1. What is S.O.F.I?
These initials stand for Sheykh Obeyd Foundation International. S.O.F.I has evolved from the original Sheykh Obeyd Foundation (SOF) which was created in 1987. Since then, interest in Sheykh Obeyd breeding has grown significantly and has expanded to many countries throughout the world.

2. What is the purpose of S.O.F.I?
The purpose of S.O.F.I. is to provide education and promote awareness of the inherent importance of Sheykh Obeyd bloodlines to the world-wide Arabian horse community. We are dedicated to Preserve, Protect and Promote all Sheykh Obeyd horses world-wide!

3. What is a Sheykh Obeyd Arabian?
A Sheykh Obeyd Arabian is one who descends exclusively from those Arabians bred by, acquired by, or otherwise introduced into the genetic stream by any of the seven original foundation breeders, or combination thereof. These horses constitute the Foundation Root Stock of Sheykh Obeyd (see sections on Foundation Breeders and Foundation Horses).

4. What is the connection between the seven foundation breeders?
These breeders were connected by a unique passion for procuring the cream of the crop of desertbred Arabians in Egypt, during the Golden Age of breeding. This was a time when Egypt was ruled by the royal family, who had infused Arabian horse breeding into their lives and culture, sparing no effort or expense. During this period, Lady Anne and Wilfred Blunt established their Sheykh Obeyd Stud near Cairo. Dr. A.E. Branch was then the highest ranking authority at the Royal Agricultural Society and was closely involved with the Royal Family. These seven foundation breeders were also devout pedigree students, sharing a particular commitment to the Bedouin horsebreeding philosophies. Likewise, they shared knowledge and information -- horses were often exchanged between them. They were the purists of their time, having extraordinary access to the finest of Bedouin breeding.

While we know from historic references that they did share a very high priority for overall quality, beauty and authentic Bedouin type, the imperative significance of the 7 foundation breeders (recognized by SOFI) is really not a matter of personal preference based on the "type of horse" which they preferred, or which we as contemporary breeders prefer. Their imperative significance lies in the very well documented historical evidence, provided by numerous sources (including a first hand account by Lady Anne herself), that a deliberate and proactive preservation effort was born during this era, CO-founded by specific individuals who were atypical breeders of their time. Because of their very unique situations, extraordinary sensitivities and particular experiences, they shared a visionary concern that the pure Bedouin bred Arabian horse could become extinct in Egypt without a timely intervention to prevent this.

As we know, racing was a glamorous seductress of the wealthy class in Egypt during this period, and winning was the primary goal for many who loved breeding Arabians... primarily because they loved the sport. Surely, the concept of Asil preservation would have been very abstract to the typical Arabian horse owner/breeder of Egypt in the 1800s and early 1900s. What reasons would he have to think this was critical? Why would he worry that the continued supply of pure Bedouin bred Arabians into Egypt would be coming to an end? Perpetual wars, invasions and natural disasters had beleaguered the Arabian Peninsula and its inhabitants for thousands of years, and yet, they continued to exist and breed Arabian horses. It seems reasonable to presume that most would not have anticipated the end results of the cumulative and acute cultural changes that would occur over the next several decades. They would not have predicted that by the mid 1930s most nomadic tribes would be forced to settle the in towns; a major lifestyle change that would radically diminish Bedouin breeding activities... and thus, eventually dry up the steady supply of pure desert bred Arabians for Egypt. Moreover, had they foreseen this, would most have cared? Clearly, "Preservation" of any sort has always been a concern of the minority, not the majority. King Fouad, for example, was a huge fan of racing. His breeding supplied the growing demand for desert-bred racehorses in Egypt. History shows that he began his stud with authentic Asil bloodlines, and nothing I have ever read translates into evidence that Fouad bred anything but authentic desert bred horses; and nothing I have ever read translates into his having one iota of interest in preservation either. His was just a different orientation from that of the original preservationists of Egypt, and does not diminish his contribution by any means -- his interests/breeding accomplishments served a very important need. Indeed, the Inshass contribution to Asil Arabian breeding is enormous and lasting, which is obvious to anyone who has studied Egyptian pedigrees. King Fouad, however, is not one of the 7 SOFI foundation breeders/introducers. He was not working in collaboration with the 7 toward a mutual goal; he was simply doing his own thing, his own way, and enjoying it. This is important to emphasize: While every strong breed selects and develops his own signature product, the defining difference between King Fouad and the SOFI Foundation breeders was that of personal ideology; philosophy, intent, motivation for breeding -- NOT specific to relative "product quality" or purity. SOFI is an organization created to celebrate the ideology, philosophies of the 7 Foundation breeders who initiated this critical preservation movement in Egypt over a century ago, and to preserve those horses who exist today as a direct result of their very unique insights and efforts. Today, these horses are recognized as the early foundation ancestors of ALL Egyptian Arabians, keystone ancestors of most Arabians worldwide. To love and appreciate Egyptian Arabians, is to love and appreciate the root horses of SOFI...they are one and the same.

5. What makes Sheykh Obeyd Arabians significant?
When examining the pedigrees of many of the greatest Arabians the world has ever known, it becomes very clear that these pedigrees are firmly rooted in Sheykh Obeyd bloodlines. Because they descend from such a small group of horses, Sheykh Obeyd blood is highly concentrated in the quality and character sought by the founding breeders of Egypt.

6. Why are Sheykh Obeyd Arabians important to ALL Arabian breeders?
Today's Arabian breeders now understand that the Arabian has evolved as a somewhat aggregate breed. Within the past few years, the World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO) has publicly stated that a very small percentile of all registered Arabian horses can be said to carry no admixture of non-Arab blood. Recently, the Arabian Horse Registry of America (AHRA) has modified its definition of a registered Purebred Arabian to exclude the former claim that all lines "trace to the desert". The revised definition states that an AHRA registered Purebred is any Arabian who's sire and dam were both registered with AHRA and omits any reference to genetic warrantee.

Al Khamsa estimates that only approximately four percent of all registered Arabian horses can be reasonably presumed to descend entirely from Bedouin bred ancestors of the Arabian peninsula. Thus qualified by Al Khamsa, ALL Sheykh Obeyd Arabians fall into this rare four percentile. Their exclusive descent from a select core of prized Arabians, ratified by the original purist breeders of Egypt, endows them with extremely concentrated Arabian qualities.

For every Arabian breeder, there comes a time when the need for re-infusion of authentic Arabian character becomes apparent. If only we could travel back in time, to breed to those legendary root horses in Egypt! By tapping into the one of the richest resources of original Egyptian Arabian blood existing today, that trip is virtually possible. For this reason, the perpetuation of the Sheykh Obeyd genepool serves the best interests of ALL Arabian breeders, and the entire Arabian breed.

7. Why did SOFI exclude the Inshass horses, they too were pure desert bred?
The exclusion of Inshass horses from the SO root stock has nothing to do with when these horses came out of the desert, nor to their (recognized) Asil designations, nor to their perceived "purity" relative to the SO root horses. There is a clear and definite historic parameter which defines SO rootstock, and it has been noted by nearly every Egyptian Arabian horse authority/author/historian of renown...long before the original Sheykh Obeyd Foundation was founded.

As documented, there existed a group of purist breeders in Egypt during the 1800s, possibly the very first non Bedouin preservationists, who became highly concerned about the possible impending loss or dilution of exclusive pure Bedouin-bred blood in Egypt. They joined efforts to prevent this from happening, and the entire Arabian horse community owes them a huge debt of gratitude. The idea originated with Dr. Branch of the RAS, and the key players in this effort were Branch, Lady Anne Blunt and Prince Kemal El Dine. These three contemporaries...one a Scotsman, one an English Noblewoman, one a member of Egypt's Royal Family, shared a powerful common vision. They sought to protect those known Asil horses who had come out of the desert into Egypt thus far, and whose blood still remained in Egypt without dilution.

The Sheykh Obeyd Stud of Lady Anne would become a physical, as well as symbolic, example of the efforts put forth by this small group of like-minded breeders. A quote from the highly respected historian, Joe Ferriss, published in the SOF 1990 Directory: "The Blunts established the Crabbet Stud in England in 1878. Having spent so much time in Egypt they established another Stud at Sheykh Obeyd near Cairo in 1882. Sheykh Obeyd originally belonged to Abbas Pasha's uncle Ibrahim and was named for a Saint who was a companion to the Prophet Mohammed. Sheykh Obeyd itself was a reflection of the close-knit ties of this like-minded community. There were vines and rose bushes in the garden from Ali Pasha Sherif and a pair of white turkeys from Prince Ahmed Pasha Kemal." Thus, the Sheykh Obeyd Stud, for what it represented on many levels, was the rightful inspiration for the name of The Sheykh Obeyd Foundation. This organization was created to celebrate an important historic chapter in the preservation of Egyptian Arabian horses, particular original ancestors who are at the core of ALL Egyptian Arabian horses. This particular era has been defined as beginning with the importations of Mohammed Ali The Great, and ending with the retirement of Dr. Branch of the RAS around 1932.

Inshass, the Stud of King Fouad, was created in the mid 1920's, well after the death of Lady Anne Blunt, well after the dissolution of her Sheykh Obeyd farm. King Fouad began his stud with of horses whose ancestors were bred by the original Egyptian breeders and the RAS, then additional unrelated stock was incorporated. After King Fouad died in 1936, his teenaged son, Farouk, took the throne. Farouk received additional gift horses into the Stud, and it has been written that at that time, Dr. Muhammed Rasheed (Inshass Stud manager) "politely" ridded the Stud of any horses of "doubtful descent" (Judith Forbis, AAB, p. 252). While King Fouad was most noted for his appetite for racing and other pleasures, there is no cause to question the authenticity of his desert-bred breeding. He was simply not one of the like-minded foundation breeders/introducers of SOFI, not part of the preservation community, which bound them in a unique breeding circle. Nonetheless, Fouad made a tremendous contribution to the preservation of Asil Arabian horses when he donated his desert-bred stallion, El Dere, to the RAS/EAO in 1934. It goes without saying that the influence of El Dere is legend. Today, due to his intense use at the EAO, the blood of El Dere saturates the pedigrees of the vast majority of Egyptian Arabian horse...perhaps in all but approximately 1,000 individuals. In the SOFI gene pool, contemporary breeders can find a sort of complimentary outcross source, by tapping into a concentrated well of original Egyptian ancestry without further increasing the El Dere blood in their program, if that is their desire.

We emphasize the continued need for preservation...based on preference and without prejudice. We truly believe that there is a dynamic need to for the Arabian horse community to respect and encourage the continued preservation of all Asil Arabian horses today. We also believe that SOFI has a unique and important role to play in that preservation effort within the greater Asil population, via identifying and preserving a historically defined gene pool of fine, original root animals of Egypt. We also feel that preservationists must realize the frivolity of the "absolute purity" dogma and reject the frivolous rantings of baseless suspicions of Asil bloodlines focused only on incomplete documentation details -- a particular circumstance present in the pedigrees of every single Arabian ancestor.

Today, we are better educated, we know better and we can be better. In so doing, we may focus fully on our preservation efforts with passion and resolution, tempered with an ever-present respect due all Arabian horses of all bloodlines...each a present day miracle and cherished gift from above.

To Be Continued...