Jellabie Soroog 1169, bay mare, born 2000, by Mlolshaan Areen 827 out of Jellabieh Al Anoud 889 and her colt Jellaby 1783, bay, born 2016 by Rabdaan Sary Al Leil 1090 Jellabieh Malaha 1548, grey mare, born 2008, by Shawaf al Betaar 953 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169 Jallabieh Ghabra 1622, grey mare, born 2010, by Shawaf Al Betaar 953 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169 Jellaby 1704, bay stallion, born 2014, by Shuwaimaan Sadeq 1117 out of Jellabieh Soroog 1169
Mlolesh Samra 1020, bay mare, born 1996, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr al Dheelem 407 out of Mlolesh Alyatima Radhwah 412 with her filly Mlolesh 1780, black by Jellaby Balsam Mlolshaan Wesam 1371, bay stallion, born 2004, by Kuheilaan aafas Rakaan 886 out of Mlolesh Samra 1020 Mlolshaan Al Ward 1471, bay stallion, born 2012, by Obeyaan Barakat 1093 out of Mlolesh Samra 1020
Tuwaisah Zeinat Al Bahrain 1094, bay mare, born 1998, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr Al Dheleem 407 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859 Tuwaisah Ishtahar 1411, bay mare, born 2005, by Obeyaan al Muheeb 957 out of Tuwaisah Zeinat Al Bahrain 1094 Tuwaisah Yasmin 1522, bay mare, born 2008, by Dahmaan Hoobeishi 1085 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859
Tuwaisaan al Jamur 1613, bay stallion, born 2010, by Obeyaan Barakat 1093 out of Tuwaisah Newaadir 859 And his dam: Tuwaisah Newaadir 859, bay mare, born 1991, by Hamdaany Shaamikh 81 out of Tuwaisah Ttaraayif 758
Obeyaan Shamet 1335, grey stallion by Kuheilan Aafas Falaah 916 out of Obeyah Karaeb, born 2006 His dam Obeyah Karaeb 1042, bay mare, born 1997 by Jellaby Nejib 404 out of Obeyah Danaanir 808
Musannah Bint Al Bahrain 1192, grey mare born 2003, by Obeyaan al Muheeb 957 out of Musannah Galaayid 855
Kuheilah Umm Zorayr Mafkhara 1387, grey mare born 2005 by Hamdany Wadhah 901 out of Kuheilah Umm Zorayr Corrat Al-Ein 798, at the Royal Stables , 12. February 2017
I came back from Bahrain with my head swirling with images of desert-bred Arabians, which still look like the way Arabians ought to look like (read: not like China dolls or sea horses or “living art”). One of the strains that survive over there — and nowhere else — is that of Kuhaylah Umm Zorayr, with a precious few mares left at the Royal Stud (below, a yearling from that strain in 1998, second photo credit Kina Murray). In her “pearls of great price” article series, Judi Forbis mentions the strain in passing among the many strains Bahrain had preserved by the early 1970s, but without elaborating further. There is a bit more information on the website of the Royal Stud, which relates the wonderful story of an old black mare of that strain that was first believed to be way past breeding age, but when put back in training in 1969, produced a daughter that carried the line forward. I thought this was all there was. Then, while flipping through the Abbas Pasha Manuscript — that bottomless treasure — I came across “the History of Kuhayla om Sareer”, and Her Name is Dahma”, on pages 580 and 581, and it occurred…
This camel statuette is in the British Museum, and came from the Hadramaut area around 1907. It has a short dedication in Sabean to the god Wadd-Ab, “Wadd is the father”. From the 2nd or 1st century BC.
I finally saw the Arabian horses of Bahrain, those “Pearls of Great Price”, after a 30 year wait. Thanks to Jenny Lees who arranged the private visit to the Stud of the late Sheikh Mohammad Bin Salman Aal Khalifah, we, my father and I, had the privilege of seeing these horses two days before their presentation. In an unforgivable episode of forgetfulness, I only brought my camera phone, the battery of which died after snapping photos of the third stallion. The others are in my head, just like hundred of other horses seen but not photographed. Most impressive among the horses of the late Sh. Mohammed was a grey Hamdani (no photos). An older Rabdan, a chestnut Sa’eedan, a grey Tuwaisan, a grey Shawafan, and a dark chestnut Radban, many of these sons of the older Radban. The three below were among my favorites: from top to bottom: a very showy ‘yellow Ubayyan; a very balanced and powerful Jellabi; and a more refined, drier speckled Mlolshaan.