Sheikh Hamad & Michael Byatt, published in Arabian Horse Times

A Perfect Pairing Rooted In Passion

by JEFF JEFF WALLACE WALLACE by The two two men men met met on on the the grounds grounds of of WestWorld WestWorld in in 1992.

1992. Both Both all-around all-around The horsemen. Both Both lovers lovers of of all all creatures. creatures. Both Both dreamers dreamers in in their their own own rerehorsemen. spects. One One could could also also say say that that these these two two men men represent represent aa bridge—a bridge—a most most spects. precious of of bridges—to bridges—to the the great great horsemen horsemen and and wisdom wisdom of of our our past past … … one one precious in America, America, tutored tutored by by the the likes likes of of Gene Gene LaCroix LaCroix and and Bruce Bruce Howard; Howard; the the in other other other in in the the desert desert homeland homeland of of the the Arabian Arabian horse, horse, tutored tutored by by local local other and heroic heroic horsemen horsemen in in Qatar.

Qatar. and

“The only only way way to to do do great great work work is is to to love love “The what you you do. do. If If you you haven’t haven’t found found it it yet, yet, what keep looking. looking. Don’t Don’t settle. settle. As As with with all all keep matters of of the the heart, heart, you’ll you’ll know know when when matters —Steve Jobs Jobs you find find it.” it.” —Steve you

No one one would would believe believe the the No cataclysmic changes changes our our breed breed cataclysmic would soon soon realize realize when when these these would

two men men were were introduced introduced that that two day in in the the dusty dusty barn barn aisle aisle of of day Scottsdale. Their Their vision— vision— Scottsdale. cast by by the the experiences experiences and and cast education of of their their pasts— pasts— education would not not only only gift gift the the would Arabian horse horse with with new new Arabian standards of of excellence excellence standards

grounded in in functional, functional, true true type; type; itit would would also also exchange exchange life-giving life-giving grounded relational gifts gifts back back and and forth forth to to each each other other that that would would define define life life relational chapters of of their their own. own. chapters Both men, men, grounded grounded in in true true passion passion for for the the Arabian Arabian horse horse since since Both young age, age, found found their their epic epic journeys journeys colliding colliding that that very very day. day. aa young

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escher photo

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A Perfect Pairing Rooted In Passion

by JEFF WALLACE The two men met on the grounds of WestWorld in 1992. Both all-around horsemen. Both lovers of all creatures. Both dreamers in their own respects. One could also say that these two men represent a bridge—a most precious of bridges—to the great horsemen and wisdom of our past … one in America, tutored by the likes of Gene LaCroix and Bruce Howard; the other other in the desert homeland of the Arabian horse, tutored by local and heroic horsemen in Qatar.

No one would believe the cataclysmic changes our breed would soon realize when these “The only way to do great work is to love two men were introduced that what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, day in the dusty barn aisle of keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all Scottsdale. Their vision— matters of the heart, you’ll know when cast by the experiences and education of their pasts— you find it.” —Steve Jobs would not only gift the Arabian horse with new standards of excellence grounded in functional, true type; it would also exchange life-giving relational gifts back and forth to each other that would define life chapters of their own.

Both men, grounded in true passion for the Arabian horse since a young age, found their epic journeys colliding that very day.

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Sprinkled in and amongst one of the world’s most legendary groups of horses, you’ll find kangaroos, llamas, exotic birds, a wallaby, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats and Friesian horses.

You’ll find this sanctuary at the end of an unpaved, dirt road in New Ulm, Texas. On first glance, the dusty road appears an antithesis to the showplace it leads to. Yet Michael Byatt, one of the giants in today’s Arabian horse industry, loves it. And when one begins peeling back the layers of the person behind the showplace, it becomes quickly apparent that his complexities run deep, his wisdom and wit

Do what you love and love what you do.

bottomless, and his goals profound in their simplicity and confident, laser focus.

Through a lifetime with Arabian horses, Michael has reached the upper echelons of the industry in nearly every category imaginable: as a trainer of halter and performance at the highest levels, as a thoughtful breeder, an international ambassador and judge, a savvy sales agent, a knowledgeable and trusted consultant, a bold visionary, loving husband and father, and a dear and caring friend.

His personal journey is an inspirational one. Even at a young, formidable age, fame was never the goal for Michael Byatt. “I didn’t have any expectation,” he told the Houston Chronicle in a 2011 interview. “It was a process and a journey and an accident.”

He thoughtfully lives by the cliché, ‘Do what you love and love what you do.’ And, boy, does he do it well.

Michael grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His family had no interest in horses, but they were neighbors to breeder/owner Ethel Ortenburger. She saw a talent in the young 11-year-old boy, and invited him into her “Arabian horse family” … which meant work, a lot of work. Eight hours of work was exchanged for one delicious hour in the saddle every summer.

As Michael got older, his skills were readily apparent. He apprenticed in California, North Carolina and Florida after high school. But it was a big win at Scottsdale for the young 23-year-old star that took his career to a new level. Within weeks, he was flooded with calls from people all around the United States inviting him—begging him—to come give seminars so they could learn from the gifted young horseman.

Also of note, Michael was one of the first American-based halter trainers to categorically invest in the international Arabian horse community, a foresight that likely resulted from his exploding career as an international judge as well.

But there was one pivotal moment in Michael’s life story that not only changed his life, but also the Arabian breed as we know it. To fully appreciate it, we must also tell another story first.

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Pictured top to bottom: Michael and Ann Byatt with their Friesian, Wopke.

Sabiell (Nabiel+/ x AK El Sanaa) at the 1993 Egyptian Event.

Marwan Al Shaqab at the 2008 World Championships, Paris.

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Sheikh Hamad felt the breed was ready—indeed poised—for a new ideal, though he did not yet know what that looked like.

In his search for inspiration, Sheikh Hamad foresightedly decided to attend the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show for the first time. It was 1992.

“My earliest thoughts in life were about horses,” he would tell you. He remembers his first experience riding was “about 7 years old” and it was “Bedouin style” (i.e. bareback). Even as a young person in Doha where he grew up, he was passionately driven for the Arabian horse, demonstrating an uncharacteristic maturity for his age when most are only beginning stages of their life’s work. But he knew. There was no question. It was with the Arabian horse.

Like many of us who worked our way up the ranks in horses, Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani did his share of hard work in the barn to earn the respect and permission of the stable owners, particularly if he wanted to ride one of the famous horses. In fact, he was such an astute rider, that he says he developed his eye for conformation from the back of a horse … the curvature of the neck, correctness and balance from the movement he felt in his seat. He loved riding so much that he studied at the Federation to be a professional jockey, as was a common thing to do.

In his brief time learning English while studying at Cambridge, he also purchased a handful of Arabian racehorses in England. But he quickly found that his choices were more beautiful than they were fast. This was a pivotal moment for the young Sheikh Hamad. He realized his eye was for beauty rather than speed … a functional beauty that could redefine the standards of the Arabian horse.

Around that time in 1988, HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, was looking to expand his family-owned and operated Al Shaqab Stud into a higher-profile organization. In a profoundly demonstrative action in his own right, he recognized the zest, passion and giftedness of Sheikh Hamad and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime: manage His Highness’ stud farm. Sheikh Hamad responded to the call. Soon, they were buying horses from Egypt and Europe, and racing them as was the common thing to do. But Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani soon found himself experiencing a similar key moment as his young protégé had … he found himself drawn to Arabian horses bred for beauty and type over speed.

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Anaza El Farid

Ruminaja Ali x Bint Deenaa

Kajora

Kaborr+++ x Edjora

The young 27-year-old Sheikh Hamad was stepping foot on the famed showgrounds of Earl Warren for the first time. He was hired to bring the family-owned and operated Al Shaqab Stud into a higher-profile organization.

It was a task Sheikh Hamad took seriously. His quest initially began in Egypt and Europe. But what he saw in those WestWorld arenas was a stark contrast to what he knew back home, one that ultimately would alter the course of his future.

The day that Michael and Sheikh Hamad met was fortuitous to say the least. In Michael’s barn, Sheikh Hamad saw stallions that were calm enough for children to feed sugar cubes to.

Here were the first pieces of possibility in strategy and planning for a generational breeding program that honored tradition while celebrating innovation.

And most of all, in Michael he saw the powerful outcomes of marketing Arabian horses.

A powerful alliance between the two men was formed during that Scottsdale show, one that encapsulated a common vision backed by fearless courage and a deep personal friendship.

One of Michael’s first major chess moves for Al Shaqab was a group of auspicious mares he had hand-selected in 1994 as foundation mares for its new breeding program. In the group was the incomparable Polish mare, and 1982 U.S. National Champion Mare Kajora. .

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Gazal Al Shaqab Anaza El Farid x Kajora

Gazal Al Shaqab

Anaza El Farid x Kajora

Prior to Kajora, Al Shaqab’s self-proclaimed “family breeding program” bred only straight Egyptians, as did most of the Middle East.

At the time, it only made sense. It made for a striking sight: large herds of grey mares in their desert homeland, with shrieks of stallions, also grey, from within the stallion barns.

But Michael was designing something new in his mind, something greater than what the world currently knew either in America or the Middle East. Bringing a Polish mare bred in America into the straight Egyptian beauty programs of the Middle East was a pivotal moment.

As history would have it, Kajora was open at the time of purchase … cycling, as a matter of fact. She needed to be bred quickly. Was it fate in that moment that altered the course of history, or brilliance? In either case, Michael, along with noted horsewoman Eileen Verdieck, advised Sheikh Hamad that the beautiful straight Egyptian stallion he admired, Anaza El Farid, would be the perfect choice for Kajora (this landmark decision would later set in stone the now-famous breeding choice of crossing Polish and Egyptian bloodlines).

The mating worked, producing Gazal Al Shaqab, the first major foal/show horse/stallion produced at Al Shaqab (and one of the first Qatar-bred bay Arabians, in contrast to their usual greys and blacks).

His silhouette was distinctive, yet shockingly stunning. His length of leg, back and neck were harmoniously balanced, with a lean athletic hip and shoulder, and a lusciously beautiful face.

That advice likely came from Michael’s rooted belief that an Arabian horse—be it halter or performance—be both beautiful and balanced. The silhouette of Gazal Al Shaqab became the new standard.

In short order, he solitarily altered the phenotype for the modern Arabian horse. He and his progeny started defining their empire in both the show ring and the breeding shed beginning with the 2001 World Championships, where Gazal Al Shaqab was named World Champion Stallion and his son, Marwan Al Shaqab, was named World Champion Colt. It was hard to believe that that was just the

Marwan Al Shaqab

Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame

beginning. A dynasty was in the throes of creation.

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Marwan Al Shaqab

Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame

Gazal Al Shaqab was singularly responsible for the new silhouette. However, Marwan Al Shaqab took his legacy to heights unseen. Unbelievably, Marwan was named the leading sire at the World Championships for an unprecedented five consecutive years between 2007 and 2012. His prominent sons, Khalil Al Shaqab, Hariry Al Shaqab and Wadee Al Shaqab, have created their own significant legacies on the world stage in recent years as well.

What’s more, while on lease to Poland, Gazal Al Shaqab sired some of the most beautiful mares ever produced at Janów Podlaski or Michalów State Stud, as evidenced by World Champions Pianissima and Emandoria. This achievement cannot be overstated, as these two famous state studs are unarguably considered amongst some of the finest breeding programs in the history of the Arabian breed. In the end, suffice it to say, Gazal Al Shaqab modernized the breeding programs within the state studs of Poland.

Gazal Al Shaqab … and now his son Marwan Al Shaqab, can be found in an astounding high percentage of Arabian pedigrees around the world today, and rank among the great Arabian horses of all time alongside such names as Nazeer, *Bask, and others.

Michael and Sheikh Hamad with Marwan Al Shaqab at the 2008 All Nations Cup, Aachen

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Hariry Al Shaqab

Marwan Al Shaqab x White Silkk

Because of his deep connection to Gazal, one will find Michael regularly celebratory of the success Gazal progeny are enjoying in every world arena, regardless of if he is at the end of the lead or not.

This is evidenced by a recent statement given by renowned and beloved judge, Peter Cameron, who remarked, “I always appreciated that [Michael] never complained about my judging if he wasn’t the winner. I also like that he doesn’t overshow.”

Just as Dr. Eugene LaCroix will be forever intertwined with *Bask, Sheila Varian with Bay El Bey, and Judi Forbis to *Ansata Ibn Halima, Michael Byatt will be intrinsically linked to that of the world of Gazal Al Shaqab, as will Sheikh Hamad.

And what of the contribution of the long line of horses in Michael’s Arabian horse journey … horses like Silfaun, the gelding Michael rode to a national championship in western pleasure in 1980 as a 22-year-old; the black *Aladdinn daughter Ddinnerka, Michael’s first Scottsdale halter champion; the multi-national English and driving champion, JA Rave Review … they most certainly are a demonstrative part of the Gazal legacy as well, as they each influenced Michael’s vision for what a beautiful Arabian horse can—and should— be. What’s more, each of those integral, provocative horses uniquely express the degree to which Michael was pledged to this breed from day one. And they led him to Gazal.

It is a beautiful example of staying true to the journey of life, and the great results that can happen if you only have the courage to dream it, do it, and then enjoy the ride.

Pictured top to bottom: Ddinnerka (Aladdinn x Blue Bierka) at The Scottsdale Horse Show.

JA Rave Review (Box Office x Bint Jabar) at the 1994 U.S. National Championships.

Silfaun (Silver Drift x Farnina) at the 1980 U.S. National Championships.

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Al Adeed Al Shaqab

Ansata Halim Shah x Sundar Alisayyah

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In New Ulm, all the way across the world, sits an annex of Al Shaqab blood. While one living in New Ulm influences that in Doha, Qatar, one living in Doha, Qatar, influences that in New Ulm. The partnership of Michael Byatt and Sheikh Hamad led to the crowning of not one, but two World Champion stallions with Michael at the lead: Marwan Al Shaqab and Al Adeed Al Shaqab.

Sheikh Hamad is quick to share his feelings that America’s love for the world of Gazal has a tremendous amount to do with the success of the Gazal/Marwan legacy.

This personifies the global appeal of the Arabian horse, and just how universal it is today.

This worldly quality was poignantly evidenced at the 2017 Arabian Breeders World Cup, when H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, founder and owner of Al Shaqab, was deservedly honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the show. In a poignant moment, Sheikh Hamad stood to accept the award on His Highness’s behalf, Michael standing proudly next to him … two men who have both been recipients of His Highness’s great philanthropic efforts, especially Sheikh Hamad.

It was an unforgettable picture.

The team of Michael Byatt and Sheikh Hamad are now forming yet a new nucleus at Michael Byatt Arabians to carry this relationship forward.

The stallion barn heralds the likes of Hariry Al A quiet moment at home with Gazal Al Shaqab.

Shaqab, Kahil Al Shaqab and Fadi Al Shaqab, in addition to the three greats: Al Adeed Al Shaqab, Marwan Al Shaqab and Gazal Al

Shaqab. Three generations in the Gazal/Marwan Legacy stand in those stalls, representing historic proportions of some of the greatest semen available in the world.

Michael is such a true horseman, that the global blanketing from Marwan and Gazal has produced him a depth of eternal pride rooted not in ego, but in that which is found in the connection of a true and passionate horseman.

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Fadi Al Shaqab

Besson Carol x Abha Myra

Kahil Al Shaqab

Marwan Al Shaqab x OFW Mishaahl

The professional success born out of Michael’s brilliant plan and Sheikh Hamad’s unconventional vision for Al Shaqab is unprecedented. And yet their personal friendship is perhaps the most inspiring.

These are two men that always have each other’s backs. Whether in the show ring, as friends, or in business, their genuine affection for who the other stands for is indestructible and constant.

They have shared laughs, travels, times of success and times of loss together, forever intertwined on this momentous journey. They are like two soldiers who have experienced a chapter of life so deeply together, that their bond is cemented in loyalty … to each other and to the Arabian horse. Like all good friends, when things get hard, they are there for each other.

In every way, the team of Michael Byatt and Al Shaqab illustrates success; in the eyes of the Arabian horse world, they are a pair united in a heritage far greater than themselves. The Gazal/Marwan Legacy would not have been realized to its fullest degree without the mutual partnership of Michael and Sheikh Hamad. And yet, success is not simply what one accomplishes in life; moreover, it’s about what he/she inspires others to do.

This story of partnership and leadership transcends Arabian horses. It exemplifies that we are better when we are together, to never settle for less than our passion. And it shows what can happen when people remain committed to what they love, have the courage to see it through, and end up changing the world.

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Wadee Al Shaqab

Marwan Al Shaqab x OFW Mishaahl Pictured 2010

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Al Adeed Al Shaqab

Ansata Halim Shah x Sundar Alisayyah

My relationship with Michael extends to more than 25 long years, which has witnessed friendship, trust and love for horses.

He is one of the people who stand for their opinion even if they lose everything defending the truth – I haven’t seen anyone else harming themselves and their success in order to protect the safety of the horses. He stands strongly for the well-being of the horses and not to cause any harm to it, nor to subject it to prohibited substances.

Michael is a person who believes in friendship and values it. This is what I experienced even during my illness. Many of my friends left me and didn’t even bother to ask, but Michael continued to ask and be truly concerned for me till today.

He loves horses and is sincere to his friends. We have met many times, and I experienced true friendship with him. I don’t consider our relationship as business – rather we are partners in horse love.

He is my friend and advisor, and I have achieved a lot of success with him, both in breeding and in shows.

I wish he and his family continued health and well-being. ~ Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani ~ Al Shaqab Stud