Once in every generation, a stallion comes along who becomes something of a super sire. This is especially true of the incredible bay Om El Maximus, whose progeny are winning some of the biggest titles in the United States – and beyond.
As last month’s Scottsdale Gold Yearling Filly Champion was announced, Om El Maximus cemented his name as one of the world’s rising super sires. The filly in question was Brielle Anvil, out of SHIO Basilica (Kanz Albidayer x RHR Bellacontessa) and sired by Om El Maximus. For her breeders, Anvil Arabians in California, and owners, Remington Equine, this was a result to be celebrated. For Janina Merz, owner of Om El Arab and breeder of Om El Maximus, this was the latest confirmation that her six-year-old stallion is fast becoming the next ‘champion maker’.
Much has been written about Om El Arab within the pages of The Arabian Magazine/TheArabianMagazine.Com. This is a breeding farm that is loved and admired the world over, with the Om El Arab look infusing successful breeding programmes across the globe. For over fifty-five years, though each successive generation, Om El Arab changed the look of the show-ring through their superstar stallions, first though El Shaklan (Shaker El Masri x Estopa), Sanadik El Shaklan (El Shaklan x Mohena), and Om El Shahmaan (Sanadik El Shaklan x Om El Shaina) through to Om El Al Azeem (Al Lahab x Om El Beneera), Om El Bellissimo (Om El Shahmaan x Om El Benedict) and Om El Sinon (WH Justice x Om El Shadiva). The latest name in this incredible list is Om El Maximus who, from just four foal crops – the fourth being born this year – has sired an extraordinary number of major champions.
Foaled in 2020, Om El Maximus is out of Om El Bint Beneera, a 2012 daughter of Om El Shahlimar (Sanadik El Shaklan x Om El Shaina) and out of Om El Beneera, a daughter of Estopa with Sharem El Sheikh (El Shaklan x Samanna). Om El Bint Beneera was the penultimate daughter of Om El Beneera, Estopa’s last foal, born when her dam was twenty-seven. The Om El Beneera family is hugely significant, with her being the dam of Om El Al Azeem, Om El Benedict (by Sanadik El Shaklan), Om El Belinda Estopa (by Om El Shahmaan), full sisters Om El Benedict and Om El Benedine (by Sanadik El Shaklan), and Om El Bint Beneera. Despite Om El Bint Beneera passing away last year, the Om El Beneera’s family remains the largest at the farm.
The success of Om El Arab has been down to breeding their ‘golden cross’ – a Spanish damline with an Egyptian sire. “It was my mum, the late Sigi Siller, who invented the golden cross,” explains Janina. “To this day, we continue to outcross our mares to carefully considered Egyptian stallions, and this included Om El Maximus’ sire, the black stallion Magic Magnifique. He is sired by True Colours (Thee Desperado x Daheda) and out of Magic Mon Amour (Windsprees Mirage x Al Amyra), making him triple Thee Desperado (The Minstril x AK Amiri Asmarr) – a line that crosses well with our mares.
“When Om El Maximus was born, we were thrilled. He is everything I look for in an Arabian stallion – correct, typey, classic, modern, elegant, and showy, all rolled into one. He has that superstar quality, that extra something that some horses just ‘have’, and you cannot define or explain. Om El Maximus is truly my heart horse, and it makes me so happy to see him taking his place as the next sire of true significance for Om El Arab.”
Indeed, from Om El Maximus’ first foal crop came Al Noor Miralena (ex Balajka V by Om El Bellissimo), bred and owned by Sherry Conrads, named unanimous Emirates Cup Yearling Filly Champion in Scottsdale 2024, and she was the first of a list of winning progeny. Meanwhile, Om El Elyrus (ex Om El Euphoria by Sanadik El Shaklan) placed Silver Yearling Colt in Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT) Americas Scottsdale 2025, plus Bronze in GCAT Miami 2025.
Then there is Brielle Anvil, who was the highest scoring yearling filly at this year’s GCAT Scottsdale, and was deservedly garlanded as champion. At the same show, Versai RC (Om El Maximus x Aria Versaria) was named Reserve Champion Scottsdale Signature Stallion Auction Colt for owners Ashley and Michael Carpio and bred with Diane Reimer. These two stellar results made this a sensational show for Om El Maximus and Janina.
“To see so many different breeders doing well with their Om El Maximus babies makes me so incredibly happy!” smiles Janina. “I firmly believe that Om El Maximus represents the future of Om El Arab. When we bred him, we bred something very special indeed, and the success of his foals exemplifies that. I am excited for the future and all that it may hold.”
