MaggieMae M
PGA
(Magnum Psyche x Rachael Ann by Bey Shah)
Royal Arabians
Royal Arabians by Cindy Reich
Precious Jewell J
M
(Praise RB x JAL Juliana)
TArizona, is a farm that is ucked away in Mesa,
dedicated to mares, owned by a family that has been breeding Arabians of the highest quality quietly and without fanfare for many years. While their show horses have been racking up wins at the U.S. Nationals, Scottsdale, and Las Vegas, the family’s program has always been about the mares. Royal Arabians, owned by Cindy McGown and Mark Davis, and managed by their daughter Amanda Fraser, has gone from strength to strength over the years, most recently being named a top
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MariBelle B
five breeder at the 2011 World Breeders Cup in Las Vegas. However, they are poised to take their breeding program to an even higher level as they anticipate the stunning roster of foals due in 2012 at their farm. Like many who have fallen in love with Arabian horses, it was the Arabians’ beauty that first captured their hearts. “Looking at an Arabian is like looking at a work of art,” says Amanda. “We spend countless hours in our office and it’s nice to have something to use as an escape from the everyday stress. Looking into one of our mares’ eyes is an incredible reprieve from the outside world,” adds her father Mark Davis. Since it is all about the mares at Royal Arabians, we asked Amanda what makes their broodmare band so special. “I have worked very hard to bring the best mares together that I possibly could. In addition to their sheer beauty, all of our mares have strong pedigrees that trace to Bey Shah. They have all been successful in the showring as well, with many
MP (*Marwan Al Shaqab x Magic Kisses)
of them winning Scottsdale and National titles. However, being beautiful isn’t the sole criterion. They have to produce as well. After several foal crops, we reevaluate the mares to decide if they are still suitable for our program.” Amanda Fraser and her family are justifiably eager for foaling to start in January so that they can see the results of the breeding decisions made over the previous year. Sourcing the genetics of the finest of mares, and breeding each mare individually to the stallion best suited to that mare, have resulted in foals that should live up to their genetic heritage, but will also have the ability to become the cornerstone of breeding programs throughout the world. “We breed for perfection, and that is a universal marketing tool,” says Amanda. “Our primary goal is to be an elite breeding program that breeds not only for beauty, but also for function. Among mares we’ve bred for 2012 foals are such world-renowned
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RA
(*Marwan Al Shaqab x Maggie Mae PGA)
mares as National Champions *Pianissima (*Gazal Al Shaqab x Pianosa by *Eukaliptus), in foal to Ajman Moniscione; and Felisha BHF (Falcon BHF x Tevkah by *Muscat), in foal to Falcon BHF; as well as mares such as Cinderella WC (SH Hallmark x WC Delekata by JF Avanti), in foal to TF Royal Shahbaz; and our own incredible mare Maggie Mae PGA
(Magnum Psyche x Rachael Ann by Bey Shah) — in foal to *Marwan Al Shaqab and *Pershahn El Jamaal. “The 2010 U.S. National Champion Mare Eagleridge Passionata (*Sanadik El Shaklan x River Oak Dimity by Arjai Summitt) recently blessed Royal Arabians with a beautiful filly by Ajman Moniscione.” Going from producing five or six foals per year to 19 is a big leap, but Royal Arabians is ready for this next generation to appear. “When we went to Poland last year, I was really impressed by their foaling barn,” Amanda said. “Last year I was driving from my house to the farm and spending the nights on foal watch. However, now with a new baby, that isn’t feasible, so I decided to build the new foaling barn on my property so that I can be there full time. It is modeled after the foaling barns in Poland and I believe it is the first of its kind in Arizona. It will be air conditioned as well as heated so that the foals will be as healthy as
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(MPA Giovanni x Phaedra PR) Bred by Royal Arabians
possible. Furthermore, I believe in foals being outside and living in groups, so I have four spacious grass paddocks for the foals.” In addition to the aforementioned mares that will be producing foals for Royal Arabians in 2012, they are also expecting a foal from their 2011 Pride of Poland purchase, the Monogramm daughter *Egzonera (x Egzotyka by *Probat), in foal to WH Kaneko Ms (*Marwan Al Shaqab x WHK Antiffany Bey) as well as several Versace daughters, one of which, Sace (x China Bey SF), was named Silver Champion Mare at the recent Arabian Breeders Finals in Scottsdale. Other foals expected in 2012 will be by such notable sires as Versace, Da Vinci FM, DA Valentino, RHR Marcedes, Stival, SF Veraz, and OFW Magic Wan. Many of these foals will be eligible for the Scottsdale Signature Stallion auction classes beginning in 2013. “While we are excited about all of our upcoming foals,” says Cindy McGown, “my favorite mare, RA Simply
Siensational (NW Siensational x Maggie Mae PGA), is expecting her first foal to recently crowned five-time National Champion Vitorio TO (DA Valentino x Sol Natique). It will be very exciting to see if ‘Sisi’ produces like her mother. We are always excited for any foals out of our Maggie Mae as well. She seems to always produce quality foals that are incredibly marketable.”
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(Da Vinci FM x Z Victoria) 2010 Bay Filly Bred by Royal Arabians Amanda is also looking forward to several of her own mares, now three years of age, who will be having their first foals in the coming year. Breeding to a variety of stallions allows Royal Arabians to tailor each sire to each mare; therefore there has been no need to stand a stallion of their own. But the 2010 birth of Royal Invictus (Ajman Moniscione x *San Jose Javiera) might well change that philosophy. According to Amanda, the colt is incredible. “He is the future of Royal Arabians. Although we have been opposed to having stallions in the past, he is special enough that we will promote him and then use him at stud. He is our Scottsdale Signature Stallion auction colt for this year, so at the moment, he is pointed toward showing at Scottsdale in February. He is by far the most impressive weanling I’ve seen. When he is two years old, we will potentially breed him to a small number of select mares.” The Royal Arabians facility boasts 60 stalls, a 6 ▪ ROYAL ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
“Like many who have fallen in love with Arabian horses, it was the Arabians’ beauty that first captured their hearts.”
(*Marwan Al Shaqab x GC Merpsydita by Padrons Psyche) 2007 Bay Mare. U.S. National, Regional, and Scottsdale Top Tens as a yearling. She will be presented at Scottsdale 2012 and will also join the band of broodmares at Royal Arabians.
“Our primary goal is to be an elite breeding program that breeds not only for beauty, but also for function.”
European-style hot walker, as well as turn-out and presentation rings, and is home to about 30 horses: show horses, open mares, and sale horses. The new foaling barn and nursery are currently under construction at their secondary facility and will be finished in time for the first foals that will start arriving in January of 2012. While Royal Arabians does occasionally retain a filly as a replacement, virtually all of the breeding stock produced is for the marketplace. Two horses bred by Royal are competing at the Brazilian Nationals and in addition to their many sales in the U.S., they also have sold overseas. Given the strength of the breeding of both the sires and dams in the program at Royal Arabians, it seems that their goal of being a “must-stop” farm for the sale of elite quality foals is becoming a reality. Certainly the “class of 2012” has every probability of living up to the “royalty” inherent in the farm name. 7 ▪ ROYAL ARABIANS ▪ WORLD
Mark Davis, Cindy McGown and Amanda Fraser 1660 N. Lindsay Road Mesa, AZ 85213 480-254-3178 info@royalarabians.com • www.royalarabians.com
PHOTO BY DARRYL KELLY
Tucked away in Mesa, Arizona, is a farm that is dedicated to mares ...
Royal Arabians