Our TheArabianMagazine.Com cover last May was the sensational filly Al Noor Miralena, bred and owned by Sherry Conrads of Al Noor Arabians in California, United States. While enjoying tremendous success at her first show, the next step for Al Noor Arabians was waiting in the wings – Al Noor Suleiman. This May, we look at this remarkable black colt and find out more about how Al Noor Arabians has evolved in the past twelve months.
“Honestly, Samantha, I couldn’t be happier!” laughs Sherry as I talk to her. “I am still very much living my dream, and I am so excited about all that has happened since we last spoke.”
That was last spring when we sat together at Om El Arab in the glorious Santa Ynez Valley in California. Sherry keeps her horses at Om El Arab, which is owned by Janina Merz, daughter of the late Sigi Siller, and whom Sherry counts as a close friend and trusted advisor. Sherry and I had just watched the Om El Arab open house presentation. All eyes had been on Al Noor Miralena, sired by Janina’s ground-breaking sire Om El Maximus (Magic Magnifique x Om El Bint Beneera by Om El Shahlimar) and out of Sherry’s homebred mare, Balajka V (Om El Bellissimo x Breathless V by Jullyen el Jamaal). Al Noor Miralena had just taken part in her first show, at the Arabian Breeders’ World Cup in Scottsdale. There, she was named Unanimous Gold Yearling Filly Champion in the Emirates Global Cup, as well as Arabian Breeders’ World Cup Silver Champion Yearling Filly, plus the award of Best Head in the Show. It was quite a first show!
However, just as eye-catching and audience-stealing that day at Om El Arab was Al Noor Miralena’s paternal half-brother, Al Noor Suleiman. Barely six weeks old at the time, he also caused something of a stir. Since then, all eyes have been on Al Noor Arabians, and Sherry’s incredible vision that is resulting in stunning Arabian horses that are both beautiful and functional.
“Al Noor Suleiman is out of one of Janina’s best mares, Om El Sultanah (WH Justice x Om El Sofia by Al Lahab),” says Sherry. “He is a beautiful black colt, and I just love him.
“Since that day, my husband and I have pretty much been at home, watching Al Noor Suleiman grow up, along with Al Noor Miralena’s little sister Al Noor Mahira, who was foaled on 29 April last year. I very much believe in taking my time with my horses, and I won’t rush them.”
As such, it would be the Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT) in Scottsdale in February where Al Noor Suleiman and Al Noor Mahira would make their show debut. “I was absolutely thrilled with both of their performances. Both Suleiman and Mahira qualified for the championships, placing fourth and second in their age classes respectively, and they did so well. Andy Sellman, who trains and shows my horses, did a great job, and I was very, very happy.”
Like their older sister, Al Noor Miralena, Al Noor Mahira and Al Noor Sulieman are now spending their days just being horses. “Al Noor Miralena is just at home at Om El Arab, where she’s growing up. She spends half her day out in the field with her sisters playing and eating grass, and half her day in her stall. It is so important for me that my horses do this. And I am spending a lot of time at Om El Arab at the moment…!”
Sherry laughs, sharing that this spring, there have been two homebred foals born at Om El Arab. “Oh, Samantha! I am so thrilled with them! The first is Al Noor Jamila, who is a filly by Maximus and out of Om El Justadorable (WH Justice x Om El Shahmaandura by Om El Shahmaan). Om El Jamila is beautiful, and everything I hoped for from this cross. She is already turning white, like her dam.
“Then, just five days ago, a full sibling to both Miralena and Mahira was born, an absolutely beautiful colt whom I have named Al Noor Mahib, which means majestic. He truly has taken my breath away! I am just thrilled to death with him. We still have one more foal to be born in June, who is by Om El Maximus and out of Siri V (Hariry al Shaqab x Santa Barbara Juell V by Jullyen el Jamaal). So far, I’ve had a wonderful foaling season.”
I suggest to Sherry that is sounds as though she has picked up this year where she left off last. “Maybe! I am so pleased with all of my Al Noor babies. Each of them is so special. I love the full siblings, but I also love Al Noor Suleiman. I never expected to breed and own my very own black Arabian stallion, but I have! He suits my taste and my ideal. I think he is a beautiful colt. He is masculine and handsome, and he is a very well-balanced horse. I think Al Noor Suleiman is an extremely good colt. I think he will make a wonderful breeding stallion.
“As for my new colt, Al Noor Mahib, I am thrilled with him. His head maybe even more refined and more elegant than his sisters! He’s just a beautiful bay colt and I couldn’t be happier with him. I think the best part about Mahib is his personality. He is so confident and so brave, and full of life and vigour. I just think he’s going to be a wonderful show horse.
“I can’t even begin to describe how delighted I am with Al Noor Arabians at this stage of my life! I have been breeding for around fifteen years, but it was only when Miralena was born, and I was really breeding the kind of horses that I felt I wanted to breed, and that’s when I named my programme – Al Noor Arabians. In all my days, I never dreamed that I would be producing the quality of foals that I am, and I know that might sound a little arrogant or audacious, but it’s true! I’ve been very careful and thoughtful with my breeding decisions over the past three generations, and now it’s paying off.”
I have to ask Sherry about that precious one, Al Noor Miralena. “She’s growing up! Miralena continues to develop into a beautiful Arabian, and I think she’s going to be an impressive mare. She’s quite big, but still also refined and elegant. I look forward to showing her again, but I’m going to let her grow up. Maybe I’ll show her again when she’s three or four as a junior mare. Meanwhile, I have repeated the breeding again of Balajka V to Om El Maximus – I mean, why wouldn’t I! I hope this cross will produce another beautiful foal for 2026.”
As for the rest of Sherry’s plans for this year, she tells me she wants to wait and see how Al Noor Sulieman and Al Noor Mahira develop over the summer. “I will then decide with Andy and Janina about whether we will show them GCAT Las Vegas. Regardless of whether they show, I will definitely be there, especially after watching the GCAT in Miami. I mean, it was just extraordinary.”
Before we finish talking, Sherry shares about something she has spent the past year doing, and that is studying with international judge Cindy Reich. “Cindy formed the Conformation Club and invited some of us to participate in a weekly class on Zoom where she’s been teaching conformation. I accepted even though I really thought I knew it all – I had read every book on the shelf, paid attention to my mentors, so I didn’t really think I needed the conformation class. Wow was I wrong! Cindy has been invaluable in teaching me not only about conformation but also about form and function. She talks about the biomechanics of the skeletal and muscular systems, and she really knows how to teach. Thanks to Cindy, I now look at horses with fresh eyes, more educated eyes, and I have gained confidence in my own ability to evaluate my horses and potential sires, mares.”
As Sherry continues to prove, time and time again, you never stop learning – and it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. The beautiful horses bearing the ‘Al Noor’ name more than show that.
