EDITORIAL: Purebred Arabian foals, born in the calendar year 2022, and registered in the calendar year 2022 are 910 as of December 27, 2022. Of that number 81 foals are under the Genetic Diversity, Thoroughbred DNA, Heritage Arabian Racing Club accepted pedigrees which leaves about 820 foals for the year 2022. Dividing this number by 52 weeks in a year leaves less than 20 Purebred Arabian foals registered a week, on the average. Even at $100 with $40 for the DNA test and $33 Royalty Payment to PAT (Purebred Arabian Trust) leaves AHA only $27 per foal registration for expenses.

Recent Facebook Post: “There was also an initiative to unify all Arabian Studbooks in North America under a single administration, and AHA became that unity in 2003 – Purebreds AHRA, CAHR, HAs in IAHA and CPAR and AAs in AAHR and CPHR-AA – these six critical registries are all effectively and efficiently administered by AHA. No one wants this to ever change..” .

What is not brought out by the person who has been with Arabians for some time, is after Purebreds AHRA and CAHR those registries ARE NOT PUREBRED ARABIANS. Some of those behind the creation of AHA in 2003 had no such noble interests regarding the Purebred Arabian breed. None at all! This observation from someone who has been with the Purebred Arabians as an owner continuously since 1965. Interests were from different aspects: one was to control the show scene selecting only the best for International and Olympic considerations, both for the present and for future breeding prospects, as well as the “creme de la creme” of owners with deep pockets and for the most talented riders.

Others saw the creation of 2003 AHA as the vehicle for their own interests, ie related to Arabian horse racing associated with commercially functioning business databases.

If the current trend continues, and there is no reason for there to be a cease and desist, there will be only a very few people left who truly love and want the Purebred Arabian breed to continue in the US. Despite their denials, AHA operates on what they want, the overall financial interests of the Arabian Horse Association, and the breed to promote, protect and preserve, is obviously not a part of their consideration. Not “IF” but “WHEN” the Purebred Arabian registration is moved into a generalized database, the Purebred Arabian breed will be lost to people in the US. This point will be reality very soon as the number of Purebred Arabian foals to be registered now costs MORE than the income derived from their registration, regardless of what AHA says or what is told at Convention time.

In the same vein as the Canadian Arabian people, there is no reason why there cannot be mutual consideration and cooperation within all aspects of saving this glorious, wonderful breed in this country.

Per AHA Datasource
One Breeder had 20 foals and another Breeder had 17 foals from a total of 739 Purebred foals as of December 10, 2022 (77 foals are of HARC DNA, thus not included in statistics compilations)
Another 25 Breeders produced 5 or more foals accounting for 160 foals
27 Breeders with 197 foals accounted for 26.7% of all 2022 foals

11 Breeders produced 4 foals each and 19 Breeders produced 3 foals each for a total of 101 foals
57 Breeders = 298 foals or 40.3% of all registered foals

California leads with 97 foals followed by Arizona with 84 foals, and almost a 3-way with Texas (59), Washington (56) and Florida (53) foals; these 5 states have 47.2% of all Purebred Arabian foals registered in 2022.

****405 separate entities are Breeders of Purebred Arabians****


December 5, 2022
foals of 2022 registered 438 mares, 331 stallions, 11 geldings = 780
foals of 2021 registered 864 mares, 671 stallions, 87 geldings = 1622

November 20, 2022
foals of 2022 registered 386 mares, 293 stallions, 10 geldings = 689
foals of 2021 registered 857 mares, 666 stallions, 84 geldings = 1607
foals of 2020 registered 978 mares, 698 stallions, 176 geldings = 1852
foals of 2019 registered 1174 mares, 713 stallions, 333 geldings = 2220

From the beginning of the little more than twenty years ago[1940’s] when there were less than 2,000 registered Purebred Arabians in this country, to the present day – then 1960 – there are more than 11,000, the breed has constantly improved to a point where this First Annual Championship competition is the springboard upon which the Arabian horse will vault to even greater eminence in the American horse world.

Western Horseman, November, 1949, Page 5, Letter from Elaine Johnson: “The Arab isn’t a specialist. He’s bred for utility. The Arab doesn’t want or need spurs. He’s proud and very eager to please his rider and not all easy to scare in spite of his known high spirits. His beauty can’t make the wire-like strength that makes his breed naturally supple to a rider’s movements”.

Arabians make excellent dressage horses, both in competition and exhibition. As expanded by the foreign riding masters who are the accepted authorities, the purposes of dressage (which is the French word for “training”) are to make the horse obedient to the “conventional aide” and responsive with both body and mind to the will of the rider. An exhibition horse is the result of advanced dressage plus haute ecole, with a dash of the spectacular for audience-appeal. After watching such a performance the novice should not despair of becoming as accomplished, for that rider and horse have become specialists. For the average horse and rider, all that is necessary is elementary dressage, which should produce a horse that is obedient, balanced, supple and safe. If a horse has the natural qualification to make him a good horse, he deserves the advantages to be derived from simple dressage whether he is destined for stock work or the bridle path. “Arabs and What they can do”, As a Parade Horse, As a Practical Ranch Horse, Under English Saddle, In Harness, As Junior’s Horse, As a Jumper and Hunter, In Native Costume, As a Dressage Horse and On the trail.
International Arabian Horse Association article, page 6 through 23.

MEMORIES

Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch, was a philanthropic pet of the late W. K. Kellogg, cereal magnate. The horses, buildings, spreading palm trees, and decorations, all lent a fantasy air, the likes of which appear to have come out of “Disneyland” except that spirited and finely bred Arabian horses were a reality. The ranch was firmly established as an integral part of the California State Polytechnic College, with contribution by the Kellogg Foundation as an educational institute.

Throughout the years, the infusion of this blood into the breeding programs of other Arabian nurseries justified Kellogg’s statement: “I want to contribute to the improvement of the light horse stock of America by making available to the breeders of this country the pure and fine Arabian blood.”

In 1933 it was granted to the University of California, and ten years later, was passed on to the U.S. Army Remount Service. With the abolishment of mounted cavalry as a military aim, the Department of Agriculture decreed that the project be abandoned and the Arabian horses liquidated. The Kellogg Foundation immediately voiced its wish that the ranch be returned to them. President Truman’s signature in 1948 provided this, and the ranch passed again to the Kellogg Foundation.

Stallions used in the breeding program were Alyf and Courier as well as younger stallions. The shows were presented twice each Sunday afternoon, October through May, with the exception of December. There was a parade of fine carriage horses, pulling light sulkies. Others were under saddle including those with a fast reining, quick sliding stock horse, three-gaited and high school acts. Cutting horses were included with the mood changing quickly with a charging entrance of one of the students, adorned in a desert chieftain’s regalia with lance, its horse decorated with fancy tapestry.
Anthony A. Amaral, “Corn Flake Legacy”, Horse Lover’s Magazine, April-May 1959, pages 32-33

KEMAH – Albert Harris

Wisconsin was home to the Kemah Arabians, the home of the late Albert W. Harris and his family. The early days of Kemah date back to the early 1900’s when Harris, a Chicago banker, founded the farms he loved so and named Kemah, an Indian word meaning “face in the wind”. During the early years, Harris raised Standardbred trotters, Thoroughbreds, Morgans and Indian ponies from the Ponca and Oto tribes of Oklahoma. But his greatest love was the Arabian, which he turned to in 1907. From 1907 to 1958 until his death at the age of ninety-one, Harris did much to make the breed popular, organizing the Arabian Horse Association (International) and set up the American Stud Book.

In the early 1920’s Harris and his son, Norman, were active in endurance rides with the elder Harris riding the mare, Ramla to first place one year, and Norman had the distinction of riding the firsts stallion, El Sabok, to ever finish the three-hundred mile event.

In those early years, Arabian were trained as dressage animals, endurance animals, and racers, as Harris proved the versatility of the breed. The current interest in Arabian horse racing would have pleased Harris. A stallion, Kemah Pasha, a son of Nuri Pasha, was trained in the east to race at the two-and-a-half mile tract, Arlington Park, Chicago, as well as at Laurel and other tracks in Maryland and possibly in New Jersey.

In 1958, Norman Harris hired Brad Braden and decided the fine Arabians would be shown again. Ibn Julep, who had won the Illinois Champion stallion award in 1959 was added for the granddaughters of Nuri Pasha, daughters of Katar and Sunshine. Many have never heard of this important stallion, Sunshine. He was born in January, 1932, his dam was a gift to Harris from King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. He lived to the age of 27.

Harris believed his greatest horse was Nuri Pasha, stallion he imported from England. He sired 53 Purebred Arabians and 24 half-Arabians in his life, with his last foal sired at the age of 29.
John Cobb, “Kemah Arabians”, Western Horseman, November 1960, pages 18, 72 and 73.

Hillcrest Arabian Stud, Wayland Schulz

In Purebred Arabian pedigrees today , 2020’s, often times way back in the pedigree is the word Hillcrest. Wayland had some very nice mares with a lot of early American breeding. He produced some very nice Arabians. However the divorce between Madge Schulz and Wayland Schulz, 1970, was sensational. Wayland had earlier disappeared, thought to have gone to South America but in January, 1970, his wife’s divorce trial stated he was a resident of Florida. The first count of the complaint alleged the plaintiff and defendant acquired certain real and personal property during the course of their marriage through their joint efforts and from the profits derived from the operation of the Hillcrest Arabian Stud in Sheboygan County Wisconsin. Madge Schulz alleged her husband took off with $100,000 and left her with all the bills, etc. The second count alleged her husband took off with the minor children to some “unknown place.” The third count were regarding an assault on her by the husband September 15, 1966. This from the book written “Schulz vs Schulz” which discusses the legal findings.

Ahhh now to find the background, those interesting facts and details from yesteryear, Al-Marah and Bazy, Van Vleet Ranch, Betts Circle 2 Ranch, Burr Betts, S Watts Smyth, Na Ibn Sotep, ie Frosty with John and Sara Hertz, Reserve Canadian National Champion Stallion shown by amateur John Hertz, Sotep, Garth Buchanan and Jimmy Dean, Joder Arabian Ranch and magazine Arabian News, Wyoming breeders Venus and Ruth Kilmer, John Rogers Serafix and Nafix, and Woody Madsen and Ga’Zi