Aja Sanagor a stallion for our time

Jane and I can clearly trace the original thought process, behind breeding the horse Aja Sanagor, down to two horse shows, the All Nations cup, Aachen and Scottsdale in Arizona, America. We have travelled to both shows over the last ten years, each show providing the ultimate shop window, a chance to view what’s happening in the US and Europe. There’s no doubt that by and large a different style of Arab could be viewed either side of the Atlantic. The Americans generally preferring more of a necky, stretchy, saddle bred look, with an emphasis on an extreme stand-up pose, pretty much neglecting movement. The Europeans more type and movement orientated, prepared to forgive short necks, short legs, slopey croups, above all type, and freedom to express, are paramount in Europe. Of course a lot of this is down to the European handlers, allowing and encouraging the horses to move.

Photo: Erina Filsinger

Having observed all this we decided that there were certainly a lot of the key elements, on both sides of the Atlantic that we could incorporate into our ideal of an Arabian. We liked the necks, the stretch and elegance, we had observed in America, also some of the blood lines have beautiful large eyes (particularly bask related) We also noted that when visiting American breeders’ a lot of their horses actually have extreme attitude and movement, we particularly liked the Bey Shah related horses for their snort and blow.

Junior Champion Merrist Wood B Show 2002
Photo: Sweet

In Europe we seemed to be drawn to El Shaklan related horses, we particularly liked the offspring of the El Shaklan son Sanadik El Shaklan. In Aachen I’ll never forget being introduced to the Balaton son Kubinec,a show horse if ever there was one. The hairs still stand up on the back of my neck just thinking about him in the showring. One Kubinec son stood out to us, that was FS Bengali, who just happened to be out of a Sanadik El Shaklan daughter, Om El Sanadiva. Most people already know that we managed to strike a deal with Bengalis owners to lease him for two years, eventually purchasing a third share. What a lot of people don’t know, is that prior to leasing Bengali, we had purchased the young maiden mare Bey Santeyna who had been especially selected to breed to Bengali. Bey Santeyna is not a mare you would normally find in Europe, she is very tall, very leggy, very necky, and has an attitude most stallions would be proud of. She is by Simeon Sanegor (Simeon Sa’ar x Simeon Shirli) apparently a lot of people have told me that Simeon Shirli was absolutely gorgeous. Her dam is US national Champion Bey Teyna (Bey Shah x TW Forteyna). TW Fortenyna is a dam of distinction and although she died approx three years ago, she still holds the record for producing more National Champions than any other mare in American history.

Res Junior Elran Cup B Show 2002
Photo: Erwin Escher www.ErwinEscher.com

			BALATON
		KUBINEC
			KOSMETIKA
	FS BENGALI
			SANADIK EL SHAKLAN
		OM EL SANADIVA
			DE LA REINA
AJA SANAGOR
			SIMEON SA'AR
		SIMEON SANEGOR
			SIMEON SHIRLI
	BEY SANTEYNA
			BEY SHAH
		BEY TEYNA
			TW FORTEYNA

All this brings us to Bey Santeynas second son, Aja Sanagor. Her first son Aja Sangali was the first ever-yearling Triple Crown colt in European history. Junior Male Champion All Nations Cup, Aachen, Junior Male Champion European Championships, Denmark and finally Junior Male World Champion, Paris. Aja Sangali was then sold to HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. He has since been a champion many times on the prestigious middle Eastern show circuit, furthermore Aja Sangalis’ offspring have been winning championships at the same shows. Aja Sangali has now become one of the most successful sires in the Middle East. Two of his offspring the filly Lana Al Khalidiah and the colt Moutaz Al Buwibiya have been sent to compete in Europe this year already garnering Championships at the Elran Cup, Belgium and UKIAHS. I’m sure they will have more success in the three big shows later on in the year.

Junior Champion UKIAHS A show 2001 Photo: Sweet

Obviously having produced Aja Sangali, Bey Santeyna had set herself an incredible precedent, we where not disappointed however when she produced her next foal Aja Sanagor. Right from the start he was special with a presence and charisma all of his own. In particular it was his very correct conformation, and sheer athleticism, it was simply tail up and go, with a hugely powerful high hock action, it was obvious he would be a great show horse. Aja Sanagor went on to win: Junior Champion colt at Wels, Austria B show Junior Champion UKIAHS A show Junior Champion Merrist Wood B Show Junior Champion German Elite Cup B Show Res Junior Champion Ising B show Res Junior Elran Cup B Show

Junior Champion colt at Wels
Photo: Erwin Escher www.ErwinEscher.com

AJA Czarina Photos: Erina Filsinger

Aja Sanagor made quite a few fans throughout Europe as a junior colt, such as Jorgen and Britt Olsen from Sweden. Jorgen eventually approached Jane and I to lease Sanagor for the 2004 breeding season. It was a very successful lease, resulting in 25 mares confirmed in foal. We have had great feedback regarding the foals; mare owners seem to be very happy indeed.

AJA Estareyna

We too are very happy with Sanagors’ progeny, we bred six mares to him in 2003 producing three fillies and three colts. Aja Sanchez won his class at the Wales and West show, he shows great promise as a show horse, his movement in particular is spectacular. Also Aja Caasius was reserve best yearling gelding at the British Nationals, and was recently crowned reserve supreme British Arabian champion gelding, for his new owner. Again he is a supreme athlete, he certainly will be one to watch for in the future.

This year Aja Sanagor was shown for the first time ever as a Senior Stallion at the British Nationals, he won his class and went on to be crowned British National Champion Stallion and later the Supreme Champion of the show. What really thrilled us that day was his sheer heart, the showground was very muddy making trotting very difficult, but he just kept going, right through to the supreme.
Next Sanagor will be shown at the All Nations cup, Aachen. Over the winter Stephen McMorrow will ride and school Sanagor, he has a great temperament and is such a bright horse; Stephen is very excited about his prospects.
In summary we are very proud to have bred and own Aja Sanagor, a true transatlantic Arabian Stallion, a carefully selected blend of bloodlines, incorporating all the key genotypical and phenotypical elements we feel necessary in an “ Arabian Stallion for our time”

AJA SANAGOR’s lease to Oppreva Araber in Sweden for the 2004 breeding season.

"We attended the European Championship in Denmark in the year 2000 and at that show Aja Sangali won the Jr Champion ship and in the same year continunued on to win the Triple Crown. Aja Sangali made a very lasting impression on us.

We were very familiar with his bloodlines all the way back to Trade Winds Arabian’s famous mare TW Forteyna, because in the seventies and eighties Jörgen had a small studfarm in Sacramento, California, not far from Trade Wind Arabians, that breed TW Forteyna. After that this mare was sold and breed to Bey Shah several times, she made history that most people in the business knows about. The father of Aja Sanagor, FS Bengali, out of the famous mare Om el Sanadiva, his merits can hardly have been missed by anyone in the Arabian business. His lines and what he has accomplished is just about how far you can go.

When we got the chance to lease Aja Sangali’s fullbrother, AJA SANAGOR, we didn’t hesitate to long. We felt he had an extremely interesting pedigree, the arabian type and balanced movement and action we were looking for, that together with an impressive showrecord made it an easy choice. We feel that some stallions today are to coarse and because of that have a difficult time producing refined and typy Arabians.

While AJA SANAGOR was at Oppreva Araber, he was presented for the Swedish horse association in order to be evaluated as a breeding stallion in Sweden. At that presentation he got the highest score ever given to an Arabian stallion in Sweden. He also had to be ridden and passed his riding test with good points.

While at Oppreva Araber AJA SANAGOR breed 25 mares of very different bloodlines. All 25 mares were checked in foal. (100% pregnancy for Aja Sanagor.) 21 foals were born 2005. 15 fillies and 6 colts! Most of the foals are refined and typey with great movements. We are quite sure that several of them will be presented in the showring 2006. We are grateful to Aja Arabians for letting us lease Aja Sanagor and we congratulate them on AJA SANAGOR’s Supreme Champion win at the British Nationals."

Oppreva Araber
Jörgen & Britt Svanberg Olsen