GaZi

The number of Arabian horses in North America of 100% Crabbet ancestry is not large, although some are to be found. More 100% Crabbets are no doubt living in Great Britian, where the Crabbet Stud was located in Sussex, but the largest number probably flourish today in Australia. Most American studs featuring Crabbet blood have breeding programs that blend Crabbet lines with the wonderful old American lines, some of which are found only in America and in animals exported from America.
     The exclusive American lines go back to 1879 when General U.S. Grant imported the very good stallion *Leopard 233 from the stables of Abdul Hamid II, the Sultan of Turkey.
Subsequent importations brought to America not only the blood of the fine Chapman and Sandeman desert Arabs whose arrival in England predated the 1878 founding of Crabbet Stud, but also, via England, the lines of two remarkable desert bred racers.
     The quality desert bred Hamidie Arabs brought to America in 1893 for exhibition at the Chicago World's Fair formed a valuable and strictly American influence. Homer Davenport's famous 1906 importation from the desert had and still has significant and definitively positive influence on American Arabian breeding. The American gene pool also contains precious blood from many other subsequent smaller desert importations as well as stock from other recognized Arabian horse breeding countries.
     Crabbet imports comprise one of the largest components of the Crabbet/American breeding group. Between the years 1893 and 1976, some 144 Crabbet Arabians arrived in America. The United States proved to be Crabbet Stud's largest single export market, buying more Crabbet Arabs than any other country. More of the original Crabbet bloodlines continued in America than at Crabbet during that stud's 93 year history.
     Some of the best Arabian horses in the world today are to be found within the Crabbet/American breeding group, sometimes also called "CMK." Those initials stand for the famous studs of Crabbet, Maynesboro, and Kellogg.
World-renowned Crabbet was one of the most influential Arabian studs in the history of the breed. Maynesboro and Kellogg were two of the most important of the Crabbet/American studs; the Kellogg Ranch was particularly significant.
     People like Crabbet/American Arabians for several reasons. Often these horses are characterized by desirable riding conformation combined with ample Arabian type and beauty. As a breeding group, they are famous for athletic ability. Many have excelled in endurance, flat racing, stock work, western pleasure, trail, english pleasure, park, and driving. Others have shown outstanding natural talent for jumping.
     Many have been beloved family pleasure horses and pets. Some of the smaller individuals are ideal for young children. Many Crabbrt/American Arabians are eminently well suited for dressage. Some Crabbet/American individuals are among the larger sized Arabians. Many of the greats of the breed have been of Crabbet/American breeding.

             * March 1992 Arabian Horse Express by Carol Woodbridge Mulder