Barbara never hesitated to send their mares out for breeding when she had the feeling a certain mare would do better with another stallion. And for many years she searched the world for a successor of Ansata Imperial. After many attempts she finally found two colts in Germany and brought them over to the United States in 1985. Both were sired by the stallion Messaoud, who already was a household name in Germany at that time and both would play an important role in the Imperial breeding program. Orashan (Messaoud x Ora) *1983 and Imperial Madheen (Messaoud x Madinah) *1984 were actively campaigned and Orashan was the one who collected countless championships in both halter and performance. (Click here to read his story!) He won Supreme Champion honors at the Egyptian Event and even was named Canadian and U.S. Top Ten Stallion. Orashan had inherited the short face with the broad forehead of his sire Messaoud. His exotic and "European" look was new to Americans and he caused a lot of attention. His upright carriage and the long, very well-shaped neck with a clean throatlatch won him many a championship. Orashan’s bold trot became his trademark but his kind disposition was another asset. Orashan is the only stallion to sire two Egyptian Event High Point Horses: BB Ora Kalilah in 1990 and SES Khebria in 1992.
Photo: private
Imperial Orianah (Orashan x Imperial BtFawkia),
is the dam of the prepotent sire Imperial Madori
Click the picture to see her as a baby!
Orashan may have failed to sire a successor but is known for his excellent daughters. One of them, Imperial Orianah, is the dam of Egypt’s "sire number one", Imperial Madori (by Imperial Madheen) who serves as herd sire at Omar Sakr’s studfarm. Madori probably sired more champion offspring than any other stallion in Egypt today! A champion mare in her own right, his lovely dam Imperial Orianah is one of the most kind mares you can imagine, yet with every move she makes she exudes power and athletic ability. Though she turned twenty this spring, this lovely lady looks much younger and is in excellent condition. Her lucky new owner, Anne-Louise Toner of Al Atiq Arabians, will breed her to her Asfour son Simeon Sachi.
Photo: Polly Knoll
Orashan (Messaoud x Ora) with Imperial's manager Beverly Sziraky
Photo: Rik van Lent
Like his longtime stablemate Orashan, his younger half brother
Imperial Madheen (Messaoud x Madinah) was bred in Germany
Click the picture to see his son Imperial Madori!
Photo: Carola Toischel
Imperial Madori's daughter Gelgelah Albadeia
(x Anhar Albadeia), 2003 World Champion Mare
Due to an accident Imperial Madheen’s show career was cut short but his destiny was the breeding barn anyway. In opposite to his brother Orashan he sired one good son after another and his get were exported to many different countries. (Click here to read his story!) His black son Imperial Mashhar (x Imperial Janaabah by Imperial Im Jasim) was bought by the Royal Stud of Morocco and won 1993 Junior World Champion Colt as a yearling at the Salon du Cheval in Paris. The Madheen son Imperial Madaar (x Ansata Nile Mist) was Australion National Champion Stallion and Imperial Mahzeer (x Maar Bilahh) became the herd sire of Al Nasser Stud in Qatar. Mahzeer’s beautiful daughter Bint Saida El Nasser was named 2002 Reserve World Champion Mare in Paris. The get of Imperial Madheen were extremely typey and in great demand by breeders around the world. While Imperial Madheen has moved on to greener pastures, Orashan is still alive and well and has found a new home at Congressional Farm in Westminster/Maryland.
Photo: Carola Toischel
Imperial Madori's son Khaled Sakr (x SES Marah),
Champion Stallion of Egypt 2006
Click the picture to see his full sister Mohgah Sakr,
2005 International Reserve Champion Mare of Egypt!
Photo: Rik van Lent
Imperial Mahzeer (Imperial Madheen x Maar Bilahh) was
Reserve Champion of the Middle East Championships and
has served as herd sire for Al Nasser Stud in Qatar
Click the picture to see his daughter,
2002 Reserve World Champion Mare Bint Saida Al Nassser!
In 1987 the E.A.O. import Ibn Safinaz (Seef x Safinaz by Alaa El Din) was added to the Imperial breeding program. Imported by Hopeland Arabians as a yearling in 1982, however, Ibn Safinaz’s name is linked with Imperial. In Egypt he was registered as "Swidan" but his name was changed to "Ibn Safinaz" to honour his dam, who was a much admired mare at El Zahraa. Through his sire Seef ("the father of action"), Ibn Safinaz offered new and interesting bloodlines and his athletic ability was another bonus. He became a very successful show horse, garnering numerous championships. Versatile like no other, he is a U.S. Top Ten Stalllion, an East Coast English Pleasure Champion and Reserve Pleasure Driving Champion.
Photo: Scott Trees
Ibn Safinaz (Seef x Safinaz) was imported from the EAO
Click the picture to see him in action!
Sometimes Ibn Safinaz was critizised for his relatively low tail carriage. Everyone would agree that this is certainly not his strongest attribute but by evaluating a horse we always should keep in mind that the overall quality is more than just the sum of the individual parts. Ibn Safinaz's laid back shoulder, long neck, good depth of girth, level topline, strong hindquarters, his exceptionally great trot with high hock action, his type, and last but by no means least his wonderful balance give the appearance of a stallion that has definitely something to contribute. Every experienced breeder knows that you have to use a sprat to catch a mackerel... His foals met all expectations and display their sire’s regal bearing along with his free way of moving (and, yes, most of them carry their tails like flags). He sired three National winners: U.S. Reserve National Champion Futurity Colt Muzac, and U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Colts Imperial Saturn and MB Mistaz (both out of Imperial Mistilll). "The inclusion of Ibn Safinaz in the pedigree is a virtual guarantee of athletic ability and a wonderful free, suspended trot," says Imperial's manager Beverly Sziraky. "Ibn Safinaz has a strong personality and it has been interesting to see how many of his progeny have inherited his character traits. Playful and curious, they are very trainable but need to be handled sympathetically."
Photo: Cappy Jackson
A playful Ibn Safinaz at home in his paddock
Click the picture to see his son MB Mistaz (x Imperial Mistilll)!
Ibn Safinaz counts 28 Egyptian Event winners as his own, including Reserve Champion Gelding and Western Pleasure Champion Safinaz Reflection. Today Ibn Safinaz is twenty six years old and will live his remaining years at Imperial Egyptian Stud. His successor, the bay Imperial Shehaab (x MB Mazaara by Imperial Madheen) goes back in tail female line to the immortal Serenity Sonbolah and boasts crosses to the Imperial foundation stallions Hossny, Moniet El Nafis, Orashan, Imperial Madheen and of course Ibn Safinaz. He offers everything you expect from an Imperial bred stallion: wonderful type, calm demeanor, an athletic body and an airy way of moving. Throw a saddle on him and ride away! At first glance he may not look as exotic as his ever-popular stable mate Imperial Baarez but he is well on his way to make himself a name as a sire to reckon with.
Photo: Cappy Jackson
Imperial Shehaab (Ibn Safinaz x MB Mazaara by Imperial Madheen)
Click the picture to see another image of him!
Photo: Cappy Jackson
Imperial Al Kamar (El Hilal x Imperial Sonbesjul)
His get won numerous championships around the globe.
He is now owned by Rancho San Bulakenyo
Click the picture to see his daughter Kamassayah,
multi champion mare in the Middle East!
Success
Past year’s showings have yielded championships in halter, western pleasure, English pleasure, country English pleasure, and country pleasure driving, with horses often winning in both halter and performance. And there is hardly another studfarm in the US that delivered more internationally successful horses than Imperial Egyptian Stud. Be it in Israel or Qatar, in Uruguay or Morocco, France, Germany or Australia – the Imperial bred horses standing in the winners circle whererver they are shown. Especially Serenity Sonbolah’s gandson Imperial Al Kamar (El Hilal x Imperial Sonbesjul) had his share in providing international winners. In fact, 75 percent of the Al Kamar offspring that have been shown have been international champions or reserves, holding 14 international titles. His most successful son to date is Imperial Kamilll (x Imperial Mistilll), better known to his many admirers as "Mr. Trot". He was exported to Donald Duke’s Frith Farm farm in Great Britain and among other awards he was named 2002 Champion Stallion of the international show in Towerlands with the highest score ever awarded.
Photo: private
International multi-champion Imperial Kamilll
(Imperial Al Kamar x Imperial Mistilll)
Click the picture to see another image of him!
Imperial Al Kamar’s daughter Imperial Kalatifa (x AK Latifa) was sold to Ariela Arabians and became 1995 Middle East Reserve Junior Champion Filly and Israeli National Champion Mare in 1997. Later she went on to a stellar career as a broodmare giving birth (among others) to the full sisters Luiba and Loubna (by Imperial Imdal). The latter collected many international titles and crowned her career with the World Championship trophy in 2004. Now Loubna is owned by Ajman Stud/UAE.
Photo: Gabriele Boiselle
1995 Middle East Reserve Junior Champion Filly and
1997 Israeli National Champion Mare
Imperial Kalatifa
(Imperial Al Kamar x AK Latifa) is the dam of
World Champion Mare Loubna (by Imperial Imdal)
Click the picture to see her daughter Loubna!
The now twenty years old Imperial Al Kamar recently was purchased by Jody Cruz of the well-known Rancho Bulakenyo and will be bred to Jody’s exquisite mares. A wonderful new opportunity for this graceful gentleman.
Photo: Cappy Jackson
Egyptian Event Supreme Champion Stallion and
Reserve Senior World Champion Stallion
Imperial Baarez
(PVA Kariim x BB Ora Kalilah)
Click the picture to see his daughter Imperial Baaraah (x Imperial Phandala),
2001 Egyptian Event Junior Champion Filly!
In recent years another stallion was synonymous with Imperial Egyptian Stud and this was no other than their home-bred Imperial Baarez (PVA Kariim by Imperial Imdal x BB Ora Kalilah by Orashan). "Baarez is a 'once in a lifetime' stallion, the best horse we have bred to date and the most consistent sire," says Beverly Sziraky, who came to Imperial in 1984 and worked as breeding manager until 1993, when she became manager and trainer of performance horses. When Barbara Griffith presented Beverly with the gelding Imperial Biarritz (Hossny x Serenity Sonbolah), he carried the bonus of dressage training to first level. "I took a few dressage lessons then and was hooked for life," Beverly recalls. "Later I gave all the Imperial performance horses good dressage basics, then went on to whatever discipline they seemed best suited."
Photo: Javan Schaller
Imperial Baarez
with Imperial's breeding manager John Foster
Though he has had a very limited show career, the eleven years old Imperial Baarez holds the following titles in the United States: Egyptian Event Supreme Champion Stallion, East Coast Champion Stallion, U.S. Top Ten Futurity Colt, and Region 15 Champion Stallion. In 2004 he was sent to Europe and won Reserve Senior Champion Stallioan at the prestigious All Nations Cup in Germany and Reserve World Champion Stallion at the Salon du Cheval in France. His get are winning in many different countries. His extremely typey chestnut son Ahmus (x Fayzah) recently won his class at the 2007 Egyptian National Show and his exotic daughter True Barressa (x True Nirvana) trotted off with the title of Reserve Junior Champion Filly at the Egyptian Event Europe 2006. To secure that Imperial Baarez will stay in the United States a syndication is planned for him.
Photo: www.ErwinEscher.com
The Imperial Baarez son Ahmus
won his class at the Egyptian Nationals in 2007
Click the picture to see the Baarez daughter True Barressa,
Reserve Junior Champion Filly of the Egyptian Event Europe 2006!
Photo: Scott Trees
Imperial Beveerah (Imperial Baarez x Azaamah)
is now owned by Prestige Straight Egyptians in Belgium
The Future
There are three farms to whom Barbara Griffith has entrusted the core of the Imperial breeding program – Tarek and Ahmed Soliman’s El Farida Stud in Egypt, Polly Schaefer and Jay Cholak’s Eastern Star Arabians in the USA, and Pierre and Marry-Ann Groenen’s Prestige Straight Egyptians in Belgium. All three farms bought a large group of Imperial bred fillies and mares and some promising Imperial colts as future herd sires. We are witnessing the passing of the torch. El Farida Stud now owns the impeccably typey Imperial Baareg (Imperial Baarez x Imperial Karmah), Eastern Star Arabians stand the flashy chestnut Imperial Amir Kamar (Imperial Al Kamar x Imperial Falaah) at stud and Prestige Egyptian Arabians in Belgium owns (among others) the promising bay Imperial Ka-El (Imperial Al Kamar x Imperial Baarezah) whose dam is without any doubt one of the most stunning Imperial Baarez daughters. In addition, many breeders from around the world have bought individual horses to incorporate them into their breeding programs.
Photo: Laura Gosh
Imperial Ka-El (Imperial Al Kamar x Imperial Baarezah)
is the new star at Prestige Egyptian Arabians
"We acquired Imperial Amir Kamar this past fall and are busy putting mares in foal to him," says Polly Schaefer. "He is a stunning stallion with such charisma, character and extraordinary beauty. I love going to the barn and feeding him carrots. I feel very blessed to have him and can't wait to see what he will do with our Baarez daughters and Ansata Malik Shah daughter."
Photo: Scott Trees
Imperial Amir Kamar (Imperial Al Kamar x Imperial Falaah)
is at home with Eastern Star Arabians
The closing of Imperial Egyptian Stud marks the end of an era but at the same time we see the dawning of a new one. The Imperial bred mares will give birth to new foals for their new owners – and the Imperial stallions will sire the next generation of champions but this time, perhaps, in another country. In time the Imperial prefix may disappear but the Imperial tradition will live on. "One hundred years from now I hope that the blood of Imperial-bred horses will have helped shape the straight Egyptian horse of the future," says Barbara Griffith. "I would like it to be said that I stayed true to the original vision of the authentic Arabian horse. If that's an inspiration to future breeders to preserve and protect these wonderful animals – better still."
Photo: Carola Toischel
Imperial Madanah (Imperial Madheen x Imperial Naffata by Moniet El Nafis)
is one of the foundation mares of Al Nasser Stud in Qatar
Thank you Barbara for nearly fourty years of love and dedication. You bred some of the most influential straight Egyptian horses in modern times. Your effort, keen eye and everlasting love for the Egyptian Arabian horse were the driving forces behind Imperial. Your goal was to breed better and better Arabian horses each year. With horses like Imperial Imdal, Imperial Kamilll, Imperial Baarez or Imperial Mistaar you easily reached this goal.
Thank you Beverly and all the devoted staff for your hard and passionate work for the straight Egyptian horse. You were the spirit that set Imperial Egyptian Stud apart.
We'll miss you.
Photo: www.ErwinEscher.com
Imperial Imdal's grandson Al Lahab (Laheeb x The Vision HG)
just recently won the prestigious "Dubai Gold Cup" and earned $ 100,000!
Click here to see our four "Imperial Centerfolds"!
This feature was brought to you in April 2007 by:
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