways Magic+ has 5 National wins: Reserve National Champion Second Level Dressage, Top Ten Sport Horse Stallion, Sport Horse Stallion ATH, First Level Dressage and Sport Horse Show Hack. His full brother Aul Turbo Charged is the U.S. National Champion Training Level Dressage Junior Horse, Top Ten Training Level Dressage and Sport Horse Under Saddle Junior Horse. Arlene also reviewed the leading stallions and this is what she said about Aul Magic +/:Aul Magic+/ (Aulrab x Magic Alarieha) won 2 U.S. Reserve National Championships in dressage in his only year of show ring competition at age 16. He was one of my all time favourite stallions, and is linebred to Aurab, who was noted for the athleticism of his get. Aul Magic+/ ranked second as a Leading Performance Sire and as a Leading Halter and Performance Sire at the 2011 Sport Horse Nationals, where his sons, the full brothers Aul Turbo Charged and Aulways Magic+, both won national championships/reserve in dressage (and Aulways Magic+ was also a top ten winner in halter), and his daughter Aur Magic Mirage+++// had titles in dressage and sport horse under saddle including 4 Top Tens (Dressage, Sport

Horse under Saddle ATR, Hunter Equitation ATR, and Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR.) Aul Magic’s Half-Arabian daughter Devine Miss Magic+++// also won 4 Top Tens in Half-Arabian classes (Working Hunter, Working Hunter AAO, Hunter Hack, and Hunter Hack AAO) at the show. (IF the Leading SHN Sires list includes HalfArabian winners at the Sport Horse Nationals, she should be on the list of Aul Magic’s 2010 Sport Horse Nationals winners.)

Above Aul Turbo Charged trained & ridden by Crista Lambert seen here at the 2011 SHN left & below His full brother Aulways Magic+/ trained & ridden by Patience Prine Carr also at the SHN 2011

Well most of this information has come from people other than Sandy and Dick Warren who really are very low key about the amazing horses they have bred. Below is a quote from a letter Dick Warren wrote me when he sent a box of photographs and information; ’If I didn’t mention it before, putting together some of the material has opened my eyes to what Sandy had accomplished......But I have always known that Sandy was on the right track with her horses. She was dead set on a path and she never deviated from it even though others tried to sway her.” Now the world is seeing the results of this dedication. Aul Magic+/ deserves a stallion profile in a future magazine  I want to thank Arlene Magid for allowing me to use her amazingly thorough research. Click here for Photograph gallery

photo credit Bob Tarr

Crabbet Arabian World

Influential sisters bred at Wellworth stud Written by Sean Johnson

The influence of the two mares full sisters Wellworth Lilac and Wellworth Leilani is felt worldwide with a grand daughter in both the USA and the United Kingdom. There is also a colt in the UK. I have edited this article as there were many more horses who needed to be included. Thank you Sean for the article, your contribution to the promotion of Crabbet horses is I know appreciated both here and in the UK. ‘The mare is your foundation. You must choose the best mare possible.’ This theory was published by insightful breeder, judge and horsewoman, Elvie Tucker; co-owner of the Wellworth Stud, established in 1960 with her husband Cyril, on the family property of Winterlake near Edenhope, Victoria. The Beautiful Wellworth Lilac, doesn’t her head look so like The value of a quality broodmare was testament he sire in the top picture on the right hand page. It is called to the success and lasting legacy of the Wellworth the Wellworth look and comes through particularly in the Stud for contemporary Crabbet breeders in Australia mares Photo S Douglas-Greig and around the world. The Stud itself was based primarily on the foundation mare Fickle (Riffal/ breeding’ was only beginning to gain momentum Fadoura) purchased from Fenwick Stud in 1961 with within a very small circle of dedicated breeders, the filly Sincerity (by Shafreyn*) at foot and Sefra (by so it is even more important to recognise the link Rossfennick*) in utero. between Sefra and the access she provides to the breeding programme of the Wellworth Stud and the When purchasing Fickle, Mrs Tucker was adamant ‘type’ of horse which accompanies it. that she be bred to the imposing chestnut import Rossfennick* (Indian Magic/Rosinella by Oran out of Sefra was bred to her maternal half-brother, the Rosalina) who was the breeder’s favourite Fenwick beautiful Morocco (by Risheem (Irex/Rishka) out of stallion of the time. Sefra was the resulting grey filly, Fickle) with four resulting foals: the stallion Sheykh combining the flamboyance of her Indian Magic Obeyd, and his three sisters Wellworth Leilani, heritage with the refinement and beauty from her Wellworth Gazelle and Wellworth Lilac. dam’s grandsire, Fayrial. This article focuses on the incredible impact the Sefra was a phenomenal broodmare, producing full sisters Wellworth Leilani and Wellworth Lilac fourteen foals from an array of stallions season continue to have on pure Crabbet breeding in after season. The notion of ‘Pure Crabbet Australia and around the world. 24

Morocco Risheem/Fickle

Fickle with Sincerity at foot

Head shot of Morocco

Rossfennick(iid UK) Indian Magic/*Rosinella

*Risheem Irex/Rishka 25

Crabbet Arabian World Wellworth Leilani The stylish grey mare Wellworth Leilani was born in 1974 and was the eldest of the four siblings. During his first visit to the Wellworth Stud, Ron Ryan of Arfaja Stud was so impressed by the horses and quality of pedigree at the stud, he and two other breeders organised to purchase stock there and then; his selection being the filly Firousi (Risheem/ Fickle). This offer was later withdrawn by the owner, but intent on securing these bloodlines for his own programme, Ron Ryan sent his foundation mare Sparkle (Shafreyn/Starflower) to Morocco for two seasons without a resulting foal. Eventually, he was able to lease and then purchase Wellworth Leilani from Helen Penney who had already used the mare to produce foals from a number of Wellworth-bred and owned stallions.

Arfaja Rashma

Arfaja Silver Aura by Silver Somerio and very reminiscent of her grand-dam Sefra. Rashma produced horses with excellent saddle qualities and ground-covering movement. The stallion Arfaja Silver Aura has inherited his damâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength and combines it with the athleticism found in Silver Somerioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pedigree. Silver Aura continues to impact on the Tasmanian gene pool through the band of Crabbet-bred horses that were bred at Elphyn Arabians, some of whom are at Awarran Park where the Arfaja Harlan son Ebjarah Aladin also resides.

Arfaja Rashma later in her life at Moonlite Stud Wellworth Leilani was bred to the pure Crabbet Australian Champion halter stallion Rasham (Greylight/Sparkle) for three foals. The first from this cross was the 1988 grey mare Arfaja Rashma who has gone on to produce a small but select group of progeny for contemporary Crabbet breeders, in the form of the grey stallion Arfaja Silver Aura (by Silver Somerio (Somerled/ Silver Doura)) and the two grey mares Arfaja Silver Mist (by Silver Somerio) and Arfaja Rishenda (by Sarafire (Samiri/Devotion)). Rashma is probably lesser known than her full siblings and was quite different in type, presenting a much stronger frame overall 26

Elphyn Symba a Silver Aura mare from Adbarina Aria Photo N Colbeck

Silver Aura is a highly respected stallion in endurance bloodlines. The stallion Elphyn Valentino (Arfaja Silver Aura/Elphyn Valentine) is with the well known endurance riders Chris and Keryn Mahoney: they have purchased many Silver Aura progeny several of whom have been exported to the Middle East.

Silver Aura’s full sibling Arfaja Silver Mist is probably most similar to her dam. Silver Mist has produced two grey colts by Arfaja Robard, the first was exported to UK, the other is Arfaja Silver Bard. Arfaja Rishenda (by Sarafire) is a tall grey mare who is in a riding home and has not been bred.

Arfaja Robard

Arfaja Ajrami at Follydown with her first Arfaja Sarif foal a colt Basil FA who unfortunately died in a paddock accident in 2006 the registered pure Crabbet horses Hanaan FA a filly from Warren Park Rojeela and Suhayl FA from Charlotte Gray. Arfaja Robard photo J Dand The second foal of this cross was Arfaja Robard born in 1989, a horse who was hidden away on a remote stud for many years. This flamboyant grey stallion with a sea horse neck and proud tail carriage bred a number of pure Crabbet foals during this time, with successful crosses to a variety of mares. Some of his most well-known offspring include the full siblings out of Arfaja Estella (Rasham/Persareh), the mare Arfaja Evangeline and the stallion Arfaja Rococo see also the Arfaja Danyon gelding from Estella on page 31 and the stallion by Arfaja Harlan on page 29. Some of these horses are continuing to produce at their respective studs. Evangeline is at Liz Fawns’ Charadia Arabians. Evangeline has produced a colt by another Wellworth descendent, Snow Leopard ( Royalund Sparkling Silver/ Mill Park Zaafir. The Robard mare Ebjarah Alysium from Arfaja Alicia is at Leigh Jamiesons Seven Oaks Arabians.

The double-cross of Robard’s bloodlines with Sarafire’s is also present in Jennifer Hawkins’ Shahwan Park Arabians. This breeder has used the rare Queen of Sheba lined mare, Arfaja Ajrami (Arfaja Robard/ Meadowview Nicolette) with Arfaja Sarif (Sarafire/ Arfaja Nuala) for promising results. During the Arfaja Stud’s dispersal in 2004, Robard left the property for the first time to find a home with Fiona Seymore of Wentworth Estate along with a small contingent of Arfaja mares including Silver Mist. Since then, Robard has produced few foals but they have continued to be equally consistent

Quality descendants of Arfaja Robard can be found at Leon Bennett’s Pevensey Arabians in the form of Pieta Benay (Arfaja Robard/Portia Benay) and his promising young stallion Pevensey Regent (Arfaja Rococo/Pevensey Baybe). It should be noted that these horses also contain another valuable link to the Wellworth Stud through the blood of the bay stallion Sarafire (Samiri/Devotion). Arfaja Starfire (Arfaja Robard/Arfaja Moonfire) another Robard stallion residing in Tasmania who has been used very sparingly. He has produced

Shadz of Wentworth from Hajarlee the Silver Somerio mare ridden by Callie James at 2011 Australian Championships Photo Jennifer Hawkins 27

Crabbet Arabian World stock; a great example of this being the tall and athletic gelding Shadz of Wentworth (Arfaja Robard/ Hajarlee) who is successfully being campaigned in open Arabian company with great results to date. Wentworth Estate Bellissima (Arfaja Robard/Eveeta) exported to the UK stud of Diana Whittome where she is breeding on.

above Pevensey Regent Arfaja Rococo/Pevensey Baybe below Pieta Benay from Portia Benay

Arfaja Starfire from Arfaja Moonflowerphoto B Copland

Hanaan FA Arfaja Starfire/ Warren Park Rojeela Arfaja Evangaline Photo J Dand

*Wentworth Estate Bellissima from Eveeta pulled from the paddock winter 2009 photo J Thompson

Suhayl FA Arfaja Starfire/ Charlotte Grey by Volcano

Some of t he Foals of Arfaja Harlan

above left Roxanne Pidoto

with Ebjarh Silver Ataan from Mira Monte Silver Glitter above right

*Ebjarah Pandora from Mill Park Pertrice left

The as yet unnamed full sister to Silver Mirage Below left

Pevensey Amina from Pevensey Baybe

above

Ebjarah Silver Mirage from Arfaja Mariella left Mill Park Blaidd from Millbanda Bellalina

bottom left Pevensey Rashara

from Pevensey Baybe

bottom centre Ebjarah Aladin

from Mira Monte Tamyn below

Ebjarah Talisman from Silver Token

Crabbet Arabian World Arfaja Harlan

Above and right the strikingly beautiful Arfaja Harlan

When Wellworth Leilani suddenly died of a suspected snake bite at the Arfaja Stud, she was currently nursing the eight day old Arfaja Harlan, now a renowned pure Crabbet stallion with markings to match his exciting personality. Arrangements were quickly made for Roxanne Pidoto of Ebjarah Arabian Stud to take and raise the colt. He was shown successfully in-hand as a young colt until being retired to stud work where he has excelled, siring a list of quality offspring from a diverse range of mares. Including *Ebjarah Silver Phantasia out of Mira Monte Silver Piper who went to Merrie Hamadani’s Silver Dream Arabians in Pennsylvania USA. At the time of publishing Merrie is wait to test Phantasia in foal to Joanna Garofalo’s SSA Dargon PC another stallion at the Joanna’s stud is the Australian*Dandaloo Kadet. Ebjarah’s female band consists of some mares received from the Arfaja dispersal as well as a mix of other Wellworth-related mares from Mira Monte Arabians mostly by Morocco’s full brother Wellworth Tangiers. Some notable individuals from such Harlan matings include the chestnut stallion Ebjarah Aladin (out of Mira Monte Tamyn ( Wellworth Tangiers))

who is at Awarran Park Arabians and is being bred to amongst others the Silver Aura mare Elphin Symba. The grey stallion Ebjarah Silver Ataan (out of MiraMonte Silver Glitter ( Wellworth Tangiers)) who is at the Thompson’s Follydown Arabians along with the Arfaja Danyon son Rafiq FA they are being line bred to Wellworth bloodlines including a mare from the other full brother of Morocco the chestnut Crescent Moon. Mill Park Pertrice (Ruberto/Pernelle) bred Ebjarah Pandora and the stallion Mill Park Peregrine and at Orabanda stud’s the Ruberto daughter Mill Park Vespher from the Wellworth Lilac daughter Mill Park Zarifa produced the very successful show gelding Orabanda Double or Nothing. Ebjarah bred the very successful show horse Ebjarah Bala-mia from Dandaloo Baylina From the Arfaja mares, Ebjarah has bred a string of colts to carry on these bloodlines with Ebjarah

left & centre unnamed filly & colt Ebjarah Miricarl from Arfaja Mariella right head shot of Miricarl

Pevensey Rashara from Pevensey Baybe

Ebjarah Silver Miricarl from Arfaja Mariella competing in a Western class with Ben McIntyre

Ebjarah Silver Ataan from Mira Monte Silver Glitter Pevensey Amina from Pevensey Baybe

Ebjarah Silver Mirage from Arfaja Mariella with Mark Baker before being shown

Photo S Meyers

Lord Hyde of Seven Oaks from Arfaja Estella Photo N Emanuel

Crabbet Arabian World Left

*Ebjarah Silver Phantasia from Mira Monte Piper Photo M Hamadani Below

Ebjarah Moollah from Arfaja Moonflower being broken Photo Jane O’Dell

Moollah (out of Arfaja Moonflower (by Rasham) recently purchased by the Somerville family in South Australia, Ebjarah Silver Mirage (out of Arfaja Mariella (by Silver Somerio)) owned by Peter Butler and his full-brother gelding Ebjarah Silver Miricarl who is loaned to Louise McIntyre plus the new as yet unnamed full sister.

Above

Mill Park Peregrine from Mill Park Pertrice Aldersyde Miss Chandon from Fenwick Champagne The striking chestnut Harlan has been a very popular stallion. A number of well known breeders have taken advantage of Arfaja Harlan’s bloodlines, quality and fantastic style with excellent results Leon Bennett’s full sisters Pevensey Rashara and Pevensey Amina out of Pevensey Baybe; Leigh Jamieson’s stallion Lord Hyde of Seven Oaks out of Arfaja Estella (Rasham/Persareh) and Sir Angus of Seven Oaks from Arfaja Madalena (Rasham/Arfaja Mariella)who is now like several other Harlan geldings in an endurance home; Lisa Mullens’ has Aldersyde Miss Chandon – out of Fenwick Champagne (Fenwick Rendezvous/Briana). 32

Below

Ebjarah Bala-Mia from Dandaloo Baylina

Arfaja Danyon

A younger Danyon being shown In addition to the three Rasham siblings, Wellworth Leilani was also bred to Silver Somerio (Somerled/ Silver Doura) for the 1994 grey colt Arfaja Danyon. Jennifer Hawkins purchased Danyon. He was due to family illness used rather sparingly which makes his premature death in 2006 all the more tragic. While he and his owner resided at Follydown Arabians, he was used quite extensively. He produced the stallion Rafiq FA out of Veridan Risani by Wellworth Tangiers. A gelding from Finewood Mariah a double Wellworth mare and a filly from her daughter Follydown Louloubel they are both now in endurance homes. Rafiq first foal a line bred foal due very soon from Overdale Farm Rishalanie a Crescent Moon(Moroccoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full brother) daughter. Jennifer Hawkinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shahwan Park bred a number of quality individuals. The Tuckers of Newlands Stud SA purchased the Eveeta daughter Ashualli SPA Jennifer has retained the full sister Ellika SPA. Eveeta also produced *Wentworth Estate Bellissima by Robard Kasdell Arabians bred a filly and a colt both sold.

Top Rafiq FA Veridan

Risani by Wellworth Tangiers photo S Meyers Above Ellika Woods on Arfaja Tyrone from Arfaja Estella Right Follydown Laeyla Follydown Louloubel by Tanderra Kadu Below Follydown Marah Finewood Mariah from Wellworth Moroccan Magic

Ashualli SPA from Eveeta by Fenwick Panache 33

Crabbet Arabian World Wellworth Lilac The youngest of the four Morocco/Sefra full-siblings was the grey mare Wellworth Lilac born in 1977. As the idea to breed Arabians which traced in all generations back to Crabbet Park gained popularity amongst breeders, the hunt for quality Pure Crabbet mares became even more difficult. Having admired the Wellworth bloodlines for some time, Shirley Douglas-Greig was pleased to hear from a fellow breeder that there was a ‘Wellworth mare’ in the area. Shirley set about acquiring Wellworth Lilac from Norman Sellwood who had originally purchased the mare as a riding horse for his daughter, his daughter had since lost interest in riding but he refused to sell the mare outright, eventually agreeing to a lifetime lease to Shirley Douglas-Greig.

Wellworth Lilac with Mill Park Zarifa Crabbet fillies for Mill Park: Zarifa, Zaafir and Nicole. Mill Park Nicole was Lilac’s last surviving foal (by Nicodemus (Indian Jewel/Riffalani)) and was sold on to the McKennas to produce one registered gelding. Eventually for Lilac the pain of the knee became too much and she was able to raise a trot, only to reprimand a naughty foal. It was with great regret her lifelong leasee decided to put her to rest.

Wellworth Lilac with Mill Park Zaarif at foot Lilac had already produced three foals for Mr Sellwood by Crabbet-related sire Sherwin Marcarpo, and joined Mill Park Arabians adding what Shirley described as ‘the Wellworth look’ to the established breeding programme. The mare herself was very pretty, particularly about the head with the same large, expressive eye of her sire Morocco. Strong over the hindquarters and loins but forever plagued by a knee injury sustained jumping through a hay feeding dispenser at a dairy farm. Lilac produced three pure 34

Head shot of Wellworth Lilac

Mill Park Zarifa

The very special Mill Park Zarifa by Arfaja Haluj Mill Park Zarifa with Mill Park Indiana on left The first of Lilac’s three Pure Crabbet daughters was the Irex look alike mare, Mill Park Zarifa (by Arfaja Haluj (Rasham/Persareh)) who produced an excellent group of eight surviving Pure Crabbet foals. Orabanda Stud’s Mill Park Vespher (by Ruberto (Sindh/Ringlet)) is probably her most well-known daughters having successfully competed in-hand and under saddle in open Arabian shows, winning the prestigious Rami Sash at the Melbourne Royal Show. Debbielee White of Orabanda Stud in Tasmania owns Mill Park Vespher, she has produced four foals including two pure Crabbets, a filly Orabanda Eldon Rose by Mill Park Falconer (Ruberto/Falene) and the gelding Orabanda Double or Nothing by Arfaja Harlan. Vespher’s full-brother Mill Park Rhamen further demonstrates the success and versatility of these bloodlines having been exported to the United Arab Emirates following his completion of the gruelling Tom Quilty Ride in Tasmania.

Mill Park Zahra with her dam Mill Park Zarifa

above & below Mill Park Zeciala

(Mill Park Zarifa by Mill Park Falconer)

Mill Park Vespher from Mill Park Zarifa with Orabanda Shooting Star 35

Crabbet Arabian World Zarifa produced two sisters of great quality by resident stallion of that time, Mill Park Falconer (Ruberto/Falene). The two chestnut daughters were slightly different in type with the elder of the two Mill Park Zecilia taller, leaner and more athletic.

“The mare is your foundation. You must choose the best mare possible.”

Mill Park Zahra with Mill Park Ostara by Senussi

Whilst the younger, Mill Park Zahra is rounder, more chiselled about the head and despite her colour, a closer resemblance to the ‘Wellworth type’. Zahra was retained by the breeder and tragically broke her pelvis as a young filly. After much hesitation on her breeder’s behalf and maturing on the mares, Zahra has this year produced a filly by Senussi (Dandaloo Khaalid/Dandaloo Sissi) which the stud is pleased with. The only surviving entire son of Mill Park Zarifa is the grey stallion Kendra Park Artex (by Arfaja Nassif (Wellworth Tangiers/Persareh)) who was produced when services were swapped between the two studs. Now a six year old stallion, Artex is an interesting combination of Wellworth bloodlines through his sire and dam line. He has the strength of loins and hindquarters found in his grand-dam Wellworth Lilac. He has not yet been used at stud.

A young Mill Park Vespher at the 1999 East Coast Arabian Championships in Sydney

Orabanda Eldon Rose Mill Park Falconer/MIll Park Vespher with Orabanda Eldon Bey 36

Mill Park Zarifa was one of those mares you never got tired of looking at or looking after. As the arthritis took its toll in later years, the heart-breaking decision was made to put her down as medication and daily routines began to fail her.

Kendra Park Artex by Arfaja Nassif

Mill Park Zaafir

Paul Ward showing Mill Park Zaafir to visitors at the time of the 2005 Crabbet Convention photo J Dand Wellworth Lilac’s second daughter for Mill Park Arabians was the strikingly beautiful grey mare Mill Park Zaafir, owned by Mrs Judy Ward of Bellmere Stud in Queensland and a great example of the ‘Wellworth type’. Zaafir has produced three foals to date: the stallions Lord Gray (by Bold As Blazes (Al Borg Jarim/Oxford Wonder)) and Snow Leopard (by Royalund Sparkling Silver (Al Borg Jarim/Fenwick Silver Serenade)), and Snow Leapord’s full-sister Sea Gypsy. Sea Gypsy has been retained by the Ward’s but has not yet produced any registered progeny, whereas her full-brother Snow Leopard was purchased by Liz Fawns and is set to continue the Wellworth legacy within an interesting programme of mares including Arfaja Evangeline (Arfaja Robard/Arfaja Estella), Veridan Za’aria (Lionel/Bronzia) and Portia Benay (Sarafire/Santarabia Porfira). So far, Snow Leopard has produced two colts for Liz and her daughter, Bridie out of Evangeline and Zoe Benay (Sarafire/ Veridan Za’aria).

Above Snow Leopard by Royaland Sparkling Silver

being ridden by Bridie White

below Charadia stud’s beautiful colt by Snow Leopard

from Arfaja Evangaline photo B Copland

The impact of these two full-sisters on contemporary Crabbet breeding is far-reaching. There are numerous studs, both established and new which have turned to these bloodlines for the beauty, flamboyance and correctness one has to admire in many of these horses. The success of two or more links to the Wellworth Stud in a pedigree is only beginning to be realised and admired by breeders and competitors alike; the spread of these horses in various programmes means there are some exciting generations ahead for Crabbet breeders throughout the world  Editor’s comment: To all the people who found time to contribute pictures of their horses too numerous to name but without their help this would be a very boring article, thank you. I apologise there are so few pictures of horses at Arfaja, the current owners of the stud were asked to contribute photographs but declined.

The ethereal Mill Park Zaarif Click here for photograph gallery

Ebjarah Park Pure Crabbet Arabians We endeavour to breed

We endeavour to breed Crabbet Arabians with a Style of Distinction. a

Volcano Bakos x Victorine Above

Arfaja Harlan Rasham x Wellworth Leilani Right

Roxanne Pidoto 0410424979 ww.ebjarahcrabbetarabians.webs.com ÂŠ Design CAW

Gadebrook Stud This English stud was established in 1969 by Anne Brown Anne Brown writes about her stud’s beginnings and its future. Their beauty, movement and intelligence first attracted me to Arabian horses. Fortunately, I soon came across Crabbets, which added friendliness and a low heart rate to the mix of their attributes. And when I realised how athletic they were, I was committed to a life of breeding the best performance horses I could, for pleasure not profit, I hasten to add! I was lucky enough at the outset to be guided by Carol Carpenter (Nomad Arabians, now in France) and also had the support of Geoffrey Plaister (Imperial Stud, UK), who had bought some of the horses at the Crabbet dispersal sale in 1963, notably the powerful stallion Hanif, son of Silver Vanity. Later, I was privileged to be given Iona Bowring’s precious mares: Crystal Sheen Crystal Magician x Silver Sheen

by Bright Shadow); Silver Aura (Ben Rabba x Silver Sheen by Bright Shadow); Getana (General Gold x Gemanta by King Cotton Gold); and Silver Sylph (General Gold x Silver Starlet by Indian Star) - all very high percentage Crabbet. Using Carol’s stallions, especially the ethereal Ludomino, over daughters of Hanif, such as Hamsfah, provided a strong basis for Gadebrook stud. It has produced such stars as Magic Domino exported as a 16hh three-year old to Canada where he won extensively under saddle. His owners then allowed him to go to the Thomasons in the USA who have taken him to the very top level in ridden and dressage competition. He is the first overseas Arab ever to be honoured as a “Living Legend”, awarded only once every 25 years and to only 10 horses out of 650,000 Arabs in the USA. A couple of years ago, his successful progeny, including Warmblood and Trakhener crosses, earned Magic Domino the “Sport Horse Sire of the Year” title at the American Sport Horse Championships, above every breed. These Crabbet Arabians excel at long distance with their incomparable soundness and recovery rates. Many have left Gadebrook for new homes around the world. The bay stallion Croix de Guerre joined the Swedish National Endurance Team. Domino’s half-brother Hachim (Achim’s Silver Magic x Hamsfah), after training in dressage and a season show-jumping in the UK, was whisked off to Abu Dhabi where he won the 2003 100-mile Championship in Bahrain and the 2005 World Endurance Championship in Dubai in the world record time of 100 miles (160kms) in 7 hours 2

minutes, brilliantly ridden by HH Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan al Nahyan. This result was controversially overturned two years later! One of the Crabbet daughters we bred from Hachim, Magic Sheen out of Crystal Sheen (Crystal Magician x Silver Sheen), has joined her sire at W’rsan Stables and produced a filly and a colt for them by their top racing and endurance stallions. Anne and her favourite mare Silver Aura ( Ben Rabba x Silver Sheen) Photo credit Peter Orme

Flashy Rusleema (Rusleem x Sunne in Silver) was snapped up by an Australian breeder near Perth and has given him a delightful filly. 39

Crabbet Arabian World

Above Anne’s favourite picture of Hachim winning a 2003 100 miler in Bahrain Top left: *Palma Benay (imported from Australia) and her

2011 pure Crabbet filly Palmyra by Klinta Sultan

Bottom left: Anne with *Magic Domino AHS +++// during a visit to the USA for Domino’s ‘Living legend’ presentation Bottom right: AHS President Marlyn Pollard and PPS Chair-

man Diana Whittome with Binley Prince Salim ridden by Susan Hawes, at the National Arabian Show Malvern July 2011 Photo credit Kevin Hawes Below:

I have been fortunate to be associated with three more outstanding stallions: The stylish dapple grey Silvern Sceptre (Silvern Idyll x Silver Circlet by Bright Crown) a gift from Jean and David Peck when they emigrated to the States in the late 1990s – he has sired so many winners under saddle, including the first-ever British World Arab Horse trophy winner for the UK PHA Silvern Risalm, owned by Tiffani Stewart; Remington Steele, the 300-mile and Tevis Bucklewinning “Living Legend” and WAHO winner whom I

Magic Sheen (Hachim/Crystal Sheen) now in Abu Dhabi Photo credit Eric Jones

Hachim’s leading endurance daughter; Premium mare Zaha finishing the 2009 Marathon Photo credit Eric Jones

Crabbet Arabian World

2006 - a good year for Crabbet filly foals at Gadebrook: from left: Brightstar (Bright Cavalier x Nishtar by Jubilee Star); Bright Dawn (Bright Cavalier x Zaharina by Ludomino) + Rose of Summer (Shaded Silver x Summertime Blues by Indian Idyll) Photo credit Jeri Kerkuff

represent in the UK for his owner Patti Bailey (as the stallion is now deceased, we carry his frozen semen – I am a qualified equine AI technician); And finally, the beautiful big bold bay Russian racing machine, Sambist, twice UK Long distance Champion, seven-times Premium “Racehorse Sire of the Year” and Liberty Champion the only time shown, at the UK International Show. Bred at the Soviet state stud, Tersk, in 1987, his pedigree blends Crabbet, Polish and French blood, with a dash of Egyptian for glamour. Sambist’s stock are taking us forward into the next generation of performance horses who will start in dressage, move on to racing and finally into endurance, inshallah. He has a full book of Premium mares each year and is still 100% fertile and sound – after 42 races (19 wins, 18 placings).

Endurance mare Hadith (Hachim/Someone Special) with owner Ellie Head (left) and breeder Anne Brown

Our youngest stallion, the 100% Crabbet Binley Prince Salim (by Prince Sadik x Silvern Image, 2005), was bought in to broaden

the gene pool and to carry the Crabbet flag in endurance. He is currently ridden in Open competition by UK international team member, Susan Hawes. Salim has a stylish 2-year old daughter, Silver Sunbeam (x PHA Silver Heart), (who will start ridden work at four. My two other pure Crabbet mares are Rhapsody in Blue (by Shaded Silver x Summertime Blues, 2005), currently in ridden work with trainer Davina Godwin, and Palma Benay (Pevensey Safari x Petra Benay), a lovely easy-going mare from Leon Bennett’s stud in Australia whom I imported in 2007 to bring the bay gene back to Britain. She produced a bay colt, Kaalif, last year to the multi-talented Crabbet stallion Silver Zaanif and a dainty chestnut/ grey filly Palmyra(the front cover girl) in June by the 2011 Crabbet stallion Champion Klinta Sultan. He carries Crabbet lines now very rare in the UK and Palmyra is his only foal to date. Gadebrook foals are handled and socialised from birth and love meeting the dozens of visitors from all over the world who come to the stud every year for Open Days, Reunions and stud tours. For my part, I try to support my horses wherever they are competing in the world. I attend the WAHO

Hachim daughter, Magic Fire (Nishtar /Jubilee Star) at the 80km Three Rivers Ride in September 2010

Silver Sunbeam (Binley Prince Salim x Silver Heart)Photo credit Laura Vanderloo

conferences (Syria, Oman and Qatar), am Pure Crabbet stallion Klinta Sultan (Shabakka x Star Solitaire) sire of Palma on the Council of the Arab Horse Society Benay’s 2011 foal Photo credit Alexia Ross in Britain, and am the vice chair of the AHS Premium Performance Scheme, as I very much support ridden Arabs and their achievements. I now breed only three or four foals a year, and bring them on slowly for later ridden performance competition as I don’t show in hand. To the Bedouin, purity has been paramount. As breeders of hardy horses in an inhospitable climate, they kept only those proven lines with the attributes we admire today. How lucky we Crabbet breeders are that Wilfrid Scawen and Lady Anne Blunt searched so diligently and for so long throughout the Near East and Egypt to bring back some remarkable horses as the basis for their Arab stud. Along with many others, I still benefit from their lines today 

Gadebrook’s Binley Prince Salim ridden by Susan Hawes, at the 2010 Moonbeam ride Photo credit Colin Allison AHS Premium mare Jazmyn (Kasadi x Sophy) 93% Crabbet, with 2010 Sambist filly Mandarine

Click here for Photograph gallery more pictures on next page 43

Crabbet Arabian World

Top Arab race horse and AHS Premium racing sire Sambist is the senior stallion at Gadebrook Photo credit Judith Ratcliff

Centre Sambist yearling fillies Wahiba (chestnut), Samska (grey)+ Kallista (bay) at Gadebrook May 2011 Photo credit Laura Vanderloo Below 6-year old Rhapsody in Blue (Shaded Silver x Summertime Blues by Indian Idyll) owned /bred by Gadebrook - 100% Crabbet Photo credit Stuart Godwin

Do you know what the symbols that are a suffix on the names of US Arabian show horses mean? I did not until I received these two pages of information which I thought I would share with you all.

AHS Horse Achievement Awards The Arabian Horse Association established the Horse Achievement Program to recognise outstanding horses. The awards are presented to horses that have achieved outstanding records for Halter or Performance, Competitive Trail, Endurance Riding or Racing. Thousands of horses compete in a variety of disciplines every year, but few reach the levels that warrant receiving the prestigious Achievement Awards. LEGION OF HONOR “+” (EST.1980) Arabians – 75 points Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 60 points Any combination of IAHA recognised events allowed LEGION OF MERIT “++” (EST. 1965) Arabians – 75 points, with a minimum of 30 in breeding/in-hand and 30 in performance Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 60 points, with a minimum of 25 in breeding/in-hand and 25 in performance LEGION OF SUPREME HONOR “+/” (EST. 1980) Arabians – 150 points Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 120 points Any combination of IAHA recognised events allowed LEGION OF SUPREME MERIT “+++” (EST. 1980) Arabians – 150 points, with a minimum of 60 in breeding/in-hand and 60 in performance Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 120 points, with a minimum of 50 in breeding/in-hand and 50 in performance LEGION OF EXCELLENCE “+//” (EST. 1992) Arabians – 300 points Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 240 points Requires one national top ten or better and one regional top five or better or two national top tens or better Any combination of IAHA recognised events allowed LEGION OF MASTERS “++++” (EST. 1992) Arabians – 300 points, with a minimum of 120 in breeding/in-hand and 120 in performance Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabians – 240 points, with a minimum of 100 in breeding/in-hand and 100 in performance Requires one regional top five or better or national top ten or better in breeding/in-hand and one regional top five or better or national top ten or better in performance. One win must be at the national level THE FOLLOWING SYMBOL LEVELS REPRESENT COMBINATIONS OF THE ABOVE LEVELS – NO ADDITIONAL PLAQUES ARE AWARDED FOR THESE SYMBOL LEVELS LEGION OF SUPREME HONOR and LEGION OF MERIT “++/” LEGION OF SUPREME HONOR and LEGION OF SUPREME MERIT “+++/” LEGION OF MERIT and LEGION OF EXCELLENCE “++//” LEGION OF SUPREME MERIT and LEGION OF EXCELLENCE “+++//” LEGION OF MASTERS and LEGION OF SUPREME HONOR “++++/” LEGION OF MASTERS and LEGION OF EXCELLENCE “++++//” 45

Crabbet Arabian World Amateur Achievement Awards Established in 2002. For all enrolled amateurs and youth competing in AHA-recognised shows and distance rides on registered Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses. Those who accumulate points may earn the following awards:

For Showmanship, breeding or in-hand classes: HANDLER OF HONOUR CHAMPION 75 or more points HANDLER OF SUPREME HONOR CHAMPION 150 or more points HANDLER OF EXCELLENCE CHAMPION 300 or more points Requires two quality achievements which are a regional Top Five (or better) or a National Top Ten (or better)

For performance classes or distance rides: RIDER OF HONOR CHAMPION 75 or more points RIDER OF SUPREME HONOR CHAMPION 150 or more points RIDER OF EXCELLENCE CHAMPION 300 or more points Requires two quality achievements which are a regional Top Five (or better) or a National Top Ten (or better)

For showmanship, breeding, in-hand, performance classes and distance rides: HORSEMAN OF MERIT CHAMPION 75 or more points At least 30 of the points must have been won in Showmanship, Breeding and In-Hand classes and 30 of the points must have been won in performance classes or distance rides. HORSEMAN OF SUPREME MERIT CHAMPION 150 or more points At least 60 of the points must have been won in Showmanship, Breeding and In-Hand classes and 60 of the points must have been won in performance classes or distance rides. MASTER HORSEMAN CHAMPION 300 or more points At least 120 of the points must have been won in Showmanship, Breeding and In-Hand classes and 120 of the points must have been won in performance classes or distance rides. Requires two quality achievements which are a regional Top Five (or better) or a National Top Ten (or better). 46

the ladies of Magic Domino +=AHS+=+++//+ part 2++++++ By Arlene Magid

*Magic Domino AHS+++// stands alone among living pure Crabbet stallions in North America. He is officially a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living Legendâ&#x20AC;? an award given in the U.S.A to only 10 Arabians once every 25 years, so a very rare honour indeed and he is the only pure Crabbet and overseas-bred horse to have been so honoured. He was Sport Horse Sire Champion against all breeds at the Sport Horse Nationals in 2009, a phenomenal feat for an Arabian stallion.Â He was the first Arabian stallion to be approved by the Canadian Sport Horse Registry. No other living pure Crabbet stallion has as a successful a show record. His honours include 4 U.S Top Ten titles in sport horse halter, a U.S National win in dressage, 10 regional dressage and sport horse show hack titles, and 5 regional titles in sport horse halter and numerous wins in open dressage competing against all breeds. *Magic Domino AHS+++// has sired 61 foals of which 27 have been successful in the show ring. 14 have regional and/or National titles, including National Championships in hunter hack, dressage, sport horse show hack, sport horse under saddle and sport horse halter and top ten titles in hunt pleasure and hunter over fences. His remarkable record as a show horse and sire is only part of his story, as his superb temperament has won the hearts of his owners and many fans. A great champion with a great heart! All special horses have human connections that made their triumphs possible. *Magic Domino AHS+++// has been blessed to have four special ladies in his life They have created him and helped him develop to his full potential as a competitor and sire. We salute all of them here: Judith Blunt-Lytton (Lady Wentworth), the breeder of his ancestors; Anne Brown of Gadebrook Stud, who bred him; Sherry Stewart, his first owner in North America; and Kim Thomason, his current owner. Finally we must acknowledge his mares and foals who are carrying on his amazing legend. You will meet many of them and their owners as well.

Crabbet Arabian World

SHERRY STEWART

The beginning of greatness

Sherry captioned this â&#x20AC;&#x153;my Arabian Breeder friends helped me get this photograph out in front of the Weeping Willows and pond at Coniagas Ranchesâ&#x20AC;? Photo credit J Campone

Sherry Stewart of British Columbia, Canada is a lifelong horsewoman. Her grandmother, Margaret Trethewey of Coniagas Ranches in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, was one of the early breeders of Arabian horses in Canada. She imported the Crabbet bred mare *Rishafieh (originally imported to America by Roger Selby) and her son Ferishal inutero to Canada. Ferishal was one of the first horses registered in the Canadian Arabian Registry-his registration number was 50! He became successful in competition against all breeds, excelling in hunter, hunter hack, jumping and dressage. Through a long show career trained and ridden by Barbara Marsden McCauley, he won consistently in open jumping left Domino and Sherry shows, open hunter, show hack, hunter hack and dressage. One Stewart out on their year he was the Western Canadian Dressage Champion for the farm Coniagas Ranches Medium test, and he placed each of the three times he was shown in front of the beautiful at the all-breed Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. He never placed lower Golden Ears Mountains in British Columbia Canada than second in local One Day Events; he won a Vancouver 3-Day 49

Crabbet Arabian World Sherry recalls: “When I was learning to ride, my grandmother’s stable of Arabians and Half-Arabians was slowly winding down. These accomplished show horses were the ones I rode growing up, and I began to show as I became more capable. Later, when I had married and returned to my grandmother’s ranch, I wanted to rekindle the Arabian presence there and decided to purchase an Arabian stallion who could be taken seriously as an open sport horse. With the interest in warmbloods as performance horses, it seemed that anything with Arabian This picture of Ferishal was the cover of the May issue of Arabian blood was not taken seriously in the Horse World in 1963 and it is take with the same backdrop, the performance ring. What I wanted to Golden Ears Mountains as the picture of *Magic Domino on do was to find a larger than average page 48 Arabian stallion and promote him to the sport horse aficionados. My event. At age 13 Ferishal competed at the search took two years. I had been sent a 1962 Pebble Beach 3-Day Event (California) copy of Arab Horse Society News by a British as a member of the San Fernando Rey team. breeder because of the article in it about At 14.3 hh he was a full hand shorter than Ferishal (there was a trophy at the British any other horse entered, the only stallion Nationals awarded in his memory, hence and the only Arabian at the event. His efforts the article), and in the back of that issue I helped his team to a Bronze medal. Ferishal found an advertisement featuring *Magic was also successful in the breeding barn. Domino. He was just two years old but the Many of his progeny, purebred and part Arabian, won in jumping, dressage and hunter, winning at the local and regional level in British Columbia. Several of his progeny were shown both as ponies and as horses, depending on the show. Fate works in mysterious ways. The connection to the predominantly Crabbet Ferishal, the great Arabian sport horse led Sherry to import the straight Crabbet *Magic Domino AHS to North America. Not only did Sherry have a family connection to him, but an article on him in an issue of the British Arab Horse Society News magazine enabled her to find *Magic Domino AHS, who was featured in a promotional advertisement in the same issue. 50

*Rishafieh (Jeruan x Rishafa) imported to the USA by Roger Selby before going to Conigas ranch with her son Ferishal.

photo showed him to be big, bold and substantial-the horse I had sought.” As Anne Brown recounted, Sherry went to see *Magic Domino AHS shown at the British Nationals, and afterwards she went back to the farm where he was staying to spend some private time with him. “I had to be absolutely sure about him but his temperament was as wonderful as his looks. We were fortunate to be able to put together the pod of three horses to fly him to Canada as cost was a factor for us, we had a young family of four and a very tight budget, “ comments Sherry. Once Domino was safely in his new home as a three year old, his training was started slowly with lots of groundwork and then a strong foundation of basic dressage. Marc Carter worked with him for his first three months under saddle. He was experienced with Trakehners and specialized in working with young stallions. Sherry hacked *Magic Domino AHS around the ranch and put miles of conditioning on him. Then Brenda Driedeger worked with him in his five year old year and solidified his training, readying him for his British Columbia Sport Horse competition. Her dressage background was invaluable in gaining two of his most important honours, becoming a Trakehner approved stallion and also winning high point show hack at the British Columbia Sport Horse Show against all breeds. This title was a provincial championship for all of British Columbia. *Magic Domino AHS’s 1996 Canadian Trakehner inspection notes read: “As an Arabian he is one of the best in this country in the classic Arabian type. We evaluate Arabians for their use or value in Trakehner breeding. Remarkable in his powerful movement, especially in canter, good stallion expression and type. His withers and croup show the typical Crabbet conformation… He has very good nerves and was very

*Magic Domino AHS just after he arrived in Canada

well handled. We were given the privilege of seeing him under saddle in medium dressage; very convincing.” “We also showed him in two all Arabian shows where he did quite well but I really wanted him to shine was at the British Columbia Sport Horse Show, because by beating all of the best warmblood stock that were competing in our province he made his mark and a name for himself,“ Sherry comments. “His win there increased demand for his stud services, and we were helped by Dr Juan Semper, the renowned AI expert who helped us make Domino’s semen available worldwide. I still have 30 straws of his frozen semen.” Unfortunately many of his Canadian born progeny were not registered because they were bred by people who wanted performance horses and had no plans to show at Arabian shows so their breeders felt there was no need for Arabian or half-Arabian registration. Another important distinction *Magic Domino AHS achieved in Sherry’s ownership was his Canadian Sport Horse Phase One Approved Stallion. “When he was three years old I presented him to the Canadian Sport Horse Association and he was accepted with a very strong showing. The inspections for 51

Crabbet Arabian World

Sherry described this as an arty shot of Domino

entry into this registry are very stringent. Stallions must be at least 16 hands tall, have 8 inch or larger cannon bones, possess a good temperament and exhibit conformation that enable the horse to be ‘built to last.’ He was the highest scoring horse at the inspection. Two years later they informed me that he would need to pass his performance testing to be accepted permanently into the Canadian Sport Horse Registry. This was a new ruling and came as a surprise to the owners of a number of young stallions. When I sold Domino to the States I hoped that Kim would achieve his performance qualification so he would have permanent status. She did this with his competition in dressage so he is now a permanent Canadian Sport Horse Bronze Approved Stallion,” explains Sherry.

Rivendells Arwen (*Magic Domino AHS XArablea Baylee by Wellington 11) ridden by Dr. Bri Henderson (MRCVS) in Canada Photo credit Les Norris 52

Sherry reluctantly decided to sell *Magic Domino AHS as she knew he could achieve far more with the right owner in the U.S.A. “Many Canadians take their top sport horses to the U.S.A. to compete but with a young family and my obligations on the ranch that was not feasible, and I felt if he got into the right hands he would fulfil his potential in dressage and as a breeding stallion. I set the stage for Domino’s success-he did the rest, “ says Sherry. “Mark and Kim Thomason were the first people I shipped Domino semen to, they were huge fans and they have

Felarof 8 month old colt from FV Ben Farla by Farlane’s Pride +/ owned & bred by Tonya King in Canada

been able to see my dream to completion. Domino has such a great home with them. It has taken his breeder, Anne Brown, myself and the Thomasons to bring this horse to his full potential.” Sherry is back to riding now, after taking time out to get a degree and working in art history once her family was grown. She works hard doing dressage with her two beautiful Dutch Warmbloods. “I appreciate very much how Arabians were used to refine warmbloods and give us the modern dressage horse and I constantly remind people of this. I am always anxious for news of Domino and his winning progeny my time with him was a very special one in my life with horses”d

KIM THOMASON

Dreams and promises fulfilled

Kim Thomason and *Magic Domino AHS+++// looking at a horse chestnut tree in their garden which was grown from a conker brought back from Crabbet Park

Kim Thomason of Arabian Dream farm in Tennessee has loved horses as long as she can remember. “According to my mother ‘horsy’ was my third word after momma and daddy, if it had four legs I called it a horse. Where the fascination came from is a mystery because no one else in my family had anything to do with horses!” she recalls. “When I was 12 my parents decided to have me take riding lessons, possibly hoping I would get over the horsy phase of my life, little did they realize that it would further develop my obsession. My wonderful teacher was Peggy Fleming of Travelers Rests Arabians, a farm established in 1792 with the Arabian stud begun in 1930 by Peggy’s father, J. M. Dickinson, one of America’s leading early Arabian breeders. Taking lessons at Travelers Rest exposed me to Arabian horses and started my passion for Arabians. Peggy also taught me about all aspects of horsemanship and horses. My mother had to tell me to come home, otherwise I probably would not have left the barn!” Kim’s first horse, Dreambaby, was a gift from her parents on her thirteenth birthday. Dreambaby was half Quarter Horse and half Tennessee Walker. Kim bred her to an Arabian to produce her second horse, Sequoia. Her first purebred Arabian came to her in 1987, a gift from her husband Mark as a thank you for helping him get through anaesthesia school. She still has this stallion, Astragaurd AD, who is of all Travelers Rest bloodlines. 53

Crabbet Arabian World Kim’s involvement with *Magic Domino AHS+++// happened because Dr Lynn Artress, who owned Crabbet Arabians, worked with her husband Mark. Dr Artress was the final owner of the great Crabbet stallion *Silver Vanity. When he found out that the Thomasons had an Arabian stallion but no mares, he offered them mares from his own herd. Eventually they bought two mares from him, the Oran and *Silver Vanity granddaughter AF Orans Delight who is double Oran, and AF Touchof Vanity, a granddaughter of *Silver Vanity whose sire is a grandson of Indian Magic. Thus Kim had two mares whose pedigrees contained the same great stallions as *Magic Domino AHS+++//. Sport horse Nationals 2007 Virginia Horse Park. This was Domino’s Kim recalls: “We really liked what last nationals we saw in the Crabbet breeding and decided to look for a high daughter up on her Magic just turned her percentage stallion to breed to AF Touchof head and looked at her as if to check she was Vanity. I had seen an ad for Domino in all right, and then let me lead her out of the Canadian Arabian News and just couldn’t field as if she had been ridden all her life. This get him off my mind, so we contacted Sherry incident showed me what excellent minds Stewart to get semen shipped to us. Vanitys Domino contributes to his progeny before Magic AD was born in March 1996. She was I ever met him in person. When I finally did one of the easiest foals I had ever dealt with, get to meet him, it was very evident where quick to learn and also very beautiful. She her personality came from!” proved how good her temperament was Kim’s first meeting with *Magic Domino when she was 2 1/2 years old. We’d had a AHS+++// was auspicious. “We had gone severe thunderstorm and she had jumped on a skiing holiday to British Columbia in a 4 foot fence during it into a neighbour’s January 2000,” she says, “and we were near field. I had to walk through 3 foot high grass where Domino lived, so I asked Sherry if I with my then six year old daughter to get to could see him in person. Sherry was thinking her. We walked right up to Vanitys Magic and about leasing him and wanted to know put her halter on without a problem. Then if I would be interested, which of course my daughter Jennifer asked me to carry her I was. Unbeknownst to me, my husband out of the field as she was struggling to walk Mark had already talked to Sherry about through the tall grass. I told her she could buying Domino. Sherry made arrangements ride out on Magic. Magic had never even had to take Domino to a farm nearby with an a saddle on but I trusted her. When I put my 54

indoor riding arena. When I saw him for the first time, I realized that his pictures do not do him justice. I was blown away! He was absolutely beautiful. Besides the obvious things that took my breath away when I first saw him, his eyes made me feel I could see into his soul. There was an instant connection between the two of us.”

Al Murtejis colt out of a warmblood mare. Bred by HH Sheikh Siltan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi

Kim rode Domino that day, and although she was sore from skiing, which is something she does infrequently, she appreciated his athletic talent. “He has such a nice big stride, particularly at the trot, that I thought I might not be able to ride him well. When I got on to ride he was very much the gentleman. He has an easy walk, and his trot is big but very easy to sit or post. His canter is amazing to ride, it holds you in the saddle and you feel like you could ride it all day long. I have to remember to be sure to do my trot work when I ride him because I love to canter him. He has the stamina to outlast me on any given day!” Kim left Canada thinking she probably would not see *Magic Domino AHS+++// again. Mark had actually bought the horse before they left Canada, hoping to make him a surprise gift to Kim, but there were issues

with his transportation to the U.S. so Mark had to tell Kim what was happening. As it turned out, the transporter brought *Magic Domino AHS+++// to one of their locations in Lexington, Kentucky and Kim couldn’t wait three more days for his delivery to Tennessee so she drove to Kentucky herself and brought him home in April 2000. With Kim, *Magic Domino AHS +++// has had an exceptional show career both in hand and under saddle as a dressage horse, both in open and in all Arabian competition, including five U.S. National titles in sport horse halter and dressage. He earned his Bronze Premium Status with the Canadian Sport Horse Registry with his accomplishments in dressage. He has been recognized by the USDF in their All Breed awards for Arabians in dressage. He has also achieved the Legion of Supreme Merit and Legion of Excellence from the Arabian Horse Association, earning him the right to the symbols “+++//” after his name. Only 36 purebred Arabians had earned these distinctions as of 2006, out of over 600,000 eligible horses. He was chosen as the Eastern Crabbet Arabian Horse Association Horse of the Year in 2006, and in 2004 he was chosen by the Arabian Horse Owners Foundation as a “Living Legend” and invited to attend the Arabian Horse Celebration in Denver, Colorado. What makes all his achievements even more impressive was that they have been accomplished with Kim as Magic Domino ridden by “Queen” his amateur Anne in the Fancy Dress class at the rider, not 2004 Crabbet Celebration in the working with USA, led by “equerry” (owner Kim Thomason).

Crabbet Arabian World Sporthorse and the Sporthorse National (SHN) were started. Since their inception Domino and his progeny have been shown at the SHN when they were on the east coast. When the SHN were on the west coast several of his progeny were present to represent flawlessly his talent as a sporthorse sire.

Mark Thomason watches the inspection of Domino for the sports horse register A.R.A.B.S. in 2001

a trainer. She says of him: “Domino has been a wonderful teacher. We have had to learn things to get here rather than having someone who knows what they are doing teach one of us first. He gets the idea quicker than I do and then gently requires I learn to do it right. He has always been a kind teacher.” In 2001there were several noted stallions from the south that were inspected for the then new A.R.A.B.S.(American Registry of American Sporthorses.) Like all of the other inspections, Canadian Sporthorse and the Canadian Trakehner. Domino amazed the visiting judges with his size ,calm manner and conformation. His walk trot and canter were “powerful, ground covering and exciting”.He was awarded The status of a Premium A.R.A.B.S. Sire and Sporthorse. Several years latter the ARABS folded but at the same time the AHA started to realize that we needed to have a separate Nationals to show off the Arabian breed. So the all around 56

Perhaps Kim’s most treasured memory is of *Magic Domino AHS+++//’s Living Legend presentation in 2004. It enabled her to meet his breeder, Anne Brown, who also helped Kim get him to Colorado. “According to the program, Arabian Horse Owners Foundation ‘Living Legends’ have been selected for their contributions to the Arabian horse in America. They may be stallions, geldings, or mares. They are recognized for their importance in many fields of Arabian endeavour,” Kim explains. “The award is made only once every 25 years and Domino’s nomination was a complete surprise to us. We did not know anything about it until we were notified of the wonderful honour. Only 10 horses had been selected from over 650,000 registered purebred Arabians. ” Kim was very concerned about driving to Denver from Tennessee all by herself, as it was 2 day drive. Kim had been in touch with Anne Brown and she had already made plans to be in the U.S. Around the time of the Celebration and kindly changed her plans to arrive earlier so she could accompany Kim on the trip as Mark could not take that much time off work. Kim remembers: “We have a four horse trailer and Domino had 3 sections to himself. He had better accommodations than we did I think! He did very well on the trip as long as he got his horse cookies and orange Gatorade, his favourite treats. The Living Legend ceremony was a new experience for us. It began in the small warm up arena, where we warmed up with a 4 horse carriage going around us, horses in full Arabian

Kim & Domino at the Sportshorse Nationals 57

Crabbet Arabian World and the Thomasons and I exchanged gifts. I received a shirt with the logo MAGIC DOMINO LIVING LEGEND emblazoned on it that I still wear on special occasions. It was a treat to see the now pure white Domino again, I had last seen him when he was still dapple grey, in Canada. How he enjoyed life in the steamy heat of Tennessee, galloping round the lake in his paddock and whinnying to his mares and foals in the adjacent fields. Domino full sisters at Arabian Dream Farm Pleasant Surprise AD and Legacy AD from Antha Cantada by Ansata el Reyhan++ Perhaps fearing that a Brit might accidentally take her costume, the Denver Broncos mascot horse vehicle and precious cargo to the ‘wrong side Thunder with his huge American flag, and of the road’, Kim insisted on driving the 1,400 several horses jumping in the middle of the miles herself over three days while I fed her ring. Loads of distractions but Domino took delicious cherries and brownies made by her it all in stride as usual. In the arena we rode then teenage daughter Jennifer. We stopped under a spotlight for the first time with a big in Missouri at the farm of Laurie Weichelt audience and lots of applause. Domino took for Domino to stretch his legs and have a care of me as usual and performed perfectly. good roll on the lawn while we had lunch. When we were not in the ring he quickly Back on board, the miles rolled by, through gained a following, especially the children Kansas, Kansas, and yet more Kansas. At each who petted him and talked to him-he had fuel stop, Kim let down Domino’s grill and his own ‘groupies’! “ he stretched his head out to sniff the new Anne Brown also has fond memories of environment. He greeted many fans at our the occasion. “I arrived at Arabian Dreams rest stops, ever the gentleman with his heartFarm to be greeted by a huge WELCOME melting eyes.” banner that Mark had hung over the barn, Anne continues “Over the three days of the Extravaganza, the public came in two sessions, one in the afternoon and another in the evening. Six of the 10 Living Legends attended, including the Denver Broncos mascot horse Thunder, Pejcek, the Polish bred racehorse, bridle-less dressage horse Al-Marah Quebec, Amurath Czorteba (all of whose foals were champions), and Remington Steele++, the excellent endurance horse and the only U.S. Top Ten Sonia Rhodes of Serendipity Farms with her son John Stallion to complete the Tevis Cup ride. I felt sitting on Magic *Domino AHS +++// during a visit such pride seeing my ‘baby’ Domino having to Arabian Dream Farm

the Living Legend garland secured around his neck. Everyone wanted to meet Domino after his presentation and his stall area was always full of people proffering treats for him. Mark was able to fly in for the weekend so the party was complete. Through it all, Domino remained calm and gracious.â&#x20AC;? *Magic Domino AHS+++//â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s achievements in the breeding barn equal his show ring accomplishments. He has 61 registered get, 27 of whom have show records in Arabian competition (and as Sherry Stewart explained, there are likely a number of unpapered offspring excelling in the open show world as well). In 2009, he was named Sport Horse Payback Sire of the Year over 400 stallions enrolled in the program. In that year 6 of his get won Sport Horse National titles, and a total of 9 of his get are National winners:

BT Sihr Manam gelding at 3 months dam is PWA Sweet Dream by AM Dreamy Smile ownered by Sarah Richardson of Rhode Island

Dominique++ U.S. Top Ten Half-Arabian Hunter JTR and Hunt Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Watch Me UF+// 12 National titles in dressage, sport horse under saddle, hunter and sport horse show hack including U.S. Reserve National Champion Half-Arabian Sport Horse Show Hack Angels Legacy+++// 7 National titles including Half-Arabian Sport Horse Mare In Hand, Sport Horse Show Hack and U.S. Reserve National Champion Half-Arabian Second Level Dressage (note: she is an Anglo-Arabian)

Anne Brown visiting the Domino pure Crabbet daughter SSA Dreams Magic PC & her filly foal SSA Kadets Magic PC at SunSet Arabians in Virginia

KF Almaz++// 15 National titles including Canadian National Champion Half-Arabian Sport Horse Show Hack and Sport Horse Under Saddle, Canadian Reserve National Champion Third Level Dressage and U.S. National Champion Third Level Dressage Magic Enchantress AD+++/ U.S. Top Ten Half-Arabian Sport Horse Jackpot Filly, Sport Horse Mare in Hand and Sport Horse Mare in Hand ATH and six regional championships at the 2011 Region 7 Show in dressage, sport

Al Murtejis colt age 2 out of a wasrmblood mare. Breed by frozen straws for HH Sheikh Siltan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi 59

Crabbet Arabian World ideal standard. I actually met Silk during a trip to Mark and Kim’s farm to look at horses for my daughter. I know people say that some horses pick their owners, and that could not be more true of Silk. We had an instant connection, and her look was the horse that I dreamed of. Sadly, I was not in the position at that time to have a horse, so I had to leave Tennessee without her. Last year, I finally after many years was in the position to have my own horse and without a doubt I knew Kim riding Vanitys Magic AD (*Magic Domino AHS +++// AF Touchof Magic by which horse I wanted. Last AF Royal Touch) Photo credit Bob Tarr summer, I finally brought horse under saddle and sport horse show my Silk home. Silk is a very hack sweet and loving girl. She is always the first to the fence when people come to visit. She Magic Schonmadchen AD U.S. Reserve is extremely gentle and takes treats out of National Champion Half-Arabian Sport Horse your hand with the utmost care. She is also Jackpot Filly very curious and is the first one to check things out when something has moved Magic Delight AD U.S. Top Ten Sport Horse inside of the barn or strangers come to visit Jackpot Filly the farm. Silk is very intelligent and seems to Irresistible Magic U.S. Top Ten Half-Arabian learn quickly. She is always willing to please. “ Sport Horse Jackpot Filly Lynda’s daughter Heather also owns a Magic Silk AD U.S. Top Ten Sport Horse *Magic Domino AHS+++// daughter, Magic Jackpot Filly Delight AD. She is as thrilled as her mother with her choice: *Magic Domino was my Owners of *Magic Domino AHS+++// get dream stallion for years before I owned her. report they have superb temperaments and My wish was to someday find my gelding’s great natural talent. Lynda Nyski, who owns long lost full sister and bred her to Domino. Magic Silk AD, says of her: “ I have dreamed I lost my gelding in a tragic fence accident, of owning my own Arabian for years, and and I never could locate his sister. As they say last year I was able to finally fulfill that dream when door closes, another opens. We (my with the acquisition of Magic Silk. I have mom and I) contacted Kim and we decided attended Arabian shows for over 30 years to look at some of the Domino babies and during that time of studying many she had for sale. My search for my dream different horses, I compiled what my ideal horse ended quickly when I saw Delight. I Arabian would be. Magic Silk has met my 60

saw everything I wanted as a show horse, prospective broodmare, and friend in that little filly. My dream of having a Domino baby came true!! As far as Delight’s personality... She reminds me of the description of the “war mares” of the Bedouin tribes. She is an extremely brave girl, and has been that way since I got her as a yearling. When she arrived here, she left her foal mates in TN to be kept in private turnout here. Being on her own as a yearling did not even phase her. She is just Madeline Weston-Miles riding Watch Me UF+// a very successful Dressage gelding by very independent like that. *Magic Domino AHS +++// She is definitely the horse that happy and ready to perform when he is proves that not all Arabians are skittish and needed. He always greats me by whinnying hot. She is extremely calm and intelligent. and running up to the stall to meet me when You can tell that she thinks before she acts. I have come to the barn, in which he gives For example, when she was two years old me a lil nose push and licks me palms. He has she got cast in her stall and managed to get a very corky, sweet, and loving personality. her hoof completely stuck between two bars Everyone who meets him, usually goes on on the stall. Instead of trashing about to free and on about what a beautiful horse he is, herself, she calmly waited for help. She did what kind of horse he is, and what a great not even try to stir as her rescuers smashed personality he has. Ollie has shown me the bars with the backside of an ax to free what it is like to succeed in show world and her hoof. Her good mind is what saved her what its like to have a horse that trusts you from breaking her leg that night. Delight is completely and will always love you. “ also extremely loyal and loving. “ Noted sport horse trainer Jackie Alkin owns Madeleine Weston-Miles owns *Magic the Half-Arabian mare Angels Legacy+++// Domino AHS+++//’s top-winning son, Watch and trains both her and the National winning Me UF+//. She recounts: “Watch Me UF or as Magic Enchantress AD+++/ for owner Diann I like to call him “Ollie” is by the far the most Wuttke. incredible horse I have ever owned. As soon The fact that *Magic Domino AHS +++// as he steps into the show arena his name is pure Crabbet had been mentioned speaks for its self, because he loves showing frequently but unfortunately there are very off in front of people and for other horses. few pure Crabbet progeny. When Anne He has always had a very competitive Brown was visiting Domino in 2004 she and seriousness about being in the show travelled up to Green Bay Virginia to visit arena. At home I could either practice one the Garafalos’ at SunSet Arabians and met of the 4th level dressage tests, hop on him the Domino daughter SSA Dreams Magic bareback, or take him out on the trail. He PC and her pure Crabbet foal SSA Kadets has a great relaxed personality but is always Magic PC. This Domino mare has produced 61

Crabbet Arabian World showed her in training level again. She won a Regional Top Five again and was again high point open champion for Dressage at Niagara. She has been competed in limited distance competitions regularly and in May of this year was first in a set speed ride. Arwen is not only a beautful horse, but is athletic and very sensible. She will take anyone down the trail in a very calm, noncompetitive fashion and then turn around and be powerful and focused at competition. “A great all ‘round mare!! Thank you Domino”

Magic Silk AD treasured filly owned by Lynda Niski her dam is HA Lehazon by Garnizon

PC and her pure Crabbet foal SSA Kadets Magic PC. This Domino mare has produced 3 filly foals all by the imported pure Crabbet stallion*Dandaloo Kadet. Janet Henderson a licensed horse show judge in the following divisions, Arabian, Dressage, Hunter, Jumper. Hunt seat equitation. Hack/Saddle seat equitation. Competitive trail and Endurance. Janet is also certified equine appraiser and a freelance coach using the strong basics of dressage to improve the riders performance and horses confidence. Janet and her husband own and farm Rivendell Farm in Ontario, their breeding program and farms’ competition success is based on the strength of the Crabbet Arabian horse. “The Domino daughter Rivendell Arwen is now 9 years old. She was started a bit late no fault of hers but we sold our established facility when she was 4 and started with an acreage and all new buildings. She has competed in dressage and long distance. She was shown in dressage by my daughter in 2009. She was Top Five (3rd) at Region 18 Championships in Training Level, and won the Dressage Niagara year-end high point award for the open shows. In 2010, my working student 62

Kim Thomason has owned *Magic Domino+++// for 11 years now, and she is even more enthusiastic about him now as she was when she brought him home. “It is difficult to put into words what Domino has truly meant to me and how I feel about him. I know some people give me the credit but it really is Domino who deserves it all. I am a good rider but I am by no means an exceptional one. Before Domino came into my life I had never ridden above first level dressage, and I did not start riding dressage till I was 30. Domino along with some very patient instructors helped mainly me to get a little bit better. Believe me, Domino has patience and a heart of gold to put up with me trying to learn dressage! Had Domino had a rider with more experience I have no doubt that he would have gone much farther than I have been able to take him. A professional has not showed him since we have owned him. The journey has been ours to get here and what a ride it has been. If I am very lucky maybe, just maybe, I will have another horse one day with a connection just a little bit like the one I have with Domino, though I do not see how that could be possible. Domino is a once in a lifetime little girl’s dream come true. The reality of Domino is more than I could ever have dreamed or imagined possible thanks to Domino and to Mark, who gave him to me. So you see, dreams really can come true”  Click here for photograph gallery

The very successful Magic Enchantress AD+++/ ridden by Jackie Alkin doing a victory lap after winning the Region 7 Sport Horse Show Hack class photo credit Equine Photograph by Suzanne Below Jackie on her own Angels Legacy+++// (*Magic Domino AHS +++// xVagabonds Angel +/ by *Vagabond of Yeomans) Photo credit Osteen Schatzberg Read more about Jackie in the next edition Above

Crabbet Arabian World

Enteroliths a growing concern Dr. John Kohnke BVSc RDA Horse and pony owners often freak out when they hear about a friend’s horse, or even worse still, have one of their own horses or ponies diagnosed with stones, or a single large stone, which is blocking its bowel. An enterolith (combination of the Greek words ‘entero’ for intestine and ‘lith’ for stone), is the name given to a rock-like accumulation of mineral deposits which forms in the lower digestive tract of horses. Historically, they were referred to as ‘calculi’ because of their calcium content, or ‘bazoars’ and were first described in veterinary manuals in the early 1800s. They can take months or years to develop to a size which can obstruct the bowel causing colic. Luckily, enteroliths are not common, with probably less than 1 in 50,000 horses or ponies building up an obstructive ‘rock’ or ’stone’ in the bowel to a size which blocks the bowel and requires surgical removal. Small enteroliths can be dislodged by the food mass and pass through the bowels without causing an obstruction. However, if you are unlucky enough for one or more to develop in your horse or pony, then you should be aware of the possible reasons why researchers think they form in some horses, but not in others grazing or sharing the same pastures or feeds.

Incidence In many cases, enteroliths are found in horses in prescribed areas, such as in California and neighbouring states in the USA, certain parts of the UK and Europe and in the western districts of Queensland and New South Wales, northern Victoria and southern Western Australia. They have been commonly reported in horses in Tahiti as a specific geographical area. The incidence has been increasing over the last 3 decades, partly due to better diagnostic techniques. In Australia, the recent drought conditions appear to have increased the reports of enteroliths in higher risk areas. The incidence appears to be related to the soil mineral content, the types of feed fed to horses and dry or drought conditions, particularly in confined horses with little access to grazing. The incidence peaks between 5-15 years of age and it is more common in mares compared to geldings or stallions.

Formation of Enteroliths

The chemical analysis of enterolith ‘stones’ indicate that most are primarily composed of a ‘struvite’, which is a magnesium-phosphate-ammonium complex, that can build up in the lower parts of the digestive tract. They can also contain calcium, iron complexes and aluminium depending on the soil and water content of these minerals in the grazing area. They start to form around a ‘nidus’ or small foreign body ingested with food, such as a piece of wood, small stone, or baling twine, in much the same way that a grain of sand irritates an oyster to form a pearl. Starting as small stone-like deposits, they build up in concentric rings from concretions passed out of the bowel wall which combine with minerals in the feed or water. A horse can develop multiple small enteroliths, or a single large one, with the largest reported on post mortem at around 1 metre long and weighing 7kg. The average size which can cause bowel blockage in a horse ranges from 5-7cm in diameter to larger stones. In many cases, small enteroliths are found in the droppings when manure is cleaned out of stables or in manure heaps in the paddock as they are eroded away by rain or dung beetles. If a particular horse can be linked to the enterolith, a check on its diet should be carried out to find a possible reason for the formation of the struvite concretion. Humans can also develop enteroliths in the large bowel or diverticulum area and this is commonly associated with medication with magnesium oxide and perhaps bran, taken on a daily basis as a laxative.

Dietary Causes

Although the composition of most enteroliths is similar, with over 90% being struvite concretions reflecting a diet high in magnesium, phosphorus and protein contained in feed, some can be attributed to ‘hard’ dam or bore water high in magnesium, calcium and iron. Diets based primarily on lucerne hay or containing a high proportion of bran in the hard feed of stabled horses have been shown to be the most likely causes of enterolith formation. Lucerne can contribute the

area. They start to form around a ‘nidus’ or small foreign body ingested with food, such as a piece of wood, small stone, or baling twine, in much the same way that a grain of sand irritates an oyster to form a pearl. Starting as small stone-like deposits, they build up in concentric rings from concretions passed out of the bowel wall which combine with minerals in the feed or water. A horse can develop multiple small enteroliths, or a single large one, with the largest reported on post mortem at around 1 metre long and weighing 7kg. The average size which can cause bowel blockage in a horse ranges from 5-7cm in diameter to larger stones. In many cases, small enteroliths are found in the droppings when manure is cleaned out of stables or in manure heaps in the paddock as they are eroded away by rain or dung beetles. If a particular horse can be linked to the enterolith, a check on its diet should be carried out to find a possible reason for the formation of the struvite concretion. Humans can also develop enteroliths in the large bowel or diverticulum area and this is commonly associated with medication with magnesium oxide and perhaps bran, taken on a daily basis as a laxative.

Symptoms

There are few direct symptoms which can be linked to enterolith formation, although as the size of the ‘stone’ increases as the concretion accumulates in the large colon, symptoms of colic associated with partial obstruction or blockage of the small colon as the enterolith mass is pushed back by the digestive contents become more likely. The earliest signs are a low grade persistent colic which can be caused by intestinal pain for several days, combined with depression and a loss of appetite. As the blockage develops, they pass small amounts of manure coated with mucus which can indicate irritation of the small colon. Mucus covered droppings can also be a sign of heavy worm burdens, especially with tapeworms and pinworms, or dehydration in a heavy working horse where hind gut reserves of water are diminished due to sweat loss. The flank can develop a ‘bloated’ appearance as the large bowel expands due to gas build up behind (ie anterior or forward to) the site of the obstruction. In some cases, small enteroliths up to the size of a tennis ball or manure ball, are passed in the droppings without any signs of obstruction or colic.

Diagnosis

Although the tell-tale signs described can raise suspicion that an enterolith is the cause of a low grade persistent ‘gassy’ colic in a horse, in the absence of a change of feed, the diagnosis is usually

based on a rectal examination. However, in most cases, the enterolith is usually positioned too low down and forward for manual confirmation by your vet. Abdominal X-rays and ultrasound scans may help locate and confirm the ‘stone’ in smaller horses and ponies. If radiographs are being used to locate a possible enterolith in a mini or pony, it is helpful to withdraw feed for 24-36 hours to reduce intestinal bulk to enable the X-ray beam to penetrate the bowels so as to outline the concretion. In most cases, exploratory surgery to determine the cause of the colic, such as a twisted bowel or an intestinal ‘flip’, may be the only way to diagnose and remove an enterolith as a cause of the ‘colicy’ signs. More research is needed, considering that the incidence of enteroliths appears to be increasing, to develop non-invasive methods of confirming a bowel obstruction caused by an enterolith. The most successful treatment is to surgically remove the obstructive enterolith from the large intestine. The success rate depends on the overall health of the horse and its fitness to overcome the surgery. In a healthy middle aged horse with no surgical complications, a survival rate of over 90% can be expected with today’s surgical techniques and fluid therapy. However, the surgery is expensive and aftercare time consuming as is the case in most colic surgery. In a case where the enterolith is large and the horse has been suffering bouts of colic for a few days, or is dehydrated and in poor physical condition as a result of repeated blockages and is not eating or drinking, then the risk of complications due to bowel damage, rupture, infection, peritonitis and breakdown of the surgical sutures are increased and may have a poor prognosis.

Did You Know That... The incidence of enteroliths appears to be highest in Arabians, with a study showing that up to 40% of the cases in California USA were in Arabians and their crosses. Other breeds which appear to have a high incidence include Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, Morgans and miniature horses. They have also been reported in Zebras in zoos. Surveys have linked a genetic risk in some bloodlines of horses, with Arabian siblings in a family group having the highest risk related to bloodline incidence, with a study at the University of California (UC Davis), reporting that 8.4% of affected horses had siblings with a history of enterolith formation. Very few cases have been reported in Warmbloods, but this may be due to their lower, but increasing numbers, in the horse population. 65

Crabbet Arabian World Handy Hint: Dolomite and Enterolith Formation

There may be a link between enterolith formation and the supplementation of large amounts of dolomite, a siliconised dolomitic sand, as a calcium supplement. Dolomite contains roughly 80% calcium carbonate (limestone) (23% calcium) and 20% magnesium carbonate (12% magnesium) which, because they are alkaline, are poorly absorbed forms of calcium and magnesium and they also compete for absorption sites in the small intestine. It is estimated that the true availability of magnesium in inorganic form in dolomite is 3%, leaving a large amount of free magnesium to pass into the large bowel with the digestive mass. Because it is insoluble and alkaline in the bowel, it is possible that it precipitates out and provides the minerals required for struvite formation, especially in horses also being given bran (phosphorus) and a high protein or lucerne based diet (ammonia, magnesium and calcium). In fact, because of the poor availability and alkalinity of dolomite minerals as a calcium source, it is generally considered to not be an effective way of correcting a low or inadequate intake of calcium or magnesium in the diet of horses.

Handy Hint: Advanced Signs of an Enterolith Obstruction Some horses become very lethargic, pass very few watery droppings and may become ‘cranky’ or agitated when handled and spend a lot of time lying down with their head turned towards the flanks. Others are reluctant to be ridden downhill or jump in training. They may be found facing downhill when standing in a paddock. If an enterolith has developed to an obstructive size, or is displaced from the lower area of the large colon as a horse rolls, a severe colic with bloated flanks is a sign that an enterolith is blocking the small colon and you should seek immediate advice from your vet. It is highly likely that the prolonged severe colic may end up rupturing the large intestine, which is invariably fatal.

Handy Hint: Apple Cider Vinegar to Prevent Enterolith Formation Surveys overseas suggest that feeding at least 50mL of apple cider vinegar per 100kg body weight daily, split between 2 feeds, may help to raise hindgut pH and reduce the risk of mineral precipitation and concretion formation in stabled horses. Although apple cider vinegar has little other nutritional value, it may be a useful preventative in susceptible horses. More controlled research is needed. 66

Handy Hint: Use Psyllium as a Routine Laxative

A regular dose of psyllium husk at 70-100g per 100kg body weight on 2 consecutive days at monthly intervals, mixed into rough cut cereal chaff or sunflower hulls (or a commercial feed based on sunflower hulls) to improve its’ dredging’ effect, may be worthwhile to minimise ‘nidus’ formation and carry small enteroliths through the bowels into the droppings. The mixture of pysllium husks and a course roughage or oat husks/sunflower hulls will also facilitate the cleansing of sand from the large bowel in horses grazing drought pastures or on sandy soils. Sand accumulated in the large bowel can slow down bowel movement and the digestive mass and may, in fact, facilitate the formation of enteroliths in susceptible horses.

Handy Hint: Monitor Arabians for Signs of Enteroliths Arabian horses and their crosses appear to have a higher incidence of enterolith formation with female horses having almost twice the risk as compared to their male or gelded counterparts. In Arabians, it is therefore important to adopt many of the above preventative measures as a way of minimising the risk of enteroliths. When cleaning up droppings in stables and yards, check for small enteroliths and identify any individual horses passing ‘stones’ to ensure that preventative measures are incorporated into the feeding management.

Management to Prevent Enteroliths There are several feeding and management recommendations which can significantly reduce the risk of enterolith formation in all horses and particularly in susceptible horses due to their breed or bloodline. Restrict the feeding of lucerne hay to no more than 50% in weight of the total daily feed. Although there is no harm in feeding lucerne as a roughage as it is a good source of calcium, magnesium and protein and can help to balance a grass or grain based diet, excess amounts can facilitate the mineral precipitation in the increased alkaline environment of the large bowel. It is best to provide a hay supplement of grassy or cereal hay with lucerne in a 50:50 ratio. However, be mindful of the higher sugar content of grassy hay and the risk it poses to ponies and horses with a history of Equine Metabolic Syndrome and insulin-induced laminitis and founder. In this case, it would be best to soak the lucerne hay to remove some of the soluble calcium and magnesium mineral content, as well as grass hay, to leach out excess sugars, especially from ryegrass hay.

Avoid feeding more than 5% of the diet by weight of bran, or approximately 500g (1 litre) to a 500kg horse and less to a pony or miniature. This will help reduce the phosphorus content in the large bowel. It is best to eliminate bran from the diet in susceptible horses or those with a history of passing small enteroliths or having had colic due to enterolith blockage. Soaked beet pulp would be a suitable alternative in this case as a way of keeping the droppings normal in texture. In a working horse, increase the grain to hay ratio in the diet which will increase the acidic content of the large bowel as the starches are fermented and reduce the likelihood of mineral salt precipitation and formation of a concretion in the large bowel. Access to grazing is important for the water content of pasture and exercise which can reduce the likelihood of enterolith formation. The risk is usually higher in stabled horse, or horses and ponies confined to small yards and fed on hay and chaff based diets with little regular daily exercise or training. Avoid feeding dolomite as a calcium supplement in amounts larger than 5g per 100kg body weight per day as it is poorly absorbed and may add to the mineral concretion. In horses on lucerne based diets, the availability of calcium (as organic calcium) is much higher compared to dolomite (as mineral inorganic calcium). Ensure that the horse’s teeth are checked regularly to minimise the risk of large food particles acting as a ‘nidus ‘for enterolith formation and improve the overall efficiency of digestion. In horses confined to yards, rake up small pieces of wood, stones etc to prevent them being ingested as the horse fossicks for food morsels and strands of hay. Feed hay and hard food in bins, such as recycled tyre feeders or large deep tubs to reduce spillage and waste. If a horse only has access to mineralised bore or dam water as a source of drinking water, diluting it 50-50 with rain water, town water or filtered water, may help reduce the risk of mineral overload and the risk of concretions forming in the large bowel. If a horse undergoes surgery to remove an obstructive enterolith, then management to reduce the risk of ‘stone’ formation is essential, as often the lumen or diameter of the large bowel, especially the smaller descending colon, can be restricted by fibrous tissue and allow any future enteroliths to be trapped at the site of the surgical incision.

Peritonitis-What is it?

The peritoneum is the thin lining membrane which covers all the internal organs within the abdominal cavity. Peritonitis is the name given to describe the swelling and inflammation of this membrane. In fact, in surface area, the peritoneum is equal to approximately 50% of the total of a horse’s body surface area, but is internal as it protects and covers the internal abdominal organs. Therefore, this huge surface area can produce large volumes of fluid and exudates within the gut cavity if it becomes inflamed. The peritoneal cavity can also be used as a route to administer injectable medicines and fluid therapy as it has a slow uptake and wide distribution within the body. Unfortunately, peritonitis has a high incidence in horses following colic, infection or a severe digestive or inflammatory crisis, even as complication of acute laminitis. Causes of Peritonitis The most common cause is infection by bacteria and other microbes, which is usually secondary to inflammation within the bowels, organs or other area of the body. The most common trigger is devitalisation of the bowel wall as a result of bruising, worm larvae penetration and full thickness perforation of an ulcer within the stomach or bowel wall. It is often associated with colic where expansion of the bowel wall due to gas ballooning, loss of blood supply due to worm migration, or impaction of a bowel segment results in devitalisation of the bowel wall. Leakage of digestive bacteria into the peritoneal cavity and a rapid inflammatory response within the peritoneum lead to the development of peritonitis. In the gelding operation, the peritoneum is opened to the outside and risks becoming infected through the castration wound. Rectal and vaginal tears at foaling can lead to peritonitis as well as retained meconium in day old foals if the rectum is bruised or torn by attempts to remove the hard meconium. Peritonitis is also a common complication following strangulation colic, gastric and duodenal ulceration, sand accumulation in the large intestine and severe mixed bacterial infections and septicaemia which can form abscesses in the peritoneum or other organs. Even a severe kick to the barrel by another horse can bruise and devitalise the peritoneum lining of the internal abdominal wall and result in peritonitis. Peritonitis of any type is a potential cause of many other severe internal complications and prompt diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian is essential.

Crabbet Arabian World Classification of Peritonitis

Peritonitis is classified relative to its severity.

Acute diffuse peritonitis is usually caused by a number of open lesions within the gut cavity, with toxaemia and septicaemia from bacterial infections causing widespread devitalisation of the bowel wall and leakage of bacteria into the peritoneal cavity, which causes the peritoneum to rapidly inflame in response to the invasion. Large volumes of exudates and inflammatory fluid accumulate, increasing abdominal pressure and the spread of devitalisation to other internal organs as their blood supply is hampered by the internal abdominal pressure. This causes severe colic pain and can be fatal within hours if not recognised and treated promptly. Usually the horse has a high temperature, severe colic and distress within hours of this general toxaemia or septicaemia. Circulatory shock as a result of large volumes of fluid loss from the circulation and dehydration often complicate recovery. Acute Local Peritonitis occurs where the extent

of the internal damage or infection, say from a worm larval path and minimal gut bacterial leakage in a localised area, develops with inflammation and pain in a particular spot where the peritonitis has developed. The horse may have a slightly raised temperature and vague signs of colic, not eating and depression. Normally a needle drain is used to check for fluid exudates collected within the abdominal cavity.

Chronic Local Peritonitis is often a result of a

low grade intestinal leak, stomach ulcer or bowel perforation or parasitic damage within the gut wall where the body’s immune system, such as in an aged horse, is not strong enough due to other chronic disease or infection, to isolate or ‘wall off’ the inflamed area of peritonitis and control the infection. Often adhesions develop which can cause discomfort during exercise and reduce bowel motility and lumen size due to fibrous strangulation, with risk of repeated episodes of impaction colic.

Treatment and Management

Because of the large surface area and the difficulty of draining infection within the peritoneal cavity and the risk of damage to other internal organs, the diagnosis of peritonitis and prompt treatment to reduce ongoing internal devitalisation is

paramount to recovery. Intravenous fluids to correct dehydration due to the loss of blood fluid into the abdominal cavity and to avoid circulatory collapse, as well as antibiotics to control bacterial leakage, are the primary objectives. There are a number of secondary complications, including compression of the lung volume by the fluid accumulation and difficulty in breathing and even pressure necrosis of internal organs. In this case, drainage of the fluid exudates (abdominocentesis) and peritoneal cavity flushing (lavage), is essential to remove fluid, bacteria and debris, as well as minimise internal damage and make the horse more comfortable.

Handy Hint: Worm Larval Migration is a Common Cause

In most cases, low grade and localised peritonitis is associated with worm larval migration of Large Roundworm larvae through the abdominal cavity into the lungs. It is important to regularly worm growing foals for Large Roundworms. Recent overseas surveys (USA, Canada, Europe) have indicated that Large Roundworms and possibly their migrating larvae have developed resistance to ivermectin or related compounds. This worm species resistance to ivermectin has not been officially reported in Australia at this time. In a case where developing and mature Large Roundworms are passed out after a change to another worming compound in a routine rotation of wormers, the use of a BZ worming compound or a combination (eg Strategy T®, Worma® or Panacur 100®), without a ‘mectin’ compound, is recommended 

Consult your vet for advice.

Contact Details

FREECALL 1800 112 227 - FREE FAX 1800 112 228 Website: www.kohnkesown.com - Email: info@kohnkesown.com Postal Address: PO Box 3234, Rouse Hill, NSW, 2155 Australia The preceeding article is extracted from the newsletter Talking Horse produced by John Kohnke

Disclaimer: The information and recommendations in this newsletter have been presented as a guideline based on the veterinary experience and knowledge of the author, Dr John Kohnke BVSc RDA. Whilst all care, diligence and years of practical experience have been combined to produce this information, the author/editor, Dr John Kohnke, accepts no responsibility or liability for unforeseen consequences resulting from the hints and advice given in this article.

Next Edition Due JANUARY 2012

The stallion will be the Aulrab Warren Park Arabians at home and some of their international horses Anne Brown will write about WAHO conference and Qatar The stud will be Beeston Hall Arabians in Norfolk UK The mare is the historic Rose of Sharon We will look at Jackie Atkin the trainer in Arizona Foals in the Southern hemisphere send in your foal pictures Foaling and its problems

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Crabbet Arabian World

OLFORD ARABIANS Wes Hayes of Olford arabians, writes about THe Current stud in South Africa Having been extremely fortunate to have met Betty Arnold, and got to know her and her horses I was soon able to persuade my long suffering parents David & Justine Hayes to purchase my first Arabian from Olford, as a 16th Birthday present. This was the 100% Crabbet stallion, Olford Count Amor, (Olford Rytham x Olford Dancing Shadow). Never would I ever have imagined that I would someday own the Olford Stud and breed future generations of 100% Crabbet Arabians in South Africa. Through Olford Count Amor I got to know Aunt Betty and competed in dressage with my stallion that was my most precious and prized possession. I was given copious amounts of reading material on the Crabbet Arabian, had my ear twisted towards the breeding principles that Aunt Betty believed in. I visited Olford as often as I could. I studied the pedigrees and History of the Crabbet horses and started my own stud called Dartford while Aunt Betty still owned Olford. Dartford was used as a stud prefix for two reasons, firstly it was similar to Olford as by this stage I was obsessed with the Olford horses, and secondly it is the name of one of our farms. Aunt Betty never wanted to sell me any of her mares: my plan then was to put Count Amor to a Crabbet mare and start breeding 100% Crabbet Arabians.

Wes with Dartford Seralynx ( Olford Count Amor x Osiris Seraphina)

Instead I was tasked with scouring the South African Arabian Horse Stud books and catalogues looking for what had already by this stage become a scarcity, a pure Crabbet mare. Eventually I happened upon the mare Osiris Seraphina (Olford Serafix x Olford Sera-Jane) a 100% Crabbet mare. I could not believe my luck when her owners, the Theron family of Reddersburg decided to sell her to me. I immediately put her in foal to Olford Count Amor a she produced the 100% Crabbet colt Dartford Seralynx. She also produced the full sister Dartford Sera-Justine, named after my mom. We sadly lost Sera-Justine to African Horse Sickness this year, which was a devastating loss indeed. It was around this time that Aunt Betty sadly passed away and many thought that the long standing Olford Stud had come to an end. However I could not believe my fortune in finding myself in possession of some of the best of the Olford mares and the owner of the Olford stud.

Olford Dancing Duel (Olford Seraoud/ Olford Dancing Belle)

Because 100% Crabbet breeding was entirely undesirable, and 100% Crabbet horses completely unfashionable in South Africa I was fortunate to

collect stallions that were owned by other breeders around the country all of which had been bred by Aunt Betty. One of these stallions was Olford Danny Boy (Agha Danazrak x Olford Silver Melody). In reading the heaps of Crabbet literature Aunt Betty had prescribed, the Blue Domino line had caught my attention and I was very interested in using this blood in my breeding program. Aunt Betty had bred the above-mentioned stallion Olford Danny Boy from the 100% Crabbet stallion Agha Danazrak (Azrak (imp) x Olford Dancing Storm) who through his sire Azrak (Blue Domino x Silent Wings) was a Blue Domino son. This was the blood I desperately wanted as none of the Olford’s horses left, perpetuated this line. Aunt Betty had sold Danny Boy after only breeding one son Olford Domino (Olford Danny Boy x Olford Silver Mink) who had in turn left no descendants at Olford.

Olford Sera-Jack (Olford Sera-Victor/Olford Sera-Grace)

great loss to the Olford stud and Crabbet breeding in South Africa however we have retained his two sons Olford Sera-Victor and Olford Sera-Domino at Olford. As in any breeding program there are many disappointments and I can assure you we have suffered many at Olford, but as my father always says; “When working with animals disappointments are inevitable.” I have always found this inevitability hard to accept as the loss of any animal be it your favourite cat, or loyal dog is devastating for anyone, but when one is trying to save a bloodline from “extinction” as in the case of the 100% Crabbet Arabian in South Africa a loss of any of your horses is a devastating loss indeed. It is not as if we are able to approach a local breeder and replace the bloodline.

Dartford Sera-Justine, she was Olford’s best mare and died of African Horse sickness earlier this year

After much sleuthing and detective work, I traced Olford Danny Boy to a remote part of Botswana where he was used to breed stock and Endurance horses. This was a difficult undertaking indeed due to the fact that he had passed through several owners all of which were not affiliated with any Arabian Horse Society. However it was with much relief that we eventually found him still intact as a stallion, (as so many stallions had been gelded due to the unpopularity of Crabbet Arabians.) It was a well worth three day journey to collect him and bring him back “home” where I immediately used him on Sera-Justine to produce his first 100% Crabbet daughter Olford Sera-Grace (Olford Danny Boy x Dartford SeraJustine) who in turn has produced the stallion Olford Sera-Domino (Olford Danny Boy x Olford Sera-Grace), a double Olford Danny Boy, and Olford Sera-Jack (Olford Sera-Victor x Olford Sera-Grace). Sadly Danny Boy was kicked while attempting to cover a mare and broke his leg and had to be put down which was a

This is probably one of the reasons why I never sell any of my Olford females and further jealously guard the stallions in paddocks in front of the farmhouse. On only two occasions have I sold Olford stallions; they were the full brothers’ Dartford Serafox and Olford Seraoud both (Olford Count Amor x Olford Serafantasy). I have since used Olford Seraoud who has produced the filly Olford Sera-Rebecca (Olford Seraoud x Dartford Sera-Justine) and the lovely colt Olford Dancing Duel (Olford Seraoud x Olford Dancing Belle) for us, we are look forward to seeing how this colt turns out as he has a very friendly temperament. Due to the Olford Stud having been the only stud in the Country to persevere with breeding 100% Crabbet Arabians, and is currently the only stud on the African Continent and certainly the only stud in South Africa breeding 100% Crabbet Arabians, the horses have become very closely related to say the least, yet another reason for us not parting with many of our stallions. We have been fortunate in having had the Theron Family of Yentl Stud import the magnificent stallion Inshallah Silver Ripple (Inshallah Silver Echo x Inshallah Silver Elysiam) from 71

Crabbet Arabian World

the pure Crabbet will always be in demand as a solid foundation For Arabian bloodstock

Australia who we Seralynx/Olford Silverbelle) have made use of and Top Right: Olford Dancing Jewel (Olford produced Sera Victor/OlfordDancing Belle) what I can only Centre Left: Olford DancingBelle(Olford Rytham/Olford Silver Mink) describe as the equally, Centre upper right: Olford Sera-Rebecca magnificent (Olford Seraoud/Olford Sera-Justine) filly Olford Silver Oz, Centre lower right: Dartford Seralynx (Olford (Inshallah Count Amor/ Osiris Seraphina) Silver Ripple x Olford Bottom Left: Olford Silver’n Gold (Olford Count Amor/Olford Silver Swan) Silverbelle). Unusually she Bottom right Olford Silver Snap(Olford is chestnut Sera Victor/Olford Silver Flame) and has inherited that very Banderol look about her. Her dam Olford Silverbelle (Olford Rytham x Olford Silver Mink) is probably my favourite mare and she is the last mare we still have who was bred during Aunt Betty’s tenure of Olford. We hope to cover her with the Yentl stallion Silver Ripple again however we are really look forward to Silver Ripples foal from Olford Sera-Rebecca this spring. Using him has allowed us to open up the 100% Crabbet gene pool at Olford and it is very exciting that he is the stallion that was imported by the Therons. On my trip to Australia I was most impressed by his dam Inshallah Silver Elysiam (Tommie x Fenwick Raahil) as I was by many of the Australian pure Crabbet horses. Top left: Olford Silver Swan(Dartford

ShovanGazee (Olford Silver Sabre/Olford Serafan)

Olford Sera- Domino (Olford Danny Boy x Olford Sera-Grace)

I have been very fortunate to carry on the work of Aunt Betty and I hope both her and the Lady Wentworth would be happy with what we are trying to achieve at Olford today. It has been a hard road to travel, but a rewarding one at that, and am privileged to find myself in the position I am with the horses we have, and only hope that breeders will look back and appreciate the preservation efforts made for generations to come. Although not everyone may agree with the breeding philosophy we have and the enjoy the type of horse we produce, I think more importantly, to produce horses that are of a taste more palatable for others, the Crabbet will always be in demand as a solid foundation bloodstock which carry all those exceptional qualities that many other lines so desperately need. Once we dilute the 100% Crabbet, inherent traits such as bone and temperament will be much more difficult to re-introduce as is evidenced in most Arabians today 

Olford Silver Sabre (Shovan Gazee/Olford Silverbelle)

Olford Sera-Victor (Olford Danny Boy/Olford Serafantasy)

Click here for photograph gallery

Follydown Arabians

Rafiq FA

Arfaja Danyon/ Veridan Risani pure Crabbet stallion

Conservation breeders of Crabbet Arabians in Australia

Jennie & Tony Thompson White Hawk Creek Farm phone+61 364912575/61408478110 Barrington email follydownarabians@bigpond.com Tasmania www.follydownarabians.au.com Australia 74

ÂŠDesign CAW 2011

ADVERTISERS & CONTRIBUTORS WEB LINKS Click on the bold type below to go to the web site:

Arlene Magid Arabian horse consultant Arabian Dream Farm Kim & Mark Thomason owners of our feature stallion *Magic Domino Crabbet Australia Inc The new South Wales Crabbet Group Crabbet Heritage Group Chat group on yahoo devoted to Crabbet issues Eastern Crabbet Arabian Horse Society Ebjarah Arabians Home of The Wellworth Leilani son Harlan Roxanne Pidoto Fenwick Stud, Victoria, Australia originally established by Vicki Johnson’s grandmother Mrs McLean. Follydown Arabians, Tasmania, Australia Conservation breeders of Crabbet Arabians. Gadebrook Stud Oundle UK Anne Brown breeder of Arabian horses that are sold worldwide Genetic information at the AHA Horse talk NZ, New Zealand A great source of all types of horse related news. John Kohnke Vet Kendra Stud Home of Sean Johnson Legendary Arabians run by Betty Teeter and Sharon Byford-Ruth Olford stud Queensland Crabbet Arabian Group Inc Sharon Meyers Photography, Australia Shahwan Park Arabians Jennifer Hawkins former home of Arfaja Danyon Warren Park Arabians home of Sandy & Dick Warren The Victorian Crabbet Arabian Horse Group Inc Australia The Crabbet Organisation All Breeds Pedigrees Where you will go to see all the horses pedigrees Australian Arabian Horse Society Arabian Horse Association

Back cover is Ebjarah Moollah and Ben at the beach

Click here for photograph galleries 75