Sixty years of Doyle Arabian breeding in the USA
Sixty years ago, in 1949, a young Terry Doyle and his father, Dr. Joseph Lyman Doyle (“Doc”), hauled the asil mare Gulida (by Gulastra x Valida by Ghawi), a Saqlawiyah Jadraniyah tracing to the marbat of Ibn Sudan, to their farm in Sigourney, Iowa. They bred her once to the asil stallion Nusi (Gulastra x Nusara), a Kuhaylan Da’jani; they also bred her several times to the asil stallion Ghadaf (Ribal x Gulnare), also a Saqlawi Jadrani from the same marbat.
Sixty years later, I had the privilege of seeing and taking video of some 50 horses at Terry and Rosemary’s Doyle Arabians ranch, in Alfalfa, Oregon. Most of them are unique in that they trace exclusively to the three horses Gulida, Nusi, and Ghadaf, and that such a closed group has endured for so long. They are also unique in that the younger ones among them carry more than 25 crosses to the stallion Gulastra (Astraled x Gulnare), who had tremendous impact on the early foundation American breeding of Arabian horses, and who was the subject of a recent CMK symposium, in Redmond, Oregon.
But what is really unique about the Doyle’s horses is that they are the last horses of exclusively Blunt breeding left on this planet. Lady Anne Blunt and Wilfrid Scawen Blunt’s famed Crabbet Stud was based on the best bloodlines from the desert tribes and the best of what remained of the legendary studs of Egypt’s viceroy Abbas Pasha I (1813-1854). Today, most of the Arabian horses around the world contain some measure of Blunt bloodlines, but only the Doyle’s horses trace to early (i.e, asil) Crabbet breeding in all their lines.
Over the next few days, I will upload the videos I took at the Doyle ranch. Meanwhile, you can check the feature which Karsten Scherling, who was also there, and who took the photo above, put on the Asil Club website.
Edouard, thanks for the good words about this breeding group! They deserve this limelight. And Karsten’s photos, as usual, are a wonder.
Wonderful photos of a unique group that have much to offer. I remember when I saw the Doyles way back in the 80s. I agree with Jeanne completely — they deserve this limelight, and then some.
And a big thank you to the Doyle family for being so dedicated to their preservation for so long.
Karsten, you take a mean photo, boy.
Edouard,
It was great to see you there. We were so glad you were able to make it. When you told me you were blogging about Arabian horses I thought I would check it out. What a fascinating site! There are so many beautiful horses that you have displayed here! I will shamelessly admit that I have spent hours perusing through the site.
Karsten took many photos while he is in Oregon that we are working on putting up on our website. He is pretty amazing with a camera. Hopefully, we will get them up soon
Cheers,
Lyman
Here is a link to more pictures courtesy of Karsten.
http://www.al-tair-stud.de/alkhamsa/2009/index.htm
Hi Lyman, it was really good to see you too. I am sorry we didn’t have more time to catch up. The breed at large is lucky to have you carry forward the legacy of such a great breeding. That’s so rare, and so precious.
Wow! What a great group of equines and people! Looks like a wonderful time indeed. Who was the group of, I think, chestnuts with the flaxen manes and tails? What odd coloring. But striking! Can only imagine the superb conversation that went on throughout the weekend…
I am very surpriced to find this asil Blunt horses.Also how is it possible to breed with such inbreeding!! amasing…
where can I find more information?
here: rosemary@doylearabians.com