Bint Al Bahr Arabians

Preservation Breeders of Straight Babson Egyptians

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Ellie Prince up?		Fasaab with Ellie Prince up
		David Bracker photo

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FASAAB info  - (Sire of Maar Ree, more on him in her articles) - DJM

SOME REPEAT INFO so needs editing

From Arabian Horse News no date given but the issue is past August. Page 122

The following tribute to FASAAB. a “Monarch of the West" is from Eleanor and Bill Prince of Buford. Wyoming.

FASAAB 5126 one of the few re­maining sons of *FADL, passed to Greener Pastures on May 14 at the age of 26. His dam was BINT BINT SABBAH.

He was bred by Henry B. Babson of Grand Detour lllinois and was trained by Bob Smith of San Fernando. California. FASAAB was owned for many years by James H. Quinn. M. D. of Salt Lake City. Utah. Also, at one time he was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Leland Mekeel of Whittier, California.

FASAAB was named Champion Arabian Stallion at the Utah State Fair in 1954 and -1955. He won ribbons in performance classes at the Phoenix, Palm Springs, Estes Park and Cow Pal­ace AIl-Arabian Shows. He was shown in combination, park, driving, fine harness and English stake classes.

In 1964 he came to Sodergreen Ranch and Horsemanship School in Laramie and Buford, Wyoming. He was owned and shown by Eleanor Prince in dressage, english pleasure, park and costume classes. He was used extensively at stud. He was ridden in costume many years in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade, where his regal bearing and good manners won him friends and admirers.

FASAAB, a black stallion, possessed a brilliance and an elegance that are unforgettable. His head was truly classic- very masculine, yet typy, dry, with large, expressive eyes and small tipped-in ears. He had the substance, presence and size that made him a fab­ulous horse to ride. Although always spirited and animated, he was gentle, responsive and willing. FASAAB was beautiful even in old age; his topline and front legs stayed as sound as a 5  year­ old's. He was alert until the day he died of a heart attack.

FASAAB was a prepotent sire and was able to pass on his excellent qualities and disposition to his foals.  He has many get in the Rocky Mountain - region and some of his youngsters on their way up will do him proud.

FASAAB was a magnificent stallion, one whom we were proud to own and call friend. There will never be another to fill his place.

From A Tribute to Maar Ree (by Larry Riley) The Arabian Horse Times may 1987 page 58

FASAAB

FaSaab was foaled in 1948 and according to Homer Watson, of the Babson Farm where FaSaab was born, he was a good colt, though 'very gangly .• The Me Keels had purchased FaSaab's full sister, Fadahma, from General Dickinson's Travelers Rest Farm. Because she became one of the ranch favorites, the Mekeels sought out her full brother at the Babson Farm. (Note: in recent letters from Margaret Dickinson Fleming, it was related that Fadahma's grandson, Nickajack, is still active and breeding, at 29, at Travelers Rest.)

FaSaab was purchased by the Mekeels sight unseen, and because he was so gangly, Homer made Leland promise not to give him away or geld him but wait him out. When FaSaab was 2, Leland called Homer and reminded him of the promise he had made Leland give two years earlier. Leland told Homer that, if it were not for that promise, he would have put him right back on the van and sent him down the road. But FaSaab developed into quite a halter horse and was a consistent winner as a 2- and 3-year-old. His winning did not go unnoticed and Dr. James H. Quinn of Salt Lake City, Utah, through much persistence finally persuaded the Mekeels to part with their rising young star. FaSaab was put in training with Bob Smith of San Fernando, Calif., and become a champion in halter, a reserve champion in English pleasure and did very well in combination, park, driving and fine harness. He was retired from the show ring and become Dr. Quinn's personal mount until Dr. Quinn's death.

Mrs. Quinn subsequently placed FaSaab with a broker to find him a good home. In 1964, at the age of 16, he was acquired along with his old native costume by Ellie Prince of Sodergreen in Buford, Wyo. FaSaab had been away from work and the spotlight for many years, but Ellie slowly and methodically brought the stallion back into competitive fitness. After one year of conditioning, she showed him in Salt Lake, Ogden, Estes Park and some in Wyoming. He swept the English classes and was again a champion stallion in Nebraska, all between the ages of 16 and 20. He always placed among the first three and was several times reserve champion and champion in park and English pleasure. He was started in dressage and also did a credible job in that.

Ellie shared one experience with me in a recent letter.

"One year at Estes Park in the 1960's, the cavalry saddle (under costume trappings) turned all the way around under his belly at the hand gallop. Most of his costume was between his legs, but he never lost stride or cadence even when I had to maneuver to keep on top of his back. He received second place in a large class - probably because he was so obedient and everyone was surprised we were still together.

Ellie and her good friend Dorothy Feldman purchased the Al Khamsa mare Shar Anna, by Negem, especially to breed to FaSaab but, unfortunately, he died of his third heart attack before they could breed her. Dr. Quinn's old friend Dr. Keith Krausnick sent two straight Egyptian mares to Betty Rider's Tahlequah Ranch to be bred to FaSaab and both were thought to be in foal but came up empty. (The mares were Shar Gema (Negem x Sir Habba) and Shar Sabbah (Negem x Gamoussa.) Betty Rider did breed her own Negem daughter to FaSaab which resulted in the beautiful daughter Atalie (FaSaab x Negemah). Joan Milne of Casper, Wyo. bred several Egyptian-bred mares to him also with much success.

Lt. Col. Rider summed up FaSaab by simply calling him "that magnificent black monarch in the mountains: