Athena MRF+

Athena MRF is a tall, dark bay 2017 daughter of international champion super sire, KanzAlbidayer (Ajman Moniscione x DL Marielle by Marwan Al Shaqab), and out of the nationally-titled, champion producer, Empress of Marwan (Marwan Al Shaqab x FH Djamila by Dakar El Jamaal).

Exemplifying the size, substance and structure of her dam and the type and beauty of her sire, ATHENA MRF wasted no time earning Region 4 Champion Yearling Filly, Region 4 Top 5 ABS Sweepstakes yearling Filly, Scottsdale Top Ten International Filly, Region 3 Top 3 Yearling Filly honors, Region 3 ABS Yearling Filly Top 10, and Region 3 Reserve Champion Sport Horse Yearling Filly In-Hand honors .  The highlight of her first year in the show ring came when ATHENA MRF was named 2018 Sport Horse National Champion ABS Yearling Filly.

ATHENA MRF is, in fact, the first – and thus far, ONLY – *KanzAlbidayer foal to win a U.S. National Championship.

A glance at her family tree  quickly shows why ATHENA MRF has been so successful in the show ring.  She can claim a legacy, not only of high acclaimed sires, but also a heritage of  mares who were influential in the show ring as well the breeding shed.  Notable stallions close up in ATHENA’s pedigree, beyond her illustrious sire, are Ajman Moniscione, WH Justice, 3-time World and National Champion Marwan Al Shaqab (twice), World and National Champion Gazal Al Shaqab (twice), National Champion *Padron,  National Champion *Dakar El Jamaal and his sire, National Champion *Ali Jamaal.

Significant mares in her lineage include National Champion FH Djamila, world champion producer RGA Kouress, National Champion Kajora (twice),  National Futurity Champion and National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure Little Liza Fame (twice), and National Champion *Sonoma Lady, to name some of the most influential.

It is an incredibly powerful and significant pedigree.

Phenotypically, ATHENA MRF’s sire, KanzAlbidayer, is arguably the most prepotent stallion in the world for head type – and he certainly contributed that to ATHENA MRF.  She has the dished face and large, dark eyes so often seen on Kanz offspring.

A successful European show horse himself. with Gold Championships in Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, KanzAlbidayer, from shoulder forward, is very much a bay version of his exotic sire, the chestnut Ajman Moniscione (WH Justice x AntheaMoniscione by Padrons Ghibli).  Both stallions possess large, dark, expressive eyes in prominent sockets, lovely dished faces, the beautifully placed and sculpted nostrils of the WH Justice family, and lovely necks with nicely curved polls.   Kanz’s beautiful, straight, lofty tail carriage is also reminiscent of his famous grandsire.

The rest of Kanz’s conformation seems heavily influenced by his lovely dam, DL Marielle, as was undoubtedly the plan of his  breeder Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Al Qasimi.  A full sister to National and World Champion Marajj, DL Marielle (out of the dynastic producer, RGA Kouress) is also half sister to ATHENA MRF’s dam, Empress of Marwan, concentrating the influence of 3-time World Champion and sire of many World Champions, the great Marwan Al Shaqab.  It might also be surmised that DL Marielle contributed a bit more elegance of the throatlatch to her son, courtesy of her sire, Marwan.

Kanz Albidayer already has many highly successful offspring, but it is notable that one of his most successful daughters, Seranza, 2017 Arabian Breeders World Cup Bronze Champion Yearling, 2017 Salon Du Cheval Silver World Champion Yearling Filly, and 2018 Salon Du Cheval Top 5 Junior Champion Filly is, like ATHENA MRF, out of a daughter of Marwan Al Shaqab.

ATHENA MRF’s dam, Empress of Marwan, herself a multi-champion mare, is a product of a cross that has enjoyed considerable success in the Arabian horse show ring, that of Gazal Al Shaqab or Marwan blood crossed with Ali Jamaal blood.  Multi-National and World Champion Stallion, Hariry Al Shaqab (Marwan Al Shaqab x White Silkk by *Dakar El Jamaal) is a good example of that family blend, and Hariry is a 3/4 brother to Empress of Marwan.

Empress of Marwan’s sire, Marwan Al Shaqab, needs no introduction as both his show and siring records are unparalleled in modern Arabian horse history.

Empress of Marwan’s dam, the lovely grey mare, FH Djamila (*Dakar El Jamaal x Nughayma by *Nugad) was a multi-top national ten halter mare and a National Champion AAOTH before being exported to France.  Perhaps because of her long and successful show career, FH Djamila only produced four foals, including Empress of Marwan, before her export.   Though only two of her daughters have bred on to date,  those daughters, Empress of Marwan and  FH Jadore by Rodan LTD+//, are producing well.  FH Jadore produced the lovely, charismatic grey filly FH Jemina (by Eminence PS) who is already a regional and national winner.

It is no surprise that Empress of Marwan is a producer of champions in addition to ATHENA MRF, among them – Bella Luna MRF Canadian National Top Ten Futurity Filly, Sport Horse Nationals Top Ten 2 Yr Old Fillies in Hand, and Region 3 Reserve Champion Yearling Filly; and Evita MRF by U.S. National Champion *El Nabila B, Region 4 Reserve Champion 2 Yr Old Jackpot Filly and Pacific Slopes Reserve Champion Halter and Sport Horse In-Hand Mare.

The success of ATHENA MRF’s family is, by any standard, quite amazing.   The fact that the lines are concentrated in the way they are, breeding champion after champion, should be sufficient proof to convince even the most cynical of breeders that the family’s success is no fluke.

With a champion-filled pedigree and a solid start to her own show career, ATHENA MRF can be expected to make even more significant contributions to the breed in the years to come.

RESOURCES:
AHA Arabdatasource
www.arabianresults.com