AL JABAL ARABIANS is a preservation breeding programme dedicated to the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse, with a particular focus on the rare Abayyan Um Jurays strain.
A Journey That Began in 1979
The story began in 1979 with Sher-Gall, an Abayyan stallion by Ibn Galal (Galal x Mohga by El Sareei) and out of Sherifa by Mahomed, out of Marah. Sher-Gall was not simply the horse who introduced me to the Straight Egyptian Arabian; he became the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the history, pedigrees and preservation of the Egyptian Arabian horse.
Over the decades, that fascination developed into a clear breeding purpose: to preserve rare Straight Egyptian bloodlines, study their history and pedigrees, and pass on the knowledge that gives these horses their meaning beyond the individual animal.
About the Abayyan Um Jurays Strain
The Abayyan Um Jurays is one of the traditional Arabian strains preserved within the Straight Egyptian Arabian population. The strain is also found under variant spellings such as Abayyan Om Jurays and Abayyan Um Grees. Historical accounts trace the Egyptian branch preserved at Inshass to El Shahbaa, a grey Ubayyah Umm Jurays mare born in 1925 and acquired by King Fouad from Muhammad Ibrahim al-Hajj for the Inshass Royal Stud in 1931.
From El Shahbaa, the line continued through her daughter El Mahrousa and, in particular, through the branches of Mahdia and Mahfouza. Mahdia became the granddam of Hanan, the dam of influential horses including Ibn Galal I, Jamil and Salaa El Dine. The Mahfouza branch produced Maysa and, through her descendants, important horses such as Magidaa, Ruminaja Ali, Alidaar, Ruminaja Bahjat and Nabiel.
For AL JABAL ARABIANS, preserving the Abayyan Um Jurays is not simply a matter of maintaining names in pedigrees. It means understanding the history behind those pedigrees, protecting rare families and making that knowledge accessible to future generations.
Some of the Strain’s Most Influential Horses
Among the best-known representatives of the Abayyan Um Jurays tradition are the great mares Hanan, Magidaa and Marah. Their descendants spread the influence of the strain throughout Straight Egyptian breeding worldwide. Famous horses associated with these branches include Ibn Galal I, Jamil, Asfour, Salaa El Dine, Ruminaja Ali, Alidaar and Nabiel, among many others. Hanan in particular became one of the great matriarchs of the strain, with descendants reaching breeding programmes across Europe, North America and beyond.
Preserving Heritage. Sharing Knowledge. Inspiring the Future.
Today, AL JABAL ARABIANS combines preservation breeding with historical research and documentation. The horses, their families and their stories are at the heart of this work — because a bloodline can only truly be preserved when its history is remembered.