Athbah Stud by Arabian Horse World

ATHBAH STUD

eks alihandro

or more than 30 years, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al Saud has nurtured a deep appreciation for the Arabian breed, fostered by his family’s decades long involvement. Today, ten years after founding his Athbah Stud, west of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia, HRH Prince Abdulaziz treasures his Arabians, enjoying not only time spent at his farm, but numerous trips to the winners circle both at shows and racetracks. He has also devoted time and resources to promote Arabian ownership, breeding, and showing in Saudi Arabia. When we last visited His Royal Highness (in the October 2012 issue), Athbah Stud was enjoying a string of great showring victories, capped by the European Triple Crown wins of Aja Justified (WH Justice x Aja Beneja), a colt leased by Athbah from Aja Arabians. It appears that trend is continuing, with, most recently, Menton Gold and Silver Champion Junior Colts EKS Alihandro (Marwan Al Shaqab x OFW Psylhouette), a three-year-old, and Ascot DD (Glorious Apal x Lady Nina DD), a two-year-old, repeating their wins from the 2013 Dubai International Championships. The lovely Brazilian National Champion Filly Esperanzza Alventur (FA El Shawan x Honeys Delight RB), added the All Nations Cup Gold Champion Yearling Filly and Menton Silver Champion Yearling Filly trophies. Alihandro has been shown just a handful of times and never fails to put on a spectacular display. “The way Alihandro comes in the ring and owns it, the way he makes everyone look at him, is thrilling,” says Athbah manager Ward Bemong. “He has only been shown five or six times in his life and is always a champion.” Alihandro has sired six foals to date, with the first to be shown, SR Aphrodite (x JA Illumination), winning South African Champion Filly Foal.

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Facin g pag e a n d t hi s pag e : The 1 998 ma re E l D o r a da ( Sa n a d i k E l S ha k l a n x E mi g ran tka by E uk a l ip t us ) ha s mu lt i p le c ha mp i on s hi ps in c lu d in g Po l is h N at io n a l Cha mp i on M a re , A ll N ation s C up C h a m p ion Ma re , a n d U . S . Nat i on a l C h ampion S en io r M a re. S he i s p i c t u re d a b ove w i th H is R oya l Hig h n e s s P ri n c e A b d u l a z i z b i n Ah med b in A b dul a z iz a l Sau d , ow n e r of At hb a h S t u d , Sau d i A ra b ia . Sh e i s ow n e d by Mi c ha lów S t u d , Pol an d , a n d is o n l eas e to At hb a h S t u d .

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Alihandro was All Nations Cup Gold Champion Junior Colt in Aachen this year and will go to the World Championships in Paris. Ascot is entered in the World and European Championships. Next year, both colts will stand at stud, Ascot in Belgium and Alihandro in Italy. “We have a lot of people who would like to breed to Alihandro,” Ward says. “Many WH Justice daughters would do well with him — he’s a long-legged horse, with good conformation and movement.” Ascot will stand in Belgium, where Ward believes that mare owners will be drawn to him for his “very pretty face, great movement, a great attitude.”

Thi s pag e a n d facin g : The 2 01 0 s ta lli on E K S A l ih an d ro (Ma rwa n A l S h aqa b x OF W P s y lhou e t t e by Pa dron s Psyche ) , 20 1 3 A l l N at i on s Cu p Gold Cha mp i on J u n ior Colt, D ub a i I n t ern at i on a l Gold C ha mp i on J u nior C olt, G old C h a m p io n C o lt at Me n ton , a n d 2 01 2 A ll N ation s Cup Ch a m p io n C o lt. H e i s p i c t u re d b ot tom righ t w ith HR H P rin ce A b dul az i z b i n A hme d b i n A b d u l a ziz al Saud, l ef t, t ra in er Gi accomo C a pacc i , c e n t e r, an d stu d m a nager Wa rd B em on g , ri g ht.

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Looking over the past year’s show

Last year, HRH Prince Abdulaziz selected several outside stallions for his mares, “So

season, HRH Prince Abdulaziz says, “Of

we have a variety of types of youngsters this year, which is really interesting,” he says.

course, the wins of EKS Alihandro, Ascot

“There is a very nice grey filly by Fadi Al Shaqab, Fahda Athbah (out of Magnolia Apal);

DD, and Esperanzza were wonderful, but

a pretty bay filly, full sister to the well-known ZT Marwteyn, Maha Athbah (Marwan

El Dorada’s performances at the 2012

Al Shaqab x ZT Ludjteyna); and a very exciting ZT Marwteyn colt, Saif Athbah (out

World Championships in Paris and at the Prince Sultan Festival in January 2013 were truly unforgettable. I think she proved to the whole world that she is an actual Polish queen!” El Dorada (Sanadik El Shaklan x Emigrantka), the worldfamous Polish, U.S., and All Nations Cup Champion Mare, was on lease to Athbah in 2012-2013, and the stud has two embryos from her.

A b ove an d fac in g page: Th e t wo-year-ol d colt A scot D D (Glorious A pal x Lady N in a D D ), h as amassed an en viab l e record for his t e n d er years: 2 0 12 Silver C h ampion Yearl in g C olt at th e Wor ld Ch ampion sh ips in Paris, th e M ed iterran ean C h ampion s hips in Me n ton , an d th e A l l N ation s C u p in A ac h en . I n 2 0 13 , h e e arne d Silver M ed al s in J u n ior C olts at th e D u b ai I n ternational Cha m pion sh ips, th e A bu D h ab i I n tern ation al C h ampion ships and t h e M ed iterran ean C h ampion sh ips in M en ton . H e is pi ct ure d b ot tom l eft in Paris w ith H RH P rin c e A b d u l aziz, l eft, an d handle r Gl en n Sc houke ns . 6 ▪ ATHBAH STUD ▪ WORLD

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of Bint Azadik). It is difficult to know which of them will be making debuts in 2014 as they are still very young. We will have to wait and see how they develop in the next few months.” Athbah has also leased top stallions in the past for breeding and showing. First, Eden C (Enzo x Silken Sable), who showed to All Nations Cup Silver Champion Stallion, and next Aja Justified, mentioned earlier. From Eden, the stud is retaining the young mare Ghanya Athbah (out of JJ Ali Baska), and from Aja Justified are the young mares Noura Athbah (out of Disputa FA) and Latifa Athbah (out of Ermina by Galba). In Athbah’s early years, HRH Prince Abdulaziz was quick to see the rich potential in the Polish State Studs’ annual auction and has been a regular presence there, having purchased such gems as Panika (Eukaliptus x Plisa by Probat), Ermina (Galba x Echidna), Andaluzja (Sanadik El Shaklan x Antwerpia), and Pomerania (Gazal Al Shaqab x Pipi). In 2013 he snapped up a mare from the Summer Sale, the Ekstern daughter Spala (x Slonka by Wojslaw). “As we follow the Polish breeding programs very closely, we felt that this beautiful Ekstern daughter had a different look than most of the Eksterns,” he says.

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A b ove : E s pe r a n z z a A lven tu r (FA El Sh awan x H on eys D el igh t RB ), 2 01 3 Gold Cha mp i on Yearl in g F il ly at th e A l l N ation s C u p in A ac he n , 2 01 3 S i lve r C h ampion Yearl in g F il ly at th e M ed iterran ean Cha mp i on s hi p s i n M en ton , an d B razil ian N ation al C h ampion F il ly.

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“She has much more stretch, which is very interesting, and she is in foal to the 2013 Polish National Champion El Omari (Enzo x Embra), who had several cute foals on the ground in Poland this year.” Athbah maintains niche programs as well — straight Egyptian, racing Arabians, and a select desertbred herd. “While we don’t really focus on straight Egyptian breeding as much as the other bloodlines, we had a very nice straight Egyptian colt by Salman Al Mohamediah out of Basma Almamalika (by Farouk Sakr) that is looking promising!”

Top l eft: Th e 2 0 11 fil ly B in t M arajj (M arajj x M i A mb er D ream by M agic D ream C A H R), Sau d i N ation al J u n ior C h ampion F il ly. B ot tom l eft: Th e 2 0 0 9 fil ly M eqb il at Ath b ah (Q R M arc x M artin iqu e J by E kstern ), c l ass w in n er at th e 2 0 11 M id d l e E ast C h ampion sh ips, th e 2 0 10 Q atar I n tern ation al Sh ow, an d th e A l Kh al ed iah I n tern ation al A -Sh ow. B ot tom c en ter: Kh areissan Ath b ah (D rea A l Th an i x M an d ou b a), t wo-time C h ampion D esertb red C olt at th e P rin c e Su ltan A rab ian H orse F estival an d A l Kh al ed iah Sh ow. B ot tom righ t: Th e 2 0 0 9 mare B in t Ath b ah (Sab ea A l Sah raa by Koron ec x A zb ah A l Th an iah by Sin u s).

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A b ove: Th e 2 009 mare Sad eem At hbah (M arwan A l Shaqab x M A B in t A z adik), Gol d C h ampio n F illy at th e M id d l e Eas t C h ampion sh ips and w in n er of h er cl as s in 2 0 11 at th e Al Kh al ed iah A r abian H orse F estival. B ot tom l eft: Bint B el l issima (Ede n C x B el l isima [E ks t e rn x B el lon a]). B ot tom righ t: Mawe e Ath b ah (Q R Marc x Trejor I A ), a 2008 mare, an d d am of a 2013 P sy tad el colt.

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HRH Prince Abdulaziz says. “As for racing and desertbreds, Athbah Stud strives to preserve the valuable lines through an intense breeding program. Each year we are proud to achieve numerous titles during the Al Khalediah International Show and the Prince Sultan Arabian Horse Festival. Our desertbred colt Khurisan Athbah (Drea Al Thani x Mandouba), for example, was a champion in his first show as a yearling and won again as a two-year-old.”

A b ove: Th e 2 0 13 colt Saif Ath b ah (ZT M arw teyn x B in t A z ad ik). Righ t: Baid a Ath b ah (Kah il A l Sh aqab x Pomeran ia).

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A b ove: Th e 2 0 13 fil ly Fah d a At hbah (Fad i A l Sh aqab x M agn ol ia A pal by E l A min ). B ot tom l eft: Th e 2 0 12 fil ly Latifah Ath b ah (A ja J u stified x Ermin a), was secon d pl ac e yearl in g fil ly at th e B ru ges N ation al A rabian H orse Even t. B ot tom righ t: 2 0 13 fil ly (M arwan A l Sh aqab x H an oua Ath b ah by E n zo).

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In racing, Athbah has a premium band of race-bred broodmares, and in 2013 the stud’s own homebred mares Mandy Athbah and Moja Athbah carried the Athbah colors, and more homebreds will arrive at the track in 2014. HRH Prince Abdulaziz’s growing herd reflects his worldly taste — an appreciation of the breed’s richness and variety. If you were to ask him, he’d tell you that whatever the pedigree, it is the Arabian’s type, charisma, and attitude that have captured his soul. As Athbah enters its second decade, it’s clear that the Arabian horse has found a most devoted patron, and in this corner of Saudi Arabia, the future looks bright indeed.

Top: Sh irin B y A ish a (W H Jus tice x A ish a B in t M issou ri), 2 011 Bronze Worl d C h ampion F il ly and 2012 Gol d C h ampion F il ly at C at tolica in I taly. M id d l e: Th e straigh t E g ypt ian mare El Say yed a (I mperial Baarez x H el al a by A sh ruf ), 2012 C h ampion M are Eg yptian Eve nt Eu rope. B ot tom: ZT Lu d jteyn a (Ludjin El Jamaal x Sh ah teyn a), acquire d by Ath b ah Stu d in 2 0 12 , is t he d am of th e exotic b ay stallion ZT M arw teyn by M arwan A l Sh aqab . 14 ▪ ATHBAH STUD ▪ WORLD

Th e 20 1 0 m a re L ol a Don a ( M ag n u m P s yc h e x Lu miars Love Son g).

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eks al ih an d ro

www.AthbahStud.com H R H P ri n c e A b d u l aziz b in A h med b in A b d u l aziz A l Sau d R i ya d h 路 Kin gd om of Sau d i A rab ia

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