Amety B, A Broodmare For The Ages, published in AHT Abroad, Spring 2018

Amety B

A BRO ODM A R E F OR T H E AGES

by THERESA CARDA MONE

Amety B (Eternety x Amiga-B, by Bask El Amigo)

Amety B

A BRO ODM A R E F OR T H E AGES

by THERESA CARDA MONE

Amety B (Eternety x Amiga-B, by Bask El Amigo) A HT Abroad

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AMETY B

B

Bill and Terry Gregory stood looking at the scraggly colt standing knee-deep in mud through the steel bars of the small pipe corral where he had been kept. His eyes wide with suspicion, the skinny bay snorted his apprehension, a short, frayed length of rope dangling from his too-tight halter. More than a little on the wild side, with overgrown hooves and a matted mane, he had clearly been handled very little. Alerted by a friend and fellow Arabian horse-lover as to the plight of the colt, his full sister, and their dam, the Gregorys had come to remove the horses to their new home at Ventura Farms in California.

Fate is a fickle thing. If not for that word-of-mouth rescue, the Arabian horse world may never have known one of its most influential and successful mares. You see, the unmanageable colt who seemed destined to become a riding gelding at best, was Bask El Amigo, a son of Bask from his last foal crop. He would leave an indelible mark on the breed as the sire of Amiga-B, herself the dam of the incomparable producer Amety B. Bred in America by Cindy Draper, Amety B is one of the most prolific mares in Arabian history.

Foaled in 1997, she is already the mother of 26 registered offspring, with at least two more foals due in 2018 via embryo transfer. A feminine bay with enormous eyes and an excess of refinement and attitude, Amety B is by United States and Canadian National Champion Eternety—a son of Sharem El Sheikh—making him an El Shaklan grandson, with heavy doses of Polish blood through the beautifully bred Hal Gazal (Eleuzis x Bufa, by Negatiw) and a dam line rooted in England.

Amety B is out of Amiga-B, who resembles her grandsire Bask, the legendary Polish stallion who changed the course of the Arabian breed when he was imported to the USA by Lasma Arabians in the 1960s. He was a U.S. National Champion Stallion and a U.S. National Champion Park horse who sired innumerable U.S. and Canadian National champions in both halter and a variety of disciplines under saddle, including English, park,

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Bask El Amigo

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Amiga-B

western and driving. Bask was crossed with his own granddaughter, Judith-B in order to produce Bask El Amigo.

Judith-B comes from a Polish sire, Buszmen (Negatiw x Busznica, by Faher), who was a threetime Scottsdale Champion Stallion in the 1970s as well as a U.S. National Reserve Champion and Canadian National Champion. Her Crabbet dam line stretches all the way back to the importation to England of the desert bred mare Dajania by Lady Anne and Wilfrid Blunt in 1878. The same cross that resulted in Bask El Amigo—Bask on Judith-B—produced the exquisite Basks Maria, who topped the first Ventura Farms auction with a bid of over $700,000 in the mid-80s.

Bask El Amigo was bred to Juwel—a mare with a lovely blend of Egyptian breeding through the dry refinement of Ramses Fayek, Polish breeding Eternety

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Amety B and added type through National Champion Aramus (Nabor x Amneris, by Amurath Shahib); and Crabbet breeding on the dam line—in order to give Amiga-B. Crossing Amiga-B to the elegant Eternety was the final piece in the puzzle needed to create Amety B, a mare capable of founding her own female dynasty.

In the first three generations of Amety B’s immediate family, there are eight individual horses with nine national championships between them, earned in places all over the globe from Canada and the United States to Spain and Brazil. An additional five individuals contributed to the current total of thirteen reserve national championships now in the family coffers. A world reserve champion and scores of top tens and gold champions can also be found on the Amety B family tree. Her tree is so laden with golden fruit, it is a wonder that it can bear the weight of any additional honors!

And yet, the descendants of Amety B are currently competing and winning and adding to that total monthly at top exhibitions all over the world.

While it is easy to applaud such in-your-face success after the fact, it took that helpful hand of fate to guide Amety B to the astute breeders who would shepherd her to her lofty position in the top echelon of Arabian broodmares. After beginning with performance horses, Roger and Stephanie McMahon were focused on finding a foundation mare for the f ledgling halter program at their Running Horse Ranch in Cashmere, WA. Call it beginner’s luck or the culmination of intense research, the first mare they acquired for that task was Amety B, a lightly shown champion as a 2-year-old. What makes that choice even more poignant is the fact that the mare was a gift to Stephanie from her husband. “Roger calls her the gift that keeps on giving,” Stephanie relates, “because she started having amazing fillies immediately and never stopped producing. He insists that the foals are a continuation of the original gift!”

Left to right: Amety B with her daughters, Princess Of Marwan, Angel Of Marwan and Goddess Of Marwan.

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Amelia B

And what a gift it has been, not only for Stephanie McMahon, but for the future of the Arabian horse. It did not take long for Amety B to serve notice of her lasting value to the breed.

As the McMahons eagerly awaited her first foal, the sire of which was the great Magnum Psyche (Padrons Psyche x A Fancy Miracle, by Sasaki), even they could not have dreamed of such a spectacular result. It was abundantly clear from her earliest moments that Amelia B was an exceptional foal.

A brilliant red chestnut with the fire and attitude of her illustrious sire line masterfully combined with the femininity and outstanding conformation of her dam, Amelia B was the living image of a breeder’s dream. In 2002, Amelia B became the first of an unprecedented three daughters of Amety B to be named United States National Champion Yearling Filly. Amelia B also won Canadian

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National Reserve Championships as a 2- and 3-year-old and was the 2004 Arabian Breeders World Cup Champion Mare. More importantly, she is herself the dam of multiple national champions and other winners who are now producing international champions themselves.

Amelia B’s son Eccentric Valentino, by DA Valentino, was the 2011 U.S. National Champion 4-5 Year Stallion and 2010 Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt, with reserve national championships in both countries as well. Upon his exportation to Brazil, he was named the 2012 Brazilian National Reserve Champion Stallion and is proudly owned by Luciana Fasano’s Fazenda Floresta, one of Brazil’s most admired farms. In America, he is the sire of U.S. National Champion Half-Arabian Gian Paul out of the Arabian/Saddlebred mare Countess Versace and additional top ten winners.

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Amety B While Eccentric Valentino was earning his Brazilian title, his full brother Vaalente was taking home the equivalent prize for Junior Stallions – a truly remarkable accomplishment for full siblings. Vaalente has since become one of the best stallions standing in Brazil. The same DA Valentino x Amelia B cross produced double-U.S. Youth National Reserve Champion Aramis LBA, who won those titles in halter and in hunter pleasure in 2015, with five additional top ten wins through 2016, and his full brother Amelio LBA, a U.S. National Top Ten Gelding.

Amelia B is also the dam of 2009 Brazilian National Champion Junior Colt Mazarati LBA,

by Mazkarade. The Amelia B branch of the family has become very strong in both North and South America, as her sons and grandsons have made their names as sires in addition to their show wins. Through her Da Vinci FM daughter, Serafina FM, Amelia B is the granddam of 2017 Canadian Reserve National Champion Futurity Colt, RD Trivago, by Bey Ambition.

Astute breeders know better than to sit on their success, even one as heady as the homerun of the Magnum Psyche and Amety B cross. Following that innovative philosophy led Running Horse Ranch to be among those who chose to breed to Marwan Al Shaqab early on. The McMahons were at the U.S. Nationals and had heard all the talk about the stallion that Michael Byatt was going to show. After arranging for a quick look at the horse back in the barn prior to his qualifying class, they wrote a check on the spot to pay for a breeding. Of course, Marwan Al Shaqab was destined to mold the contemporary Arabian halter horse in his image. The decision to breed Amety B to Marwan proved to be a fabulous success that was repeated over and over again with the same incredible results. It was a golden cross in the true sense of the phrase.

Eccentric Valentino

Azalea LBA

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Goddess Of Marwan

Goddess of Marwan was the first in a series of remarkable full sisters and their offspring who have dominated the U.S. Nationals in recent years. She followed Amelia B as the second U.S. National Champion Yearling Filly from Amety B, winning the title in 2006. Goddess of Marwan then set out to demonstrate the durability and genetic dominance of her dam line. Her daughter Goddess of Da Vinci, by Da Vinci FM, was herself a U.S. National Reserve Champion Yearling Filly and later a U.S. National Champion Mare AAOTH for her present owner, Stella Bella Arabians. She has already produced at least three U.S. top ten winners of her own. Her full brother, Brontes FM, was named the 2013 U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion AAOTH and was a U.S. National Top Ten Stallion in 2017.

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Goddess Of Da Vinci

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Amety B In 2008, it was Goddess of Marwan’s full sister Princess of Marwan who upheld the family tradition by garnering the U.S. National Champion Yearling Filly award, the third time in six years that the title went to a daughter of Amety B. As if that were not enough, Princess of Marwan had one more engagement to keep that year, this time in Paris. Australian horseman Jeff McGlinn, who had purchased Princess from the McMahons for his Mystica Arabians before the Nationals, decided to bring her across the Atlantic to compete for the world crown. The outing was a huge success, with Princess of Marwan winning the title of 2008 World Reserve Champion Junior Filly. In recent years, Princess of Marwan has

found a new home at the Ajman Stud of Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the Crown Prince of Ajman. Her first foal for Ajman Stud is the beautiful Aj Banafsaj, who was named the 2017 UAE Local Bred Gold Champion Yearling Filly in her show debut.

Duchess of Marwan took up the baton from her illustrious full sisters, earning top ten honors as a yearling at the U.S. Nationals before producing an amazing string of offspring of her own, many sired by the ultra-refined JJ Bellagio (Magnum Psyche x Joyeuse NY). When covered

by JJ Bellagio, Duchess never failed to produce

Princess Of Marwan

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Duchess Of Marwan

something special. Their daughter Arianna CS was a 2015 U.S. National Top Ten 2-Year-Old and Junior Mare, but it was their jet-black son, Artemas GA, who first brought attention to the cross when he was named 2015 Scottsdale Champion Yearling Colt and Arabian Breeders World Cup Silver Champion earlier that year.

Artemas crossed the ocean to win the Gold Championship in Strohen, Germany, under the expert handling of Frank SpĂśnle, adding the Most Classic Head award at Menton, France. Artemas GA finished his season with a top ten at the Arabian World Championships for owner Stella Bella Arabians.

The most recent of the full siblings to hit the show ring are a pair foaled in 2015 via embryo transfer. Bella Duchessa GA, a bay filly, won the U.S. National Reserve Champion Yearling Filly honors in 2017, after earning the Arabian National Breeder Finals Silver championship as a weanling. Her black full brother, Lucius GA, was

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named the Gold Champion Weanling Colt at the same National Breeder Finals show before adding ABWC Silver Champion and U.S. National Top Ten Yearling wins in 2017.

When bred to Da Vinci FM, Duchess of Marwan had the lovely Duchess of Davinci, who did her part in perpetuating the Amety B family’s hold on yearling filly honors, earning both the U.S. National Top Ten Yearling Filly and Top Ten Junior Mare titles in 2014. More recently, Duchess of Davinci won the 2017 Bronze Champion mare honors at the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center Championships in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for owner Alrajhia Stud. Duchess of Marwan also crossed well with DA Valentino (Versace x DA Love), producing 2015 ABWC Champion Mare ATH, RHR Duquesa.

Angel of Marwan, another full sister of Goddess, Duchess, and Princess, was a Canadian National Top Ten 2-Year-Old Filly and was exported to

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Amety B Brazil where she has produced important Gold Champions Valentine HVP and Sheik Shakhyr HVP among others, for owner Haras Vila Dos Pinheiros LTDA. Angel’s full sister Mystica Aurora was also sold to Brazil for the program of Nelson de Oliveira Prata Pinto Moreira. Their full brothers, both foaled in 2011, have also contributed top ten titles to the credit of their dam, Amety B. Mazziah was a 2014 Canadian National Top Ten Futurity Colt and Rei of Marwan won two U.S. Youth National top ten western pleasure awards in 2017.

RHR Vallacontessa is a stunning black daughter of Amety B and many-times National Champion DA Valentino. A personal favorite of Stephanie McMahon, Vallacontessa was in hot demand by breeders from all over the world ever since she was born. Eventually, the McMahons were convinced to sell her to Al Shaqab-Member Qatar Foundation, arguably the most dominant Arabian horse breeding farm on the planet. Through the miracle of embryo transfer, she produced two outstanding foals in 2012.

RHR Bellacontessa, Vallacontessa’s 2012 daughter by OFW Magic Wan, was sold to Dalia Arabians in Mallorca, Spain, for whom she earned the title of Spanish National Champion Filly. Her half-brother Nimer Al Shaqab, by Marwan Al Shaqab, was a U.S. National Top Ten 2-Year-Old Colt in 2014 and a Top Ten Junior Stallion the following year for owner Al Shaqab.

At 21 years old, Amety B is already a legend. With another ten or more foals already on the ground and yet to hit the show ring, there is no telling what the final tally of champions will be. But if her exquisite 2018 filly RHR Angelina is any indication, it will be an infinite total. The bay beauty is one more example of the potent power of Amety B, a broodmare for the ages.

Nimer Al Shaqab

Artemas GA

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Amety B Family Winners

(Not a comprehensive list of every family member)

Amety B

– (1997) Bay mare by Eternety x Amiga-B, by Bask El Amigo Bred by Cindy Draper/W. Halverson/M. Keller

◆ AMELIA B – (2001) Chestnut mare, by Magnum Psyche National Champion / Bred by RHR (Roger/Stephanie McMahon) Azalea LBA – (2007) Chestnut mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Top Ten / Bred by Beverly Halquist Eccentric Valentino – (2007) Chestnut stallion, by DA Valentino-Sold to Brazil National Champion / Bred by Beverly Halquist Gian Paul – (2012) Bay gelding x Countess Versace (H/A) National Champion / Bred by Barbara Sink-Krusenstjerna Valerro – (2012) Bay gelding x Tequila Rose MTC (H/A) National Top Ten / Bred by Barbara Sink-Krusenstjerna Easy Does It FF – (2013) Palomino gelding x PF Just Peachy Keen (H/A) National Top Ten / Bred by Perry & Suzanne Perkins Vaalente – (2008) Chestnut stallion, by DA Valentino National Reserve Champion / Bred by Beverly Halquist Serafina FM – (2009) Bay mare, by Da Vinci FM National Top Ten / Bred by Tom & Cathy Wright RD Trivago – (2014) Bay stallion, by Bey Ambition National Reserve Champion / Bred by Murray & Shirley Popplewell Amelio LBA – (2011) Chestnut gelding, by DA Valentino National Top Ten / Bred by Lazy B Arabians LLC Aramis LBA – (2011) Bay gelding, by DA Valentino National Reserve Champion Halter & Performance / Bred by Lazy B Arabians LLC Mazarati LBA – (2008) Bay colt, by Mazkarade National Champion / Bred by Beverly Halquist ◆ ANNA BELLA B – (2002) Bay mare, by Monogramm Regional Champion / Bred by RHR ◆ REVELASION B – (2003) Black gelding, by Magnum Psyche Regional Top Five Halter & Performance / Bred by RHR ◆ ANTONEO B – (2004) Bay gelding, by Magnum Psyche National Top Ten / Bred by RHR ◆ GODDESS OF MARWAN – (2005) Bay mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Champion / Bred by RHR Goddess of Da Vinci – (2010) Bay mare, by Da Vinci FM National Champion / Bred by Sally Bedeker Satin Doll GA – (2013) Chestnut mare, by JJ Bellagio National Top Ten / Bred by Sally Bedeker Basilio CS – (2013) Chestnut stallion, by JJ Bellagio National Top Ten / Bred by Platinum + Bella Goddess SBA – (2015) Chestnut mare, by JJ Bellagio Regional Champion / Bred by Sally Bedeker Bella Lillian SBA – (2015) Chestnut mare, by JJ Bellagio Regional Champion / Bred by Stella Bella Arabians LLC Aphrodite SBA – (2016) Bay mare, by Ever After NA National Top Ten / Bred by Stella Bella Arabians LLC Brontes FM – (2009) Bay stallion, by Da Vinci FM National Reserve Champion / Bred by Tom & Cathy Wright A HT Abroad

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Ceasar GA – (2009) Bay stallion, by Da Vinci FM National Top Ten Performance / Bred by Sally Bedeker Marjaana Al Shams – (2008) Bay mare, by Magnum Psyche Regional Top Four / Bred by Sally Bedeker Val-Marr – (2008) Chestnut gelding, by DA Valentino Regional Top Three / Bred by Sally Bedeker ANGEL OF MARWAN – (2006) Bay mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab-Sold to Brazil National Top Ten / Bred by RHR PRINCESS OF MARWAN – (2007) Bay Mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab-Sold to UAE World Reserve Champion / Bred by RHR Aj Banafsaj – (2016) Chestnut filly, by Aj Marzan UAE Gold Champion / Bred by Ajman Stud DUCHESS OF MARWAN – (2008) Bay mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Top Ten / Bred by RHR Bella Duchessa GA – (2016) Bay mare, by JJ Bellagio National Reserve Champion / Bred by Sally Bedeker Lucius GA – (2016) Black stallion, by JJ Bellagio National Top Ten / Bred by Sally Bedeker Arianna CS – (2013) Bay mare, by JJ Bellagio National Top Ten / Bred by Chris Barter/Scot Mason Artemas GA – (2014) Black stallion, by JJ Bellagio World Top Ten / Bred by Sally Bedeker Duchess of Davinci – (2013) Bay mare, by Da Vinci FM KAAHC Bronze Champion / Bred by Sally Bedeker RHR Duquesa – (2012) Bay mare, by DA Valentino ABWC Champion / Bred by RHR BEAUTY OF MARWAN – (2009) Bay mare, by Marwan Al Shaqab Regional Reserve Champion / Bred by RHR RHR VALLACONTESSA – (2009) Black mare, by DA Valentino-Sold to Qatar Regional Top Four / Bred by RHR RHR Bellacontessa – (2012) Bay mare, by OFW Magic Wan-Sold to Spain National Champion / Bred by RHR Nimer Al Shaqab – (2012) Bay stallion, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Top Ten / Bred by Al Shaqab REI OF MARWAN – (2011) Bay colt, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Top Ten Performance / Bred by RHR MAZZIAH – (2011) Bay stallion, by Marwan Al Shaqab National Top Ten / Bred by RHR

Future Champions …

◆ RHR AMIRAH – (2016) Bay mare, by OFW Magic Wan Bred by RHR ◆ AANYA DONA – (2016) Bay mare, by QR Marc Bred by RHR ◆ RHR LUCYIA B – (2017) Chestnut filly, by OFW Magic Wan Bred by RHR ◆ RHR ANNA LENA B – (2017) Bay filly, by OFW Magic Wan Bred by RHR ◆ RHR ANGELINA – (2018) filly, by Magic Mystery Z (OFW Magic Wan x Marys Diva) Bred by RHR ◆ Via embryo transfer – by Marwan Al Shaqab (Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame) ◆ 2018 Foal – (2018) by RHR Marcedes (Marwan Al Shaqab x Ellegant Dream) A HT Abroad

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Amety B