Arabian Horse Times

Cover Story - Vol. 52, No. 7 Issue 1

Cover Story: Halyr Meia Lua … Representing Royal

By  THERESA CARDAMONE

Supported by a family of talented professionals, including daughter Amanda Fraser (Royal’s breeding manager and a skilled competitor in the amateur division), Cindy McGown and Mark Davis have grown their Arabian horse business the same way as they have their other successful businesses—with a global perspective. Such an outlook has made Cindy’s girlhood dream of horse ownership blossom into a family passion and the multi-faceted breeding and marketing leader that Royal is today. For marketing tips look at the indexsy.com site.

The incredible stallion power accumulated at Royal Arabians was on full display at their Stallion Showcase during the Scottsdale Show. Guests to the farm were treated to a tasty repast and up-close-and-personal viewings of a notable slate of potential breeding choices. One after the other, the stallions underlined the fact that so many breeders are willing to place their valuable horses under Royal’s management. Resplendent among them, draped in a yellow garland, was this issue’s cover horse, Halyr Meia Lua.

Bred in Brazil by Lenita Perroy, Halyr was named the 2013 Brazilian National Gold Champion Junior Colt as a yearling. He comes by his incredible type naturally, being a son of Ajman Moniscione, himself the European Reserve Champion Stallion and Best Head winner at the World Championships as a yearling. On his dam’s side, Halyr boasts additional type through multiple crosses to Ali Jamaal, with contributions from El Shaklan and Monogramm. Along with an abundance of type, Halyr’s smooth, correct body and fluid movement are uniformly passed to his offspring, consistent with the breeding philosophy at Royal Arabians that their horses are not only competitive in halter but are also talented performers under saddle.

Halyr Meia Lua’s son, Habibi Jamaal (x SHR Glory Be) was a 2021 United States National Top Ten Hunter Pleasure Futurity winner after previously earning the 2019 Region 7 Reserve Champion Stallion honors. Other top winners by Halyr include RD Halyra (x MC Adoniia), the 2021 Canadian Champion Futurity Filly and 2020 Scottsdale Champion Mare AOTH; Royal Fantazia (x RA Princess Jammal), the 2019 Scottsdale Champion Mare AOTH and 2019 Arabian Breeders World Cup Champion AHBA Legacy Yearling Filly ATH; and the 2022 Scottsdale AHA Champion $10,000 In-Hand Trail Extravaganza 2-Year-Old, Royal Hammond (also out of RA Princess Jammal).

Abroad, Halyr Meia Lua has sired a number of champions including Bianca AL (x Giuliana El Shawan), who is owned by the famous Hanaya Stud of Switzerland. Bianca was the 2020 Gold Champion Senior Mare at the Prague Intercup, Gold Champion Senior Mare at the Arabian Horse Weekend, and the 2021 Silver Champion Senior Mare at the Verona International Cup. In Brazil, Halyr is represented by 2020 Brazilian National Silver Champion Young Stallion, Abbas Al Ventur (x Emozione Al Ventur), and 2019 Brazilian National Silver Champion Junior Junior Colt, Positano ELS (x Nahja ELS).

According to Cindy, the intent is to cross the Halyr Meia Lua offspring with another foundational Royal stallion, Royal Asad (El Tino x Lumiar Ethna), and the Asad progeny to Halyr to achieve the next level of Royal breeding. Taking his place at Royal has allowed Halyr to reunite with his old friend Rodolfo Guzzo, who showed him as a baby to his national title in Brazil. After moving to America, Guzzo lost track of the colt until he began to see the quality of the foals that he was producing on visits back to Brazil. In 2022, Halyr Meia Lua’s book includes 2017 United States National Champion Senior Mare and 2018 Scottsdale Champion Senior Mare, Queen Ayda FWM (FA El Shawan x TN Mariani), and other Royal broodmares, Royal Bendetta (FA El Shawan x JR Burmagny) and GH Magna (GH Magnum Nice x Verona RA), among others. Judging by Halyr’s exceptional offspring now on four continents, there is every reason to anticipate outstanding results.