by Christy Egan
Once upon a time, in a place where Magic is tended like a garden, on a night when all of the stars circled the eastern sky in perfect Harmony, a mare gave birth to a most wonderful son. He was heir to centuries of great Warrior horses and his destiny was to include a future of great challenges. And so he was given only a few chances to stand upon his feet and to take two or three deep breaths before it began. Early to arrive, slow to rise, he grabbed for life, fought for air and struggled heroically. Then fate added additional injury, taking his mother from him at just two weeks. He lay in his foster mother’s arms, eyes filled with trust and intelligence, refusing to give up. They named him Al Mouhareb ... The Fighter.
The pedigree of Al Mouhareb represents a unique combining of the finest breeding of two famous international breeding farms: Imperial Egyptian Stud and Ansata Egyptian Stud. Al Mouhareb’s is the first son of Ansata Nile Echo to be born in North America. So elegant and well-bred was Ansata Nile Echo that he was purchased and exported to the Middle East when he was just a year old. In that exotic land he is called the “King of Trot.” His sire, Ansata Hejazi (Ansata Halim Shah x Ansata Sudarra) was champion and reserve champion seven times at the Egyptian Event between 1995 and 1999. Before that splendid stallion was exported he sired three Event champion and reserve champions, including the exquisite 2002 Junior Champion Filly, Ansata Shalima and the 1998 EBC Champion, Ansata Riyal. The dam of Ansata Nile Echo, Ansata White Nile (Prince Fa Moniet x Ansata Nile Gift), was also an Egyptian Event multi-Top Ten. Ansata White Nile and all of her offspring have been exported to other countries.
In fact, a great many of Al Mouhareb’s immediate ancestry are no longer in America. Of the fourteen horses in his first four generations, ten have been exported to become international champions and foundation bloodstock in other countries. Of the four horses remaining in America, all are mares. One is deceased and the other three are no longer producing.
The superb breeding these horses once offered is now simply not available in North America, making the pedigree and bloodline of Al Mouhareb extremely rare and precious.
Ali Mouhareb’s dam, the splendid Imperial Baasimah, is sadly gone. She was remarkably beautiful and known all over the world for her large, liquid and soulful eyes. Her owner, Mary Ellen Chavez had searched all over the United States to find a special daughter of Imperial Baarez.
“I had bred to Imperial Baarez in the hopes of adding his exceptional beauty and type to my program,” Mary Ellen says. “I did not have good luck with it and finally found a daughter of his in Indiana. Imperial Baasimah was the sweetest, kindest gentlest mare I’ve ever owned or seen. She was very regal, with that great sense of dignity and self confidence that some very special Arabian horses exude.”
“Baasimah” had only four foals before she died. Her second, Aish Al Shabah (Donatello KA) was Reserve Champion Senior Yearling in the Straight Egyptian Colt Futurity at the 2009 Egyptian Event. “Baasimah” was the first daughter of MB Mazaraa, a Class A Halter Champion and a Champion in Halter and Western Pleasure at the Egyptian Event. She is the dam of three Event champion and reserve champions, including the splendid Imperial Shehaab (Ibn Safinaz).
There are many famous Egyptian stallions in “Baasimah’s” lineage. In addition to Imperial Baarez, PVA Kariim and Imperial Madheen are among her impressive sires and grandsires. Imperial Baarez was an East Coast and Region 15 Champion, a U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Stallion and the Reserve World Champion Stallion in Paris. Imperial Madheen is the sire of 16 Egyptian Event Top Ten offspring and eight champion and reserve champions, including Madinah Bint Saariyah, 1997 Egyptian Event Supreme Champion Mare.
Yet even among these brilliant stars, there are a few very special … truly great horses. Imperial Baasimah is line bred to Messaoud, called “The Beautiful” as that legendary stallion and sire is the father of both Imperial Madheen and *Orashan. A National Top Ten in Stallion Halter in the U.S. and Canada, *Orashan was also a National Top Ten and Regional Champion in Country English Pleasure. An Egyptian Event champion and reserve 21 times in Halter, Liberty, Country Pleasure Driving, Country English Pleasure, and Show Hack, he is also the sire of 18 champion and reserve champion offspring at that show. Finally, there are many who consider a breeding sire’s tail-female lineage to be of exceptional importance. Al Mahoureb’s legendary tail-female is the remarkable Sameh daughter *Serenity Sonbolah. The 1971 U.S. National Champion Mare, *Serenity Sonbolah is well remembered for her elegance, charisma, extraordinary type and unforgettable presence. She was a true Empress among the many Monarchs in Al Mouhareb’s pedigree. Her daughter Imperial Sonbesjul is the dam of Imperial Al Kamar (El Hilal), multi-Champion at the Egyptian Event and winner of Get of Sire at that show. Dozens of his offspring have won champion and reserve championships and Top Tens at the Egyptian Event.
At the 2010 Egyptian Event the word spread quickly about Al Mouhareb. Some were impressed with his photographs, pictures that spotlighted the colt’s charisma, type and his dam’s huge, soulful eyes. Some were eager to discover more about this rare son of Ansata Nile Echo, while others, remembering his dam and her heritage, wanted to hear more about this new heir to the greatest of the Imperial-bred horses. One by one they asked to be included in Al Mouhareb’s breeding plans. Not for decades in the world of Egyptian Arabians has a newborn elicited such commotion and interest.
Back home in the Southwest, Al Mouhareb is growing up in that curious world populated by orphans and their adopted families. Strong, tall and good tempered, the colt is currently busy being, well, a colt! Soon enough his destiny will come knocking again and, by the grace of Allah, the story, filled with Stars, Magic and Adventure, will continue ...