Aswan (1958–1984), originally named Raafat[1] in Egypt, was a highly influential grey Egyptian-bred Arabian stallion who stood at the Tersk Stud in Russia. Sired by Nazeer out of Yosreia, he was given as a gift to the Soviet Union by the Egyptian government in 1963, in return for Soviet help in building the Aswan Dam.

Aswan
Black-and-white photo of Aswan standing and being held by Egyptian man in Egypt
Aswan as a young horse in Egypt
BreedArabian
SireNazeer
GrandsireMansour
DamYosreia
Maternal grandsireSheikh El Arab
SexStallion
Foaled1958
Died1984 (aged 25–26)
CountryEgypt
ColorGrey
BreederEgyptian Agricultural Organization
OwnerTersk Stud, Russia
Last updated on: March 13, 2008.

He sired 296 foals over 19 seasons, more than any other stallion at Tersk Stud.[2][3] His offspring were exported all over the world. A life-size commemorative bronze statue of him stands at the entrance to the Tersk Stud.

Though classified as "Straight Egyptian," Aswan's maternal great-great grandsire, Sotamm, was a horse whose pedigree traced entirely to the horses purchased by Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt from the stud of Ali Pasha Sherif and imported to England. Sotamm was foaled in England and then sold to the Egyptian government by Lady Wentworth of the Crabbet Arabian Stud. In a near-similar manner, Sotamm's grandsire Mesaoud, imported from Egypt by the Blunts, also sold to Russia and stood at the Tersk Stud when it was privately owned by Count Sergei Aleksandrovich Stroganov and his brother-in-law[4][better source needed] Prince Aleksandr Grigorievich Shcherbatov.[5]

Pedigree

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Gamil Manial (RAS)
Mansour (RAS)
Nafaa El Sahira (RAS)
Nazeer (RAS)
Kazmeen (RAS)
Bint Samiha (RAS)
Samiha (RAS)
*Aswan
Mansour (RAS)
Sheikh El Arab (RAS)
Bint Sabah (RAS)
Yosreia (RAS)
Ibn Rabdan (RAS)
Hind(RAS)
Bint Rustem (RAS)

References

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  1. ^ Trakehner Database
  2. ^ "sunshineridgearabians.com". www.sunshineridgearabians.com.
  3. ^ 1999 Arabian Horse Bookshelf, Arabian Horse Registry of America CD-ROM
  4. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Stroganov family genealogy". Genealogy.EU.[self-published source]
  5. ^ "Arieana Arabians - Heritage Notebook: M (Mesaoud)". www.arieana.com.