The Loss of a Legend: VP Regal Heir (1988 - 2010)

We were saddened to learn of the passing of VP Regal Heir on Thursday, September 9, 2010.

VP Regal Heir (El Hilal x Bint Sammara) was the youngest straight Egyptian son of U.S. and Canadian Top Ten Stallion El Hilal, the all time leading Egyptian sire of National winners. He was foaled on May 2, 1988 and was bred by Paul Hulme, who had bought his dam Bint Sammara from George Wright in 1981. Keri Wright, George Wright's son, recalls: "*Sammara had just two foals for us. Her second was Bint Sammara. An attending veterinarian administered the wrong medication and *Sammara died instantly when Bint Sammara was but a month old (AHA records are incorrect as to *Sammara's date of death).  Sammie was bottle fed until she was of age to join the other weanlings from that year's foal crop.  She immediately became very special to me and we developed a very close bond.  Her show career was very short, but she managed to garner Class A Championships as a young mare prior to being retired to the broodmare band.  Because she was the only mare of that line in our herd my father naturally wanted to get her into production as quickly as possible."  Bint Sammara went on to produce U.S. Top Ten Sidesaddle JTR PH Promiscuous+ and National winner sire PH Sammara Ali.  Keri became familiar with Regal Heir through a Datasource search for horses from his father's breeding program. Keri highly valued the blood of Bint Sammara's sire Mohssen, a Canadian Top Ten Stallion  and a sire of national winners in both halter and performance. Mohssen was by U.S. Top Ten Stallion *Ansata Ibn Halima out of *Bint Mona, the only imported Egyptian mare to produce 4 National winners. Bint Sammara's dam *Sammara was also the dam of U.S, National Champion Futurity Colt and Top Ten Trail and National Champion sire Al Metrabbi.  Keri was delighted to learn that Bint Sammara had been bred to El Hilal by Hulme and that the result of this mating, VP Regal Heir, was at public stud. Regal Heir was unshown due to a broken shoulder as a youngster, but had winning offspring both in North America and abroad. His get include Bint Rofira, who according to David Houseknecht is a Senior Champion Mare at the National Festival of Israel, most classic head winner Domineekh, halter reserve champion and Egyptian Event Top Ten amateur halter Tiheir, Egyptian Event top ten world class yearling colt Mark Mreekh (sire of an Egyptian Event halter winner) and Incredible Heir, who was second in both amateur and futurity halter and top ten in world class halter as a yearling.

Keri made the 12 hour journey to experience Regal Heir in person. He found not only a stallion who embodied the spirit of the Arab war horses of old, but a new friend in Kara Crowell of KC Egyptian Arabians in Holredge, Nebraska. She had a unique bond with  Regal Heir, whom she had owned since  2003.  Keri shared a very evocative description of his first sight of Regal Heir: "Kara had us wait while she went into his stall to halter him.  What happened next will long be remembered...first his presence, his spirit, and then these EYES, these huge, dark, expressive eyes.  And it was through them, that we were provided a window to his soul.  He pranced nearly in place as we made our way outside and into the fading light of day.  There he was in all his magnificence.  He was confident in who he was and it showed, and yet he was also at once so kind, such a gentlemen, especially with Kara, his lady.  If you've not ever met Kara, she is just a little thing...lots of spunk and feistiness...but a petite little package nonetheless.  Here he was in all his glory, trumpeting a call to the mares, and there was Kara at the end of the leadline talking to him like the good and kind friend that he was...and he listened to her, he was mindful of her and respectful of his lady.  He was a gentleman.  As I first saw his entire silhouette against the Nebraska sunset on that rather cool and windy autumn day, I was first impressed that he had great balance and was very well proportioned.  I was especially glad to see his strong, short back, a trait I always admired in El Hilal's offspring.  He had good length of croup and hip.  His body, from the point of his shoulder to the point of his buttocks, and from the point of his withers to the ground, formed a nice square, not the longer rectangle we see so frequently today.  He was very upright, possessing great length of neck.  As long as he was with her he would know no want of any kind.  Only her best would do for him.  It was everywhere evident, and Regal knew it, and, I believe, loved her for it.  It showed in how he treated her...playful, but always kind, always the gentleman."  Kara expressed her feelings for her stallion simply and eloquently: "Regal Heir had the most amazing personality ever. He was not only kind, but, he was truly stoic, and regal. His initial injury as a yearling never affected his personality, even though I am sure it caused him discomfort. He was a joy to be around and he made my life better in every way. He had such strong conformation, and he was an honest horse in every way. His offspring have all reflected his personality, kindness and quality. It is hard to realize life without him, as he was gone too soon, and my heart is breaking. He was the most beautiful horse I have ever seen, with eyes so big they made you feel his soul. It is his big dark eyes that I miss, and his greeting every time I enter the barn. His beauty and pedigree were stellar, but, it was his personality that won my heart. "

Regal Heir leaves a legacy of 43 foals registered to date, including Kara's upcoming stallions Heirogant (x Hakaya El Nefous) and Nyuserra (x J Zaziza) and Kara's mares, the double Regal Heir  Queen of Heirs and Patinaa (VP Regal Heir x Sidra). There are four mares confirmed in foal for 2011 as well: Abraxas Bint Abu, owned by Keri and Carolee Wright;  Diamonds Are,  owned by Jakki Merril; Prrometia Decristo, owned by Donna Heartz, and a beautiful mare owned by Timothy Manring.

(Article written by Arlene Magid)