The history of lodge farm

Joanna was attracted to the Arab horse at the age of 7 after seeing a picture of Seyal painted by Lady Anne Blunt. She saw her first Arab at the Royal Show, around 1954, when the Arabs were on their way to the Parade of Prizewinners, the Champion was Crystal Fire. Pat’s first experience of the Arab horse was in India when he was allowed to ride his father’s Polo pony Neptune, an Arab shipped from the Gulf, when he was 11 years old.

The first Arab mare was Kazra (Mikeno – Razehra by Rashid), bought as a yearling from Lady May Abel Smith in 1962. The yearling colt Indriss (Indian Magic –Rissalma by Dargee) followed in 1963. Kazra was the foundation mare everyone dreams about – 17 foals, 11 of them fillies, many of them won championships in England and Europe. Kazra’s first filly Muzri (Indriss) is granddam of Maleik el Kheil, Junior Male Champion at the first Paris World Championships in 1980, also Nations Cup Supreme Champion as a 3 yr old, he is sire of numerous champions and is still alive and breeding age 30 in Abu Dhabi. Muzri’s full sister Kazminda won the Stud’s first of twenty three British National Championships, she also won the Princess Muna Saddle three times. Kazra’s daughter Kazra El Saghira (Shakhs) won European Champion and was dam of Kazmierek (Barif) who was British National Ridden Champion. Today at Lodge Farm, Mandolinn, Malutka and Merlyn are direct descendants of Kazra in the female line.

Pat and Joanna met in 1966 and married in 1967. In the Arab Horse News (UK) in 1968 there was a picture of Morafic looking over a stable door in an article written by Judi Forbis. This looked interesting! Pat and Joanna went to Egypt in 1969, but every horse that we enquired about was snapped up by Americans. Two colts were bought when the Crabbet stud was dispersed, but Egypt still beckoned and they went again in 1972 and bought a yearling colt from Ahmed Hamza Pasha and a filly foal, Bint Jehan (Tuhotmos – Jehan by Anter) was bought from the EAO at the same time. A few years later, Emma, at the age of 10, showed her to Reserve World Champion. The colt was Fakhr el Kheil (Ibn Fahkri – Bint Muneera by Hamdan), he sired Muneera (Muzri), the dam of Maleik el Kheil. Fakhr el Kheil also won in Paris and was placed 1st to 3rd in hunter trials, one day events, dressage, show jumping and racing usually ridden by Lucy or Emma. Princess Haya of Jordan visited them when she was 11 years old from her school nearby. She wanted to ride something, Kheil was the mount, a good but totally reliable ride. In 1977 Pat rode the 14.2hh gelding Silver Sunlight (Sunlights Allegro - Wentworth Golden Shadow) to 2nd place in the Marathon beaten by Finn Guiness riding an Anglo. Sunlight was dancing around after 15 minutes, so Pat challenged Finn to a re-run in a week – Finn declined. Sunlight was Lucy’s pony but she wasn’t yet 16 years.

There followed the Morafic son Shakhs, from Gleanloch, USA (Pat commuted half his Army Pension to buy him) – he also won in Paris and sired 5 National Champions in 5 different countries. At the same time AK Atallah (Ansata Ibn Halima – Al Nahr Mon Ami by Ibn Moniet el Nefous) arrived from Bentwood, she was progenitor of the very successful “A” line. People who bred Egyptian horses were horrified when she was bred to Indian Silver (Indian Magic – Dalika by Dargee), a colt that the Maxwells bought when the Crabbet Stud dispersed. But the result was Aliha – who inherited the best points of both parents. She won World Champion 1989 and World Champion Reserve, she was so charismatic that she was often asked to be presented at important Show dinners, and she was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of a State visit from Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi. She also did a ridden presentation with Emma on her at the Paris Championships, she was 4 years old and Emma was 11. She was dam of Atlantica, dual Paris World Champion1989 & 90 and European Champion and Amazonn, 1995 Paris World Reserve Champion. Atlantica was a mare of grace and power. After having won the National Broodmare Championship 1994 accompanied by her filly, the Foal Champion, she appeared three weeks later on the racetrack to fight it out to second place over 6 furlongs (1200m). She was dam of Ayat (at Lodge Farm today).

At the first Paris Championships that was attended (1975) Pat and Joanna were riveted by the Spanish stallion Alhabac and also the yearling and two year old sisters of El Shaklan, then a foal. The following year El Shaklan was 4th at the show at Vlimmeren, he was not for sale but was leased for 2 years. He was unbeaten in the show ring while with the Maxwells, including twice National Champion and European Champion. Maleik el Kheil, was one of his first foals. El Shaklan was EgyptianxSpanish and as they had an Egyptian stallion, Spain was visited. A number of mares were bought over the next five years or so, among them Esperada (Tabal – Berlanga by Sherif), she had the most wonderful suspended trot, she was dam of the 1990 World Champion Estepa (Ghadames) and Esplendor (Ghadames), who won British National Junior Male Champion and was sold to the Soviet Union, the first Arab horse to be bought from abroad since the 1930’s. The mare Hagunia (Jabalpur – Iama by Tabal) was British National Champion. Among her foals were Hamadahn, (Maleik el Kheil) World Champion Reserve and sold to Jordan and Hashemiya (Cala d’Or). Hashemiya was dam of Heloua, European Champion Reserve and Hazika, Nations Cup Reserve Champion, both by Maleik el Kheil. Hazika is owned by Emma and her daughter Hawanem (Crusader) is at Lodge Farm today. Oba (Garbo – Ural by Maquillo) was bought in foal to Galero, the resulting foal Galerito, was an outstanding jumper, he won the British National Arab Jumping class and also won an All Breed Performance Test, which included jumping, speed and temperament tests.

Bill Musgrave Clark of the Courthouse Stud was visited in the mid 70’s, he was in his 90’s at this time, he was a contemporary of Lady Wentworth but his stud had different desert foundation stock from the Crabbet Stud. His horses had beautiful heads and level toplines. He did not like selling his horses so he hardly bred any. He had a 4 year chestnut mare Sappho (Blenheim – Selima by Bahram) which was admired, he said he would not sell her for a certain large price, Pat and Joanna looked at each other and said “OK – we’ll pay that”. They got her (and had to quickly see the Bank Manager). After this they were allowed to use the Clark stallions, which was also a great honour. Shammar (Champurrado – Somra II by Fedaan DB) was chosen, he was 25 years old and had never covered a mare before, he produced Siwah (Sappho), who won 1983 Paris World Champion Filly and also Soliman (Kazminda). In 1976, four horses were sold to Sebastian Camargo and Pat and Joanna escorted them to their new farm in Brazil. Sebastian had visited Bill Musgrave Clark and had not been able to buy a young stallion St. Simon (Benjamin – Sabrina by Rheoboam). Pat and Joanna thought they could get him and did so. Sebastian was so pleased St Simon was left at Lodge Farm for one year. He sired Kalilah (Kazminda) who won 1979 European Champion in Paris and Persimmon (Kazra), who won 1986 National Sire Produce Champion, he was dam’s sire of Merlyn, at the farm today.

Several mares were bought at the Bentwood dispersal, including AK Fanniya (Ansata Ibn Halima – Narimaan by Morafic, sadly her fertility was not good but she did win World Champion Reserve 1991. In 1990 Poland was visited and Czata (Banat – Cyrkulacja by Palas was bought. She won World Champion Mare Reserve 1995 and had the distinction of winning Nations Cup Champion Mare in 1992 and 1994.

The 1990 World Equestrian Games were held in Stockholm in 1990, Aliha (Indian Silver – AK Atallah) was Reserve Champion to Pilarka (Palas – Piezga by Negativ). The horses were rested at Claastorp for three days prior to the show, there, there was an Egyptian colt foal in the field that was irresistible - Crusader (Salaa el Dine – AK Kastana by Na Ibn Moniet). He was a great stallion, World Champion Reserve in 1994 and 1995, twice British National Champion in 1992 and 1996, won a race in Holland at 3yrs by 12 lengths, sired many Champions, including Katun (Kazra El Saghira by Shakhs) and Heloisa (Heloua by Maleik el Kheil) and many racewinners, including Maahir (Mazourka by Maleik el Kheil) who won the yearly racing record over 1400m in Poland in 1998. His daughter Hawanem (Hazika) is at the farm today.

Ron Meddes trained Crusader for racing, he also trained the horses of Khrenevoe, Russia for racing in England. One day Ron brought Nikolaj Mosolov, the Director of Khrenevoe and his Deputy Victor Tsutskov to visit, they were very impressed with Crusader and sent over from Russia their Oaks Winner Plavka (Mastak - Pridacha) to be covered by him, they also offered the stallion Mascat (Aswan – Malutka by Salon), then aged 18 years, on a lease or exchange basis. The offer was accepted with alacrity and Mascat was put on the first horsebox to leave Russia. Egis (Penitent - Estrada) a Polish Derby winner, was sent as an exchange. Mascat lived until 2000 when he was 25 years. He was a great character and loved foals, any nervous weaner was stabled next to him, he was even put in the field with weaners. He won the older stallion class at Towerlands A show and also at Haydock Park. He sired the endurance winner Khudeir, from the Kazra line. His daughters Mandolinn (Mahrusa by Nijamin) and Angelikah (Akbura) are still at Lodge Farm. Akbura (Balaton x Amunitia by Antey) together with Egis were purchased when the Paolo Gucci horses were put up for sale after his death.

In 1998 it was decided that the stud should be scaled down and an Auction Sale was held in which 56 horses were sold. Of the horses kept, something of each line was retained. Poland was visited again in 2001 just for the party. But the Auction was too exciting for Pat and much to the surprise of the family he bid for and bought Grenlandia (Eukaliptus – Getynga by Palas) in foal to Ekstern, she duly produced a filly, Grenadyne, who is still at Lodge Farm.
 
In 2002 it was decided to move to France, lock, stock and barrel! In February 2003 the Maxwells moved into Chateau de la Millerie, a fairly large domain, but with a family of eight children, twenty-one grandchildren and two great grandchildren it was necessary.

In France Angelikah has won French National Champion, Best in Show le Touquet, and Bordeaux Champion, Grenlandia was Reserve. Grenadyne won Champion Reserve Bordeaux. The foals Anwar, Mahalaya, Makhsous and Maximilian all won Championships either at Bordeaux or the French Nationals. Grenadierr was Champion Colt St. Lo and 3rd Menton and Amrita was Champion Filly at St. Lo.

Now, with the addition of both their ages being more than 150 years, the Maxwells must again reduce the numbers – and many of these lovely horses are available.