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The muniqi strains

The strain of Muniqi/Manaqi/Ma´anaqi/Maneghi is a rather rare strain today but with a lot of controversy around, because of Carl Raswan´s theory of crossing Turkoman horses into the line. But he is the only authority on Arabian horses stating this and he is not giving any proof. Muniqi has the meaning of "long neck" according to Raswan.

 

Burckhardt states that "the Monekye is not considered as belonging to Al Khamsa by Nejd people." According to the Abbas Pasha Manuscript the Muniqi strain is given by most interviewed authorities as one of al Khamsa. Rzewuski gives us some more information about this strain: The Maanaki is estimated like the Saqlawi Djedran. He lists the following substrains: Maanaki Schamith, Aschair, al Hadra, al Barak, Guli, Dahiz, Hindisi. Of his 147 acquired Arabians 22 have been Maanaki. Sherbatov and Stroganoff give the Maneghi Hedray of Ibn Sbeiel of the Anaza - al Sebaa Homussa as the most prized but also list the Maneghi Slaji, Arnabi and Lagra. And also Lady Blunt states: “The Managhi is greatly prized by the desert tribes and ranks with all the best of Arabia now as it was when the Darley (Arabian) was foaled two hundred years ago.” 

Ma´anagieh Shagrah (Dahman Alashgar/Ma´anagieh Dana) in the farm of Prince Mohamed, Bahrain.

At the beginning 21st century, most horses of the Muniqi strain could be found in Syria and were in high esteem. They belong in the majority to the Muniqi Sbeylieh, but also to Hadruyi and Al Aqraa. The marbat of Ibn Sbayli is originally belonging to the Muniqi Hudruji/Hadruyi/Hidrajieh and developed under the hands of the family of Ibn Sbayli into the most famous of all marabet of Muniqi. Later with Abu Sayfayn/Saifain, a clan of the Shumaylat, one of the main branches of the Fed´an Bedouins, a new substrain was formed, now called Muniqi Abu Sayfan. Sheikh Hamed of the Fe´dan owned some Muniqi mares in 1997.

 

In Egypt the Muniqi had only little influence because it was not a favored strain of Abbas Pasha and only few stallion but no mare of this strain were used. From the desert of Arabia a Manaki Sbayli c. 1895 was imported into Egypt by the Tahawwi Bedouins for Ahmed Pasha Kemal. He is the sire of Nafaa El Saghira c. 1910, a Koheilah Mimriyah, the mother of Mansour, sire of Nazeer. Another horse is Sabbah c. 1895 (Saklawi I /Manakiyah Hadrajiah) going back to the marbat of Ibn Ma´jil of the Rwala. 

Ma´anagieh Ghada (Dahmaan Hoobeishi/Ma´anagieh Tabasheer) at the Royal Stables of Bahrain and Bronze statue of O´Bajan, main stallion at Babolna, Hungary, at the end of the 19th century.

Some sires of significance were imported into the West from this strain: Zarif to Germany (Prussia and later Weil), O´Bajan to Babolna, Haleb to USA and also some to France. Zarif was bought by Fürst Pueckler as a yearling near Aleppo from the Anaza Bedouins in 1838. The black O´Bajan 1880 became an influential sire for Babolna, Hungary. Haleb 1901, a Muniqi Sbayli of the S´baa Bedouins, a famous sire in the desert, was imported by Davenport to America. He had bred over 200 mares before he left Arabia. Davenport imported also the mare Farha 1900, a Manaqiah Hudrujiyah mare of the marbat of Ibn Sbayyil. The Blunts imported the mare Ferida 1886, also a Muniqiah Sbailiyah, bred by the Shammar, which has established an asil line in the USA until today. Mohalhil 1922, a Manaqi Hudruji of Ibn Sbaili, was bred by the Shammar and imported to Egypt for racing by Sheikh Fawzan al Sabiq, a Dawasir and Saudi Arabian Minister in Cairo (also owner of Mashaan). As a gift to Charles Crane he was imported to the USA in 1929. The Muniqiah Hadruyiah mare Haidee 1869, purchased by Mr. Skene at Aleppo for Mr. Sandeman, also established a line still existing today. Also in Bahrain the Muniqi strain exists today. Several Muniqi horses found lines thriving until today in Turkey, like Mahsuse 1906, Necme 1925 from King Faisal of Iraq, or Semiramis 1925, Matra 1927, Zehra 1923 and others, all from Iraq.

Mahsuse, a foundation mare for Turkey.

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