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Georgian Arabians 2006 Easter Parade

This year we were delighted to be invited to attend the annual Easter Parade held at the Georgian Arabians Stud down in Devon on Sunday 23 April. For those who are not aware of Georgian Arabians, the stud – just tucked into the edge of Exmoor National Park – comprises 114 acres of land that house the 50+ horses belonging to actors Susan George and Simon MacCorkindale (currently appearing in ‘Casualty’ as Harry Harper).

Susan George first learned to ride on Chobham Common in Surrey and worked in a stables near Maidenhead as a teenager, but Hollywood beckoned at the age of 21 where she continued to ride in Ventura Canyon and discovered the joys of the Arabian. Upon returning to the UK, she decided the time was right to look for her own Arab whereupon she met, and fell for, Luzhana, an pregnant unbroken 7-year old with a foal already at foot. Susan also fell for the stallion, Ibn Estasha, that Luzhana was in foal too, so bought him as well. And so Georgian Arabians came into being in the early 1990s.

The parade was opened by 12-year old Luzhana’s Stargazer ridden by Khairy Omar in traditional Arabian dress. Luzhana’s Stargazer was the first foal bred by Susan from Luzhana and was the 2004 Horse Of the Year Show (HOYS) Reserve Champion. He was closely followed by Luzhana herself accompanied by four of her other offspring: SG Boranya (National Futurity Champion), SG Bliss, Aktor, and Eldanas Enigma.

Another family group was headed by Halina Shaklana, a 12-year old chestnut mare that Susan believes looks more like an Anglo-Arab but with good body, topline and limbs and fantastic Spanish breeding behind her, she put Halina Shaklana to more typey stallions which has resulted in an extremely pretty 5-year old stallion, Bolaero, who was ridden in the parade to much admiration.

Next up were five offspring of the Triple Crown winner and world champion, Essteem, the pride of which is the superb bodied colt, SG Spirit of Essteem who this year, at 3 years old, is standing for the first time. Spirit of Essteem has already won the British Nationals as a yearling, Reserve Supreme at the 2004 show and Reserve Junior Male in 2005 – definitely a young man to look out for.

Two visiting stallions, as well as the home-bred stallions, were also shown and the whole parade was topped off with a ridden display brought to a close by Susan’s pride and joy, the 25-year old stallion Artist. A former successful flat racer, he had been bought at the time of Gucci estate dispersal and has since led the life of luxury at Georgian Arabians.

We had a wonderful time at the Easter Parade and were all very much impressed by the dynasty and fabulous quality of the horses shown, proof of the absolute dedication of the entire team at Georgian Arabians to these wonderful horses.

Sariah Arabians

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