I wrote about H.R.P. Dickson’s 1949 book “The Arab of the Desert” in an earlier blog entry about the Ubayyan strain of Ibn Jalawi. This entry is about about the horses of the rulers of Bahrain, in the context of Dickson’s mention of specific Arab leader being famous for keeping a certain strain of Arabian horses, their rabat or marbat: Every Shaikh of standing is supposed to always keep his rabat, i.e. a mare or mares from which he breeds a certain particular strain. He gets name and prestige by doing this. […] The Shaikhs of Bahrain similarly keep the Roman-nosed Shawaf (Kuhailan) breed. Kate referred me to this quote a few weeks ago. Several things struck me about it. First, how Dickson, who collected information for his book between 1929 and 1936, primarily associated the Bahraini rulers with the Shawaf strain rather than the Jallabi strain for which they are usually better known. Second, how Judith Forbis, who visited the royal studs of Bahrain in March 1970, forty years after Dickson (or his informants) made their observation, essentially echoed him about both the look and the status of the Shawaf strain. In her 1971 seminal Arabian Horse World article…
On July 27 — my birthday — Wadha foaled a chestnut filly, sired through artificial insemination by the Bahraini stallion of Jenny Lees, Shuwaiman Al Rais (photo below). Further news about this loooong-awaited filly will be shared once she is out of the woods (i.e., the U Penn vet hospital in New Bolton, PA), so no photos just yet. In keeping with the W line back to her granddam Wisteria CF and her great-granddam HB Wadduda, I named her Wujra — which in Arabic means “the one fed or medicated by mouth”. She will pull through.
All photos by Danah Al Khalifa unless otherwise indicated. Sheikh Mohammed bin Sulman Shawaf sired a breeding mare for Sheikh Mohammed bin Sulman’s stud out of Jellabieh No. M1. Bred by the Royal Stud, served as breeding stallion for the Mounted Police. Hamdany Riadh (top); Ma’anagieh Marshoosha (bottom) – photo: Dr. Valérie Noli-Marais. Neither are listed as belonging to any particular stud. Danah Farm Danah Al Khalifa writes: The breeding program at Danah Farm is centered around the foundation mare SITAH, ‘Hamdaniah Feisul’ and her offspring. Sitah’s history is documented from the time she was acquired as a two year old filly in 1964, at the Najd encampment of Emir Abdulla bin Saud. It was stated by the caretaker of the horse herd that Sitah was bred by Crown Prince Feisal bin Abdul Aziz, and was out of a Hamdaniah Ghiam mare of the horses of Al Saud, and by stud stallion Saqlawy El Njemy from the horses of Al Rasheed. Sitah No. D1 (Saqlawi El Njemy x Hamdanieh Ghiam) – mare b. 1961 photo: Dr. Valérie Noli-Marais Dhiab No. D4 – stallion b. 1972 (Ma’anagy El Saghir No. 300 x Sitah No. D1) (top); Burkaan…
Published by Danah al Khalifa in 1980. Photos listed in the same order with pedigree info provided. All photos by Danah al Khalifa, unless otherwise indicated. Shawafa 264 b. 1975 (Ma’anaghi El Kebir x Shawafa Nr. 160) Dahman II Jellaby Sakhir – after 30 in 1980 Old Dahman (photo: Dr. Valérie Noli-Marais) Jellaby Wazmiah in old age Dahman 296 – stallion b. 1970 (Ma’anaghi El Saghir No. 300 x Dahmeh El Hamra No. 23) Dameh 23 & Colt. Dameh El Hamra No. 23 – mare b. 1965 (Old Dahman I x Bint Dahmeh El Shagara) Dahman El Ahmar No. 196 – stallion, 2yr (top) (Ma’anagy El Saghir No. 300 x Dahmeh El Hamra No. 23). Hadfan No. 298 – stallion, 2yr, (bottom) b. 1978 (Ma’anagy El Saghir No. 300 x Hadfah No. 159) Hamdany bin Um Shamy No. 81 – stallion b. 1973 (top) (Dahman II x Hamdanieh Um Shamy No. 119). Hamdanieh Bint Um Shamy No. 257 – mare b. 1975 (Hamdany No. 75 x Hamdanieh Um Shamy No. 119) Shuwaimah Nr. 48 – mare b. 1973 (Hamdany Nr. 71 x Shuwaimah No. 47) (left); Hamdanieh Johara No. 305 – mare b.…
Yesterday, Jana and I spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Pienaar, Pauline and Gerhard Du Plessis at Saruk Arabians outside Albertinia in the Western Cape. We came for lunch on Easter Sunday and spent a lot of time chatting so time flew by. They run a successful endurance racing operation mainly oriented towards a Gulf audience. They have two very impressive sons of Tuwaisaan 406 (he died in 2011), built like tanks, out of old South Africa dam lines. I also saw and took some photos (iPhone 8…) of Mlolshaan Mutaab, who put on a show in his paddock. He reminded up of the Davenport stallion Vice-Regent CF in pictures I have seen. Mutaab is 22 years old but does not look it. He is quite small for a Bahraini horse — Pauline believes he was raised as an orphan — but is well balanced. Round croup, broad chest, hig tail carriage, good shoulder, deep jowls, small expressive ears. He has that big, bulky Mlolshaan head, not unlike Mlolshaan Hager Solomon’s in the USA. When he moves, he looks transformed. I also saw one of his daughters out of a mare of Egyptian lines. Videos in the next…
كحيلان الملولش من خيل البحرين عند بولين وبينار دو بليسيس في جنوب افريقيا Mlolshaan Mutab, from Bahrain, owned by Pienaar and Pauline Du Plessis in South Africa. Photo Kate McLachlan.
Volume 1 of the Bahrani stud book published in 1980 describes the breeding practice of the Al Khalifa family at the time. “No outside stallion is directly used for stud purposes. New blood is introduced indirectly by the high-caste mares received or exchanged with other Sheikhs from the interior of Arabia. When these mares are bred to local stallions, their progeny or grand-progeny will sometimes qualify as studs. The different strains or families of Arab horses are perpetuated through the mares, offspring always taking the dam’s name regardless of the stallion’s strain. Although all the strains found in Bahrain are equally pure, stud horses are chosen only from the strains deemed most noble. The word ‘noble’ here is the nearest equivalent to the Arab word ‘asil’ and does not convey the exact meaning. All tribes recognize the inherent mobility of certain strains but the preference for some strains over others varied from tribe to tribe. It was the custom in Central Arabia for the prominent Sheikhs to keep stud horses from a few selected strains only, but in some tribes after repeated breeding of these stallions with mares of a ‘new’ strain, the progeny of the letter gradually gained acceptance…
PJ Altshuler and Marwan Abu Suud received this precious gift from the Bahrain Royal Stud. He is currently the only Bahraini stallion alive in the USA. I s The earliest known source of information on the strain of Kuhailaan Al-Adiyat Hashal is Judith Forbis’s article “Pearls of Great Price” as it appeared in a 1971 issue of the Arabian Horse World (AHW) magazine, republished in her book “Authentic Arabian Bloodstock” (1990). Judith Forbis visited the studs of the ruling family of Bahrain in March 1970 and mentioned the following: “Kuheilah Al Adiati is another strain rarely heard of before, but deriving from the Kuheilah 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 […] When Sheikh Hamad saw her racing and found her exceedingly swift, he happily declaired: “Truly she is of Al Adiat” The strain is evidently a branch of the Kuhaylan family, and appears to have come to Bahrain in the period between 1923 and 1932, the period when Shaykh Hamad bin ‘Isa Aal Khalifah was deputy…
Jenny Lees posted this superb photo of the Bahraini stallion Tuwaisaan Thaathaa on Facebook the other day. The Tuwayssan reportedly strain came to Bahrain from Syria in the 1920s, and prospered there. It has disappeared everywhere else, and is now mostly associated with Bahrain and thought of as a Bahraini strain. The strain was formed in North Arabia, and is one of the oldest Arabian horse strains. I personally know of two branches of it: Tuwayssan ‘Alqami (‘Algami) and Tuwayssan Qiyaad. It will forever hold a special place in my heart because of my beloved Halima (registered in the Lebanese studbook as a Al-Tuwayssa), the grand-dam of which hailed from the ‘Anazah east of Homs, Syria.
In 1971, Judi Forbis took this beautiful and timeless photo of a Kuhaylah Jallabiyah mare in Bahrain, the daughter of an old speckled Jallabi stallion. The photo was published in Arabian Horse World, in Judi’s series of articles “Pearls of Great Price”. The croup is short as in many Bahraini horses, but otherwise, what a mare, what look. She oozes Arabness. When will be go back to breeding horses like this, instead of the china dolls and ‘living art’ of today? And, this is by far my favorite color in Arabians.
Pienaar Du Plesssis shared this ‘new’ photo of the 1955 Tuwaissan stallion which Valerie Noli-Marais got from Bahrain. I think it comes from the book of Hasan bin Salih al-Ruway’i, but I am not sure. that’s because its Hasan in the picture.
Last November I submitted a proposal for the inclusion in the Al Khamsa Roster of a number of Bahraini Arabian horses that had been exported from Bahrain, to the UK, South Africa, Egypt, Poland, and Germany. The proposal was masterfully presented by Joe Ferriss, with comparative pedigree charts and nice photos, and it passed its first vote at the Al Khamsa 2018 Convention in Texas. Hopefully, by this November, I will submit a proposal for the inclusion of the Syrian horses that have been exported to the West. This new blood is a much welcome addition to the existing authentic bloodlines.
Pauline Du Plessis’s Saruk Arabians is standing the bay 1999 Bahraini stallion Mlolshaan Mutab (Mlolshaan Hilal x Mlolesh Durra by Jellaby Adari) at stud in South Africa. He was bred by the stud of Sh. Mohammed Bin Salman Aal Khalifah, and is heavily linebred with Mlolesh (Mulawlishan) blood. He is a sire of endurance winners. Photo from Saruk’s stud Facebook page.
Monica Savier has two articles on the Bahrain WAHO conference, one is Desert Heritage, and the other in Tutto Arabi.
Sharon Meyers has a comprehensive and nicely illustrated report in the Australian Arabian Horse Society New in two parts (Part 1 and Part 2) on the WAHO conference in Bahrain. Lots of great photos of Bahraini horses.
I made a small but interesting breakthrough in further understanding old Bahraini pedigrees, and I am excited to share it. It concerns the background of one of the Bahraini foundation mares of the Ma’naqi strain. This is the mare “Managhieh Bin Hiddfa Al-Murra”, the maternal grand dam of the two Royal Stud stallions Managhi Al Kabir, and his brother the superb Managhi Al Saghir (photo below). It just occurred to me, after reading a letter from Jens Sannek to Edie Booth, where the name of the mare was spelled slightly differently as “Ma’anaghieh (Bin Hidfah Almorrah)”, that the part of the name between brackets referred to her breeder and his tribe. Al-Murra/Almorra refers to the South-Eastern Arabian Bedouin tribe of same name; Bin Hidfah/Bin Hiddfa would be the breeder’s clan. I set off looking for a clan by the name of Bin/Ibn Hidfah among the Aal Murra, and I found many mentions of it online. There is a reference to the warrior/poet Dayes Aal Hidfah, where he refers to “al-Mu’niq” in his verses, here. There are also many references to social events involving men from the Aal Hidfah clan on the tribe’s social media outlets, which are also maintained by a…
This is “Maanaghieh Safra Marshoosha”, literally “the yellow fleebitten Ma’naqiyah mare” from Bahrain. The photo is from Volume 1 of the Bahrain Studbook, and I think by Danah Al Khalifah. I don’t have it in a better resolution. I need help figuring out whether the mare is sticking her tongue out in the photo. It sounds stupid, but there is a reason for this request: ‘Atiyah Abu Sayfayn, the Fad’aan Bedouin from Syria who owned one of the most reputable XXth century Ma’naqi marbat told Kamal ‘Abd al-Khaliq who told me several years ago that ‘Atiyah once (in the 1950s-60s?) gave a grey/yellow Ma’naqiyah mare to Jad’aan the son of Miqhim Ibn Mhayd who in turn gave her to a senior member of the royal family of Bahrain. ‘Atiyah told Kamal that the mare’s nickname was Umm Lssoon, the ‘mother of tongues’ because she always stuck her tongue out. He also told him that she was closely related to Atiyah’s mare Wadeehah (b. 1970), photo below taken by me at Kamal’s stud outside Aleppo in the early 90s.
This section of the same Youtube video features horses at the Studfarm of the sons of Sh. Mohammed B. Salman. A pure delight, with many thanks to the person who filmed it.
Thanks to Jenny Lees, I had the chance to visit the stud of the late Sh. Mohammad Bin Salman Aal Khalifah, now property of his sons. My camera phone (yes, I know) battery died within the first minutes, but not before I took this video video of the stallions at rest (click here). You will recognize several of the stallions Matthias Oster and featured here over the previous days and weeks. The first one is a Jellabi, the last one a fleebitten Mlolshaan, the handsome chestnut Sa’idan is right behind the first Jellabi by some sort of yellow manger. You can spot the Rabdan Al Aswaj by another manger towards the first third of the video.
Rabdan Alawsaj M291, grey stallion, born 2001, by Jellaby Sultan M49 out of Rabda Salha M125
Jellaby Maroof M309, bay stallion, born 2001, by Jellaby Alyatim M130 out of Jellabieh Rayana M50
Jellaby Faiz M448, grey stallion, born 2007, by Jellaby Mansoor M152 out of Jellabieh Dora M54
Saidan Toofan M346, chestnut stallion, born 2002, by Jellaby Alyatim M130 out of Saida Fajer M72
Shuwaimaan Mishwaar M401, black stallion, born 2006, by Rabdaan Naif M154 out of Shuwaimah Nafaa M97
Obeyaan Smaier M439, grey stallion, born 2007, by Dhahmaan Faraj M157 out of Obeyah Samira M262
Dhahmaan Hoobeishi 1085, dark bay stallion, born 1998, by Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr Al Dheleem 407 out of Dhahma Umm Wajnah 821
Obeyaan Mirage the Bahraini Ubayyan stallion which the Royal stables of Bahrain have gifted to Warren and Regina Staas arrived today at their farm. He is very handsome, and comes from old lines. This is the fourth Bahraini stallion to come to Europe in the last five years, after the Kuhaylan Ibn Aafess stallion “Kuheilaan Afass Maidaan” that was gifted to the Government of Poland, and the Mulawilishan stallions “Mlolshaan Mahrous” and the Tuwayssan stallion “Tuwaisaan Tha’atha’a” that were presented to HM the Queen of England.
Obeyaan Azheer M361, grey stallion, born 2003 by Dahmaan Shaban M84 out of Obeyah Al Gabra M153
Mlolesh Sehaam M605, chestnut mare, born 2010, by Dhahmaan Alashgar M139 out of Mlolesh Al Mashoora M269
Mlolshaan Adbas M623, bay stallion, born 2011, by Jellaby Maroof M309 out of Mlolesh Khalasa M107
Mlolshaan Al Dhakheel M429, bay stallion, born 2006, by Jellaby Nader M46 out of Mlolesh Khalasa M107
Mlolshaan Enaad M549, grey stallion, by Krayaan Sager M197 out of Mlolesh Al Haiza 1149
Krushaan Bader M498, bay stallion, born 2008, by Jellaby Mansoor M152 out of Lettice BHRSP 290 (non asil) (Lettice was imported from Britain, when the Krush strain was lost in Bahrain.)
Krayaan Kuhraman M599, bay stallion, born 2010, by Jellaby Maroof M309 out of Kray Al Khurra M365
Krayaan Kuhraman M663, bay stallion, born 2010, by Jellaby Maroof M309 out of Kray Al Khurra M365 and Krayyan Nashwaan M663, grey stallion, born 2012, by Rabdaan Naif M154 out of Kray Amana M214
Suwaity Mamdooh M671, grey stallion, born 2012, by Krayaan Sager M197 out of Suwaitieh Enaam M363
Suwaity Munem M580, grey stallion, born 2009, by Jellaby Mansoor M152 out of Suwaitieh Enaam M363
Shawaf Azraq M624, grey stallion, born 2011, by Rabdaan Alawsaj M291 out of Shawafah Thabita M310
Shawaf Baarah M406, grey stallion, born 2005, by Jellaby Sultan M49 out of Shawafah Reisha M141
Musannah Hanoof M598, grey mare, born 2010, by Jellaby Mansoor M152 out of Musannah Ghazwa 1235 and her filly born 2016
Musannan Awaad M635, grey stallion, born 2011, by Rabdaan Baher M294 out of Musannah Ghazwa 1235
Tuwaisaan Talleb M555, grey stallion, born 2009, by Rabdan Alawsaj M291 out of Tuwaisah Khabaari 927
Saqlawieh Dhabiya 1621, grey mare, born 2010, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Saqlawieh Manaar 1246
Shuwaimeh Al Zubarah 1292, grey mare, born 2002, by Hamdaany Nejd 850 out of Shuwaimeh Menwah 905 and her bay colt Shuwaiaan 1792 by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371
Krayaan 1706, grey stallion, born 2014, by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371 out of Kray Tameya´a 1399
In his 1936 book “Rihlah ila Bilad al-‘Arab” about his journey to Arabia in search for Arabian horses, Dr. Ahmad Mabrouk of the Royal Agricultural Society of Egypt mentioned two mares of the Kuhaylan al-Kray strain in the stud of Prince Saud ibn ‘Abdallah Ibn Jalawi, governor of the Eastern region of the then newly established Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [translation mine]: “Krush al-Kray, golden chestnut, no white on the face, pretty head, nice legs but short neck, five years old, her dam the bay Kray, and her sire the bay ‘Ubayyan.” “Bay Kray, white on the hind legs, pretty, eight years old, not to be mated.” This seems to suggest that the strain of Kuhaylan al-Kray (or Karay), was actually an offshoot of the more famous strain of Kuhaylan al-Krush, but was not to be mated for some reason. As I came back from Bahrain where I saw representatives of this rare strain, I dug a bit deeper and found the following in the ‘Abbas Pasha Manuscript, in the section on Kuhaylat ibn Jarshan, the Jallabiyah: “and we [several elders from the ‘Ajman testifying] mated her to Kuhaylan al-Karay, the horse of Ibn ‘Ulbah of Aal Mu’yid of Al ‘Ajman” This reference constitutes…
Kuheila´t Aladiyat Wasamah 1296, chestnut mare, born 2002, by Kuheilaan Aafas Rakaan 886 out of Kuheila´t Aladiyat Ray Iaanah 809 and her chestnut filly born 2016 Kuheila´t Aladiyat 1782 by Shuwaimaan Sadeq
Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Alia 1612, bay mare, born 2010, by Maánaghy Mesbah 1101 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Mafkhara 1387 (the first mare I posted here) and her bay colt Kuheilaan Umm Zorayr 1776, born 2016
Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Nadija 1568, grey mare, born 2009, by Hamdaany Wadhah 901 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Zaraya 1036 and her colt Kuhailaan Umm Zorayr 1775, bay, born 2016, by Hamdaany Senafee 1381 Two colts playing: Kuheilaan Um Zorayr 1775 (right) and Kuheilaan Um Zorayr 1776 (by Hamdaany Ra´an 1294 out of Kuheila´t Umm Zorayr Alia 1612)
Rabda Eshtahar 1392, grey mare, born 2005, by Hamdaany Wadha 901 out of Rabda Hujaisieh 789
Hamdanieh Khawla 1637, grey mare, born 2011, by Shawaf Al Betaar 953 out of Hamdanieh Buttha 1198
Tuwaisah Ajla 1694, bay mare, born 2014, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Tuwaisa Sallamah 1072
Hamdaany Zaizoom 1349, bay stallion, born 2004, by Saqlaawy Saba´an 327 out of Hamdanieh Khaznah 914
Kuheilaan Aafas 1708, bay stallion, born 2014, by Dhahmaan Hoobeishi 1085 out of Kuheila´t Aafas Nood 1086
I met Regina and Warren in Bahrain for the first time, after corresponding with them for seven years. They have been preserving the Dahman strain branch of the original Bahraini mare Sawannah in Germany, with their foundation mare Ghazalah (Ibn Taamrud x DB Jasidah by Desert Jalam) and her daughter Muharraq by Theeb. They also breed a Hamdani strain from Al Kamila (Desert Dhellal x Bint Amiraa). The ancient Dahman strain died out in Bahrain with the death of Dahmeh Umm Wajnah, and is now only represented by a stallion, the last of his line, Dhahmaan Hoobeishi, whose photo Matthias Oster posted below. So the Royal Stud of Bahrain sought a replacement for their lost line, and Regina sent three mares, and now a fourth is on her way. When in Bahrain, Regina was gifted an Ubayyan stallion (photo below, with the ruler’s brother) who will hopefully reach Europe sometime next month.
Jellaby Janah 1683, chestnut stallion, born 2014, by Tuwaisaan Tha´atha´a 1251 out of Jellabieh Hathaari 1380
Musannan Al Sabah 1701, chestnut stallion, born 2014, by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371 out of Musannah Albushiya 1409, one of the rare chestnut horses in Bahrain
Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057, grey mare, born 1997, by Musannaan Dinaar 866 out of Maanaghieh Shalfa 774 and her filly Ma´anaghieh 1789 by Mlolshaan Wesam 1371: Ma´anaghieh Ghada 1665, grey mare, born 2013, by Dahman Hoobeishi 1085 out of Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057 Ma´anaghieh Maysa 1625, grey mare, born 2011, by Obeyaan Al Muheeb 957 out of Ma´anagieh Tabasheer 1057 Ma´anaghieh 1714, grey mare, born 2014, by Rabdan Sary Al Leil 1090 out of Ma´anaghieh Tabasheer 1057
Suwaiti Mamdooh M671 at the stud of Sh. Muhammad B. Salma in Umm Jidr. From a strain recently received from Saudi Arabia after the original Bahraini line of Suwaitia Kuwaitia had died out. He looks different from the other Bahraini horses. Photos Amanda Jane Smith.