Since 1990 all of the Arabian horses born at the MSU Horse Teaching and Research Center are named based on the family to which they belong. Each family has a letter designation indicating the female for which the family was named. Currently there are three mare families represented at the Center. They are the A-family, the C-family and the S- family. All of the horses born at MSU that are totally Al Marah breeding have an AM on the end of their name.

The most significant mare family at MSU is the S-family. Do you know which mare started this line and what her contributions were to the breeding program? Her name was Silfretta bred by Lady Wentworth at the Crabbet Stud in England. She was born in 1955 and sired by the outstanding stallion Oran and out of Silfina. Oran was Supreme Champion of England in 1955-56 and was three times British Champion Sire. Silfina was sired by Indian Gold, grandson of the amazing Raswan. Raswan’s story is one that lives on in Arabian lore but is best left for another time. In 1956 Sifretta was awarded Junior Champion filly at the East Grindstead show in England and was described by Lady Wentworth as “The lovely yearling filly Silfretta.” She was imported into Canada in 1957 and named Reserve Grand Champion at the Canadian Royal Winter Fair by Professor Byron Good of MSU. Professor Good discovered that Silfretta could be purchased and wasted no time in completing the transaction. Prior to her death in 1983 at the age of 28 Silfretta produced seven daughters and four sons. Her first foal Orzizza by Arziza was gelded while Ghaliis Astronaut, Ghalliis Comet both by Ghalii went on to be very successful sires. Her youngest son Royal Triumph was exported into Canada where he had a very successful show career as a gelding... (Continued at the end of this newsletter.) Twenty-two of the current mares owned by MSU trace back to Silfretta. She is without question the most signi􀃶cant Arabian ever owned by MSU.

Silfretta’s most significant contributions to the breed came through her daughters: Zaretta (1963, Zari), Ghalii Sharima (1965, Ghalii), Easter Basket (1967, Bask), Alika (1971, Bajram), Desert Glow (1972, Shaikh Al Badi), Baskina (1974, Bask), Arcadiia (1978, NuBask). Three of these daughters are still represented in the current MSU broodmare band.

The most significant contribution is through Easter Basket. Easter Basket had 17 foals from 1971-1993. MSU Eternity (1990, Napitok) is her only living daughter and a leading producer of Sport Horse National winners. Perhaps Easter Basket’s most important daughter was Pasketta (1988, Pask). The product of a grandson-grandmother mating Pasketta was a very pre-potent broodmare. She is represented by four daughters in the MSU herd: MSU Silfretta (1996, Monogramm), MSU Serendipity (2002, Emanor), MSU Salignac (2005, B Mumm Cognac), and MSU Signature (2006, Ensignia). Most of these Pasketta daughters have produced daughters of their own that are current broodmares at MSU.

Sifretta is also represented by two other daughters in the current MSU band, Alika though MSU Secret Vow and MSU Sweet Applause, and Baskina through MSU Stolen Angel and MSU Simply Angelic. Twenty-two of the current forty-two mares owned by MSU trace back to Silfretta. She is without question the most significant Arabian ever owned by MSU.

I often wonder where the breeding program would be without her genetics certainly, not where it is today.

~ Dr. John Shelle,

Michigan State University Horse Teaching & Research Center Newsletter, Issue 1, Spring 2013