A Man and His Horse...Islam

Written by John H. Payne
*Originally published in The Arabian Horse News, January 1969.

Did you ever want a horse so badly that every time you thought of him you would try to buy him? I wanted one that badly and it took me 15 years to get the job done - but I never gave up.

After 15 years of being said "No" to, my persistence was finally rewarded by a "Yes" from his owner, and for the past nine years Islam has been a constant companion to me and my family, and the king of our broodmare band. He has sired 22 wonderful foals for us - all out of daughters of Gulastra, *Nasr, *Raseyn, Farana, Katar, and *Witez II.

His foals all have that certain something that only Islam and his get possess - that something that makes Islam different from any other Arabian, and once you see him you know you will always remember him.

In my more than 35 years of owning and being interested in Arabian horses, I have never found another one that would compare with him.

Islam AHR #1709 (Gulastra x Nafud; extended pedigree above image), foaled in California on May 3, 1939, was bred by the late General J.M. Dickinson, owner and founder of the Travelers Rest Arabian Stud, Franklin, Tennessee.

Islam would be considered of Maynesboro breeding (The 'M' in CMK) and represents the *Astraled line since most all of his foundation blood was imported by Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt to England from Cairo, Egypt - bred by Ali Pasha Sherif from stock brought to Egypt for the Viceroy Abbas Pasha I.

As can be seen from the accompanying pedigree, all direct lines of Islam cross to the Zobeyni male line through his (Zobeyni's) great-grandson Mesaoud, with the exception of Rehal, who carries it through his dam.

The Ghazieh line, both in the direct female lines of Islam's sire, Gulastra, and dam, Nafud, carry the blood of the famous Bint Helwa as Gulastra's dam, Gulnare, and Nafud's dam, Hazna, were out of Ghazala and Hamasa respectively, both daughters of this celebrated mare.

It should also be noted that Bint Helwa and Mesaoud were both sired by Aziz, the Zobeyni grandson.

Nafud's dam, Hazna, has probably been one of the most influential as all of her male crosses are to Zobeyni, and her dam being out of Bint Helwa.

Throughout the blood of Islam is the inextricable tie of the principal branches of the Zobeyni male line and the Ghazieh female line, both representing the blood of the Seglawi Jedran strain, this foundation blood being from Egypt and bred by Ali Pasha Sherif and Abbas Pasha I.

Though Islam was shown extensively in his earlier years and was shown until he was 19, he was not owned by people who were particularly concerned with breeding horses. Mr. Lee U. Eyerly of Salem, Oregon, owned Islam for the first 10 or 12 years.

He had very few mares and therefore produced only a few foals. Miss Arliss Wilder (now Mrs. Knight Galvin) of Olympia, Washington, purchased Islam from Mr. Eyerly and she piled up a great show record with Islam, but bred very few foals.

We purchased Islam from Mrs. Galvin in 1960.

Binis 3050, a son of Islam and out of Binni (also by Gulastra) and owned by Denny Tirral of College Corner, Ohio, has made quite a record as a sire and show horse.

Islama 3878 (Islam x Nahshan), owned by Mr. and Mrs. C Ross Petersen of Wheatland, California, was a Pacific Coast Champion at the age of 10 years. I do not have her complete show record, but it was great. Other progeny have also done very well in the show ring.

Any of Islam's sons, daughters, grandsons, or granddaughters that we have bred, shown, and trained have all shown the same willingness and determination to outdo any other horse that Islam has always been known for.

Islam is 29 years old as this is being written. If God is willing, he will be 30 next May 3. I hope the Creator is willing for many more '3rds' to pass around for Islam.

I have owned, trained, and cowboyed from the backs of a lot of horses and, even though Islam was past the age of using too hard when I bought him, he became my friend. When he goes, if he should go before I do, there will be an awful lot of me that goes with him. I believe he feels the same way about me.

I am away a lot on business, and my 8-year-old son is in school, but Islam has two constant companions. They are Marilyn, my wife, and my 5-year-old daughter, Jennifer.

They ride, pet, groom, and pay particular attention to his diet. My little daughter practically lives with him.

It is hard to believe that old Islam went through would-be trainers one after another - about 13, I believe. It only proves to me what I have always contended about Gulastra horses - they have always separated the men from the boys.

I love their intestinal fortitude. They can do anything you are smart enough to put over to them, but you had better not try to force them to do any of it. They will get you.

Islam's prepotency is the strongest I have ever known -his grandchildren have his characteristics even down to his color and markings.

Islam has many admirers and visitors sometimes get tears in their eyes when seeing this grand old horse.

I feel our breeding program is on the right track and I am forever thankful for my 15 years of perseverance and eventual success in obtaining Islam - he is a joy to own and we feel he is making a real contribution to the Arabian breed.

From Angela @ Crabbet.com - there is the possibility that the Zobeyni sire line is actually Abbas Pasha’s senior stallion, Ghadir, sire line. Read about asil sire lines here. Noted 11/21/2024