Raquin RA (1982 - 1999)

Bay Straight Egyptian Stallion
Dahman Shahwan Strain

Sire of National Winners
Sire of Egyptian Event Champions
Sire of Egyptian Event Performance Pyramid Champion
Sire of Class A Champions

The big, bay stallion was quite a handful. But very impressive indeed. So upright, so vertical and with huge black eyes. This was the thought going through our minds when Raquin RA stepped off the trailer to come and stand at stud at Kehilan. Quite familiar with his offspring, especially since the Bentwood Sales of 1988 and 1989. The Raquin daughtes that sold at that sale averaged the second highest in the sale. Just behind the legendary Shaikh Al Badi and ahead of even Raquin's own illustrious sire - The Egyptian Prince. But they should have. They were typey and snorty with the Prince big dark eye but also something more...... stretch. We had seen Raquin as a young colt and he was all legs and a bit gangly. One to observe but not necessarily a scene stealer. Later after he had won his first Championship and was preparing for Scottsdale competition he shattered his hock. No more showing and not much publicity came his way. But now, as he surveyed his newest home led by his then owner Jay Barnes, he had grown into a commanding presence. Eventually, a new client of Kehilan would take a growing interest in the big bay stallion and offer to partner on him. Always looking for a stallion without any *Sultann - we agreed and "Rocky" became a permanent resident at the farm. That client was Dennis Key of Renazans Arabians and he built his farm and program around his favorite horse. An underused stallion after his first prolific years at Bentwood, he quickly proved to us that he was a wonderful sire of daughters. So similar to his own sire in that regard. We could count on the Prince traits of big, dark eyes, and overall balance. But through his dam, a tall elegant daughter of *Ibn Moniet El Nefous, Rocky added an extra helping of pretty and often sired that vertical look with length of leg and upright neck that seemed hard to reproduce in many Straights. Unfortunately, just as Rocky was proving his real value he succumbed to colic. Surviving the surgery only to shatter a leg upon standing, we were heartbroken. And with hindsight sharper than foresight - we realize that we missed an opportunity to use him more often. At the time we had planned on crossing him directly onto the Makhsous daughters. But many were still too young to breed when he died. The few Rocky daughters we were lucky to receive, have since proven their worth many times over as broodmares. They are some of our best producing mares. Almost always adding those big, dark eyes and that length of leg. Many of the Rocky children have gone overseas as the astute breeders worldwide recognized the value of his pedigree regardless of the little promotion given the horse. His daughter Simply Seductive was a Champion nearly every time she set foot in the show ring until her tragic injury. She not only won in Event competition but also Regionally and at Scottsdale.