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So what is so special about Crabbet horses?
They descend entirely from those imported from the Near East
and Egypt by Lady Anne and Wilfrid Scawen Blunt in the 1870s and
1880s and bred on by their daughter, Lady Wentworth. The wealthy
and adventurous couple were already accomplished horse breeders,
with Thoroughbreds and ponies on their estate at Crabbet Park
in the English county of Sussex. They greatly admired the strength
and stamina of Arabian horses and were keen to breed them in Britain.
But acquiring mares was notoriously difficult. The Bedouin would
part with their colts and stallions, but not their precious mares.
However, as fluent speakers of Arabic and time to visit the nomadic
horse-breeding tribes, the Blunts were able to study the leading
horse families and select those they considered the finest. Many
had seen battle, or partaken in ghazu (raids) or proved their
worth under saddle over the long distances of the semi-desert
scrubland. Lady Anne, who rode side-saddle for their journeys
over three years, was particularly concerned with purity.
Additionally, in 1889, the Blunts acquired, among other fine
horses from Ali Pasha Sherif's Stud in Egypt, the two-year old
colt Mesaoud who had the greatest influence on their breeding
programme. Many pure Crabbet horses carry 25% Mesaoud blood, 130
years later!
The Blunts' daughter Lady Wentworth continued their stud with
such international success that there is scarcely an Arabian breeding
programme anywhere in the world that does not carry lines to Crabbet
Park. She also expanded the genes slightly with the introduction
of the famed Arabian stallion Skowronek, bred in in Poland in
1908, and of extreme beauty.
These original Arabians imported to Britain before 1920 were
listed in the 'Oriental' section of the General Stud Book (GSB),
which registered Thoroughbred race horses.
It is the descendants of these horse from
These early lines are preserved in Australia through the progeny
of horses shipped over from Crabbet Park by Mrs Dora McLean to
her Fenwick Stud in Victoria. The first, Rafina (Rustem x Risala)
, arrived with colt Raseeel (by Nureddibn 11) at foot in 1925
- exactly a century ago! Their journey by ship had been quite
dramatic as a freak wave had destroyed their travelling box and
the sailors had to relocate them in their sleeping quarters for
the remainder of the journey!
Fortunately, Mrs McLean's grand-daughter Vicki Johnson still
runs the stud. The doyenne of the stud, Fenwick Brilliant Star,
now 28, appears in two of the lines the Boomerang Gang have acquired.
Fenwick Brilliant Diamond, the dam of their Wollemi Park Amerah
Al'Sara, is the daughter of Fenwick Brilliance, as is Fenwick
Just Brilliant, the stallion who has covered their Kendra Park
Zaraelia.
The mature bay Pevensey Zaraya (by Magic Prophecy) unexpectedly
became available with the reduction of Danjera Stud.
Zaraya will replace her dam, Pevensey Zariffia, the wonderful
mare whom Anne imported to Gadebrook in 2013, but who later tragically
died foaling her fine colt, Hadiya. With two sons and a grandson
at Danjera already, Zaraya had no problems conceiving to Danjera
Saroyan who is by Palma Benay's impressive sire, Pevensey Safari.
"I am so grateful that Zariffia's outstanding line can
flourish again," confirms Anne.
The plan's logistics have been time-consuming and costly. Sourcing
the best mares, getting them covered in Australia's autumn to
foal in the British spring, agisting them for months with cooperative
breeders, arranging vetting, transport, quarantine, flights, inoculations,
documents, insurance and a dozen other details, has been demanding.
That two of the mares - Zaraelia and Amerah - were maiden just
added to the complications!
Zaraelia, the first choice of mare, was inspired by another of
Australia's influential Crabbet studs, Ron Ryan's Arfaja Arabians.
Zaraelia, bred by Ken Johnson and his son Sean, is by Arfaja Starfire
(now in Tasmania with Ros Gladman) and out of Kendra Park Zefia
by Arfaja Nassif. The gentle grey five-year old has been covered
by athletic Fenwick Just Brilliant. The stallion's generous owner,
Darryl King of Shanadarr Stud near Singleton, is delighted that
"Buddy" was chosen for the Boomerang Gang's initial
covering.
"We focus on competing in endurance and on breeding pure
and high percentage Crabbet horses with good bone, conformation
and temperament," explains Darryl, "so we hope
Buddy's blood will make a valued contribution to England's Crabbet
gene pool."
Wollemi Park Amerah Al'Sara (by Australian WAHO-trophy winner
Arfaja Alexi x Fenwick Brilliant Diamond), was another great find.
She has been covered by the powerful and prolific endurance producer,
Inshallah Maximus. Anne greatly admires the Inshallah Stud horses,
having visited the O'Deas twice and selected the Crabbet bay Inshallah
Signature for her Gadebrook Stud back in 2012. The 28-year old
mare still pounds around the Gadebrook paddocks every day in the
very best of health.
The Boomerang trio are very grateful for the support from stallion
owners who donated the covering for the cause.
A fourth import, the beautiful winning show mare Arfaja Bisharah
(Mill Park Blaidd x Pevensey Baybe, full sister to Safari), is
solely owned by John. She should prove to the British just how
beautiful and elegant a Crabbet horse can be.
Arabian elder statesman Br Peter McIntosh is most impressed by
the choice of mares and stallions.
Your Boomerang plan is commendable, and pleased you have some
assistance. Pleased you have acquired Zariffia's daughter, Zaraya.
The mares you have selected should fulfil your desires. Some great
bloodlines included with the stallions selected as well. Your
Palma Benay -she has been a treasure.
The mares moved into 30-day quarantine in Melbourne in July and
flew to Heathrow in August. Bisharah went directly to Imperial
Stud. The other three live at Gadebrook Stud. The foals will be
jointly bred, with ownership alternating between the partners.
The British breeders concede they couldn't have done it without
the generous support of the Australian Crabbet community. They
are especially grateful to stallion owners Darryl and Steph King
at Shanadarr, Gail Rooney at Danjera and Nikki Sample (joint winner
of this year's 100-mile Quilty Cup) at Stirling Performance Arabians.
Leon Bennett of acclaimed Pevensey Stud has offered invaluable
advice. Although when he moved to New Zealand a few years ago,
he claimed he'd given up breeding, some beautiful foals in his
new paddocks and expanding waist-lines on the mares would disprove
this….
"Let's hope the results justify their faith in us,"
says Anne who started the original Boomerang Plan back in
2007.
Teresa Edwards, the efficient Registrar at the AHSA, helped hugely,
transferring ownerships, and issuing the mares' new passports,
covering certificates and export papers.
Selwyn Wallace, the director at IRT (International Racehorse
Transport), patiently catered for the changes in ownership, pick-up
venues and flight dates. The company also handled the legal side
of travelling the horses to Britain, and ensured correct payment
of import taxes and VAT (a colossal 20% on the cost of both the
horse and the flight). At least, as pure Arabian breeding stock,
the mares avoided UK Duty, small consolation against the other
hefty expenses.
The Plaister Charity, based on a core of Crabbet horses bred
lovingly by Geoffrey Plaister at his Imperial Stud, has supported
the project.
"The latest Boomerang plan, led by Anne Brown, represents
a significant investment in the future of the Crabbet Arabian
in the UK," confirms Mark Tindall, the Charity's Chair
of Trustees.
"Its importance cannot be over-estimated.
"At Crabbet Heritage and the Plaister Charity, we focus on
breeding and encouraging others to breed pure Crabbet performance
Arabians as there are so few left. We have a number of quality
stallions but very few 100% mares.
"This importation brings in four of the best mares available
from Australia, carrying classic bloodlines. These mares and their
progeny should provide a valuable outcross, but within the 100%
Crabbet gene pool.
"This will benefit breeders and riders who care about preserving
the original Crabbet lines with all their important attributes
for endurance, versatility and easy-going temperaments. The time,
effort and money that Anne, John and Deborah have invested in
this spectacular project for our Crabbet Arabian horses is to
be applauded," concludes Mark.
Deborah Duncan is very enthusiastic about the scheme.
"I wanted to do something constructive to widen the gene
pool of our wonderful Crabbet Arabians here in the UK," she
explains.
"This joint venture seemed the perfect opportunity to achieve
that through the bloodlines that Australia still preserves."
John is equally committed. With his own half-Australian Crabbet
stallion, Binley Silvern Mujiza (Binley Ronaldo by Arfaja Robard
x Arfaja Silver Mist) ,John can provide his pride and joy with
a ready-made harem! 'Skippy' as he is known, is a former in-hand
Crabbet National Champion and winner of last year's Novice Ridden
Championship at the AHS National Arab Show - at just four. He
was bred in Australia by one of Britain's leading Crabbet breeders,
Caroline Sussex-Archer, the current Chairman of the AHS Council
and owner of Binley Stud. Once 'Ronnie' had matured, Caroline
used him to cover Binley Silvern Grace by AHS Premium stallion
Prince Sadik). Silvern Grace is full sister to Binley Prince Salim,
bought by Anne for Gadebrook when he was just six days old in
2005.
"He was irresistible," recalls Anne. "So
many breeders wanted to buy him at Binley's Open Day the following
month, I'm glad I took the opportunity to secure him first."
Once at stud, Prince Salim covered PHA Silver Heart who produced
Silver Sunbeam, now with OSO Arabians - the Boomerang Plan is
a two-way operation - and Pevensey Zariffia. Her colt Hadiya was
one of the finest pure Crabbets of his generation and set for
a great future - until he tragically broke his leg in his trainer's
paddock in 2020. Fortunately, he left three cracking foals that
year: fillies Bright Moonlight (from Australian import Inshallah
Signature) and Kamellia (from UK WAHO-trophy winner Kamillah)
and colt Hazar from Crabbet mare Azarina, the fourth generation
of Gadebrook breeding.
More than a decade ago, Palma Benay by Pevensey Safari, Pevensey
Zariffia by Ghazari and Inshallah Signature by Crenel crossed
the globe and settled into Gadebrook Stud. All have bred on very
successfully. Indeed, a great grandson of Palma will stand at
stud in Cornwall, and her third generation is flourishing in Spain
and Sweden.
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