Soul Of Marwan AS—At The Top Of His Game by Colleen Scott

from Arabian Horse Times Vol. 52, No. 2

In Memoriam

Puccini J with Roxanne Schall

by COLLEEN SCOTT

any great stallions progress slowly, earning their accolades as they grow into their bodies and personalities. Many take years to move past awkward growing pains and reach their full potential. Not so with the much admired and highly decorated Soul of Marwan AS (Marwan Al Shaqab x RD Challs Angel), owned Mby Arabian Soul Partners, Mexico City, Mexico, and Royal Arabians, Cindy McGown and Mark Davis, Scottsdale, AZ. In fact, it didn’t take him any time at all to grow into himself; he was, it seems, born a superstar. The 2013 bay stallion, now standing at Royal Arabians, began attracting attention as soon as he hit the show ring as a yearling in 2014, first capturing the Reserve Champion Scottsdale Arabian Classic Junior Colt title. He then went on to U.S. Nationals where he was named both Reserve Champion Yearling Colt and Supreme Champion Junior Colt 3 Years & Under. And he was just getting started. Additional titles through the years included:

2015 Scottsdale Champion 2-Year-Old Colt 2015 Scottsdale Champion Junior Colt 2018 Arabian National Breeder Finals Gold Champion Stallion 2020 U.S. National Reserve Champion Senior Stallion

Most recently, with Rodolfo Guzzo at the lead, he was named Champion Senior Stallion at the 2021 Scottsdale show where he drew the entire crowd in with his dazzling presence and correctness. Of leading this great stallion to the top honor, handler Rodolfo Guzzo says, “Soul of Marwan has such incredible spirit and charisma. Every time he goes into the arena, he brings energy and big movement. The people love to see him. To win the Senior Stallion Championship at Scottsdale was special.”

While the public sees fire, energy and movement, Guzzo says there’s even more to Soul than that. “He’s super kind. He’s a super sweet horse, very easy to deal with.”

That Senior Stallion title win capped an already incredible show career for Soul of Marwan. “He is just an amazing stallion that continues to hold a place at the very top,” says Rodrigo Gonzalez, an Arabian Soul Partner.

Travis Rice, Royal Arabians, says the stallion reminds him of a prize fighter. “He wants to keep going. He loves being in the training barn. He loves to work, loves to condition. And he’s never looked better. He’s just incredible. There’s no other word to describe him.”

That Soul of Marwan is recognized internationally as an outstanding representative of the Arabian breed shouldn’t come as a surprise. His bloodlines include Arabian legends:

Marwan Al Shaqab, World Champion and International

Champion; Gazal Al Shaqab, International Champion; RD

Challs Angel, multi-national Champion and the International Champion Magnum Chall. Clearly, Soul of Marwan was destined for greatness.

How did such an incredible ambassador of the breed come to be?

Enter Arabian Soul Partners, founded in 2012. The Partners had taken a trip to sunny Scottsdale for the 2011 show and were smitten with the breed. As Gonzalez recalls, “The partners knew right away the Arabian horse would become an important part of our lives.”

Success came early for the partners with the purchase of Miss Marwan PA (Marwan Al Shaqab x Miss Amerika), unanimous winner of the 2012 Scottsdale Yearling Filly title. Miss Marwan PA was then sold and rounded out 2012 with the U.S. National Champion Filly title.

That same year, at the advice of Sandro Pinha, the partners decided on the cross between Marwan Al Shaqab and RD Challs Angel to produce Soul of Marwan AS. Gonzalez says they all knew the colt was special as soon as he hit the ground. “He just immediately started to shine, even at home.”

Now, the Soul of Marwan progeny are shining. In 2021, Jasminia AS (x Jasmine Love NA) captured the Scottsdale Bronze Champion International Senior Mare title, and followed it up with Gold Supreme Champion Senior Mare at the Arabian Breeders World Cup for owners Rose City Arabians, and Bailarina AS (x Kramba AS) was named Top Ten Arabian 2-Year-Old Filly for owners Rae-Dawn Arabians.

Producing winners is no doubt a result of the Arabian Soul Partners breeding philosophy. “We strive to breed horses that are conformationally correct, healthy and athletic,” says Gonzalez. “The ability

to ride these horses is also an important part of our breeding decisions. Beyond the conformation of the horse, we look for a horse with a great temperament. We believe in the process of evolution and plan our breeding program around it. We do not want to get caught up focusing on any particular bloodlines, but more so focus on which sire is best suited for the individual mare.”

That philosophy has helped the self-described “boutique breeders” from Mexico City sell foals from their breeding program to other Arabian enthusiasts around the world, including in Europe and the Middle East. “Everyone who comes to the farm knows they are going to find quality and not quantity,” says Gonzalez. “We only breed a few each year to our carefully handselected mares, and they all get sold,” he says.

Although Soul of Marwan AS might be most known for his Scottsdale and National titles and prize fighter work ethic, he’s known by the Gonzalez children for loving treats and attention. “Although this horse has a ton of energy, loves to move and can turn it on in the show ring, he’s sweet in his stall, like a big teddy bear,” says Gonzalez. “He likes to be spoiled and petted. My kids go in his stall and give him carrots.”

And that’s the thing Arabian legacies are made of—personality plus for the show ring and “in your pocket” kindness toward their humans. It’s clear Soul of Marwan AS and his offspring will maintain legacy status for many years to come. ■ Soul of Marwan AS (top) and

daughter (left), Jasminia AS (x

Jasmine Love NA), 2021 ABWC

Supreme Gold Champion Senior

Mare; bred by Arabian Soul

Partners, and currently owned by

Rose City Arabians.