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Introduction of Arabian Horses to North America
In 1877, General Ulysses S. Grant visited Abdul Hamid II, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan of Turkey. There, he was presented with two stallions from the Sultan's stable, Leopard and Lindentree. Leopard was later given to Randolph Huntington who subsequently imported two mares and two stallions in 1888 from England. This program, limited as it was, must be considered as the first purebred Arabian breeding program in the United States. The Chicago Worlds Fair held in 1893 drew widespread public attention and had an important influence upon the Arabian horse in America. While every country in the world was invited to participate, Turkey chose to exhibit 45 Arabian horses in a "wild eastern" exhibition. Among the imported Arabians shown were the mare Nejdme and the stallion, Obeyran. Both subsequently became foundation animals No. 1 and No. 2 in the Arabian Stud Book of America (later changed to the Arabian Horse Registry of America). Several years later, two other mares and one stallion were also registered. Many breeding farms today have horses whose pedigrees trace to these 19th century Arabians. Historical importations from England and Egypt were made soon after the Fair by such breeders as Spencer Borden, who imported 20 horses between 1898 and 1911 to his Interlachen Stud, and W.R. Brown who imported 20 horses from England, 6 from France and 7 from Egypt between 1918 and 1932.
Another significant importation occurred in the 1920s, when the Kellogg Ranch, founded by W.K. Kellogg, brought in 17 select horses from the Crabbet stud farm in 1926 and 1927. Soon after, Roger Selby established the Selby Stud with 20 horses imported from Crabbet between 1928 and 1933. The Albert Harris importation consisted of two horses from England in 1924 and five from the Hejaz and Nejd desert regions in 1930 and 1931. Joseph Draper brought Spanish Arabians into the American picture when he imported five horses from Spain in 1934. J.M. Dickinson's Traveler's Rest Arabian Stud was established between 1934-1937 on an imported mare from Egypt and one from Brazil as well as seven mares from Poland. Henry B. Babson sent people to Egypt in 1932 who brought over two stallions and five mares. This farm still preserves the same bloodlines today. In the 1940's and 1950's importations of Arabians to America slowed down as American breeding programs evolved from the previously imported stock. With the death of Lady Wentworth in 1957 and the dispersal of Crabbet Stud, importations in abundance were again made from England, and the post-war stud farms of Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain and Egypt were "rediscovered." Significant importations followed from these countries by several groups of dedicated breeders and again a new era of Arabian horse breeding dawned. Go to The Arabian Horse Today |
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America
was built by utilizing
horse power and
colonists were
quick to realize
the value of Arabian
bloodstock. Nathan
Harrison of Virginia
imported the first
Arabian stallion
in 1725. This
horse reportedly
sired 300 foals
from grade mares.
Our first President,
George Washington,
road an Arabian
horse. The first
breeder of consequence,
however, was A.
Keene Richard.
He journeyed into
the desert in
1853 and 1856,
subsequently importing
several stallions
and two mares.
However, his breeding
program fell victim
to the Civil War
and nothing survived.
One
of the most significant
importations occurred
in 1906, when
Homer Davenport
received permission
from the Sultan
of Turkey to export
Arabian horses.
Davenport, with
the backing of
then President
Theodore Roosevelt,
imported 27 horses
which became the
foundation of "Davenport
Arabians." The
Davenport importation
of Arabian horses
direct from the
desert excited
the few Arabian
breeders in this
country. This
group of breeders
decided that the
time was right
to form a registry
to promote the
horse and encourage
the importation
of new blood.
In 1908, the Arabian
Horse Club of
America was formed
(today known as
the
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