Celebration of the Egyptian Arabian
Why breed Egyptian Arabian horses? The true Arabian horse of today, and the Egyptian in particular, represents the last fragile vestiges of Nature's premier achievement of evolutionary beauty. Forged in the crucible of Arabia Deserta, these vanishing creatures evolved in the harshest conceivable conditions. This natural process over the centuries honed and refined this creature, separating the wheat from the chaff, and brutally culling all but the most perfect. William Beebe, the celebrated American naturalist, wrote: "When the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more, another Heaven and another Earth must pass before such a one can be again. " Our responsibility as stewards of this breed is thus made explicit.
Tradition relates that when Allah permitted Abraham and Ishmael to lay the foundations of the sanctuary at Mecca, because of their faith in the One God, he gave them a special treasure. He told Ishmael to go to the summit of the mountain and call this treasure, inspiring Ishmael with the words he should speak. And there was not one horse from all of Arabia that did not answer the words of Ishmael. They ran toward him and put their manes beneath his hand and yielded themselves with docility to his will. Ishmael, who was half Egyptian by birth, married an Egyptian woman and the twelve sons born of this union founded the tribes of Ishmael. These horse-breeding warrior nomads inhabited the region of Havilah by Shur in Egypt - and their cultural ties to the Land of the Nile cannot possibly be denied.
It was not until about 1580 B.C. when the Egyptians drew out the hated Hyksos usurpers from their land that Egypt employed the horse for war - besting their oppressors through the use of better horses and lighter chariots. These warrior Pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty sought out and began breeding the finest, swiftest and most spirited horses. The Egyptian horses of the New Kingdom (ca. 1580- 1085 B.C.) now provided the means for mobility and military strength and Egypt ruled the East. It is noteworthy that the ancient Egyptians are the only civilized nation with an entirely sedentary culture to have ever maintained an all conquering military army dependent upon the horse for over four consecutive centuries.
Thutmose IV (1420-1411 B.C.) coursing in his chariot claimed his horses as "being swifter than the wind," while Ramses II (1292-1225 B.C.) recorded for posterity: "I have fought. I have repulsed millions of nations with mine own hand. Force-in-Thebes and Maut-is-Satisfied were my great horses: they were under my hand when I was alone in the midst of the trembling enemy. Henceforth their food shall be given them before me each day when I am in my palace." The horses of the New Kingdom were undoubtedly what we know today as "Arabian". They appear on temples of Luxor, Karnak, Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, and Abu Simbel, as small, elegant, fine-boned, very high spirited animals, with high tail carriage, proudly arched necks and frequently "dished" faces. Colors range from various shades of bay and chestnut to black and grey, and piebalds are also in evidence, though one needs to allow for some artistic license in the renderings. In describing their horses and chariots, the Egyptians called the animal "the Beautiful" and the vehicles "the Equipment".
During special celebrations the Egyptian horses were bedecked with fancy trappings. A decorative striped or checkered housing, trimmed with an ornate border and large pendant tassels, covered the whole body, and two or more ostrich plumes inserted in lions heads or some other device of gold, formed a crest upon the summit of the headstall. One can imagine the splendid sight as the Pharaoh went forth, his horses richly caparisoned, his gold-encrusted state chariot blazing under the rays of the Egyptian sun: "His Majesty ascended a great chariot of electrum, like Aten when he rises from his horizon and filling the land with his love... "
By the time of the famed King Solomon (ca 900 B.C.) the horse known as Arabian was in great abundance throughout the Middle East, yet the Egyptians had developed such superior strains of these horses that Solomon looked to Egypt, as did the kings of Syria and of the Hittites, as their source. Of Solomon's enrapturement with Egyptian horses, there can be no doubt, for as long as the Holy Bible exists. The immortal SONG OF SOLOMON will forever chronicle the refined beauty and desirability of Egypt's desert steeds:
"I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots" (1:9)
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, and pharaonic splendor was eventually dimmed by conquering foreign armies. By 525 B.C. the Egyptian Empire had crumbled and the golden era of Egypt's horse-loving pharaohs ended. Struggling against Ethiopians and Assyrians, Egypt settled down to a gradual decline.
However, another incursion of horse-loving "people of the East" eventually invaded the Nile Valley. Like a sandstorm, the Arabs swept out of the desert to spread the Word of the Prophet Mohammad - may peace be upon him! A warrior who realized the value of horses, the Prophet taught that "every man shall love his horse" and by 632 A.D. the eruption of Islam shook the whole civilized world - its word spread by Bedouin warriors mounted upon swift Arabian steeds. The land of the Nile was engulfed by this Arab tide, and a Moslem caliphate ruled the country for two centuries.
Next to arrive on Egyptian soil were that incredible breed of horsemen, the Mamlukes. This mounted warrior ruling class, many of whom were of Russian, Greek, Armenian or Turkish origin, served as the personal army of bodyguards to caliphs and sultans. They were epitomized by Ahmad lbn Tulun who conquered Egypt in 868 A.D. and whose mosque remains an Islamic architectural masterpiece and attraction in Cairo to this day. Palatial gardens and estates provided a magnificent setting for the great hippodrome he built to house his choice collection of Arab horses. Then came the mighty Saladin who founded the Ayyubid Dynasty (1193-1250 A.D.) He built the Citadel and fought valiantly against the Crusaders. Of Saladin's swift Saracen steeds, Sir Walter Scott penned in THE TALISMAN:
" They spurned the sand from behind them - they seemed to devour the desert before them - miles flew away with minutes, yet their strength seemed una- bated "
Other dynasties arose with such Mamluke sultans as the famed Baybars (1250-1277 A.D.) - whose regal mounts trod on Oriental silks and satins when he went forth on ceremonial occasions, and who reputedly gave away as many as one hundred and eight horses in one hour to those who became converts to Islam. He was followed by Sultan Nacer Mohamed Ibn Kalaoun who raised the art of Arabian horse breeding within the realm to new heights. His fabulous hippodrome, the Meydan el Naceri, is still spoken of with wonder. His passion for only the choicest Arabian steeds was known to all the Arabs and he pursued the acquisition of celebrated desert horses no matter the cost. The Burjite Sultan Barquq also loved horses, as evidenced by his keen interest in equine sport. When he died there were some 7,000 horses left in his stable, all said to be mares.
With the rise of Ottoman Empire, Egypt became a mere province within its sprawling grasp, although the sultans still maintained impressive stables throughout the domain. History repeats itself, and by the year 1800 the Ottoman Empire was in serious decline, and Egypt was to experience another renaissance under the clever guidance of the Albanian, Mohamed Ali Pasha. In 1805 the Sublime Porte of Constantinople conferred upon him the pashalik of Cairo. He and his son, Ibrahim Pasha, dominated the Middle Eastern scene for the next 40 years, and the crafty Mohamed Ali was soon named Viceroy of Egypt.
Mohamed Ali's opportunity to build the finest Arabian horse binding program Egypt had experienced in centuries appeared when the Sublime Porte asked him to suppress the Wahabi Sect in central Arabia for despoiling the Prophet's tomb. He thus dispatched his eldest son, Tousson Pasha, to punish the offenders. Fate was on Egypt's side when Saud, the Wahabi leader, died of a fever and Abdullah Al-Saud agreed to sign a peace treaty. As part of the terms for peace, Mohamed Ali requested and received many of the Al-Saud's priceless desert steeds. The treaty was subsequently broken by Abdullah and Ibrahim Pasha, Mohamed Ali's second son, defeated him in another battle. As a result of these campaigns, many choice horses - straight from the heart of Nejd - were sent back to the royal stables of Egypt. Eventually over 1100 spectacular animals were stabled at Shoubra, Mohamed Ali's luxurious country estate, providing European artists with the most ethereal equine subjects they had ever seen. James St. John, visiting the stud in 1832, elaborated on the high quality of the genuine Nejd horses typified by.
"... a small, dark chestnut horse, of the true blood, as his points would testify. He had a fine snake head, with an expanding and projecting nostril ... a remarkable small pointed ear. His forehead was wide, with an eye expressive of boldness, generosity and alacrity. His shoulder was thick through, and finely laid back: his ribs and loins were round and deep: his legs short and very powerful ... there is no doubt he would be elastic, speedy, and lasting".
Ibrahim Pasa was also a great collector of Arabian horses, as were other pashas of the realm, but none could match the eye of Abbas Pasha, grandson of Mohammed Ali, Noting the young man's passion for Arabian horses, the wily old Viceroy gave him charge over the breeding stations. Abbas had also been enthusiastically collecting his own horses, and through various connections with the house of Al-Saud and other powerful Bedouin tribes, he was able to obtain by any means, the finest horses Arabia and its environs had to offer. Some of this unique collection was housed in the magnificent white palace, Dar El Beyda, as well as in other palaces, Despite his aversion to showing foreigners his cherished collection, his horses became legendary worldwide.. Those few dignitaries lucky enough to see them proclaimed, "these horses rival those of King Solomon'.
Fanatic to assure the authenticity of his desert-bred horses, Abbas Pasha dispatched his envoys throughout Arabia and its environs.
"who divided among themselves the lands far and near until they obtained the knowledge sought after and they obtained the true history of every horse - indeed, until they unmasked it by looking and listening. After they had been gone for some time, they returned at last and brought with them that which would fill the eyes with light and make happy the heart".
The strains and families of all the horses he, Mohamed Ali and Ibrahim Pasha had acquired as spoils of war, or otherwise, were now positively authenticated. Subsequently, when Abbas became Viceroy, this collection of oral Bedouin histories was compiled into a book by his devoted Mameluke, Ali Al-Darwisb. This historical treasure, eventually found and translated by Gulsun Sherif and Judith Forbis, was published in 1993 as THE ABBAS PASHA MANUSCRIPT.
With Abbas Pasha's death in 1854 his entire estate was disbanded, his beloved Dar El Beyda palace was abandoned to the bats and owls and his heirs sent the irreplaceable stud to the hammer. Great prices were realized at the public auction and the Italian King Victor Emmanuel 11 purchased and shipped many of the horses to Italy where they flourished until he died in 1879. Lady Anne Blunt recorded that:
"the most valuable, remained in Cairo, the best mares and stallions having been bid for and bought on the advice of Hashe, Abbas chief Bedouin groom, and who best knew the ins and outs of the pedigrees, by Ali Pasha Cherif, then a young man of high family, the largest landowner after the Viceregal family in Egypt, and as great an enthusiast as Abbas himself...".
Ali Pasha Sherif kept alive the Abbas tradition, breeding the Abbas collection and also adding superb desert imports of his own. The stud continued for more than two decades and was unquestionably recognized as the most authentic one outside of Arabia. The Pasha instilled in his sons the love of horses, but when the stud was finally dispersed, the age-old lament at the demise of a great breeding farm was echoed by Lady Anne Blunt:
"Sunt lachrymae return" (there are tears for things) ... we cannot but he saddened at the final disappearance of what was in its day a noble thing...".
Lady Anne Blunt and her husband Wilfrid Blunt, also acquired a portion of the Ali Parha horses, retaining some at their Sheykh Obeyd Stud in Egypt while shipping others to their Newbuildings and Crabbet Stud in England The majority of the sale horses remained in Egypt among the royal and titled families. Such men as Prince Ahmed Kamal Pasha, Prince Youssef Kemal, Prince Kamal El Din Hussein, Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik and the Khedive Abbas -Hilmi II, loved Arabians and continued to preserve the legacy of their Turkish forefathers.
Realizing the need to preserve and continue breeding Arabian horses, the Egyptian government established the Horse Commission in 1892 with Prince ONar Tousson as its director. This led to the establishment of The Royal Agricultural Society in 1908 and the best descendants of those horses originally imported by Abbas Pasha and Ali Pasha Sherif were gathered there. The Inshass stud of Kings Fouad and Farouk, was also supported by gifts from the Royal Agricultural Society as well as from kings, princes, sheikhs and friends from other Middle Eastern countries. In 1 948 the master breeder and former director of Hungary's Babolna State Stud, General Tibor von Pettko Szandtner was retained to direct the Royal Agricultural Society's breeding program. The level of excellence achieved within a decade of his administration was testimony to Prince Omar Tousson's foresight in recruiting him.
With the takeover of Gamat Abdel Nasser and the deposition of royalty, all names "royal" became anathema to the new president and the Royal Agricultural Society was renamed The Egyptian Agricultural Organization. Its world famous El Zahraa Stud Farm is located near Heliopolis - the ancient City of the Sun - about 20 kilometers from busy downtown Cairo.
For a period of time during Nasser's rule, it was questionable whether the E. A. 0. might be disbanded. Furthermore, breeders around the world had somehow "lost touch' with the Egyptian horse. The E.A.O.'s exportation of four horses to Germany and eight to U.S.A. in the late 50's, and then a major importation to U.S.A. in the 60's, created a new awareness and excitement once again. But the unifying power behind the worldwide Egyptian horse movement began in 1969 with the creation of The Pyramid Society by a small group of American breeders desiring to preserve this nucleus of imported "straight Egyptian bloodlines" before it was conglomerated with other Arabian blood-lines in their country.
Little did the founders realize this spark would ignite a global flame leading to an international revival of breeding "straight Egyptian Arabian horses". Other Arabian breeders also sought to incorporate "straight Egyptians" in their programs as a source of outcross blood and classic type.
Today we leave the Egyptian -horse just as we found it represented on the tombs and paintings of Egyptian temples thousands of years ago: noble, elegant, spirited, and above all - a classic symbol of perfection poetry raised to the heights - one of God's most beautiful and spiritual ideas. Indeed our responsibility as stewards of this archetype remains explicit!
Author- Judith Freni Forbis
Tradition relates that when Allah permitted Abraham and Ishmael to lay the foundations of the sanctuary at Mecca, because of their faith in the One God, he gave them a special treasure. He told Ishmael to go to the summit of the mountain and call this treasure, inspiring Ishmael with the words he should speak. And there was not one horse from all of Arabia that did not answer the words of Ishmael. They ran toward him and put their manes beneath his hand and yielded themselves with docility to his will. Ishmael, who was half Egyptian by birth, married an Egyptian woman and the twelve sons born of this union founded the tribes of Ishmael. These horse-breeding warrior nomads inhabited the region of Havilah by Shur in Egypt - and their cultural ties to the Land of the Nile cannot possibly be denied.
It was not until about 1580 B.C. when the Egyptians drew out the hated Hyksos usurpers from their land that Egypt employed the horse for war - besting their oppressors through the use of better horses and lighter chariots. These warrior Pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty sought out and began breeding the finest, swiftest and most spirited horses. The Egyptian horses of the New Kingdom (ca. 1580- 1085 B.C.) now provided the means for mobility and military strength and Egypt ruled the East. It is noteworthy that the ancient Egyptians are the only civilized nation with an entirely sedentary culture to have ever maintained an all conquering military army dependent upon the horse for over four consecutive centuries.
Thutmose IV (1420-1411 B.C.) coursing in his chariot claimed his horses as "being swifter than the wind," while Ramses II (1292-1225 B.C.) recorded for posterity: "I have fought. I have repulsed millions of nations with mine own hand. Force-in-Thebes and Maut-is-Satisfied were my great horses: they were under my hand when I was alone in the midst of the trembling enemy. Henceforth their food shall be given them before me each day when I am in my palace." The horses of the New Kingdom were undoubtedly what we know today as "Arabian". They appear on temples of Luxor, Karnak, Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, and Abu Simbel, as small, elegant, fine-boned, very high spirited animals, with high tail carriage, proudly arched necks and frequently "dished" faces. Colors range from various shades of bay and chestnut to black and grey, and piebalds are also in evidence, though one needs to allow for some artistic license in the renderings. In describing their horses and chariots, the Egyptians called the animal "the Beautiful" and the vehicles "the Equipment".
During special celebrations the Egyptian horses were bedecked with fancy trappings. A decorative striped or checkered housing, trimmed with an ornate border and large pendant tassels, covered the whole body, and two or more ostrich plumes inserted in lions heads or some other device of gold, formed a crest upon the summit of the headstall. One can imagine the splendid sight as the Pharaoh went forth, his horses richly caparisoned, his gold-encrusted state chariot blazing under the rays of the Egyptian sun: "His Majesty ascended a great chariot of electrum, like Aten when he rises from his horizon and filling the land with his love... "
By the time of the famed King Solomon (ca 900 B.C.) the horse known as Arabian was in great abundance throughout the Middle East, yet the Egyptians had developed such superior strains of these horses that Solomon looked to Egypt, as did the kings of Syria and of the Hittites, as their source. Of Solomon's enrapturement with Egyptian horses, there can be no doubt, for as long as the Holy Bible exists. The immortal SONG OF SOLOMON will forever chronicle the refined beauty and desirability of Egypt's desert steeds:
"I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots" (1:9)
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, and pharaonic splendor was eventually dimmed by conquering foreign armies. By 525 B.C. the Egyptian Empire had crumbled and the golden era of Egypt's horse-loving pharaohs ended. Struggling against Ethiopians and Assyrians, Egypt settled down to a gradual decline.
However, another incursion of horse-loving "people of the East" eventually invaded the Nile Valley. Like a sandstorm, the Arabs swept out of the desert to spread the Word of the Prophet Mohammad - may peace be upon him! A warrior who realized the value of horses, the Prophet taught that "every man shall love his horse" and by 632 A.D. the eruption of Islam shook the whole civilized world - its word spread by Bedouin warriors mounted upon swift Arabian steeds. The land of the Nile was engulfed by this Arab tide, and a Moslem caliphate ruled the country for two centuries.
Next to arrive on Egyptian soil were that incredible breed of horsemen, the Mamlukes. This mounted warrior ruling class, many of whom were of Russian, Greek, Armenian or Turkish origin, served as the personal army of bodyguards to caliphs and sultans. They were epitomized by Ahmad lbn Tulun who conquered Egypt in 868 A.D. and whose mosque remains an Islamic architectural masterpiece and attraction in Cairo to this day. Palatial gardens and estates provided a magnificent setting for the great hippodrome he built to house his choice collection of Arab horses. Then came the mighty Saladin who founded the Ayyubid Dynasty (1193-1250 A.D.) He built the Citadel and fought valiantly against the Crusaders. Of Saladin's swift Saracen steeds, Sir Walter Scott penned in THE TALISMAN:
" They spurned the sand from behind them - they seemed to devour the desert before them - miles flew away with minutes, yet their strength seemed una- bated "
Other dynasties arose with such Mamluke sultans as the famed Baybars (1250-1277 A.D.) - whose regal mounts trod on Oriental silks and satins when he went forth on ceremonial occasions, and who reputedly gave away as many as one hundred and eight horses in one hour to those who became converts to Islam. He was followed by Sultan Nacer Mohamed Ibn Kalaoun who raised the art of Arabian horse breeding within the realm to new heights. His fabulous hippodrome, the Meydan el Naceri, is still spoken of with wonder. His passion for only the choicest Arabian steeds was known to all the Arabs and he pursued the acquisition of celebrated desert horses no matter the cost. The Burjite Sultan Barquq also loved horses, as evidenced by his keen interest in equine sport. When he died there were some 7,000 horses left in his stable, all said to be mares.
With the rise of Ottoman Empire, Egypt became a mere province within its sprawling grasp, although the sultans still maintained impressive stables throughout the domain. History repeats itself, and by the year 1800 the Ottoman Empire was in serious decline, and Egypt was to experience another renaissance under the clever guidance of the Albanian, Mohamed Ali Pasha. In 1805 the Sublime Porte of Constantinople conferred upon him the pashalik of Cairo. He and his son, Ibrahim Pasha, dominated the Middle Eastern scene for the next 40 years, and the crafty Mohamed Ali was soon named Viceroy of Egypt.
Mohamed Ali's opportunity to build the finest Arabian horse binding program Egypt had experienced in centuries appeared when the Sublime Porte asked him to suppress the Wahabi Sect in central Arabia for despoiling the Prophet's tomb. He thus dispatched his eldest son, Tousson Pasha, to punish the offenders. Fate was on Egypt's side when Saud, the Wahabi leader, died of a fever and Abdullah Al-Saud agreed to sign a peace treaty. As part of the terms for peace, Mohamed Ali requested and received many of the Al-Saud's priceless desert steeds. The treaty was subsequently broken by Abdullah and Ibrahim Pasha, Mohamed Ali's second son, defeated him in another battle. As a result of these campaigns, many choice horses - straight from the heart of Nejd - were sent back to the royal stables of Egypt. Eventually over 1100 spectacular animals were stabled at Shoubra, Mohamed Ali's luxurious country estate, providing European artists with the most ethereal equine subjects they had ever seen. James St. John, visiting the stud in 1832, elaborated on the high quality of the genuine Nejd horses typified by.
"... a small, dark chestnut horse, of the true blood, as his points would testify. He had a fine snake head, with an expanding and projecting nostril ... a remarkable small pointed ear. His forehead was wide, with an eye expressive of boldness, generosity and alacrity. His shoulder was thick through, and finely laid back: his ribs and loins were round and deep: his legs short and very powerful ... there is no doubt he would be elastic, speedy, and lasting".
Ibrahim Pasa was also a great collector of Arabian horses, as were other pashas of the realm, but none could match the eye of Abbas Pasha, grandson of Mohammed Ali, Noting the young man's passion for Arabian horses, the wily old Viceroy gave him charge over the breeding stations. Abbas had also been enthusiastically collecting his own horses, and through various connections with the house of Al-Saud and other powerful Bedouin tribes, he was able to obtain by any means, the finest horses Arabia and its environs had to offer. Some of this unique collection was housed in the magnificent white palace, Dar El Beyda, as well as in other palaces, Despite his aversion to showing foreigners his cherished collection, his horses became legendary worldwide.. Those few dignitaries lucky enough to see them proclaimed, "these horses rival those of King Solomon'.
Fanatic to assure the authenticity of his desert-bred horses, Abbas Pasha dispatched his envoys throughout Arabia and its environs.
"who divided among themselves the lands far and near until they obtained the knowledge sought after and they obtained the true history of every horse - indeed, until they unmasked it by looking and listening. After they had been gone for some time, they returned at last and brought with them that which would fill the eyes with light and make happy the heart".
The strains and families of all the horses he, Mohamed Ali and Ibrahim Pasha had acquired as spoils of war, or otherwise, were now positively authenticated. Subsequently, when Abbas became Viceroy, this collection of oral Bedouin histories was compiled into a book by his devoted Mameluke, Ali Al-Darwisb. This historical treasure, eventually found and translated by Gulsun Sherif and Judith Forbis, was published in 1993 as THE ABBAS PASHA MANUSCRIPT.
With Abbas Pasha's death in 1854 his entire estate was disbanded, his beloved Dar El Beyda palace was abandoned to the bats and owls and his heirs sent the irreplaceable stud to the hammer. Great prices were realized at the public auction and the Italian King Victor Emmanuel 11 purchased and shipped many of the horses to Italy where they flourished until he died in 1879. Lady Anne Blunt recorded that:
"the most valuable, remained in Cairo, the best mares and stallions having been bid for and bought on the advice of Hashe, Abbas chief Bedouin groom, and who best knew the ins and outs of the pedigrees, by Ali Pasha Cherif, then a young man of high family, the largest landowner after the Viceregal family in Egypt, and as great an enthusiast as Abbas himself...".
Ali Pasha Sherif kept alive the Abbas tradition, breeding the Abbas collection and also adding superb desert imports of his own. The stud continued for more than two decades and was unquestionably recognized as the most authentic one outside of Arabia. The Pasha instilled in his sons the love of horses, but when the stud was finally dispersed, the age-old lament at the demise of a great breeding farm was echoed by Lady Anne Blunt:
"Sunt lachrymae return" (there are tears for things) ... we cannot but he saddened at the final disappearance of what was in its day a noble thing...".
Lady Anne Blunt and her husband Wilfrid Blunt, also acquired a portion of the Ali Parha horses, retaining some at their Sheykh Obeyd Stud in Egypt while shipping others to their Newbuildings and Crabbet Stud in England The majority of the sale horses remained in Egypt among the royal and titled families. Such men as Prince Ahmed Kamal Pasha, Prince Youssef Kemal, Prince Kamal El Din Hussein, Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik and the Khedive Abbas -Hilmi II, loved Arabians and continued to preserve the legacy of their Turkish forefathers.
Realizing the need to preserve and continue breeding Arabian horses, the Egyptian government established the Horse Commission in 1892 with Prince ONar Tousson as its director. This led to the establishment of The Royal Agricultural Society in 1908 and the best descendants of those horses originally imported by Abbas Pasha and Ali Pasha Sherif were gathered there. The Inshass stud of Kings Fouad and Farouk, was also supported by gifts from the Royal Agricultural Society as well as from kings, princes, sheikhs and friends from other Middle Eastern countries. In 1 948 the master breeder and former director of Hungary's Babolna State Stud, General Tibor von Pettko Szandtner was retained to direct the Royal Agricultural Society's breeding program. The level of excellence achieved within a decade of his administration was testimony to Prince Omar Tousson's foresight in recruiting him.
With the takeover of Gamat Abdel Nasser and the deposition of royalty, all names "royal" became anathema to the new president and the Royal Agricultural Society was renamed The Egyptian Agricultural Organization. Its world famous El Zahraa Stud Farm is located near Heliopolis - the ancient City of the Sun - about 20 kilometers from busy downtown Cairo.
For a period of time during Nasser's rule, it was questionable whether the E. A. 0. might be disbanded. Furthermore, breeders around the world had somehow "lost touch' with the Egyptian horse. The E.A.O.'s exportation of four horses to Germany and eight to U.S.A. in the late 50's, and then a major importation to U.S.A. in the 60's, created a new awareness and excitement once again. But the unifying power behind the worldwide Egyptian horse movement began in 1969 with the creation of The Pyramid Society by a small group of American breeders desiring to preserve this nucleus of imported "straight Egyptian bloodlines" before it was conglomerated with other Arabian blood-lines in their country.
Little did the founders realize this spark would ignite a global flame leading to an international revival of breeding "straight Egyptian Arabian horses". Other Arabian breeders also sought to incorporate "straight Egyptians" in their programs as a source of outcross blood and classic type.
Today we leave the Egyptian -horse just as we found it represented on the tombs and paintings of Egyptian temples thousands of years ago: noble, elegant, spirited, and above all - a classic symbol of perfection poetry raised to the heights - one of God's most beautiful and spiritual ideas. Indeed our responsibility as stewards of this archetype remains explicit!
Author- Judith Freni Forbis