Naga

photo: Aline Sagrabelny

The German Elite mare Naga, bred and retained by the German State Stud of Marbach, stood as a living testament to the power of thoughtful breeding rooted in classical Egyptian lines.
Naga’s sire, Serenity Habib, was born in 1983 and bred by Serenity Farms in the United States. He was sired by Khofo, a striking grey stallion imported from Egypt and descended from the legendary Morafic, and out of SF Bint Mamlouka, an elegant and aristocratic mare, also imported from Egypt. Both Khofo and SF Bint Mamlouka became foundation breeding stock at Serenity Farms, laying the cornerstone for a program that aimed to preserve and refine the classical traits of the Egyptian Arabian.
Exported to Europe in 1993, Serenity Habib brought with him the essence of classical Egyptian type and had a big impact on Marbach's breeding program. He was an excellent broodmare sire. Besides Naga, he sired the mares Dukna and Maaza. Dukna produced the athletic Dschehim and Maaza is the dam of the bay Musab. Both stallions have been chief sires at Marbach. Serenity Habib died in 2013.
Naga’s dam, Nasseb, added another dimension of heritage to the pedigree. She was sired by Gharib, the iconic black stallion imported by Germany from Egypt. Foaled in 1965 at El Zahraa, Gharib was by Alaa El Din—one of the most important sons of Nazeer—and out of Souhair, a bay daughter by Sid Abouhom. Gharib was imported by to Marbach in 1970 where was used as chief sire until his death in 1990. He is credited with bringing excellent type, substance, and pigment to the Arabian horses at Marbach.
Nasseb also produced Naga’s younger full brother, Nahdmi, who served as chief sire at Marbach, though his breeding career was cut short and he sired only a limited number of foals.
The maternal lineage of Naga traces directly to the influential mare Nadja. Foaled in 1955, Nadja was sired by Nazeer, arguably the most impactful stallion in the history of Egyptian Arabian breeding. Nazeer, a son of Mansour and Bint Samiha, revolutionized the El Zahraa breeding program, and his descendants would come to dominate Egyptian breeding worldwide.
Nadja’s dam was the elegant mare Nefisa, a 1950 daughter by Balance and out of Helwa, a daughter by Hamran II and out of Bint Farida. Nefisa was one of the finest representatives of the Saklawi Jedran Ibn Sudan strain.
Naga passed away in 2018, having fulfilled her role as broodmare of Straight Egyptians at Marbach. One of her most important contributions to Marbach breeding is her daughter Nagawa by Motassem, who has joined the ranks of the active broodmares at Marbach. At Marbach, Naga's family is continued by Nagawa's daughters WM Navina and WM Neferet.