Fifty-five years ago, a young Sigi Siller took time from her studies as a university student in Germany to travel to Spain in search of foundation mares for her burgeoning breeding programme. While several invaluable matrons were identified and secured from this superlative population of Arabian horses on this trailblazing trip, none proved more consequential than Estopa (Tabal x Uyaima by Barquillo), bred by Osuña Escalera. It was love at first sight for Sigi, then just nineteen years old, who recognised in a young five-year-old Estopa, despite her lacklustre condition and care, an irresistible aristocratic presence, indomitable nature and indefatigable zest for life that would come to define her incomparable legacy in the breed.
The enduring image of Sigi with Estopa. Credit Gabriele Boiselle
Back home in Germany, first in Berlin while Sigi continued her studies and eventually in the iconic rolling hills of the Schwarzwald, the Black Forest, Estopa rose to prominence as a broodmatron of unparalleled merit, blessing the breed with foal after extraordinary foal, the vast majority of whom have had a monumental effect on the breed worldwide. With resident sire Shaker el Masri (Morafic x Zebeda by El Sareei), imported directly from the ancient source of excellence that was the Egyptian Agricultural Organisation (EAO), Estopa single-handedly established the now legendary ‘Golden Cross’ of straight Egyptian and Spanish bloodlines, forever positively altering the trajectory of the global Arabian horse industry with Estasha (1973), Estawa (1974), El Shaklan (1975), Ibn Estopa (1977) and Estara (1978). These exemplary progeny, with Estopa at the epicentre of the breeding universe, formed the foundation of Sigi’s now immensely significant breeding programme, aptly christened with the profoundly prophetic name of Om El Arab, which translates from Arabic as mother of Arabians.
When Om El Arab relocated to the Santa Ynez Valley of California in the 1980s, Estopa made her final journey abroad as an inseparable part of the family, blessing Sigi with her most enduring feminine gifts in her final two foals: the enchanting Om El Shaina (by Camargue), born in 1989 to Estopa in her 24th year; and the invincible Om El Beneera (by Sharem El Sheikh), carried and nursed by Estopa in 1992 at an improbable 27 years of age. From these two treasured daughters, both created with such astounding love and determination against seemingly insurmountable odds, Sigi, together with her daughter and successor Janina Merz, would weave together an extraordinary tapestry of excellence, generation after inspiring generation, of Arabian superiority that continues to transform the breed in every corner of the globe for the better.
Om El Shaina. Credit Darryl Larson
Now steadfastly established as part of the Om El Arab breeding firmament, the bedrock branches descending through Om El Shaina, of ‘S’ and ‘E’ dam family fame, and via Om El Beneera, representing the bountiful ‘B’ dam family, continue to keep the Estopa legacy, and her undeniable ‘look of eagles’ alive and thriving in the breed. Now several generations deep in the pedigrees of many of the most impactful Om El sires and dams, both Shaina and Beneera have become invaluable keys to success when blended together via their most important descendants, intensifying the genetic influence of Estopa, enshrined into legend by breed historian Betty Finke as “the most influential dam of the 20th century”, with profound consequence.
Om El Beneera. Credit April Visel
Of all the modern day manifestations of this magic cross, the exemplar extraordinaire is Om El Belasina, a paternal great-granddaughter of Om El Shaina through Arabian Breeders World Cup Supreme Gold Champion Stallion Om El Sinon (WH Justice x Om El Shadiva by Sanadik El Shaklan), and likewise a great-granddaughter maternally of Om El Beneera via international elite Aristocrat Dam Om El Beladeena (Al Lahab x Om El Benedict by Sanadik El Shaklan). With an incredible six essential crosses to Estopa – one each through cornerstone daughters Shaina and Beneera and an additional four via her most famous and influential son El Shaklan – Om El Belasina is a powerhouse of transcendent Estopa genetics, exemplifying the best of her consummate heritage in a formidable phenotype of undeniable modern magnificence and universal appeal.
Om El Belasina. Credit Kelly Campbell
An inevitable product of Om El’s tried and true breeding philosophy of layering outcross stallions on top of intensely line-bred Estopa-influenced females, Belasina is further blessed with the affirmative genetic infusion of several of the most significant sires of the past five decades. All four of the most prominent outcross sires in the first four generations of her pedigree – the Champion Maker WH Justice (Magnum Psyche x Vona Sher-Renea by El Sher-Mann), World Champions Al Lahab (Laheeb x The Vision HG by Thee Desperado) and Carmargue (White Lightning x Velvet Shadow by Bey Shadow), plus Scottsdale Supreme Champion Sharem el Sheikh (El Shaklan x Samanna by Gharib). All called Om El Arab home as chief sires during consequential lease periods, a testament to Sigi’s unrivalled persuasive talents and uncompromising commitment to excellence that left nothing to chance and an exponentially positive gain for the Arabian breed worldwide.
Om El Belasina. Credit Kelly Campbell
The breeding decision behind Belasina, however, is unquestionably and rightfully credited to the second generation of Om El breeding genius: Janina. Now flying solo at the helm of one of the world’s most universally respected, inescapably enduring, and prodigiously acclaimed breeding programmes, Janina is blessed with the distinct privilege of continuing the incomparable legacy of her trailblazing mother, and the instantly recognisable Om El look and brand appeal the pair created together, well into the 21st century and, hopefully, beyond.
At just five years of age – coincidentally the same age attributed to Estopa when discovered by a teenage Sigi in Spain – Belasina has amassed an enviable show record as a senior mare, having been named Silver Supreme Champion in a split decision at the Arabian Breeders World Cup in 2023, and having triumphed as Scottsdale International Gold Champion Senior Mare this past February in magnificent style. Having spent the majority of the year contentedly in residence as a ‘working girl’ on broodmatron duty at Om El following her historic win in Scottsdale, Belasina returned to Arabians International in early September to prepare for one final outing in the show-ring with Sandro Pinha at the United States National Championships. Exceedingly kind, intelligent and instinctively aware of everything in her sphere of influence, Belasina was overjoyed to see Janina in Tulsa when she arrived to greet her in the stables. Snuggling close while exchanging a knowing understanding of the immense responsibility they both bear in the legacy they represent, the pair share a special affection and connection for each other that is heart-warmingly evident whenever they are in each other’s presence.
Om El Belasina. Credit Kelly Campbell
Anticipation and expectation were unsurprisingly elevated on the final afternoon of US Nationals competition when the bugle called and the gate opened for the penultimate championship final of 2024 for junior mares aged three-to-five years. As the eldest competitor entered, Belasina was first in the go order, exploding into the spotlight with astounding composure at the trot alongside Sandro, exuding the charismatic confidence, aristocratic elegance, enchanting grace and undeniable magnetic presence of all the Om El matrons that had come before and that comprise her incomparable heritage. When she stopped on the rail after her commanding entrance, perfectly balanced and poised while still effusively energised with excitement, equal parts transfixed and transfixing, she flipped her tail over her back and arched her elegant forehand towards the in-gate with a knowing and supremely confident look in her luminous eyes, quietly challenging her competitors to top that electrifying performance. Forever immortalised in that singular moment in time, Belasina was take your breath away brilliant, exuding excellence from every single pore and every molecule of her being, exemplifying nothing less than the breed ideal of the feminine Arabian archetype, undeniably reminiscent of every legendary National Champion Mare ever to grace the competitive arena in the United States. With destiny inevitably conspiring in her favour, Belasina was named 2024 United States National Champion Junior Mare by unanimous consent of all three judges, a result that was greeted with overwhelming exaltation by the approving crowd in attendance.
Om El Belasina. Credit Howard Schatzberg
Most astoundingly, after fifty-five years of unrivalled global success that has included dozens of World, European, All Nations Cup and international champions from every continent and nearly every country, Belasina – who, most remarkably, represents fifteen generations of Om El breeding decisions in her star-studded pedigree – was the first mare to bear the Om El breeder prefix ever to be honoured as United States National Champion Mare. It is an accolade long overdue, but nonetheless a landmark achievement made all the more poignant and satisfying as a result of the complimentary convergence of so many essential matrons: Shaina, Beneera and legendary foundress Estopa, as well as their kindred spirits Sigi and Janina – the prophetic mothers of Arabians made manifest six decades on, and counting…
Janina with Om El Belasina and the Om El Arab team – Concepcion, Rene, Martin, Yvonne and Keeley. Credit Kelly Campbell
As the heiress apparent in an unrivalled line of Om El-bred aristocrat dams that comprises five generations through direct tail-female ancestresses Om El Beladeena, Om El Benedict, Om El Beneera and the immortal Estopa, Belasina has already assumed her most important and essential role as broodmatron with great promise. Her first foal, the February 2024 colt Revolution AI (by RFI Fiorano), bred by Sandro Pinha and Gil Valdez, is the perfect reward from the universe for the consummate care and respect the pair have provided Belasina while in show preparation these past two seasons. For 2025, Belasina is expecting two promising foals: the first by Sharif al Zobair (FA el Rasheem x Risalah al Zobair by Marajj) for Lara Ames and Cedar Ridge Farms; and the second by Om El Maximus (Magic Magnifique x Om El Bint Beneera by Om El Shalimar) for Janina herself, a combination that adds yet another beneficial dose of both Shaina and Beneera, as well as four more infusions of Estopa, to the highly anticipated produce.
What began with the dream of young horse-crazy German girl in Spain in the summer of 1970 has come full circle almost five-and-a-half decades later on the grandest stage of American achievement within the Arabian breed – fifteen Om El Arab generations strong, five directly descended tail-female through Estopa, with six invaluable crosses to the immortal matron herself made manifest in a phenotype that exemplifies the breed ideal with resounding affirmation. The torch of uncompromising excellence that epitomised Sigi and Estopa has now been decisively passed to Janina and Belasina, with the pair poised to illuminate the path forward for the Arabian breed worldwide with immense promise, unlimited possibility and a dream, or two, to pursue of their own.
Om El Belasina and Janina. Credit Kelly Campbell
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