Bostocks Arabian Stud

Standing On

THEIR SHOULDERS

The story of BOSTOCKS ARABIAN STUD Queensland | Australia

RON & ELWYN BLIGH

Here in Australia we have seen hundreds of importations, thousands of young horses bred, and many, many contributions to the development of our breed. Countless hands have stirred the pot over more than 200 years, yet in hindsight the core strength of the breed can be attributed to just a few.

We inherit the benefits of their wisdom, skills and foresight, and we small breeders literally ‘stand on their shoulders’.

THE PROPERTY

Bostocks Stud, the life work of Elwyn Bligh and her daughter Elizabeth (Staunton) is one such place. Both of them are gone now but they bequeathed a huge legacy.

Bostocks is the name of a large grain farming property on Queensland’s Darling Downs. It was the home of Elwyn Bligh and her husband Ron, who raised a family of three girls and one boy there. Elwyn had many interests such as creating a beautiful gracious home and garden for the

enjoyment of her family. Everything she did was done to perfection, so it was no surprise that when she decided to begin a small stud of Arabian horses, a breed she had long admired, she set in train a long-term plan to breed beautiful, athletic animals that could be ridden and enjoyed in any setting.

Both she and her daughters were keen riders who enjoyed doing the stockwork with cattle on the farm, and Elwyn also had her eye on the showring. Nearby Toowoomba had its own Royal Show where Elwyn had competed as a young girl, unfortunately injuring her knee when her pony fell. For the rest of her life she walked with a limp but it in no way deterred her from her goals.

BEGINNINGS

In 1947 the trail led first to the famous Fenwick Stud, which had been started in 1925 by Mrs ADD (Dora) Maclean. The wonderful horses there were all Crabbet Arabians, bred in the United Kingdom, most of them hailing from Crabbet itself. There Elwyn Bligh selected a dark chestnut stallion named Nekhl. He was royally bred by the stallion Rashid II from the imported Skowronek mare Nasirieh. He was not for sale at the time so he came on a lease, and when Mrs Maclean later bought Riffal (Naufal/Razina) from Lady Yule she decided she could part with him.

As with all the stallions who followed him, Nekhl was shown, establishing an impressive record at Sydney and Brisbane Royal Shows. He was Champion Stallion at Brisbane Royal in 1952 and 1955.

Along with Nekhl, three foundation mares were chosen. There was Matoufa by Indian Light (imp) from Deryabar, her filly Medina by Rakib (imp) and Sheba by Sirdar from Rissani. The history of these mares reaches far back into Colonial times, as Matoufa’s dam Deryabar was a granddaughter of Judge Boucaut’s imported stallion Faraoun (Mesaoud/Fulana), Medina’s sire Rakib had come by way of the historic Springmead Stud in Sydney, and Sheba’s sire was a son of the great Shahzada, whose blood is still sought after in endurance circles particularly. It was a solid start.

Nekhl bred Purebred and Partbred mares, most of whom were purchased by farmers and graziers. His son Khazib spent his whole life in the Jangharm Stud of Mrs Marion Sharman. Nekhl himself was sold in 1956 to Mr Logan, a Richmond grazier, and lived on his huge western property until he was 22 years of age.

In 1951 Bostocks acquired a second stallion, once again from Fenwick, and this was the grey Ibn Fayrial by Fayrial (imp) from Senabra. He was not used extensively, but his daughter Tou-Fail from Matoufa started an important family. Ibn Fayrial was followed in 1953 by another Fenwick horse, a bay colt named Melriff by Riffal (imp) from Meliha. He got several Purebred foals, most notably the daughters Na-Ja-La from Najan, and Tiptoes from Scherzade (imp UK).

The stallion Shahzada was a dominant sire of the 1920s and 30s. Not only had he arrived with his superb endurance record in the UK, but he became a well-known show horse with a record of eight Arabian Stallion Championships at Sydney Royal Show between 1926 and 1933. He was a sire of great sons, and grandsons, one of them being the snow white, muscular Zadaran who belonged to Mr Teddy Lock of Bowral, who had a close and remarkable relationship with his beautiful stallion. The statuesque grey was already a horse with a legendary reputation as a show horse and sire when he arrived at Bostocks in 1955 at the age of 19 years. A proud and spirited old horse, he never really made a happy transition to his new home, as beautifully as he would have been kept, and was laid to rest in 1960. Not however, before leaving two superb daughters, Tuema and Our Queen.

Now the stud was more than 10 years along in its journey and a strong framework had been established by the foundation stock. Some superb mares were awaiting the next step in theprogramme.

PC PAT SLATER BAY HALLANY & DAUGHTER JEDDA PARK LEILANNY WITH TRAINER TREVOR BONNEY

ENTER COUNT MANILLA (imp UK)

Count Manilla (imp) deserves a flourish and an entrance all his own because he became the ‘face’ of Bostocks Stud for the next 20 years, and far beyond that, because he proved to be a superb sire who threw youngsters in his own image for many generations ahead of him. He was a bright golden chestnut bred at Miss Gladys Yule’s Hanstead Stud, and spent 18 of his 23 years at Bostocks – much admired, much loved and highly decorated in the showring. His sire Count Dorsaz was by Rissalix from Shamnar, who was exported to Mrs Bazy Tankersley’s Al Marah Stud in the United States. His dam Namilla was by Algol from Nurschida. He was strong and square in his conformation, smooth bodied with a strong hindquarter and shoulder, and a perfect neckset with an expressive head and large eyes. He also moved particularly well and was regularly ridden out, including at the

COUNT MANILLA

early Queensland Arabian Shows. Elizabeth Bligh was his rider and showed all the Bostocks horses at halter as well.

In the showring Count Manilla was five times Champion Stallion at Brisbane Royal Show. He was famous for his absolutely square stood-up show stance, where he gazed far over the heads of the mere mortals around him, but never, it must be said, at the sky. He was like a golden statue and I know he was responsible for many young people vowing that they too would own Arabians like him. I know because I was one of them.

He sired so many top-drawer progeny that it is hard to choose who must be mentioned but we can start with the sons. There was a beautiful horse of vivid flaxen-maned colouring Attila from a mare named Atalanta, sired by Zadaran and bred by Dr Frank Staunton of Scimitar Stud, who later married Elizabeth Bligh. Attila was shown extensively under saddle, trying everything from classical dressage to costumed romps for a national magazine in the Gold Coast sandhills, with his owner Geoff Maudsley. At the same time Des and Shirley Wohlsen were showing another chestnut stallion named Shariman whose dam was by Grand Royal (imp UK). And yet another flaxen-maned beauty Desert Pride from the Zadaran mare Zadita, became a sire of significance for Mrs Lesley Dowey’s Arabesque Stud, throwing look-alike Purebred foals as well as golden palominos of national note. These three stallions were all bred by Dr Staunton, and their dams became very significant producers as well.

Western Australia inherited two quality Count Manilla stallions: Sahib (from Scherzade) and Count Cordova (from Rashidiya). American entertainer Wayne Newton imported another son Ralvon Sundowner (from Trix Silver), maternal brother of Ralvon Pilgrim. Askari (from Flamenco) went to Bob Hawkes’ Currawong Stud in South Australia. Mrs Phyllis Hopf of Farleigh Stud in Queensland closely followed the male importations of Bostocks Stud and bought the stallion Statesman (from Shaqra) in 1960, later herself breeding a magnificent chestnut stallion named Count Chatain (from Lady Tania) who became one of the most-decorated of the Count Manilla sons.

When discussing his daughters it is impossible to look past the regal, imposing Fantasy, but I then have to introduce a little bay Irex mare named Scherzade who was imported in 1952 from Miss Margaret Greely of The Well House Stud in Sussex. She was in foal to the Rissalix son Blue Domino, this foal being a bay son Royal Domino, one of the most successful sires of the 60s and 70s. He was sold to Mrs Marion Sharman of Jangharm Arabians at Bell. His sons such as Mildom, Ibn Domino, Royaljan and Arim are quite legendary. Between them they have won Stallion Championships in all the mainland State Shows, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. One of the handsome bay sons, Arim, on his own was Champion Stallion at all of those Shows, as well as Supreme Exhibit at the 1975 National Stud Horse and Pony Show. His daughter Jamaica Shuni took this same award in 1976.

Scherzade herself made her only show appearance at Brisbane Royal in August 1952 with Royal Domino as a foal at foot. Within the same decade her sons and his sons were to be incredibly dominant in all the major Shows.

But to return to Scherzade’s Count Manilla daughter, Fantasy. Foaled in 1961, Fantasy was extremely successful in the showring, three times Champion at Brisbane Royal, twice Supreme at the Queensland Arabian Show (later the Challenge Show) and Champion Mare at Sydney Royal. In 1970 she also won Ridden Arab Mare at Queensland’s Arabian Show. I don’t believe she was ever beaten, and she retired on a high in 1972, 1st and Supreme at the Queensland Division’s Arabian Show in 1972.

Count Manilla also sired Sir Clarence Leggett’s brilliant show mare Contessa, a Supreme Exhibit at Sydney Royal Show, and Mrs Gloria Toombs’ Gay Cascade who started a small, successful stud. Pirouette became the dam of the exquisite Moonsprite, who in turn bred well-known Morocco mare, Moroccan Moon. His daughters were incredible producers.

Ken Coombe of Roxborough Stud at Rockhampton returned many times to Bostocks Stud to breed his mares to the stallions. His premier stallion Roxborough Bandoleer (exported to Yentl Stud in South Africa) had multiple lines to the great Bostocks stallions.

CRYSTAL FIRE (imp UK)

Fantasy’s 11 foals also form an imposing group. Six of them were sired by the effervescent, big-striding stallion imported in 1961, Crystal Fire. He was foaled in 1952 at the Tufton-Warren Stud of Mrs S Bomford. His sire was Lady Wentworth’s Supreme Champion Dargee, and his dam the lovely, stylish mare Rosinella, who later also came to Mrs Maclean in Australia. Crystal Fire had an extensive show record in the UK, but he was shown only sparingly in Australia, always having to share the attention with his stablemate Count Manilla. He was a splendid saddle horse. The bestknown of his offspring are the imported mare Scherzade’s son Sirocco, along with Fantasy’s son and daughter, Farhan and Miraya. They sometimes combined to win him many Progeny Groups at the Royal Shows. His daughter Chrysolyte (from Shaqra) was Supreme at Perth Royal Show.

SIROCCO

Crystal Fire used to run out in a paddock adjacent to the driveway at Bostocks, where he loved to try and beat the car to the end of the drive. Often he trotted with the huge, floating stride people would gasp at today. Bright chestnut with plenty of bling, he was an unforgettable force of nature.

ABIRAM (imp Holland)

A stallion of a different colour and a different style was Abiram (Noran/Rythoura) bred by Dr Houtappel in Holland, and imported in 1965. He also was possessed of exceptional movement. He won several Championships at Brisbane Royal Show, and sired a whole new crop of young Champions and broodmares from the daughters of Count Manilla and Crystal Fire – Dabsh, Dalma, Nafsu, Nofret, Nafura, Kabiram, Sadaf, Misik and Brinsissa are perhaps the best-known. The colour of the young horses changed from chestnut to bay in one generation!

Dr Staunton also used Abiram to advantage, among the colts being a bay named Scimitar Desert Prince from a Crystal Fire mare, Flamenco. I single him out as a very dominant Abiram son, whose progeny and grand-progeny are coming through the endurance ranks. A granddaughter of his, by the SDP son Iraki Iskander, won the World Championship of Endurance in Pisa, Italy, just ten days ago at the time of writing. She is Bullio Blue Sue (UAE name is Haleh), who has several Bostocks lines in her pedigree. Endurance breeders are appreciating the Abiram influence, unsurprisingly as he was extremely athletic. Abiram was sold to Mrs Meg Dawson of Iraki Stud, Bowral who also bought the imported filly Summer Haze by Zehros out of Autumn Sunshine (imp UK). It should be pointed out that the English importations were not inspected by their new owners, but a great deal of help was sought by respected horsemen such as Mr Reginald Summerhayes!

ZENITH II (imp UK)

Two further English importations were made in the early 1970s. In 1972 the livewire liver chestnut colt Zenith II (General Grant/ Zirree el Wada) was acquired from Major and Mrs Hedley of Briery Close Stud at Windermere. Zenith II needed to be out working to use up all that energy and was sold to Alan and Phyllis Hopf of Farleigh Stud, where he was broken to saddle and enjoyed cattle work and wide open spaces. The Hopfs bred many handsome Purebred and Anglo progeny by him, some of whom ended up in the sport of campdrafting where Alan regularly competed. The Farleigh mares were full of the Bostocks blood of Count Manilla, Crystal Fire and Abiram. It was a happy match.

ABIRAM

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PHYLLANA (imp US) and SONS

In 1971 the bay mare Phyllana (Daufin/ Hallana) was sourced in the United States. She was bred first to Bay Abi, by whom she foaled a bay colt Bay Hallany during her quarantine in the UK. Whilst in England she was bred to the stallion Mikeno, for another colt, Kaaba. She went on to produce another five foals for Bostocks before she was sold to Jennifer Pond of Forest Hill Stud while Bay Hallany, in the ownership of Judy Vink of Tarong Arabians, became a much-decorated and much-loved show horse, in a variety of disciplines that included harness. He and his trainer Trevor Bonney brought fun and flair to the showring wherever they appeared.

RINGING GOLD (imp UK)

In 1973 a further well-known chestnut stallion named Ringing Gold (Mikeno/ Gleaming Gold) was bought by a syndicate of breeders comprised of Lesley and Alan Dowey of Arabesque Stud, Peter Pond of Forest Hill Stud, and Elwyn and Elizabeth Bligh of Bostocks. He was 13 years of age and was bred by Mrs E Murray of The Foxbury Stud.

In Australia he is distinguished by being the sire of our first Australian National Champion Stallion Birubi Aura. The partner studs all used Ringing Gold. Lesley in particular produced magnificent mares such as Arabesque Blue N Gold and Arabesque Autumn Gold. The stallion was then sold to Sandra Hale of Birubi Stud in South Australia.

Bostocks rarely used an outside stallion, but Forest Hill’s senior sire Tafadin was leased for the 1973 season and left Fantasy’s daughter Marana. Grand Royal left Shukulata from Scherzade, and Argent bred the beautiful Jadara from Miraya as well as Fanya from Capricious.

The homebred stallion Sirocco was very successful in the showring. He was Champion Stallion at Brisbane Royal in 1971 and 1972. He also sired one of Bostocks’ most feminine and beautiful mares, Fayda from Nefertiti, as well as Nasula from Nofret.

NEKHL

JADARA WITH OWNER ALISON SOSTER AL KARIM JABAL IBN MONIET (imp US)

Before long the search was on for a stallion of Egyptian bloodlines to refresh the bloodlines already in the stud and incorporate with the magnificent mares the earlier inhabitants had provided. After a couple of false starts a handsome, tall chestnut straight Egyptian stallion named Al Karim Jabal Ibn Moniet (Ibn Moniet el Nefous/Roufah) was imported from Bentwood Farms. In 1984 he sired a filly, Jessefa (from Serrefa) who became the dam of a very successful show stallion Dassefa (by WN Dasjmir) who was exported to Saudi Arabia. He also produced some magnificent colts such as Torryburn Jaseem, and Elizabeth Staunton’s beloved bay show gelding Janab.

ELIZABETH STAUNTON & JANAB

PC PAT SLATER

MIRAYA

.... AND SO TO THE MARES

The Mare Families are crucial in building a successful long-term breeding operation. Bostocks struck gold right from its foundation.

MATOUFA AND SHEBA

Matoufa and Sheba were both in foal to Rakib (imp UK), obliging with fillies Mutrif and Shaqra. If Mutrif sounds vaguely familiar it’s because she was the dam of the famous Royal Domino sons, Mildom, Ibn Domino, Royaljan and Arim, for Jangharm Stud. Sheba remained in the stud for only two years though Shaqra, her daughter, spent her whole life there. Her filly Our Queen by Zadaran inspired many new studs of the 70s after she was sold from Bostocks in 1968 to Peter Bell’s Kehilan Stud. She had already foaled five daughters, three by Count Manilla (Quetina, Ruthenium and Himar) and two by Crystal Fire (Sarina and Malika). Quetina eventually set an auction record when sold at a Santarabia Stud Sale of 1972. Our Queen distinguished herself by producing 19 foals, mostly by Bostocksowned or bred stallions. Broodmares are no longer expected to produce as prolifically as this, and her progeny were of superb quality as well.

Matoufa’s family, too, was prolific. Through her daughter Tou-Fail by Ibn Fayrial the line has produced some of the loveliest of Australian-bred mares just as through her daughter Mutrif it produced a line of superb sons. NEFERTITI

Tou-Fail was foaled in 1955, a grey like her sire and dam. She had several foals but her influence at Bostocks Stud was through her superb grey daughter Nefertiti by Count Manilla. The daughters and granddaughters of this mare, plus those of the imported mare Scherzade, were the qualitative strength of the broodmare band of the 60s and early 70s.

Nefertiti was a great favourite of the Bligh family and all who knew her. She was somewhat in the shadow of the great Fantasy when it came to the showring, but she placed both at halter and under saddle, even in costume, and was a Brisbane Royal Reserve Champion. Her daughters included the glorious chestnut Kastana, and the grey Laodicea who went on to the Carmichael family’s El Shalao Stud, becoming much sought after in endurance pedigrees. Both mares were by Crystal Fire. Laodicea’s bay son Afandi went on to success in several studs, being a renowned saddle horse himself starting with David and Virginia McCord of Deepbank Station at Mundubbera. Later he was sold to saddlehorse trainer and breeder Sheryl Ackerley in Sydney where his story continued. The Carmichaels owned Abiram in his old age.

Nefertiti foaled one of Bostocks’ most beautiful mares, the grey Fayda by Sirocco born in 1967. Grey, soft and feminine, she is a beautiful example of the Count Manilla/ Crystal Fire cross which worked so well for Bostocks. She was only shown twice but was Reserve Champion Mare at Brisbane Royal in 1972. Her daughters Sadaf and Nafila by Abiram were retained for the stud. Nor should I forget here the bays Misik and Nofret by Abiram. All went on to be significant broodmares.

Nefertiti’s daughter Kastana bred a whole new generation of versatile and comely young bay mares by Abiram, specifically Mekafa, Brinsissa, Nafsu, Twiggana and Nafura. They were shown prolifically, finding their new homes in a widening web of Bostocks-sourced studs. Nafsu was the most successful. Tall, bay and very elegant, she excelled under saddle as a Galloway hack, also in harness events where she placed at several Royal Shows. She was Champion Mare at Melbourne Royal Show in 1978. Kastana had her colts too, including Kabiram who won his Yearling Class in Brisbane before heading off to Western Australia to Jean Muir of Fawley Stud, also the home of Sahib. Misik became the dam of the Royal Domino stallions Royal Gindi and Domignon, versatile and successful show horses of the 70s.

SCHERZADE (imp UK)

I have already noted the serendipitous arrival of this Irex mare in 1952. Her fullsister Mirvanah was imported to Barnoolut Stud in Victoria.

Scherzade, soon after arrival, foaled her bay colt Royal Domino by Blue Domino. His is a separate story altogether, and a very significant one. His most successful mating was with Matoufa’s daughter Mutrif, but before her sale from Bostocks, Mutrif had already bred a Nekhl filly Happy Wanderer and a Royal Domino mare Princess Royal. Both these mares were sold to Mr Lionel de Landelles’ Cherokee Stud near Rockhampton. Princess Royal’s Akbar filly Cherokee Royal Sarong became the dam of a liver/almost black chestnut colt named Cherokee Mecca by Silwan (imp UK). Worldrenowned endurance sire Chip Chase Sadaqa is a Mecca son, as is 1983 Australian National Champion Stallion Chip Chase Meccali.

Scherzade lived at Bostocks for 14 years until her death in 1966, producing 13 foals for the stud. Her best-known foals, apart from the legendary Royal Domino, were the mare Lady Blunt by Zadaran, Fantasy and Sahib by Count Manilla, and Sirocco by Crystal Fire.

Lady Blunt went to Farleigh Stud to leave the beautiful mares Lady Tania and Lady Diana, doyennes of whole families of lovely females. Lady Tania produced Supreme Champion Stallion Count Chatain by Count

Manilla. He returned to Farleigh in his old age to sire several years of magnificent foals.

There is little doubt that Scherzade’s daughter Fantasy by Count Manilla was an act apart. She had incredible presence and charisma, proven by her glowing show record at the major Shows. She was even Supreme Exhibit at the Queensland All Arabian Shows of 1970 and 1972 at 9 and 11 years. Most of her foals were by Crystal Fire, a match made in heaven. Her daughters were Capricious, Fantaziya (by Abiram) and Marana (by Tafadin). Fantasy’s sons were also the brilliant Farhan, Lord Bahram and Crystal Count.

I have saved the best to last as Fantasy outdid her previous efforts when she foaled a chestnut daughter Miraya, a natural Champion in the same mould as her dam, with a tighter frame, a softer and more feminine face, large-eyed and typey. She became the pin-up girl of Bostocks for the next 20 years. She and her fullsister Capricious were retained by the stud. Miraya was only four when she first became Champion Mare at Brisbane Royal Show. She won this honour twice. She also added some wonderful foals, including a real fairytale Argent mare, Jadara who belonged for her whole life to Alison Soster. Jadara’s colt foal by Chip Chase Desert Wind, Robali Dargeeling is the sire of Rythmic, a Crabbet stallion from Australia who has recently been exported to the United States by Nicole Emanuel. IN CONCLUSION

Bostocks Stud continued until 1977, when Elizabeth married Dr Frank Staunton. Their two studs, Bostocks and Scimitar, were incorporated into their new joint venture, Torryburn Stud in the Hunter Valley, named for the historic property they bought there.

The best of both their studs was very fine indeed and they went on to breed some more very significant Arabians, especially when their interest in endurance and racing added versatility to the programme.

Author Coralie Gordon Images courtesy of Pat Slater & Jerry Sparagowski

FARHAN