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The Elegance and Athleticism of the 1970s Champions

Soon after the importations by Pritzlaff, the Forbises and the Marshalls, the

foundations were being laid for the establishment of the Egyptian Arabian Horse

in the U.S. Concerns were voiced that if greater care was not exercised the same

fate that had caused many important mare lines to be lost to Straight Egyptian

breeding during the ‘30s & ‘40s, and even some of the important sire lines, was

bound to repeat itself. Greater foresight must be taken to preserve and protect,

perpetuate and promote these horses. And so it was that these early breeders,

with vision and determination, formed The Pyramid Society, known today as The

Pyramid Society Foundation. The story is beautifully told by one of the founders

of The Pyramid Society, Judith Forbis, in this article, Pyramid Society Founding. It

is concise, nicely illustrated and well worth the read.

So it was that with the arrival of these early horses and the founding of The

Pyramid Society, people began to take notice. In 1971 the Egyptian Arabian Horse

was extremely well represented at the U.S. National Championships. Ansata Ibn

Sudan, the result of breeding the Forbis’ first imported stallion, Ansata Ibn

Halima, to one of their first imported mares, Ansata Bint Mabrouka, was named

U.S. National Champion Stallion. How thrilling and fulfilling that must have been

for the Forbises and all associated with Ansata Arabian Stud. But that was not all.

A recent import made her second appearance at the U.S. Nationals. Having been

named U.S. Top Ten Mare in 1970, she set the Arabian world on fire. In fact, in

writing this I can still see her silhouette as she entered the in-gate. She was like

nothing I had ever seen before or since. Serenity Sonbolah brought credit not just

to her owners, Bradford and Hansi Heck, and not just to her own ancestors – the

now established nick of the boldly athletic, and well-conformed Sameh, on

Nazeer daughters, her dam, Bint Om El Saad, being by Nazeer and out of Om El

Saad (Shahloul x Yashmak [Sheikh El Arab x Bint Rissala]), but Sonbolah also

brought honor to the Egyptian Arabian worldwide. And it all came together on

that Autumn day in Oklahoma City when she was crowned U.S. National

Champion Mare. What a fete! She was just 4 years old! And she and Ansata Ibn

Sudan were not alone. Their cousins also joined them in their respective winner’s

circles: U.S. Top Ten Stallions: Ibn Moniet El Nefous (Morafic x Moniet El

Nefous), and Refky (Morafic x Rafica - full sister to Bint Om El Saad). And U.S. Top

Ten Mare, Shiaa (Alaa El Din x Berlanty [Sid Abouhom x Maysouna] – tail female

ancestress of Bint Saida Al Nasser (dam of Laheeb Al Nasser [x Al Adeed Al

Shaqab]). And that was only the halter division. Sakr (Sultann x Enayat) was U.S.

Top Ten Park Horse, Nihal was not only U.S. Top Ten English Pleasure, but also

U.S. National Champion Western Pleasure, and this was also the year when Faleh

was first named U.S. National Champion Native Costume (he would do it again in

1975). By the time the 70s had come and gone over 125 national titles would be

won by Straight Egyptian Arabians…in Halter, Futurities, Western Pleasure,

English Pleasure, Park, Native Costume, Driving, and Sidesaddle.



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