Breeding Arabian horses, like life itself, encompasses many things: life and death, victory and defeat, tenacity and humility, loss and triumph.
To be a dedicated breeder requires a delicate balance of remaining steadfast in your vision, while also celebrating the strengths of breeding programs other than your own.
The great Impressionist painters of the 19th century were primarily known for breaking with convention and opening new realms of vision. Today, we cannot imagine our museums devoid of Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne. But at the time, they were groundbreaking and novel. The breeding program of Al Shaqab can be seen in the same way, as opening new paths, and creating stallions that, like the great works of art, have changed the world.
“I’m attempting to take the pollen from every flower and make honey out of it,” says Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani, who remains as deeply emotional and passionate about this breed as he was as a young boy. For over 30 years he has guided the Al Shaqab program of Qatar, founded by HH The Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, elevating it to world leadership. But being a leader does not mean ignoring what happens elsewhere. Sheikh Hamad honors and incorporates blood from around the world because he recognizes each bloodline’s strength and what it uniquely brings to the table. He will tell you that the Egyptian horses bring refinement and type; the Russian horses bring muscle and powerful
