Ayerza Arabian horses

PART ONE:  ARABIAN HORSES OF DON HERNAN AYERZA (‘El Aduar’)

Arabian horse breeding in Argentina began in 1892/1893 when don Hernan Ayerza and his wife María Moreyra de Ayerza traveled to the Middle East with the purpose of buying Arabian horses and start breeding them pure upon their return to Argentina.

Previous to their journey, some Arabian horses had already arrived to Argentina but they were used as breed improvers for other horse breeds; no one was breeding pure Arabians before don Hernan Ayerza. 

Don Hernan and his wife María traveled  to the same region where Lady Anne Blunt and her husband Wilfrid Scawen Blunt had gone before to buy Arabian horses, and the same region to which Homer Davenport would later travel in 1906 to obtain Arabian horses and begin breeding them in US.

Don Hernan was looking for horses of excellent Arab type, right temperament, with no white markings and above 1.53 cm in height. He encountered many difficulties regarding his selection criteria of height and coat color and he wrote in his letters back home that he had passed on some very fine horses  either because they were shorter than his preferred height or were heavily marked with white on their legs or face.

In his journeys to the Middle East don Hernan did not travel through the deserts but bought horses in the cities.

During his almost 50 years breeding Arabian horses, one of don Hernan’s goals was to increase the height of his Arabian horses while preserving their Arabian type. 

The following is a list of the horses that were the foundation of don Hernan Ayerza’s Arabian horse breeding program in his farm El Aduar, a program based on the Arabian horses of the desert that he bought himself traveling to their cradle land.

1892/1893 FIRST JOURNEY TO THE MIDDLE EAST

1. Stallion GAILAN (1888- ), bought in Istanbul, January 1893. Sire  Ubayyan, dam  Kuhaylat al-Ajuz

Chestnut with lighter mane and tail, white forehead. Gailan was shorter in height than Don Hernan’s selection criteria of 1.53m but was of an excellent Arab type and was Don Hernan’s gift to his wife Maria as she had choosen Gailan herself. Gailan was used in stud  for a few years from 1894 to 1897.

Together with Edouard we have analyzed the hujjah of Gailan and its Spanish  translation as published in the book “Los caballos Árabes de haras El Aduar “ by Guillermo Bond. There are some perplexing discrepancies between what is said in the hujjah and Gailan’s description, regarding age and coat color written in Spanish in a note over the hujjah, and the Spanish translation itself.

2) mare MAANAQUI  (1884-1897) bought February 1893 in Damascus. Grey. Sire Seglawi, dam Managhieh. Maanaqui was regarded as one of the best foundation mares of Don Hernan.

3) stallion MASSAUD acquired for a friend, don Pereyra. Bought in Damascus from Chevvket Pacha, chief of Damascus’ guarnition.  Don Hernan described Massaud as of great conformation, plain head, but better than the horses selected by the Chicago Company or the 16 horses bought by the French expedition, both  buying horses at the very same time don Hernan and Maria were in Syria.

4) FREYAN, a young 2 years old colt bought in Lebanon for his  excellent dished face. Also bought for don Pereyra.

After several months and much diplomatic help an Irade was granted in June 1893 for the  exportation of the 4 horses don Hernan had bought and the horses finally were shipped to Argentina.

Don Hernan also bought 3 French mares:

5) SOUKARA (1887-1902), (Ahmar x Aline), grey 

6) YAKOUTA (1888-1900), bay

7) DJALLIL (1889-1902), chestnut

1898 SECOND JOURNEY OF DON HERNAN AYERZA TO THE MIDDLE EAST

In this trip don Hernan bought 3 mares and 5 stallions:

8) HAYDEE (1891-1918), bay. Bought in Damascus. Strain Kehilet-el-ajuz.  Her mothernal grand dam belonged to Mhamad Haddal of the Sebáa bedouins from Amarat. Haydee arrived with Maalek in utero and was famous in her country; she is considered the best mare to have arrived to South America.

9) GELUE (1890-1916), liver chestnut. From Bagdad, bought in Damascus. Strain Kehilet-el-ajuz. Gelue’s dam had been bought in Adra, from the Ali-El-Naviri rasan.

10) KARIBAN (1895-1913), chestnut, her dam was from Bagdad and had belonged to the tribe of Zatham Chahlam, Emir of the Anazeh bedouins. Sire Managhi. Strain Seglawi El-Jedran. Kariban was bred by Chevvket Baja and was a sister of Azrek, bought by the Blunts.

11) DAYMAN (1894-1906), blood bay. Sire Managhi, dam Managhieh

12) HADI (1891-1912), chestnut. Sire Seglawi, dam Abeyeh

13) MARHUM o Marum (1899- ), blood bay. Sire Abeyan-el-yeder, dam Atjan-el-mayet

14) RICHAM (1891- ), dark, from Palmira. Strain Raicham from the horses of Eben Chrekem of the Arab Chabha bedouin tribe. 

15) SAEKAT o Sackat (1891-), from Beirut, liver chestnut. Both sire and dam of the strain Seglawi-el-jedran. Saekat’s dam was of the strain of the mares of the Emir Bechir El Maltes, Governor of Lebano, that is the strain seglawi-el-jedran. Saekat’s sire belonged to the Emir Saad El Chahabi and is from the same strain as the dam.

16) MAALEK (1899- ), mare, arrived in utero (Marhum ? x Haydee)

THIRD TRIP TO EUROPE

17) in 1910 don Hernan bought in Germany a horse he thought was very good, Y’O-Bajan from Balbona. Renamed KURDO III. Until 1938 Kurdo III was the only non Asil blood of don Hernan breeding program.

DON HERNAN‘S OTHER ACQUISITIONS AND LEASINGS FROM EUROPE 

18) In 1913 he leased for 2 years

AJMAN (1906-) (Feysul x Ajramieh), chestnut.  Strain:  Abeyan sherrak

19) in 1913 he bought from Crabett Park:

RUSTNAR (1912-) (Rustem x Narghileh). Blood bay, strain Kehilan dajaniya

20) in 1914:

RISFAN (1912- ) (Rijm x Risala). Chestnut. Strain Kehilan rodan

21) in 1920:

NACHOR (1918-1925) (Sotamm x Nessima). Strain Kehilan ajuz

22) in 1920 he used for 4 months the French stallion

HAMLA, 1913 (Otham x Abyla), chestnut 

23) in 1922 he bought the French stallion

KEMMEL (Kawakab x Irisèe)

24) In 1924 in Buenos Aires don Hernan  bought from Mr Bahig Abud a  Syrian imported stallion born in Arabia,  MASSOUD (1922-1932) (Kohailan Al Jaras x Safra). Chestnut. Sire Kehilan-el-jaras, dam Seglawieh Jedran.

25) In 1928 in Buenos Sires  he bought again from Mr Bahig Abud a mare that had been imported from Arabia:

SEDI (1919- )  (El Nili x Chakra). Grey. Strain Abeyan

26) In 1928 he bought the French stallion 

ACTIF (1924-1938) (Hamdani El Samry x Apchee)

IN 1931 DON HERNAN ASKED CARL RASWAN THEN IN BEIRUT TO BUY FOR HIM 4 HORSES, 2 stallions and 2 mares:

27) FARHAN (1927-1938). Imported from Syria. Chestnut. Sire Hadban anzahi, dam Kehilan-abu-jenud. Farhan was a  renowed horse among the bedouins tribes.

Farhan’s hujjah is by Fauaze el Chaalane, supreme Sheikh of the Rúalas, who declared that Farhan had arrived to their tribe as a war booty from the El Fadi bedouins from El Jolane. 

28) TATAR EL SAKLAUE EL HAIDARANI (1929- ), chestnut. Sire Kehilan ajuz, dam Seglawieh chahivieh.

Tatar ‘s hujjah is by Matar El Chamekh, secretary of the Sheikh Fauaze El Chaalane of the Rualah tribe, who declared that they had gotten Tatar in a raid in the northern regions.

29) RICHA (1924-1933), grey. Born in Syria. Sire Seglawi anjami, dam Kehilet-el-ajuz. A famous Arabian mare among the desert tribes.

Richa’s hujjah is by Emir Fauazade ben Nauafenben el Chaalan, Sheikh of the Sheikhs of the Rualah who testified that Richa was from the horses they bought from El Saieh bedouins and was considered among the best bedouin horses, being the fastest in war.

Richa had only one foal in ‘El Aduar’ RIMADI, 1932 ( Farhan x Richa), a celebrated stallion who passed his quality of movement to his progeny.

30) DIYA (1923-1938), chestnut. Sire Kubeyshan el jekme, dam Hamdanieh simri.

Diya’s huyyah is by Zaal ben Mujbel-el-Chaalane, from the tribe of the  Rualah, who declared he had bought Diya’s dam from the bedouins of Ghuaichiche from the tribe of El Pidan and that Diya was served by the Kehilan hadban stallion of the  government of Syria in Beirut. Diya’s foal Dakik was born in Argentina:

31) DAKIK (Kehilan hadban X Diya)

IN 1934 FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS AN EXCHANGE OF BLOOD BETWEEN THE ARABIAN HORSE BREEDING PROGRAMS OF DON HERNAN AYERZA  (‘El Aduar’) AND DON ALFONSO AYERZA (‘Las Hormigas’)

Don Alfonso Ayerza, a brother of Don Hernan, had also began in 1910 to breed Arabian horses. Both brothers having a very distinct idea about what was an Arab horse had kept until then their 2 very different Arabian horse breeding programs  apart. In this exchange, to Don Hernan Ayerza breeding program were added 

32) NAHAL (Nebal x Abla), filly 

Abla,1928 ( Ali x Rumiya II), from El Aduar

Nebal (Rukham x Motakka), from Las Hormigas

Mottaka (Hamdani Semri 1-9 x O’Bajan V-6)

Hamdani Semri 1-9 and O’Bajan V-6 both from Balbona. None Asil

33) AYENAT (Mualem x Abbaia), foal

Abbaia,1929 (Actif x Hanli), from El Aduar

Mualem (Seglaani-Al-Abdi (DB) x Jamira), from Las hormigas

Jamira (Rukham x O’Bajan 7)

O’Bajan 7 from Balbona, not Asil

SKOWRONEK BLOOD

34) in 1938 Don Hernan leased for 2 years

HARMATTAN (Nahrawan by Skowronek x Halihah II). Halilah II from ‘El Aduar’. This was the first time  Skowronek’s blood was introduced in Argentina’s Arabian horse breeding programs.

In 1940 don Hernan Ayerza died, he was eighty two years old. Don Hernan had been the pioneer that had started Arabian horse breeding in Argentina and had continued for 50 years  with his breeding program based mostly and by far in Asil bloodlines. Don Hernan Ayerza was a generous man that had fallen in love with the Arabian horses and had worked with passion for the Arabian breed. He had won many awards with them, but had always preferred to give them as gifts rather than sell them. Arabian horses from ‘El Aduar’ were exported to Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Spain and US and constituted the foundation of many Arabian horses breeders in Argentina. Until now Ayerza bloodlines are much cherished in endurance racing.

After 1940 and until 1953 when don Hernan’s wife Maria died, ‘El Aduar’ breeding program continued under the  direction of don Rafael Ayerza, don Hernan’s nephew. In 1946 don Rafael bought the stallion

THE AMIR AL OMRAH (Joseph x Alfarouse)

with no Skowronek blood. 

In 1953 after Maria’s death, the horses were dispersed. In this way a  program that had began in 1893 and had lasted for 60 years came to an end.  Don Rafael Ayerza continued breeding Arabian horses and later his son don Ignacio Ayerza would  continue.

With the dispersal of the Arabian horses from ‘El Aduar’ the time had arrived for other breeders to continue to breed from these celebrated Ayerza bloodlines. But the vision would change.

In Argentina still now awareness for the need to preserve rare treasured desert Asil lines is not widespread. I can only hope that this will change.

PART TWO: DON ALFONSO AYERZA (‘Las Hormigas’)

Don Alfonso Ayerza, a brother of Don Hernan, began breeding Arabian horses around 1910 in his farm ‘Las Hormigas’ with 

4 horses from Balbona, 1 stallion and 3 mares:

HAMDANI SEMRI 1-9 (1905-1018), (Hamdani Semri I x 34 Obajan), bay

O’BAJAN V-6 (1904-1928) (O’Bajan V x 122 Zarif III), bay

O’BAJAN 7 (1906-1930) (O’Bajan x Hamdani Semri), chestnut

HADBAN 1-4 (1906-1928)  (Hadban I x Jussuf), chestnut. Asil

A Desert bred stallion:

SEGLAANI AL ABDI (1905-1925), chestnut

A French mare 

DJELLAH (1907-1920) (Valy x Djerada), bay. Came pregnant with 

DJELLAH II (1913-1921) (El Hassan x Djellah), chestnut

In 1913 don Alfonso bought a stallion and mare from Crabbet Park

RUKMAN (1912-1933) (Berk x Rabla)

NADIMA (1909-1027) (Daoud x Nefisa)

With this small breeding group don Alfonso was able to create a very fine group of horses that won many awards. As many as don Hernan! In breeding his horses it was never don Alfonso’s goal to increase the height of his Arabian horses, seeing rather that bigger horses tend to be less agile.

In 1934 in an exchange of blood with ‘El Aduar’, arrived

AIN (Haurram II x Akka), chestnut

Haurram II, 1912 (Racid x Haydee), the celebrated champion stallion from ‘El Aduar’ whom Lady Wentworth had proposed to exchange for Skowronek.

In 1938 don Mario Ayerza, son of don Alfonso, sent to Brazil 4 mares of ‘Las Hormigas’ to be covered by NAHRAWAN (Skowronek x Nessima). Of these matings resulted only one foal EL HALI (Nahrawan x Saifet) who had descendants.

In 1939 don Mario bought a son of Nahrawan

AMEER (Nahrawan x Alhambra), grey

Don Alfonso Ayerza died in 1942. He was 82 years old and after his death the horses were dispersed among his heirs. 

Don Mario Ayerza continued breeding Arabian horses up to 1977, being one of his goals to increase their height by mixing the 2 Ayerza breeding programs ‘El Aduar’ and ‘Las Hormigas’ with Crabbet bloodlines. In this way don Mario bought a group of mares from ‘El Aduar’ to add to his breeding horses from ‘Las Hormigas’ and two stallions from Crabbet Park bloodlines

In 1958 SILVER PLATE (Silver Sun x Riaz)

Riaz (Rimadi x Aghamma) a celebrated mare from ‘El Aduar’

In 1968 WINDERMERE (General Grant x Ghazali), chestnut

In 1977 Don Mario Ayerza died and his horses passed to his heir and nephew don Jorge Bustillo. In this way continues the history of the Ayerza horses interwoven with the Ayerza family history.

Bibliography: 

Los caballos Árabes de haras ‘El Aduar’ by Guillermo Bond. Peuser 1946

El legado Ayerza, by Mary Lockwood in collaboration with  Elsita B. De Schulte. Vinciguerra 1995