It has been two weeks since the 2016 Paris World Championships were crowned. Once the show is over, however, and everyone has returned to their different homes around the world, all that is left are memories, recalling the horses in your mind’s eye. Here at The Arabian Magazine, we celebrate the eight champions awarded the ultimate title in Paris this year, with special video footage, kindly sponsored by GS Arabians International. Please enjoy – and keep those wonderful memories alive!
YEARLING FEMALE CHAMPION – D AJAYEB
The Dubai Stud continued to shine at this year’s Paris World Championships as their beautiful homebred filly D Ajayeb took the Gold title. Her sire is RFI Farid (RFI Maktub x RFI Fayara El Shiraz by Shiraz El Jamaal) – a stallion that would come on to become the Leading Sire of the show and the first in many years not to be from the Gazal Al Shaqab (Anaza El Farid x Kajora by Kaborr) line inmanyyears. D Ajayeb is out of the Dubai Stud’s etheral mare, Ladi Veronika, herself a Silver and Bronze World Champion. Ladi Veronika is by Versace (Fame VF x Precious as Gold by El Shaklan) and is out of Nisrs Natevka (Ansata El Nisr x Fez Feather by Ew Fez). She not only sired D Ajayeb, but also the Yearling Colt Champion, too; more of him later.
D Ajayeb has impressed all year, both in Europe and the Middle East, and she will no doubt continue to shine as she enters her two-year old year. Please enjoy this beautiful filly, a very deserving champion from what was likely the strongest championship at the show.
Silver Yearling Filly Champion – HDM Maria Apal (RFI Farid x WW Imania-Apal), bred by Eleonore Mertens (Belgium) & owned by Ajman Stud (UAE)
Bronze Yearling Female Champion – Madinat Al Baydaa (RFI Farid x TS Madeleine), bred and owned by Al Baydaa Stud (Egypt)
JUNIOR FEMALE CHAMPION – MAI ALJASSIMYA
All eyes were on Mai Aljassimya, the latest bay superstar from Aljassimya Farm in Qatar. Her dam, RP Miss Surprise (WH Justice x Nefertarji by Laman HVP) has been a wonderful show horse and is now proving to be a broodmare of note. Mai Aljassimya is sired by FA El Rasheem (FA El Shawan x Virtuosa MLR by Versace) – who would also sire the Yearling Colt Champion. Aljassimya Farm are very careful in that they only bring out their horses to show when they are absolutely ready and Mai danced her way around the ring, earning the highest score of all the fillies across both junior sections and securing the World Championship title with ease.
Silver Junior Female Champion – Mozn Albidayer (SMA Magic One x Matahari), bred and owned by Albidayer Stud (UAE)
Bronze Junior Female Champion – Bint Hazy Al Khalediah (El Palacio VO x Hazy Al Khalediah), bred by Al Khalediah Stables (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) & owned by Al Khashab Stud (Kuwait)
SENIOR FEMALE CHAMPION – DONNA MOLTA BELLA SRA
Few horses have shown here in recent years and won both as a junior and a senior. Donna Molta Bella is one that has now joined these elite ranks, and at just four years of age, there is so much more to potentially come from this mare. Sired by the Versace son, DA Valentino (ex DA Love by Padrons Psyche out of Magnifficaa FA), Donna Molta Bella is out of RD Fabreanna (Falcon BHF x GF Simply Magic by Magic Dream CAHR). A champion on two continents, Donna Molta Bella took Silver in Aachen behind the older mare, Tehama Ballalina (Tehama Na Sidaqa by JJ Shai Majestic Queen by Laddinn); here in Paris, the younger mare shone and she claimed a Gold that she did truly deserve. When she has an ‘on’ day, she really does shine! Bred by Don Grossman in the United States, Donna Molta Bella SRA is owned by Al Saqran Stud, located in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. No doubt, Donna Molta Bella will return to Paris in future years for the Platinum accolade, but for now, please enjoy her 2016 crowning moment!
Silver Senior Female Champion – Tehama Ballalina (Tehama Na Sidaqa x JJ Shai Majestic Queen), bred by L Ferguson (Zimbabwe) & owned by Al Zobair Stud (UAE)
Bronze Senior Female Champion – Aja Europa (Aja Justified x HB Marais), bred by Aja Arabians (UK) & owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman
PLATINUM CHAMPION MARE – CR JASMEENAH
How much do we all love CR Jasmeenah! Bred in the UK by Carol Ratcliffe, this incredibly beautiful grey mare is owned by Aljassimya Farm. Sired by WH Justice (Magnum Psyche x Vona Sher-Renea by El Sher-Mann), she is out of the exquisite Fforget me Not (Ffatal Attraction x Nouvelle by Najman), and she has taken titles across Europe and the United States, including that of US National Champion Mare. Jasmeenah was the only mare forward for the Platinum Championship but she would have shone regardless.
In a very wonderful moment, handler Tom Schoukens gave the lead rope to Mark Gamlin, who showed Jasmeenah to so many titles before her sale to Aljassimya. Wiping his eyes, Mark took this lovely mare for her parade lap around the ring. And in an even more moving moment, Sheikh Jassim, who ownes Aljassimya Farm, gave Carol the Platinum awards for her to keep. It truly was very special indeed.
YEARLING MALE CHAMPION – D SERAJ
As I have already alluded to, D Seraj is out of Ladi Veronika, and it is quite remarkable that one mare produced two foals that, as yearlings, went on to take World Championship titles in the same year. She really does deserve an award of her own – in addition to that of Leading Mare of the 2016 Paris World Championships. Ladi Veronika really is very special indeed. On to her son, however, the elegant grey D Seraj, sired by Dubai Stud’s own stallion, FA El Rasheem. Like his maternal half-sister, D Ajayeb, D Seraj has enjoyed an amazing first year, including also taking the Gold Yearling Male Championship in Aachen. D Seraj was miles ahead of the other colts in terms of points from the judges – indeed, he won his title unanimously – and I have a feeling that this super colt’s path to stardom has only just begun.
Silver Yearling Male Champion – Jaal Al Jassimya (WH Justice x Ansata Nile Echo), bred and owned by Aljassimya Farm (Qatar)
Bronze Yearling Male Champion – Mansour AM (EKS Alihandro x Abha Palma), bred and owned by Al Mohamadia Stud (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
JUNIOR MALE CHAMPION – GALLARDO J
I think that everyone knows I love a European Triple Crown winner, and the Ajman Stud made it two in a row as Gallardo J took the Gold Junior Male Championship title, the latest in a string of awards won by this remarkable bay. Bred by Jadem Arabians, Gallardo J is by the mutilple champion and super sire Emerald J (QR Marc x Emandoria by Gazal Al Shaqab) and out of the brilliant producer, Gomera J (Ekstern x Georgia by Eukaliptus). Gallardo J has won so many titles – including that of Dubai International Arabian Horse Championships Gold alongside his sire, and has thrice been a European Champion in spite of being just three years of age. This is a colt with a great future ahead of him, and please enjoy his highlights.
Silver Junior Male Champion – Luigi (Kanz Albidayer x Lolita), bred by Danielle Saelens (Belgium) and owned by Al Shahania Stud (Qatar)
Bronze Junior Male Champion – Ghazwan Aljassimya (Marwan Al Shaqab x Athina El Jamaal), bred and owned by Aljassimya Farm (Qatar)
SENIOR MALE CHAMPION – EKS ALIHANDRO
There is no doubt that EKS Alihandro will be forever remembered by all that saw him compete in the show-ring. His charisma and attitude ensure that he stands out from the crowd, and he has a wonderful habit of ensuring that everyone – both in and out of the ring – knows that he is king. Undefeated, EKS Alihandro added a second World Championship title here in Paris, no small achievement given the competition, and he is now retired. At just six years of age, he has nothing left to prove and ‘The Untamed’ can let his progeny do the talking for him; indeed, he already has one World Champion daughter, the delightful Rewayah Athbah (ex Fedora RG by WH Justice out of Psyches Angel), in 2015. EKS Alihandro himself is sired by Marwan Al Shaqab (Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame by Fame VF) and is out of OFW Psylhouette (Padrons Psyche x Hafati Julianna by RDS Dark Victory). Bred in South Africa by Elkasun Aranbians, this powerful bay is owned by Athbah Stud from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. When the title was announced, Alihandro’s handler, Giacomo Capacci, came into the ring on the stallion’s back, reminding so many of when Michael Byatt did the same with Marwan Al Shaqab back in 2008.
His Gold Senior Male World Championship rounds off an incredible year for Alihandro, as he was also named Arabian Horse world Horse of the Year in Aachen. EKS Alihandro – the world salutes you!
Silver Senior Male Champion – Sultan Al Zobara (Gazal Al Shaqab x Inra Al Shaqab), bred by Al Misnad Abdullah (Qatar) & leased by Al Thumama Stud (Qatar) 
Bronze Senior Male Champion – IM Bayard Cathare (Padrons Immage x Shamilah Bagheera), bred by Richard Roques (France) & owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman
PLATINUM MALE CHAMPION – ROYAL COLOURS
It was back in 2009 when Royal Colours joined a very elite club as he became a straight Egyptian World Champion. While this was something more commonplace a decade or more ago, in current times, it is the Marwan Al Shaqab lines, in particular, that have dominated along with the Polish mares of Janow and Michalow. So, for Royal Colours to become a World Champion in these times, is no small achievement. Sired by the brilliant chestnut stallion True Colours (Thee Desperado x Daheda by Dalul), Royal Colours is out of Xtreme Wonder (The Elixir x Lenore Moniet by Thee Desperado) and was bred in the US by Sherry and Mathew Zischkau. Now owned by Dubai Stud, Royal Colours ensured that they truly had a memorable show, and it was great to see him back in the ring once more. His video includes further footage of CR Jasmeenah, as the Platinum Champions paraded together.
Photography by Sweet Photography www.sweetphotography.com
