What a relief it is to announce the safe delivery of this beautiful purebred Arabian filly, who was due on Good Friday, March 25, 2005. The due date came and went with no apparent sign from Regina's dam, Bur-Dals Ginanah, that the birth would be anytime soon. We talked to Veterinarian Richard Novak to make certain that he would be available after hours  for assistance because we  suspected that this overdue baby would be a difficult experience for Gina, who sticks out at 14. 1 hands.

Groggy from watching the two monitors in Gina's stall and from checking in on her several times during each night, we finally saw her lie down. Unlike our other mares, who always can be heard crashing to the ground before the impending birth, Gina's reclining moment at 3 AM was so quiet as not to be even heard over the speaker. Even the breaking of the water was barely a whisper, but Gina herself is a quiet little lady whose whinny is never more than a whisper under her breath--even when she knows that her morning hay ration may have been forgotten.

As we slurped down a quick cup of coffee to rouse ourselves, we gathered our towels and got to the barn at 3:20 AM. Orion was very prominent in the southern sky behind the barn, and we opened the back door, not really certain what to expect but prepared with the phone in case we had to call Dick Novak. We mused that Dick might have been earlier to rouse at 2 AM and speculated ruefully that no vet would be awake at this unearthly and unsympathetic time.

As we got to Gina's stall, the sack was already on the ground, and the dark head with the question-mark star and the pretty ears  was already exposed. Aloud, we cheered, "Good job, Gina," and stroked the snowy neck. And then I smiled and added, "Thank you, God! We needed this blessing." I thought of the tightly-folded paper with the names Rex and Regina scribbled in pencil. Months ago after I had talked with Meg Lamb, owner of our stallion Royal Pride Rythm's great-grandsire, Rex Dorsaz, I had thought of those two names and kept them close to my heart, never daring to identify the future foal as either WIW Rex or WIW Regina, but just knowing that I had written them if I ever needed them. If God chose to bless us with a healthy foal, then there would be time enough to savor the names.

Tom examined the foal and announced that it was a colt. It was delicious to think of a WIW Rex or even a WIW Irex, since Bur-Dals Ginanah's sire line goes from Aarod to *Nimrod to Champurrado to Irex and thence back to the elegant son of Skowronek, Naseem, whom Lady Wentworth sold to Russia at a time when she needed money. Her hope, according to researcher Gari Dill-Marlow, was to rely on the Naseem full brother Naziri. In one of life's bitter and unexpected twists, Naziri died during World War II as a result of colic induced by a Nazi blitz near his stall or by the bomb itself. At any rate, the Naseem and Naziri offspring were both of limited numbers. How ironic still that Henry Babson chose to import *Nimrod, of the Skowronek sire line, to service his own linebred mares from *Fadl. The  Nimrod offspring, though elegant and useful, were eliminated from the Al Khamsa membership that their dams and granddams had enjoyed. Again, their numbers were small. 

What was most distinctive about this new deep red colt was the light-colored eyeliner. None of our other chestnut foals had demonstrated this quality, and we immediately thought of the possibility that WIW Rex might be a chestnut with the greying factor. Never having foaled a grey at the farm, the possibility seemed inviting, as did the possibility that this new boy might get to be our Royal's successor. We had sold off Royal's small number of colts (three to date). Royal has predominantly been a sire of mares, but to date we had not thought of a successor if, God forbid, tragedy should strike Royal.

At 11 AM in the morning we went back up to the barn. The sun was shining, warm, and inviting, and the exercise would be wonderful for both Gina and for Rex. As I led Gina and Tom scooted Rex out the back door of the barn, the foal's tail went up in the air. Tom made an important discovery. Rex was not a Rex at all, but a Regina, a filly foal.

I was momentarily crestfallen at the thought that I did not have a colt, but then elated at the thought of being able to include Gina's name in the new filly's. On the bottom side, Gina traces to Marengo, Geym, Joharah. Her tail-female is *Wadduda, and she, like this newly-discovered filly, is a Seglawi Al-Abd--simply exquisite in nature and conformation.

Suddenly, I remembered Orion, and in less than a second, I thought of this filly's connection to *Count Dorsaz, the Rissalix son bred, not by Lady Wentworth, but by Lady Yule and imported by Bazy Tankesley. In a wicked split second, I thought of Doriona. Ordinarily it might have been too presumptuous a concoction, but there it was...and so we have WIW Regina Doriona.

Regina is double Skowronek sireline. She is 70% Crabbet-related and about 98% CMK. She looks like a keeper to us. Right now we are just savoring her day by day and being thankful for our blessing. These pictures are all about her very first day of life. We look forward to adding more to record her progress and development.

UPDATE: July 29, 2006

At the age of 15 months WIW REGINA DORIONA  made her first appearance on the show circuit. She participated this  morning at the COSCA-approved show held at Blue Lakes Farm in Newbury, Ohio. This well-attended show attracted 298 entries in 50 classes and was organized by the North Eastern Ohio Arabian Horse Association.

Diane handled Dorie in two morning classes. The first, the ARABIAN BREEDING IN-HAND class attracted some veteran purebreds. Dorie did everything she was requested to do on perfect cue, especially an enthusiastic, high-spirited trot and an instantaneous set-up. Diane probably broke all show rules by implanting a quick kiss on  Dorie's  outstretched muzzle, but after all, it was Dorie's special time in the sunlight, her time to shine. And shine, she certainly did, bringing Windt im Wald a third place in her first outing!

We felt so good about our maiden experience that Dorie earned the opportunity to be seen once again in  OPEN HALTER FOR 2 AND UNDER, again against veteran handlers. This time she performed a simply glorious extended trot and again set up in a heartbeat, the only Arabian in a field of quarter horses. This time Dorie took a fourth place, enjoying every minute of her experience.

Several spectators and exhibitors stopped to comment about her quiet, willing attitude and desire to please. We have known that about Dorie almost from her first day on this earth. Nevertheless, it was such a great pleasure to hear the praise come from others.

Hail, Dorie! Your future looks bright! Know that you are loved royally here at Windt im Wald Farm!

UPDATE:  Labor Day Weekend at the Geauga County (OHIO) Fair, September 3-4, 2006

In the aftermath of much rain, the Geauga County Fairgrounds were awash with slime, and the Western Horse Show  on Sunday, September 3, used the runway opposite the restrooms instead of the traditional showring.  The second class, Open Halter, attracted fourteen entries. the majority of which were Paint/Quarter Horse types with one recognizable Morgan and a chestnut molly mule in a show halter. WIW Regina Doriona was the youngest entry there and the ONLY Arabian in the field.  When we were asked to trot as the eighth entry, Dorie put on a great floating demonstration through the slime and set up nicely, never even undaunted by the plaintiff calls of her frazzled barnmate, WIW Royal Tsonata. She just stood calmly as the judge came over and carefully examined her hindquarters. I was appreciative of the judge's attention. When the announcement came over that Dore had won fourth place in the midst of such a large field and serious competiton, we were overwhelmed and ecstatic and jubilantly trotted through the mud again to fetch our yellow ribbon.

Monday, September 4, dawned with doubts about whether the English Open Horse Show part of the Geauga County Fair could use the showring.  While it did not look as much like a lake as it did the previous day, it was nevertheless soupy as we waited by the runway in expectation of  using that venue, as we did on Sunday. Surprise, surprise when the announcement came over the speaker to enter Class I, Open Saddle-Type Halter, using the showring. This time only four entrants braved the slime, but WIW Regina Doriona was again the youngest contestant, and the most formidable challenger was a seasoned black Morgan stallion, who was entitled by breed standards to have a handler and a whip-holder at the rear.  We entered as second contestant. When asked to trot, Dore gleefully went into a floating, ground-covering trot as mud splashed everywhere and I felt the mud ooze through my socks. Nevertheless, we gave it great enthusiasm, and Dorie set up as perfectly as I could have expected with great ears and a motionless stance! BRAVO! We earned a third and were VERY proud!

Dore was so pretty and so noteworthy that several individuals stopped to admire her, and one party even inquired about her availability for purchase. Tom simply remarked, "Diane will never sell this girl!" What a triumph this Geauga County Fair was, especially since both Dorie and Tom and Diane were deprived of attending in 2005, when Dorie as a weanling was ready and able to go, but Diane was physically set back with side effects from chemotherapy to eradicate HER 2/neu breast cancer. It was one of the most discouraging times in all of our lives. A year later, just the opportunity to exhibit a wonderful purebred Arabian filly of Crabbet bloodlines in improved spirits and health was a triumph beyond description. We hope we are back!

UPDATE: May 2007

Dore has been saddled and led around the arena with a ho-hum attitude. So far so good. We are preparing for the June 3, 2007, Champagne Classic to be held at Blue Lakes Farm in Newbury, Ohio. Northeastern Ohio Arabian Horse Association will put the 50-class show on.

UPDATE: Sunday, June 3, 2007

Dore and I showed in two halter classes. She had some problems with her ears this year, but oh, could she trot on cue and come to a halt with a single clue!  We were up against some pretty nice purebreds in Class 8, and we took third place.  In Class 10 we did everything pretty correctly, and I expected a second place, but the judge, who seemed very meticulous and fair, decided that we should get the third place. It was great experience, and I hope we get to do more shows at Sun Beau Valley in Ravenna, Ohio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Pictures

Map to our farm At Windt im Wald Farm we are preservationist Arabian horse breeders. specializing in Crabbet/CMK bloodlines. We also provide Arabian horse training and riding lessons. Arabian Magazines and Books from the late 1960s-2000 FOR SALE Check our Arabian horse sales page for both Purebred and Half-Arabian Horses