| The World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO) | | | | registered with SHARONA are eligible to be branded |
| recognizes three separate breeds of the Arabian | | | | with a patented brand showing the letters SH inside a |
| Horse. In North America, most Arabian aficionados are | | | | circular 6-pointed sun. |
| acquainted with the purebred Arabian and the | | | | After a visit to Europe, three Shagya-Arabian mares, |
| Half-Arabian breeds. But a large majority of people | | | | and two young stallions were purchased by Adele |
| world-wide are unfamiliar with the third and rarest | | | | Furby for import to America in 1987 and those horses, |
| Arabian Horse that is known as the Shagya-Arabian. | | | | along with 8 purebred Arabian mares that she had |
| Its origins derive from purebred desert Arabians that | | | | selected in America became the foundation for the |
| were developed more than 200 years ago from | | | | purebred Shagya-Arabian breeding program in the |
| selective breeding and performance testing when the | | | | United States on the largest and oldest |
| Austro-Hungarian monarchy needed a superior cavalry | | | | Shagya-Arabian breeding farm in America. |
| mount back in 1789. The ideal horse had to be | | | | However, the Shagya-Arabian has been rather slow |
| pre-potent for its type so that it could be used to | | | | to establish itself in the U.S. Following several new |
| improve other native breeds. As a result of an edict | | | | imports since 2001, the breed is finally producing more |
| from the Emperor, the Babolna stud farm was | | | | quality horses and the Shagya-Arabian is rapidly finding |
| founded 36 miles west of Budapest. | | | | new interest and new breeders. What started out as |
| The conditions for creating a superior breed were | | | | only a handful is now an amazing number of |
| perfect at the time, since the stud was managed by | | | | Shagya-Arabians that are doing well in the sport horse |
| Hungary's talented native horsemen, the Magyars, who | | | | world. In 2002, three Shagya-Arabian stallions were |
| had highly developed skills as horse breeders. | | | | imported from Europe as valuable new genetic |
| By crossing quality cavalry mares of oriental type with | | | | material for the American Sport Horse breeder who |
| imported purebred Arabian Horses from Syria, in | | | | would prefer not to use the purebred Arabian for |
| particular, with a purebred Arabian stallion named | | | | crossbreeding. The Shagya breed is still very rare and |
| Shagya, a new warhorse was created. The breed | | | | fewer than 250 horses exist in the U.S. as of 2008 |
| was originally known as the Araberrasse (Arab breed) | | | | with only 25 of these being approved stallions. |
| or Arab Fajta Horse. The Magyars kept meticulous | | | | Those people familiar with Arabian horses who see |
| records of the breeding program in their studbooks | | | | the Shagya-Arabian for the first time are often not |
| and English Thoroughbred, Anglo-Arabian and | | | | prepared to see a large, very robust, oriental-based |
| Lipizzaner blood was carefully added. The breed was | | | | horse with swinging gaits and a quiet, calm nature. |
| consolidated many generations ago so that it breeds | | | | Shagya-Arabians are taller, have a larger rectangular |
| consistently true to type. Shagya turned out to be such | | | | frame, are stronger and possess better riding horse |
| an influential stallion that eventually the breed was | | | | qualities than purebred Arabians. The Shagya-Arabians |
| renamed to Shagya-Araber which was authorized by | | | | combine the advantages of the Bedouin Arabian; |
| WAHO at the 1978 convention at Hamburg. It is now | | | | elegance, hardiness, endurance, and inborn friendliness |
| known in the United States as the Shagya-Arabian. | | | | toward humans, with the requirements of the modern |
| Historically, the Shagya-Arabian was bred in the | | | | riding horse; sufficient height, excellent movement and |
| Austro-Hungarian Empire, specifically in the main military | | | | enormous jumping ability. |
| stud farms of Bàbolna, Radautz and Piber in | | | | Shagya-Arabians stand 14.3 to 16.1 hands high but are |
| Hungary. Later on, stud farms in Czechoslovakia, | | | | most commonly found in the 15-16 hand range. They |
| Romania, and Bulgaria also bred Shagya-Arabians. The | | | | have a very harmonious appearance with a wide |
| Shagya-Arabians not only served as cavalry horses, | | | | forehead and concave profile that often gives the |
| they were also used as parade horses for European | | | | head a very oriental look. The small, pointy ears are |
| royalty. Every royal guard or officer regarded it a | | | | situated high on top of the head and the eyes are |
| privilege to be able to ride a Shagya. The Imperial | | | | very expressive. The gracefully arched neck is often |
| guards of the Habsburgs in Vienna were always | | | | long with a slight poll. The withers are prominent and |
| mounted on elegant Shagya-Arabians, and the Royal | | | | reach far into the back. The shoulders are large and |
| Guard of Budapest rode the Shagya-Arabian. | | | | sloping and the haunches are short and strong. The |
| The breed was nearly wiped out during WWII, along | | | | croup is melon-shaped, slightly sloping and long, with a |
| with the Lipizzaner, but one can still admire many | | | | high tail attachment. The hooves are small, well-formed |
| statues in Hungary commemorating the heroic deeds | | | | and hard. The mane & tail is abundant and silky |
| of these horses and their riders. Currently, all | | | | fine as is the rest of the body hair. They are |
| Shagya-Arabian breeding world-wide is overseen by | | | | predominantly gray in color, but can be bay, chestnut |
| the Internationale Shagya-Araber Gesellschaft e.v. ( | | | | or black, although black Shagya-Arabians are rather |
| ISG) and horse must be approved before being used | | | | rare. |
| as breeding stock. In 2000, the total number of Shagya | | | | Shagya-Arabians are known for having light, basic |
| mares was estimated at approximately 1,500 horses | | | | gaits and a good jumping disposition and have also |
| world-wide. | | | | proven themselves to be successful in open |
| In the United States, the Shagya-Arabian faced a | | | | competitions against warmbloods in dressage, jumping, |
| dramatic birth by Adele Furby in Montana. In 1984, Ms. | | | | and 3-day eventing. |
| Furby rescued a Shagya-Arabian stallion named Bravo | | | | Shagya-Arabians are now being used to refine other |
| from the estate of a Hungarian Countess who had | | | | warmbloods. Following the European method of |
| stipulated in her will that 22 of her favorite horses | | | | Warmblood Sport Horse breeding, quality Trakehner, |
| were to be destroyed upon her death so as to not fall | | | | Dutch Warmblood, Thoroughbred, and Arabian mares |
| into the wrong hands, and Bravo was on that list. His | | | | that have been approved by the American Trakehner |
| paternal grand sire, GAZAL II, was considered the | | | | Association (ATA), the American Shagya Arabian |
| "Shagya Stallion of the Century" in Europe and his son, | | | | Verband Inc. (ASAV), the North American Shagya |
| GAZAL VII, was pictured on the cover of a studbook. | | | | Society (NASS), and the International Sport Horse |
| After correspondence with ISG and some pedigree | | | | Registry (ISR) are being bred to purebred |
| research, the ISG named Bravo as the foundation | | | | Shagya-Arabian stallions. When the Shagya is used, |
| stallion for the United States Shagya-Arabian breeding | | | | the very first generation shows refinement without the |
| program and in 1986, Ms. Furby started the North | | | | loss of size or bone and the Shagya adds many of |
| American Shagya Society (NASS) to help recover the | | | | the good characteristics from the Arabian. The |
| rare Shagya-Arabian breed from near extinction. | | | | offspring from these crosses are accepted by most |
| NASS is recognized by the ISG as the only North | | | | of the Verbands and the genes will modernize the |
| American registry for Shagya-Arabians. Its registry is | | | | sport horse that is sought after today, but NONE of |
| referred to as the Shagya-Arabian Registry of North | | | | these crosses may ever be used for purebred |
| America (SHARONA) and purebred Shagya-Arabians | | | | Shagya-Arabian breeding. |