The Arabian Horse in Arizona

ARIZONA is full of pleasant surprises. Within a six-mile radius of Paradise Valley in Scottsdale, Arizona, there are more pure Arabian horses than in any area of similar size in the world. Furthermore, within the short span of six years the annual All-Arabian Horse Show at McCormick's Ranch has become the most important Arabian show in the United States. The more we think about these two facts, the more logical they become. What more fitting place could be found than the harmonious desert of Arizona, its surrounding mountains a deep purple in the crowning glow of the setting sun. It must seem like home to these elegant animals whose forebears roamed the hot, shifting sands of countries bordering the Mediterranean and Red seas. Apparently many breeders of Arabians realized the ideal conditions of desert and climate available in Arizona. In recent years they have converged on Paradise Valley from all over the United States. This unbounded freedom of the desert must stir something deep in the heart of an Arabian horse. Homer Davenport, who brought many Arabians to America at the turn of the century, mentions a dramatic episode in his book "My Quest of The Arabian Horse." He relates his experience in finding a mare named Wadduda, kept prisoner in the town of Aleppo for a long time. Davenport rode her out from town among the tribes of the desert. He reports that Wadduda was nervous from the start and he felt he had not made friends with her. "She wanted something, I could not make out what." They rode on until they reached the desert at sunset. "Wadduda stopped as if she were paying tribute to the closing day. Presently she started galloping with a delightful spring. It was the return to her home. Now she stopped short, apparently to scent the rapidly cooling temperature. Now she pranced, picking her way through the camel thistles, her eyes blazing with the expression of intense satisfaction. Again she bolted and was scanning the horizon. I touched her with my heels but she did not move. For a long time we waited together in the gathering dusk, the call of the desert strong within us." The history of the Arabian horse is still a matter of some conjecture. But through the maze of writing on the subject, certain facts are generally established. Students apparently agree the Arabian horse originated in Libya, a small country to the west of Egypt; although the name Arabian comes from the desert tribesmen of Arabia who did most to treasure the breed and assiduously guard its pure bloodlines. No guesses are forthcoming as to the era when the Arabian horse made his first appearance on the face of this earth, but certainly it was untold centuries before his domestication by man. In normal usage we talk of an Arabian "breed." Purists refer to it as a "distinct sub-specie" divided into five "strains", (1) Kehilan, (2) Seglawi, (3) Abeyan, (4) Hamdani and (5) Hadban. The pure Arabian is the only breed or specic which has not changed since his existence has been recorded. As early as 2000 B. C., the Arabs used the bloodlines of their beautiful horses to improve the breed of more common types. Archeologists have found bas-reliefs in the excavations of Ninevah, capital of the ancient Assyrian Empire, showing spear-carrying lion hunters mounted on horses of typical Arabian appearance. The Arabian has remained the same the flame preserved from one generation to another.

This point can be confusing in view of the widespread use of Arabian bloodlines. To clarify, let us think of a treasured hoard of purest gold which in this analogy represents the purebred Arabian horse. From time to time small bits of this pure gold were used to mix with other metals to form an alloy. In a similar way, some purebred Arabian horses were used to produce and improve other breeds, but the main source in both cases remained inviolate.

We can readily trace the infiltration of Arabian bloodlines from their origin on the parched sands of the Middle East to the far corners of the world. As early as 200 B.C., Hannibal, who came from Carthage (now modern Tunis), invaded Spain bringing with him the hotblooded Arabian horses of the desert. The Spaniards at that time were using a heavier horse of Norse ancestry. It was inevitable that the horses of these two enemies should fraternize. Nine centuries later there was another fresh infiltration of Arabian blood when the Moslems in their turn crossed the Straits of Gibraltar to invade Spain. For some unknown reason the best of the Moslem's horses were concentrated in the southern Spanish province of Andalusia. These horses were often called "Barbs," an off-shoot of the pure Arabian. The name Barb refers to the Barbary Coast of North Africa, which includes Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Tripoli and Fez. Descendants of these crossbred horses from Andalusia furnished the white man with the necessary equine stock used in the conquest of the New World.

Christopher Columbus brought Barb horses as seed stock to Santo Domingo in the West Indies on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. There were no horses in our hemisphere before the coming of the white man. So it was these horses brought from Spain which formed the foundation stock. Later on, these Barbs were transported to Mexico, Florida and South America. Hernando Cortez carried many Barbs across the vast Atlantic in his campaign against the Aztec leader Montezuma, entrenched in what is now Mexico City. Cortez landed in Vera Cruz in 1519 with sixteen invaluable Spanish horses. This same type of Barb was used by Oñate who came north from Mexico across the Rio Grande in 1598 to establish a new Spanish Empire in what is now Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1680 the American Indians staged a far-flung uprising, murdering four hundred Spaniards. They captured an entire remuda consisting of hundreds of horses. Horses owned by Indians were usually called “Mustangs” or “Indian Cayuses,” but none the less they were the same Spanish Barbs, an off-shoot from the pure Arabs of the desert. It was these horses which were used so effectively by Geronimo, Red Cloud and Sitting Bull. In the early days of the Spanish invasion the American Indian was terrified at seeing a man mounted on a horse. He thought the man and horse were one unit which came in two parts. So both horse and rider were the enemy and he killed them both when possible. It wasn't for years that the Indian learned he might capture the horse alive and use him to advantage. While all this was going on in the New World, Europeans were borrowing heavily of pure Arab blood for breeding purposes. Early in the 18th century Peter

the Great, Czar of Russia, established the famous Imperial Stud using prepotent Arabian bloodlines on his own horses. Arabians were imported into France, Poland, Austria and Germany. During that period the horse, unfortunately, was used extensively for war. Arabians were sought after because of their great courage, endurance and intelligence. If you remember your history books you will recall the horse on which Napoleon was depicted in the famous picture of his retreat after the battle of Waterloo. It was unmistakably Arabian. The many favorable characteristics of the Arabian did not go unnoticed in England. During the reign of Queen Anne, three now famous horses were imported to sire what eventually became the breed of English Thoroughbreds, the progenitors of the American Thoroughbred. The Byerly Turk was the first of these three heralded Arabians to be imported into England. The date was 1689. He was followed by the Darley Arabian bought from a wandering Bedouin in Aleppo. The Godolphin Arabian was the final member of the trio.

Direct descendants of these three celebrated animals were gradually imported into the American Colonies. These horses with an Arab background were bred to the smaller horses of Spanish-Arab background brought to this country via the West Indies and Mexico. So horses with strong Arab bloodlines from England and Spain were the progenitors of the American breeds known largely as Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Palominos, Quarter Horses, American Saddle-Bred, Standard-Bred, Hackney, American Trotting Horse and others.

Bear in mind that during this long period when Arabian blood was being used to develop and improve other breeds, the purebred Arabian remained unchanged. As the United States prospered, a few purebred Arabians were brought to our shores as early as 1730 from the Middle East and England. General George Washington rode a grey charger known as the "Lindsay Arabian," a son of a desert-born Arabian brought into Connecticut in 1765. It is recorded that from 1760 to 1860, about fortytwo purebred Arabians were brought to this country. Keene Richards, a breeder of Thoroughbreds, is noted as having imported five fine stallions into Kentucky in 1855. In 1906 Homer Davenport of Morris Plains, New Jersey, went to the Middle East to bring back seventeen stallions and ten mares of outstanding caliber. This trip was taken at the suggestion of President Theodore Roosevelt for the purpose of setting up a stud farm to be available for the U.S. Cavalry. Somewhat later, Spencer Borden of Fall River, Mass., imported many purebred Arabians from the illustrious Crabbet stud of Sussex, England, owned by Lady Anne Blunt and her daughter, Lady Wentworth.

Mr. Albert Harris of Chicago was an active importer for many years. He often crossbred pure Arabians with Indian Mustangs to produce a durable riding and driving horse.

Mr. W. K. Kellogg established his famous Arabian Ranch at Pomona, California. This ranch of long standing is a showplace for imported and domestic Arabians. These breeders and others have collectively been responsible for importing the foundation stock to which most of the Arabian horses in Arizona can trace their ancestry. It has only been in the last few years that the real growth in Arabian horse activity in Arizona has taken place. Friendly rivalry between breeders, both large and small, is keen. They all work together as a unit with special emphasis on the steady improvement of their annual show, this year set for Feb. 22-25. Equally important, they have purebreds for sale each year at reasonable prices. This encourages the owner who may be in the market for one or perhaps two horses. It is the small owner who is the big potential market. In the last Scottsdale show he accounted for over eighty percent of total exhibitors. At last count there were seventeen breeders of Arabians in Arizona; fourteen were located in Paradise Valley.

The Fowler McCormicks were the first of the larger breeders to settle in the Valley. Mrs. McCormick's interest in riding and breeding dates back to the days she lived on Long Island, New York. The McCormicks came to Arizona during World War II and acquired their famous stud, Mustafa, in 1949. They bred him to the best purebred mares they could buy. In 1953 they purchased Sun Royal, Iorana and Rifilla from Lady Wentworth, the well-known English Arabian breeder. Through the years the McCormicks have concentrated on building up a band of broodmares. They now have a total of twenty-two Arabians on their ranch. General manager, Harold Daugherty, is also in charge of activities pertaining to horses at the McCormick Ranch. He confers with Mrs. McCormick on new acquisitions and the sale of colts and fillies. Harold does the training and is an experienced exhibitor-an important asset at a horse show.

Not only have the McCormicks been active in their own breeding program, but have built one of the most complete and attractive horse show layouts in the country, right on their own grounds. The barns, show ring and grandstands leave nothing to be desired. These facilities, set far off by themselves on the Arizona desert, have been an important factor in stimulating interest in the Arizona Arabian. Mrs. McCormick's daughter, Mrs. A. S. Davison, raises Arabians in Canada and is always on hand for the annual Scottsdale All-Arabian show held in February at the ranch. The show is open to the public and is rated as the most important of its kind in the country. The 1961 show drew five hundred members and their families to the banquet representing exhibitors showing more than three hundred horses from thirty-nine state Canada and Mexico.

Ruth and Ed Tweed, owners of Brusally Ranch, seven miles north of Scottsdale, are among important factors in the Arizona Arabian picture. Ed was the first president of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona. Their ranch is an exquisite showplace; a Spanish Colonial home, roomy barns, trophy room, an artificial lake and acres of green fields and lawns which provide a perfect backdrop for as select a group of Arabians as you will see anywhere.

A main attraction at Brusally is a fifteen-year-old sire named Skorage, his select band of broodmares and their colts. Champion Skorage, by Gaysar out of Rageyma, has the enviable record of winning a grand total of twenty-two Championships at halter.

The Tweeds, who came to Arizona from the MidWest, established Brusally Ranch fifteen years ago. Each year during the Scottsdale All-Arabian Show they hold an outdoor picnic for more than three hundred invited horse lovers. The rest of the year the public is alwayswelcome to come and browse around. Their hospitality -typical of Arizona Arabian breeders-is a by-word in Arabian circles. The tack room is full of lavishly decorated saddles and bridles, trophies, ribbons and many fascinating pictures.

Recently, the Tweeds acquired another beautiful ranch up in the mountains near Show Low, Arizons. They spend their summers there, taking advantage of the cooler weather in which to train yearling colts and fillies.

The Eugene La Croix family is a horse-happy outfit who live and breath Arabians. Dr. La Croix moved his wife and children to Paradise Valley from the state of Washington several years ago. He is a practicing physician in Phoenix, but spends every spare moment running the Lasma Arabian Ranch which he owns in partnership with friends from Washington. Their attractive ranch house just north of Bell Road is situated in the middle of green irrigated pastures and close to the barns and practice ring. The entire family usually takes off together to attend most of the Arabian shows when schedules don't interfere with school. Dr. La Croix, a past president of the Arizona Arabian Association enjoys exhibiting his own horses at the shows, with able assistance from Kathy and young Gene. He is chairman of the 1962 show committee and president of the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Breeders Association.

There are about forty-five head of purebred Arabians at the Lasma Ranch including a famous stud named Ga'zi. For the past several years they have leased another great sire named Aarief from the Ben Hur Farms of Portland, Indians. Aarief is a well-known stud in Arabian circles. He is the only son standing in the Southwest of a world-renown sire named Raffles who in turn was sired by su equally famous stud naraed Skowronek.

Jerry Smola is the trainer at Lasma Arabians. He has had five years of experience with Kellogg Arabians at Pomona, California and is well-qualified to prepare young horses for either western or English saddle classes. He enjoys the friendly atmosphere at Lasma where "the coffee's always on."

Howard Heaton, Don Chandler and Dr. F. L. Noffinger are three three relative newcomers to the Arizona scene. They have all developed facilities out near Lasma Arabians and have been taking an active part in the breeding and showing of Arsbians.

Other Scottsdale breeders include Guy Stiliman, son of Mrs. McCormick, who with Mrs. Stillman and daughter Victoria operate the Paradise Arabian Ranch. Guy now is president of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona.

The Robert L. Astes, originally New Yorkers, have fallen hard for the lure of Arabian horses. In certain respects their story is perhaps the most unusual of all. In all innocence, Peggy and Bob casually came to Camelback Inn for a winter vacation in 1955. They fell in love with the State and didn't leave its confines for two years. At the same time they fell in love with Arabisa horses. They bought some choice desert land near Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale and started to build their Desert Arabian Ranch. They jumped in with both feet. Bob is now Treasurer of the Arizona Arabian Association, but more important they own a well-selected group of twenty-six broodmares plus four fine stallions including famous Bellez. Their barn is the conversation piece of the American Arabian world. The stalls are fourtean by sixteen feet. The aisle between the stalls is twenty feer wide, illuminated from above by broad skylights. There is an office-spartment adjoining the stables in case the Astes wish to spend the night. The manager's apartment also adjoins the stables, equipped with a teletalk system connected with each stall to relay any disturbance during night or day. A two-way mirror enables an employee to look into certain stalls in which mares about to foal are located. The mare does not know she is being observed; a big help if the animal is inclined to be nervous. This lay-out designed by the Astes is undoubtedly one of the most functional in the business. It certainly is the most luxurious.

Johnny Hayes is in charge of training and showing at Desert Arabian. He is rated as one of the best in the business with a long record of "wins" in cutting and performance.

Hal Clay, his wife Arlyne and son Gary are enthusiastic Arabian owners. All three of them ride well. They enjoy going to the shows as both exhibitors and interested spectators. Hal is a past president of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona.

The Philip K. Wrigley family have long been dedicated to the breeding and showing of Arabians. Although their main base of operations is at the El Rancho Escondido on Santa Catalina Island, California, they winter st the Arizona Biltmore stables in Phoenix. They have a magnificent hill-top home near by. Mr. Wrigley and his family enjoy riding on the desert although they do spend considerable time following the activities of the Wrigley-owned Chicago Cubs who have winter headquarters in nearby Mesa.

The Wrigleys' interest in Arabians dates back to 1929 when they owned an excellent stud named Kaaba. More recently they have concentrated on horses with Raffies and Skowronek bloodlines. Joe Dawkins has been their trainer and number one exhibitor for seven years. He is a specialist in open stock horse classes pitting his Arabians against all breeds in reining, starts, stops, spinning, change of leads and general maneuverability. Joe has an unusually high "win" average.

The Dr. Ray Weavers, who are comfortably situated on the desert, are most active in Arabian horse circles. They have been breeding Arabians for their own personal use although they enjoy entering their hopefuls in competition. Son Jan is most helpful in the operation of this neat little outfit located on suitably named Stallion Road in Scottsdale. Ray is Secretary of the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona and his wife Dorothy is Secretary of their annual show.

Up Wickenburg way, fifty miles to the west of Phoenix, we find the Ben McCabes whose interest in Arabians extends to the showring in addition to having horses available for their own use and to provide mounts for their visiting children and grandchildren. The McCabes are originally from Duluth, Minnesota, but eighteen winters as guests at Wickenburg dude renches convinced them that Arizona would be their eventual home. Their hilltop home has a panoramic view of their pasture land with the surrounding mountains furnishing à spectacular backdrop. Most of their horses are of Raffles bloodlines, including one stud and about six broodmares.

There are two dedicated breeders located in Camp Verde, Malcom Stenhouse and Johnny Payne. Stenhouse has been in the business for fifteen years. One of his three studs is named Abid. It is interesting to note that Abid's great-grandmother was Wassuda, the mare Homer Davenport brought back from Aleppo. Johnny Payne is a breeder of Arabians whose major interest in life has been his horses. He is partial to Skowronek and Mesaoud bloodlines. Currently he is adding to his broodmare band. He has four outstanding studs including Awiz, a son of Witez II, & Polish-bred horse first captured by the Germans in World War II and then captured from them by General Patton. Johnny also owns Raffcon by Kassim out of Gasarafi, One thing is quite obvious. The interest in Arabian horses in Arizona is growing at a quickening pace. Those whose activities are centered around these beautiful horses are friendly and hospitable. They enjoy having visitors who share their love. All enjoy talking about horses-especially Arabians.

There is a certain deep satisfaction to Arabian horse lovers that the object of their affection is appearing in increasing numbers on the Arizona desert. Another pleasing fact is that Arabian horses are frequently being bought in America for shipment to the Middle East-thus completing a circle. The purity of the Arabian flame has been preserved with devoted diligence.

The interest in Arabian horses in Arizona is by no means limited to those mentioned-many other owners of one or more Arabians, throughout the state, are enthusiastic about the breed. How do we explain this dedication? It certainly isn't because of certain structural details which indicate the Arabian has only five lumbar vertebrae in his spine instead of six as in other breeds or because he has two less vertebrae in his tail. Perhaps they have caught something of the spirit of the "big little horse." Maybe they are aware of the essence of Pegasus, the immortal Winged Horse of Greek mythology, the symbol of poetry, perhaps they sipped the water from the spring of Hippocrene made by a print of his hoof. All who drank of it, according to the legend, were imbued with the gift of song.

In the opinion of this writer, the great historian, J. Frank Dobie summed up this irresistible and almost divine attraction of the Arabian horse in his exciting book, "The Mustangs." These are the words of a man who not only loves the grace and beauty of the Arabian, but senses the deep spiritual intangibles so vital to the beginning of an understanding of life itself. "The one horse in history whose features today exhibit in every line and limb those of its ancestors a thousand years back is the Arabian horse, with iron muscles, bones of ivory density, steel hoofs, a tail that is the flag of its patrician heritage, a neck as lovely in arch as any curve that Phidias ever dreamed, refined head, gazelle-like concavity between forehead and delicate nostrils, eyes luminous with intelligence, gentleness and spirit, and burning steadily in every fiber, the flame of vitality."

AURORA'S CHARIOT

The Golden Goddess Of the Sun, In streaming raiment Of twilight, Drives fiery stallions On the run Into obsidian stalls Of night.

DEB

Perfumed and pink, With petulant pout, Pert little Rosebud Is just coming out: Softer than silk, Her rare petals all Unfold to a roseThe Belle of the Ball!

DESERT HILLS AT NIGHT

In a clutter Of wind-gnawed rocks And the sun-bleached bones Of old brush, Leonine hills Lie fast asleep, Sated with shadow, Surfeited with night, While all around them Silent flocks Of bright-hoofed stars And a lone moon With silver horns Graze in the sky's Wide windy meadows, Unconcernedly.

ELIZABETH-ELLEN LONG

THE WEST

The West is wind chanting on a mesa, Spiraling on lowlands, Moaning in old ruins.

The West is copper sun at mid day, Molten gold at sunset, And diamond studded silver night.

The West is distance and enchantment, Space for contemplation, Lure of bright mirages.

GRACE B. WILSON

DETOURS

When I was only seventeen And wishing on a star, I went along a silver road Where red, red roses are It's been so many miles since thenWinged Time has led me far From seventeen and silver roads Where stars and roses are.

ALASKAN NARROW GAUGE:

Some time ago I was looking through your September, 1961, issue and noticed the Esther Henderson's article "Toot-Toot!" The author states that pictured with this article is the "last passenger-carrying narrow gauge train in the United States.

If the Skagway Chamber of Commerce hasn't already written you on this subject I would like to put in a plug for their narrow gauge railroad which runs from tidewater at Skagway through the famous White Pass to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Had the author suggested that this is the last narrow gauge railroad using only steam locomotives or something of that nature we might not have this argument with Arizona.

Aside from this, may I say that I have always enjoyed your magazine and wish you continued success in your publication.

Lauris S. Parker, Mayor Juneau, Alaska

TUCSON SYMPHONY:

I wish to thank ARIZONA HIGHWAYS for the honor of singling out the workings and program of the Tucson Symphony Society in such a favorable light in your October, 1961 issue. I should also like to praise you for the recognition of the fact that spirit can be just as tangible as things and that the natural beauties of the Arizona nature can be observed ever so enhanced by viewing it all through a musical and artistic "eye." Myself, I need no personal praise, although I am honored by it: if I had worked well, it was through the inspiration of the Arizona atmosphere exhibiting itself directly and indirectly through the spirit of devotion and loyalty to the thing by the people with whom I have the pleasure of working together. I also wish to thank writer June Caldwell for the excellently written article. Small mistakes can occur and she is no mathematician: I am only 41 and not 42!

Ever so much better work can be expected now from us all involved in the Symphony movement; from now on, when I look at our sunset, or a cactus, or a ravine, or a tree with golden leaves, I shall remember that we are partners!

Frederic Balazs, Musical Director Tucson Symphony Society Tucson, Arizona

CANYON HOTEL?

In last month's (November, 1961) beautiful issue of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, I noted with interest the concern expressed by some readers over the possibility of a new hotel being built on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Lest your readers think that we are callous destroyers of nature, I would like to explain our position.

Western Gold & Uranium, Inc., has for some time been carrying on very profitable mining operations on the claim in question. It is our desire and intent to continue mining, but in order to do so we will have to rely on our extralateral rights under laws which enable us to mine under government-owned land adjacent to ours. In order to avoid costly litigation, our company has offered to give the government a deed to the entire claim. We are willing to do this in return for mining rights for 35 years. If our offer is accepted, we can mine ore that we feel we already have a right to mine, and the government will acquire, at no cost, all surface and subsurface rights to our patented claim. No hotel will then be built.

A Bill authorizing the Interior Department to accept our offer has been presented in Congress by Senators Hayden and Goldwater. The Bill S383 has been passed by the Senate and it is our hope that the House will pass it when Congress reconvenes in January. You can see we do not want to build a hotel. We are a public corporation, however, and we have a duty to our stockholders to protect and, if possible, enhance the value of their investment. We will build the hotel to accomplish this end, but only as an undesired alternative to mining our claim. If Uncle Sam will let us mine, we will mine. If he forces us to build a hotel, we will build a beautiful one.

The solution to the problem could be much as you suggested. However, if the negotiations we have been having with the National Park and the Atomic Energy Commission are consummated upon passage of Bill S383, then the cost to the government is nil.

Richard W. Ince, Chairman Western Gold & Uranium, Inc. 42 Broadway New York, New York

BACK COVER

"LAND OF MASSIVE MONOLITHS" BY ESTHER HENDERSON. This photograph was taken along Echo Canyon Trail in the heart of Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona's fantastic Wonderland of Rocks. Figures were used in this photograph to contrast man against the massive monoliths which feature the area. 5x7 Deardorff View camera; Ektachrome; f.16 at 1/5 second; Goerz Dagor lens; mid-April; bright, sunny day.

OPPOSITE PAGE

"STORM OVER THE CHIRICAHUAS" BY RICHARD D. BUCHER. The Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona are visited by terrific thunder storms during July, August and early September. These storms originate over the Gulf of Mexico and prove most spectacular when they strike the higher elevations of the Chiricahuas. Linhof 4x5 camera; Ektachrome; f5.6 at long exposure; 90 mm. Angulon-Schneider-Kreuznach lens.