Our 2004 Australian National Championships stars were like the big and little show.

First up, we were delighted when our Arabian Pony two year old filly, Woranora Genevieve, who is under 12hh, was awarded Australian National Reserve Champion Arabian Pony Filly in a very strong class (at right).

Then our very tall and lovely two year old filly, Azima, was awarded Australian National Top Ten Purebred Filly in what is always one of the strongest classes of the Championships (see left). Interestingly, she was one of only two yearling fillies from the Top Ten in 2003 who were awarded Top Ten honours in 2004. Our own Valouria was of course home in the paddock, having the year off, and will recontest in 2005.

Congratulations to Jesris Arabians with their Australian National Reserve Champion Mare award with D'amors Maaritza Khan, a daughter of our lovely Amira El Marieshaah, and half sister to Azima.

Congratulation also to Elmridge Stud with their Australian National Top Ten Purebred Mare Award with the gorgeous (and now a mature 9 year old) Safiyah, a grand daughter of Sarika. Safiyah is a Twice Australian Reserve Champion and three times Top Ten – whoever the judges, they just love Safiyah!

The 2004 Feature Show on 31 January and 1 February 2004 saw a return to the show ring for Madaan (see left). Madaan has not been shown since his Top Ten at the Australian Championships in March 2002.

We all felt pretty happy about having our lovely boy out, and I think he was pretty happy about it too. He settled right into the routine and enjoyed it tremendously.

It was particularly gratifying that he was awarded Champion Stallion on both days under two different judges.

His yearling half sister, Ashika Shaklana (see right), added to the family laurels by being awarded Reserve Champion Filly.

And Madaan's full brother Miraak was Reserve Champion Junior Gelding for his devoted new owner, Julie Smith.

Spencer was particularly pleased with his pony, Woranora Genevieve, who was awarded Champion Arabian Pony Female in tough competition (that's him clutching 'his' ribbon at left).

Congratulations to Elmridge Stud and Rhianna Wynn on the success of their Sarezin progeny at the 2004 East Coast Championships, judged by Jack Maritz of South Africa. Sarezin is of course an integral part of the Syrah breeding programme.

Elmridge Stud's gorgeous filly Shala was awarded East Coast Champion Yearling Filly to the acclaim of the large crowd. Shala's dam is the beautiful Safiyah, twice Reserve Australian National Champion and a Sarika grand daughter. Shala therefore has two crosses to Syrah's foundation mare, Sarika.

Rhianna's Mazhar was bred by Syrah and was awarded East Coast Reserve Champion Junior Gelding. As it was Rhianna's birthday, it was a lovely birthday present for her.

As Shala and Mazhar were the only Sarezin progeny competing at the show, it was an overwhelming endorsement of Sarezin as a sire.

We took a team of five horses to the 34th Arabian Classic, Victoria's premier show. The show had a very big entry of quality horses.The purebreds were judged by Lenita Perroy from Brazil and the derivatives were judged by Phil Ryan from NSW.

Our team included the purebreds Miraak, Ashika Shaklana and Azima, the Arabian Pony, Woranora Genevieve and the Arabian Riding Pony, Ascot Porcelain Doll ("Poppy"), pictured at left.

It was the second show for Miraak and Ashika Shaklana, and the first show in our ownership for Genevieve.

Our results were as follows:

Azima at the Classic- photo Julie Wilson

Miraak at the Classic - photo Julie Wilson

We were of course thrilled with Poppy's Supreme, an award her mother won some years ago.

 
At 3 am on Christmas Eve, Salida presented us with a gorgeous colt by TR Viktor.

Verve is all quality. I was sure when he had half emerged that he was a filly, as his head is so lovely and refined, but as soon as he found his legs, his attitutude showed that he is all boy!

Verve is a full brother to our Australian National Champion Yearling Filly, Valouria.

Verve at 5 days old (left) and with Salida (below).

and looking forward to 2004...

With all three foals safely here now, we are looking forward to these babies hitting the show ring.

As we have been blessed with two outstanding fillies, and as Shakeelah is again in foal to SK Shakla Khan, Shakara will be available to a discerning home.

Shakara, a gorgeous chestnut filly by SK Shakla Khan from Shakeelah, was born at 6.15 am on the 15th September.

Shakara will make a fantastic show filly and with her wonderful pedigree, will be a superb broodmare later on.

The lovely grey filly Mahdiaa (at right and below), arrived on 2 December 2003, although not due until late December. Her mother Maazina was clearly not going to go to term, but she developed a little more quickly than we expected!

Mahdiaa is the first foal for Maazina (Sarezin - Cherox Miguela) and is by SK Shakla Khan (imp US). She is a variant on the very successful cross between Sarezin and Shakla Khan, although as the four year old Maazina is Sarezin's oldest daughter, it is the first time the cross has been performed this way around.

El Aaliyah Stud in Germany owns the International Champion Colt, Saskatoon, and Elmridge Stud own the incredibly gorgeous yearling filly, Shala, both by Sarezin out of Shakla Khan daughters.

Mahdiaa is everything we hoped for from the breeding, and we are pretty keen to hang onto her. Many thanks to Fiona and Tom Selwyn for leasing us Maazina.
 
 

It gives us great pleasure to announce the sale of Miraak to Julie Smith as her next show ring star.

Julie has previously partnered her gelding Lizwood Park Ghazal to top awards, including Australian National Champion, and was looking for a young horse to follow in his footsteps. We have great hopes for their future together.

Pictured – Julie with Miraak at their first show together, the 2004 Feature Show.
 

Syrah's first show of the season was the A Class Victorian Championships on 1 November, 2003 judged by Mark Gamlin of the UK.

Our team consisted of our lovely 2 year old Azima, and was the debut for the 2 year old gelding Miraak and the yearling filly Ashika Shaklana.

The two novices proved to be excellent show horses, travelling well and settling in at the showgrounds, and doing everything right in the ring.

First to show was Ashika Shaklana. She was Top 5 Yearling Filly in a large and quality class, with the judge commenting on what a lovely filly she is.

Miraak was next, in a strong Junior Gelding Class, including the champion and reserve from the earlier SEAHC A Class. We were delighted when he was awarded Champion Junior Gelding. The judge thought he was a lovely gelding and commented on his great correct conformation, wonderful shoulder and said that he'd love to hop on and ride him. We think he'll make a great performance horse too, and he is for sale!

Ashika was then awarded Top 5 Junior Filly in a strong class of lovely fillies and was again described as a beautiful filly.

All in all, a positive start to the season.

Mazhar is of course a full brother to Miraak, whose success is reported in the news item above.

So three Syrah bred and one Syrah owned horse showed for two Australian National Champions and two Australian National Top Ten awards. It is worth noting that Mazhar was the only foal bred by Syrah in the year he was born, and Valouria and Azima were the only fillies bred by Syrah in the year that they were born. We certainly celebrated that achievement!