Shams is Shaman’s maternal sister, out of DeWayne’s mare SS Lady Guenevere and by Cascade DE, a young Doyle stallion born in 2018. She is very strongly put together — look at that rear end! — but her neck could be a tad too short. Then again, her back is very short too, as DeWayne was quick to point out to me. Lyman Doyle, who took the nice pictures a couple days, ago thinks that she will turn a deep liver chestnut like her dam. It’s one of my favorite colors in Arabians. If Shams lives and matures into a broodmare I should like to breed her to a Davenport stallion with a long neck, e.g., Anecdote CF, to try and recreate the pedigree of Jeanne Craver’s mare Soiree, a distant relative from the same line. I may breed her to her brother Shaman as well.
Looking good with a lot of maturing left to do. I am confident however that he will continue to fill up and will live up to his promise. He has substance and style and oozes masculinity. He moves well too. He is more old Blunt than the Crabbets themselves. I want to see him in his prime, at 8-10 years old. I also love his pedigree, not just the Ma’naqi Sbayli tail female, but also all the Greggans, Parnells, Subanis, and Julyans close up. The existence in 2023 of horses like him is such a miracle, in the world of [insert the name of your favorite Italian designer here, reincarnated as a show horse] Photos by Lyman Doyle two days ago.
Twenty three years on, this remains one of my favorite pictures ever. I miss the man and the times.