50 Years through the News
By Heather G. Pearson (Ghaneem Arabians), Pembroke, ON
I looked through some of my past issues of the Canadian Arabian News, from my first issue in 1965 to the latest issues. I hope this article will show how times have changed and some interesting happenings over the years. - HP
Oct 1965 – The News was made on stock paper for front and back cover, had 2 staples in it and cost 25 cents a copy. It had 22 pages including the front and back covers. The horse on the cover was Rishad (Adounad x Sinrafieh), born on April 15, 1958 and he was a chestnut stallion from Saskatchewan. He was bred at Orchardcroft Stud in Vernon, B.C. and bought at 10 months of age. The News editor was Mrs. Dean Mayberry and the Publisher was Russ & Dean Mayberry of Hanna, Alberta. The subscription rate was $2.00 per year for 11 issues; U.S & Foreign was $2.50. It was published 11 months and the Nov-Dec issues were combined. The membership was $5.00 to join the Canadian Arabian Horse Association and money was sent to the Canadian national Livestock records in Ottawa, ON. A life membership was $75.00. In the Oct. issue, time was running out for the moratorium on American-registered horses not registered in Canada. Foals born in Canada had to have both parents registered in Canada to be eligible for Canada’s Registration Book. Advertising was from BC, AB, SK, ON, and QC.
March 1968 – The bay stallion Fadjawi (Fadjur x Nabiya [Abu Farwa]) was on the cover. He was foaled May 12, 1962 and was bought in 1963 from the Jack Tone Ranch, Stockton, CA by Gladys Dorsch of Weyburn, SK. Swamp Fever and new light on digestive process of the horse were some of the articles in this issue. Racing rules for the Canadian National Arabian Show held in Calgary July 31-Aug 3 were announced. The race was open to all horses 3 yrs and older for 5/8 of a mile with an entry fee of $30.00.
Rosshire Farms Ltd. of Arva, ON, had a champion Tailormade Boyean, a son of North American Champion of 1966 Petit Jean for stud service for $200 purebred and $75 others. They also had Narma, an older stallion for stud who was a grandson of *Mirage and a great-grandson of Nurreddin. Narma was foaled on March 15, 1944 and they said he was siring lovely foals and was very prepotent. His stud fee was $100 purebred and $50 other. Another stallion at stud was Dirjahid (Mujahid, US National Champion x Diranna – a Kellogg mare). Dirjahid was at Paxton Valley Ranch Ltd of Vernon, B.C. The annual meeting of CAHR would be at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, ON, April 19 1968. In 1969, Ni-Kalla, a bay gelding owned by Don & Eileen Miller of Olds, AB was Canada’s first Partbred Arabian winner of the Legion of Merit award.
Nov-Dec 1968 – A public release by Hansi & Brad Heck of Serenity Farms at Queensville, ON, said that 23 Straight Egyptian horses arrived at 6:30 pm in Toronto, ON, from Cairo, Egypt. Eight mares and stallions were for Hugh Marshall (son of Doug Marshall of Gleannlockh Farms) of Christmas Island ON; 5 mares were for Hansi and Brad Heck; 4 mares and stallions were for H.J.Huebner of Texas; 1 mare was for Judy & Don Forbis, Oklahoma; 3 mares & stallions were for James Dowd of Illinois and 1 stallion for J. Bushway of Lebanon, New York. This transaction was the largest single importation of Straight Egyptians Arabians in the history of the North American continent. The assistance of Dr. R. J. McGlenaghan, Director of Contagious Disease Division in Ottawa, the Canadian Government and Doug Marshall greatly helped with this undertaking. The horses stayed at Hansi & Brad’s new quarantine, breeding and training buildings. *Khofo was born in Cairo and was imported into the U.S. when he was 3 months old, along with his sire *Morafic and dam *Nabilaa in 1965. Hansi bought *Khofo early in 1967 from the Marshalls and brought him to Ontario.
On the stock-card paper cover of this issue was the bay champion stallion Darkith (El Dinari x Sakitha) bred by Vernon Nelson of Revere, Minnesota and born June 18, 1957. In 1965, Darkith came to live at Hidden Valley Arabians in Tompkins, SK. The price for 1 issue of the News in 1968 was 25 cents. The editor was Mrs. Dean Mayberry, and publishers were Russ & Dean Mayberry of Hanna, AB. It was $10 per cover picture, plus write-up and extended pedigree.
Nov 1978 – The News cost $1.50, and the editor was Edward H. Crooks. The News’ home was in Calgary, AB with the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry publishing it. The 21st Canadian Nationals were held in Vancouver, BC, from Sept 17-23, 1978. Canadian National halter Stallion was Jora Honey Ku+ (Joramir x Hatties Honey Ku). Canadian National halter mare was An Marieta by *An Malik. Spruce Meadows, AB hosted a supreme horsemanship seminar given by Gene & Ray LaCroix of Arizona. The largest audience the two brothers had in North America was here with 540 people attending. It was held on Oct 28 & 29. People came from BC, MN, SK, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington. Wunderbar Arabians, owned by Jack & Helen Friesen of Saskatoon, SK, had a clinic and open house in the summer. Gordon Shea, former trainer for Gainey Arabians of USA, gave a full day of demonstrations using the beautiful champions of Wunderbar, such as Gai Sparkler, and Princess Galama. Over 200 spectators came out for the day.
Feb 1979 – The Russian stallion *Plastun, (a son of the famous Egyptian stallion Aswan) was bred by Tersk Stud, USSR and came to Robinson Arabians in Taber, AB.
In 1980, Canadian Arabian & Half-Arabian Nationals were held in Toronto, ON, from June 30 to July 5, 1980. This was the first Canadian Nationals to include half-Arabians with 44 National classes being held. The entire show was held under one roof including stabling and exercise ring.
Nov-Dec 1988 – On the cover was the bay stallion RRR Samirage (*GG Samir x Firebird). He was owned by the Samirage syndicate and stood at the J Bar M Arabians in Okatoks, AB. He was bred by Wayne Newton of Nevada and bought as a 2-year-old by John & Maureen Murphy. The WAHO conference was held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, England. There were 49 nations represented. Canada had over 20,00 living Arabians and registered 1187 foals in 1987, 33 imports and 45 exports. The CAHR had freeze-marked about 300 Arabians and blood typing program would be completed by 1992. Jay Stream of the US, WAHO’s president, stated Canada is the only country that still does double registries and this is completely unnecessary under WAHO guidelines. Canada should get rid of it and only use our own Canadian Registry which is highly recognized by all other countries.
In 1991 the cost of an issue was $4.20, also transported semen was approved by the CAHR.
Jan-Feb 1998 – On the front cover was the bay stallion VP Spellbinder (Simeon Shai x VP Belladonna by El Hilal), standing at Todd Ehret Stables, Wetaskiwin, AB. On the back cover was the chestnut straight Egyptian stallion El Matrabb (Al Metrabbii++ x Ana Gayah), owned by Jeannette Jardine of Ambri Arabians, White City, SK. The issue cost $4.25. The News presented the top 50 producing sires in the CAHR stud book. The top 3 were: Dalul – 390; Zodiac Matador – 324; Gai-Adventure – 321. The registry also listed 27 sires of the most offspring registered in 1997. The top 3 were; Safeen – 19; Imperial Madheen – 18; TS Patents Sensation – 14.
Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec 1998 – On the front cover was the straight Egyptian bay stallion The Elizir, 1998 Canadian National Top Ten Stallion owned by Susan Watson of Watson Arabians, Houston, Texas and Victoria Snelgroves of Waterford, ON. He was standing in Canada at Source Arabians International Inc. at Waterford, ON. The News carried an article on *Baharr (Ego x Banda), a bay stallion born and bred in Poland and imported into Canada by Paul Guthrie of Edmonton, AB in the spring of 1972. He became a Canadian legend and had 201 progeny. The Guthries owned *Baharr until his death. The News also carried an article on the Hispano-Arab, the rare Arabian /Andalusian cross.
The 1998 Canadian Nationals were held in Regina, SK from Aug. 17 to 22, and called The Royal Red Show. The National stallion was Magnum Psyche from Rogers, Minnesota, and the National Mare was TF Queen Ahearts from Chandler, Minnesota. Starting in 1999, the News would have only 4 issues due to losing its postal subsidy. The 4 issues would be The Stallion and Breeding (Nov & Dec), Spring (Feb & March), the Nationals (June & July), Fall/Winter (Sept & Oct). The general meeting of CAHR was held in Regina, SK on Aug 19, 1998. Our Canadian Arabian Registry, following the lead of the AHA, withdrew membership from WAHO, along with Jordan and Brazil. The editor in 1998 was Peggy Arthurs and its address was in Edmonton, AB. The price of one News issue was $4.28. The magazine was of excellent quality.