Sharifa DH and the expanding SS Shula/Shaheen Al Saba family
Featured image above: Sharifa DH as a foal with her dam SS Shula. Below: Sharifa DH as a four year old.
One of the best things about breeding is watching the youngsters grow up. It is a pleasure to see the four year old mare Sharifa DH progress. Beautifully started under saddle by Russell Higgins (click HERE to watch a video), she is now back home at Classic Arabians. Like her sire Shaheen Al Saba, Sharifa is one very smart cookie, has a HUGE walk and loves to be ridden. She also has the arched tail carriage and easy going nature of her dam SS Shula.
Riders and showies should take a serious look at Sharifa DH’s younger brother, the yearling Santino DH – he is tall, strong and intelligent just like his sister – only he is chestnut! He is also ridiculously good-looking… no photo does him justice (photo below taken last Autumn).
Or, we have waiting in the wings, a three-quarter brother in blood, Marco DH (pending) who is by Shaheen and out of Shula’s Simeon Sapar daughter, Suha DH (the one that I always believed would make the grittiest Endurance horse, if not for breaking her leg). Marco seems to have a happy outlook on life and he can groove with the best of them.
Here is a short video of Marco DH (pending):
Last but not least is Shameless DH (deceased), the eldest of the direct Shaheen Al Saba/SS Shula progeny. Although he is no longer with us, you can see he shows what a great cross this is – three siblings, all of a good height (taller than their parents), with great movement, substance and type.
New foals & Shaheen an Open Endurance horse
Shaheen Al Saba has completed the Novice Endurance system with a 40km at Southbridge and then 84km at Mayfield earlier this season, and has qualified at his first Open 80km ride down at MacRaes Flat. Shaheen is in his happy place when going the distance.
His trainers/riders, Chris and Ursula, have bred the first Anglo Arab foal by Shaheen, a spectacular chestnut colt out of Arahi Silhouette called Contraband EPH (pending). He is tall, elegant and powerful. Destined to be a performance horse he is most definitely handsome enough to also be a show horse!
Our stud is thrilled to have finally bred another Shaheen Al Saba filly after a few years of colts. Thaqiba DH (pending) is out of the glorious old mare Fairview Shakla’s Shania and will probably be her last foal. “Brattley” as she is known, has heaps of attitude, is powerful and pretty and will be grey.
Our second foal is out of the precious SS Shula daughter Suha DH, “the broken legged mare”. Marco DH (pending) is elegant and can move like a dream. He will also go grey (a bit sad in this case as he really is the most beautiful rich bay).
On the sales front, Tornado DH has been sold as a gelding to a new home up Nelson way. We look forward to hearing all about his new adventures.
The year of the colt
SS Shula gave birth to a tall chestnut colt by Shaheen Al Saba on the 10th October, and the day before our client’s mare also had a colt – so that’s four Shaheen colts from four mares this season! Great news for the Endurance and Performance folk – there will be some good quality geldings coming through the ranks.
Shula’s foal, Santino DH (pending) will be available for sale at weaning.
Another boy!
Another new son of Shaheen Al Saba was born on the 27th September, out of the Ali Jamaal granddaughter, Esscort’s Kiss From A Rose (bred/owned by Deb Bamber, leased by Desert Heritage Arabians for this foal). He is tall and handsome with what appears to be a tremendous shoulder and good eye set at this stage. This lad will be for sale at weaning – he is named Rococo DH (pending).
80km down, and a new son
Shaheen Al Saba, ridden by Chris Enstrom, completed his first 80km Novice Endurance ride over the weekend. We have seen huge improvements in the vet ring and as always he is happy and enthusiastic out on track. All credit to Enstrom Performance Horses for his preparation and performance.
Earlier in the week a new son of Shaheen Al Saba was born for Riverchant Arabians. This fellow is out of Exspressa’ah RCA (Eastwinds Axiom (Simeon Sa’ar) x Nah’Tricia (Nahda)). He will be grey, has a great shoulder, strong level topline and already shows he has the same walk as his sire with that huge over-stride. If you are looking for a future performance horse, this boy has the goods.
Shaheen Al Saba starts his Endurance career
Under the care and training of Enstrom Performance Horses, Shaheen completed his first Novice 40km Endurance ride at Mt Somers, on the 28th of August. He is still a very green horse that has done little else other than breeding mares, and subsequently needs to learn to ignore other horses around him. However, he shows a lot of talent and power, according to Chris and Ursula. We are looking forward to his next ride.
Shaheen at the Arabian Extravaganza
The Heartland Arabian Horse Association organised a public presentation of purebred and partbred Arabian horses for the NZ Arab Horse Breeders Society AGM, on the 14th of May. Chris Enstrom & Ursula Keenan of Enstrom Performance Horses wanted to bring a horse along, but, as is often the way at this time of the year, were struggling to find one that was suitable. So, a bit over a week before the event they rang me and put forth a proposal to take Shaheen for me, and hopefully ride him on the day! Remember this horse has not been under saddle (apart from one bareback pony ride) since he was broken in two years ago by Gemma Sigglekow of Epona Downs.
Chris collected Shaheen on the Monday before the event. With four rides under his girth before the big day, this was the result – he was just incredible – so balanced and brave for a very green horse, and he clearly loves his job. Chris and Urs have clicked with Shaheen and I can’t see me getting him back! What a thrill it is to see my horse so happy, and he received a number of great comments from experienced show breeders and top endurance riders alike, regarding his beauty and his performance.
NZ National Titles success
We had the most amazing time at the 2016 NZ National Arabian Championships under UK judge Joanne Lowe. Our team and results included:
Fairvew Shakla’s Shania +Au (SK Shakla Khan x Pasquinell Shakira). Owned by Desert Heritage Arabians, handled by Clayton Bazeley. TOP 5 PUREBRED MARE
Colt foal Tornado DH (pending) (Shaheen Al Saba +Au x Fairvew Shakla’s Shania +Au). Bred and owned by Desert Heritage Arabians, handled by Clayton Bazeley. NATIONAL CHAMPION JUNIOR PUREBRED COLT
Redwood Lodge Estonia +Au (Om El Abadan x Windella Silver Fire), owned by the Talitha/Desert Heritage Arabians partnership, handled by Clayton Bazeley & Carmen Tuite. NATIONAL RESERVE CHAMPION PUREBRED MARE
Essence of Arwen (CRA Sihr Shahrif +USA x SS Shula), bred and owned by the Talitha/Desert Heritage Arabians partnership, handled by Christian Rebsdorf. NATIONAL CHAMPION JUNIOR PUREBRED FILLY
Yanah Bint Shaheen (Shaheen Al Saba +Au x Euralea Fire N Desire), bred and owned by the Euralea/Desert Heritage Arabians partnership, handled by Clayton Bazeley. NATIONAL RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR PUREBRED FILLY
A huge thank you to Carmen and Clayton for helping to prepare and later present the horses, (Carmen was also “camp mother”). To Cat & Deb for holding horses and moral support; and to Fiona, Amanda and Phillipa for transporting horses among other things. Last but not least to Nick for being thoroughly supportive even though he had his own competition to go to!
A new son of Shaheen Al Saba
Our beautiful 19 year old Fairview Shakla’s Shania gave birth to a pretty colt early in the morning of 21st October. He will be grey like his sire Shaheen Al Saba and is very closely related to Fiera DH (exported) and Mahikipawa Nala, being out of an SK Shakla Khan x Amir El Shaklan mare and tracing in female line to the Crabbet mare Somra.
Last chance for mare owners to use Shaheen Al Saba
Big plans are afoot for Shaheen Al Saba, and this will be the last opportunity for Kiwi mare owners to use his services. Shaheen is a young sire and has been used sparingly so far. His progeny are extremely marketable.
His only gelding son available for sale, Destino DH, was sold to a loving owner sight unseen because she fell in love with him via honest photos on the internet. Shaheen’s eldest daughters were not for sale at all, but the first, Sharifa DH took the eye of well known, established breeders Sandy Stanway & Tony Aitken, and she now calls Classic Arabian Stud home. The second, Fiera DH, made a favourable impression on visitors from China and is currently in transit on her way to that country (after having a short and successful show career here in New Zealand; three outings for Champion Arabian Northern A&P show (against adults), North island Reserve Champion Junior Filly or Colt, and NZ National Reserve Champion Junior Filly). Two more daughters were born this season just past, one of which, Yanah Bint Shaheen (pending) has been shown to 2015 South Island Reserve Champion filly as a foal at her dam’s side. The other, Mahakipawa Nala, is a full sister to Fiera DH. With the export of Fiera DH, there are only three daughters of Shaheen in the country at this time.
Shaheen was started under saddle by Gemma Sigglekow of Epona Downs and she reported that he was an enjoyable horse to work with and ride. He is highly intelligent and appears to pass on this trainability to his progeny.
Shaheen has been tested for the genetic conditions SCID, LFS and CA, and is Clear (non-carrier) of all three, making it safe for Carrier or Untested mares to be bred to him without fear of an Affected foal.
This season Shaheen is available at stud by natural service during Sept/Oct 2015 for $1500 ($300 of which is a non-refundable handling/booking fee) plus grazing and will be standing with Enstrom Performance Horses near Leeston, Canterbury. Conditions apply, MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE, please get in touch with us for more information.
Shaheen is the only stallion currently available in New Zealand from the famed Ansata Halim Shah/Prince Fa Moniet cross (think of how well this blood has mixed with other lines, as in Shanghai EA, Shael Dream Desert and Escape Ibn Navaronne-D). He is truly representative of his pedigree. Apart from his obviously exotic head that appeals to most modern Arabian breeders and requires no clipping or grease to bring out his sculptured bone structure, he also has many “old fashioned” attributes that are becoming harder to find these days; including small shapely ears, luminous eyes, excellent forearm to cannon ratio, clean dry bone, a curved “palm frond” neck, and overall balance and harmony. Make the most of this horse while you can.
Desert Heritage Arabian Stud 
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