The promise of a pedigree
Born in 1982 at Imperial Egyptian Stud in Parkton/Maryland, he showed all signs of his future stardom right from the start and Imperial's owner Barbara Griffith regarded him as the best colt of his age group. He shown like a star among all the other foals. His pedigree combined the two poles of Egyptian breeding in the USA. From his sire Ansata Imperial (Ansata Ibn Sudan x Ansata Delilah), himself a U.S. National Top Ten Futurity Colt, he inherited the chiselled head, the broad forehead, laid-back shoulder, sculpted neck and the proud carriage.

Of course, Imdal showed more scope and height than his sire and a longer neck - traits his Gleannloch-bred dam, Dalia (Morafic x Romanaa II) had passed on to him. Dalia behaved like an unapproachable movie star but displayed the traits typical for a Gleannloch horse: straight legs, powerful hindquarters, a nice topline, a fluid way of moving and a long nicely arched neck. The mating of the two horses could be best described by the proverb "opposite attracts". Most breeders are searching for breeding stock that is alike but Barbara Griffith wanted to blend the best traits Ansata and Gleannloch had to offer to create something really special. Her master-plan succeeded and Imperial Imdal lived up to the promise of his pedigree.

On his way to the top
It's important to remember that Imdal was born at a time when prices for straight Egyptian horses were sky-high. Stud fees had climbed to 20 000 US-$ and the Arabian horse industry was rocked by million-dollar-syndications. It was the high-time of investors and brokers and Egyptian horses were bought and sold like shares. This was the background of Imdal's humble beginnings. When he was barely three weeks old, the passionate breeder Barbara Vallée entered his life. Barbara has always had an eye for fine horses and it was no surprise that she fell in love with the little guy. He was so affectionate that she literally melted away. Since he was a foal Imdal was particularly fond of women. A characteristic that made him all the more desirable for her. "I took one look at a rather shanky-looking weanling, who was recovering from a respiratory infection, and just knew we had to have him."

Though he was "the most expensive colt I could imagine", Barbara took a deep breath and called her late husband, Theron Vallée. The Vallées were no "big spenders" at all but Barbara loved that colt and Mr. Vallée loved his wife. Finally he persuaded the bank and purchased him. From this point on Imperial Imdal was on his way to conquer the world. "There are some events that eclipse others, and the day we brought Imperial Imdal home is etched forever in my mind. He was 11 months old and had endured a hard winter battling a resistant pneumonia. Even so, his beauty and presence were breathtaking as he surveyed his new surroundings. We spent long summer days getting acquainted and slowly nursed him back to health. He would tear around his pasture with electrifying speed and come to a heart-stopping halt. With arched neck and tail, he would snort and trumpet a clarion call, and then repeat the whole procedure. His silhouette outlined the exotic look and perfect balance which became his trademark, and I often revealed in the delight of watching him. He has more than justified my first-look feelings about him."

Imperial Imdal would change the life of the Vallées forever. Under their guidance he developed into one of the most sought-after straight Egyptian stallions in the US. As a youngster he was presented at several shows and always placed in the ribbons. More often than not he trotted away with the championship title. Steve Dady, his trainer from the early beginnings, accompanied him to all his victories including his Supreme Championships at the Egyptian Event (twice), the East Coast Championships and the U.S. National Reserve Champion title in 1988. This was the culmination of his career in the showring and everyone who witnessed Imdal's striking appearance that night would agree that he would have deserved to win the ultimate title. The audience made it clear to the judges that he was the "champion of the hearts" and cheered for Imdal! However, in Europe he already got what he deserved: When he was shown at the Salon du Cheval in Paris in 1986 he literally blew all other competitors away. He caused a sensation as the first straight Egyptian stallion to win the title of Senior World Champion. After the World Championships Imperial Egyptian Stud's owner Barbara Griffith said: "I am so proud to be his breeder. Imdal is the one who comes close to my ideal of an Arabian horse. Very close!"

The proof lies in the pudding
Show titles might be nice but when all is said and done what will remain? The quality of the offspring is what really matters. Imperial Imdal stood prepared. He emerged as one of the few stallions that sired equally good sons and daughters. In the US he was known as a sire of type while in the old world he was referred to as a progenitor of structure and body. To put it quite simple: He had it all. In order to give you a glimpse of what he has achieved as a sire, consider this facts: His sons VA Sirius (bred by his owner Barbara Vallée), Hadaya El Tareef (visit his outstanding son, Ibn El Tareef) and Imtaarif won Egyptian Event Supreme Champion honors. This success makes Imperial Imdal the only stallion who sired three Supreme Champions of this prestigious show!

Photo: Scott Trees

Imperial Imdal winning the Egyptian Event for the secon time in 1990

Click here to see some of Imdal's sons!

Photo: Judith Wagner

Imperial Imdal's leading son in the United States is PVA Kariim

Click here to see some of Kariim's get!

But Imdal's influence continues to the second, third and even fourth generation: PVA Kariim (by Imperial Imdal) folowed into his father's footsteps and in turn sired two Egyptian Event Supreme Champions - RZA Orient Express and Imperial Baarez, an exquisite young stallion who is standing as head sire for Imperial Egyptian Stud and already sired an Event Junior Champion Filly and a Reserve Senior Champion Mare.

In Europe the Imdal sons "cleaned the house". First they came from the US like Moroc (World Champion Stallion at Paris), Kaih and Imperial Pharaj (both successfully shown in Italy) but later a large number of Israeli bred sons and daughters (and even grand-sons) followed who won at the All Nations Cup, the European Championships, the World Championships, the Egyptian Event Europe and at many other important shows.

Click here to see Imperial Imdal's "Italian" sons!

King Solomon's stables
In 1994 Imdal was on his way to Ariela Arabians in Israel to serve as their herd sire for three years. Barbara Vallée stood Imdal at several different farms in the United States to make sure as many as possible breeders would have access to him. Imdal was in great demand and had sired more than 250 foals up to this point. "Now the time has come to let him go", Barbara Vallée said in 1994. "He will explore another continent and leaving his mark there." Of course she never would have sold him but she agreed to a long-term lease to Israel.

"Our quest for a superior stallion was over," said Chen Kedar, manager of Ariela Arabians. "Imdal was a stallion worthy of King Solomon's stables." The King's famous stables once stood at Megiddo and the scattered stones that remain serve as an important reminder that the land of Israel was once home to the finest collection of Arabian horses in the ancient world. "There was no Precedence for their Magnificence," it was said of the legendary horses of King Solomon's time. Everyone would agree that Imperial Imdal fit perfectly well into this place. His years in Israel passed by like the blink of an eye but he makes his presence felt until today. "He is called the Nazeer of Israel," relates breeder Tzviah Idan. A glance of the success of his get and grand-get in Israel reveals that this is surely no exaggeration.

Imperial Imdal's sons and daughters dominated the Israeli showring for years and won countless championships - and continue to win! Ariela-bred sons and daughters of Imdal that were leased or sold to different countries include Sinjabi (Junior Champion Colt at the Kauber Platte Show/Germany), Mosalli (twice Egyptian Event Europe Champion Stallion), Al Maraam (All Nations Cup Reserve Champion Colt; now back with Ariela Arabians), Laheeb (European Reserve Champion Colt; back with Ariela Arabians), Muhajjal in Great Britain, and Loubna (Champion Mare at the prestigious Elite Cup).

Laheeb (Imperial Imdal x AK Latifa) was the first straight Egyptian stallion ever used by the Polish State Studs. Emira, one of his first daughters born in Poland, won Junior Champion Filly and Supreme Champion at the Polish National Show in 2001. In 2002 his offspring continue their winning way: His son Zlocien became Polish Junior Champion Colt, another son, Poganin, went Reserve while his daughter Emira again went Junior Champion Filly. In 2003 the Laheeb daughter Siklawa was named Reserve Junior Champion Filly. I know what you think: "Just pretty faces!" Well, that's not exactly the truth. Pretty faces they have but also the heart, stamina and functional body to win at the racetrack. That's what the Laheeb children did. They raced at both Warsaw and Wroclaw where Pancerz, Emiliusz and Wieza Babel finished with first and second places. Two years before her racing career began Wieza Babel was also the Junior Champion Filly and High Scoring Horse at the 2001 Polish National Show.

Imdal's final years
After his stay in Israel where he left behind a lasting memory of his personal beauty and magnetism Imperial Imdal returned to the United States. He continued his wandering life and stood at several different farms. "I feel that our care of Arabian horses is not ownership, it's stewardship," said Barbara Vallée. "In a hundred or two hundred years, no one is going to remember me, but people may appreciate that this horse was permitted to make a worldwide contribution to the breed." His final destiny was Bob Faul's Chapel Farm, where he stood side by side with his son, Hadaya El Tareef. He was exhibited at the Egyptian Event again where he easily was the most popular stallion at the stallion showcase and won the hearts of many visitors who had not seen him before. Nobody knew that this would be his last public appearance. Though almost 20 years old, he didn't show the signs of age. He looked as trim and faithful as in years before but his face was more dry and beautiful than ever. A large crowd followed him. "I just wanted to touch him," said a woman who almost had tears in her eyes. "I never touched a legend before!" "I wish he would live forever," whispered another one. Sadly, this wish didn't come true. On December 5, 2003 Chapel Farm awoke to find Imperial Imdal had passed away in his sleep.

Oliver Wibihal