Into the Fire — The Story of Bear Creek Ranch

the story of

Bear Creek Ranch

by Carol Maginn

I

t seemed like any other week on the farm — mares to breed, stallions to collect, and foals to handle. We would soon realize that nothing about this week would be typical. “Bastrop is on fire!” What? It was almost impossible to process the real meaning of that brief text when it came on Sunday evening. As we would soon learn, our friend, Brennan Gibbs, was trying to make her way back from Houston but couldn’t get home due to road closures caused by a fire. I immediately jumped into my truck and trailer, and as I headed toward Brennan’s horses I could see plumes of black smoke filling the sky. It was beginning to sink in — I could feel my heart starting to pound faster. Suddenly the sky was almost completely filled with ashes.

When I finally reached Brennan’s I wasn’t able to open the main gate so I had to cut through the fencing instead — creating an opening large enough to walk the horses up to my trailer. I caught three of the horses and led them all out together over about half a mile before reaching the opening I had cut in the fencing. Leading them through the darkness, I suddenly saw a huge red flickering light — and that’s when I started to sweat profusely. This was a huge fire and it was burning out of control!

I managed to get the horses through the fence opening and loaded onto my trailer uneventfully, and set out for the road to my farm.

The worst is over, I told myself, we’d be home before we knew it. Once under way I called my husband to reassure him that all was well, and that I’d be home in 30 minutes so he shouldn’t worry. The next thing I knew, I was driving directly through a giant range fire that had now engulfed both sides of the road! It was the longest and most harrowing 30-minute trip I’ve ever taken.

Over the next 36 hours, the situation grew more dire in and around Bastrop, Texas. During that time we moved almost 40 horses out of evacuated areas — over 30 of them were taken back to our farm in Lockhart as my husband Reilly made numerous trips for more grain and water tubs from Tractor Supply, to prepare our farm for this unexpected influx.

There were many challenges to be met during that period, but teaching foals to load onto a trailer in the middle of a fire was an experience I won’t soon forget, and hope never to repeat.

The rescue horses are still at Bear Creek Ranch as I write this, but thank goodness we have had a good rain and soon the horses will be able to return home. According to NPR news,

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the story of

Bear Creek Ranch

by Carol Maginn

I

t seemed like any other week on the farm — mares to breed, stallions to collect, and foals to handle. We would soon realize that nothing about this week would be typical. “Bastrop is on fire!” What? It was almost impossible to process the real meaning of that brief text when it came on Sunday evening. As we would soon learn, our friend, Brennan Gibbs, was trying to make her way back from Houston but couldn’t get home due to road closures caused by a fire. I immediately jumped into my truck and trailer, and as I headed toward Brennan’s horses I could see plumes of black smoke filling the sky. It was beginning to sink in — I could feel my heart starting to pound faster. Suddenly the sky was almost completely filled with ashes.

When I finally reached Brennan’s I wasn’t able to open the main gate so I had to cut through the fencing instead — creating an opening large enough to walk the horses up to my trailer. I caught three of the horses and led them all out together over about half a mile before reaching the opening I had cut in the fencing. Leading them through the darkness, I suddenly saw a huge red flickering light — and that’s when I started to sweat profusely. This was a huge fire and it was burning out of control!

I managed to get the horses through the fence opening and loaded onto my trailer uneventfully, and set out for the road to my farm.

The worst is over, I told myself, we’d be home before we knew it. Once under way I called my husband to reassure him that all was well, and that I’d be home in 30 minutes so he shouldn’t worry. The next thing I knew, I was driving directly through a giant range fire that had now engulfed both sides of the road! It was the longest and most harrowing 30-minute trip I’ve ever taken.

Over the next 36 hours, the situation grew more dire in and around Bastrop, Texas. During that time we moved almost 40 horses out of evacuated areas — over 30 of them were taken back to our farm in Lockhart as my husband Reilly made numerous trips for more grain and water tubs from Tractor Supply, to prepare our farm for this unexpected influx.

There were many challenges to be met during that period, but teaching foals to load onto a trailer in the middle of a fire was an experience I won’t soon forget, and hope never to repeat.

The rescue horses are still at Bear Creek Ranch as I write this, but thank goodness we have had a good rain and soon the horses will be able to return home. According to NPR news,

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“The Bastrop fire was not the deadliest wildfire or the largest in acreage. But in terms of destruction — 1,554 homes and counting — it was one of the worst forest fires in recent U.S. history.”

As horrific a situation as this was, the challenge and the positive outcome reminded me of how much we are able to accomplish together.

Within the Arabian horse community, good friends often walk though “fires” together … because when all is said and done, we are a family.

Here at Bear Creek Ranch in Lockhart, my husband Reilly and I offer international Arabian horse breeding, marketing, and management. We currently stand five stallions: Aspecial Ali (Ruminaja Ali x Mahrdee Gras); Hassan SA (Simeon Sachi x MB Maymaara); *Simeon Sochain (Simeon Sadik x Simeon Simona), Ansata Suleyman (Ansata Ibn Sirius x Ansata Bint Serqit); and *Nebras Al Rayyan (Ansata Hejazi x Naama Al Rayyan).

It is our philosophy to go that extra mile in order to meet the care and reproductive needs of our clients’ horses. For example, when one of our client’s mares passed away her ovaries were sent to CSU, and we made sure that we had frozen semen there the next day in hopes of saving the mare’s legacy. On another occasion a client from Australia, Marion Richmond, needed Simeon Sochain semen to be at CSU the very next morning for her mare Simeon Sehavi, but the air cargo office in Austin closed unexpectedly, making it impossible for us to ship in time. Well, to us “can’t do” is something of an obscene phrase — so I was on a plane that day with no change of clothes and nothing but that semen and my wallet with me. To us, this is nothing more than what should be expected of a breeding management facility — to get the job done no matter what it takes.

We currently collect and ship the semen of five stallions worldwide. Next year we will be offering embryo transfer services as well as traditional breeding services through our partnership with Rafter D Genetics in College Station. With 25 years of embro transfer experience and 17 years’ teaching experience, Dr. Clifford Dorn’s expertise and knowledge make a significant difference in achieving higher pregnancy rates.

Facing page, inset: Carol Maginn visits with a mare on her first trip to the EAO in Egypt.

Top left: Carol took this shot while driving toward the Bastrop fire on one of many trips to rescue horses from neighboring farms.

Below: Bint Kohela (Anaza Bay Shahh x Kohela) with her foal Amira Bint Kohela BCR.

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Bear Creek Ranch Our Breeding Program

My experience with horses started almost four decades ago.

My parents owned Arabians and Standardbred horses in the early 1970s and were licensed driver-trainers of Standardbred racehorses in New Jersey. They trained at the famous Stanley Dancer’s farm, whose horses won the Hambletonian four times. I was actually named Miss Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey in 1985 and received a scholarship as the winner of a competition based on knowledge of horsemanship. I showed our Standardbred yearlings and attended the sales and sire stakes in New Jersey.

My parents bought our first Arabian horse, Ras, in 1971. I competed all over the state in western pleasure, reining, halter, and equitation with Ras until I left for college in 1985. It was Ras, with her beauty, heart, and kindness, who sold me on Arabians forever. I felt we were soul mates. It was so hard to leave her behind when I went to college, but mom sent me a

The stallion Aspecial Ali (Ruminaja Ali x Mahrdee Gras).

subscription to Arabian Horse World and kept the fire burning.

In 2002, my husband and I purchased our first straight Egyptian filly — Makhnifique KA (Makhnificient KA x KA Sultan Raqwa) from Kehilan Arabians in Fort Worth. The Rogerses, of Kehilan Arabians, became our mentors and we later purchased Prima Bella KA (Makhsous x KA Namirah), KA Sultan Raqwa (Raquin RA x *Thawra), and Bint Kohela (Anaza Bay Shahh x Kohela).

Our herd grew quickly from a small band of broodmares on a four-acre farm in Austin to a larger collection of horses — incorporating the bloodlines of Ruminaja Ali, and the Simeon, Ansata, and Imperial lines. In 2007, we acquired a second, larger 60-acre farm in Lockhart — just outside of Austin, where we manage both our own herd and our clients’ horses. My parents, Pat and Ann Hagen, have played a key role in our growth and success. Always there to help and provide a sounding board,

Carol Maginn with the stallion *Nebras Al Rayyan (Ansata Hejazi x Naama Al Rayyan), recently imported from Germany.

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a kind word during times of stress, and of course the voice of experience — my parents’ touch and support are present in all that we see and do here at the farm.

Bear Creek Ranch focuses on breeding beautiful, balanced horses with good substance and bone, who are both intelligent and functional. As my husband Reilly says, “What purpose would it serve to own a sports car if you couldn’t drive it?”

Disposition is also of paramount importance and we will incorporate all bloodlines that we believe will enhance our program. We are careful about circumventing genetic disorders, but we will not eliminate a carrier from our breeding program, so long as we are convinced that we are able to navigate around this through careful mating choices. There are too many incredible horses that are critical to the gene pool (especially in the straight Egyptian lines) to exclude only based upon a carrier status. We use whatever horses best suit our breeding needs, and simply test as appropriate to avoid genetic problems.

We particularly love the Kehilan lines, including both Makhnificent KA and Marquis I. We consider our best broodmare to be Prima Bella KA — sired by Makhsous and out of a Nabiel daughter. “Bella,” one of the winningest straight Egyptian mares in both performance and halter, was Reserve Supreme Champion mare multiple times at the Egyptian Event. In addition, we have great appreciation for the Ruminaja Ali blood — and especially like the cross of Ruminaja Ali on The Egyptian Prince descendants. Bint Kohela, has been a cornerstone of our breeding program. She produced one of our best straight Egyptian fillies as well as an amazing *Mishaal HP colt for our dear friend, Jamie Zissis. In addition, we have

Carol with Imperial Baaron (Imperial Baarez x Imperial Falaah by Imperial Imdal), while visiting the owners, Prestige Arabians, in Belgium.

Words from Bear Creek Clients “Carol is not the person who simply keeps others in her prayers: she is the answer to people’s prayers. I don’t know many people who are always so selfless, kind, and quick to act.

“Carol is an astute and capable businesswoman and horsewoman. Speaking as a mare owner who has had both problem mares and older mares booked to the stallions at Bear Creek Ranch, the firsthand experience of dealing with someone who will do whatever it takes, every time, to give you the best opportunity to get mares successfully in foal is invaluable. The small emergencies that arise during breeding season, when a mare is hanging on to a follicle and you need to order semen again may not be so desperate as a tearful phone call about horses in the path of a brushfire, but the same immediate response, completely focused on fixing the situation, makes either situation easier to resolve.”

— Anne-Louise Toner, Al Atiq Arabians, Germantown, Maryland “Carol has never met a stranger, and with her help and guidance, in a year I was able to meet contacts in the Egyptian Arabian horse community that would otherwise have taken me a decade to meet on my own.” — Jamie Zissis, Incline Village, Nevada

Carol’s husband Reilly Maginn with their dog Lucky.

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Bear Creek Ranch recently acquired a daughter of Bint Hebet Allah and her filly (by a Makhsous son out of a Nabiel daughter) who we feel will bring additional strength to our broodmare band.

We also utilize the Anaza Bay Shahh and Asfour cross for their huge eyes as well as the exceptional movement that comes from these lines. We prefer a typey and curvaceous horse — aesthetic traits that are also sourced from Asfour and Anaza Bay Shahh. For large eyes and dark pigmentation we also enjoy the RDM Maar Hala line. In combination with individuals from the Nagel and Imperial lines, we strive to achieve exceptional movement and refinement.

Our stallion Hassan SA is a prime example of this combination. Sired by an Asfour son and out of an El Halimaar daughter, Hassan traces in tail female to Ansata Nile Mist.

Almost 16 hands tall and extremely exotic, Hassan has a kind disposition and he is very gentle with his mares. *Nebras Al Rayyan was recently imported from Germany and he is simply gorgeous! Nebras brings to our program extreme exotic type and refinement through his dam line, which traces in tail female to Farida. He is an exceptionally beautiful stallion with great legs, flag tail carriage, and charisma. His foals are fantastic and he is turning out to be a great breeding stallion.

Ansata Suleyman (Ansata Ibn Sirius x Ansata Bint Serqit) has a near-perfect body in our view, and his movement is beyond extravagant.

Suleyman is not only gorgeous and exotic, but he is an amazing athlete and is highly intelligent.

Aspecial Ali is one of the few bay Ruminaja Ali sons still breeding who

Above and left: The stallion Hassan SA (*Simeon Sachi x MB Maymaara).

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Left: The stallion Ansata Suleyman (Ansata Ibn Sirius x Ansata Bint Serqit).

combines Imperial and Ansata breeding on his dam line. He is a very impressive stallion full of style, personality, and animation, and his foals are as talented as they are beautiful.

International Reach and Priceless Relationships

I have been honored to have the opportunity to help my friend and associate, Jamie Zissis (owner of Rosehaven Arabian Ranch, Reno, Nevada), bring some great horses to the United States, including offspring of the late stallion *Orashan. During a recent trip to Australia, Jamie and I visited several breeding farms and ended up importing the beautiful stallion *Simeon Sochain (Simeon Sadik x Simeon Simona) who is magical in terms of his ability to improve a body, shorten backs and lengthen hips and croups. He sires foals with huge eyes and swan necks — so what he offers in a breeding program is truly priceless.

In addition to Simeon Sochain, I was also honored to assist Jamie in importing from Australia: Madanah Al Saba (Thaqib Al Nasser x MB Madirah), and Sangreal Al Saba (Orashan x

“It’s been several years now that on one of those typical mornings over a cup of coffee I received a message from Carol Maginn. I do not know why but this time I felt compelled to send a reply straightaway. Carol has an energy about her that seems to affect her entire surroundings with positiveness — it’s that positive attitude that makes a person stand out in this world.

“I was fortunate in the past summer to go and visit her in Austin, Texas. No effort to accommodate me was spared. In the evening we went out for drinks with her husband Reilly at an old-fashioned Texas Barrelhouse piano saloon, and it became one of those memorable nights in my life — I had the most fun. Thanks, Carol, for all nice things you have already shared with me.” — Bart van Buggenhout, Al Ghoroub Stud, Belgium “It is hard to describe how over-the-moon we are at having WK Il Bint Maarree in foal to *Nebras Al Rayyan. Considering the beauty, athleticism, and ancestry contributed by both sire and dam in this breeding, this foal can’t help but be fabulous. Carol has proven herself to be a breeding manager extraordinaire — as in every other aspect of her life, she goes far beyond what is expected of her and excels in what she does.

The day our mare arrived at Bear Creek she was showing heat, and although Carol could not reach me, she chose not to waste one minute, but took advantage of the excellent timing and went ahead and covered her — and she conceived!

The very day she arrived — now that surely has to be a record!” — Caryn Rogosky, Windkist Arabians, Orefield, Pennsylvania

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Bear Creek Ranch

Above: The stallion

*Simeon Sochain (Simeon Sadik x Simeon Simona).

Right: DSA Jazz Dancer, the first *Simeon Sochain filly born in the U.S. and a beautiful example of the Simeon lines crossed on Nagel (Katharinenhof) and Ansata lines. She is owned by Dogwood Springs, Texas.

Suhalia Al Saba). From Germany, Jamie acquired an embryo from Marcus Pabst, resulting in a beautiful son of Ansata Nile Echo out of the mare NK Soraya.

And from Israel and Denmark, Jamie acquired several stunning mares from Tzviah Idan Atiq, and Helle Nielson of Stutteri Svanemosen. bringing in the treasured Balbona lines. Jamie is very intrested in breeding Balbona tail female lines and so all of these mares trace to Balbona in tail female. Presently Jamie’s program includes Tamria, Bint Inas, Hosna and Hanadi tail female. We have worked with breeders Michael Farkas, Judi Parks, Arabians LTD, Anne Louise Toner, and longtime breeders Yorklyn Arabians. We are grateful to these breeders for their support and help in preserving these important lines at Rosehaven Arabian Ranch.

During our recent trip to Aachen, we met Bart van Buggenhout of Al Ghoroub stud in Belgium. We worked with Bart in managing and marketing frozen semen on his stallion *Nebras Al Rayyan whom we have since imported and acquired an interest in. Nebras has 10 foals due in 2012 here in the U.S. His first filly in the U.S. was conceived last year via frozen semen and is proudly owned by Aldebaran Arabians in California. This stunning filly Pustynna Jaipur, out of the pure polish mare *Pustynna Tarza, is a perfect example of the type of quality we have seen from Nebras’s offspring in Europe.

One of my closest friends and advisers is Marilyn Lang. For over 40 years, Marilyn and her husband Phil have supported the straight Egyptian Arabian horse in countless ways. We have traveled the world together — most recently to the EAO in Cairo. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to breed Marilyn’s mares to *Nebras Al Rayyan. The day she called to tell me her mare was still in foal to

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D. Cantey photo

“I booked two mares to *Nebras Al Rayyan last year based on pedigree and a few photos. I saw him for the first time recently when Carol brought him to my place for a photo shoot.

When he stepped off the trailer, he took my breath away. I will be booking additional mares to him for 2012. You could not ask for anyone to be more accommodating to mare owners than Carol and Bear Creek Ranch. Carol will do whatever it takes to get your mares in foal.”

— Marilyn Lang, Fantasia Arabians, Sealy, Texas

Carol Maginn and *Simeon Sochain.

Nebras was a happy day. We eagerly await this foal out of FA Savanna Moon.

We were also thrilled to have received WK Il Bint Maarree owned by Caryn and Mark Rogosky of Windkist Manor Arabians, for breeding to *Nebras Al Rayyan this season. A double *Tuhotmos daughter out of the incredible El Hilal daughter MFA Bint Maarree, WK IL Bint Maarree is the only horse of her breeding in the world. This cross to *Nebras El Rayyan (with his unique breeding in the world) is very exciting.

We are so pleased to say that Keitha and Wayne Adams of Mackayne Arabians, Mabank, Texas, have become close friends of Bear Creek Ranch. Keitha recently acquired our Safeen daughter EAI Eskalia Afeena who is in foal to our Simeon Sachi son Hassan SA. We have recently had the opportunity to work with Dogwood Springs’s beautiful mare DSA Aseefah who is currently in foal to *Simeon Sochain for a 2012 foal. Dogwood’s Jerel and Daphne Kerby own DSA Jazz Dancer — the first Simeon Sochain filly born in the U.S. and a beautiful example of the Simeon lines crossed on Nagel (Katharinenhof ) and Ansata lines. Dogwood Springs has been a pleasure to work with and their breeding program has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of overall quality and consistency.

My relationship with Marion Richmond of Simeon Stud began several years ago at the Egyptian Event when Anne Louise

“Carol has been a wonderful friend to me and my family. She has an outstanding lineup of stallions we chose to breed to several of our mares this year. I would like to thank Carol for the opportunity to purchase two special mares with very rare bloodlines. MacKayne Arabians is looking forward to breeding one of those special mares (Afeena) to Botswana for a 2013 EBC foal.” — Keitha Adams, MacKayne Arabians, Mabank, Texas “I want to thank Carol for giving ‘Silk’ excellent care. I know how challenging it can be when you have such a difficult breeding mare.

Now let’s keep our fingers crossed that she has a beautiful Nebras filly” — Jake Gutierrez, Wildwood Farms, New Mexico “We have found Carol to be much more than a business colleague; she has turned into a very good personal friend. Carol always goes that extra mile to please and accommodate us with anything extra we might pile on her at the last moment, with never a complaint. Honest, kind, enthusiastic, supportive, and compassionate would be just a few words we would use to describe her. She is one of a kind.” — Jerel and Daphne Kerby, Dogwood Springs, Daingerfield, Texas

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Bear Creek Ranch Toner introduced us. At the time of their first meeting, Anne Louise was only 16 years old and no one knew she would one day have a horse farm in America and import the first Asfour son.

Bear Creek Tomorrow — Our Goals

Our plans for the future include bringing both *Nebras Al Rayyan and Aspecial Ali to the Egyptian Event. I would also like to bring their foals as well, to share these remarkable stallions and their get with the world. Another goal is to show *Nebras Al Rayyan under saddle. His movement is unbelievable and I can’t wait to exhibit him doing perhaps a free style dressage routine.

I also look forward to organizing an exhibit locally, perhaps at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort, Bastrop, Texas, or some Far left: *Nebras Al Rayyan.

Left: Carol aboard the mare Prima Bella KA (Makhsous x KA Namirah by Nabiel).

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A bottle-raised colt affectionately known as “Rainmaker” (Pimlico RCA x Inasa Capuchin), with Jason Lindley.

“We had the divine fortune of meeting Carol in 2002 when she called to inquire about the first filly we bred who sadly was sidelined with an injury she sustained while in show training.

She had picked up our sales brochure at the Egyptian Event and I’m glad she did! She’s now a close friend. I have watched her grow in her business as a reputable breeder of some of the finest straight Egyptian Arabians anywhere in the world, and also as a very talented photographer. I think it is evident to everyone who knows her that Carol is the ultimate team player. — Duane and Diana Cantey, Zajaddi Egyptian Arabians, Mount Vernon, Arkansas Carol is one of those people who never sees the glass half empty. She is kindhearted, vibrant, and positive, and is always having an adventure whether it is in Jordan, Paris, or the U.S. I remember traveling with her in Jordan and her first camel ride in Petra, Jordan, and then watching her play and get stuck in the Dead Sea mud, which was hilarious. I appreciate every moment I spend with her — she is a real breath of fresh air. — Liz Salmon, Highland Village, Texas

D. Cantey photo

other beautiful location, where the general public can come to see beautiful Arabians.

Reilly and I look forward to expanding our infrastructure, adding a new stallion barn, paddocks, and breeding lab — we will work to make the farm more efficient and welcoming. We will be building up our recipient herd and offering routine embryo transfer services.

Life is good when you get to spend your days with horses such as ours. I am amazed and humbled to think of all the people who have given me the adventure of a lifetime. My journey has given me new insights and opportunities to meet so many different people, and I have come to know that we are all bonded by a common thread — an indescribable love for the Arabian horse.

And the icing on the cake, last year I received a call from Arabian Horse World asking if I might come work for them ...

Isn’t it funny how life seems to come full circle?

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