If you don't like beautiful Arabian horses, romantic sunsets, the deep blue sky above the desert, the clear water of the Persian Gulf and the unbelievable hospitality of the people, well, it's better you stay at home then. For all others, Doha is the place to be in March. Every year the International Arabian Horse Show of Qatar is held at the Racing and Equestrian Club under the patronage of H.H. the Emir of Qatar.

Horses of several different Arabian countries participate and trainers and judges fly in from all countries of the world to join in the celebration of beauty, nobility and grace. At the grandstands you'll see people of all colours and religions sit together discussing bloodlines, famous stallions or new-born foals. They all have something special in common: the universal love for the Arabian horse. There is a confused din of voices of many languages. You'll here English, Arabic, German, French and Spanish and some unidentified languages I've never heard before. If you don't understand your opposite, that's no problem at all, body language will do. The passion for the Arabian horse knows no boundaries.
Enjoy the impressions of this year's event - and join us at the next show. You will never regret your visit!

SOME FAMILIAR FACES OF QATAR - AND SOME NEW...

AL AADEED AL SHAQAB (Ansata Halim Shah x Sundar Alisayyah)
Senior Champion Stallion

"King of Al Shaqab" fits him well. "He's like a son to me", says Sheikh Hamad with a smile. "I'm very proud of that horse!" From the time of his birth, Al Aadeed was destined for greatness. He never disappointed those who believed in him. Sheikh Hamad was one of them. "He never fails to impress me", he says. Since his youth, Al Aadeed won countless championships. He only was beaten as a youngster - by his stablemate Gazal Al Shaqab who went on to win the World Championship at Paris last year. This year Al Aadeed didn't stand alone in the winners circle: His daughter Amira Al Shaqab won the Senior Championship for Mares.

ASHHAL AL RAYYAN (Safir x Ansata Majesta)
Reserve Senior Champion Stallion

Ashhal Al Rayyan is the heir to his famous sire. His first foals competed at this year's International Show - and all were in the ribbons. Leased out to Dr. Nagel for the last two years, Ashhal won the hearts of countless admirers in Europe and was bred to some of Germany's finest straight Egyptian mares. Bred and owned by Sheikh Abdulaziz, he certainly is one of his favourite horses at the farm.

SHEIKH ABDULAZIZ BIN KHALID AL THANI

The owner of Al Rayyan and the head of the Racing and Equestrian Club, Sheikh Abdulaziz is a dedicated breeder and owner of straight Egyptian horses. He aquired his foundation stock in the US, Egypt and Germany. Over the years he collected one of the finest broodmare bands in the world today. All the more impressive: Year after year the Al Rayyan foals surpassed the preceding generations. Against the resistance of some advisers, Sheikh Abdulaziz brought the stallion Alidaar (Shaikh Al Badi x Bint Magidaa) into Qatar and bred (and still breeds) some of his best mares to this Obeyan stallion. The results speak for themselves - the foals maintain the beauty of their dams but developed more scope and look stretchier and more leggy. A true breeder has to go his own way!

SAFIR (Salaa El Dine x Aisha)

This stallion is one of the leading sires in Qatar. Beautiful and refined, he serves as the head stallion of Al Rayyan Stud. He was never shown but his offspring won countless championships in Qatar and the Middle East. This flea-bitten grey personifies Egyptian nobilty and fire. Self-assured and proud, Safir is the undisputed king of Al Rayyan. Safir's sire and dam are by Ansata Halim Shah and both stem from the great broodmatron, Hanan.

AMIRA AL SHAQAB (Al Aadeed Al Shaqab x Imperial Phanilah)
Senior Champion Mare

"Breed the best to the best to produce the best!" Well, this is not a bad idea at all. Sheikh Hamad bred Al Aadeed Al Shaqab to Imperial Phanilah, one of the premier mares of Al Shaqab. The result was the "Lady in White", Amira Al Shaqab. No stranger to the winners circle, this year Amira Al Shaqab won the ultimate title: International Senior Champion Mare. Her younger full brother Shahem Al Shaqab was third in his class. Beauty runs in the family.

ANSATA NEFER ISIS (Prince Fa Moniet x Ansata Nefertiti)
Reserve Senior Champion Mare

She is the mare with the biggest fan club in Qatar: Ansata Nefer Isis. Though small and delicate, she prances around like a stallion. When she is "on stage" she is all snort and blow. Ansata Nefer Isis is no stranger to Europeans: Before her exportation to Qatar she was owned by La Frasera Stud of Italy and won the Reserve European Championship.

SHEIKH HAMAD BIN ALI AL THANI

Name some of the funniest people you know. One of them (besides Charlie Chaplin) has to be Sheikh Hamad, the stud manager of Al Shaqab Farm. He is famous for his laughter and wit. As an international judge he travelled a lot and saw some of the finest Arabian horses in the world. His greatest triumph as a breeder was the World Championship of Paris in 2001: The homebred stallion Gazal Al Shaqab was named Senior World Champion and his son, Marwan Al Shaqab got the Junior Champion title. Father and son winning both titles - this was something new! Sheikh Hamad was overjoyed. Some say that winning isn't everything. Well, they obvious never won...

RN FARIDA (Salaa El Dine x Noha)

She is the pride and joy of Al Rayyan Stud - the mare RN Farida. Sheikh Abdulaziz leased her famous dam, Noha, from the Marbach State Stud specifically to breed her to Dr. Nagel's stallion, Salaa El Dine. Though Noha has had no foals for some years the Sheikh finally was rewarded with a lovely filly. It was to be Noha's last foal. RN Farida won countless championships and in 2001 was International Senior Champion Mare of Qatar. Then she was retired from the showring and gave birth to her first foal: a lovely colt by Alidaar.

BART VAN BUGGENHOUT

Bart is head trainer and stable manager for Al Rayyan Stud and a familiar face at the Qatar shows. The Al Rayyan mares are literally unbeatable and year after year Bart manages to show another irressistible beauty. His secret? "He bakes them", as one of the other trainers at the show puts it. One of his favourite mares is the mare RN Ajeeba (Ruminaja Ali x Bint Amal). She never won a championship (although she already was a Reserve Junior Champion Filly), but she is as close to his heart as a horse can be. True love doesn't ask for championships...

ANSATA SELMAN (Ansata Hejazi x G Shafaria)
Junior Champion Colt

Imported as a junior sire for Al Rayyan, Ansata Selman is the first-born foal of his beautiful dam G Shafaria, who accompanied him to Qatar. Both were very successful in the showring. Ansata Selman traces in tail female line to the great Ansata broodmare, Ansata Samantha who was famous for her "apple eyes". Ansata Selman's first foals will arrive next year.

JANDEH AL NAIF (Ansata Shalim x Ansata Nile Gypsy)
Reserve Junior Champion Colt

You have to be no fortune-teller to predict this colt has a shining future! He won his class against stiff competition and was by far the most typeful horse in his class. A colt that could win anywhere in the world. Jandeh's dam, Ansata Nile Gypsy, is one of the most beautiful individuals of Al Naif Stud and produces especially well when bred to Ansata Shalim. Hopefully Jandeh Al Naif will shipped to Europe this summer to compete at European shows. Be aware of him!

GLENN JACOBS

Do you recognize that smiling face? Well, Glenn Jacobs (trainer for the Al Naif Stud) is the man with the biggest smile in Qatar. And this year he has a very good reason: The Al Naif bred horses Al Johara Al Naif and Jandeh Al Naif won the Junior Filly Championship and Reserve Junior Colt Championship respectively. They were both excellently shown by Glenn who managed it to laugh even when he run as fast as Speedy Gonzales!

JOHARA AL NAIF (Ansata Shalim x Al Johara)
Junior Champion Filly

This filly has written "quality" all over her. "I am Arabian", she seems to say. From her tiny little ears to her hoofs, Johara Al Naif is perfection. Judges and spectators alike fell in love with her. This was her first international show and interesting enough, Johara Al Naif stems from a tail female line of successful "first timers": Her dam Al Johara (by Prince Fa Moniet) was the first daughter of Qatar's first Junior Champion Filly, Ansata Majesta. Can't wait to see Johara's first foal - but that will take some time. She's still a baby.

HATHFA AL SHAQAB (Al Aadeed Al Shaqab x Kajora)
Reserve Junior Champion Filly

Hathfa is another jewel in Kajora's crown of beautiful offspring. The former U.S. National Champion Mare Kajora (Kaborr x Edjora) is a reliable broodmare for Al Shaqab. Year after year she delivers foals from a variety of different straight Egyptian stallions (Anaza El Farid, Safir, Al Aadeed Al Shaqab) - and all show great potential. Think of Gazal Al Shaqab! Hathfa is no exception to the rule.

ANSATA NILE ECHO (Ansata Hejazi x Ansata White Nile)

Beauty in motion! Ansata Nile Echo is one of the best-moving Egyptian horses you can imagine. "Mr. Trot" fits him well! He is the one to choose if you would like to put some athletic ability into your foals. A former Junior Champion Colt and Reserve Senior National Champion Stallion of Qatar, Ansata Nile Echo has proved his class in the showring. Now it's up to the breeding barn. Together with Ansata Shalim and Ansata Haisam he is standing at Al Naif Stud. Some of his first foals show great potential and will be shown in the near future. Watch out for them!

JUDITH FORBIS

For many friends of the Egyptian Arabian horse Judith Forbis is one of the most important breeders of the last century. Her Ansata Arabian Stud provided foundation stock for breeders around the globe - and still does. The influence of her breeding program is evident in Qatar as many Ansata horses built the foundation for Al Shaqab, Al Rayyan or Al Naif Stud. The "Ansata type" is seen in countless horses here and are living proof for Judith Forbis' brilliance as a breeder. She sent some of her very best back to the desert - like Ansata Halim Shah, Ansata Majesta, Ansata Selman or Ansata Nile Echo to name but a few. But Judith gave more than just her horses. She shared her knowledge and wisdom acquired in her forty plus years of breeding Egyptian Arabian horses. Today all of her books and photographs were transferred to Qatar to lay the foundation for a library. Busy as always, she is currently working on a new book about her Ansata Arabian Stud.

MUJAHID (Maysoun x Imperial Sanama)

Mujahid is owned by the Nasser Stud of Sheikh Nawaf Bin Nasser Al Thani. A well-balanced riding horse, he excelled under various different riders and is always good for a victory. His dam was bred by Imperial Egyptian Stud and travelled to Germany to be bred to Maiworm's head stallion, Maysoun. The resulting foal was Mujahid. Though not heavily used as a breeding stallion, he made his presence felt in the riding classes where he convinced the judges year after year. His soft temperament, balanced movement and intelligence make him a favorite among the young riders of Qatar.

MOHAMED SHARIFF

This man is worth his weight in gold! Everyone who has travelled to Qatar knows him because he is there whenever he is needed. Always calm and extremely well organized, he is the guarantee that everything runs smoothly. Nothing can go wrong as long as Mohamed is at your side. Schukran!

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