Continuing with our look back at the influential Crabbet sire General Grant. This article was written in 2012 and kindly shared by the author. It was first published in The Arabian Breeders’ Magazine in summer 2019. For part one, click here. Part three will be published next week.
A new era at Briery Close Stud
After the death of Gladys Yule, General Grant was purchased by Major and Mrs Hedley for their Briery Close Stud in Windermere. The Hedleys originally bred show ponies but it wasn’t long before they had one of the largest studs breeding purebred Arabians in the UK. The Hedleys valued the blood of Raktha, Oran (Riffal x Astrella) and Rissalix, and their choice of breeding stock reflected this. They also introduced blood from overseas and had a great many successes with these crosses.
The Hedley’s choice of General Grant was fortuitous, given that a great many stallions from the Crabbet and Hanstead Studs, were sold abroad at dispersal and reduction sales. Not only did he breed many great horses for the Hedleys, but he was also available at stud to the increasing number of new breeders. Amorella (General Grant x Domatella), foaled 1964, was the first of a superb family that helped her granddam, Umatella (Oran x Namilla), win the Princess Muna Saddle of Honour on three occasions. Amorella was out of Domatella (Blue Domino x Umatella) and demonstrated perfectly the wonderful Raktha/Oran/Rissalix cross. She was Junior Female Champion at the Arab Horse Show in 1967. Many of her descendants were crossed with the fashionable stallions of the time, often Spanish or Egyptian, or were exported and thus were lost to Crabbet. Amorella’s full sister, Chantarella, was even more successful in the show-ring. She was Reserve Champion Mare and Broodmare Champion at the AHS Show 1972. Her best foal was probably Mikaela (by Mikeno), a very typey filly. She was very successful in the show-ring, including Junior Female Champion, but she had only one Crabbet foal that did not breed on. Chantarella had four good foals by the Crabbet stallion Orion (Oran x Dancing Diamond), again reinforcing the success of the Raktha/Oran/Rissalix cross.
Cydella was the next full sister, and she was also very successful in the show-ring. She produced the stallion Mikonos (by Mikeno), who sired prize-winner Blue Sapphire (ex Blue Rhapsody). Cydella’s daughter Farrella (by Fari II) had a successful show career and her daughter, Refella (by Count Roland), did very well under saddle and was the dam of Sindherella.
Ziree El Wada (Naseel x Rose du Sable) was a very beautiful mare the Hedleys acquired from Mrs Nicholson. When crossed with General Grant, she produced consistently top quality horses. Zayda, foaled 1967, was exported to Holland, but she was followed by Zulka, a dark chestnut with a great expression. Zulka did very well in the show-ring, often while competing against other superb fillies from Briery Close. Zulka proved to be a very good broodmare and her granddaughter Zaharina (Ludomino x Zarah) bred some beautiful horses for Anne Brown. Fortunately, this line is secure through Zaharina’s two fillies – Bright Dawn (by Bright Cavalier) and Azarine (by Shaded Silver). Sadly, the endurance mare Zaha (by Hachim), was lost recently. Zenith, a full brother to Zulka and Zayda, was exported to Australia where he sired 71 foals. Zelda Bint Samurai (Golden Samurai x Zulka) has two crosses to General Grant, and she has two daughters by Golden Scimitar (Golden Samurai x Blue Satin).
Although General Grant had the reputation of producing very good daughters, he did in fact produce a number of good sons. Grenadier (ex Blue Rhapsody) was very successful under saddle and although he only sired six foals, amazingly, one line survives to him through Bint Zaehaebi (Autumn Royal x Richelle). She produced a lovely filly for Rowena Bertram, Annia Aurelia by Marcus Aurelius (Aurelian x Fiesta Magica).
OTHER BREEDERS
Mr and Mrs J Lewis
Khamisa (Champurrado x Rediaa) was a mare with interesting lines to Courthouse and she foaled Khamilla in 1966 by General Grant. In 1972, Khamilla produced the excellent stallion Myros by Song of India (Indian King x Indira). Myros was Champion Stallion at the AHS Show in 1980 and sired some beautiful horses including Mohica (ex Golden Gilt) and Mystic Gilt (ex Grecian Gilt). There are very few lines remaining from Myros now.
Well House breeding
The 1968 grey mare Pearl Maiden was bred by Margaret Greely who used the General Grant cross on Rissalix mares very successfully, producing Chief Kasalo, Rinessa and Teresita from Rikitea (Rissalix x Nurschida), Sikander Shah from Rikitea’s daughter Garance (by Grey Owl), and Pearl Maiden from Perle d’Or (Count Dorsaz x Garance). Pearl Maiden was bought by Mrs Linney and was successful in the show-ring at national level. But it was her amazing success in producing consecutive champion foals by Mikeno (Rissalix x Namilla) for which she is most remembered. First was Mikeno’s Pearl, a grey filly who went on to produce the impressive stallion Orontes (by Orion). Mikeno’s Treasure followed and she had Mikeela (by Manex) who did well under saddle. Another filly and a colt of this breeding then followed, both of good quality. Two further foals were bred from El Meluk (Mikeno x Mifaria), but sadly, there are no lines continuing in Crabbet form today.
Another Well House mare was Silver Perle (General Grant x Indira). She had Silver Chastindi, a stunning grey stallion by Indian Silver (Indian Magic x Dalika), who had a great career under saddle. His seven foals were all colts but luckily Silver Satyr (ex Shamasque), also a great performer under saddle, has had some female youngstock including HOYS Ridden Arabian of the Year Silver Lil (ex Lilacs Fantasy). Indian Nuhra (Al Amik x Indian Sylphide) a 2002 mare, brings in the valuable blood of Blue Sylphide (Azrak x Crystal Magic).
Angelica at Harwood
Harwood Stud had been in existence from the early days of Crabbet with its owner Miss Lyon. When she died, the Calverts inherited the horses and used mainly Crabbet horses in the early days. Sending Consuella (Magnet x Misery) to General Grant resulted in the very influential Angelica in 1966. She produced the very good stallion Taqah (by Indian Flame) in 1971. He in turn sired Kasadi (ex Anna Rose), who was the cornerstone of the stud for his long life, producing many good performance horses, and stamped his stock with the ‘Kasadi look’. Fairwinds Jedi (ex Silvered Rosebud) is a good example of the Kasadi sort, with many championships to his name, partnered by owner/rider Lorna Ewin. Taqah also sired Amboseli (ex Saera), who while not having the opportunities at stud that Kasadi had, nevertheless produced the very pretty El Sharluke (ex Sanadiha) who sired so many of the Marbon horses and many with that prefix carry his blood.
Marbon horses have really come to the fore in recent years as Crabbet supporters realise the importance of the bloodlines. Marbon Mastarpiece is a strikingly marked chestnut colt by Marbon Mastarifah (Grecian Idyll x Astarafah) out of Marbon Mead (El Sharluke x Shuhira). He was Reserve Overall Champion at the Welsh Crabbet Show 2010 for the Flowers and is now owned by Ann-Marie Pelc. This is one area of Crabbet breeding that seems to be safe for the moment.
Many of the Taqah and Kasadi descendants were exported, particularly to Australia. However Kasadi was to stay at Harwood for his whole life. He made a very significant contribution the success of the stud, and his stock were eagerly sought for riding horses. Despite siring 93 foals, it’s difficult to find Kasadi descendants of breeding age today that are at least 75% Crabbet.
Red Cavalier (Red Warrior x Charmane) has some youngstock in Scotland and is flying the flag for his grandsire Taqah.
Blue Rhapsody family & Silindra
The Hedleys had a lot of success in the show-ring with a series of full sisters by General Grant and out of Blue Rhapsody (Blue Domino x Roxelana). Rhapsody in Blue, Blue Satin, Blue Fashion, and Blue Iris were all champions. Blue Satin is notable for her son Golden Scimitar, a chestnut stallion with two crosses to General Grant close up and three crosses to Blue Domino. He was successful in the show-ring at a time when imported bloodlines were becoming all the rage. Golden Scimitar was owned by the Hawkhurst Stud for a time but much of his stock out of their amazing collection of mares went to France when they moved. Unfortunately, most of their horses were lost to breeding subsequently. Scyros (ex Silver Sirocco) has one daughter by Samian Gold (Golden Samurai x Indian Cascade) in France. Golden Scimitar returned to Briery Close and thankfully has some Crabbet-related offspring of breeding age. Blue Iris produced the good fillies Pallida and Siberica, both by Manto (Blue Domino x Mifaria). Siberica’s daughter Nikkita (by Mehzeer) produced two good stallions, including Nikkodemus (by Zaracz) and Eisor Zigzak (by Zibak).
Stellata (ex Silindra) was a double Raktha chestnut mare and another of the Hedley’s strong string of show horses. Her first foal Forna (by Fari II) was exported to Australia where she had eleven foals. Her full sister Lindora had a daughter Roselinda (by Amboseli), who bred good progeny for Diane Ellis’s Marbon Stud.
The Kydds
The Kydds had bred their own dynasty of horses based on Indian King crossed with Dancing Sunlight/Dancing Shadow, the ‘Dancing Twins’ by Dargee (Manasseh x Myola). Andante (ex Dancing Sunlight) was successful in the show-ring and, like her full sisters, nicked very well with General Grant. Her daughter Safina had Myah (by Militaire), dam of the beautiful in-hand and ridden mare Maiad (by Imad).
Full sister to Andante, Tarantella had Aria by General Grant in 1971. She was Reserve Junior Female Champion in 1973. Her son Militaire (by King Cotton Gold) was an excellent stallion who won the three-year old colts in the Nations’ Cup at Ascot in 1980. Militaire produced the outstanding ridden stallion Mareschal (ex Charming Shadows). Mareschal sired some beautiful horses for Mrs Connor, including Mareesah (ex Rasmara), dam of Aazari (by Arazi). Militaire was also the sire of Mitre (ex El Korrina), a very correct stallion exported to Saudi Arabia where he had twenty-one foals. Dancing Solitaire (ex Blue Spring) had Kosmos (by Aboud) and he has several Crabbet youngsters, of which Kariqa (ex Sariqa) and Raziqa (ex Zariqa), are Crabbet Class winners.
