Photo: Sparagowsk

The Event is calling!
There comes a time in every year when most lovers of Egyptian Arabian horses are looking at their calendars with anticipation and are beginning to prepare their journey to Lexington/Kentucky. For the first week in each June this capital of English Thoroughbreds is opening its doors to welcome the sons and daughters of the desert.

Visitors from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the Kentucky Horse Park to enjoy the beauty, grace and style of the Egyptian Arabian Horse.The driving force behind the Event is the Pyramid Society, a fraternal organization dedicated to the promotion and welfare of the Egyptian Arabian horse. No other community of bloodlines is stronger and more powerful than the Egyptian community and the Pyramid Society offers a wide range of books and information material to educate the newcomer and make new friends for the Egyptian Arabian horse.

As always the atmosphere was a relaxed one. The pace of the Egyptian Event is slow - you have time enough to enjoy yourself and meet with friends. Breeders from all over the world including from Egypt attended - but not from the Gulf or Arabia, to my knowledge. "Had they been there I'm sure we would have known because they drive the golf carts around the park like they drive their cars," Judith Forbis laughs.

Many seminars and parties were offered and this year the video tribute to Nabiel was presented - a stunning film about one of the all-time great sires of Egyptian lines (you can order your copy from The Pyramid Foundation). Nabiel's long-time owner Bill Trapp was on hand, watched this phantastic film and was obviously very touched.

When you make the trip to Lexington be sure to wear comfortable shoes - you need to walk a lot to get to all the barns and parties. Or do it like many others and use the handy Golf carts...

Ansata's Anniversary
This year Don and Judith Forbis celebrated their 45th anniversary of involvement with Arabian horses. It was a touching moment to see the couple together - after all this years nothing can stop this team! Their Ansata Arabian Stud in Arkansas is one of the major breeding operations in the US in regard to longevity and international influence.

Like the phoenix from the ashes, Ansata always rises to the top.
After they had sold their major breeding force, the stallion Ansata Halim Shah to the Emir of Qatar in the nineties, many breeders raised their eyebrows. They were sure Ansata lost its king and never would be able to replace him. They were wrong. Judith Forbis is a woman who knows what she possesses. When Ansata Halim Shah went to Qatar his heir was born already: Ansata Hejazi took over and filled the gap his sire left. Later he followed his sire to the Middle East and went to Kuwait. Again, some eyebrows were raised. But Judith Forbis had another ace to play and presented Ansata Hejazi's young son Ansata Malik Shah who inherited his sire's charisma and type - and more.

In 1988 the stallion Prince Fa Moniet was purchased as an outcross to the Halima line. This magnificent stallion was a huge success. He gave the Ansata horses a new look and made them more leggy and more athletic. One of his best sons to date is the alabaster white Ansata Iemhotep who acted as one of Ansata's ambassadors at this year's Egyptian Event.

"Behold the white horse -
he is the mount of kings!"
The moment Iemhotep appeared the very first time it was like sitting at the centre court - all heads turned in one direction. The few who did not recognise the tall yet elegant silhouette, immediately asked for his name. "Who's this stallion?," was the question everyone asked. He never entered the ring - he conquered it by storm and made perfectly clear that he alone was the one to beat. I did not want to take anything away from his handler Michael Byatt who did a tremendous job but - and this is a huge "but" - Ansata Iemhotep did not need a handler to shine in the ring. He was full of himself and emerged as the perfect show-off. Many people commented on how
Iemhotep can move! He is a very free-moving horse with good free shoulders and good impulsion from behind...but then, Ansata horses are well known for movement and athletic ability! Under saddle he is also spectacular.

The atmosphere at the stands reminded me on a concert of the Rolling Stones - people were crying and screaming and some even shouted Iemhotep's name. I swear it to you I saw a woman with tears in her eyes! If this horse could write its name on a piece of paper, I'm sure people would have begged him for an autograph. Wherever Iemhotep went, a crowd followed.

Right from the start Judith Forbis noticed Iemhotep's presence. In this respect he was similar to her beloved National Champion Stallion, Ansata Ibn Sudan. In fact after the death of Ansata Ibn Sudan his stall was left empty for years. Then Ansata Iemhotep moved in. To be honest, in the first years I could not follow her thoughts. Iemhotep looked very nice to me with his balanced body, great shoulders and good length of neck and long lines but I missed the ultra-refinement of his grandsire, Ansata Halim Shah. Then, all of a sudden, he changed and transformed into the white swan of today. He needed time to mature - but how beautifully he matured! Judi knew it from the beginning. Today Iemhotep reigns as one of the head sires of Ansata and his foals follow up his daddy and inherit his movement, balance and flawless conformation along with his beauty. Ansata Iemhotep has a strong character and knows exactly what he wants - and how to get the message through. He is a real character and needs someone who understands him. Michael Byatt did that and got everything "Hotep" had to offer. "For me, it was a great joy because Michael Byatt understood this horse and let him do 'his thing',"Judith offers. "The two complemented each other perfectly."

First Iemhotep won his class and later he garnered the Senior Championship and finally was crowned Supreme Champion Stallion of the show. A huge success for his breeders and owners and a well-deserved title for this white "mount of kings". Needless to say he was unanimous in all his wins. "He had the highest points of the show and received the High Point Award," Judith notes. "We also received the Breeder's Award. That means a lot as the Pyramid Society was formed as a Breeders organization!" Don Forbis and Iemhotep made their victory pass together and watching this two gentlemen in the ring really made me cry. It reminded me on the good old days where Arabian horses were shown by their owners.

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This feature was brought to you
in June 2003 by
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