Michael Byatt Arabians
T
his month’s mare issue seems a fitting time to visit the broodmare pastures at Michael Byatt Arabians, and to marvel at the unsurpassed quality of the resident mares. We reflect, too, on the procession of great broodmares who have passed through Michael’s hands on their way to gracing breeding programs around the world. Two such mares have made a multi-generational impact on the Arabian horse world as we know it today: Kajora and Little Liza Fame, dams of the iconic stallions *Gazal Al Shaqab and *Marwan Al Shaqab, respectively. Owned by Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar, they could well have been lost to the breeding world if not for the generosity of Al Shaqab, who has made the stallions available to the public, standing them at Michael Byatt’s farm in New Ulm, Texas, for the past several years. Over decades, Michael has honed his ability to select broodmares — it’s a skill involving hunches, and luck, too. The great broodmare is often not the showring superstar, but rather her outstanding structural qualities, pedigree, and even her character, suggest what she can do ... if only a breeder can imagine it. On the following pages we pay tribute to a selection of great broodmares. They are not bound by provenance or pedigree, only by the fate of having come before Michael’s appraising eye.
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H e a r s t
Sire: Kaborr (*Naborr x Bint Kholameh) Dam: *Edjora (*Exelsjor x Edessa) Bred by Tom Chauncey Arabians, Scottsdale, Arizona Foaled 06-09-1979, bay Owned by Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar 1982 U.S. National Champion Mare
“I
was involved with Kajora from a distance via my friend Mike Weinstein, who purchased her as a two-year-old,” says Michael. “I ended up managing her for Mike and negotiated her sale to Paolo Gucci. In 1994 she came to live with me in Georgia after I purchased the Gucci herd with a friend. Later in the same year, Al Shaqab purchased six of the Gucci mares, one of them being Kajora. “I wanted to breed her to Anaza El Farid — I thought if there could be a dominance of an intense, fabulous, Egyptian pedigree on this incredibly elegant, curvy, just the most modern mare of the time, perhaps to soften up a little bit of her intensity with a little more classic beauty, it could be something amazing. My dreams were realized with the birth of *Gazal Al Shaqab. From the day he was born in Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Ali, the Al Shaqab manager at the time, was thrilled with him. Of course, he started winning a lot immediately. “Kajora was so solidly, beautifully built. Maybe her hips could be improved — they were a little bit raftery. Anaza El Farid was so square and boxy behind like so many 2 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
*GAZAL AL SHAQAB
by Anaza El Farid 2005 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Senior Stallion 2005 U.S. National Reserve Champion Senior Stallion 1999 World Champion Stallion 1999 Qatar Champion Stallion 1999 Middle East Champion Stallion 1999 Sharjah International Champion Stallion 1998 Egyptian Event Supreme Champion Stallion 1996 Qatar National Junior Champion Colt
Egyptians are. I thought that that would help her. “Kajora was one of those horses that made you feel that you were in the presence of an important horse — it was her carriage, her sense of herself, her presence, her command, everything. In my experience there is no horse that ends up being a great breeding horse that doesn’t have that trait a little bit, whether it’s a stallion or a mare. Come to think of it, I have yet to find a dumb horse that breeds well, either! “We have *Negma Al Shaqab here, Kajora’s daughter by Safir. Negma has some of her dam’s amazing traits, too — the structure of her neck and throat are so Kajora, and the shoulder. I can see the Egyptian influence of Safir in her, too. “Kajora was a wonderful mother and an easy breeder. She came through in all of her produce, always adding a lot of herself to the foal regardless of who she was bred to. She lived out her life at Al Shaqab in Qatar.” 3 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
*NEGMA AL SHAQAB
by Safir 2010 U.S. Nationals Reserve Champion Senior Mare 2010 Arabian Breeders World Cup Reserve Supreme Champion Senior Mare 2010 Egyptian Event Senior Champion Mare
HATHFA AL SHAQAB by *Al Adeed Al Shaqab 2003 Qatar National Champion Mare 2002 Qatar International Reserve Champion Filly
Sire: Fame Vf (Bey Shah x Raffoleta-Rose) Dam: Katahza (Aza Destiny x Afhar Rahza) Bred by Horseshoe Lake Farms Carson City, Nevada Foaled 05-27-1987, bay Owned by Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar
VAN LENT JR PHOTO
1991 U.S. National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure Junior Horse 1990 Canadian National Champion Futurity Filly 1990 U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Filly
“L
ittle Liza Fame came into my life because I was showing NV Natasham for Pidge Wood, who also owned Little Liza Fame,” says Michael. “I’d shown against her and thought she was a wonderful show horse. I loved her trainability and the fact that she moved effortlessly from halter to performance. She was such a gorgeous western horse. I loved her big eyes and beautiful neck. I loved her courage. She used to blow around the arena — just beautiful turned loose. She was fun to look at all the time. And when Al Shaqab was on their next mare-buying trip, they acquired her. “She was very Fame/Bey Shah-like at liberty. She raised herself up and she sucked her throat up and she had grand tail carriage. She’d never go out in the paddock or anywhere and just be dismissed. She commanded attention. “She’s so happy with herself. She still knows she’s the most famous grandmother in the world.”
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*MARWAN AL SHAQAB by *Gazal Al Shaqab 2008 World Champion Stallion 2008 All Nations Cup Champion Stallion 2005 U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion 2003 U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion 2002 All Nations Cup Champion Colt 2002 European Champion Colt 2002 and 2001 World Champion Colt
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Sire: Bey Shah (Bay El Bey x Star Of Ofir) Dam: Tw Forteyna (*Fortel x Tapiola) Bred by George M. or Patsy H. Gerling, Danville, California Foaled 03-06-1982 bay Owned by David Straz, Tampa, Florida 1987 U.S. National Champion Champion Mare 1987 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Mare and Reserve Senior Grand Champion Mare 1986 Canadian National Top Ten Mare
“S
hahteyna also came to me through the Gucci herd. She was one of the six mares later acquired by Al Shaqab,” says Michael. “But as I got to know her, I didn’t think she would make the transition to Qatar. She was a really, really special character who was easily distressed. So in keeping with Al Shaqab’s concern for their horses’ wellbeing, they allowed me to purchase her for David Straz in 1994, and she has lived with me ever since. She’s 30 this year. She lives out in the front of my house. She comes to me when I call her. She loves me. I love her. And that’s that. “I haven’t bred her since 2009 when she foaled a Besson daughter via embryo transfer. I own the resulting filly, MB Shania, who in turn just had a Marwan filly for me (via ET) that is absolutely gorgeous! She’s a spectacular filly who looks just like what you’d expect from a Marwan/ Besson/Shahteyna cross. “When I got Shahteyna we bred her to Echo Magnifficoo, and the resulting colt, Shaman AA, went 6 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
ZT LUDJTEYNA
by Ludjin El Jamaal 2000 Canadian National Top Ten Futurity Filly
on to be U.S. National Champion Yearling Colt. “We sold Shahteyna embryos to Count Federico Zichy-Thyssen of Argentina, who bred her to Ludjin El Jamaal to produce ZT Ludjteyna. She was born on my farm and remained with me until she was three and we exported her to Argentina. Years later, I bought her and I have two embryos coming: one from Marwan and one from Magnanimous. Recently, Athba Stud bought Ludjteyna from me. “ZT Ludjteyna is the dam of my stallion *ZT Marwteyn (by *Marwan Al Shaqab), who is amazing. Shahteyna certainly contributed more through her second generation. There is so much of her that comes through. “In my later breedings with Shahteyna, I worked to soften her up a touch because she is a big-boned, very powerful, very *Fortel, very Bey Shah, mare. I wanted to see a little more refined look. What I love about Shahteyna is her balance, and that glowing personality of hers — an intelligent, charismatic, engaged horse that is just intense.” 7 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
*ZT MARWTEYN (grandson of Shahteyna) *Marwan Al Shaqab x ZT Ludjteyna
G TAMIM by *Pilot 1996 World Champion Colt 1995-96 All Nations Cup Reserve Champion Colt 1995 Qatar International Champion Colt
Sire: *Besson Carol (*Parys El Jamaal x Classic Krystall) Dam: Credit To Society (*Enchanter Magic FHP x JA High Society) Bred by Christine Bruce or John Hilliard, Lompoc, California Foaled 05-14-2002, grey Owned by Umberto Bonini of Brazil
“W
BINT BESSOLEA by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2010 Egyptian International Reserve Champion Junior Filly
e can’t talk about Bessolea without mentioning her dam Credit To Society, and grandam JA High Society, both bred by my friend, the late Linda Entratter,” says Michael. “JA High Society (Barbary x Silver Reflection) was sweet and beautiful. She didn’t have an abundance of ambition but she did have character. I thought breeding her to Enchanter Magic, who had all that snort and blow and loved himself, would be great. Credit To Society was exactly what we wanted from the two of them — a gorgeous grey filly with charisma, curves, and intensity — just a great mare. “In 1999, Credit To Society was purchased by Christine Bruce, and the mare enjoyed success as a show horse. When it came time to breed her, Christine and I wanted to square her body up, just a touch, and make her a little more balanced. If we need to fix a body we go to *Besson Carol — we always say ‘Body by Besson.’ Together they produced Bessolea. “She was sold to Susan Taylor as a two-year-old — her very first horse. When it came time to breed her, there was no other thought but Marwan. The result was a string of champions, starting with World Champion Baanderos; then Bint Bessolea who went to Saudi Arabia and won 8 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
BAANDEROS by Marwan Al Shaqab 2011 Dubai International Champion Senior Stallion 2011 20th Qatar International Champion Senior Stallion 2011 Sharjah International Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Qatar International Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Al Khalediah International Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Dubai International Reserve Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Sharjah International Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Menton Champion Senior Stallion 2010 All Nations Cup Champion Senior Stallion 2010 World Champion Senior Stallion
by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2012 Qatar International Top Five Junior Stallion 2011 Qatar International Top Five Junior Stallion
some nice championships; U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Colt and Scottsdale Reserve Champion Stallion Baahir El Marwan; National Champion Colt of Qatar Dirar Al Shaqab; Scottsdale Top Ten Two-year-old Filly Baandora; and U.S. National Top Ten Yearling Filly and Top Seven Junior Filly Bessolina El Marwan. “Bessolea is a great mother, and carried all her first foals. She produces balance and that really square hindquarter. Baahir’s a little more Marwan, but Baanderos is a little more Bessolea. Baandora is a little more Bessolea, and Bessolina is a little more Marwan. And Baanderos, when you see that horse stood up you can’t fault him. He’s perfection in structure. Judges give him 20s on his body, which rarely happens. “Bessolea created a dynasty.” 9 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
BAAHIR EL MARWAN by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2012 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Classic Senior Stallion 2011 North American Arabian World Championships Champion Stallion 2011 U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Colt 2009 Scottsdale Champion Junior Colt 2009 U.S. National Top Ten Breeders Sweepstakes Yearling Colt/Gelding
DIRAR AL SHAQAB
BESSOLINA EL MARWAN by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2011 U.S. National Top Ten Junior Filly 2011 U.S. National Top Ten Yearling Filly
Sire: Echo Magnifficoo (Aladdinn Echo x SS Magnolia) Dam: *Savannah DSA (Plakat x *Severina) Bred by Milton H. Davis or Leanne Adele Davis, Tacoma, Washington Foaled 05-21-1994, chestnut Owned by Al Khalediah Stud, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
“I
MARQUIS CAHR by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2011 World Champion Senior Stallion 2011 All Nations Cup Silver Champion Stallion 2011 Menton Gold Champion Senior Stallion 2010 World Bronze Champion Senior Stallion 2008 Sharjah Gold Champion Stallion 2007 U.K. International Champion Colt And … Champion Colt in Dubai, Sharjah, Wels, Menton, and Elran
bought Rohara Magnifica as a yearling for Ailton Braga of Brazil, and years later she came back to the U.S. to live with me,” says Michael. “Eventually I sold her to Suzanne Winch of Canada, and we bred her to Marwan. The international champion stallion Marquis was the result. “I will go to the ends of my days appreciating Echo Magnifficoo for being such a grand, high-quality horse,” he continues. “But Rohara Magnifica looked like her Russian dam’s side. She was a huge mover and presence personified. Huge charisma. Just dragged you down the driveway, strutting her powers. She was just incredible — just gorgeous. “She was a little bit loose-coupled but at this time we were already realizing the strength of Marwan and his ability to sire those square, short-backed, long-legged horses. We thought that if we could take all of that drama and charisma of Rohara Magnifica and cross it with Marwan we’d have a great horse, and we did.” Both Rohara Magnifica and Marquis were sold to Al Khalediah Stud of Saudi Arabia.
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Sire: Mishaah (JK Spartan x Mistral Bey) Dam: OFW Balarina (RSD Dark Victory x Balaquina) Bred by Harold or Dolly Orr, Ellensburg, Washington Foaled 01-20-2002, bay Owned by Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar
“W
e bought OFW Mishaahl as a three-year-old for Al Shaqab,” says Michael. “I loved the way she conducted herself. Her sire and grandsire, Mishaah and JK Spartan, both had really extravagant things about them that came through in this mare. She had a really powerful pedigree of interesting horses. When you brought her out, she owned it. She was a super high-quality horse and very nicely made. She was on the handsome side versus the feminine but I thought this would work so well. “Her sons Kahil Al Shaqab and Wadee Al Shaqab were everything that I thought she would produce. Her fiveyear-old filly Entesar Al Shaqab is here in Texas. She’s extremely charismatic which makes her riveting to look at. She has very nice foals by Besson and Thee Desperado. And Mishaahl had a Gazal filly this year that’s wonderful. Mishaahl is now in Qatar.”
KAHIL AL SHAQAB by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2011 World Champion Junior Stallion 2011 Al Khalediah Champion Junior Stallion 2011 Qatar International Champion Junior Stallion 2011 Menton Champion Junior Stallion 2010 All Nations Cup Reserve Champion Junior Stallion
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WADEE AL SHAQAB by *Marwan Al Shaqab 2012 Qatar International Champion Junior Stallion 2012 Menton Champion Junior Stallion
Sire: *Dakar El Jamaal (Ali Jamaal x Sonoma Lady) Dam: KH First Prize (Echo Magnifficoo x Sweet Srrender) Bred by Doug Dahmen, Santa Maria, California Foaled 06-20-2003, grey Owned by Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar 2006 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Senior Mare AAOTH
“I
*HARIRY AL SHAQAB
judged White Silkk when she went Champion Two Year Old Filly at Region 1 in 2005,” says Michael. “Greg Knowles showed her and she was a hot pistol – borderline too much, but I just loved her because she was sharp. She was beautiful. She trotted beautifully. She was unanimous in that class. I loved her pedigree, certainly. I was an owner of Dakar, so I was always interested in his get. “When Sheikh Hamad bin Ali came with me on a buying trip for Al Shaqab, she was one of the horses that we went to see. We loved her, and she became part of the Shaqab mare band. Since then, she produced *Hariry Al Shaqab (by *Marwan Al Shaqab) who’s just so fabulous and absolutely the picture of what you’d think that you would get with those two — beauty, curves, animation, trot, intelligence, and exquisite everything.”
(by *Marwan Al Shaqab) 2012 Scottsdale Champion Classic Junior Colt
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Sire: Magnum Psyche (Padrons Psyche x A Fancy Miracle) Dam: Porcelyn (Bey Shah x GA Porta) Bred by Robert or Jerry Meade, Bend, Oregon Foaled 06-01-2000, bay Owned by Orrion Farms, Ellensburg, Washington 2004 U.S. National Top Ten Junior Mare
“M
agna Prelude came to me in 2006 as a show horse, before being sold to Harold and Dolly Orr,” says Michael. “ She was one of the most beautiful-faced Magnum Psyches daughters ever. All of the traits anyone would ever love to have in a horse, to look at, to breed, she had. We bred her to Marwan to produce OFW Magic Wan, now owned by Salim Mattar of Brazil. “Magna Prelude is a really sound horse everywhere. She gave Magic Wan this really short face, wide forehead, gorgeous eyes. Marwan gave the shoulder and poll and throatlatch and a vertical quality. The richness of Magnum Psyche and Marwan all worked together.”
OFW MAGIC WAN (by *Marwan Al Shaqab) 2010 U.S. National Champion Futurity Colt 2010 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Senior Stallion 2010 Arabian Breeders World Cup Reserve Supreme Champion Junior Stallion 2008 U.S. National Reserve Champion Breeders Sweepstakes Yearling Colt/Gelding
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Patrina de Parys
Maria El Besson
Mare *ABHA Nubia . . . . . . . . . . *ABHA Orlita . . . . . . . . . Amethystt . . . . . . . . . . . . Antigua Star . . . . . . . . . . Aria Unbridled Love . . . Evening Serenade . . . . . . Ex Quisitte . . . . . . . . . . . Francescaa . . . . . . . . . . . . Impres Alhambra . . . . . . . Jemini El Jamaal . . . . . . . . Kamillaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . Majaarani . . . . . . . . . . . . Majalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Majalina . . . . . . . . . . . . . Majalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *Marcelle El Ludjin . . . . Maria El Besson . . . . . . . Marwanna AD . . . . . . . . . MB Shania . . . . . . . . . . . . MB Sheridan . . . . . . . . . . OFW Paloma . . . . . . . . . . PA Penelope . . . . . . . . . . . Patrina De Parys . . . . . . . Sonataa cahr . . . . . . . . . . Star Of Anitaa . . . . . . . . Umbria MB . . . . . . . . . . . ZT Ludjteyna (recipient). .
Marwanna AD
Sire Dam Foaling Date Khidar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ABHA Galati . . . . . . . . . open El Perfecto . . . . . . . . . . Gual Bassoram . . . . . . . 3/10/2013 . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . Alisson MO . . . . . . . . . . 6/6/2013 . . . . . . WN Star Of Antigua . . Alhambra El Dakar . . . 4/23/2013 . . . . . *Piaff pasb . . . . . . . . . . . . Forbidden Love LL . . . . 4/7/2013 . . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . MSA Evening Symphony . 2/23/2013 . . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . Evening Starr . . . . . . . . open *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . ZT Fantasykestra . . . . . . 4/14/2013. . . . . . Aria Impresario . . . . . . . Alhambra El Dakar . . . . 5/23/2013 . . . . . . *Jullyen El Jamaal . . . . . . Shalina El Jamaal . . . . . 3/10/2013 . . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . Kinsasha . . . . . . . . . . . . . open Thee Desperado . . . . . . Majalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/7/2013 . . . . . . *Gazal Al Shaqab . . . . . . Majalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/5/2013 . . . . . . *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . Majalis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/30/2013 . . . . . Ali Jamaal . . . . . . . . . . . Starilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/30/2013 . . . . . *Ludjin El Jamaal . . . . . . Michelle El Jamaal . . . 3/15/2013 . . . . . *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . Mirrell Carol . . . . . . . 4/21/2013 . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . Cibylla El Yllan . . . . . . 5/17/2013 . . . . . *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . Shahteyna . . . . . . . . . . . 3/17/2013 . . . . . *Marwan Al Shaqab . . . . Sabrienaa . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/7/2013 . . . . . . WN Star Of Antigua . . Patrina De Parys . . . . . . open *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . *Pinga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . open *Parys El Jamaal . . . . . . . Palitrina . . . . . . . . . . . . open *Besson Carol . . . . . . . . . Psychedelechaa MO . . . 4/14/2013 . . . . . WN Ultimate Star . . . . Anitaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/18/2013 . . . . . WH Justice . . . . . . . . . . JA Ultima . . . . . . . . . . . . open *Ludjin El Jamaal . . . . . . Shahteyna . . . . . . . . . . . 1/13/2013 . . . . . .
In Foal To: *Gazal Al Shaqab *ZT Marwteyn WH Justice Allesio *ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn *Besson Carol WH Justice *Marwan Al Shaqab *ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn WH Justice *Marwan Al Shaqab *Besson Carol
*ZT Marwteyn *ZT Marwteyn *Marwan Al Shaqab
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Majaarani
MB Sheridan
Majalina Francescaa
PA Penelope
Ex Quisitte 15 ▪ BYATT ▪ WORLD
ALL PHOTOS CONFORMATION UNALTERED 路 BACKGROUND PHOTOS BY SUZANNE STURGILL
Majalis
7716 Red Bird Road New Ulm, TX 78950 979.357.2614 fax 979.357.2613 www.michaelbyattarabians.com