Daughters of the Wind

The Society for the Preservation of Desert Bred Salukis has a new webpage, www.desertbred.org

Many of you who read this page know Lyman Doyle. He is so many things at the same time: the owner of the Doyle Arabian Stud, which is the longest Al Khamsa program in existence with the same family, going back to 1949; the CEO of Doyle Pacific Industries, in Shanghai, China, and a former … Read more

Posting the photo of Moth and her daughter Major Barbara that started Jeanne Craver’s long and fruitful relation with Davenport Arabians, as a book end to the photo of Faziza below. Thank you Jeanne.

… is this picture of Faziza (Fa Turf x Azyya by Kenur out of *Aziza), the half Saudi, half Egyptian Arabian mare exported by Krausnicks to W.G. Olms of Germany. The picture is from Foppe Klynstra book, “Nobility of the Desert”.

It just occurred to me, much to my surprise, that we are about to lose any lines to the great *Haleb in Al Khamsa horses. Follow the genealogy, as you look at his Al Khamsa progeny, here, while noting that anything from his daughter Saleefy does not actually trace to *Haleb, because of the mare … Read more

The level of detail in Lady Anne Blunt’s Journals on mares of the Kuhaylan Mimreh strain belonging to members of the Egyptian royal family makes it possible to reconstitute a family tree of that strain that actually looks rather different from the one in stud books and genealogical lists (Cf. Pearson). Going through references to … Read more

The following excerpt, in French, followed by my translation to English, from the French government buying commission led by Madron and Denis, describes three stallions it examined at the encampment of Hatchem (Hakem) Ibn Mhayd, leader of the Fad’aan Bedouins, north of Raqqa, in May 1925. Their long, detailed report, is the French equivalent of … Read more

Bev Davison’s stallion Subanet Jabbar SDA (Summer Sonnet SDA x Bint Bint Subani by Ibn Saafaddan), an 11 year old Saqlawi Jadran tracing to Ghazieh of Abbas Pasha, is a picture. Look at the jaw, the arch of the neck, the base of the neck, and the shoulder. Also, his splendid action, which shows in … Read more

The facebook page for “Dartmoor Pony Chronicles” has this ‘new’ photo of the desert-import Dwarka. I have never seen ears so short on a Arabian horse (they’re too short), and placed so far back (that’s good), but I am also pleasantly surprised at how fine the muzzle and the nostrils are, how deep the jowls … Read more

I will keep emphasizing the contribution of the Dandashi clan of Tall-Kalakh, Syria to high quality Arabian horse breeding in the Middle East and beyond, all the way to Europe and the US. Babolna’s Obajan, the sire of Ameen Rihani’s *Muha, the sire of W.R. Hearst’s *Bint Rajwa all came from their stables, as did … Read more

Moira Walker just shared this Flickr stream. Many never seen before photos of US foundation stock, especially of Segario, *Nejdran, *Ibn Mahruss, *Shahwan and *Obeyran, others perhaps as well. Each photo deserves an article. Is that large photo of *Hamrah also new, towards the middle of the stream? Aaaahhh!

Moira Walker found this “new” photo of *Astraled (Mesaoud x Queen of Sheba) in an article written by Spencer Borden in the Cavalry Journal, Volume 29, April-July-October 1920, and shared it on social media, where it’s been circulating. Here is a link to the article.  

A photo of the desert-bred stallion *Muson, imported to the US in 1906 by Homer Davenport, which I had not seen before. From the New Jersey Magazine, ca. 1907. Gleaned from Rehan Ud Din Baber’s beautiful facebook page.

The other day Pienaar Du Plessis shared with me this photo of his asil Bahraini stallion Tuwaisaan 406, taken at 27 years of age. Tuwaisaan, now dead, was a gift from the King of Bahrain to his family. He is part of the proposal I made for the inclusion of exported Bahraini horses into the … Read more

If there was ever a Bible about the Arabian horse, it’s this book by French master breeder Robert Mauvy. Twenty eight years and a hundred cover to cover reads later, it still reads like the first time. It’s the only book I own three copies of, for fear of losing one.

This is a follow on to a previous message about the horses of the Hamidie Society, some of which survive in modern Arabian horse pedigrees (including *Nejdme, *Obeyran, *Mannaky, *Galfia, and the elusive *Pride). The same letter by J.R. Dolbony I discussed in a previous blog post about the stallion *Mannaky is also relevant to … Read more

None of the three mares bred this year are in foal. Ginger came back in heat first and Bev bred her back to her stallion. Then Wadha turned not to be in foal to the Bahraini stallion of Jenny Lees, and that was a big disappointment after (or perhaps because of) all the work at … Read more

This has been simmering for some time. Photos of saluki Amira Khalid El Taif fFrom Gail Goodman’s collection.

This article appeared in the Khamsat Magazine issue in tribute to Charles Craver. I first met Charles (and Jeanne) in December 2000, when I took the train from Chicago where I was studying. It was a memorable visit, and we spent hours talking in their kitchen and looking at horses and old documents. Upon my … Read more

Through Pienaar Du Plessis in South Africa come these photos of the asil 1994 Kuhaylan Mimrah stallion Kibriya Nishkur (Sidi Abu Khai x Sidi Mabruka by Raafek), a sire of endurance winners in this country, with an improbable nine crosses to Morafic, and two close crosses to the 1955 Bahraini stallion Tuwaisaan of Valerie Noli-Marais. … Read more

Together with Aleppo, Sanaa in Yemen and Fes in Morocco, my favorite ancient city. Then come Florence, Budapest, Rome, Paris, Vienna. Here the suq of Midhat Pasha. Photos from the Library of Congress.

Photo gleaned on an online discussion where Lyman Doyle was asking about feedback on his Tamaam’s straight profile. Call this creature whatever you want, a snake, a seahorse, a mutant, “living art”, but not an Arab horse. This has gone too far.  

Ginger — with Bev Davison in Idaho — was bred to Bev’s stallion Subanet Jabbar SDA (photo below), a Saqlawi with a high percentage Crabbet and Abbas Pasha blood, with close crosses to personal favorites like the Doyle stallions Parnell and Subani, and the dark bay Babson stallion Saafaddan. That was close to three weeks … Read more

Wadha was bred last week to the Bahraini stallion Shuwaiman Al Rais (photo below), from the breeding of Jenny Lees in the UK. I am looking forward to this cold outcross, the first ever of a Bahraini horse to a mare of old Syria (i.e. Davenport) lines. I hope it works, because Wadha was still … Read more

Today Rosemary Doyle bred for me the Managhi mare Daughter of the Pharaohs (aka “Pippa”), which I leased from DeWayne Brown, to the Doyle stallion Tamaam DE (photo below, by Carver DE out of Maloof Habiba), who of 100% old Crabbet lines. Fingers crossed for a healthy foal in 2019.

Finally, Jamr Al Arab (Vice Regent CF x Jadiba) who is now under saddle with Sue Moss riding. Last photo while collecting is by Darlene. He traces to *Wadduda, the war mare of the leader of the Fad’aan Bedouins, imported by Homer Davenport in 1906. (I like repeating these things).

And this Wadha Al Arab before a trip to the vet clinic for AI breeding. Top photo by Darlene.

This is Jadah BelloftheBall (“Belle”), a Kuhaylat al-‘Ajuz from the strain imported by Albert Harris through Amin Rihani to the USA from the Saudi Royal Stables in 1932.                                 

This is my not-so-little Barakah Al Arab (Wadd Al Arab x Jadah BelloftheBalll), almost two years old, and a Kuhaylat al-‘Ajuz tracing to the mare *Nufoud (ca. 1925) of the royal stables of Saudi Arabia. It was hard to get a full body shot because she kept mobbing me.

This past weekend Jeanne Craver flew in and out to say goodbye before I leave for a new assignment in South Africa, and we went to see the horses, together with Jenny Krieg and Darlene Summers. This is my beautiful Ma’naqiyah Sbayliyah mare SS Shadows Aana. Any foals from her seem extremely unlikely at this … Read more

Through Yahya Al-Tahawi in Egypt comes this new picture of El Deree, the desert-bred race horse that became a senior stallion at the Egyptian Royal Stud in Inshass. This photo was never published in the West before.

That is a local “Shami” breed of cows from Southern and Western Syria. They have red coats and produce relatively little milk, that is dense and delicious. It has now all but disappeared, crossed with imported cattle from Europe and elsewhere.

This mare has a fast pace and carries herself with distinction and style. My ten year old girl remarked on this saying: “I like Belle because she walks so proudly”.  She embodies the unique nobility of the breed. Also, she produces better than she is.

My black Ma’naqiyah mare SS Shadows Aana was bred to my Saqlawi al-‘Abd Jamr Al Arab for a 2019 foal last Thursday May 3, and the following Friday, Saturday and Monday. Friday and Saturday’s were good covers. The cross would bring out multiple lines to Gulastra through his three offspring Gulida, Nusi and Julep.

Two days ago Carrie Slayton bred the Hadbah mare RL Zahra Assahara (Portent x Antezzah by Grand Pass) to Ambar Diaz’ Porte CF (Portico x Recherche). Carrie and I now co-own Zahra. If the resulting foal (with three close crosses to Portia) is a filly, she is mine, and any colts and future fillies are … Read more

I am grateful to my friend from Deir El Zor Okba al-Ruwaili for having recently clarified to me the meaning of the expression “Min Hab El Rih and Nabt El Shih”, which occurs in many hujaj (or Arabic authentication certificates). Okba tells me that the expression is used by ‘nabati’ or settled folks from Syria … Read more

This season I am planning a larger number of breedings than any year before, in part because many mares are not getting younger, and in part to avoid a situation like last year where too few attempts lead to no offspring in 2017. Years without foals are sad. In the event of five pregnancies, then… … Read more

Mohammed Abdel Sattar Tahoon from Egypt did what many Egyptian and other horse breeders and lovers have been dreaming to do since the time of Lady Anne Blunt. He went looking for the fabled ruins of Dar El Beida (in Arabic, the “White House”), the stables Abbas Pasha I built for his collection of Arabian … Read more

It’s breeding season again, and a number of great matings are being planned and conducted across the country. Porte CF (Portico x Recherche) is in Southern California with Carrie Slayton who bred him to her two Davenport Haifi mares, Brighton TAH (Ascendant x GH Janet) and ADA Skylarking (“Birdie”, Palisades CF x Lustre CF by … Read more

He was the Master of Horses in Bahrain following Old Fatis, in the 1970s and 1980s, and he has a good book in Arabic about Arabian horses in Bahrain, which I am trying to get my hands on. That photo is likely from that book.

An article about Syria: Home of Horses by Hylke Hettema on her blog, got me to think about other references to horses in ancient times from what today is Syria. The following reference from the Archives Royales de Mari [ARM], with its mention of the chiding of king Zimri-Lim of Mari (1776-1751 BCE) by one of … Read more