Sired by El Tahy (Desert Bred x Maneghi Hedruj - disputed strain, see notes in bio)
Out of Senona (Desert Bred x Seglawi Obeyran - disputed strain, see notes in bio)
AHR #2
1889 Grey Arabian, Deceased July 2, 1911 (age 22)
Historical Stallion
Bred by Abd El Kereem Pasha (also spelled Abd al-Karim), ruler of the Bani Khaled (Saudi Arabia).
Imported to the US at age 4 for the Ottoman Empire Hamidie Hippodrome Society exhibit in the 1893 Chicago World Fair's "Wild East" performance. Purchased by Dr. H.A. Souther, the Agent Buyer for Peter Butler Bradley, Hingham Stock Farm, Hingham, Massachusetts, for $325 at the 1894 Tattersalls dispersal sale of the Hamidie Society horses. Later owned by Homer Davenport of Davenport’s Desert Arabian Stud, Morris Plains, New Jersey (1904) then Mrs. Eleanor Gates Tully of El Rancho de las Rosas, Sierra Madre, California (1908).
100% Hamidie ancestral element - CMK, Early American, Al Khamsa
Markings
*Obeyran is described as an 'iron-grey' color, then nearly pure white until older. He is noted as having 'flea bitten' grey markings in his older age, particularly around his left forearm (I read it somewhere and cannot find it again, I'll cite it when I find it next).
He also had a small scar over his left eye.
🐎 Biography
My biography of the early American imported Arabian horse *Obeyran, AHR #2, reveals a story as complex and debated as the early history of Arabian horse breeding in the United States. As the second horse registered in the Arabian Studbook and the first stallion, his legacy is significant, though shrouded in some mystery.
Foaled in 1889, *Obeyran was a grey Seglawi Obeyran stallion bred in the desert by Abd El Kereem Pasha, the ruler of the Bani Khaled. His sire was noted as El Tahy, a Maneghi Hedruj, and his dam was Senona, a Seglawi Obeyran.
Standing at 14.2½ hands, his specific markings are not well-documented, though later photographic analysis suggests a small scar over his left eye and a concentration of "flea bites" or speckling on his left forearm.
His journey to America began at the age of four, when he was imported by the Hamidie Society for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. As part of the Hamidie Hippodrome Society's exhibits, *Obeyran and other desert-bred Arabians were a sideshow attraction that would have a lasting impact on the American perception of the breed.
This is from Mr. A.G. Asdikian, a member of the Turkish Embassy in Chicago, and the special report about the exhibition that was published in the June 15 and July 22 issues of the 1897 The Horseman and shared in Dr. George H. Conn's book, The Arabian Horse in America:
The fourth best stallion [of the Hamidie horses] was *Obeyran (Cat. No. 7) a half brother of No. 8 [Gidran], both inbred Seglawis and both purchased by Hadji Hassan from a reliable breeder, but why was one better than the other when both were of the same sizes and color and as much alike as two peas?
Here are the arguments. The Seglawi-Jedran was the original and some magnificent horses belonged to this breed in olden times - horses that made history and romance in the desert. For centuries this blood has been sought by the breeders and the most valuable stallions have been bought by us at enormous prices, so that it is almost impossible to find a Seglawi-Jedran in the purity of its original blood.
While the Obeyran substrain, although inferior to the Jedran and being of less value, was left in its original purity. As I said he bought both horses, he personally knew their breeder, he was sure the pedigrees were correct, yet he had some doubt in his mind as to the original purity of the Jedran."
These horses captivated many, including the political cartoonist Homer Davenport, who would later become a pivotal figure in the history of Arabian horses in America. His journey to the desert to locate, purchase, and import purebred Arabians is something that we all should be thankful for when looking at our Arabians today.
Following the exposition, the Hamidie Society's horses were sold at a public auction in Chicago on January 4, 1894 - 5 of them bred on, including *Obeyran. *Obeyran was purchased for $325 by Dr. H.A. Souther, who was acting as an agent for Peter Bradley of the Hingham Stock Farm in Massachusetts.
*Obeyran's ownership changed hands several times throughout his life. In 1904, he was acquired by Homer Davenport for his Davenport's Desert Arabian Stud in Morris Plains, New Jersey. This was a significant development, as it brought one of the foundational Hamidie imports into the hands of one of the most dedicated early American breeders.
Then, in 1908, he was sold to the writer and playwright Eleanor Gates of Ames, California. She married later married Richard Walton Tully of Sierra Madre, California. Reportedly the seven horses purchased as a group by the Tullys was $16,700.
There has been some historical debate surrounding *Obeyran's exact foaling year. While the 1889 date is the most accepted, earlier stud book entries and catalogues from Davenport listed his foaling year as 1879-1880. However, the 1889 date is considered more likely to be accurate (at least it is by me).
Despite his importance, *Obeyran sired only seven registered Arabian foals: four fillies and three colts. His most significant contribution to modern pedigrees came through his daughter Aared, who was produced from a breeding with the Davenport mare *Wadduda.
Aared, through her own daughter Sedjur, established one of the most successful female lines in American Arabian breeding. This lineage includes the celebrated mare Bint Sahara, who founded the McCoy dynasty of champions, including Fersara, The Real McCoy, Fadjur, and Ferzon.
*Obeyran died around 1911 or 1912, at the age of 22 or 23. While his direct get was limited, his influence on the Arabian horse breed in America proved to be profound and lasting, securing his place as a cornerstone of Early American Foundation and Al Khamsa pedigrees.
For the discrepancies around his breeding/strain read this note:
According to information in two 1909 (9/14 and 9/22) letters from J.R. Dolbony (apparently a performer with the Hamidie Society) to Homer Davenport, *Obeyran was bred by 'Abd al-Karim of the Bani Khalid and foaled circa 1880. His dam was said to be a Saqlawiyah Ubayriyah named "Senona" and his sire a Ma'naqi Hudruji named "El Tahy."
These letters are part of the National Archives file of correspondence between the officers of the AHC and the government agency responsible for approving livestock registries. These letters were reprinted [Dirks & Dirks, 1989]." from *Obeyran's Al Khamsa roster page
In addition to strain discrepancies, *Obeyran has been noted as being different ages. The correspondence above claims he was foaled circa 1880 and Homer Davenport took the below picture upon *Obeyran then captioned it, "The best horse in America at 28 years old." This was included in a 1908 booklet.
💗 Get/Progeny
Sire of seven registered Arabian foals, four fillies and three colts. The most prolific producer was his daughter Freda who produced eight offspring, four daughters and four sons, one of which was gelded.
| NAME | AHR #/CAHR # | DOB | COLOR | GENDER |
| GALFIA II | AHR #53 | 01/01/1903 | CHESTNUT | MARE |
| FREDA | AHR #20 | 01/01/1903 | BAY | MARE |
| OBEYRAN II | AHR #18 | 01/01/1905 | GREY | STALLION |
| NEJDME III | AHR #54 | 01/01/1907 | BAY | MARE |
| AARED | AHR #91 | 07/10/1909 | GREY | MARE |
| MUSTIDIRR | AHR #118 | 01/01/1911 | CHESTNUT | STALLION |
| CIBOLO | AHR #134 | 03/21/1912 | GREY | STALLION |
🐴 Related Articles & Resources
Remembrances of *Obeyran (see trio of excerpts and the headshot of *Obeyran in the top of the photo gallery section below, from this article on the Daughters of the Wind blog)
*Obeyran Photo Gallery
Comments
No Comments