Introducing 'The Man' of Chetar Arabians - The most intensely bred El Shaklan Stallion of Colour in Australia (to my knowledge), if not the World.
Azzaam's pedigree is undeniably Great - Full of world reknowned individuals whose influential lines have been combined to produce a highly unique Stallion that incorporates World Class Breeding with the Rarest of Colour into a correctly conformed and eye-catching Sire of the Future!
Azzaam was chosen to compliment the mares of Chetar Arabians to produce "Colour Without Compromise".
Azzaam's pedigree is littered with names made famous the world over for their show ring successes as well as their contributions to the improvement of the Arabian breed and their prepotent consistency in producing amazing quality progeny time and again.
Azzaam is sired by Valor, full brother to the Australian National Champion Filly Valouria and the only stallion in Australia by the Straight Russian TR Viktor. TR Viktor is by Nariadni (Nabeg [by Arax] x Naradnaia [by Aswan]), grandson of two of the greatest stallions of all time. The immortal Nariadni is the most successful of Nabeg's sons, and TR Viktor is, in turn, Nariadni's most famous son. TR Viktor's dam, Muscalean, is daughter of the international supersire Muscat - The first Arabian to ever win the Triple Crown accolade - He captivated the crowds of three of the World's most prestigious shows and brought home consecutive Champion Titles from Scottsdale, the US Nationals and Canadian Nationals in quick succession in 1980, immortalizing himself in Arabian history. Valor is out of the Salida, daughter of the amazingly successful show mare and one of Australia's most famous and influential breeding mares, Sarika (Kapehr x Sariah), and sired by the world reknowned supersire Simeon Sa'ar (El Shaklan x Damirah). Azzaam's dam is the Australian National Top 10, East Coast Top 10, and Victorian Classic Reserve Champion Mare Azima. Azima is sired by the Australian National Champion Stallion and sire of Champions, Sarezin, and her dam, Amira El Marieshaah, is the daughter of the legendary Australian National Champion Stallion and the country's leading sire of all time, Amir El Shaklan. Marieshaah is the dam of Australian National Champions and Reserve Champions, as well as an Australian National and East Coast Top 10 mare herself. Azzaam is the only colt of the pairing of Valor and Azima to date, and the only progeny of either parent to inherit the Sabino and/or Rabicano expressions in addition to their consistently produced type and people loving temperaments. With four crosses to the immortal El Shaklan, two through Amir El Shaklan and two through Simeon Sa'ar, as well as two crosses to the legendary mare Sarika through her daughters Malmsbury Samira (x Amir El Shaklan) and Salida (x Simeon Sa'ar), and influenced by a number of history's greatest Arabians of all time, Azzaam's pedigree speaks for itself. He is easily recognized as an Amir El Shaklan/Simeon Sa'ar bred colt, with numerous people commenting on his increasingly familiar looks now that his head is starting to dry out and his body is maturing. Azzaam is growing into a stallion that is exactly as his pedigree dictates he should be. He begun his breeding career this past season, with the expectation that the next generation of years of dedication of some of Australia's best Arabian Breeders will result in the superstars of the future. Azzaam's first foal crop is due to begin arriving this coming December, and my hope is that not only will he live up to the expectations of his pedigree, but that he will also douse his foals with that oh so special splash of colour!!
Azzaam carries two colour genes - Sabino Overo and Rabicano. Combined with his very blonde flaxen gene, Azzaam's colour alone
makes him really stands out from the crowd. Azzaam carries a colour combination not commonly seen in Purebred Arabians, and extremely rare in Purebreds not of Crabbet breeding. He is truly a very unique individual in all aspects. Unfortunately, both Sabino and Rabicano have not had anywhere near the same amount of research performed on them as their counterpart colour genes. The good news is that this does look set to change in the near future with more interest becoming apparent. For the moment though, definitive information on these most interesting of all white patterns is somewhat lacking. I will be making updates to all of my horses' colour information as research becomes available of course.
Sabino Overo has a variety of manifestations. A white sock and a small amount of facial white can indicate the existence of the gene, with this being classified as Minimal Sabino. Solid body white along with facial and leg white is classified Moderate Sabino. Extensive body patches is classed as Maximum, while an Extreme Sabino will be predominantly white with little to no base coloured patches (commonly termed Medicine Hat/War Bonnet). Azzaam's Sabino Overo colouring is at the extreme end of Minimal Sabino Overo classification scale due his manifestation of the pattern being extensive ticking with solid white spots rather than patches.
Azzaam's Sabino Overo characteristics are his jagged edged stockings, a blaze, or bald face, that extends over the nostrils, lips and chin, and his body ticking. Azzaam's ticking results from both of his colour genes. Rabicano, unlike Sabino, manifests itself in a set combination of markings. As little as a few hairs around the tail head can indicate the presence of the Rabicano gene. These are known as Minimal Rabicanos. The most typical manifestation of the Rabicano pattern is the Moderate Rabicano expression and consists of tail barring - extensive white ticking at the tail head, commonly termed a skunk tail, or coon tail, along with some white ticking over the flank area. Maximum Rabicanos have extensive white ticking that radiates upwards and outwards from the flank region to cover the hindquarter and the barrel, along with extensive white tail barring, and intensively ticked spots that appear almost solid white between the hind legs and under the tail. The ticking over the barrel area commonly forms vertical 'bars' (barrel barring) that appears to outline the ribcage. Maximum Rabicanos also commonly have 'frosting' - White hairs in the mane, on the underside of the jaw, and on the back of the legs to go along with the 'tail frosting'.
Azzaam is a Maximum Rabicano - He expresses all of the Maximum Rabicano traits, including the frosting in his mane and on his legs. The ticking throughout his flank and belly region is that intense that he sometimes appears to have solid white markings in those areas. Azzaam shows the typical Rabicano barring over his ribcage and also exhibits solid white spots between the hind legs and under the tail. He also has a skunk tail, with the white at his tail head as well as well as down both sides of his tail.
Azzaam also has patches of intensely ticked areas that could be the result of either his Sabino Overo or Rabicano genes under his jaw, along the jawline, on his throatlatch, between the forelegs, behind the knees, between the hindlegs and on his hocks. Azzaam is also gradually developing patches of ticked areas in various places all over his body - Like the spots on the side of his ribcage clearly visible in his photos on this page. If these various spots continue to develop at the rate they are, they will soon be solid white. The development of white with age is considered foremost to be a Sabino Overo trait. Though there is evidence that Rabicano can develop with age, Azzaam's newly developing markings do seem to be a result of his Sabino rather than Rabicano genes. He is developing consistently more all over body white with maturity, and it's now appearing in concented patches as well as even body ticking. I have lost count how many times I've been asked if Azzaam is greying out - testimony to just how unusual he truly is!
