Photo of the Day: ASF David, 1966 Kuhaylan Hayfi stallion in the USA
I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but the alarming situation of some of the rare asil lines here in the USA has become a cause of real concern to me, so much so that most of the entries of the past few weeks have been dedicating to writing about these lines.
Here is rare picture of a representative of one of these rare lines, courtesy of Jeanne Craver: the 1966 stallion ASF David (by Daaldan x Dihkenna by Gharis). Back in the 1950s, the blood to his grandsire Gharis (Abu Zeyd x Guemura) was really popular in the USA, and his great grand-dam Tebuk was one of the foundation mares of American Arabian horse-breeding at large.
David himself is one of the survivors of the Arabian Stud Farms tragedy, where scores of asil horses were left to starve on the farm, and this picture was taken one year after he was rescued from there, at 24.
Today, only seven mares in the USA and Canada, known to be alive and of breeding age, trace to ASF David, and as far as I know, are the single remaining tenuous link to Gharis. Two are Krush by strain, and the five others are Hamdaniyat. They are:
1. Bint al-Barra (ASF David x Mystalla), a chestnut 1991 Kuhaylat al-Krush tracing to *Werdi, imported by Davenport in 1906
2. Cinnabar Myst (ASF David x Mystalla), a chestnut 1992 full sister to the above. Neither has had progeny so far. Both this one and her full sister are with Trish Stockhecke in Canada and available for sale.
3. ASF Ubeidiya (ASF Ezra x ASF Euodia), a grey 1988 maternal grand-daughter of David, and Hamdaniyah Simriyah by strain, tracing to *Samirah of the Ibn Saud royal stud in Najd. ASF Ubeidiya was also rescued from a tragic situation by Patricia Lawrence two years or so ago.
4. Jadah Kerausun (ASF Raphael x ASF Ubeidiya), a dark bay 1998 daughter of the above, and who is double ASF David. She was also rescued by Pat Lawrence.
5. Jadah Samirah (ASF Hercules x ASF Ubeidiya), a grey 1993 sister of the above, who is also double ASF David. She is safe with Randall and Mary Sue Harris in Peoria, Illinois, or one of their close friends.
6. Samirah’s Adlayah (Jadah Echos Amir x Jadah Samirah), a grey 2008 filly at Randall’s.
7. a 2009 filly (Jadah Cinnbad x Jadah Samirah), sister of the above, also at Randall’s.
As you mentioned, Pat Lawrence saved two of these mares, and we owe her a special thanks, as we do to Randall and Mary Sue. Otherwise all would basically be lost for the tail-female to Albert Harris’ import *Samirah, as you wrote previously. That accounts for 5 of the 7 in your list.
ASF Ubeidiza’s pedigree shows a surprising 25% Saudi blood — all to the various Albert Harris mares *Nufoud and her son *Sunshine, *Samirah, and *Tairah.
I was going to hold off on this for a couple of weeks, but your post prompts me to speak sooner:
ASF Ubeidiya and her daughter Jadah Kerasun will, thanks to Pat Lawrence’s having intervened on their behalf, continue to produce for this rare group. ASF Ubeidiya is in foal to a AK/SE stallion that Pat also recovered, MarhilasPrinceAbu. She is due in about 2-3 weeks, and we are all praying for a safe delivery. Assuming that all goes well, Ubeidiya and the foal will then go to Pam Baker’s, where Ubeidiya will be bred to Salil Ibn Illiad, tail-female to another Albert Harris import, *Nufoud. He is owned by Pat Baker and Les Detweiler, who are cooperating in this venture. Jadah Kerasun will go elsewhere for a breeding yet to be announced.
All of this is being done through the Institute for the Desert Arabian Horse, which has a program that allows for the donation of mares for conservation breeding and research.
I ask for everyone’s good thoughts that Ubeidiya’s foaling goes well, and that this mare will be able to produce at least one more foal, from Salil. And if you have a chance, say thank you to Pat, Randall, and Mary Sue for stepping up to save this group. Hopefully, someone will also be able to start with the two mares in Canada.
Anita
Patricia Stockhecke, in Canada, is the person who saved ASF David, and sent me the photo. She is retiring from breeding now.
Anita, this is a much welcome initiative. I am glad the Institute is being proactive about these lines. Now there is some hope.