New Syrian Arabian Horse Blog
There is a new blog dedicated to the “Syrian Arabian Horses: Past, Present and Bright Future”, which Hazaim al-Wair started last month, with input from noted breeder and desert horse advocate Basil Jadaan and others from the Syrian Arab Horse Association. This is a really promising endeavour, as Hazaim is thoughful and knowledgeable about the Syrian horses and Syrian breeders, with whom he keeps in close touch, from his current home in Britain. Be sure to follow it as it takes off. Unfortunately, photos are copyright-blocked so you can’t download them..
I am really enjoying this! Thanks for the link, and thanks to Hazaim!
Dear Hazaim
Congratulations for the nice blog.
thank you for posting our Syrian national champion Liberty class “Fatinat el Fadi”
May i ask: what is the bright future you see to the Syrian Desert Horse?
All the best mares,are now being covered by French Stallions,in order to be able to sell their product.
Maybe one day I also will be force to do the same:I will send my best mares to France.
very few studs are still keeping the tradition alive,most of them because they cannot afford the fees of a French Stallion.
Go to Syria and look for yourself.
History repeats it self ,in the 50’s the majority of Syrian breeders,in the areas close to Lebanon,covered their mares by Iraqi stallions in order to sell their products ,the result was the extintion of Asil horses in the Lebanon and a big part of Syria.
Today 90% of the Syrian Arabs are from the Jezireh :Shammar and other tribes ,while only 10 % are from Aneze origin.
The reason :The Aneze mares were in possesion of studs located in Homs ,Damascus ,Tell kalakh,Hama,these towns were the main “reservoir ” of Beirut race track horses.
With the coming of Iraqi stallions most of the Aneze Asil mares were covered by Iraqi stallions.While the influence of the Beirut race track did not reach the Jezireh.
Maybe the civil war in Lebanon had one positive point:It saved the Jezireh Asil horses from extintion.
Today,some ignorant breeders are continuing the bad Job,in order to sell their horses for racing.
Take my word Hazaim,if the Syrian Arab Horse Association SAHA and the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture does’nt take immediate measure to protect the Syrian Desert Horse ,in 5 years,you will find this Horse ,in the same place than the Bengal Tiger.
In the Zoo.
Dear All
Very interesting blog , thank you Hazim ,thank you Eduard
Syrian Arab horses are very pure and it is always interesting to know more about them,
I totally disagree with my friend Joe Achkar of Lebanon considering the future of Syrian Horses .
I am glad to inform you all that very few breeders accept to let their Syrian Arabs to get covered by French or other Arabs . I Just called my friend Eng. Mohamed Alwadi , head of registry authority and he informed me that about 95% for Arab horses in Syria are pure Syrians , the rest are mainly imported , or crossed with Syrians.
In Aleppo , where I live , all of our horses are pure Syrians , Saed Yagan , Mustafa Al-Jabri , myself ( Al-Andalus stud ) , and ALL other breeders are committed.
most breeders in over Syria follow the same strategy , except of some breeders, but I am glad again to assure you that almost 100% form Syrian mares are bread only with Syrian stallions .
It is true that SAHA and ministry of agriculture could have done more for Syrian horses , it is also true that flat races are not helping Syrian horses a lot .
But it is also true that SAHA , ministry of agriculture and races are good for Syrian horses .
One more thing Joe , our horses are not products .
Horse breeders in Syria love their horses , and we are really proud of them , we will keep them for ever .
With kindest regards
Omar ANBARGI
Al-Andalus Stud
The risk Joe talks about is perhaps exaggerated but it is real because there is a lot of money in the races
Thank god for breeders like jabri jadaan anbarji yakan and others for sticking to syrian horses
They provide leadership by example and by educating others
That is a wonderful letter, Mr. Anbargi, and just exactly what I would expect to hear from you. Thank you! We love your horses, too.
Wonderful!!!
Very interesting and beautiful pictures.
The Syrians have the famous desert type.
At one time, horses were imported from Syria.
All the wonderful breeding horses that were brought to Europe and Egypt. also have their roots in the Syrian Desert.
Egypt needs such performance stallions from Syria.
Europe, too, would benefit from it.
Thanks to the Bedouin.
My dear friend Omar
May i post some remarks:
–wealthy breeders,like yourself are very few in Syria
–The others need to sell in order to continue breeding other wise they will have to stop and keep their mares barren.
–I’m sorry to tell you that your information are not very acurate and not up to date.
–This breeding season only more than 200 mares were covered by French stallions.
The Nassif brothers :more than 80 mares.
Helal el Assad mares more than 20.
Hisham Gorayeb marwes more than 40
Fahd el Turki mares and breeders from the Hama region more or less 20 mares.
Two French stallions one son of “Al Sakbe” the other son of “Kerbella” both imported from Dubai both stationned in Duma covered 65 mares at fee of 25000 Syrian Pound or 500 USD.
Give me more time and I will give you more figures.
the price of the best Syrian yearling today not exceed 2000 usd while any French sire yearling is easily sold at 4000 usd.
As Jeanne wrote it is a wonderful letter ,buit it is only a “wonderful letter” no more. the reality is an other thing.
I’m Lebanese in charge of a Syrian Haras who have already produce 3 Syrian National champions.I will be retired in the few coming years in my Beirut home as I’m 67.
All my life I wrote articles in Arabic magazine in defense of the Asil Arabs(Ask Edouard) I did not care about Gulf Sheiks Emirs or Beirut magnates I told them the truth about the horses they are importing and how they spoiled the Arab Horse.
Today it is maybe my last fight.
You Syrian are free to take any measure concerning your horses.But it is an organised crime what is happening today.
See you at the Zoo in a few years
this is so sad…
I am hoping to visit Syria in April 2010 and realise my long held dream of visiting Arab horse stud farms who are preserving the asil blood lines and strains in this country.
I am trying to find addresses of such farms and the easiest means of travel with in Syria to them from Damascus. Can any one provide me with a map of syria showing these farms and how to get to them please?
I breed arabian horses in New Zealand and I am concerned about the mixed breeding (strains) taking place globally for the show ring too.
I am glad to have found this link to Hazaim’s blog, however,
it made me extremely sad to read Joe’s posts, I am not in a position to comment on the situation of Arab horses in Syria but one thing is for sure, they have lost a passionate defender in Joe.
I own ASA Farm (Al-Showah Arabian Stud) in the USA, am half-Syrian and want to import some pure Asil Syrian horses to America. I have been breeding Arabians since 1969 and pure Polish Arabians since 1983. If someone could email me information on these horses and let me know if one of the REALLY GOOD mares and GOOD stallions were available, I would appreciate it!
God bless, Cheryl.
Cheryl, I will be in touch shortly.
Edouard