1985 - 2006

Photo: www.ErwinEscher.com

By Susanne Schreibvogel
Al Zamet Stud

I guess every breeder knows the anxious seconds before a foal is born. Will it be a colt or a filly? Over-riding everything is the total relief when the foal is alive and healthy but as the newborn’s tail is lifted the reactions can be very different. Immediate happiness if it’s a filly and often when a colt the contemplation of his future as a breeding prospect.

Just over two decades ago such a scene plays out for Dr. Hans Nagel. His favourite mare Hanan, eighteen years old at that time, gives birth to her twelfth and last foal on the 28th of July 1985. It is a colt with a very special pedigree: His dam was the foudation mare of Dr. Nagel’s stud and the sire was Ansata Halim Shah who offered the opportunity to access three of Ansata Arabian studs foundation horses, namely Ansata Ibn Halima, Ansata Bint Mabrouka and Ansata Bint Bukra. High expectations!

Photo: Irina Filsinger Salaa El Dine as a yearling in 1986

Dr. Nagel names the newborn foal "Salaa El Dine". Time goes by and slowly the bay foal turns into a dapple grey youngster. As with all colts in Germany Salaa El Dine has to compete for stallion licensing and in 1987 he is the youngest and therefore the first to be put through his paces. He finishes this event not only licensed but classified "Premium". A promise for the future...

Photo: Kerstin Anders Salaa El Dine in 1987, in the summer before the stallion licensing

Immediately following the licensing he breeds his first mare to test the waters but the next year he breeds ten mares already. From that day on breeders recognize the potential in the youthful Salaa El Dine and as every year passes the number of outside mares increases.

It’s interesting with Egyptian horses that even the most superior foal can take time to blossom into its early promise Salaa El Dine grows into a relatively unimposing three to four year old but the mature Salaa El Dine transforms and stands apart from his peers to reveal elegant, exotic Arabian horse. At his peak he is a stallion that captivates breeders with his unmistakable presence and he appeares to be surrounded by a dignified type of aura that is observed to emanate from the most striking animals of any species.

Photo: Nicole Sachs Salaa El Dine at the age of 20

He is an extreme horse and no, he is not perfect but breeders understand there has not been a horse classified as such. Experienced breeders utilize desired extremes to move forward their program. Salaa El Dine possesses many of the essentials to do so. He has an extremely long croup. His tail set is ideal and always carried naturally high and straight. His head appears a masterpiece of structure with big dark, liquid eyes well set below small ears and above a short face. He possesses a particularly firm muzzle.The whole stallion gives the impression of tremendous grace and this combined with the desired fluid, free movement gives us an image that immediately transports the dreamers to a desert oasis where Salaa El Dine stands infront ot a black tent waiting for his master. Of course it’s a fact that Salaa El Dine never sets foot on desert sands but lives his whole life on the fertile soil of Northern Germany. For him his lifelong groom Johann is a true friend and companion and like the Bedouin and his stallion they have a special way to communicate, to interlink orient and occident in their own personal manner.

Photo: Carola Toischel The Salaa El Dine grandson NK Hafid Jamil (Ibn Nejdy x Helala) Click on the picture to get a XXL version for your desktop!

 

Salaa El Dine is adored and appreciated by a multitude of horse lovers around the globe and that alone speaks volumes for his dominance as an individual and sire. He consistently sired high quality offspring with exotic flair and his get are popular in many countries of the world. He is not a show champion. He hates to travel and don’t like to stand in unaccustomed stables. Anyway, his foals make him what he is, the sire of many national and international champions and the progenitor that supports the cornerstone of many breeding programs. Late in his life the German Arabian Horse Society awarded him the “elite” title.

Photos: www.ErwinEscher.com NK Hafid Jamil and his son NK Jamal El Dine (x Ansata KEN Ranya v. Salaa El Dine), both are standing at the Katharinenhof Stud

Salaa El Dine has the good fortune to never be sold or even change hands, he remains his whole life in the loving care of his breeder Dr. Hans Nagel at the Katharinenhof stud.

Photo: Carola Toischel They belonged together: Dr. Nagel with Salaa El Dine

In the midst of the breeding season on May 28, 2006 exactly twenty years and eleven months to the day Salaa El Dine was born, he sufferes a heart attack and passes away.

Salaa El Dine was a very special horse. He did an impressive job in the breeding shed and achieved a status others never will. He simply was a wonderful horse!

Photo: Gigi Grasso The Salaa El Dine daughter RN Farida (x Noha by Hadban Enzahi) is a vital part of the Al Rayyan breeding program in Qatar

More information about Salaa El Dine can be found in the following articles:
A Tribute to Germany's treasure: Maysoun & Salaa El Dine &
Impressions from the Open Day at Katharinenhof 2005 &
Farewell to Safir

Photo: Nicole Sachs

Photo: private

Hlayyil Ramadan
(Kamar El Zaman by Salaa El Dine x Haboub)
World Champion, European Champion, Middle East Champion
and Jordanian National Champion
He is bred and owned by HRH Princess Alia Al Hussein of Jordan

Photo: www.Erwin Escher.com NK Nadir (NK Hafid Jamil x NK Nadira by Adnan)

I have always believed in the second generation. Salaa El Dine sired several stallions and mares, wonderful and exceptional, outstanding and delicate. But all of them produced even better than their ancestors. It is pleasant to experience once what old breeders proclaim and advise.
All nature lives on in its offspring, and so will Salaa El Dine!

Dr. Hans-Joachim Nagel , Katharinenhof Stud/Germany

Photo: Glenn Jacobs Seneca (Salaa El Dine x Senaja), owned by Al Naif Stud in Qatar

Since the age of seven I have enjoyed the presence of Arabian horses in my life. Today, working for Al Naif Stud in Qatar brings me in constant contact with the beauty and refinement of the straight Egyptian Arabian. For those of us looking to preserve these much desired characteristics, Salaa El Dine has proven to be the premium choice. Not only was he well bred, he was a magnificent horse who ranks high on a rather short list of extraordinary
sires capable of consistently siring both high quality male and female offspring.

The cross of Salaa El Dine over Jamilll daughters particularly mesmerized me and it wasn't long before I found the flea-bitten mare Seneca (Salaa El Dine x Senaja by Madkour I x Sehnab by Jamilll). Seneca joined the Al Naif broodmare band and we now are eagerly anticipating her foal by Ansata Nile Echo. She will carry on the legacy of Salaa El Dine at Al Naif Stud.

My memory of Salaa El Dine will never diminish. Through his legacy, he conquered the past, present and future. I will always appreciate the extraordinary quality and beauty he has brought to the Arabian horse world.

Glenn Jacobs, Al Naif Stud/Qatar

Photo: Miriam Berger Sahib (Salaa El Dine x NK Soraya), owned by the Pabst family

When we try to characterize our relationship to Salaa El Dine it’s the same like trying to explain the music of Bach – for some of us it’s a revelation, others simply don’t like it. We put it like this: We often came to Dr. Nagel’s Katharinenhof but we never went home without visiting Salaa El Dine in the stallion barn. Perhaps he was the centre of attraction?

Today this stallions is dominating our breeding program. All horses carry at least one line to him. We believe that his son Sahib out of NK Soraya is his true heir. Of course we love him but even without a misty-eyed view we have high expecations. His first foal, the exotic black filly Mystique P (out of the Salaa El Dine daughter Mimrah; linebred to Ansata Halim Shah) is more than a promising start...
Salaa El Dine is like an essential flovouring in a dish. Without him you hardly get this special „extra something“...

Marcus Pabst, Straight Egyptian Arabians/Germany

Photo: Karen Sheridan Salaa Sihr (Salaa El Dine x Ansata Nile Magic) of Pearsons View

For Pearsons View Salaa El Dine and his progeny represent the beauty, spirit and history of the Egyptian Arabian horse. From magazine photographs and videos Salaa El Dine was admired and closely watched as he grew into a stallion of the fascinating antique type described by authors and portrayed in classic paintings.

The desire to incorporate Salaa El Dine into the Pearsons View breeding program became reality when fate stepped in with an opportunity to purchase the colt Salaa Sihr from the Jamilll daughter Ansata Nile Magic. He complimented the existing program with his good conformation, size, quality and type.

Salaa Sihr loves to show off his athletic ability with his tail flagged he exudes a love of life but then he is his father’s son. In recent times every day spent with Salaa Sihr is filled with bittersweet moments as he flicks his forelock back behind his ears in the exact same manner noticed in his sire.

My own personal admiration for Salaa El Dine grew stronger when in 2004 I finally witnessed first hand his obvious elegance and unmistakable playful spirit. For Pearsons View the inclusion of Salaa Sihr combined with his two prized daughters Soura Sihr and Mu’nisah Sihr are daily reminders that Salaa El Dine has helped pave our way with wonder and happiness. These horses and their descendants will continually remind us generation through generation of the irreplaceable and exceptional Salaa El Dine with both a tear and a smile.

Carmel Rowley, Pearsons View Arabians/Australia

Photos: www.ErwinEscher.com Fasinah (by Nahaman) and her son GR Faleeh (by Madallan-Madheen) of the Rothenberg Stud in Germany Click on Fasinah's picture for an XXL version for your desktop!

Through the black mare Fasinah (Nahaman by Salaa El Dine x Fatima by Nejdy by Salaa El Dine) and her black sons, the immortal Salaa El Dine is an intergral part of our breeding program. Our "shooting star" is Fasinah's young and fiery son GR Faleeh (by the late Madallan-Madheen), who is the successor of his sire who passed away much too young.

Annette Escher, Rothenberg Stud/Germany

Photo: Gigi Grasso Ashhal Al Rayyan (Safir by Salaa El Dine x Ansata Majesta) with Sheikh Abdulaziz

The exclusive video of Salaa El Dine and his offspring at the Katharinenhof!
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