Om El Arab, located in the stunning Santa Ynez Valley in California, USA, has been home to some of the biggest names in modern Arabian horse breeding. For over five decades, each generation has produced an Arabian horse that has changed the shape of the show-ring, and the same thing is happening again now. Around the world, the name on everyone’s lips is Om El Maximus, the farm’s superstar stallion and the sire of the next generation of champions.
Om El Arab is a place steeped in history. Founded by the late Sigi Siller, and owned by her daughter, Janina Merz, Om El Arab is a place where dreams come true. From Estopa (Tabal x Uyaima) and El Shaklan (Shaker El Masri x Estopa) through to Sanadik El Shaklan (El Shaklan x Mohena) and Om El Shahmaan (Sanadik El Shaklan x Om El Shaina), to Om El Sinon (WH Justice x Om El Shadiva) as well as Om El Belasina (Om El Sinon x Om El Beladeena), an ethereal mare named by many as the best Arabian horse that Om El Arab has ever bred, plus the million-dollar beauty Om El Erodite (EKS Alihandro x Om El Excella), this is a breeding programme that hits the spot time and time again.
The latest superstar stallion is the striking bay, Om El Maximus. Foaled in 2020, and bred with the future in mind, Om El Maximus has already earned his place in the history books as a sire of note despite his young age. From his 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 the list of winners has grown. Indeed, just last weekend, Om El Elyrus (ex Om El Euphoria by Sanadik El Shaklan), putting him in the Top Five overall ranking of all the males competing in North America and he will be competing at the GCAT Americas finals in Las Vegas next month.
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, and she was blessed with her dam’s name. Om El Beneera herself was Estopa’s last foal, born when her dam was 27 and a true miracle. She was a superlative broodmare for the farm producing, among others, Om El Al Azeem (by Al Lahab by Laheeb), 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. Om El Beneera’s family remains the largest at Om El Arab, with not only daughters but two sons and two grandsons representing this remarkable mare.
Foaled in 2012, Om El Bint Beneera was an enchanting cross of the Sanadik El Shaklan line with that of Sharem El Sheikh, and she was the dam of Om El Maximus. Tragically, Om El Bint Beneera passed away in January, leaving very few offspring. This makes Om El Maximus and his daughters even more precious to Janina and all at the farm.
“Over the years, our main breeding philosophy has been based on our ‘golden cross’ – that is, our Spanish damline with an Egyptian sire, and we still like to outcross our mares to carefully considered Egyptian stallions. One stallion we very successfully did this with was Al Lahab (ex The Vision HG), and with Om El Bijou being so complete, we decided to breed Om El Bint Beneera to a predominantly Egyptian stallion for her second foal.
“We chose the then European-based black stallion Magic Magnifique, who is by True Colours (Thee Desperado x Daheda) and we already knew that the Thee Desperado line crossed well with our mares. Magic Magnifique’s dam is Magic Mon Amour, by the Thee Desperado son Windsprees Mirage (ex GL Lady Mirage by Great Lad) and out of the mare Al Amyra. Al Amyra in turn is by another Thee Desperado son, BJ Thee Mustafa (ex Khalili el Bahar by Raisuli el Pharo) and out of the straight Russian mare, Krushinka. Krushinka is by Kubinec (Balaton x Kosmetika), a stallion my mum and I used to enjoy watching him show in Aachen, and is out of Menascha (Menes x Nascha).
“When Om El Maximus was born, from the first time we used Magic Magnifique, we were thrilled. This young stallion is truly everything I look for in an Arabian. He is correct, typey, classic, modern, elegant, and showy, all rolled into one. He also has that superstar quality, that extra something that some horses just ‘have’, and you cannot define or explain.
“Not only that, but Om El Maximus quickly became my heart horse. Om El Shahmaan, who passed away in 2016, was also my heart horse. We were deeply connected, and I was devastated when we lost him. Now, when I walk into the stallion barn and see Maximus, my heart literally flutters. I haven’t felt this way about a stallion since Shahmaan. I’m so in love with him, and I feel so lucky to have had two such amazing stallions as my heart horses in my life.”
Indeed, part of the magic of El Maximus is that he has four crosses to the immortal Estopa, the mare Sigi purchased from Spain back in the 1970s. While the Estopa influence has infused its way around the world, it remains strongest at the source – at Om El Arab, the Spanish style farm nestled in the undulating hills of Santa Ynez. “Not only does Om El Maximus have four crosses to Estopa, but he is also her maternal great-grandson, making him a close relative to this legendary mare,” smiles Janina.
“Every foal that is born at the farm is special – every breeding that we do is always carefully considered, and we always hope that each foal will be a combination of the very best of sire and dam,” says Janina. “However, sometimes when that foal is born, it truly surpasses our expectations. Om El Maximus was one of them. When he was born, I said that I was ‘looking at him with the future in mind’ – and from the moment his first foals hit the ground, I knew I was right.
“In Om El Maximus, we have bred something very special. It is still on my mind that it has been a long time since we sent an Om El Arab horse to Europe, and who knows, maybe Om El Maximus will be that horse.”
Certainly, Om El Maximus has had a high success rate with his progeny. Al Noor Miralena is just one of three full siblings, and she includes an Arabian Breeders’ World Cup Silver Yearling Filly Championship among her titles, Full sister Al Noor Mahira is a GCAT Top Ten Yearling Filly, while Al Noor Suleiman (ex Om El Sultanah by WH Justice), also bred and owned by Sherry, is a GCAT Top Ten Yearling Colt. “The Om El Maximus cross has been so successful for me,” explains Sherry. “Al Noor Samira (ex Siri V by Hariry al Shaqab) was born this year, a stunning filly, and after Miralena, Mahira and Suleiman, I am just beyond thrilled with the impact of Om El Maximus on my breeding programme.
“If we were thrilled with his first foal crop, each year, they keep getting better!” smiles Janina. “Among Om El Maximus’ 2024 progeny are my own Om El Elyrus and LJM Serendipity (ex HJ Dream Angel by AJ Dinar), bred and owned by Lee Melchi, who is a GCAT Top 10 Champion Yearling Filly. There is Sherry’s very special filly, Al Noor Mahira, and also Om El Memphis (ex Om El Besera by WH Justice) a grey yearling colt who is owned by Philip Johns in the UK and who has taken champion titles this year and will show at GCAT London this weekend. And 2025 looks to be even more special in terms of Om El Maximus’ potency as a sire. This year, Om El Maximus has sired some truly special foals for clients. It will be exciting to watch them go out and show next year, and I believe there are some superstars among them.”
At Om El Arab itself, Om El Maximus has sired Om El Anastasia (ex Om El Aneesah by WH Justice), the beautiful Om El Jianna out of Om El Jesenia (EKS Alihandro x Om El Justadorable), Om El Belasana out of unanimous US National Champion Mare Om El Belasina, plus one very special filly in the form of Om El Bint Beladeena. “Om El Bint Beladeena is out of our precious Om El Beladeena (Al Lahab x Om El Benedict), who tragically died just after Bint Beladeena was born. This filly is truly special, and she deserves to carry the name of her legendary dam within her own.”
Looking at these foals, and the success that breeders are having with them, it is clear that Om El Maximus is a true sire for the future. Like so many superlative Om El Arab-bred sires before, Om El Maxims is firmly making his mark, and setting the standard high. Janina concludes: “For me, Om El Maximus represents the future of Om El Arab. It is my hope that he will carry the Estopa influence even further around the world.”
