108 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010 March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 109

Hu n g a r y , 1968. The l o v e l y h i s t o r i c

baroque stables at Babolna stand nearly empty. This former Royal Stud, dubbed “the Hungarian Arabia” over

100 years earlier, is now a model state agricultural farm in the socialist mould, renowned

as Eastern Europe’s largest grower and supplier of laying chickens and broilers. Babolna’s world-famous pure-bred Arabian programme, established in 1816, has been all but devastated by World War II and the financial pressures of the Communist government established in1950.

Egypt, 1968. Following the recent war and the closing of the Suez Canal, the country faces unprecedented economic and political

challenges. At El Zahraa, finding the resources to feed and care for the horses is a never-ending

problem. The buyers from America and elsewhere that had once so eagerly sought out the Egyptian A r g i c u l t u r a l Organization’s finest Arabians have, for the most part, all but disappeared. Even so, it is in 1968 that the first of three horse shipments quietly departs Egypt for Europe. It is understood that Germany will be

the final destination for some of these, but all will stay first at Babolna. By March 1971, this effort has brought a total of 11 Egyptian mares

Egyptian feature Egyptian feature

and fillies and three Egyptian stallions to Hungary. All have been recorded in Babolna’s herd books and will eventually be included in Volume VI of the Arabian Stud

Book of Hungary. On 26 August 1971, three of the original Egyptian imports, all mares, depart for a new private stud in Germany. Although no one is paying much attention, history is being made, and from this day forward, the straight Egyptian Arabian as we know it will never quite be the same. This article will attempt to familiarise the reader with this pivotal point in the history of modern Egyptian breeding worldwide, as its repercussions are still being felt by all of us today. Although detailed descriptions of each and every import are beyond the scope of this article, a brief

summary of salient details on each and photos of modern descendants are provided. For now,

let us return to 1968 to discover the identities and circumstances o f t h e g e n t l e m e n b e h i n d these impor tations:• Dr Robert Burgert is a highly

connected member of the Communist Party and firmly in control as the General Director of the state agricultural farm at Babolna. During the early 1960s, Burgert is sent to professional trade and agricultural shows in the United States to search for better corn and wheat seeds as well as the latest expertise in livestock development.

There he meets the Arabian horse and is astonished at the high prices that Americans are willing to pay for them. Although Burgert is not a horseman, he is savvy enough to realise that his predecessors have left Babolna with the land, infrastructure and human resources already in place to breed and raise Arabians for export• Dr Hans Joachim Nagel of West Germany is an economist who has spent his entire professional career working as a consultant in the animal husbandry industry. For many years, he is associated with a huge German concern that supplies breeding stock and animal breeding expertise to the poultry industry in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. During the late 1950s, business takes him to Babolna where he first encounters the Arabian horse and where he eventually befriends Babolna’s General Director, Dr Robert Burgert. Some years later, while doing business in Egypt, Dr Nagel once again meets the Arabian horse, this time at El Zahraa• Dr Ameen Zaher, veterinarian and under-secretary of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture, has served as both a breeding advisor and veterinary practitioner at El Zahraa since 1936. He is a lifelong student of the Arabian breed and author of the classic work Arabian Horse Breeding in America. From the time Dr Nagel first visits El Zahraa, Dr Zaher encourages him to take the practical steps necessary to become a breeder of Arabian horses. As Dr Nagel’s mentor and friend, Dr Zaher freely shares his first-hand experience and in-depth knowledge about the various Arabian horse families of Eg ypt.So, there we have it -- all the elements of a

classic win-win situation. What could be more natural than a collaboration. Both Dr Nagel and Dr Burgert wish to breed Egyptian

Words by Tzviah Idan @ All Rights Reserved

108 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010 March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 109

A FO

RTUN

ATE C

OLLA

BORA

TIONThe Influence of the

Babolna Importations on the Modern Straight Egyptian

Dr.

J H

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Pictured here are three tail-female descendants of the original import Hosna through her daughter 27 Ibn Galal 5.

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Arabians in Europe. Dr Nagel can afford to buy them, has a firm grounding in animal husbandry and has made a study of the Arabian breed, particularly the Egyptian horses -- but because of various veterinary regulations, he cannot import directly to Germany. Dr Burgert has no such problem, but he lacks both hard currency and the necessary knowledge to chose suitable horses and establish a breeding programme. Dr Zaher, highly placed within the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture, can help select horses and oversee their preparation for export. Egypt is hungry for both hard currency and

food and Dr Zaher can use his influence from within the Ministry to help structure

the type of cash/barter deal that will suit both of the buyers’ needs, yet still win government approval. Now all the necessary pieces and players are in place, the risks are taken into account and the decision is made to go forward. In Hungary, the new imports become a matter of much controversy among the country’s professional horsemen, most of whom are very critical of the horses, which are markedly

different from the Arabians that Babolna bred in the past; they appear too small and too light. Many ridicule Dr Burgert personally as he, a non-horseman, has

undertaken this project without the benefit of their guidance. It is fortunate that Director

Burgert has more than enough personal and political power to disregard all the criticism and simply carry on. Clearly, Dr Nagel is the actual visionary behind the scenes and responsible for building a consistent and coherent breeding programme. According to former Babolna Stud Director Tamas Rombaeur, Nagel would visit the stud and meet with Dr Burgert a few times each year to make breeding decisions and evaluate stock. The day to day management of the horses was left to the farm staff, who were drawn from the village of Babolna and had an excellent tradition as horsemen handed down for many generations.After a few years had passed, the quality of the imports and their early progeny became more readily apparent and even the experts at the

Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture revised their opinions. They refused, for example, to release the now highly-coveted mare Lutfia (Alaa el Din x Bint Kamla), originally chosen for Dr Nagel, until after she first established a viable family at Babolna. Lutfia finally joined Dr Nagel’s programme at19 years old, where her age did not stop her from producing excellent progeny. It didn’t take too many years before a recognisable “Babolna Egyptian” prototype was developed with a recognisably different look than that of other straight Egyptians of this era. The Babolna Egyptians had long, fine necks with refined throatlatches, perfect tail carriage at all gaits, superlative movement and tremendous nobility and elegance. In particular, the very refined and elegant daughters of Babolna-bred chief sire Ibn Galal I (ex Hanan) consolidated and strengthened these features in the herd. Even so, during its golden era, Babolna’s Egyptian programme remained relatively unknown as a result of the political climate of those times. The stud was not actively marketing horses and since Hungary was part of the Soviet bloc, few Westerners found reason to visit. However, as we all know, the Arabian horse community is really very small, and eventually Dr Nagel’s role at Babolna became common knowledge; naturally, many would eventually seek his help in purchasing horses. The excellent Babolna Egyptians that did leave for the west and beyond during the

decades of the 1970s and 1980s seemed to find their way to the studs of some of the world’s most prominent breeders – or

they quickly pushed their new owners into prominence. Some examples: in 1977, the broodmare 27 Ibn Galal 5, sired by Ibn Galal (known as Magdi in Egypt) and out of the original import Hosna, was purchased by Australia’s Simeon Stud. There, she established a worldwide dynasty that put Simeon on the map as one of the world’s most successful Arabian studs. Also in 1977, the ethereal Pharrah (originally known as 21 Farag), out of the original import Tamria and sired by the original import Farag, was exported to the USA and eventually established a most influential family at the famous Imperial Egyptian Stud in Maryland. In 1981, a young Lisa (McCraken) Lacey travelled to Babolna where she chose the filly Ibn Galal I-16 (Ibn Galal I x Bint Inas) as her choice to represent the extremely rare Inas family at the famous Bentwood Farms in Texas. And finally, the mare Gala (originally known as Ibn Galal I-7), sired by Ibn Galal I and out of Lutfia (Lotfeia), was leased and campaigned at halter by Ansata in the early 1980s, winning both countless fans and several championships, including a coveted US Top Ten Mare award. Tragically, she died while delivering her first foal and left no progeny behind.

Today, much of Babolna’s influence is felt largely through the many horses that

were exported throughout Europe over several

decades where they were mostly absorbed into small, pr ivatel y- ow ned studs. Often their full genetic value became

apparent only after a few generations. A classic example is the original Babolna import

Hanadi (Alaa el Din x Rahma), whose first foal, a chestnut colt sired by Ibn Galal/Magdi, called Ibn Galal-1 (born 1973), was sold to Germany. There, he covered the mare Bakria (Gharib x Baheia), who produced the black mare Bahila, who was eventually exported to the USA. There she

was bred to the very popular stallion Ruminaja Ali to produce the legendary bay stallion,

The Minstril. The Minstril introduced a new look to the straight Egyptian horses of North America and for several years, was the most heavily used Arabian stallion of any bloodline in the entire world. I often wonder how much of this new look can be attributed to The

Minstril’s Babolna heritage.When Dr Nagel first established his programme in Germany, one of his own horses also attracted great controversy as described in his fascinating book Hanan: An Arabian Mare. Dr Nagel’s very special broodmare Hanan (Alaa el Din x Mona) did not have the familiar and fashionable Egyptian pedigree tracing back to popular and highly-regarded names, but instead her dam traced back to a relatively unknown gift horse presented to the former Egyptian King Fouad. This spurred Dr Nagel

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One of many leading international sires, such as Imperial Madheen, Maysoun, Mutair HP and Mishaal HP that trace back to Mahiba in the tail-female; Pimlico also carries a line to the celebrated Jamil (ex Hanan).

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112 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010 March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 113112 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010 March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 113

to set up a breeding experiment designed to answer the question “is it necessary to have

a beautiful pedigree to be a beautiful horse?” which also tested Hanan’s true Arabian origins. Eventually, based on the quality of her progeny alone, Hanan proved to be perhaps the most valuable Egyptian broodmare of her generation. Besides Hanan, the original imports Mahiba, Marah, Lutfia (Lotfeia) and Ibn Galal (Magdi) were also used in Dr Nagel’s programme.Throughout the lifetime of the Burgert-Nagel

collaboration, Dr Nagel leased many of his own stallions to Babolna and arranged for

the leasing of additional outside stallions. He also made sure that Babolna’s finest mares

enjoyed the attentions of Ansata Halim Shah (Ansata Ibn Halima x Ansata Rosetta) and Ansata Abbas Pasha (Ansata Ibn Halima x Ansata Bint Mabrouka) while each was standing in Europe. Placed as he was in such a unique position, Dr Nagel helped many of his German peers establish their own programmes by facilitating

the sale of horses bred at Babolna and selling them horses from his own stud, many of which played key roles in the development of the modern German-bred Egyptian. Although Dr Nagel’s programme and the

Babolna programme were separate and distinct, they were also parallel and complimentary in many respects. Over the years, it became more and more common to see German or European-bred straight Egyptians that carried elements derived from both programmes. This became especially evident following the lease-exchange of stallions that sent Dr Nagel’s Jamil (Madkour I x Hanan) to America and Ansata’s Halim Shah to Germany. In 1990, world politics shifted and the Russians finally left Hungary. Babolna Director Dr Robert Burgert was quietly retired and a new leadership emerged at the stud. Not surprisingly, Babolna’s straight Egyptian programme

steadily eroded away throughout this difficult decade as Hungary struggled to adapt to a new

market economy. Today, 10 years into the new millenium, Babolna’s Arabian horses are still steadily decreasing in numbers and the future of the stud itself looks particularly grim.Surely this is all the more reason to treasure those horses we find today throughout the world whose very existence is a result of these importations – and to give thanks to the three men responsible. I often wonder what our straight Egyptians would look like today if their collaboration had never taken place?

The Original Egyptian Imports to Babolna

THE MARESMAHIBA (Alaa El Din x Mouna) 1966 chestnut mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in the tail-female to Moniet El Nefous, chosen for Dr Nagel’s programme. Mahiba produced one daughter at Babolna, 18 Ibn Galal (also known as Kis Mahiba) who Dr Nagel purchased as a replacement for her dam in 1976. Mahiba’s family did not continue on at Babolna. Some tail-female descendents include Ibrahim (Mahomed x Mahiba), Mona II (Mahomed x Mahiba), Mesoudah-M (Messaoud x Madinah), El Thay Maheera (Nizam x Mona II), Maysoun (Ansata Halim Shah x Maysouna), Paris World Champion Stallions Sherif Pasha

(Ansata Abbas Pasha x Sabah) and Imperial Madheen (Messaoud x Madinah), Mishaal HP (Ansata Sinan x Mesoudah-M), Bint Bint Jamil (Mohafez x Sehnab), and Pimlico RCA (The Desperado x Bint Bint Jamil).

MARAH (Galal x Maysa) 1966 chestnut mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in the tail-

female to El Shahbaa, chosen for Dr Nagel’s programme. Marah produced one colt at Babolna and did not establish a family there. Marah produced important daughters that established strong families in Germany, Italy and the Arabian Gulf. Some tail-female descendants include the full sisters Sherifa and Layla (by Mahomed), full sisters Bushra and Matala Bint Marah (by Jamil), AR Farida (Alaa Ibn Tuhotmos x Shedana), German Gold Medal Stallion M Sharin (Ibn Bint Inas x Shannah), Bagdady (Ansata Halim Shah x Bushra) and Sulifa ( Jamil x Matala Bint Marah).

LUTFIA (LOTFEIA) (Alaa el Din x Bint Kamla) 1967 grey mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in tail-female to Venus. Chosen for Dr Nagel’s programme and established family both at Babolna and in Germany. Descendants found mostly in Europe and the Middle East.Some tail-female descendants include US Top Ten Mare Gala (also known as Ibn Galal I-7) and her full sister 224 Ibn Galal I (by Ibn

Galal I), Lemya B (Madkour I x 224 Ibn Galal I), Libia B (Assad x 221 Latifa B), Layla B (El

Aziz B x 213 Layali Loubnana), Nejdy (Salaa el Din x Lutfia), Nashua (Salaa el Dine x Lutfia), Bint Bint Lotfeia (Nahaman x Nashua) and Nabeela (Nahaman x Nashua).

TAMRIA (Tuhotmos x Kamar) 1967 grey mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in tail-female to El Dahma. Originally chosen for Dr Nagel’s programme, but remained at Babolna where she established a viable family that has strong

branches throughout the world.Some tail-female descendants include Pharrah /21 Farag (Farag x Tamria), 211 Zohair (Zohair x 28 Farag), 214 Ibn Galal I (Ibn Galal I x Tamria),

Tamria II (also known as 243 Halim Shah) (Ansata Halim Shah x 211 Zohair), Taghira B (El Thay Mameluk x 211 Zohair), Abbas Pasha I-12 (Abbas Pasha I x 211 Zohair), Halim Shah I (Ansata Halim Shah x 214 Ibn Galal I), Muniah (Halim Shah I x Abbas Pasha I-12) Imperial Imphayana (Ansata Imperial x Imperial Phanadah), Royal Bint Pharrah

(Ansata Imperial x Pharrah), Royal Jalliel (Ansata Imperial x Pharrah), Royal Phariel (Nabiel x Pharrah) and Royal Mikheil (Nabiel x Pharrah).

MOMTAZA (Sameh x Mamlouka) 1967 grey mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in tail-female to Rodania. Chosen for Babolna. Babolna descendants all trace through her 1972 daughter 26 Ibn Galal, later known as Bint Magdi. Sold to Germany in 1977, Momtaza left progeny via her German-bred daughter Morawa. Babolna-bred 26 Ibn Galal (Bint Magdi) was eventually sold to Germany where she continued to produce. Both daughters’ descendants in Germany have since spread out and the family has branches in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australia.Some tail-female descendants include 26 Ibn Galal /Bint Magdi (Ibn Galal x Momtaza), Morawa (Nizam x Momtaza), El Thay Mansoura (Machmut x Morawa), El Thay Mourad (Machmut x Morawa), El Thay Mahfouz (Ansata Selman x El Thay Mahfouza), El Thay Momtaza (Ibn Nazeema x Morawa), Bint Bint Magdi (Ansata al Salaam x Bint Magdi/26 Ibn Galal), El Thay Ghana (Ibn Galal I x Bint Magdi /26 Ibn Galal), GR Madeleine (Madallah-Madheen x Mareekah),

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The lovely Muniah traces tail-female to Tamria both through her sire and her dam and the resemblance is striking.

The significant sire El Thay Mameluk and the broodmare El Thay Mamlouka (pictured right) represent the line of the original import Momtaza. Other foundation horses at El Thayeba Stud traced back to the original import Mahiba.

Hanadi’s best-known descendant is her great-grandson, The Minstril, one of the breed’s most significant sires.

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A key foundation mare who left five daughters at Idan Atiq.

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Momtazza RCA (Absolut RCA x Masria el Salaam), GR Madarah (GR Amaretto x Mareekah) and Chaswyck Ophelia (Simeon Sochain x GR Madarah).

HANAN (Alaa el Din x Mona) 1967 bay mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in tail-female to El Shahbaa. Chosen for Dr Nagel’s programme and influential at Babolna through her first colt Ibn Galal I by Ibn Galal (Magdi) (b 1972) who was Chief Sire at Babolna for five years and left over 100 get. Hanan left extensive family in Germany with strong branches around the world, especially through her superlative sons. Some tail-female descendants include Jamil (Madkour I x Hanan), Asfour (Malik x Hanan), Salaa el Dine (Ansata Halim Shah x Hanan), Ashraff (Mohafez x Hanan), Ghazala (Ghazal x Hanan), Amal (Mohafez x Hanan), Ameera (Madkour I x Hanan), Afifa ( Jamil x Ghazala), Nahaman (Salaa el Dine x 236 Ameera), Adnan (Salaa el Dine x Ghazala), Nawal, (Salaa el Dine x Ghazala), KEN Mareena (Salaa el Dine x Amal), Aischa (Salaa el Dine x Amrulla) and Nadeema (Salaa el Dine x Amrulla).

HANADI (Alaa el Din x Rahma) 1968 chestnut mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in

tail-female to Rodania. Chosen for Babolna where she produced seven daughters. Her family in the tail-female was eventually lost to the stud, although it is still found in Europe. Hanadi’s influence is primarily through the stallion Ibn Galal-1 (b 1973), the sire of Bahila, in turn dam of the legendary stallion The Minstril. Some tail-female descendants include Ibn Galal-1 (Ibn Galal /Magdi x Hanadi), 201 Ibn Galal (Ibn Galal /Magdi x Hanadi), 221 Ibn Galal I (Ibn Galal I x Hanadi), 233 Ibn Galal I (Ibn Galal I x Hanadi), Zeen /

Zohair I-2 (Zohair I x 221 Ibn Galal I),

Haliefee (Abbas Pasha I x Hafisa/Rajan-3), 206 Abbas Pasha I (Abbas Pasha I x 233 Ibn Galal I), Abbas Pasha I-6 (Abbas Pasha I x 201 Ibn Galal), Mashaana Al Zamet (Salaa el Dine x Malysha

Al Zamet) and Maalikah SS (Al Aaqib Al Zamet x Mashaana Al Zamet).BINT AZZA I (Tuhotmos x Azza I) 1968 grey mare bred by El Zahraa

tracing in tail-female to Bint el Bahreyn. Chosen for Babolna where she left four daughters, not

all of which were straight Egyptian. Her family is still found at Babolna, in Europe, and in Israel. Some tail-female descendants include 29 Ghalion (Ghalion x Bint Azza I), 212 Zohair (Zohair x Bint Azza I), 228 Ibn Galal I (Ibn Galal I x Bint Azza I), Alhambra B (Salaa el Dine x 228 Ibn Galal I), Asia B (Emiratus B x 228 Ibn Galal I), Assada B (Assad x 29 Ghalion), 218 Ibn Galal I (Ibn

Galal I x 29 Ghalion), 240 Rajan (Rajan x 218 Ibn Galal I), Maymoun (Maysoun x Halim Shah I- 3 /Abu Lemea B), Ammura B (El Aziz B x 228 Ibn Galal I) and Atiq Ayla (Laheeb x Alhambra B), Amir al Jamal (Nader al Jamal x Atiq Altega).BINT NAZEERA (Anter x Nazeera) 1968 grey mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in

tail-female to Rodania. Chosen for Babolna where she left seven daughters. Eventually Babolna lost the straight Egyptian line in the tail-female and her only remaining influence is through her grandson Zohair I (Zohair x 15 Ghalion), who sired perhaps two dozen foals in as many years. Her family is still found in Europe and North America. Some tail-female descendants include 15 Ghalion (Ghalion x Bint Nazeera), Zohair I (Zohair x 15 Ghalion), Bint Bint Nazeera /24 Ghalion (Ghalion x Bint Nazeera), DK Ciera (Imperial Princasir x Bint Bint Nazeera), AK Athea (Ibn Moniet el Nefous x Bint Bint Nazeera), El Ahhim Shah (Ansata Halim Shah x AK Athea), Aidahh (Ansata Manasseh x AK Athea) and El Rakos (Ansata Sokar x Aidahh).

BINT INAS (Gassir x Inas) 1968 grey mare bred by El Zahraa tracing in tail-female to El Dahma through Farida. Chosen for Babolna where she established a thin family through the daughters that remained at the stud; most were sold abroad as fillies. Eventually Babolna lost this family in the straight Egyptian tail-female, but it is still found in Europe, North America and Australia. Some tail-female descendants include 2 Ghalion (Ghalion x Bint Inas), Isis /Ibn Galal-19 (Ibn Galal/Magdi x Bint Inas), 2 Ghalion (Ghalion x Bint Inas), Abbas Pasha I (Ansata Abbas Pasha x 2 Ghalion), Basim B (Madkour I x 2 Ghalion), 236 Amer (Amer/Ameer x 2 Ghalion), Bint Amer (Salaa el Dine x 26 Amer), Alfabia Eunice (Classic Rayan x Bint Amer), Ameenah al Chamsin (Teymur B x Bint Amer), Ibn Galal I-16 (Ibn Galal I x Bint Inas), AK Sar Gala (Sar Ibn Moniet x Ibn Galal I-16), HMT Sylvanna (The Minstril x HMT Amreeka), Ibn Bint Inas (Ansata

Halim Shah x Bint Inas), Jadoube DMF (Al Lahab x HMT Sylvanna), Imryah (Blue Hassan x Isis), Indirah (Habib x Isis) and MB

Madirah (Imperial Madheen x Indirah).

EL AZIZA (Gassir x Zabeia) 1958 grey mare bred by Al Badeia Stud tracing in tail-female through Negma to Wazira. Chosen for Babolna where she established a strong family through three daughters, including 19 Kayed (Kayed x El Aziza), imported in-utero from Egypt. She left a viable family today found throughout Europe and the Middle East.Some tail-female descendants include 19 Kayed (Kayed x El Aziza), 23 Ghalion (Ghalion x El Aziza), 20 Abbas Pasha (Abbas Pasha I x 223 Ibn Galal I), Paris Reserve World Champion Mare Elf Layla Wa Layla (Assad x 223 Ibn Galal I), EM Mascha’allah (M Sharin x 20 Abbas Pasha), El Aziz B (Salaa el Dine x 20 Abbas Pasha), Ibn Halim (Maysoun x 219 Ibn Galal I), Paris World Champion Colt Insh Allah (Asshal Al Rayan x India), Bint Ghalion

(Ghalion x 19 Kayed), Mahal II (Madkour I x Bint Ghalion), Emiratus B (El Thay Mameluk x 223 Ibn Galal I) and Thaseen Al Qusar (Teymur B x 223 Ibn Galal I).

HOSNA (Ibn Maisa x Rida) 1965 grey

mare bred by Al Badeia Stud tracing in tail-female to Venus. Chosen for Babolna where she established a strong family. Left straight Egyptian tail-female descendants through the progeny of her daughter 202 Ibn Galal by Ibn Galal /Magi full sister to 27 Ibn Galal-5 who sold to Australia. Hosna’s descendants have established strong families throughout the world, particularly in Australia and Israel.Some tail-female descendants include the full sisters 202 Ibn Galal and 27 Ibn Galal-5 by Ibn Galal /Magdi, El Aswad /Ibn Galal-15 (Ibn Galal/Magdi x Hosna), Simeon Safanad (Sankt George x 27 Ibn Galal-5), Simeon Shai (Ra’adin Royal Star x Simeon Safanad), Simeon Sadik (Asfour x Simeon Safanad), Simeon Sehavi (Asfour x Simeon Sheba), Simeon Stav (Asfour x Simeon Safanad), Halim Shah I-1 (Halim Shah I x 227 Ibn Galal I), 227 Ibn Galal I (Ibn Galal I x 202 Ibn Galal), Haniya B (Salaa

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This very successful European show horse and sire traces in tail-female to the rare Bint Nazeera.

The Bint Inas family is a rare source of classic ‘Farida type’.

World Champion Colt Insh Allah and Reserve World Champion Mare Elf Layla Wa Layla both trace in tail-female to El Aziza.

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116 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010 March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 117116 • The Arabian Magazine • March 2010

el Dine x 227 Ibn Galal I), Hila B (Efendi B x Haniya B), 247 Rajan (Rajan x 227 Ibn Galal I), Heba B (Halim Shah I x 247 Rajan), Hora B (Halim Shah I x 216 Haszuna B), Hayila B (Salaa el Dine x 227 Ibn Galal I), Atiq Haleeb (Laheeb x Hila B), Hopa B (El Aziz B x Hayila B) and Hayat AA (Laheeb x Hora B).

HAWA (Ibn Galila x Naglaa I) 1969 grey mare bred by Al Badeia tracing in tail-female to El Samraa. Chosen for Babolna where she produced three colts, none of which bred on at the stud. Exported to the USA in 1977 where she was registered as RH Desert Hawa and left straight Egyptian progeny.

EL THAYBA/EL TAYBA (EL THAYEBA) (Fayek x Mahdia) 1965

grey mare bred by El Zaharaa tracing in tail-female to El Shahbaa. Chosen for Babolna, where she proved to be a problem breeder. Her one viable foal did not breed on. Sold to Germany in 1975 where she left no progeny.

THE STALLIONS

IBN GALAL (MAGDI) (Galal x Mohga) 1966 chestnut stallion bred by El Zahraa, tracing double tail-female Yosreia to Venus and tracing in the tail-male to Saklawi I. Served as Chief Sire at Babolna between 1970-1976, where he sired 25 pure-bred foals. In 1977, he was sold to the stud of Ursula Poth of West Germany, where he left important foundation stock. A very consistent sire who stamped his excellent conformation and athleticism almost uniformly on his get; most of his foals were chestnuts, but he also

sired greys, bays, and blacks.

FARAG (Morafic x Bint Kateefa) 1962 grey stallion bred by El Zahraa tracing through Bint Rissala to Rodania and tracing in tail-male to Saklawi I. Left only eight viable foals at Babolna, the most important of which were the full sisters 21 Farag (Pharah) and 28 Farag, out of the original import Tamria. Also the sire of the asil (non-straight) stallion Farag II (by 25 Amurath Sahib), an influential sire at Babolna. Sired greys

and chestnuts. Farag sired foals at Babolna between 1970 and 1974. Sold to West Germany in 1973, he eventually stood at Dr Olms’ Om el Arab Stud.

GHALION (Morafic x Lubna) 1965 grey stallion bred by El Zahraa tracing double tail-female Moniet el Nefous to Ghazieh and tracing in the tail-male to Saklawi I. Ghalion left 26 pure-bred get at Babolna between 1971 and 1976. None of his sons were used for breeding. His most influential daughters include 2 Ghalion (ex Bint Inas) and 23 Ghalion (ex El Aziza). Sired greys, chestnuts and bays.Sold to Dr Hans-Jorg Tauschke of West Germany in 1980 and eventually exported to the USA.

Egyptian feature Egyptian feature

Naming System at Babolnabetween 1789 and 1991

Foals always inherit the name of their sires. Foals born in the same year from the same sire get an Arabic number in numerical order according to their birth such as Ibn Galal I-5, Ibn Galal I-6 and so on.Stallions belonging to the same (tail-male) strain can be distinguished from each other by a Roman number written after their name. This number reflects their sequence in the strain. W hen a colt is declared to be a stallion, he loses his foal number – for example, Ibn Galal I-9, a 1981 chestnut colt, was registered under the name of Ibn Galal II as an adult breeding stallion.Fillies are named similarly. After the first time they foal, broodmares are given an Arabic number which proceeds their name according to their sequence in the Stud Book, so 201 Ibn Galal I, 202 Ibn Galal I and so on. The foal number following the name is then dropped, but often continues to be commonly used especially outside of Hungary; had 27 Ibn Galal-5 remained in Hungary, for example, she would have simply been referred to as 27 Ibn Galal.Babolna historically bred pure-bred Arabians, Shagya Arabians, and other breeds. Arabian pure-bred broodmares were always granted a registration number either between 1 and 30 or 201 and 250. If a broodmare was displaced from breeding , she “gave up” her registration number in the Babolna registry and her number would eventually be given to another mare after some years, such as 17 Hawa in 1970 and 17 Ibn Galal in 1974.

1991 and LaterFollowing a WAHO request, Arabian foals born at Bablona after 1991 were granted individual names. The initial letter of the name refers to the broodmare, its Arabic meaning reflects the sex, and a separate “B” designates Babolna Arabian Stud. Below is a list of the names of the family founder broodmare and beside it a list of the initial letter used for each family:

6 El Aziza E (e.g. Emiratus B)7 Lutfia L (e.g. Libia B)8 Momtaza M 9 Tamria T10 Hosna H12 Bint Inas B13 Bint Nazeera N14 Bint Azza I A

Broodmares are traditionally still given an Arabic registration number before their names, such as 231 Miriam B. Often a horse is commonly referred to or written about without the numerical prefix or without the B. To make things even more confusing , horses sold and exported are often given new names when registered abroad. Such is the case of the original import Ibn Galal, who was commonly referred to as Magdi in Egypt before his export. His is referred to as Ibn Galal/Magdi or Ibn Galal (Magdi), or simply Ibn Galal. Some examples of Babolna-bred horses that were given additional names abroad include 206 Ibn Galal/Bint Magdi, 243 Halim Shah/Tamria II, and Ibn Galal-19/Isis . Reference, Arabian Horse Stud Book of Hungary - Volume VI, published in Babolna, 1997v

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March 2010 • The Arabian Magazine • 117

Hil

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The classic young stallion Al Aaqib al Zamet, currently standing at Babolna, traces in tail-female to Tamria, with additional lines to Hanan, Bint Inas, Ghalion, and Farag.

Tracing to Hosna through 202 Ibn Galal (Ibn Galal x Hosna).

My grateful thanks to all who contributed to this piece, whether it be through the sharing of memories or photographs. Any errors are solely the responsibility of the author - T. Idan

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