Youngster claims top Arab title

A spectacular young stallion triumphed over older rivals at this year’s Arab National Championships

Aazari, a spectacular four-year-old stallion who was rejected by his dam as a foal, defeated his older rivals to capture the senior male title at the Arab National Championships at Malvern.

By Arazi out of Mareesah, Aazari was owned, bred and produced by Joan Culnane and daughter Lisa Smith from their small Hampshire stud. “We are both over the moon and so proud to have bred him,” said Joan.

He was handled in the ring by Rhodri Jones, to whose Welsh base he now goes until after Towerlands. Aazari has been busy covering mares, but took time out to stand supreme at the Wessex Spring Show.

Aazari’s precocious talent was obvious from an early age and he was winning his class at Malvern for the third consecutive time.

Tom McNair, from America, selected the class second, Ruger Amw, for reserve.

Rhodri’s brother, Ryan, collected two major titles here. The first came when Desmond Anderson’s eye-catching two-year-old OAS Panache, watched by breeder Toni Le’vell, took the junior female title.

Ryan, who also claimed reserve junior male champion with his prolific winner Ora El Masri, said: “It was close yesterday, but I’ve done it today and am chuffed to bits. Panache was British foal champion here with me and I’ve trained her virtually ever since.”

Read more Arab stories:

• Royal Arabs presented to Russia
• Arabs race for £51,000 at Newbury
• Showing Arabs

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