The Pyramid Society Foundation

09/06/2026

On August 16-19 the Foundation had the honor of sponsoring and attending the 15th International Havemeyer Foundation Horse Genome Workshop hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington. The event gathers leading equine genetic scientists who examine, identify, and understand the uniqueness of horses. They shared research focused on health, performance, and reproductive matters as well as breed specific research efforts. Workshops were designed to effect education within the genome research community regarding advancement of the field and tools developed to enhance research efforts. Industry engagement included conversations with breed representatives to identify areas of concern, need, and collaboration.
As representatives of the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse we share interest in horse quality and health with all breeds supported by the scientific efforts. We seek to maintain unique breed characteristics using pedigrees, conformation, and performance. Genomic efforts can support, advise, or even guide our breeding, training, and management decisions. We look forward to continued engagement with and support for the scientific community pursuing the advancement knowledge.

08/20/2026

Story Valerie ClinkenbeardPhotos by Suzanne SturgillAs featured in the Summer 2026 issue of Arabian Horse WorldTen years ago, a small

08/07/2026

Some sad news this morning.

08/06/2026

This marks the 70th year the Western States Trail Ride, popularly called the Tevis Cup has been held.

Out of 102 starters that tackled the 100-mile one-day Tevis Cup across the Sierra Nevada mountains on August 1, 2026, exactly 51 resilient horse-and-rider teams crossed the historic finish line in Auburn. Congratulations to every finisher, crew member, and vet!

A massive congratulations to Jeremy Reynolds and his phenomenal 16-year-old Arabian mare, Treasured Moments ("Treasure"), for winning the 2026 Tevis Cup! This unbelievable victory marked their 3rd win as a dynamic duo (previously winning in 2021 and 2023). They crossed the Auburn finish line at 10:52 p.m. with an official ride time of 15 hours and 37 minutes. Treasure is a descendant of the Straight Egyptian stallion Aswan of the Tersk Stud in Russia where he sired 184 Arabians, many of them successful race horses.

A special congratulations to Alexandria Niehaus from Reno, NV, and her beautiful 15-year-old Straight Egyptian Arabian gelding, Bak Jabari (affectionately known as Judah) for finishing 37th! Proving that the ultimate endurance test is all about the deep bond between horse and rider, this dynamic duo conquered the grueling canyons together. The sheer trust and athletic power displayed by Alexandria and Judah perfectly embodied the heart of the sport as they tackled the historic Western States Trail.

07/14/2026

It is with profound sorrow and a deep sense of grief that the Foundation learned of the passing of the esteemed leader and horseman, His Highness the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The Foundation wishes to extend our most heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the honorable members of the Al Thani Royal Family, and the people of the State of Qatar during this time of mourning.
The Father Emir's progressive governance fundamentally shaped Qatar into the prosperous and globally influential nation it is today. Beyond driving internal development, his dedicated leadership left a permanent mark on global diplomacy, educational advancement, and regional peace.
While he is celebrated for building modern Qatar, His Highness was also a passionate horseman whose dedication transformed the equestrian world. He established Al Shaqab as a premier global sanctuary to protect ancient Arabian horse genetics. This vision led to the breeding of iconic, world-class sires, establishing Qatar as a pinnacle of equestrian excellence and cementing a heritage that will be celebrated for decades.His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations.
Please share with us photos of your Straight Egyptian and Egyptian Heritage horses descended from the breeding program of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

06/05/2026

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our friend, Jack Ford. We extend our sincere condolences to Jack’s partner and husband, Kent Mayfield, and trust that the many memories of happy times shared will be a source of peace and comfort to him and those closest to them.

Jack Ford, 91, who died on May 23 was an artist, first as principal fashion director for Marshall Field’s in Chicago and then as the creative director for Lands’ End in Dodgeville, WI.

It was in Wisconsin that Jack and his partner, Kent Mayfield. saw what was to become the focus of their life with the Arabian horse. She was standing somewhat apart from a mixed herd of horses near their home. Jack singled her out – “If we want a horse, that is where we should start.” She was HADAYA FAYEKAARA (*Ramses Fayek x Imaara, by Fa-Serr). To Jack’s eye she was the model of the Arabian horse described by Terrentius Varro c70 BC and she anchored the breeding for Kent and Jack’s program at Second Wind for the next quarter-century. Although, incorporating Egyptian Arabian lines, it was committed to antique, authentic, asil, desert Arabian lines, intent on a preservation agenda, genetic integrity and rigorous conformational assessments. To that end, Jack encouraged the Pyramid Society and the Institute for the Desert Arabian Horse to sponsor breeders seminars, foster regional and international alliances of breeders, and build a scholarly network of equine genetic specialists.
His devotion to old-line mares never wavered. On his bedside table in Chicago was a watercolor print by Peter Upton, a flea-bitten gray mare of the Beni Sakhr.

04/01/2026

In the Chinese zodiac, 1918 was the year of the Earth Horse, specifically spanning from February 11, 1918, to January 31, 1919. This was also the year World War I ended and the Spanish Flu pandemic wiped out over 1% of the population of Egypt. That same year at the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) farm in Bahteem , the Hadbah Inzihiyah mare Bint Gamila produced a grey c**t by Mabrouk Manial. This c**t was named Baiyad (alt. spelling - Bayyad) meaning "whiteness," symbolizing purity and light. Baiyad had the misfortune of being overshadowed by his maternal brother Ibn Rabdan born the prior year. Historians described Ibn Rabdan as a striking liver chestnut with almost perfect conformation. After a very successful racing career, Ibn Rabdan was retired to become the lead sire for the RAS. This meant that Baiyad would be used sparingly and only produced two daughters, Bint Bint Sabbah in 1930 and Samha in 1931.

When Henry Babson made his trek to Egypt in search of Arabian horses in 1932, he was also very impressed with the Ibn Rabdan offspring, importing 2 daughters and a son of his for the Babson breeding program. In total, he selected 6 horses for his program. However, for some reason, the RAS decided not to ship one of his selected mares but offered instead the two year old daughter of Baiyad, Bint Bint Sabbah.

With that substitution the history of the Straight Egyptian horse was forever changed. Bint Bint Sabbah produced thirteen foals for the Babson farm and her line is found in some of the most important horses in Straight Egyptian history such as RDM Maar Hala, Simeon Shai, Dorian Oreana, Laheeb, and Imperial Mistilll.

While Bint Bint Sabbah was changing the course of Straight Egyptian breeding in the US, Baiyad’s other daughter Samha was also making her impact in the Middle East and Europe. Although not as prolific as Bint Bint Sabbah, Samha produced 4 daughters, 3 who would establish their own legacies. The female descendants of Samha were known for being very refined with exquisite heads. Two examples of this are: Lutfia (Alaa El Din x Bint Kamla, by El Sareei) 1967 grey foundation mare for both the Babolna stud in Hungary and NK Katharinenhof in Germany and Gelgelah Albadeia (Imperial Madori x Anhar Albadeia) 1995 grey mare bred by Albadeia Arabians and the 2003 World Champion Senior mare.

Baiyad may have been overshadowed by his brother but it did not stop him from leaving his mark. Please share photos of your Baiyad descendants with us!

03/07/2026

Join us on our podcast on We Love Arabian Horses as we share our vision for the future. Barbara Cole Doubling Gap Ranch LLC

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/we-love-arabian-horses/episodes/Barbara-Cole--JP-Bilbrey--Preserving-the-Legacy-of-Straight-Egyptian-Arabians-e3g2bh2?fbclid=IwY2xjawQZJCRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFseld6bnZTcUZaZlE4RTEyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqReR8_AhEEPXggN2ZWa5C1ln0v_jOw17KqO5_GndRpxXBVqJGPsoYkWxc7c_aem_y-WkeNNya7etyhyq9nyxrg&%24web_only=true&_branch_match_id=987754105476772680&utm_source=web&utm_campaign=web-share&utm_medium=sharing&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAAwXB2VKDMBQA0L%2FxrWWxWHWm4wClLTiBwqAsL0xIL2EJW0BDXvx2z6nXdVreFWWZxrWpJOGA15EvOwHlHk%2FTnjVDp4AygaamFbVbrfyoSsKax8kVmb61WIS5Z0cMbtGPqV9YGbobMq2G9Kxz4ssC7PFSDnlMvnKcM%2BcQxY4kz56aibwmN6vCSRii1pXojAwUk0NwdgU6UwNR07rNEUSvhVk7zj2l1NfzBBu2xgb1t2gDoR0%2F58AorsMjmrbU%2Bp69630Zsy7ZyJEUGPpC7pIOfF%2FiI6yylvPbIDdOn%2F44VMB5M9Ci5KNYgJ%2Fsmo89%2FAPdTBuNDQEAAA%3D%3D

In this episode of the We LOVE Arabian Horses Podcast, host Paul Kostial welcomes Barbara Cole and JP Bilbrey for an important conversation about one of the most historically significant bloodlines in the Arabian horse breed: the Straight Egyptian Arabian.Barbara and JP are helping guide the renewed...