The stallion is *Simeon Shai, [Ra’adin Royal Star x *Simeon Safanad], and was foaled on 31^st of August 1984.  He is a straight Egyptian Arabian stallion, born in the land “Down Under” which has consummate incomparable accomplishments.  He is the only Arabian horse in the history of the breed to have ever won four top show ring titles in one year and he did it in the record time of only 10 months and with 17 different judges giving him this winning awards.  In the year 1991, Simeon Shai was named the Scottsdale Champion Stallion, the Canadian National and United States National Champion Stallion and ended the year with the honored title of World Champion Stallion at the Salon du Cheval in Paris, France.

He also continues to exercise his international influence with champions and champion producing get in nearly every corner of the globe.

His breeder Marion Richmond of Simeon Stud in Sidney Australia keeps tabs on her “Son” regularly and so does Gerry Alexander and Bruce Clark of BruMarBa Arabian Stud farm and of course Ron Palelek of Vantage Point Farm.  They were the three men who originally imported Simeon Shai to the USA and formed the Shai Alliance.  In addition, there are the many, many people who have bred to Simeon Shai over the years; leaving a legacy of offspring that amazes until today.

On the Arabian Horse Data Source it lists Simeon Shai as having 457 first generation foals, with an almost even split between colts and fillies, and with champions in eight different countries.  His second-generation progeny listing is over 1000.  Shai himself earned the points to become a “Legion of Honor” stallion in the USA.  He is recognized by the Arabian Horse World magazine as a “Sire of Significance” for his role as a sire, with champions on most continents and in over ten countries.

In the year 2008, Simeon Shai turned 24, years old, and even though his face now has a few white hairs on it, he rarely acts his age.  He is currently residing at Silver Maple Farm of Christie and Henry Metz who recently acquired full ownership of him when they bought out The Shai Alliance.  At Silver Maple Farm, he still plays an active part of their breeding program today. 

Providentially, we only have a few direct descendants of this astonishing stallion here in South Africa.  The first one that comes to mind is the renowned stallion, *Silver Shai.  This eye-catching Arab stallion was born on 13^th of May 1995 at the BruMarBa Arabian stud farm in USA and imported to South Africa in 1997 by the Smith family of Xian Arabians.  His dam is the El Dahman strain mare, Chiffauna [Mohssen x Laila Gina] who was bred by RH Zierenberg jr.

He was shown only a few times while at Xian Arabians where he won his class at the 2002 Pretoria International show and acclaimed the Reserve Senior Champion stallion award there.  In May 2006 Jeanette Du Plessis of Sharif Arabian Stud in the Kroonstad district, Free state province, acquired this magnificent grey stallion and bred him to their Egyptian and English bred Arab mares.  *Silver Shai sired 21 registered Arab foals in South Africa, and the most renowned one being Xian Port Elegance (out of *Bint Bint Portessa) who won his class at the 2003 National Championships and was awarded a 5^th place in the Junior Champion stallions and Top 5.  At the North-West championships in 2003, he also had won his class, and was awarded 3^rd place in the Junior Champion Stallion and Top 5 class.

The Smith family also imported the astonishing chestnut mare, *A Shai Princess [Simeon Shai x Zlabiya] in 1997 from BruMarBa Arabian stud farm, but sadly she did not produce any registered offspring while residing with them.  In 2006, Leonard Buys and son acquired her and could only breed one filly foal out of her before her sudden death in February 2007.  Her filly foal, El Jamani Silvern Princess, was cleverly sired by their acclaimed stallion, *Silvern Gleam, and she was born on the 5^th of August 2006 and according to “Logix” records still with them.

Another son of Simeon Shai that came here is Rand [out of Avjem Primavera] and also an importation of Xian Arabians.  He was born on the 6^th of February 1996 at Gerry Alexander’s farm in Garden Valley, California.  As a youngster, Rand did not produce any offspring in South Africa since Con Hull of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, bought him in 1998, where he produced several offspring there for them.  Currently Coert Muller of Latif Arab horse stud, just outside Belfast, Mpumalanga, has of a few descendants by Rand, like the colt, Latif Rayhan who is out of the most famous egyptian-related mare, Azrak Gizelle [*Hamasa El Fagr x Naja Aida].

Then there is the new direct descendant of Simeon Shai in South Africa, which is the young colt, *Nile Prince SMF [out of PR Nile Queen] who was imported by Tinus And Francisca Strydom in 2007 as a two year old.  As a yearling, this colt won the World-class Yearling colt class at the Egyptian Event of 2006.  The Strydoms are currently getting him ready as an endurance-riding competitor and his first foal crop is arriving at their farm in Bronkhorstspruit.

With a little research, I discovered only a few second and third generation imported descendants of Simeon Shai on South African soil, who are and will definitely make their mark in the breeding scene here.  Firstly there is the charming grey imported Egyptian stallion of Jack Maritz of Sidi Arabians in Upington, namely *Simeon Segev [Asfour x Simeon Shuala], who is the sire of well known champion Arabian horses, such as Sidi Nile Queen and Shaheer Segetta.  Segev’s dam, Simeon Shuala [out of Ramses Tinah], is also an acclaimed daughter of the legendary Simeon Shai and was imported in 2002 from Marion L Richmond of Simeon stud, Australia.  He is primarily shown in the riding classes and in 2006, he became the Champion Novice Riding Horse at the Free State Championships, held in Parys.  At the 2008 National Championships, *Simeon Segev acclaimed the Champion Costume horse honors and at the 2008 Northern Cape Championships he also won the Champion Country Pleasure Horse and also became Champion Costume horse there too.  Up till end of 2008, he sired 62 foals, and they are all contenders for several championships to come.

Then there is the lovely stallion, *Om El Shah Dream [Dreamcatcher x Om El Shadina] who was born on the 31^st of January 2003 at Om El Arab international in the USA and imported to South Africa in 2004 by Miss VF Durno of Shoba Arabians, in Cape town.  His sire, Dreamcatcher is a son of the world renowned mare, Shaia which in turn was sired by Simeon Shai and bred out of Bint Zlabiya.  Shaia herself has an remarkable show record with wins in Scottsdale, Region 18 Championship, a Reserve National Championship in Canada and two Top Ten wins in Open Mares in the USA.  At the 1996 US Nationals in Louisville she presented herself very excited, in the arena to a near standing ovation.  Shaia is also a Legion of Honor winner.