History does not record any horses on the American continent at the time of the earliest explorers. The first horses to arrive here came with the Conquistador's from Spain and with the settlers from elsewhere in Europe who arrived in the middle colonies. Examination of European history and the effect of the Moorish occupation on the Spanish peninsula makes it clear that the Spanish horses contained Arabian blood. The horses of the Conquistador's were the foundation stock for the Western mustangs.
The first Purebred Spanish Arabian horse first came to America in 1933 via the imports of Jim and Edna Draper, they selected five horses to import to their California ranch. The horses they selected came from the breeding Stock of Marquis Casa Domecq, who had imported from Poland the stallion Nowick which was the sire of Siria, the dam of *Meca and *Menfis, two of the mares imported by the Drapers. *Menfis sire was Egypto who was by Van-Dick by Vasco de Gassra a Polish stallion.
Edna Draper (Jedel Arabians) at her ranch in Santa Rosa, California in 1980.
The Drapers bred *Menfis a grey AHR#1217 foaled 1/14/1927 to Raseyn, Caravan, Gharis, Jubilo, Lesed, and Rasik, she produced twelve foals. One of her daughters Jubilema was the dam of Surf #9814 by Sureyn, Sureyn was double Skowronek. Surf sired 179 registered foals and had 618 grand babies.
The chestnut mare *Meca AHR#1219 foaled 3/4/1923 was sired by Ursus, a bay horse reported to be one of the best Polish stallions imported into Spain. The price paid for him in 1908 was equivalent to one million in today's dollars. *Meca had 2 daughters and 33 grand babies, Mehana #1297 and Gran Via # 1300. Mehana was had 14 foals and Gran Via was the dam of 18 foals.
The *Menfis daughter *Nakkla AHR#1215 a grey mare foaled 3/16/1932 by the stallion Fondak was also imported and she produced 8 foals. Three of *Nakklas great grand parents were the Polish stallions Van-Dick and Nowick. *Nakkla produced 7 foals by Raseyn who was by The Polish stallion Skowronek. *Nakklas son Pomona Ahmen who sired 121 foals and has 1009 grand babies sired the great bay mare Cobah. She is the dam of SX Bint Cobah, SX Challenger, SX La Quinta, SX Saladin and Zimbah. Owen C McEwen purchased Rasakkla a full brother to Pomona Ahmen for his ranch near Wichita, Kansas. Rasakkla sired 68 foals and had 391 grand babies.
Pomona Ahmen sired the mare Romona who was the dam of Brumarba Rahmona who produced 16 foals and had 202 grand babies. Brumarba Rahmona was bred to Comar Bay Beau and produced the Stallion RHR Scimitar who sired 167 foals and had 324 grand babies, RHR Scimitar is the sire of RHR Super Star. Pomona Ahmen also was the sire of another popular stallion The Boss.
"There is a lovely mare" Edna Draper
The impact on the American bred Arabian horse would be further enhanced by another Draper import the grey mare *Barakat AHR#1218 foaled 2/10/1932. She was sired by Fondak and out of *Mecca, *Barakat would produce 13 foals and be the grand parent of 108 registered Arabians. Her chestnut daughter Bonita by Caravan was the dam of Mon-neet #34979 by Pomona Ahmen, Sur-neet #11679, Surima #10542, Surita #8068, and Sur Elite #26822 all by Suryen. Sur-neet sired 68 foals including The mare Neelezza the dam of Darq Ali by Darq.
Surima had 15 foals and 170 grand get and she is the dam of Sereym buy Serfix, Sereym sired 70 foals and had 129 grand babies.
The national champion mare Surita produced 8 foals and had 66 grandget, Barbara and Heinie Foss bred Surita to Mustafar a Comet son and she produced Mustabarita. Surita also was the dam of Seahorse Storm by Rifraff by Raffles.
The Drapers also imported the Stallion *Ras-el-ayn AHR#1216 by Axdir and out of the mare Mecca. *Ras-el-ayn sired 17 foals and had 71 grand babies.
Jim and Edna Draper first became interested in the Arabian horse when they attended the Kellogg presentations in Pomona California. After importing their foundation breeding stock from Spain they concentrated on the Rasyen line. Alice Payne threatened to come back and haunt Edna if she did not keep in her herd a few of the best individuals that were at least 50% Raseyn blood. The drapers were good for the breed at this early point in history, they practiced sound breeding principles and vigorously pursued a breeding program that would minimize any defects. At one point their herd reached 200 horses and they would breed 45 of their own mares to the 20 Stallions in their stud barn. Listen to Edna in her own words explain her breeding philosophy
