GOLD E N R EFLE C TION S
1959 - 2009
ARABIAN HORSES THAT CHANGED OUR WORLD The horses featured on the following pages were chosen by the Arabian Horse World staff for a variety of reasons, ranging from influence on the breed to movie star. The tie that binds: each of these horses has, in some unique way, helped to shape the public conception of the Arabian breed during the past 50 years. The first 25 years of horses were written by the late Gladys Brown Edwards, while Mary Jane Parkinson and Betty Finke contributed the last 25 years.
1959
*Raffles (Skowronek x *Rifala), left, 1926 grey stallion and *Raseyn (Skowronek x Rayya), right, 1923 grey stallion, both bred by Crabbet Arabian Stud, Sussex, England.
At this date, the sire lines of *Raffles and *Raseyn, both Crabbet-bred, topped the leading sire line charts. The *Raffles son Indraff had sired the most foals (195) and the *Raseyn son Ferseyn was leading sire of champions. *Raseyn was a three-year-old nearblack grey when imported by the W. K
Kellogg Ranch in 1926, and dappled out beautifully. *Raffles, foaled in 1926, a light dappled grey, was imported by Roger Selby in 1932. Lady Wentworth bred Skowronek to his daughter *Rifala, the object being a small stallion for use in crossing on Welsh ponies for the improvement of that breed. Whatever the motive, it worked. *Raffles was 13.3 (some descriptions gave his height as 13.1) — pony-size, but most of his get were in the average Arab range. *Raseyn was also pony-size, since he was just under 14.2. Both these stallions were mutton-withered. If they had had any withers at all, they would have measured at least an inch taller. Although not identical in conformation, they were undeniably “Skowronek,” and breeding for this pretty-pony type became a cult. 196 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Inbreeding to *Raffles especially was carried to extremes, with some pedigrees showing him as grandsire, great-grandsire, or whatever in every male line. In those years, all show Arabs were very fat, so all the rotundity cannot be blamed on basic type. It is said, “Inside every fat person is a thin one trying to get out,” and in later years the “thin horse” within the overfed knackwurst type finally did get out, proving that many of them did have withers, were of good riding type, and became comparable to the modern ideals. Just reviewing the sire line charts shows how thoroughly these onetime chunks dominated the breeding stock, especially when it is remembered that broodmares of these lines carried on the type. As more and more people began to ride their horses rather than merely
admire the heads over the stall doors, they began to realize the advantage of a good forehand, so that once-bad shoulder and lack of withers were counteracted by outcrossing, or at least by sensible breeding and culling. The linebred Skowronek National Champion ArnEtt Perlane shows the modern version, with no chunkiness whatsoever and great refinement throughout. His sire is liberally linebred to *Raseyn, while his dam is inbred many times to *Raffles. He does, however, have a couple of outcrosses to *Witez II, and one each to Oran, *Nasik and *Mirage. *Raffles had a bold trot with excellent action. He won the three-gaited championship at the Nashville “National” show, and his son Aarah was a superior three-gaited (park) horse. *Raseyn was owned for most of his life by the University of California and then by the Remount Service, so was not widely advertised. *Raseyn’s action was not as good as *Raffles’, but he was trained to five gaits and had a reasonably good rack (for an Arab). He had earlier been used as a jumper. Besides Ferseyn, his son Sureyn, for many years a Remount stallion, was high on the leading sire list. Sureyn was obtained as an aged show horse by Mr. and Mrs. Draper, for whom he proved to be a superior size, making that climb as a leading sire quickly despite his very late start. He sired the first two National Champions, Mujahid and Surita. Ferseyn, by contrast, was first used at stud when he was only a two-year-old. He was an instant success, giving the “Skowronek look” and quality to his get at a time when that type of head — wide, deep of jowl and small of muzzle — was a comparative rarity in the breed. Nine U.S. National Champion stallions and mares plus three Reserves
trace to *Raseyn in tail-male; also nine Canadian National Champions (of which two are also U.S. Champions) and one Reserve, totaling 22 such wins from 20 individuals. *Raffles’ total is six U.S. National Champions and one Reserve, plus two Champions and three Reserves in Canada — 12 in all. Although you would not expect to find either *Raffles or *Raseyn close up in the pedigree of racehorses as far as type and scope goes, they are nevertheless represented. *Raffles is grandsire of Michael, one of the two principal champions of the early two-and-one-halfmile races in this country, and *Raseyn’s line is represented by Kontiki, holder of records from six-and-one-half furlongs to one-and-one-quarter mile, and progenitor of many modern winners and record holders. *Raffles and *Raseyn were early foundation sires for American Arabians — founding not only championship lines in tail-male, but also enhancing the pedigrees of champions by the hundreds through their daughters. While certain “early American” foundation mares take all the credit in tail-female line tracing, usually the pedigrees in following generations show top cross after top cross by Skowronek’s lines.
1960
Nazeer (Mansour x Bint Samiha), 1934 grey stallion bred by Royal Agricultural Society, Cairo, Egypt. 197 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
“Death of a salesman.” This is the year the great sire Nazeer died, and he was indeed the most important “salesman” of Egyptian Arabians. His first get arrived in America in 1958 — *Rashad Ibn Nazeer (x Yashmak), *Bint El Bataa (x El Bataa) and *Bint Moniet El Nefous (x Moniet El Nefous) — all imported by Richard Pritzlaff and registered the following year. Then, in 1959, Don and Judi Forbis brought in three more Nazeer offspring: *Ansata Ibn Halima (x Halima), *Ansata Bint Zaafarana (x Zaafarana) and *Ansata Bint Mabrouka (x Mabrouka). Pritzlaff ’s horses were not show horses, as he preferred dressage, jumping, and other accomplishments, at which Rashad proved to be adept. The Forbises, however, showed *Ansata Ibn Halima in stallion halter and park. By 1966, when Halima went Top Ten Stallion at the Nationals, he had started to make a name for himself, and his sire. Nazeer was foaled in 1934, but was assigned to a stallion station in the country where he would have been lost to the breed had it not been for General Tibor von Petkö Szandtner, manager of the EAO. He had admired Nazeer’s sire and grandsire, so looked him up and installed him at the main stud farm. Nazeer had been “lost” for 16 years, but he soon made up for that hiatus. As was the case for Skowronek, nearly all of Nazeer’s sons resemble him to a degree, although they are by no means identical, and regardless of individual conformation, most have proven to be worthy of the line. The first of his get to become an American champion was the Gleannloch import *Bint Maisa El Saghira, a compact and typey bay mare who was 1964 U.S. National Top Ten Park and 1965 U.S. National Top Ten Mare. At this time Nazeer’s name was still practically
unknown, at least by the Registry, for in Volume XII his son *Ghalii was listed with Galila as his sire and Nazeer as his dam. Apparently some clerk did not realize that Egyptian pedigrees have the distaff side on the top half of the pedigree and the sire’s at the bottom. This was corrected in the microfiche edition. Nazeer was registered in the stud book of the Royal Agricultural Society as Number 48 of horses of the Hadban Enzahi strain, as NAZEER “Noseir” … grey (foaled chestnut with star), on ninth August 1934 at the Society’s Kafr Farouk stud. He was by Mansour out of Bint Samiha. When King Farouk was deposed, the stud farm was renamed El Zahraa, and the R.A.S. became the Egyptian Agricultural Organization — usually known as the E.A.O. Nazeer was raced, winning four out of 20 starts, six seconds, and he was third once. His winning races were from four-and-one-half to six furlongs. One of Nazeer’s best attributes, aside from his clean-cut, “dry” head, was his long and well-sloped shoulder with high withers, usually inherited by his get. His main fault, according to every picture of him, was over-angulated hind legs, but not to a sickle-hocked degree. He did not seem to be dominant in this feature. It all depended on which side of his pedigree would take over — his sire and grandsire had ideal “plumb” hind legs, but his dam, her sire, grandsire, etc., were far from straight-dropped, and were also light-boned, although having plenty of good features otherwise. Nazeer-line horses are slim in comparison to the inbred Skowroneks, and at first even the most eye-catching of the imports of the 1960s were criticized as being “narrow,” but sometimes such narrowness in front was due to lack of good feed as foals, compared to the force-feeding of young show stock here. American-bred
“Nazeers” have no such problem. And as to the trot, quite a number of Nazeer get show this light and airy action with good flexion, elevation and balance.
1961
severely cut a tendon in a hind leg, but he not only survived, he healed completely, going back to the Nationals in 1976 and winning that Championship a second time. That’s hard to do even without a near- deadly handicap. Her other produce also did well — a daughter, Bay Teza, also by Bay-Abi, was twice U.S. National Top Ten in both Halter and Western Pleasure.
1962
Ronteza (*Witez II x Ronna), 1954 bay mare bred by Donald L. Jones, Porterville, California.
This was “The Year of Ronteza,” whose ability as a reining horse became the talk of the countryside, if not town. Ronteza, owned, trained, and ridden by Sheila Varian, was sired by the Army import from Poland, *Witez II, and out of Ronna. The latter was by Faronek, a Ronek son (*Raseyn line) who was cat-quick and used to win pole-bending races while his rivals were still in the “bends,” and this, combined with the proven ability of *Witez II to sire useful horses of all types from cow horse to hunter, provided the spark. Ronteza won both the light and heavyweight reining horse classes at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, climaxing this with the championship in the $1,000 reining horse competition against all breeds (at least all suitable breeds). The ring was slippery in one spot and Ronteza skidded and fell, but with her feet under her, so she calmly got up, almost still in stride and kept on working. Not only was she the only Arabian in the event, but Sheila was the only girl among the riders. Ronteza’s son Bay Event (by BayAbi) was U.S. National Champion Stock Horse in 1971. Shortly thereafter he 198 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Serafix (*Raktha x *Serafina), 1949 chestnut stallion bred by Crabbet Arabian Stud, Sussex, England.
In 1962, two *Serafix daughters were National Champion and Reserve Champion Mare: the full sisters Chloette and Fixette, both out of Chloeyn. Another daughter, Starfire (x *Serafire), was Top Ten and a son, Royal Magic (x *Royal Silver) was a Top Ten Stallion. Not surprisingly, four years later *Serafix dethroned Ferseyn as leading sire of champions. Like Ferseyn, he was of the Skowronek male line, although through Naseem (via Raktha). Not only did he sire the most champions until displaced by *Bask, but he had the largest percentage of champions — 32 percent — compared to the number of foals that had reached championship age (two years). This high percentage was possibly due to the strict selection of outside mares, when any were taken at all, by his owner John Rogers. For many years *Serafix was bred only to the Rogers mares, which were desertbred, Polish, Spanish, and American-bred. *Serafix (Raktha x *Serafina
Golden Reflections by Indian Gold) was bred by Lady Wentworth at Crabbet Park. Rogers had tried for two years to buy him, the price going up each year, or even month, until he declared it was too much, and almost quit. This lasted about 15 minutes, as he decided nothing was “too much” for this beautiful and dynamic English champion. So *Serafix came to America on the same plane as the famous Palomino Trigger. *Serafix stood 15 hands, had good action and may have fared well in park had Rogers continued showing him, but, after an injury acquired in a trailer incident, it was decided he was too valuable to risk further and besides, he’d already added American championships to his scoreboard.
1963
Aswan (Nazeer x Yosreia), 1958 grey stallion bred by The Egyptian Agricultural Society, Cairo, Egypt.
Aswan, née “Raafat,” by Nazeer and out of Yosreia, was imported to Russia in 1963. Born March 13, 1958, he was given to the Russian government by Egypt as a replacement for the deceased Nil, who also had been a gift, and was subsequently renamed in honor of the high dam on the Nile that Russia had helped build. Apparently he had never raced, although he was five years old when imported. Opinions vary widely on Aswan as far as breeders of Russian Arabians go — some think he is wonderful, others don’t even want him in the pedigree. There was even uncertainty about using him at Tersk “because of his faults,” as Dr. Balakshin
put it. But they took the chance that he might add more flamboyance and style, along with pretty heads, and this he did. He had a rather short neck, thick at the throatlatch, but the reachy, light necks of the Russian broodmares could sometimes counteract that. He had offset cannons, which feature was often transmitted. But he was “pretty” and although he himself was blocky of muzzle, somehow his get had more beautiful heads, with fine muzzle, and quite often had more width between the eyes. Very often prettiness does not go along with racing ability, but some of his get not only ran well, four of them set records. At this point, aside from Palas in Poland, his best and most influential son was Patron. A chestnut, Patron was very beautiful — long-necked and well-built. As a racer, Patron won the Comparison and the Budenny Stakes (2,400 and 2,800 meters respectively). Unfortunately, he died of the “cure” for piro while awaiting shipment to the U.S. in Holland. He had, however, sired some good foals in Holland, one of which is *Padron, the 1982 U.S. National Champion Stallion. Another famous son is 1981 U.S. National Champion Stallion *Marsianin, originally named Mars (whose dam was the aristocratic *Magnolia). Aswan daughters have been successful in America with two going U.S. National Top Ten in Mare Halter: *Pristan (x Palmira) in 1979 and *Nariadnaia (x Neposeda) in 1980. In Russia a daughter was Champion at the Moscow All-Union Exhibition and a son and a daughter were winners of the Certificate of First Degree.
1964 This was a momentous year, in that it was highlighted by the first National Championship won by *Bask (Witraz x 199 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Bask (Witraz x Balalajka), 1956 bay stallion bred by Polish Arabian Stud Book, Warsaw, Poland.
Balalajka), this at Halter, followed the next year by the Park Championship and then the Reserves in Formal Driving and Combination. Even so, no one had any idea the descendants of *Bask would eventually dominate the performance classes — his get at the Nationals winning in such diverse classes as his own specialties (Park, etc.), plus English Pleasure, Stock and Cutting, Halter, and topping off with a National Champion Racehorse. Foaled in 1956 at the Albigowa State Stud in Poland, *Bask had raced for four years before importation, his lifetime record being 4/40 (8-7-7), yet was absolutely cleanlegged when he tackled the showring. He is now the leading sire of champions although it’s several years since his death, and it will take a lot of doing for any sire to catch up. He is credited with bringing long necks and true riding type into style. Halter championships mean little if the horses involved cannot be trained to any sort of work, and this is where the *Bask descendants shine — in performance and trainability.
1965 The Nazeer son *Morafic (x Mabrouka), was imported by Gleannloch Farms in this year and installed there as chief sire. Of all the Nazeers, he was the most fragile in appearance, narrow throughout, including his head, which
was unusual in that it seemed to be more concave from ears to muzzle rather than just below the eyes. Unlike his sire, he did not have a race record, simply because he could not be controlled, so he was retired to stud after he ran through a fence. However, as a sire most of his get were of average substance, with many having more width of forehead yet keeping the dry, “deserty” look. They always had lots of quality and style, and have proven very influential. As of 1977, he had 39 U.S. Champions and, of course, others overseas.
*Morafic (Nazeer x Mabrouka), 1956 grey stallion bred by The Egyptian Agricultural Society, Cairo, Egypt.
*Ansata Ibn Halima (Nazeer x Halima), 1958 grey stallion bred by The Egyptian Agricultural Socieity, Cairo, Egypt.
Also in this year, *Ansata Ibn Halima won his first blue ribbon, which was in English pleasure at Scottsdale. When the Forbises imported three Nazeer yearlings in 1959, it was obvious that they were a typey group and their arrival triggered a spontaneous explosion of interest in Nazeer bloodlines. *Ansata Ibn Halima was not the same type as *Morafic, as
his head was more reminiscent of the Skowronek era, short, with low-set eyes and wide forehead. He was very hard to fault, and no one can fault his record as a sire; his get include a National Champion Stallion and Mare, ten Top Tens in Halter and one in Park. His get, often closely inbred to Nazeer, have bred on with remarkable success, as the continuing appearance of the Ansata prefix in show reports proves.
1966
*Witez II (Ofir x Federacja), 1938 bay stallion bred by Polish Arabian Stud Book, Warsaw, Poland.
Although Ronteza brought attention to her sire *Witez II, we are focusing on him in 1966 because he was the sire of Witezar, who, thanks to following the show circuit for over 45,000 miles, became the 1966 American Horse Show Association Horse of the Year with 4,034 points, twice as many as any other horse of any other breed in the history of the AHSA competition. Witezar’s most famous son did a lot of traveling, but on his own shoes, not in a van or trailer. This is Witezarif, winner of an unprecedented three consecutive Tevis Cup rides (and many others), the last in 1972. *Witez II was in the 1945 Army importation from Germany, but had been bred in Poland. He was foaled in 1938, the same year as Witraz and Wielki Szlem, all by the same sire, Ofir, and bred at Janow Podlaski State Stud. He was the most popular of the Remount sires, especially after his sale to E. E. 200 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Hurlbutt. He was twice Champion of the Southern California Arabian Show, and won the Pacific Coast Championship in 1953 with his son Zitez, Reserve. Zitez was Champion the following year, and another *Witez II son, Natez, was champion in 1955. The success of his get, including at the National level, put *Witez II second on the leading sire list for some years. He was not just limited to halter standabouts, however; he was noted for the working ability of his get, sensible horses willing to try anything. Only one was a top park horse, however, as he did not have any notable talent at the trot compared to *Bask, but Zitez also won the Regional title in English Pleasure. Another son, Yatez, sired many champions. Both he and his get had good action, probably through his dam, who had two lines to the desertbred Azrek, to which horses of Crabbet breeding owe any special talent at that gait.
1967
Abu Farwa (Rabiyas x *Rissletta), 1940 chestnut stallion bred by W. K. Kellogg Institute, Pomona, California.
This year marks Abu Farwa’s ability as a sire; not through his own accomplishments, but rather those of his son Ga’Zi. At the 1967 Canadian Nationals, the get of Ga’Zi were Champion Stallion and Reserve, Champion Mare and Reserve, and for that little extra, a Top Ten in each sex completed the list. These were: Champion Stallion Ganeyn (x Feyn) and Reserve Far’Zi (x Faradina); Champion
Golden Reflections Mare Fateena (x Faduleika) and Reserve Century 21 (x Wahida); and Top Tens Raff ’Zi (x Raffane) and Llana (x Zaryn). Llana was named Canadian National Champion Mare in 1968, and four years earlier, Ga’Zi’s son Sir Lancer (x Feyn) was Canadian National Champion Stallion and Ga’Zima (x Zimada) was Champion Mare. Ga’Zi had a beautiful head, but his croup was on the “apple” order, which didn’t matter when he was shown western but detracted in halter classes, although he won championships nonetheless. Abu Farwa, a champion at halter and park (then called three-gaited), was noted for his superior action and sired many horses of that inclination. It was rather a surprise that he was to become noted as a broodmare sire of racehorses, siring the dam of Kontiki, Michael, and a number of others. Thanks mainly to Ga’Zi and another son, Abu Baha, who led the Ab sons in siring champions, he accumulated enough champions for his branch to lead all of the Mesaoud (*Astraled or Gulastra) line. Abu Farwa was a stylish horse, whose dam *Rissletta, a daughter of Naseem, contributed to his beauty of forehand, and whose sire Rabiyas — a five-gaited son of Rahas and Rabiyat — contributed fine action, both of which attributes he usually passed on.
1968
*Prowizja (*Ego x Prowarda), 1964 bay mare bred by Polish Arabian Stud Book, Warsaw, Poland.
This is the year *Prowizja “knocked ’em dead” as a Park horse in the Nationals. By *Ego, *Prowizja was a daughter of a Russian-bred import to Poland, Prowarda, who dead-heated with Branibor for a Derby win. *Prowizja could go forever, but her specialty was “up” with style and vigor. Moreover, she was dominant for this, although the combining of forces with *Bask didn’t hurt her produce any, action-wise. Three of her sons won the Park National Championship — Ibn Prowizja in 1976, Cometego in 1978, and Pro-Fire in 1980 — and another, Promotion, was Reserve in 1981. Ibn Prowizja and Pro-Fire were also Reserve in Formal Combination in 1975 and 1982 respectively, and Promotion was 1980 Canadian National Champion in Formal Driving. Yep, “Ol’ Pro” really started a trend.
1969
*Dornaba was U.S. and Canadian National Champion in 1966, and a son, *Aramus, duplicated the trick in 1970. Other champions followed, most, though not all, at the National level, and 15 were imported from Poland — most before his American-breds made their presence felt. One of the latter, Kaborr (x Bint Kholameh) bred by Tom Chauncey, was Canadian National Champion and Reserve in the U.S. Nationals, then was flown to Paris, where he was European Champion at the famed Salon du Cheval. Kaborr, in turn, sired the 1982 U.S. National Champion Mare Kajora (x *Edjora). In Poland, the *Naborr influence lingers on, and while this line is no great shakes as runners, it did add a touch more beauty of head and neck, through *Naborr ’s grandsire Naseem.
1970
Moniet El Nefous (Shahloul x Wanisa), 1946 chestnut mare bred by Royal Agricultural Society, Cairo, Egypt. *Naborr (Negatiw x Lagodna), 1950 grey stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Stavropol, Russia.
*Naborr was bred in Russia, sold to Poland, and then — after Poland was able to buy his sire Negatiw — he was imported by Mrs. McCormick in 1963. After her death, he was sold in the estate auction for a then-record price of $150,000. Even though he was 19 years old, his youthful appearance and success as a sire overcame any doubts, so Tom Chauncey and Wayne Newton pooled resources and made the winning bid. Later Chauncey bought out the Newton half. The *Naborr daughter 201 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
The “Queen Mother,” Moniet El Nefous, produced her last foal in this year. The beauty of her head was legendary: not especially short, but deep of jowl, dished, and very fine of muzzle. Rarely mentioned is another good feature, a light and arched neck — not the “pyramid” kind that is heavy at the base and narrows at the head without the proper length of “mitbah” (connection of head and neck). She was well conformed throughout, although rather short of croup. Moniet El Nefous was more than an ornament, however, she was a broodmare deluxe. Her produce are renowned worldwide.
Her sons, with the exception of the last, Ameer, were all exported, some after years at stud at El Zahraa. They include *Ibn Moniet El Nefous, *Fakher El Din, *Soufian, and *Tuhotmos. Her look-alike daughter Mabrouka was also a fine producer, as her daughter *Ansata Bint Mabrouka and son *Morafic attest. Moniet’s only daughter to leave Egypt was *Bint Moniet El Nefous, imported by Richard Prizlaff. Moniet El Nefous died at 30, up to the last a target for photographers aiming at her head in profile.
1971
Silhoulette (*Bask x *Silwara), 1966 grey mare bred by Lasma Arabian Stud, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kontiki (Camelot x Almiki), 1962 grey stallion bred by Dr. Lloyd and Doris Rosenvold, Montrose, Colorado.
Two record-breakers are featured here, one via the auction gavel, the other via the racetrack. The year 1971 was the year Lasma held its first Scottsdale sale — a revelation with its huge blue-andwhite tent, orchestra, and professional atmosphere. It was a first for the Arabian
industry, and set a record for an Arabian mare at auction. This was for Silhoulette (*Bask x *Silwara), Tornado’s full sister, who brought $56,000 from Dr. Howard Kale Sr. While this price may have caused the audience to gasp, in February 1984, just 13 years later, she sold again as part of a three-mare package at the Lasma Classic, bringing $3,600,000 from Zekan Arabians of Richfield, Ohio, thus assuring her fame and the correct spelling of her name forever. Also in 1971, the “Great American Hero,” Kontiki, made his debut in the showring — at Scottsdale, of all places to use for a “first.” He was named Reserve Champion Stallion — just for standing still. All his previous triumphs had been on the racetracks, his last effort being the two-mile National Championship Race, which he won in a canter, as the saying goes, many lengths ahead of the field. He had just won the stallion championship at the Baton Rouge show when, about a month after Scottsdale and upon returning to the Kubela Ranch in Texas, he died of colic. His last foal crop was 18 fillies, when his owner Robbie Rogers would have liked to have had a colt or two as well, but earlier sons have sired winners. Kontiki set several records, ranging from six-and-one-half furlongs to one-and-one-quarter mile. In the latter he carried 142 pounds, similar to the weights carried by Arabs in Poland in the higher age divisions and of “Grade I” class. His son Tiki Sahiber Ku was National Champion Racehorse three times, and shortly after his last accomplishment, won Top Ten in Western Pleasure.
1972 Bint Sahara, the breed’s leading broodmatron with 11 champions to her credit, died in this year. Fersara was her most famous daughter, winning 202 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Bint Sahara (Farawi x Bint Sedjur), 1942 grey mare bred by John C. Silva, Cottonwood, California.
everything she encountered on the West Coast and retiring the W. K. Kellogg trophy, which was supposed to be “perpetual,” as it had to be won three times. She won it three times and it became the “perpetual” property of her breeder-owners Frank and Helen McCoy. Fersara produced five champions of her own before her early death, one of which was Ferzon, whose record as a sire was sufficient to put her in the exalted top-mare ranks. Bint Sahara was sired by Farawi, a son of the famous exhibition stock horse Farana and out of a mare of all-Maynesboro breeding. Her dam, Bint Sedjur, was by Ribal, all-Crabbet lines, but her second dam was all-Davenport, except for a line to the World’s Fair import *Obeyran. Most of her champions were by Ferseyn, but she also produced Fadjur, by the Egyptian/Polish stallion Fadheilan. Her last champion was McCoys Count, sired by her grandson The Real McCoy (Aarief x Fersara).
1973 Like his son *Naborr, Negatiw (Naseem x Taraszcza) was bred in Russia. Foaled in 1945, Negatiw was the first Arab to be named Champion at the Moscow All-Union Exhibition (all breeds competing). He was used at Tersk Stud for 11 years, siring 105 purebred foals. He came to Poland in 1962 as a replacement for his son *Naborr, where he stood at
Golden Reflections stud until his death in 1973, siring a total of 106 foals. One of Negatiw’s first foals in Poland, *Bandos (out of the legendary Bandola) was extensively used in Polish breeding during the years 1969 through 1982, siring 129 foals. In 1982, *Bandos was sold at the age of 18 for $806,000 to Ventura Farms of California.
and seven of them came home with blue ribbons, including AN Marieta (x AN Fayrosa), who went on that year to be named National Champion Mare in Canada and Reserve in the U.S. WN Mi Kerida (x *Sabiduria), didn’t place at Scottsdale that year but was Canadian National Reserve Champion in 1979 and brought $500,000 from Pat Dempsey in 1980 at the Wayne Newton Sale. Kerida
Negatiw (Naseem x Taraszcza), 1945 grey stallion bred by Tersk Arabian Stud, Russia.
Negatiw’s get have frequently led the beauty parade with typically short, wide heads with deep jowls, huge eyes, and small muzzles. Negatiw left a legacy through such sons as *Naborr, *Salon, and *Bandos, and exquisite daughters such as *Fantazja, that truly places him among the breed’s great sires.
1974
*AN Malik (Galero x Ispahan), 1970 grey stallion bred by Juan Valerio, Bilbao, Spain.
In this year the Spanish National Champion Malik’s first American-bred foals were registered. When Jay Stream imported him in 1972, Malik became *AN Malik; in 1978, his get’s appearance at Scottsdale created a wave of interest,
*Abha Hamir (Bambu x Garbi), 1973 bay mare, bred by Northwinds N. V. Inc., San Luis Obispo, California.
was Reserve to the Spanish import, *Abha Hamir, a devastating beauty who had won the Spanish National Championship as a yearling in 1974. By Bambu and out of Garbi, *Abha Hamir was bred by Pedro and Marieta Salas at Ses Rotes in Mallorca, Spain. She was an eye-catcher at any distance, and she caught the eye of every judge, repeating her Canadian win at the 1979 U.S. Nationals. Not merely a halter standup, she was U.S. National Champion in Pleasure Driving a few years later, in 1982.
1975 *Sambor, the 1969 National Champion Racehorse, founded a racing dynasty with his son Samtyr, who was National Champion Racehorse in 1975. *Sambor was foaled in Poland in 1965 and started racing in 1968, the year 203 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Sambor (Czort x *Sabellina), 1965 chestnut stallion bred by Polish Arabian Stud Book, Warsaw, Poland.
his full brother Sabbat won the Derby. Everyone in his family won the Derby, starting in 1958 when his dam *Sabellina won. Her daughter, Santa, did the same trick, and Santa’s daughter *Sasanka acquired the “Triple Crown” (Derby, Oaks, Criterium), and in turn produced two daughters who carried off the Derby in 1978 and 1981. If *Sambor had stayed put, undoubtedly he, too, would have been a serious candidate for the Derby. Instead, he came to America, where he won races and also was Region 7 Champion at Halter and Park, imported by Leon and Doris Rubin of Sir William Farm in 1969. His most memorable deed was in siring Samtyr, whose most recent success as a sire of good racehorses was at the $50,000 Armand Hammer Classic, which was won by his son Tyrix, with two other sons coming second and third. All three were bred by Dr. Sam Harrison, who had the foresight to “pick a winner” in Samtyr.
1976 This is the year that the popular Khemosabi bred by Dr. and Mrs. Husband, went “double-double” at the U.S. and Canadian Nationals, adding Canadian National Stallion to his U.S. title won in 1973, and taking the National Championship in Western
Pleasure at both Canada and the U.S. That four-way title under his girth, he continued his way to top marks as a sire, as the leading living sire of champions. He is by the 1966 U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion Amerigo (Ferseyn x *Szarza) and out of the accomplished and typey mare Jurneeka (Fadjur x Fadneeka), 1963 U.S. Top Ten Mare and 1964 U.S. Top Ten in both Western and English Pleasure. Khemosabi had whole rooting sections — the “Khemo Khrowd” — cheering him on in his show days, and another khrowd continues in the numbers of his get. Khemosabi’s death on March 1, 2001, marked a great sadness to the Arabian horse community. He was always loved and appreciated, and his death seemed to make him even more so. He made statistical history around the world: Leading living sire of champions, leading sire in the United States — and the world. He sired more than 320 champions, with a total of more than 300 National wins. In his own show career, he made the record books with double National Champion Stallion titles and double National Champion Western Pleasure titles. Khemo celebrated his thirtieth birthday in Scottsdale in 1997, showed offf his showring presence, and was again the recipient of worldwide adoration.
Khemosabi (Amerigo x Jurneeka), 1967 bay stallion bred by Dr. and Mrs. B. P. Husband, Diamond Bar, California.
1977
Ralvon Pilgrim (Rikham x Trix Silver), 1969 chestnut stallion bred by Ralvon Stud, NSW, Australia.
This year brought Down Under up, to English soil. The Australian stallion Ralvon Pilgrim pilgrimmed his way to London where he won the title of Supreme International Champion at the Arab Horse Society Show at Ascot. He is all-Crabbet in bloodlines and looked the part — Crabbet breeding at its best. Chestnut with modest white markings, he fit into the English-Arab scene without a ripple, that color combination being “basic Crabbet” as well. The Ralvon Stud was started in 1953 near Sydney, by Ron and Val Males. Their first purebred stallion was Rikham (Rissam x Rafeena), the sire of Ralvon Pilgrim. Trix Silver (Royal Domino x Electricia) was also a Crabbet-bred import, and she is the dam of Ralvon Pilgrim. On seeing this horse anyone might wonder, “Are there any more like you at home?”
arrived in America in 1962. Sixteen years later, the German influence was felt in the National showring, when Amurath Bandolero, whose dam was out of the German-bred mare *Sanacht (Hadban Enzahi x Hathor), was named 1978 National Champion Stallion. *Sanacht was also the dam of Amurath Bandeira (by *Bask), 1974 U.S. National Champion Futurity Filly and Reserve Champion Mare, and later twice Top Ten Mare, and Amurath Baikal (by *Bask), 1980 U.S. National Reserve Champion Futurity Colt. *Sanacht was a mare of great beauty and far beyond par as a producer. As far as Americans were concerned, she put West Germany in the Travel Guide as a place to find good Arabians. *Sanacht’s sire Hadban Enzahi was the first Nazeer son imported to Germany, where he stood at the Marbach State Stud for 20 years. Typical of Nazeer, he was unusual in having very small, close-together ears. I saw him only in his stall, but that “close-up” emphasized this feature. Horsemen usually associate such ears with a hot temper, but this stallion had a fine disposition. Besides his National winners through *Sanacht, Hadban Enzahi was the sire of 1979 U.S. National Top Ten Mare *Maalak (x Masarah) and grandsire of 1982 National Top Ten Park Go Marching.
1978
Hadban Enzahi (Nazeer x Kamla), 1952 grey stallion bred by The Egyptian Agricultural Society, Cairo, Egypt.
The first German-bred Arabians 204 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Kilimanjaro (Aswan x Karta), 1968 grey stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Russia.
The year 1978 was also a signal year for another German-owned but foreign-
Golden Reflections bred stallion. This was the Tersk-bred Kilimanjaro, who was German National Champion Stallion in his first and only show in 1978 (he doesn’t like shows and hates other stallions). He is by Aswan, out of the great mare *Karta, dam of the Russian National Champion Carolina (by *Salon), and of Karinka (by Aswan), Oaks and Comparison winner and holder of the record for 1,600 meters. Silvia GardeEhlert bought Kilimanjaro as a two-yearold, and he has stood at her Gut Alemich Stud ever since. He has 13 sons and daughters in the U.S., including *Penalba (x *Pionga), 1982 U.S. and Canadian National Reserve Champion Mare and World and European Junior Champion Female at the 1982 Salon du Cheval.
1979
*Aladdinn (Nureddin x Lalage), 1975 bay stallion bred by Erik Erlandsson, Mollenbacken Stud, Tomelilla, Sweden.
A new standard in stallion syndication was set when the Swedish and American National Champion *Aladdinn was syndicated in 1979. Proving it was no figment of a fertile imagination, the names of all the members of the syndicate were published, together with the numbers of shares and amount of each share. Needless to say, in the ever-escalating number of major championships won by *Aladdinn get, the value of each share has risen accordingly, and was given as $375,000 per share in January 1984. He is of all-Polish bloodlines although bred in Sweden
— his sire Nureddin was formerly a circus horse, as was Celebes, and his dam Lalage was a import from England of Polish stock, imported there by Patricia Lindsay. Miss Lindsay was responsible for the interest in Polish Arabians in the first place, due to her excellent, wellillustrated articles in magazines — plus the success of her own importations from Poland. *Aladdinn’s most recent high-level champion is AAF Kaset (*Kaseta), Supreme Scottsdale Champion and, more recently, Canadian National Champion Stallion. After many years of showing and siring and quiet days at Lasma East, *Aladdinn came to Taylor Ranch near Provo, Utah. There he had the opportunity to enjoy the limelight once again and breeders reflected on his days of glory: 1979 U.S. National Champion Stallion, after being judged Swedish National Champion Stallion the previous year, sire of about 70 Nationals winners (including four National Champion Stallions and one National Champion Mare, one National Champion Park and one double National Champion Western Pleasure. At Taylor Ranch, *Aladdinn joined oldsters *Muscat and *Nariadni, and they all had new days in the sun.
The Russian-bred *Muscat was Canadian and U.S. National Champion in this year. By *Salon, there is much of the Crabbet look about this magnificent, rich chestnut stallion; he has the head and neck of the Naseem dynasty but is vastly improved in body and hind legs. His trot is elevated, balanced, and thrilling to behold. His is also the primary cause of the “Russian Invasion” of Arabians into America. *Muscat’s dam Malpia was by Priboj, Russia’s greatest sire as far as influence goes, mostly through his daughters but also through the great racer Topol and his full brother *Pietuszok. Priboj was the performance sire beyond equal and had won the Derby, the Criterium, and the Great Autumn Prize, and his sons and daughters divided 12 still-standing race records among them. A large majority of the broodmares at Tersk are either by Priboj or at this date are his granddaughters. Malpia’s dam is the great foundation mare Mammona, by Ofir. *Muscat’s get have fulfilled his promise in championships and auction prices.
1980 *Salon (Negatiw x Sonata), 1959 grey stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Stavropol, Russia.
*Muscat (*Salon x Malpia), 1971 chestnut stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Stavropol, Russia. 205 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
The year 1980 is also the year the aged *Salon was imported by Robert Stratmore, who was in the process of building a large broodmare band of some of Tersk’s best, plus some European-breds of primarily Tersk breeding. *Salon had been the chief sire at Tersk, and many of his daughters have been kept, but he himself was sold in 1971 to West
Germany, under the stud management’s protest, but necessitated by a rather capitalistic problem — a profit had to be made by the stud that year. In Germany he was shown in dressage and jumping, having had military (three-day event) training in Russia. *Salon, like *Naborr, is by Negatiw. His race record could not be called great — 19 (1,5,3) — but after all, he was switched over to military training. *Muscat had been raced only long enough for a win, and that done, he was immediately taken from the track and rushed back the few miles to the stud. It was only necessary to “qualify,” for he was marked as a sire right from birth, and no further chances were to be taken. *Salon’s dam Sonata traces in three generations to the French mare Carabine, to which several other famous horses trace in tail-female, including *Padron’s sire Patron, a couple of Derby winners, the high-trotting *Plastun, and the recent high-selling (at three mil) Holland-bred *Abhullahhh, a son of Patron with a second cross to Carabine. *Salon was a winner of the Certificate of First Degree at the Moscow All-Union Exposition; three of his daughters were Champion there, and the same number won the First Degree (one of them twice). A *Muscat son won the latter in 1980. In all, *Salon has 16 National Champions or Reserves to his credit. He died in 1984, but has left an enduring legacy.
recognized by everyone if he were allowed to be seen without makeup, so to speak, and that is too bad, for his attractive white socks and star add much to his beauty. But in the book, he was black, all black, so his markings had to die temporarily beneath the dye.
Cass Olé (Al-Marah Cassanova x La Bahia), 1969 black stallion bred by Gerald Donoghue, Goliad, Texas.
Cass Olé was the National Reserve Champion Sidesaddle Horse in 1976, with Spanish (or Mexican) tack. He was a favorite every time shown, and had also been Top Ten in English Pleasure AOTR. Cass Olé is still owned by Dr. Leo Cuello and appears in exhibitions across the country, a marvel being that he has not gone sour at the repetition.
1982
1981 The unforgettable “Black Stallion” of movie fame, Cass Olé, is the most recognizable Arabian stallion on planet Earth, thanks to the movie industry and the proliferation of video cassettes of The Black Stallion and The Return of the Black Stallion, based on the popular books by Walter Farley. Ironically, he would not be
Fadjur (Fadheilan x Bint Sahara), 1952 bay stallion bred by Harry Linden, Spokane, Washington.
The popular sires Fadjur and Ferzon both celebrated their 30th birthdays in 1982. Fadjur is a son of Bint Sahara and Ferzon is a grandson, his dam being Fersara. Fadjur was of the Ibn 206 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Rabdan male line (Egypt), his sire being Fadheilan, by the Egyptian import *Fadl out of the Polish import *Kasztelanka. Fadjur was several times Top Ten and twice National Reserve Champion, and had a son and daughter, Ibn Fadjur and Sakifa, who were Canadian National Champion Stallion and Mare in the same year, 1964. “Ibn” unfortunately died soon after, in a freak accident in his own corral. Fadjur was always a showman, and the beauty of his head helped him to many a win. Moreover, he was generous in passing on this attribute, obvious even in later generations. He was often close to the top of the leading sires of champions list.
Ferzon (Ferneyn x Fersara), 1952 grey stallion bred by Frank B. McCoy, Chino, California.
Although very closely related, Fadjur and Ferzon were completely different. Fadjur was compact, with much substance. Ferzon was ultrarefined, with light bone. Both had typey, cleancut heads, “all Arabian,” but far from identical. Fadjur inherited a long, wellsloped shoulder from his sire; Ferzon was inbred Skowronek, so lacked that particular asset. Not that all inbred Skowroneks had a short shoulder, but in inbreeding you are asking for it even though the features desired may outpoint this type of fault. Ferzon had a comparatively late start in the sire business, but once he got going, and thanks in part to the increased number of Gainey mares, he soon was headed for
Golden Reflections the stars, attracting more mares along the way. His dam Fersara was by Ferseyn (*Raseyn x *Ferda); his sire was Ferneyn, who was by Ferseyn out of Moneyna (*Raseyn x Monica) — making three close-up *Raseyn lines. Several important branches of the Ferzon line have made history, and acquired a better shoulder along the way, Gazon being one, the National Champion Gai Parada being another. The sire of 1983 National Champion Stallion Arn-Ett Perlane is linebred to Ferzon through the Bu-Zahr and Gublazon branches, but also has two lines to *Witez II and one to Arabi Kabir. Perlane’s maternal grandsire was a full sister of Ferzon.
1983
Bandit (unregistered Half-Arabian).
An unregistered Half-Arabian named Bandit stole all honors the hard way, by traveling more miles in AERC-sanctioned endurance rides than any other horse. This mileage was 8,015 and a lot of hot shoes. In 1984, Bandit was inducted into the AERC Hall of Fame — the first in AERC history to reach 5,000 miles; then 6,000; then 7,000; then 8,000. The horse next to him in mileage is the well-known Witezarif with 5,044. Says his owner Smokey Killen: “He’s kinda ugly, but I’ve had him so long I think he’s goodlooking. They say we kinda look alike. Actually, I’m flattered if people think I look like him.”
1984
Bay El Bey (Bay-Abi x *Naganka by Bad Afas), 1969 bay stallion bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California.
We had a new siring luminary when the sand settled after the Scottsdale show. The outstanding sires came from pre-computer-generated data, but Bay El Bey emerged looking good. Four of his offspring placed in English Pleasure, Stallions, and others placed in the English Pleasure Championship, halter, Half-Arab Western Pleasure, English Pleasure Junior Horse, Colts of 1982, and English Pleasure Mares. Bay El Bey’s son Huckleberry Bey added to the glory when he went Top Ten Stallion 1978, and he is credited with siring two Top Tens in pleasure driving. At this point, I was asked for an “intelligent” discussion of what the future holds. That one work leaves me out, and as to my future — it’s short, so I don’t need to worry.
1985
*Wiking (Etap x Wilma), 1979 bay stallion bred by Janow Podlaski Stud, Warsaw, Poland. 207 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Wiking’s big year on the track. He was star of the 1985 season at Delaware Park and of the entire 1985 season. He defeated every really good racehorse, racking up nine wins in 12 starts. The following year, *Wiking took time out from racing to star as a breeding stallion, then came back to win the Armand Hammer Classic, the world’s richest Arabian horse race and one of the major stakes wins that had eluded him. In that race, he set a new track record. A good day for Arabian racing and for the Arabian breed.
Ansata Halim Shah (*Ansata Ibn Halima x Ansata Rosetta by Ansata Shah Zaman), 1980 grey stallion bred by Donald and Judi Forbis, Mena, Arkansas.
In 1985, Ansata Halim Shah returned to the United States after a two-year lease to Dr. Hans Nagel at Katharinenhof Stud in Germany. He came back in glory, both as a sire and a show horse. In Europe, he was named World Reserve Champion Junior Stallion, was bred to Dr. Nagel’s finest mares, and was recognized as the only stallion in all the years of German licensing of stallions to sire four stallions in the top group. Back home (Ansata Arabian Stud Stud at Mena, Arkansas), Halim Shah was honored with the title “head sire,” but his international career was not over. After a 1994 visit to Ansata, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Al Shaqab Stud in Qatar convinced breeders and owners Don and Judi Forbis that Halim Shah must come to the Middle East. Sadly, Halim Shah lived only a few months
there. Halim Shah is credited with siring 230 foals. In Europe and in America, he is remembered for his founding of the “Halim Shah look,” a look that he generously passed on to his progeny.
were rescored and *Penicylina, a Top Ten Mare, moved up to National Champion Mare. *Penicylina, a mare imported from Poland in 1984, made her appearance in Freedom Hall as the wearer of the roses. She raced for two years in Poland, won or placed in 11 of her 14 starts. *Penicylina’s produce included Pektyna, 1984 Polish National Junior Champion Mare. At the Polish Ovation Sale, *Penicylina was the high-selling lot, bringing $1,500,000.
VP Kahlua (Jora Honey Ku x Kahlette), 1981 chestnut mare bred by Ronald Palelek, Vantage, Washington.
MS Santana (*Bask x SW Saruchna), 1978 bay stallion bred by Kenneth and Donna Topp, West Olive, Michigan.
Arabian aficionados got a new heroine in the form of VP Kahlua, one of the rare Triple Crown mares in the history of the breed.
1986
*Penicylina (Palas x Pentoda), 1976 grey mare bred by Janow Podlaski Stud, Warsaw, Poland.
The 1986 U.S. Nationals at Louisville, Kentucky, were far from routine. In the mare finals, the chosen champion mare was disqualified because of an overweight shoe. By the time the judges’ cards were reshuffled and, after many hours of contemplation and consulting and a few arguments, the anticipated Reserve Champion was not moved up to Champion. Under the judging system then in use, judges’ cards
Imdal’s year of the great international wins: World Champion Senior Male at the Salon du Cheval, Senior and Supreme World Champion Stallion at the Egyptian Event. At the Egyptian Event, Imdal had the highest point score of all the horses in the show.
*Carmargue (White Lightning x Velvet Shadow), 1979 grey stallion bred by Mr. and Mrs. G. T. Greenwood, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
Europeans had a new show hero in the form of *Carmargue, a stallion bred in England and leased to Spain. In the 1986 Spanish Nationals, *Carmargue was named Champion Stallion and Supreme Champion Male — those wins after going 1985 World Champion Stallion at the Salon du Cheval. He was on lease to the United States where he became known as a sire of type. *Carmargue died in 2004, age 25, back home with his breeder in England.
The naming of MS Santana as National Champion Stallion brought two firsts to U.S. Nationals competition: Santana was the first U.S. National Champion Stallion to share honors with two of his offspring; and he was the first *Bask son to be judged U.S. National Champion Stallion. (*Bask was already recognized as the sire of four U.S. National Champion Mares.) For a topper: MS Santana became the seventh (U.S. and Canadian) National Champion Stallion to be so titled. Both were unanimous wins.
*Ralvon Elijah (Ralvon Nazarene x Mill Hill Sharmal), 1978 chestnut stallion bred by R. and V. Males, Windsor, Australia. Imperial Imdal (Ansata Imperial x Dalia), 1982 grey stallion bred by Douglas and Barbara Griffith, Imperial Egyptian Stud, Parkton, Maryland. 208 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
American importers set a time record when they inspected, bought, and
Golden Reflections imported a horse in two weeks, much less than the usual months or sometimes years involved. *Ralvon Elijah arrived in the United States covered in the glory of international titles — twice British National Champion Stallion and AllNations Champion Stallion. In England, he sired champions at the regional and National levels. In the United States, he won several halter championships and sired winners in racing, dressage, and working horses.
him a standing ovation as he exited the ring. Gladys Brown Edwards described Reign On as “near-perfect in his overall appearance and way of going.” Reign On later went on to Canadian National Champion Park. Reign On died in 2006 at the home of Ann Clausen, his longtime friend and caretaker.
Balaton (Menes x Panagia by Aswan), 1982 chestnut stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Russia.
Reign On (*Bask x Spring Rain), 1980 grey stallion bred by California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California.
A Cal Poly Pomona stallion set Scottsdale on its ear in park competition. Reign On, a *Bask son out of a mare of many generations of Kellogg Ranch/Cal Poly Pomona breeding, was the cause of the excitement. The six-year-old stallion won First Place Park Horse Stallions unanimously and then unanimously 1986 Scottsdale Champion Park Horse. The Arabian breed had a new performance star as the crowd was wildly appreciative of his level and free trot and of the proper use of his hocks. Reign On received an extraordinary tribute from his competitors when the rest of the class retired from the ring as soon as the Reserve Champion was announced. Allison Elwell, supervising trainer at Cal Poly Pomona, trained Reign On herself and rode him with the grace and poise of an equitation rider — and the two wowed the spectators who gave
In 1986, a four-year-old golden chestnut stallion, fit ands trim off the track and graced with a classic head, was introduced to visitors at Tersk Stud as the Crown Prince of Tersk. His name was Balaton, and for the remainder of his life, he was its uncontested king. Balaton was a key member of a sire line of Bairactar DB, the oldest in the world. Once nearly extinct, it made a dramatic comeback, in which Balaton had a significant part. His sire Menes was the leading son of his sire Nabeg; Balaton was Menes’ greatest son, and in turn sired Kubinec, who must rank as his heir apparent. Balaton’s dam was the Aswan daughter Panagia, one of Tersk’s greatest broodmares and the dam of several sires of distinction, though Balaton was her greatest achievement. Balaton himself was an all-purpose sire. He distinguished himself equally through his sons and his daughters, both including too many champions and too many great sires and dams to list. He himself was, appropriately, European Champion Stallion in 1992. His get included National, European, Nations 209 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Cup, and World champions; it also included race winners, dressage horses, endurance horses, and reining horses. They came in all colors, from sabino to black, though the majority were chestnut and grey and those almost invariably carried his stamp, from the pretty head to the sometimes just a little too long back (not even great sires are perfect). Tersk knew what they had in him, because they never parted with him. He spent three years at stud with Robbie den Hartog in Holland, and there must have been offers for him, but he was never sold. He died at home at Tersk in 2005, and he remains one of their greatest achievements, a true renaissance horse.
1987
*Probat (Pohaniec x Borexia), 1975 bay stallion bred by Blommerod Arabian Stud, Lillo, Sweden.
*Probat arrived in the United States in early April 1987 and was the chief excitement in the breed. Dr. Eugene LaCroix (Lasma) spotted him in Poland in 1980, watched him mature and sire at Michalow, and four years later decided he must come to the United States to enhance the legacies of the *Bask and *Aladdinn daughter and granddaughters. But first, the Poles insisted, *Probat must stand in Poland for the 1986 breeding season and a portion of the 1987 season. In America, *Probat appealed to the
senses of breeders and artists alike, and breeders began shopping for sons and daughters in Europe.
Scottsdale Reserve Junior Champion Filly, Region 7 Champion Futurity Fillies of 1983, U.S. Top Ten Mare (twice), Las Vegas Supreme Grand Champion (unanimous), 1989 Buckeye Grand Champion Mare (unanimous), and 1989 Scottsdale Senior Grand Champion Mare and Show Grand Champion Mare (both unanimous).
pair finished the Tevis, and then Patti planned to take him back to the show arena. When the show announcer told the audience that Remington would be showing without hoof paint or grease and not over-clipped, a crowd of 1,500 gave them a standing ovation. For the Baileys, sales were up and Remington Steele was in high demand as a sire.
1991 Bey Shah (Bay El Bey x Star Of Ofir), 1976 bay stallion bred by Lester and Jennie Walton, Bend, Oregon.
In a rare feat of siring, Bey Shah, was recognized as the sire of both the U.S. National Champion Stallion (Fame VF) and the U.S. National Champion Mare (Shahteyna).
1988
WN Antigua (*GG Samir x Naborrs Joy), 1983 grey mare bred by Wayne Newton, Logandale, Nevada.
1990
Emenee (*Aramus x Diamondita), 1970 grey mare bred by Bill and Janet Lowe, Canon City, Colorado.
The Rohara mare Emenee was noted as the leading living dam of National winners. She had four — including Rohara Tsultress, National Champion Mare.
1989 Entertainer Wayne Newton’s pride and joy WN Antigua became the darling of show crowds from Scottsdale to Canada. In 1989, she was named 1989 Canadian National Champion Mare and U.S. Top Ten Mare. Earlier, she collected
Remington Steele (Gaffizon x Jordjina), 1982 grey stallion bred by Perisian Park, Sun Valley, California.
Remington Steele completed the tough 100-miles-in-one-day Tevis endurance ride in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, this after U.S. and Canadian Top Ten Stallion titles. Owners Patti and Andy Bailey made the decision to test the endurance world after some disenchantment with the show scene, trained and conditioned Remington Steele themselves, and found a threetime Tevis completer to ride him. The 210 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Simeon Shai (Raadin Royal Star x Simeon Safanad), 1984 bay stallion bred by Marion Richmond, Bellevue Hill, Australia.
Our new Triple Crown hero, and more. *Simeon Shai, bred in Australia, brought in championships at Scottsdale, Canadian Nationals, U.S. Nationals and then topped off his career with 1991 World Champion at the Salon du Cheval. Further distinctions for Shai: At Scottsdale, he was the first Champion Stallion ever to sire three top ten halter winners at the same show; he was the only straight Egyptian stallion in the breed’s history to win the Arabian Triple Crown.
1992
Countess Vanessa (Vanraf x Captains Golden Jane), 1979 chestnut mare bred by Dr. Robert O. Hoskin, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
Golden Reflections She won the third of her United States National Champion Half-Arabian Park titles. The crowds loved her and spectators adjusted their personal schedules to be in the audience to watch her exciting performances. Altogether, Countess Vanessa won six National Championships and two Reserves, much to the delight of Nationals crowds.
TW Forteyna (*Fortel x Tapiola), 1974 bay mare bred by Carl and Pat Hendershot, Trade Winds Arabians, Tracy, California.
TW Forteyna was recognized as the dam of two National Champion Mares, a rare distinction in the breed. Shahteyna won for her in 1987; Bey Teyna in 1992. Her total of 14 champion offspring put her at the top of Arabian Horse World’s Aristocrat Mare list, a place she still holds.
Huckleberry Bey (Bay El Bey x Taffona), 1976 bay stallion bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California
“Huck” died late in 1992. The stallion was renowned for siring nearly 125 National winners and for his own winnings, both in halter and English pleasure, the latter his specialty. At home, at Varian Arabians, he played the clown,
much to the amusement of the Varian staff and visitors.
1993
her produce. “Susie” made National history as the only mare to produce two double National Champion Mares, Fire Music and Bask Melody, both by *Bask, and a son who sired a National Champion Mare.
*Kawalkada (*Penitent x Kabala), 1985 grey mare bred by Michalow State Stud, Michalow, Poland.
*Eukaliptus (*Bandos x Eunice), 1974 grey stallion bred by Janow Podlaski Stud, Warsaw, Poland.
U.S. Nationals crowds went completely wild when *Kawalkada entered the arena, showing off her bold and sprightly trot. They never let up in their cheering and stomping, (and the thought of a lynching of judges occurred). When *Kawalkada made her victory pass as U.S. National Champion Mare, the entire audience nearly exploded, and the breed had a new model for type and action.
*Eukaliptus was the chief sire at Janow State Stud in Poland for many years, died in 1993, a most valued stallion throughout his breeding years. In Poland, in 1979, he was the first Polish National Champion Stallion, and he came to the United States on lease that same year. As a sire, *Eukaliptus was valued as a chief progenitor of the Skowronek sire line, and he sired many Polish, International, and World Champions. To the Poles *Eukaliptus represented the classic Saklawi type, and his characteristics have come down through many generations.
Susecion (*Corsair x Cancion De Los Vientos), 1965 grey mare bred by Kenneth Patience, El Cajon, California.
Susecion died early in 1993, a “queen” to the end of her days, and a shining example of the possibility of great success for small breeders. She left us as an Arabian Horse World Aristocrat, an Arabian Horse Trust Hall of Famer, and a breed celebrity. Her fame came through 211 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Estopa (Tabal x Uyaima™), 1965 grey mare, bred by Don Miguel Osuna Escalera, Seville, Spain.
*Estopa lived in three countries (Spain, where she was bred, Germany, and the United States) and earned the
title “one of the greatest broodmares of all time.” She is credited with “putting Spanish Arabians on the map” and is renowned for her exceptional beauty and type and the ability to pass it on to future generations. *Estopa’s greatest achievement as a producer was her son *El Shaklan, known and respected as a sire throughout the breed. He sired in Britain, Germany, the United States, Brazil, and Argentina, consistently adding refinement and style to the breed.
1994
Essteem (Fame VF x Expressa) bred by Doug Dahmen, Santa Maria, California.
Essteem was a pioneer in more than one sense. He was the first U.S.-bred stallion to make a mark for himself in Europe as a show horse and sire, and he was the first ever European Triple Crown winner. While he has some European roots through his dam’s sire El Shaklan, as well as some Egyptian and Polish blood, most of his pedigree consists of old American bloodlines. He was the first stallion of the Bey Shah-Fame VF dynasty to come to Europe; though not the last, he is to date the most successful. Bred by Doug Dahmen in the U.S. in 1991, he was imported as a two-yearold by Ferdinand Huemer of La Movida Arabians in Austria and embarked on a successful show career, starting with the Austrian Junior National championship. In 1994, as a three-year-old, he set out
to conquer all, winning the European, Nations Cup, and World Junior championships to become the first ever Triple Crown winner in Europe. After that grand sweep, he was sensibly retired from showing and quickly established himself as a sire of distinction. Also as an international sire, as he was used by breeders in Germany and France, as well as in Austria. From 2001-2003 he was leased to Susan George in England, where he also made his mark as a sire. His get include many champions, both nationals and international, but his greatest achievement is his lovely daughter Essteema who followed him to win the Triple Crown. Essteem briefly emerged from retirement in 2007. Shown for the first and only time as a mature horse, he took his rightful place as Austrian National Champion Stallion to great acclaim. It remained his only competitive appearance, though he appeared at the Nations Cup Gala Evening the same year. After all, he has nothing left to prove.
the youngest sire of a U.S. National Champion Mare.
1995
Witezarif (Witezar x Razifa), 1963 bay gelding bred by Hyannis Cattle Company, Cave Creek, Arizona.
Witezarif remains a record-breaker in the endurance world as he won the Tevis Cup ride six times. The wins got him the honor of the first inductee to the AERC Hall of Fame. Witezarif, described as small but formidable at about 14.2 hands and 850 pounds, accrued 5,044 miles in his endurance career. He was euthanized at the age of 32 in 1995.
1996
JK Amadeus (Bey Shah x Katahza), 1985 bay stallion bred by Jay and Kathi Daniels, Tracy, California.
JK Amadeus came into the National spotlight in 1994 when his three-year-old daughter Aalusive Bey was named U. S. National Champion Mare and another daughter A Lyrica went U.S. National Reserve Champion Futurity Filly. With Aalusive Bey’s win, Amadeus became 212 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
AA Apollo Bey (Huckleberry Bey x April Charm), 1986 grey stallion bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California.
When the Nationals dust settled and the statisticians had had their fun with the numbers, AA Apollo Bey may have set a Nationals record with the record of his
Golden Reflections get. He sired eight U.S. Nationals winners in disciplines ranging from park, English pleasure and show hack to pleasure driving, all of them competing at the Nationals level for the first time.
GS Khochise, a highly seasoned performer, collected his thirty-eighth National title in 1996, and he’s added 1997 and 1999 U.S. National Top Ten Western Pleasure AAOTR 40 & Over, and many Scottsdale and Regional wins
1997
since for owner Betty Chapman. He’s Al-Marah Canadius (*Ranix x Al-Marah Tai), 1967 bay stallion bred by Bazy Tankersley, Tuscon, Arizona.
no specialist, but won his National titles in Western Pleasure, Trail, and Ladies Sidesaddle English and Western.
Ali Jamaal (Ruminaja Ali x Heritage Memory), 1982 bay stallion bred by James Bergren, Muskegon, Michigan.
We cheered for a siring accomplishment. At the U.S. Nationals, Ali Jamaal was noted as the sire of both the National Champion Mare *Europa El Jamaal and the National Reserve Champion Mare *Tulle El Jamaal. Ali Jamaal is also credited as the sire of *Parys El Jamaal, the National Reserve Champion Stallion. Jamaal had seen his own victory passes: 1985 U.S. National Champion Futurity Colt, 1989 U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion, and 1990 U.S. National Champion Stallion.
Comar Bay Brummel (Azraff x Rose Of Mirage), 1969 bay stallion bred by Garth Buchanan, Story City, Iowa.
with a Top Ten Stallion win at U.S. and Canadian Nationals, respectively. Al-Marah Canadius sired a total of 168 American registered foals, five of them National Champions. Comar Bay Brummel sired 279 American registered foals, two of them U.S. National Top Ten winners.
*Emanor rocked Tingley Coliseum at Albuquerque with his spectacular trot, his presence, and his showmanship. He came to America with a show record, the most recent 1998 Polish National Champion Stallion. Canadian National
1999
Reserve Champion Stallion, Region 5 Champion Stallion, the latter a unanimous win. *Emanor was ready to
1998 We lost two older mainstays of the breed in 1998 when Al-Marah Canadius and Comar Bay Brummel were put down at ages 31 and 29, respectively. Both had had long show careers: AlMarah Canadius as a performance horse, with one U.S. National Championship (Formal Combination) and two U.S. National Top Tens; and Comar in halter,
*Emanor (*Wojslaw x Emanacja), 1993 grey stallion bred by Michalow State Stud, Michalow, Poland.
take America by storm. At Albuquerque, he had the crowd on its feet through most of the stallion class, and his victory pass as National Champion Stallion only added to his spectacular appearance. After Albuquerque, *Emanor went on to Scottsdale Champion English Pleasure, Canadian National Reserve Champion GS Khochise (Khemosabi x Beau Cherie), 1981 bay stallion bred by Guy and Shelley Moser, Mead, Washington. 213 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
English Pleasure and U.S. Top Ten English Pleasure.
Monarch AH (*Wiking x *Sasanka), 1987 bay stallion bred by Oxy Arabians, Los Angeles, California.
The get of Monarch AH reached a milestone for Arabian racing stallions when they earned more than $1,000,000 on the racetrack, finishing with a record $1,145,239. His racing career became the standard of excellence to which the careers of other Horses of the Year are compared. Monarch won 19 of his 23 races, was leading sire in the U.S. Three times, sired Darley Award winners, and proved himself a top sire of broodmares. In 2001, Monarch (along with 120 Arabians of valued racing lines) was sold to Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi who was starting a new farm, accent on racing and endurance. There he lives the celebrity life.
Imperial Baarez (PVA Kariim x BB Ora Kalilah), 1996 grey stallion bred by Imperial Egyptian Stud, Parkton, Maryland.
Imperial Baarez dazzled crowds from Lexington, Kentucky, to other far parts of the world. At the 1999 Egyptian
Event, he was judged Supreme Champion Stallion (after a reserve the year before), then went on to East Coast Champion Stallion, 1999 U.S. Top Ten Futurity Colt, and 2002 Region 15 Champion Stallion. Then came his overseas show career: Citta di Castello International Show (Italy) Champion Stallion, All Nations Supreme Reserve Champion Stallion, World Reserve Champion Stallion at the Salon du Cheval. Plus he was undefeated in get of sire competition.
2000
Monogramm (Negatraz x *Monogramma), 1985 chestnut stallion bred by Richard and Kay Patterson, Sisters, Oregon
The Arabian horse world had a new sire hero in the being of Monogramm, an American-bred stallion leased to Michalow State Stud in Poland. At the Salon du Cheval in Paris, Monogramm was noted as the sire of the World Champion Stallion (Ekstern), World Champion Mare (*Zagrobla), World Reserve Champion Mare (*Kwestura), and World Junior Champion Filly (Emmona), a tidy one-half of the championships awarded. Negatraz sired National winners in Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Holland, France, Poland, Sweden, and the United States. 214 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Essteema (*Essteem x Menascha), 1998 chesnut mare bred by Reinhard Sax, Altfraunhofen, Germany.
A first, sired by a first: Essteema, foaled in 1998, has the distinction of being the first European female Triple Crown winner, and in addition the first whose sire was a Triple Crown winner himself. Bred and owned by Reinhard Sax, Essteema comes from a dynasty of champions from both sides of her pedigree. Her sire Essteem, imported from the U.S., was the first European Triple Crown winner ever. Her dam, Menascha, is a third generation Elite mare, whose dam Nascha and grandam Neschi were among the big winners of their times and all of them distinguished champion producers. Essteema was also a first in that she marked the departure of Sax Arabians from straight Russian breeding, and a huge success in that she eclipsed almost everything Sax had bred until then. With her extremely dished head, she instantly got attention wherever she appeared, leading inevitably to the question: Is that just a fluke or is it actually in the family? As a look at her second dam Nascha and third dam Neschi proves, it is definitely in the family. Essteema retired from the ring unbeaten as a yearling. Her subsequent breeding career proved not quite as smooth, as for several years she produced only colts, and her first daughter died young. She has finally found a fitting match in international champion Khidar
Golden Reflections and, following another colt, has now produced two exquisite fillies by him in succession, definitely proving that her beauty is more than just skin deep.
Aul Magic started his show career in 2000, when he was age 15. He specialized in dressage and has been starring in that discipline ever since. He was U.S. National Reserve Champion Dressage Level 1 and Level 2 in 2001.
Bask Elect (*Bask x Ima Electric), 1976 chestnut stallion bred by Sagamore Park Arabians, Indianapolis, Indiana.
In the opening ceremonies at the U.S. Nationals, the American flag was presented by a 24-year-old stallion. Nothing unusual, except this stallion was completely blind, getting his cues from his trusted owner/rider Martha Murdock. Not all the spectators knew of Bask Elect’s limitations, but the crowd as one rose and screamed for the two as they made their laps around Freedom Hall. “Then I knew I’d kept the promise I’d made to him 15 years ago: that he would never be forgotten,” Martha noted. Bask Elect was 1989 and 1990 U.S. National Reserve Champion Ladies Sidesaddle English Pleasure and 1991 U.S. National Champion Ladies Sidesaddle English Pleasure. Add to these numerous Scottsdale and Regional wins.
Berried Treasure (Huckleberry Bey x Prowlers Starlight), 1990 bay gelding bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California.
2002
One of the winningest Half-Arabians in the breed, Berried Treasure added two more National titles in 2001: U.S. National Champion Half-Arabian Show Hack and U.S. National Reserve Champion Half-Arabian Sidesaddle English. He had numerous U.S. and Canadian National Championships in Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure Open and AAOTR in the mid 1990s. Apollopalooza (AA Apollo Bey x TF Magical Witch), 1995 bay stallion bred by La Croix Management Co. Inc., La Grange, Kentucky.
2001
*Menes RASB (Nabeg x Metropolia), 1977 bay stallion bred by Tersk Stud, Stavropol, Russia. Aul Magic (Aulrab x Magic Alarieha), 1985 chestnut stallion bred by Richard and Sandra Warren, Sanger, California.
appreciated his international pedigree (Poland, Hungary, Weil Stud, Radowce Stud, and Crabbet Stud), and he was well respected as a sire. He sired a total of 22 foals in the United States and had his first National winner in 1989. In 1992, American owners of *Menes sent him to Europe to stand, feeling that European breeders would appreciate him as a sire even more than Americans did. He spent the rest of his life there. Siring on both Holland and Belgium. *Menes died in a manner befitting a world-renowned breeding stallion. In February 2001, he was collected in mid-morning and died 15 minutes later from a heart attack.
*Menes RASB arrived in the United States in December 1983. Breeders 215 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Apollopalooza racked up the fourth of his major performance championships: 1999 U.S. National Champion English Pleasure, 2000 Canadian National Champion Park, 2001 and 2002 U.S. National Champion Park Horse. Carmelle Rooker trained and rode him and, by 2005, Apollopalooza was credited with five National Championships in park.
Elmer Bandit (DJS Jameel Junaid x Dandy Lain), 1967 grey Half-Arabian
2003
gelding bred by Mary Anna Wood, Independence, Missouri. Elmer Bandit was the highest-scoring Half-Arabian in the North American Trail Ride Conference ridden by an AHA member. Elmer was the first horse inducted to the NATRC Hall of Fame, the winner of 22 NATRC National Championships, and racked up more than 15,000 competitive trail miles. At age 32, Elmer disdained the idea of retirement, or even slowing down.
*Kwestura (Monogramm x Kwesta by Pesennik), 1995 chestnut mare bred by Michalow State Stud Farm, Michalow, Poland.
*Kwestura sold Polish breeding through her wins in Europe: 1999 AllNations Cup Senior Champion Mare, 2000 European Champion Mare, 2000 World Reserve Champion Mare, and 2000 and 2001 Polish National Reserve Champion Mare. Mike Nichols imported her on lease and showed her to Buckeye Champion Mare (a unanimous decision) and then on to U.S. National Champion Senior Mare. (Two of the three judges for the championship had *Kwestura at the top of their cards.) Back in the showring with her owner Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Kwestura is still winning. Show crowds appreciate *Kwestura for her presence, gorgeous head, and her magnificent trot.
*Marwan Al Shaqab (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame by Fame VF), 2000 bay stallion bred by Al Shaqab Farm, Doha, Qatar.
We began to hear details of the stunning show successes of a MiddleEastern colt and his sire. After the 2001 Salon du Cheval, *Marwan Al Shaqab came home to Al Shaqab Stud at Doha, Qatar as World Champion Stallion, this after being named Qatar International Champion Colt. In Europe, Marwan was 2002 European Triple Crown winner (championships at the All-Nations Cup, European Championships, and the Salon du Cheval World Championship). *Marwan came to the United States early in 2003 and his first time out was named Region 9 Champion Stallion (unanimous) and not long after that twice U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion (also unanimous). At the same time, Marwan’s sire *Gazal Al Shaqab was making show and sire history. With the usual breed curiosity and the speed of the Arabian grapevine, the two probably became the mosttalked about sires in the breed. At the 2001 Salon du Cheval, *Marwan and his sire made history by becoming the first father and son Champion Stallion and Champion Colt. At the U.S. Nationals, *Gazal Al Shaqab was named Reserve Champion Senior Stallion. Most recently Marwan was World Champion Stallion at the Salon du Cheval and received recognition as the sire of the World Champion Mare, Champion and Reserve Junior Champion Colt, and Junior Champion Filly. 216 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Ecaho (*Pepton x Etruria by Palas), 1990 grey stallion bred by Michalow State Stud Farm, Michalow, Poland.
In 2003, American breeders gained one more opportunity to breed to a top European sire when *Ecaho was imported. In Poland, he stood as chief sire at Janow Podlaski Stud, Michalow Stud, and Bialka Stud. Many considered him the modern-day replica of the stallion Skowronek and the leading progenitor of the Skowronek (Ibrahim) sire line. At the 2003 Polish National Show, *Ecaho was the leading sire of winners. One of his winningest offspring is Emanda (x Emanacja), World Champion Mare, AllNations Cup and Babolna International Junior Champion Mare.
*Zagrobla (Monogramm x Zguba by *Enrilo) bred by Michalow State Stud Farm, Michalow, Poland.
For American breeders, *Zagrobla once again showed the wisdom of importing from Poland the sons and daughters of the American-bred stallion
Golden Reflections Monogramm on lease to Michalow State Stud. *Zagrobla had racked up notable European wins before she flew into LAX and went into a brief quarantine. She started in 1996 with Babolna International Junior Champion Mare and Polish National Reserve Junior Champion Mare, then Babolna International Champion Mare, AllNations Cup Champion Mare, European Champion Mare, and World Champion Mare at the Salon du Cheval. In the United States, on lease to Jeff Wallace, *Zagrobla started with 2003 Scottsdale Reserve Grand Champion Mare. Then on to Albuquerque where *Zagrobla had her own ways with American showing and merited first place on two judges’ cards to clinch the National Champion Mare title. Few spectators will ever forget the sight of *Zagrobla in her victory pass, the blanket of red roses in place and she still eager to see what’s ahead, what’s over the next hill.
two National Champions: Maggdalina (x Zolina), U.S. National Champion Senior Mare, and JJ La Estrella (x WA Marlaina Lee), Canadian National Champion Mare Notable Magnum Psyche wins include 1998 U.S. and Canadian National Champion Stallion, 2004 U.S. National Senior Champion Stallion, and most recently, 2009 Scottsdale Champion Supreme Stallion and Champion Stallion.
Barbary died in August 2004, age 31. In his show career, Barbary accumulated national titles in halter, English pleasure, informal combination, and park. He’s one of the high-scorers in the breeding shed with a lifetime total of 760 foals. Like their sire, most of the Barbary sons and daughters showed off the Arabian versatility. Richard Petty and Don DeLongpre’, Barbary’s longtime caretakers, described him as “very simply, the greatest horse on earth.”
Good Thunder (Wisdom x GL Americle by Amerigo), 1983 bay stallion bred by Judy Martin, Pendleton, Indianna.
DA Adios (*Wiking x Sanibel IA by Samtyr), 1998 bay stallion bred by Dunromin Arabians, Pine Plains, New York.
2004
Good Thunder thrilled show audiences for many years and became known as one of the winningest Arabian stallions of all time. In 2004, he celebrated his twenty-first birthday and 15 National Championships. At his birthday party, Good Thunder impressed his guests with his accomplishments as a beginning dressage horse. For the 2004 U.S. Nationals, Good Thunder was scheduled to carry the American flag.
A new star emerged on the Arabian racing scene. At Delaware Park, DA Adios increased his earnings to $393,659, and his owners and trainer considered running him in 2005 as a seven-year-old.
Magnum Psyche (Padrons Psyche x A Fancy Miracle by *Sasaki), 1995 chestnut stallion bred by J. Lancaster and Lisa Havice, Lakeland, Florida.
Magnum Psyche made his fourth consecutive appearance at the top of Arabian Horse World’s Leading Sire list. Then, for the fifth consecutive year, Magnum Psyche headed up the chart of top sires of purebred halter U.S. National winners. Nineteen contenders earned this distinction for him. Among Magnum Psyche’s National winners were
Showkayce (Fame VF x Kay by Kaiyoum), 1992 grey stallion bred by Carol Steppe, Danville, California. Barbary (Bay El Bey x Balalinka by *Bask), 1973 bay stallion bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California. 217 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
At the 2004 Sport Horse Nationals, Showkayce was found to be the leading sire of halter winners, performance
winners, and of both halter and performance winners. He repeated this distinction in the 2006 Sport Horse Nationals. Showkayce offspring brought in three championships each in halter and performance. At Scottsdale 2006, eight Showkayce sons and daughters were shown and toted up seven Championships or Reserves and 29 Top Tens. In 2005, Showkayce was declared to be the only stallion ever on the Leading Sires list for the U.S. Nationals, Scottsdale, and Sport Horse Nationals in the same year.
for two years to Poland where he sired the U.S. and World Champion Champion Mare *Pianissima (x Pianosa) and U.S. and World Champion Mare *Emandoria (x Emanda) in addition to dozens of other international champions.
Buckeye and Regional shows — still Afire Bey V progeny shining in both halter and performance. Now, he’s promoted simply as the #1 sire, a label he completely merits.
2006
2005 Afire Bey V (Huckleberry Bey x Autumn Fire by *Bask), 1985 bay stallion bred by Varian Arabians, Arroyo Grande, California.
*Gazal Al Shaqab (Anaza El Farid x Kajora by Kaborr), 1995 bay stallion bred by Al Shaqab Farm, Doha, Qatar.
After his many show triumphs abroad, *Gazal Al Shaqab came to the United States on lease in 1996 and showed his fine form to American judges. They liked him. At the 2005 U.S. Nationals, *Gazal went National Reserve Champion Senior Stallion, that after being named Scottsdale Champion Stallion. Those wins complemented his 2005 World Champion Stallion trophy and the Middle East Champion Stallion title. But it is as a sire that *Gazal really made his mark. In addition to siring the great *Marwan El Shaqab (see listing elsewhere in this article), he was leased
Afire By V celebrated his twentieth birthday in 2005, with a grand party of supporters and persons closely related to his life story. And an abundance of statistics. Never in the past several decades have we had a horse so consistently high on the sire charts for major shows. Afire Bey V shines not only in performance competition, as his pedigree would suggest, but in halter classes as well. At the time of the birthday celebration, he was noted as the leading performance sire six times at the U.S. Nationals; the 2004 show gave him his seventh consecutive year. As a sire, the English division is Afire Bey V’s specialty; in 2004 alone, he sired six Champions and Reserves in that division. At the time of the birthday party at Canadian Nationals, Afire Bey V was in his fifth consecutive year as leader of sires of halter and performance combined. Scottsdale statistics for 2003 and 2004 gave the stallion the lead spot in halter and performance combined. His leads have now expanded to the 218 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Pianissima (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa by *Eukaliptus), 2003 bay mare bred by Janow Podlaski State Stud Farm, Warsaw, Poland, and *El Dorada PASB (*Sanadik El Shaklan x Emigrantka by *Eukaliptus), 1998 grey mare bred by Michalow State Stud Farm, Michalow, Poland.
Two visiting Polish ladies set the 2006 U.S. Nationals on fire as they won both major championships in breeding mare competition. Both came in on lease; both are daughters of stallions imported to the United States; both are granddaughters of *Eukaliptus, longtime chief sire at Janow State Stud in Poland; and both had distinguished show records in Europe before importation. *Pianissima: the European Triple Crown, Polish National Champion Junior Filly and Best in Show, and championships at the All-Nations Cup and Salon du Cheval. All this before she was two years old. *El Dorada: Swedish National Champion Filly, European Champion Junior Filly, Polish National Champion Mare, All-Nations Cup Champion Mare, European Champion Mare. At the 2006 U.S. Nationals, *El Dorada’s win as
Golden Reflections National Champion Senior Mare was unanimous. *Pianissima and *El Dorada have returned to Poland.
2006 U.S. Top Ten Junior Stallion and Canadian Top Ten Stallion. AM Power Raid has his trophy collection too: Sport Horse Nationals Championships and Resrves, Canadian National Champion Western Pleasure Junior Horse.
2007
Alada Baskin (*Aladdinn x Launa Basketu by Baske-Tu), 1982 chestnut stallion bred by Irvin and Donna Plotz, Clements, Minnesota.
Alada Baskin died in May 2006, after a long and successful siring and show career. He was a Regional Champion Stallion, Buckeye Champion Stallion, and twice U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion.
Aequus (Sheikh Ibn Shiko x C Me Maroussa by Baar Rhythm), 1988 bay stallion bred by Shiko Arabians, Phoenix, Arizona.
The U.S. Nationals gave us a new performance hero as Aequus brought in the last two of his ten National Championships in Park. To back up that splash, he has four National Reserve Championships Park, and several Top Tens. Those wins span the years 1992 to 2007, so he thrilled Nationals crowds for nearly two decades.
*Bremervale Andronicus (Desperado x Bremervale Rhapsody by Bremervale Excalibur), 2002 chestnut stallion bred by Jill Toft, Australia, and AM Power Raid (AM Double Dream x HH Maid Marian by AM Count Pine), 1995 grey stallion bred by Bazy Tankersley, Tucson, Arizona.
Bazy Tankersley and Al-Marah Arabians scored big at the Sport Horse Nationals. *Bremervale Andronicus brought home the National Champion Stallion trophy and AM Power Raid followed him with the Reserve Champion Stallion honors. Add to “Andy’s” credits:
A new halter celebrity came boldly onto the scene in 2007. DA Valentino began trotting off with National titles as a yearling (2004 U.S. National Champion Breeders Colt). Then 2005 Buckeye Junior Champion Colt, 2005 Region 14 Champion Stallion, 2006 Regions 7 and 14 Champion Stallion, and U.S. National Champion Futurity Colt and National Champion Junior Stallion. In 2007, Valentino hit Scottsdale with Champion Senior Stallion and on to U.S. National Junior Champion Stallion. In 2008, he repeated the U.S. National Champion Junior Stallion and added 2008 Scottsdale Champion Senior Stallion and Supreme Champion.
DA Valentino (Versace x DA Love by Padrons Psyche), 2003 bay stallion bred by Dolorosa Arabians Ltd., Rocky Point, North Carolina. 219 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
*Padron (Patron x *Odessa NSB by Bright Wings), 1977 chestnut stallion bred by Dr. J. J. M. Blaauwhof, Kerkdriel, Holland.
We lost *Padron, one of our highly valued double National Champion Stallions in 2007. He was bred in Holland and at age three months was declared Dutch National Junior Champion Colt, then added three more junior championships, competing with yearlings, two-year-olds, and three-year-olds. When *Padron was five months old, he was spotted by an American breeder who hesitated not five minutes to offer to buy him. By February 1978, *Padron was in his new home at
Make-Believe Farm at Walnut Creek, California. He steamrollered through the usual route of show wins and in 1981was named Canadian National Champion, then the following year added Scottsdale Champion Stallion and U.S. National Champion Stallion. Breeders took note of the chestnut wonder, and *Padron’s siring career began before the show career ended. *Padron sons and daughters did him proud at Scottsdale 1982 and two daughters went U.S. Top Ten Futurity Filly at the 1983 Nationals. Since 1983, dozens and dozens of *Padron get have collected National wins, their wins ranging from halter classes to western pleasure, reining, sidesaddle, park, and English pleasure.
2008
2009 Versace (Fame VF x Precious As Gold by *El Shaklan), 1995 bay stallion bred by Rojo Arabians, Port Orange, Florida.
Versace died in February 2008, a great loss to the breed. His show career gave him Regional Championships and a U.S. Top Ten Futurity Colt title, but his chief contribution was as a sire. At the 2008 Nationals, Versace sons and daughters brought in several dozen wins, including DA Valentino as National Champion Junior Stallion and Donatella Versace as Champion Half-Arabian Mare Stock/Hunter Type. For that show, Versace ranked third as a sire of purebred halter and performance winners combined, fourth in halter winners, and fourth in performance winners.
Hey Hallelujah (Huckleberry Bey x Hallelujah Bask by *Bask), 1993 grey stallion bred by Bessey Arabians, Lindsay, California.
Hey Hallelujah, a performance horse to celebrate, recognized as the only horse in the Arabian breed to win the Triple Crown in English Pleasure and Pleasure Driving. He tallied six U.S. and Canadian National Championships in English Pleasure and Pleasure Driving. Then, just to prove a point, U.S. And Canadian Top Ten Stallion. In 2007, Hey Hallelujah was recognized as the sire of eight National winners, halter and performance.
In an Arabian Horse World study of top sires of western pleasure horses at Nationals (2004-2008), *Khadraj NA headed the list. He had 15 winning progeny, including five National Champions, two National Reserves, and 34 Top Tens. In the study *Kadraj NA was followed by Padrons Psyche in second place and Versace in third place.
*Khadraj NA (Ponomarev x Khatreena NA by *Padron), 1991 chestnut stallion bred by Nagib Audi, São Paulo, Brazil.
220 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b OCTOBER 2009
Padrons Psyche (*Padron x Kilika by *Tamerlan), 1988 chestnut stallion bred by Mc Pherson Family Trust, Burlingame, California.
Padrons Psyche made a late midlife change of address as well as a change in his sphere of influence. “Psyche” had had his days of glory in American circles — U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion and leading sire in many studies (frequently a top sire at Scottsdale, Canadian and U.S. Nationals). Early in 2009 he was sold to Belgium where he is sure to continue his siring career and his excellent public relations work for the breed.