DOHA: Al Shahania Stud, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, pulled off a stunning coup at the US National Championship Arabian Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma. On Friday evening, Sheikh Mohammed’s exotically beautiful bay mare Abha Qalams triumphed among a large group to earn the title of US National Champion Junior Mare.
Abha Qalams was masterfully shown for Al Shahania by Michael Byatt and bested some of the most highly titled show mares in the world today to earn her victory. Notably, this is Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s first venture into the US National show ring, making this achievement particularly impressive.
Abha Qalams is owned by Alfabia Damascus and out of the Marwan Al Shaqab daughter Abha Mudir. Fresh from triumph in the American show ring, Abha Qalams will soon travel to Paris to compete at the prestigious Salon du Cheval Arabian Show in December.
Al Shahania Stud has been noted for their many successes on the track and in endurance races around the world.
“It’s true that I look at Arabians first as athletes, but who doesn’t also love to gaze on something beautiful, for the sake of beauty itself? This is another of life’s great gifts. And I am not immune to the excitement of the Arabian halter ring. So my challenge will be to find a balance between the big, strong, physically capable horse that I admire, and the beauty that I appreciate. I would also hope that these horses will come to represent a distinctive Al Shahania type, and will earn the respect of fellow breeders and of course, the judges,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani said.
“To that end, I have sought the counsel and ideas from some of the world’s best breeders, visited many farms, and I am excited by the programme that is beginning to take shape, especially with this prestigious win of Abha Qalams. Of course I can’t help but be impressed and influenced by the global impact of the two great stallions of Al Shaqab Stud, owned by the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. So I began by looking for mares that will cross well with Gazal Al Shaqab and Marwan Al Shaqab,” Sheikh Mohammed added.
This is the first time Al Shahania Stud has competed in US Nationals and they lit up the board on their first time out. THE PENINSULA