El Thay Mahfouz (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mahfouza)
Gigi Grasso photo.

 

 

In my previous newsletter I had noted that the Kuhaylan is believed to be the oldest Arabian strain in the entire Arabian breed and thus always a good an honored name while in modern times it is sometimes overshadowed within straight Egyptian mare lines. So this continuing series is to become re-acquainted with the Kuhaylan strain in Egyptian bloodlines.

 

 

                 Bint Riyala at the Tanta show in Egypt in the mid 1930s
as an aged mare after she was sold from the RAS to Mr. Trouncer.
Forbis archive.

 

In my last installment I had mentioned the celebrated Kuhaylan Ajuz Rodan desert-bred mare Rodania, arguably one of the most globally prevalent ancestors in the entire Arabian breed. The female line to Rodania arrived in 1920 in Egypt with the purchase two fillies from Crabbet, Bint Riyala and Bint Rissala. So for this newsletter let us explore further the family from Bint Riyala.

 
The Bint Riyala line comes down from Malaka, shown here as a filly in late 1941.
Already the fine quality of this line is apparent in Malaka as a youngster.
Forbis archive.
 

 

Foaled in 1920 Bint Riyala was sired by Nadir, a Kuhaylan Dajani, and the same strain as the RAS desertbred sire El Nasser.  Her mother Riyala, was a granddaughter of Rodania's most famous daughter Rose of Sharon, thus Bint Riyala was from Kuhaylan families on both sides of her pedigree. As an individual she was of soundly build reminiscent of her famous female matriarch Rodania but was bay instead of chestnut color. She has more foals than the 5 listed in the RAS studbook but that is because she was later sold to T.G.B. Trouncer and, as was often the case back then, with no national registry some privately bred stock would not necessarily end up in any studbook though it can be found in old books or other records. However from Bint Riyala's descent only her daughter Bint Bint Riyala (x Gamil Manial) carried on this line via her daughter the splendid mare Malaka, sired by the racing sire Kheir. Malaka's pedigree already represented two generations of Saklawi sires top-crossed on Bint Riyala which was perhaps a foreshadowing of how Malaka would create a dynasty from her "golden cross" with the legendary Nazeer who, though Hadban by strain seemed to impart so often the fine Arab qualities of his celebrated sire line to Saklawi I.

 

 

 Mabdooi 1948 grey stallion (El Deree x Malaka),
Malaka's first son and arguably one of El Deree's most handsome ones.
Unfortunately he was not used, but his famous 3/4 brother Azmi was used - an important sire in Russia.
Judith Forbis photo.

As I had noted in my last newsletter, Malaka's only daughter allowed to leave Egypt was the Gleannloch import to the US, Salomy (x El Sareei), who also proved a fine broodmare of show winners. Meanwhile in Egypt, from Nazeer came a renowned golden cross of full siblings out of Malaka: Waseem, Nazeera, Mamlouka and Samia. Waseem proved to be a sire of excellent broodmares especially for Albadeia Stud that included the celebrated matron Malekat El Gamal, the female line of world-renowned international champion and sire of champions Al Adeed Al Shaqab. Nazeera counts among her most famous descendants, World Champion and sire of international Champions, Imperial Imdal. As a sire he has a long list of champions to his credit, not to mention the global influence of his sons Laheeb, Al Maraam, PVA Kariim, Moroc and others.

From Nazeera comes numerous champion producing mares, Amani (x El Sareei) dam of US National Champion Asadd, US National Top Ten Romanaa II (x Sameh), Omayma (x Sameh) a champion producer, as well as the mares Serenity Luftia (x Nasralla) a multi-champion, Heba (x Ibn Hafiza) dam of US National Top Ten Lancers Asmara who is granddam of Gold Champion Aachen winner GR Amaretto, and U.S. Reserve National Champion Native Costume Manzoura (x Sultann).

Salomy (El Sareei x Malaka) Malaka's only daughter allowed to leave Egypt,
and a high quality mare imported by Gleannloch.
Judith Forbis photo in Egypt.

Nazeera (Nazeer x Malaka)
one of 4 full siblings that would be a "golden cross" and spread the fame of Bint Riyala's line.
Many international champions trace to Nazeera.
Judith Forbis photo in Egypt.

From Bint Riyala's line is another celebrated branch, that of the excellent Nazeer daughter, Mamlouka. SF Bint Mamlouka (Mashhour x Mamlouka), Set El Wadi (x El Sareei), Fifi (x Anter), and the sisters Fawkia and Momtaza (x Sameh). In North America the Mamlouka branch has long proven itself in high quality and performance. From SF Bint Mamlouka came the racing winners Serenity Ibn Khofo and Serenity Mamlouk. SF Bint Mamlouka is also dam of excellent Marbach and European sire Serenity Habib.

 

The beautiful Dalia (Morafic x Romanaa II)
a Nazeera granddaughter who won many championships.
Her claim to fame is as the dam of celebrated sire Imperial Imdal.
Johnny Johnston photo.





Gold Champion at Aachen,
GR Amaretto, a much admired stallion tracing in female line to Nazeera.
Erwin Escher photo.  

Sameh proved a great cross on Mamlouka as illustrated by the full sisters Fawkia, imported by Gleannloch Farms and Momtaza, imported to Babolna and afterward a key foundation mare for the celebrated El Thayeba stud. Fawkia produced champion mare Ana Gayah for Gleannloch. For Imperial Egyptian Stud Fawkia produced the great broodmare Imperial BtFawkia, granddam of international champion sire Imperial Madori, sire of World Champion mare Gelgelah Albadeia.

Mamlouka (Nazeer x Malaka),
another fine mare and great producer for the Bint Riyala line.
Judith Forbis photo.





Fawkia (Sameh x Mamlouka),
an excellent Sameh daughter imported by Gleannloch and later a mare for Imperial.
Dam line of numerous champions. Renowned as the dam line of Imperial Madori.
Jerry Sparagowski photo.





Among Imperial Madori's famous champions
is beloved World Champion mare Gelgelah Albadeia.
Erwin Escher photo.

Fawkia's full sister Momtaza founded a large and celebrated family for the Tauschke's El Thayeba Stud one of the most successful straight Egyptian breeding programs in Europe with international influence. Cornelia Tauschke's talents as a breeder and trainer assured that the best results would be obtained from this family of Momtaza revealing both excellent riding quality and superior Arabian type as represented by numerous international champions. At El Thayeba, Momtaza's family proved capable of blending consistently with other strains as well as Marbach, Ansata and Katharinenhof breeding. Momtaza was bred to the handsome bay stallion Nizam (Shaarawi x Nazeema), resulting in the mare Morawa, a most significant broodmare for El Thayeba earning the deserved title of Elite Mare in the German registry. From this line comes such notables as El Thay Mameluk (Ibn Nazeema x El Thay Mansoura), an important sire for El Thayba, as well as Babolna and other European breeders, later at stud for Talal A. Al Mehri’s Aljazira Stud in Kuwait. El Thay Mameluk’s half sister El Thay Mahfouza (El Thay Ibn Halim Shah x El Thay Mansoura) was awarded Premium status and is the dam of the exotic stallion El Thay Mahfouz. El Thay Mahfouza created a lasting legacy for Momtaza’s line at El Thayeba as illustrated by the many beautiful high quality horses of this line continuing all the way to the lovely filly El Thay Mezneh, now the 6th generation of this line from Momtaza.

 

 

Fawkia's full sister, the lovely Momtaza (Sameh x Mamlouka)
built a dynasty for El Thayeba Arabians in Germany.
El Thayeba archive.





El Thay Mansoura (Machmut x Morawa)
a granddaugher of Momtaza, she became an excellent producer for the El Thayeba legacy.
Awarded Elite Mare title. She is dam of El Thay Mameluk.
El Thayeba archive.





El Thay Mahfouza (El Thay Ibn Halim Shah x El Thay Mansoura)
a great broodmare for El Thayeba, awarded Premium Mare title.
El Thayeba archive.





The exotic El Thay Mahfouz (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mahfouza)
important sire for El Thayeba.
El Thayeba archive.

The final example of the “golden cross” of Nazeer with Malaka comes from the mare Samia, a 1952 grey mare. Though she did not have a lot of foals, her three daughters spread her influence internationally in many admired straight Egyptian horses. Samia's three daughters are Noha (x Mashhour), and the two full sisters Serenity Sagda and Hekmat, both by Anter.

 


El Thay Munifa (El Thay Mahfouz x El Thay Malakah)
a lovely double Momtaza descendant and fine example of multiple crosses to Bint Riyala.
El Thayeba archive.





El Thay Mezneh (Nader Halim x El Thay Munifa) 2015 filly,
the 6th generation from the original mare Momtaza.
This strong family continues successfully at El Thayeba and for other breeders.
El Thayeba archive.

 

Noha distinguished her self as the dam of Serenity BtNoha who produced racing stallion Serenity Noah and is the dam line of Sport Horse and Endurance champion Serenity Shahail. Noha is also the dam line of Israeli Reserve National Champion stallion Sahadi Shikari (double Bint Riyala). Noha's daughter Set Abouhom (x Alaa El Din) produced the lovely Set Husen (x Tuhotmos) who was exported to Germany producing 12 foals there and from her line came some class A Champions in the US.

 

 

Samia (Nazeer x Malaka)
3rd mare of the "golden cross" and another fine producer in Egypt for the Bint Riyala line.
Judith Forbis photo.





The beautiful Bint Bint Hamamaa (Nabiel x Bint Hamamaa)
famous as the dam of famous Egyptian sire Shaheen [El Habiel] tracing to Samia through Hekmat.
Gigi Grasso photo.

 

 

Imported by Serenity Egyptian Stud, Serenity Sagda (Anter x Samia) produced champions in North America, while her full sister Hekmat, imported by Gleannloch Farm produced a large family that has spread internationally. Hekmat produced US National Performance winners and she is the dam line US multi-champion The Mohave, as well as Australia's champion sire Hansan. Hekmat is also the dam line of Egypt's famed sire Shaheen (El Habiel) via the beautiful Bint Bint Hamamaa. In fact Hekmat's international journey of influence comes in and out of Egypt in other ways as well. Renowned Hamdan Stables brought back to Egypt the mare Dhimaara (Dharib x Abas Mareekha), a black mare tracing to Hekmat in dam line. Dhimaara produced the beautiful black mare Mona A sired by Hafeed Anter, a much-admired mare at the Al Arab Stud of Sheikha Sarah Al Sabah in Kuwait. An exquisite family has been created in Kuwait from this mare that is well represented by Yareem Al Arab (x Ansata Osiron), and her splendid daughters Deem Al Arab and Tathee Al Arab, both sired by Ajmal Ashhal.

Mona A (Hafeed Anter x Dhimaara)
beautiful black mare bred in Egypt tracing to Hekmat in female line.
A key broodmare for Shaikha Sarah Al Sabah's Al Arab stud in Kuwait.
Sarah Fahad Al Sabah's Archive.





Yareem Al Arab (Ansata Osiron x Mona A)
a fine example of Ansata crossed on the Bint Riyala line of Mona A.
Sarah Fahad Al Sabah's Archive.

When one begins to examine the champions of the world, it quickly becomes apparent that the yearling bay filly Bint Riyala has proven one of Egypt's greatest gifts back to the world of fine Arabian horses. Her contribution to Egyptian breeding and to the world of Arabian horses is very large and respected. Through both excellent stallions and superior mares, it is clear that many Arabians have benefited from the fine influence of the Kuhaylan Rodan mare Bint Riyala.

Deem Al Arab [left] and Tathee Al Arab,
exotic full sisters (Ajmal Ashhal x Yareem Al Arab) from the Bint Riyala female line via Hekmat.
Sarah Fahad Al Sabah's Archive.