Arabians
Jadem
story by Denise Hearst x photos by April Visel
Right: Christine and Guy JamarDemeersseman with the 1996 mare Eberia (Ecaho x Ebola). Previous page: Jadem mares in front of the Jamar-Demeersseman residence, pictured from left to right are Fatiha J (Ekstern x Fiji by Pegaz out of Kalinka), Mauhiba J (Ekstern x Starlight by Pegaz out of Morning Light VF), and Fudala J (Ekstern x Faramuszka by Pamir out of Fortaleza).
I
n a quiet corner of Belgium, down a shady tree-lined lane of graceful manor houses, is one of Europe’s busiest Arabian breeding centers and home to some of the breed’s most talked-about stallions. Here in this old-world setting a modern equine reproduction clinic is a hub of breeding activity where over 100 mares are bred each year; 50-60 of them via embryo transfer, and stallions arrive from all over Europe and the Middle East for semen collection and freezing. Overseeing all this activity, in addition to serving on the ECAHO board and managing her own Arabian breeding program, is Christine Jamar, who seems to be everywhere in the world all at once. One weekend she’s organizing shows and planning charity stallion auctions for the handicapped people of her village, the next week she’s an international judge in a far-flung location, and then with the nod of her head she’s won the bid on a coveted broodmare for one of her clients at the Pride of Poland auction. We caught up with Christine (which is not easy!) to hear more about her life with Arabians, and the farm she calls home. “As a young girl I was introduced to the equine world through show jumping horses,” says Christine. “When I met my husband, Guy, he was not keen on the idea of his wife being away at competitions every weekend, also, he didn’t like all the atmosphere. So we made a compromise and agreed that I would become a breeder of Arabian horses. I loved them for their beauty, stamina, history, and intelligence. After we were engaged we bought two Arabians, one for my husband and one for me (at least 2 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians 3 b JADEM b WORLD
Left and below: The 1990 stallion Ekstern (Probat x Ekstra), a Polish National Champion Stallion, is on lease from Michalow Stud, Poland. He is pictured below winning 1999 World Champion Stallion in Paris.
that way I was sure I’d have two horses when we married!). My first two purebred Arabian mares produced the first two champions for Jadem Arabians, and then I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” More than thirty years later, the Jadem Arabians (now numbering 60) have earned championships around the world, and the facility has grown through years of dreaming and planning. “I feel so lucky to do what I love, with my wonderful, supportive husband Guy,” Christine says. “Guy doesn’t necessarily share my passion for horses but he goes to the barn with me when a foal is born, and in the early years when I did all the work myself, he helped me with the evening feedings and the last tour of the barns at night. He likes the horses but he doesn’t like the other things that go with them: the shows, the excitement. It makes him nervous. Actually, I don’t enjoy showing my horses either. I’m always happy when everyone’s back home safely. Guy does enjoy the travel so he comes with me to some shows, like France or to South America. He goes where he likes the people. He was in the construction business but now he buys and sells land in Uruguay. That’s why we’ve been there so often. It is a country
that is really starting to live. It’s amazing. I like it there very much. “Breeding Arabian horses started as a hobby and suddenly it gets so big that you have to be more commercial because you have bills to pay. I was not born like that. Not at all! But I have to run it like a business. I never wanted to make money, just to cover the costs. It didn’t always work. Sometimes you want to keep the nice ones and not sell them. So then my parents and husband helped.” In the early years of the Jadem program, Christine began with Crabbet and Russian-bred horses, and over time transitioned to Polish lines. She cites a 1982 tour group from Holland that 4 b JADEM b WORLD
she joined as being a pivotal event. “We visited studs in Russia, Poland, and Egypt. Of the 450 horses I saw in Egypt, I liked 6, in Russia, I liked about half the horses. In Poland, 80 percent I liked. I went back to Poland almost every year after that. “Poland’s transition from communist country to a democracy has been fascinating to watch. I’ll never forget it. There was almost no food for those people, and if you went in a restaurant you had to be very careful about what you ate. I always had my cream cheese and toast in my suitcase.” Gwana (Pasat x Gwanda) was my first Polish mare — I bought her at the Egholm Sale in Denmark. She was
JademArabians
bred by Holger Ismer and was a present from my husband.” The crash in the American Arabian market in the late 1980s offered Christine the opportunity to buy more good Polish horses. In 1990 she bought 11 mares and leased the stallion Pyrrus (*Bandos x Pascha) from Raymond Mazzei. Included in this group were two mares still influential in her program today: Ackja (*Bandos x Arba by Comet) and Morning Light VF (*Bandos x First Light by *Dar) — “still one of the best mares I ever had,” she says. The following year she bought Pyrrus. “I was crazy about Bandos and Eukaliptus blood. Years later I went to see Raymond Mazzei and bought a colt from him, Emrick BA (*Gwizd x Eminencja by Algomej). Two months later he became National Junior Champion in Belgium.” Christine used the stallions Festiwal (Palas x Fatima) who was at Holger Ismer’s farm, Pyrrus, and in 1991 she bought Pegaz
Top and above: The stallion Extreme (Ararat x Elegantkah), champion stallion in several international shows, is pictured with Christine Jamar.
5 b JADEM b WORLD
Werter (Eukaliptus x Walkiria).
(Palas x Pliszka). The next stallion to join the Jadem lineup was Gwizd (Probat x Gwiazda by Elf ). “I loved Gwizd. I saw him in Russia in 1983-84. I saw his foals and I loved them — some of the best foals I have seen in Russia. But Gwizd was not for lease or sale. In 1993 his owner was ill and wanted to sell the stallion and the dam of Emrick in foal to Gwizd. I bought them both without any discussion of price. The resulting foal was Elegantkah
(Gwizd x Eminencja), the dam of my stallion Extreme (by Ararat).” A little over ten years ago, Christine was able to lease the stallion she covets to this day, the Michalow-bred Ekstern (Monogram x Ernestyna by Piechur). “It was January 1999. I was at Michalow to buy another stallion, but I wasn’t convinced he was right for my program. Directors Jaworowski and Bialobok (who was already the Michalow director at that time) were both there, and I remember the ground was hard, frozen. They showed me Ekstern and he was trotting over that frozen paddock with long hair like a teddy bear but moving like a machine. I liked everything about the horse especially the pedigree — I didn’t have that bloodline on my farm. I asked if he was for lease and they said no. Then Mrs. Bialobok took me by the arm into the office — she didn’t speak much English at the time. She showed me the pictures of a group of mares of the E-family — all the white mares. I’ll never forget that in my life. I knew this was the style of horses I’d like to have. My husband and I were finally able to lease him and it was one of the best times in my life. Ekstern stayed two years. It was
in the contract that I had to show him, so ten days before the Towerlands he went to Eric Dorssers, and he was Champion at Towerlands. Nobody had seen this horse before. The horse enjoyed it. He was having the biggest time in his life. And the more he was dancing the more the people made noise! He got fourteen 20s (five 20s for type, four 20s for head and neck, and five 20s for movement). Incredible! When he was announced champion the judges didn’t know him. In the year following (2000), he was crowned All Nations Cup Champion, European Champion, and World Champion. He went to nine shows as a senior stallion and never has been beaten. Until then, I don’t think the Polish people really believed in him, except maybe for Mrs. Bialobok and Director Jaworowski. If you see him in his box he doesn’t look so special. Maybe a bit quiet. But when he comes out of the box he changes! He changed my breeding program. I think what I like about this stallion the most is that what usually takes two generations to improve in a mare, he does in one — the type, the pretty head with big sweet eyes, the flat shoulder, the short back, the long croup, the show attitude, and movement. He gave that all. They all look like him. “Ekstern did a great job at Janow, too. He even was the sire of the racehorses last year. Can you believe this? He’s amazing that boy! That’s also something special you only have once in a lifetime.” In the spring of 2010, Ekstern returned to Jadem on lease once again. He joins Christine’s other stallions: the Ekstern son Gilly J (x Georgia by Eukaliptus), “He is full of personality and he sires very beautiful foals,” says Left: Jadem Arabians from the air. “This old manor house belonged to the director of a big company,” says Christine Jamar. “We were lucky to be able to buy it in 1982. The house was exactly 100 years old and it took us four years to find.”
6 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians The Jadem stallions Mystic Dream J (Extreme x Mysterious Lady J), above, and Gilly J (Ekstern x Georgia), right.
7 b JADEM b WORLD
Christine; Extreme (Ararat x Elegantkah); Mystic Dream J (Extreme x Mysterious Lady J [Ekstern out of Morning Light VF]), and Werter (Eukaliptus x Walkiria), “A beautiful Eukaliptus son with a super pedigree, to use on the Ekstern daughters, and also a lovely riding horse,” adds Christine. “He is a two-time champion himself, and has sired champions.” All of her experience in Poland has made Christine something of an expert on the Polish horses, and many seek her counsel and she regularly represents buyers, such as Al Khalediah farm of Saudi Arabia, Al Zobair in the UAE, and others at the Polish auctions. It was in this way that she met Paul Gheysens, known around the world as the owner of the great Padrons Psyche, and the upand-coming young show horse and sire, QR Marc (Marwan Al Shaqab x Swete Dreams), 2010 Champion at the El Ran Cup and Reserve Champion at Menton, both of whom where purchased through Christine, and both of whom stand at Jadem. “We’re looking forward to the foals out of Padrons Psyche daughters by Marc,” she says. “It is an honor to live with such a famous horse as Padrons Psyche, and a big responsibility,” says Christine. “He’s 22, but he still thinks he’s four years old. He’s macho and the king. He gets turned out every day. One of the conditions of the sale from the Norths was that the horse would have a very nice life. And indeed he does. He’s very happy here.” Also gracing the Jadem stallion barn is All Nations Cup, World and European Champion Junior Colt Abha Top left:: The 1996 stallion Werter (Eukaliptus x Walkiria), owned by Jadem Arabians. Bottom left: Padrons Psyche (Padron x Kilika) is owned by Paul Gheysens and standing at Jadem. “He’s 22, but he still thinks he’s four years old. He’s macho and the king,” says Christine.
8 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians
Top right: The 2005 stallion QR Marc (Marwan Al Shaqab x Swete Dreams), also owned by Paul Gheysens of Belgium, and standing at Jadem. Top left: The 2007 stallion Abha Qatar (Marwan Al Shaqab x ZT Ludjkalba), is owned by Al Mohamadia Stud, Qatar, and stands at Jadem. Middle right: Shanghai EA (WH Justice x Salymah EA), owned by Albert Sorroca of Spain and standing at Jadem. Bottom: Shael Dream Desert (Ansata Shaamis x Elettra), owned by Freeland Farms, U.S., stands at Jadem Arabians.
photo: L. rocco
9 b JADEM b WORLD
Qatar (Marwan Al Shaqab x ZT Ludjkalba by Ludjin El Jamaal), owned by Al Mohamadia Stud of Saudi Arabia. From Spain comes the young stallion Shanghai EA (WH Justice x Salymah EA), 2009 Elran Cup Champion Colt, 2009 European Reserve Champion Colt, and World Champion Most Classic Head winner, owned by Albert Sorroca of Spain. Freeland Arabians’ stallion Shael Dream Desert (Ansata Shaamis x Elettra), sire of FT Shaella (x Soul Pretty TGS), 2010 Dubai Junior Champion Filly, and Felicia RLC (x Camelia K), 2010 Las Vegas World Cup Junior Champion Filly, stands at Jadem as well. Christine owns 22 broodmares and averages 20 foals per year. Roughly 25 client mares also reside at Jadem. It’s no surprise that the Ekstern daughters are among her favorites: “There is something special about Mauhiba J (Ekstern x Starlight out of Morning Light VF), a lovely mare,” says Christine. “She looks completely like Ekstern. She has a very nice eye, head — very beautiful and charismatic. She had an Extreme filly this year. And Alaska J (Ekstern x Andorrah by
Pegaz), a granddaughter of Akcja whom I bought in the States years ago. Then there is Eromango J (Ekstern x Eldora by Pamir) who was Junior Champion Filly and Senior National Champion Filly of Belgium. She had a beautiful filly by QR Marc last year.” Another favorite: Mysterious Lady J (Ekstern x Morning Light VF) who was 2008 European Reserve Champion Filly, and produced the Jadem stallion Mystic Dream J. Mysterious Lady was sold to Al Khaled Farm, Saudi Arabia.
Above: The 2001 mare Mauhiba J (Ekstern x Starlight by Pegaz). Left: The 2004 mare Alaska J (Ekstern x Andorrah by Pegaz).
10 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians
Right and below: The 1996 mare Eberia (Ecaho x Ebola by Eldon), who Christine bought at auction in Poland in 2005.
“The Ekstern daughter Danuta is out of Dahna III (Gadir x Dianah by Santhos), also very nice. I got Dahna from the Hussmanns of Germany. I never thought they would sell that horse. I leased her first for one year and then I got Danuta. Then she went back to the Hussmanns’ and suddenly I heard that she was consigned to a second sale organized by Polish Prestige. I said to myself, ‘That mare isn’t going anywhere else but here!’” The Eukaliptus daughter Georgia (x Galia by Gil) gave Christine two great offspring by Ekstern — the mare Gomera J and the stallion Gilly J. And then there’s Eberia (Ecaho x Ebola by Eldon), whom Christine bought at auction in Poland in 2005. “I was most happy when I could get Eberia myself,” she says. “One of my favorite mares. She had four fillies this year. The one she carried was by the Egyptian stallion Jamil Al Rayyan, and she had a beautiful QR Marc filly.”
When she allows herself to dream of mares she’d love to own, Christine names WN Fawn Obsession (Padrons Psyche x WN Obession). “I love that mare. She’s at Al Khalediah. And I love a lot of the Polish mares: Palmira, and Emandoria. I have a colt from Emandoria by QR Marc.” More than 30 years of breeding and judging experience have contributed to Christine’s philosophy and breeding practices. She shares some of her thoughts. “For me, my horses must look like Arabians. I don’t like bad character. I want nice eyes. Horses must move. Good movers and tail up. And happy. I don’t want to see any horse not happy. And it happens sometimes during the training — then you have to stop and give them some free time. Every day even our horses in training go out in the field for one to two hours or more. Sometimes horses in training need more than hours, maybe two to three weeks and then you start slowly again. “When you go to see someone else’s horses, be of a positive mind. With your own horses, be very critical. Most people do the opposite. “If I think a foal could be good I keep them for 18 months. For a broodmare, I let her have three to four foals, perhaps by 11 b JADEM b WORLD
two different stallions; I always give a second chance with the same stallion. “There are bad memories, horses lost or sales I regret. But you have them too. That’s life. Losing a horse is terrible. The worst is losing a mare. The mares are too close to my heart. Because they give me the nice babies, I suppose. Every time a foal is born it’s a party for me. There’s always a bottle of champagne for every foal and every embryo! With all the girls here! “I became a judge a long time ago,” says Christine. “First I was a judge of the Warmbloods. Now I judge Arabian shows all over the world. It does help me as a breeder. It keeps your mind fresh. You have all the latest information as to new bloodlines, new views, how young sires are doing, what’s new. I see what I like
and what I don’t like. My favorite show to judge is the Bialka Spring Show. It’s a big arena, it’s all quiet, not too much shaking bags, only a little bit, then they have the whole area to trot. I really love it. “Coming from the Warmblood world gave me an appreciation for structure, good movement, etc. Currently, the European showring has swung to typey, exotic horses that might not be so correct,” she continues. “It has an impact on the whole breeding scene in Europe, in the world. In one of our recent ECAHO committee meetings, I told them that we have to be very careful not to be breeders of caricatures. It’s not the Arabian horse anymore if we do. Some people breed for what will score high with the judges, and sometimes we forget that if we have a very dishy head, you can longe that horse for 20 minutes and it cannot breathe anymore. I know this — I have seen it at my farm. The same thing happened with
Top right: The Jadem reproduction center is state of the art. “We freeze and ship semen in our new facility,” says Christine. “We are an international insemination center, which means we are legally permitted to ship semen internationally. The stallions must be tested every time they leave the farm and again when they return. When I sell semen to another country, the government inspectors come to check that they got the vaccinations, that they test clear of contagious diseases, etc. Every insemination of every mare has a number. Every export paper must be kept. That way if a disease breaks out they find it immediately.”
12 b JADEM b WORLD
Above: The 2001 Ekstern daughter Danuta J out of Dahna III by Gadir.
Top right: The mare Gomera J (Ekstern x Georgia by Eukaliptus). “She has a really special 2010 colt by Padrons Psyche,” says Christine. “He has an unbelievable neck, and what an attitude!” Bottom: Mysterious Lady J (Ekstern x Morning Light VF) was 2008 European Reserve Champion Filly and produced the Jadem stallion Mystic Dream J.
13 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians
little dogs, too. If you have a very tiny skeleton it seems to go together with thin canon bones. This is what I appreciate about QR Marc: he is very refined but never sweats when you are longing him. He has a very nice cannon bone and is not tied in below the knee. There is plenty of room for tendons. It’s very hard to find that together — the typey head and good legs. I am breeding a lot of my mares to him.”
Asked about her mentor, Christine says, “The late Director Jaworowski is my idol. What I learned from him is: ‘never give up’ and ‘love the horses first.’ If I arrived to Michalow at 10 in the evening he turned the lights on and we went first to see the horses, before we had dinner. Once I came there with my trailer and my mare Galia to be bred. She was bred to Eukaliptus and she produced Georgia for me. He was an artist. The only one I pick. There’s no one like him today. It’s hard to improve when you get to the level of the Michalow horses. If it’s anything less you can improve but when it’s at the top, where do you go? But I’m sure the Poles have a plan — they always do! “Of my own modest contributions to the breed, I hope people will say I was an honest, correct person and I loved horses. The breeding is my most important point. “Through this incredible breed I have met hundreds of people who all share the
Top right: Glamour Girl J (QR Marc x Georgia). Bottom left: The filly Epril Love JTA by QR Marc out of an Ekstern daughter. Bottom right: Ellona J (QR Marc x Evening Star by Ekstern).
14 b JADEM b WORLD
JademArabians Top left: QR Marc with Jadem’s trainer Philip Looyens. Above: Mojita J (QR Marc x Mauhiba J). Left: Golden Sunset (QR Marc x Gomera J).
same love of the Arabian horse, and I am honored to have them in my life. I am very proud to represent some of the most incredible Arabian horses from respected breeders around the world. I look at my life and all of the gifts we have been blessed with, and I see what began only as a dream has turned out to be a career and allowed me to live my dream. My greatest goal with my Arabian horse endeavors is to continue to do what I have been doing for the past 30 years, for another 30 or more if it pleases God!”
15 b JADEM b WORLD
The Jadem staff pictured from left to right: Dorien Bols, training and conditioning; Dominique Van Giel, management assistant; Cezary Kleinert, general horse care; Natasja Meert and Jan Lemmens, student trainees; Claire Reignaud, training and conditioning; and Kaat Peeters, breeding manager. “It is like a big family! Three of them live here on the farm and the others live in the village close by,” Christine says.
Jadem Arabians Christine and Guy Jamar-Demeersseman Berkensingel 24, 2490 Balen, Belgium Tel (0032) (0) 14.81.24.62 Fax (0032) (0) 14.81.24.22 E-mail: info@christine-jamar.be · www.christine-jamar.be