Top Egyptian Broodmares - Zajaddi Egyptian Arabians

J ewe l s i n t h e C r ow n
Top Egyptian Broodmares
by Arlene Magid-Williams
Blessed are the broodmares...
and some mares are more blessed than others with the gift of
producing exceptional offspring by multiple sires, passing on
their own best traits to their foals. Such mares are indeed worth a
king’s ransom.
Both of the mares we honor here were bred by Imperial
Egyptian Stud of Maryland. Imperial closed down its operation
in 2007, but its influence will echo through future generations
of Egyptian breeding worldwide. Mares like Imperial Mistilll
and Imperial Karmah are typical of the supreme quality bred at
Imperial for nearly forty years.
Imperial Mistilll and Imperial Karmah have unique
designations within the Egyptian community. As the dam of
nine class A champions or reserves, Imperial Mistilll now holds
the distinction of all-time leading Egyptian dam of champions,
surpassing RDM Maar Hala, who held that honor for many
years with eight champion offspring. Imperial Karmah is the only
mare to be an Egyptian Event Leading Dam for five years in a
row, and all of her offspring have won Egyptian Event titles. Of
Mistilll, Beverly Sziraky, the longtime manager of Imperial, says,
“Imperial Mistilll was possibly the most influential broodmare
in our program. Every one of her foals that were shown became
champions and their contribution to breeding programs in the
U.S. and abroad has been well documented.”
Imperial Mistilll was foaled on December 20, 1984,
sired by U.S. Top Ten Stallion *Jamilll, who was bred by Dr.
Hans Nagel of Germany, one of the most respected breeders
of Egyptian Arabians in the world. Mistill’s sire was an
international sire of champions, whose get include; World
Champion Mare and National Champion producer Tiffaha;
Brazilian National Champion Mare Kapriole; U.K. International
and Danish International Reserve Champion Stallion and
National Champion sire Ansata Nile Pasha; and Qatari National
Champion Mare Ansata Majesta, dam of multinational champion
All-time Leading Egyptian Dam of Champions
Imperial Mistilll (*Jamilll x Ansata Nile Mist),
left, with her son Imperial Saturn by *Ibn Safinaz.
and sire of national champions Ashhal Al Rayyan and
American Egyptian Event Reserve Supreme Champion Mare
Delta Venus. Imperial Mistilll was a maternal sister to halter
champion and champion producer Imperial Mistic and to
Imperial Mistry, dam of halter champion and National winner
sire Imperial Imperor and of East Coast Champion Mare and
National Champion producer Imperial Imtiarah. Imperial
Mistilll’s maternal brother, Imperial Madaar, was an Australian
National Champion Stallion. Her dam Ansata Nile Mist was a
halter champion and a National Champion producer. She was
by U.S. National Champion Stallion Ansata Ibn Sudan and
out of the champion producer Falima. Ansata Ibn Sudan was
similarly bred to U.S. National Champion Mare Fa Halima, as
both were by U.S. Top Ten Stallion *Ansata Ibn Halima out of
Babson Egyptian mares who traced in tail female to a mare of
the *Fadl/*Bint Bint Sabbah cross.
Beverly Sziraky recalls how Imperial Mistilll came to
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be: “I had attended a conference on
reproduction at Ansata many years ago.
At the time they had *Jamilll on lease
and I remember being very impressed
with him. Upon returning to Maryland I
spoke to Barbara about *Jamilll and she
decided to send Mistill’s dam to be bred
to him. The resultant foal, a tiny, scrawny
little filly, was not exactly what we had
been expecting. She did have attitude
though, and we decided to wait it out,
not breeding her until she was four.
The rest, as they say, is history.” Barbara
Griffith said of Mistilll: “Mistilll had all
the physical attributes we look for in a
mare — beauty and conformation —
plus the personality traits (a loving nature
and a keen interest in interaction with
people) that we considered essential. A
very refined mare, Mistilll had the typical
‘*Jamilll eyes’ and beautiful symmetry.
She always had symmetry. And beauty.
Some Arabian horses just always look
good. All their lives. No awkward stages.
No periods of seesaw growth. No times of
doubt in their owners’ minds about their
worth. Just always beautiful. Imperial
Mistilll was one of those horses. And she
never looked better than heavy in foal.
Most people were first attracted to her
exotic looks. But once they got to know
her, it was her personality that captivated
them.” Beverly Sziraky remembers
Mistilll in her old age with fondness:
“Mistilll was a feisty little mare and the
dominant individual in any group. She
and BB Ora Kalilah, Imperial Baarez’s
dam, were lifelong companions and spent
the autumn of their lives with free run of
the farm. Every once in a while, though,
they would come flying around the
corner, snorting, tails high and infirmities
forgotten, a living reminder of why we
breed these wonderful horses.”
Imperial Mistilll was never shown
and produced 13 registered foals before
her death on December 11, 2005.
Nine of these became champions and a
number of them are producing champion
1996 U.S. National Top Ten Futurity
Colt MB Mistaz (*Ibn Safinaz x
Imperial Mistilll).
Imperial Karmah (Imperial Al Kamar
x Imperial Janaabah) is the only mare
to be an Egyptian Event Leading Dam
for five years in a row.
offspring to add to the laurels of her
family. Imperial Mistilll contributed a
great deal to the quality of her offspring,
as she was bred to five different stallions
and produced at least one champion by
each of them.
Her first foal was Imperial Saahoura,
born in 1989 and sired by Imperial head
sire *Ibn Safinaz. She had an exceptional
show career, with wins including Region
15 Top Five Mare, Region 12 Champion
Sweepstakes Filly, and Egyptian Event
Reserve Supreme Champion Mare at
age two. She was an excellent producer
as well, with offspring including 1991
Egyptian Event Reserve Supreme
Champion Mare MB Pirouette; MB
Minuet (dam of Egyptian Event winners);
and Saahoura KA, dam of two Egyptian
Event winners including Glorious KA,
who is also a regional halter winner.
Imperial Saahoura was last owned by
Kehilan Bloodstock of Texas, in whose
ownership she passed away in 2003.
Imperial Mistilll’s next daughter was
Imperial Dakilah, a full sister to Imperial
Saahoura foaled in 1990. She was sold
to Montebello in Canada in 1993
and is now listed as owned by Nancy
MacConnell of Bourque, Quebec. She is
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one of the few Mistilll offspring who do
not have a show record.
Mistilll’s next foal was her first
son and first national winner, Imperial
Saturn, foaled in 1991, and sired by
*Ibn Safinaz. He was named a U.S.
Top Ten Futurity Colt and has also had
a successful career under saddle, with
wins including 2001 Region 9 Top Five
Sidesaddle and championships or reserves
in both hunter and western pleasure.
He is also a sire of champions and is the
grandsire of 2007 U.S. National Reserve
Champion Sport Horse Jackpot Filly
Lidy. He is now owned by Jane Simicek
of Texas, who says of him: “Looking back
on the last ten years since Imperial Saturn
came to our farm, I have been amazed at
his versatility and willing attitude in the
showring, showing in different disciplines
often at the same show. He has shown
successfully in halter, western pleasure,
and hunter in the same show, and he has
done it with a minimum of professional
training. I am seeing the same athletic
ability and personality traits in his get
and grandget that have made Saturn
successful in the showring. Imperial
Mistilll’s influence will continue to
impact the Arabian horse showring.”
Mistilll’s fourth foal was also by
*Ibn Safinaz and was very successful
in the showring. Imperial Safillla,
foaled in 1992, won multiple reserve
championships in halter, a regional Top
Ten in halter, and an Egyptian Event
futurity class. She has had six offspring
2008 Egyptian International Reserve
Champion Senior Stallion Imperial Baareg
(Imperial Baarez x Imperial Karmah).
to date, including 2006 Egyptian Event Leading Dam Imperial
Kamoeh (who died at age eight). Safillla can now be bred only
by embryo transfer. She was purchased from Imperial in the fall
of 2005 by Anne-Louise Toner of Al Atiq Arabians in Maryland,
who values her wonderful temperament as much as her beauty:
“Above all else, Safillla is a huge character. She has the most
enormous black eyes, is elegant and dignified and graceful and
looks the epitome of the beautiful Arabian mare. The reality,
for those who know her, is that she is a mischievous imp who
can undo any latch (and will let out only her best friend when
she has managed to escape herself ), turn on the water, undo the
other horses’ blankets, steals any unguarded cup of Starbucks
chai without mercy, and does all of it with an air of entitlement
and completely innocent grace. She is a kind and gentle mare,
and our ambassador when school groups come to visit, standing
patiently while little fingers attempt to do up a halter, or four
children are positioned one at each leg, brushing enthusiastically
and usually in the wrong direction. Each time I watch her
wandering next to a little tot (who could walk beneath her
belly) as they are learning to lead a horse, I remember that she
is also a show mare who competed — and won — with fire
and flamboyance and her huge, elevated trot, against top open
competition and at the Egyptian Event, and am grateful again
for the chance to know such a beautiful soul. She is the mare
I sit with on stormy days, to watch the rain and discuss things
over a good cup of tea, and the undisputed queen of our farm.”
Mistilll’s fifth foal was her second National winner, and is
also by *Ibn Safinaz. MB Mistaz was foaled in 1993 and his titles
include U.S. Top Ten Futurity Colt, two regional sweepstakes
titles, and Egyptian Event Reserve Junior Champion Colt. He
has been owned by Melissa Huprich, (Lotus Bloodstock) of
Georgia, since December 2006. She explains why she bought
him: “I was drawn to Mistaz for a variety of reasons. He’s a
charismatic stallion who combines excellent halter conformation
with extravagant motion. Some of the things that really stood
out are his long neck set high into a very laid-back shoulder,
and his exceptional hock action and drive from the rear. His
pedigree is very solid for generations back. I’m a stickler for the
dam’s pedigree and the grandam’s pedigrees and he combines
the famous Safinaz in Egypt with Ansata Nile Mist. His sire
is a long-lived reliable champion at halter and performance
who was able to pass on correct conformation and athletic
ability and temperament. Mistaz’s dam was an excellent cross
with a variety of stallions. Mistaz and his siblings are able
to win not only at the Egyptian Event, but also in class A,
Regional, National, and international competition. So for me,
Mistaz was a stallion for many reasons, combining halter and
performance potential, with a solid pedigree to back it up. His
elegance and charming personality are icing on the cake.”
Imperial Mistill’s sixth offspring, foaled in 1994, was her
first by Imperial Al Kamar, and Imperial Kamilll thus has four
lines to *Ansata Ibn Halima. He had a successful show career
in the U.S., winning his world championship halter class at
the Egyptian Event in 1999 and twice being named Region
15 Reserve Champion Stallion and once East Coast Reserve
Champion Stallion. He is also a blue-ribbon winner in English
pleasure. He sired 13 registered get in the U.S., 38 percent of
them class A show champions, and three of them Egyptian
Event halter winners. Imperial Kamilll was sold to Donald
Duke in England and arrived there for the 2002 show and
breeding season. He has had a good show career in Europe,
where he has won the 2002 U.K. International Stallion
Championship and a top ten in halter at the Salon du Cheval.
Imperial Mistilll’s daughter Imperial Misterin was born in
1995, and is her only foal by U.S. Top Ten Stallion AOTH Say
Amen, a son of national champion sire The Minstril. She is a
halter champion and has produced seven registered foals. She
is currently owned by Joel Kuhens of Arkansas.
Imperial Mistilll’s next daughter was her first foal by
Brazilian National Champion Stallion PVA Kariim, a son
of World Champion Stallion and U.S. National Reserve
Champion Stallion Imperial Imdal. Imperial Mistillla, foaled
in 1996, was not shown but is a regional winner producer as
her son Barachis Litening (by Al Baraki) is a Region 9 Top Five
Stallion AOTH. She is currently owned by the Al Shaqab Stud
of Qatar.
Imperial Mistilll’s ninth foal was a son, Imperial Mistaal,
also sired by PVA Kariim and foaled in 1997. He was a halter
reserve champion as a two-year-old colt, was subsequently
gelded as a four-year-old, and is now owned by Lorraine
Hancock of Virginia. Mistilll’s tenth foal, Imperial Safari, was
a colt born in 1999 and sired by *Ibn Safinaz. Beverly Sziraky
recalls that he was sold as a youngster as a Pony Club prospect,
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although the new owner did not transfer
his papers so official records show him as
still owned by Imperial.
In 2000, Imperial Mistilll foaled her
daughter Imperialbaarillla, her first foal
by World Reserve Champion Stallion
Imperial Baarez (a son of PVA Kariim).
Imperialbaarillla was a halter champion
in America as a five-year-old. In 2007, as
part of Imperial’s dispersal, a significant
part of the Imperial breeding herd was
entrusted to Tarek and Ahmed Soliman’s
El Farida Stud in Egypt. Imperialbaarillla
was among that group. In their ownership
she has had a successful international
show career, with wins including a second
in the class for seven- to nine-year-old
mares at the 2007 Egyptian Event Europe
and the mare championship at the 2007
Italian Egyptian Event.
Imperial Mistilll’s twelfth foal was
the Imperial Al Kamar son Imperial
Ibnkamar, foaled in 2001. As with
Imperial Safari, he was sold as a pony
hunter prospect and his registration has
not been transferred so official records
show him as still owned by Imperial. Bev
Sziraky explains: “Ibnkamar was sold as
a gelding and often people who bought
our geldings failed to register them as
they were used mainly for hunting, Pony
Club, dressage, and the like. This colt, we
felt, though very pretty, was too small to
qualify as a breeding stallion. The buyers
planned to show him in open pony classes
and small hunter. As most people know,
we culled rather ruthlessly and kept very
few colts entire, especially in the last 14
years while I was the manager.”
Imperial Mistilll’s final foal was the
bay Imperial Mistaar, born in 2002. He
is by Imperial Baarez and has had a good
record as a show horse and sire. He was
a class winner at the Egyptian Event and
has also been a halter champion, and in
2008 he was named an Egyptian Event
Leading Halter Sire. He is now owned
by Imperial Mistaar LLC of Dallas,
Pennsylvania.
2008 Egyptian Event leading
halter sire Imperial Mistaar
(Imperial Baarez x Imperial Mistilll).
Egyptian Event top ten winner
in halter, western pleasure,
hunter pleasure, and dressage
Imperial Baayan (Imperial Baarez
x Imperial Karmah).
Imperial Karmah, who was foaled in
1995, is the only mare to be an Egyptian
Event Leading Dam for five successive
years, 2002-2006. All of her six offspring
have Egyptian Event titles to their credit,
two of them are champions there, and
three of her offspring are also class A
show champions or regional winners as
well. Beverly Sziraky says: “Though a
beautiful mare in her own right, Karmah’s
main claim to fame was as a superior
broodmare, and certainly one of the
most important mares in the Imperial
program.”
Imperial Karmah is now owned by
Barry Dearle of Canada, who bought
her from Imperial in the fall of 2006.
Beverly Sziraky recalls Karmah fondly:
“Karmah was beloved by everyone who
cared for and knew her. Her gentle nature
and tractable disposition has been passed
on to all of her foals. My own gelding,
Imperial Baayan, was out of Karmah and
was trained in dressage. He was one of
the most willing and trainable horses I
have ever ridden.”
Karmah’s new owner Barry Dearle
realizes what a treasure graces his barn
and pasture: “I consider myself very
fortunate to be able to walk out to the
barn or mare pasture and see a mare of
Imperial Karmah’s beauty and stature
gracing my property. Karmah, to me, is a
once in a lifetime opportunity. Her record
as a producer of champions speaks for
itself. I am currently waiting (anxiously)
for her to deliver her next Imperial Baarez
foal within the next week, this foal will be
the seventh of this ‘championship’ cross
with Baarez. Unfortunately for me, the
Arabian breed, and others, this foal will
be the last of this cross due to the export
of Baarez to Egypt. Just as important to
me is Karmah’s sweet demeanor, how
she will call to me and gallop across the
pasture as I approach her.”
Imperial Karmah is by Imperial
Al Kamar, whose brief show career was
ended by a leg injury but whose wins
includes four regional sweepstakes
titles, one of them a championship, and
two reserve championships. He is an
international sire of champions with
winners including national champions in
Uruguay, Israel, Qatar, and the U.K. His
best known daughters are 1997 Israeli
National Champion Mare and 1995
Middle East Reserve Junior Champion
Filly Imperial Kalatifa (dam of three
National Champions including World
Champion Mare Loubna) and seventime National Champion Kamasayyah,
whose titles include Middle East Supreme
Champion Mare and twice Qatari
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National Champion Mare. Six Imperial
Al Kamar get have won in halter on the
regional level in America, and two are
regional performance winners. Imperial
Al Kamar has ranked as a Leading
Halter Sire at the American Egyptian
Event from 1994-2006 and again in
2008. Imperial Karmah’s dam, Imperial
Janaabah, also produced 1993 World
Junior Champion Colt and National
Champion sire Imperial Mashhar and
halter reserve champion Sahra Jakeel (a
three-quarter brother to Imperial Karmah
as he is by a son of Imperial Al Kamar).
She was a full sister to Region 18 Top
Five Mare Imperial Janeesah. Imperial
Janaabah’s dam, halter champion Imperial
Fanniya, produced five champions, and
her grandam *Deenaa produced four
champions. Thus Imperial Karmah comes
from an exceptional female family.
All of Imperial Karmah’s offspring
are by World Reserve Champion
Stallion Imperial Baarez. Beverly Sziraky
comments: “Every one of her foals became
a successful show horse with multiple
championships to their credit. (This is)
one of those golden crosses that happen
occasionally. Imperial Karmah already has
an enviable legacy and her next foal, by
Imperial Baarez, is due in July. Her new
owner is understandably excited about its
arrival and counting the days.”
Karmah’s first daughter, Imperial
Baarakah, was foaled in 1999 and
named an Egyptian Event Reserve
Senior Champion Mare (2003) and was
also a Region 15 Reserve Champion
Sweepstakes Filly and a Region 16 Top
Five Sweepstakes Filly. She is currently
owned by Brooke and Candi Weeks
of Texas. Her next offspring, the 2000
gelding Imperial Baayan, has three top
ten titles at the Event as well as ribbons
in western and hunter pleasure and two
blues in dressage there; he is also a class A
reserve champion in halter and has blues
in sport horse gelding in hand and first
level dressage. He was owned during his
Imperial Baazirah (Imperial Baarez
x Imperial Karmah), winner of five
top tens at the Egyptian Event, and a
Class A Reserve Junior Championship.
show career by Beverly Sziraky but is now
owned by Susan Cable of Maryland.
Karmah’s daughter Imperial
Baazirah, a 2001 model, has five top
tens at the Egyptian Event and a class
A reserve junior championship to her
credit. She is the dam of 2007 Egyptian
Event Junior Champion Filly ESA Laila
Nile (by Ansata Nile Nadir). She has
been owned since she was a yearling by
Eastern Star Arabians of Pennsylvania
(Joseph Chollak and Polly Schaefer).
Polly explains: “Imperial Baazirah was
purchased as a weanling off a video I saw
of her at the Egyptian Event. There was
something about her that made me fall
head over heels as she trotted around in
her pasture. Baazirah is a phenomenal
producing broodmare and an absolute
love to have at the farm. She is one of
those mares that everyone dreams of
having as part of their broodmare band.”
Eastern Star Arabians are also
fortunate to own Imperial Karismah,
born in 2005 and an Egyptian Event
top ten world championship class
winner whom they purchased as part
of the Imperial herd dispersal in 2007
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(they are also partners in the Imperial
Mistilll son Imperial Madaar, already
mentioned). Polly Schaefer comments:
“Imperial Karismah is a three-year-old
mare that we are breeding for the first
time this year. Before Imperial closed
their doors, Karismah was going to be
the replacement for her dam, Imperial
Karmah. On one of my many trips to
Imperial I saw this beautiful grey yearling
and asked Beverly if she was for sale.
Of course she said no, but as the time
approached for Imperial’s closing she was
offered to Eastern Star Arabians and we
jumped at the chance of owning another
Imperial Karmah daughter.”
Karmah’s son Imperial Baareg, foaled
in 2002, is the 2004 Egyptian Event
Reserve Junior Champion Colt and was
named 2007 Egyptian International
Reserve Senior Champion Stallion and
2008 Egyptian National Champion
Stallion in the ownership of Tarek and
Ahmed Soliman’s El Farida Stud in Egypt,
who acquired him as part of the Imperial
herd dispersal. Karmah’s 2006 daughter,
Imperial Kismetah, was named 2008 Top
Ten Two-Year-Old Futurity Filly and
2007 Yearling Futurity Champion and
Top Five Egyptian Breeders Challenge
Filly at the Egyptian Event. Like her
dam, she is owned by Barry Dearle of
Canada, who says of her: “As the icing on
the cake, Imperial Kismetah, Karmah’s
latest champion daughter, arrived here
at Alli~Barr Arabians this past week, and
one cannot appreciate her true beauty
until you see her snorting and blowing
as she shows off in her pasture. I owe a
debt of gratitude to Barbara Griffiths and
Beverly Sziraky for entrusting these two
wonderful horses into my care”
Mares like Imperial Mistilll and
Imperial Karmah are a tribute to
the skill of Barbara Griffiths and the
Imperial staff. Their contributions
ensure that Imperial Egyptian Stud will
be remembered worldwide, wherever
beautiful Arabian horses are treasured.