Rare strain: Kuhaylan Al-Adiat
The information on this rare strain found only in the Kingdom of Bahrain, primarily comes from the seminal 1971 article of Judi Forbis in Arabian Horse World, later republished in her book Authentic Arabian Bloodstock. Judi visited Bahrain in March 1970, and recorded the following information about the strain, in three different parts of that article. The first reference provides background on the strain:
Kuhaylah Al Adiati is another strain rarely heard of before, but deriving from the Kuhaylah family. She came from Saudi Arabia and was presented to Sheikh Hamad when he was a prince, together with a letter of presentation from the offering Sheikh of Al Ajman: “I send to you this mare which fulfills Al Adiat”. That is, to him she embodied all the swift and desirable attributes understood in the beautiful El Adiat, Sura 100 of the Koran [A translation of Verse 100 of the Qur’an follows]. What greater or more meaningful gift could he possibly have bestowed? When Sheikh Hamad saw her race and found her to be exceedingly swift, he happily declared: “Truly She is of Al Adiat.”
The second reference occurs during a visit to the stud of Sakhir:
“Sakhir, the abandoned palace of the late Sheikh Hamed. Here […] wanders a seelct band of Sheikh Isa’s mares, the most impressive individuals of all, particularly a gathering of fleebitten greys […]. Interestingly enough, all the fleabitten horses were sired by an old speckled Jellabi who got foals until he was 34 and who died at 38 years of age […]. There were several other fleebitten mares, particularly an exceptional Shuwaymah who was as lovely as the Jellabiyah […]. A Kuhaylah Al Adiati and a Mlolesh were very typey […]. The stallion of that stud [Sakhir] was a young date-colored bay Jellabi [Jellabi Sakhir] with raven points, and this stage of development the best young Jellabi of the coming sires. Like most he lacked refinement in the head, but he resembled his older brother in that he too was better balanced than the majority of stallions. “
The third reference is a caption of a nice photo this same ‘typey’ Kuhaylah Al Adiati mare. It reads:
“A Kuhaylah Al Adiati mare at Sakhir, sired by the speckled Jellabi. One of the few mare of this strain. Photo Forbis.”
From these three references one gathers that this line came to Bahrain from a/the Sheikh of the ‘Ajman Bedouins of neighboring Saudi Arabia, before Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Aal Khalifa (1872-1942) became Amir of Bahrain, hence before 1932. This points to a date anywhere between 1890 (when Sheikh Hamad was 18) and 1932, when he took over as ruler after the long rule of his father Sheikh Isa bin ‘Ali Aal Khalifa (1869-1932). Here one will recall Lady Anne Blunt writing about Sheikh Isa bin ‘Ali that most of his horses came from the Bedouin tribes of ‘Ajman and Dhafeer (I will find the reference later). One also gathers that the strain was ‘created’ by Sheikh Hamad, in the sense that he referred to the gift mare after Verse 100 of the Qur’an, and that the name was carried on to the offspring in the female line. One also understands that the strain was a Kuhaylan strain before that.
It is also understood that the strain of Kuhaylat Al-Adiat was represented by only a few mares in 1970, one of them a speckled grey mare at the stud Sakhir, the daughter of the old speckled Jellabi — Jellabi Al Marshoosh Al Thaani. It would seem like the line of this mare has bred on.
The Amiri Arabian Stud Book of Bahrain, Volume II, page 32, indeed has an entry about a lone older “Kuhaya’t Aladiyat Naafleh 222”, a grey mare born in 1970, also registered in Volume 1, page 35 (but I don’t have Volume I with me here). Naafleh was sired by Jellabi Alsakhir 270, out of an original Kuhayla’t Aladiyat 576.
It would make a lot of sense that this original mare Kuhayla’t Aladiyat 576 was the speckled mare Judi Forbis saw at Sakhir in 1970, given the rarity of the strain and matching location, color and date information. It indeed makes sense that a grey mare stabled at Sakhir would be bred to the main stallion at Sakhir, Jellabi Sakhir, to produce the grey Naafleh in 1970, the year Judi visited. Putting all this information together would result in the extension of the pedigree of Kuhayla’t Aladiyat 576 by one generation, as the daughter of Jellabi Al Marshoosh Al Thaani (Jellabi 517 in Volume II of the Bahrain Studbook).
It definitely makes sense – would Vol. I contain more details on Naafleh? Jellabi Al Marshoosh Al Awwal appears to have been a significant sire, as he seems to crop up in the pedigree of pretty much every Bahraini-bred horse, whether through Jellabi Al Marshoosh Al Thaani or Mlolshaan Al Marshoosh.
Do you have Volume 1 Kate?
No, unfortunately not. However, I have located it in some libraries (none South African, gah!), and will see if I can use the university’s interlibrary loans to access a copy.
Kuhaylah Al Adiat is originally from Al-Ajman is a Qahtanite Arab tribe that is descended from Banu Yam tribe. and additionally Kuhaylah Al Adiat is presented or gifted to shaikh hamad bin isa al Khalifa the ruling of Bahrain in 1936 from shaikh Rakan bin Hithalayn shaikh al Ajman tribe.and also He has owned two marbat from kuhaylat strain : kuhaylah al-safra and kuhaylah al-hamra and two of them are famous in arabian Peninsula especially during dominate shaikh Hamm?d Al Rashid ruler of Ha’il. so Kuhaylah Al Adiat is from shaikh Rakan bin Hithalayn horses and may be she is kuhaylah Al hamra or kuhaylah al safra.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajman_(tribe)
Kuhaylah Al Adiat is originally from shaikh Rakan bin Hithalayn horses. and he has owned in that time two marbat from kuhaylat strain : kuhaylah al-hamra, and kuhaylah al-safra and kuhaylaht al Adiat she was from once of them. in 1936 shaikh Hamed bin isa al Khalifa the ruling of Bahrain Is a gift presented from shaikh Rakan bin Hithalayn shaikh of al Ajman in that time and it has been changed the name of the strain to kuhaylat al Adiat because
Sheikh Hamad saw her race and found her to be exceedingly swift, he happily declared: “Truly She is of Al Adiat.”
how do we know this?
http://www.bluwe.com/bluwe/showthread.php?t=76098
yes Edouard, good question and I will answering as follows :
First point : looks at the time that how is leading al Ajman tribe in 19 & 20 century especially in 1930s.
Second point : al Hethlain They are the only ones Who have become shaikhs of the tribe of Ajman In that period.
Third point : that there is was good relationship batween al Khalifa family and al Ajman especially with al Hethlain family (Included tribe shaikhs or Princess) and still this moment.
Forth point : there it was no any strain or marbat under name kuhaylaht al Adiat ”
This name is innovative or artificial”.
ok, this is good logic, but maybe it is another shaykh of the Ajman other than ibn hethlain.
Also why do you think the gift was in 1936? Judi Forbis says the gift happened when Sh. Hamad was still a prince, and he became a king and stopped being a prince in 1932.
also i need to start writing in Arabic it is much easier for me.
Also, Ahmad, she can be of Jazian strain, from the Harqan strain or another of the Kuhaylan strain that the ‘Ajman owned.. I agree with you that the strain was created recently by the Bahrainis, based on an existing strain..
but don’t forget The original and real story : That the mare was given to Sheikh Hamad bin Isa when he was young and when he was crown Prince from one of his close friends of the tribe of Ajman Tribal elders close to him from al Ajman tribe and I am sure ibn Hethlain Relatives.
From Danah al-Khalifa’s The Amiri Stud of Bahrain Volume I
“Kuheilah el Adiyat
“A Kuheilah mare was presented to Sheikh Hamed bin Isa while he was still a young man. The sender of the mare, Shaikh of the Ajman tribe, wrote a letter to his friend: ‘We send you this Kuheilah mare which fulfills the Adiyat’.
[verse “From The Koran, Sura C”]
“When Sheikh Hamed saw the mare run in a race and found her exceedingly swift he exclaimed: ‘Truly she is of the El Adiat’.
“One descendant of this mare remains in Bahrain.
“Kuhailah Adiyati Nr 222–mare
“Colour: Speckled Grey
Born: 1970
Sire: Jellaby Sakhir Nr 270
Dam: Kuheilah Adiyati (dead)”