Nasik
Born in 1912 at the Crabbet Arabian Stud in England, Nasik was a product of two of the most distinguished lines in early 20th-century Arabian breeding. He embodied the vision of Lady Anne and Wilfrid Blunt, and later Lady Wentworth, to combine type, temperament, and athletic ability into one cohesive and beautiful animal.
Nasik’s sire Rijm, foaled in 1901, was a bay stallion of commanding presence and strong desert type. He was sired by Mahruss II, a horse imported from the Egypt by the Blunts, known for his refined head and fluid movement. Rijm inherited his sire's qualities and was known for his proud bearing, excellent legs, and high-set tail. His dam, Rose of Sharon, was a daughter of Hadban, bringing in the prized Saklawi strain, known for elegance and nobility.
Rijm had a long and successful breeding career at Crabbet and was widely used to consolidate type and temperament. His influence permeated the stud, and he was recognized for consistently passing on sound conformation and a high degree of Arabian character. Besides Nasik, he produced the sires Rodan, Nureddin II and Noam, the successful endurance horses Crabbet and Belka and sire of the broodmares Rijma and Fejr.
Nasik’s dam, Nargileh, foaled in 1905, was one of the last great daughters of Mesaoud, the Egyptian import who revolutionized Crabbet breeding. Through her dam Narghileh, Nargileh also brought in the blood of Dajania, one of the original Blunt foundation mares.
Nargileh exemplified feminine refinement, with a beautiful head, large expressive eyes, and outstanding movement. She was known to produce foals of great intelligence and quality, with a strong emphasis on substance without sacrificing type. She represented the Kehilan Dajani strain, known for its good-minded and functional horses.
Nasik stood at Crabbet for several years, although his early breeding career was not extensive. He did, however, prove his worth as a sire of typey, correct foals.
While Nasik was never among the most heavily promoted Crabbet stallions, he was valued for his refined appearance, excellent legs, sloping shoulder, strong back, and balanced proportions. He stood 15.1 hands. His color had a golden metallic , brilliant sheen.
His conformation was harmonious: a deep chest, strong loins, and clean limbs that spoke to his utility. He carried a slightly higher tail set than some of his contemporaries and showed good hock engagement in movement. His trot was noted for fluidity and lightness, not extravagant, but economical and athletic. Cecil Covey said about him once: 'Superlative style. A real peacock. [...] A highly-strung, excitable temperament, full of fire. Lovely head.'
During his time in Britain, Nasik sired 24 registered purebred foals, often valued for their riding qualities and sensible temperaments. Among them the three mares Rokhsa and Ranya who founded their own families in the USA and Spain respectively. It was only after his export to the United States that his legacy truly began to unfold.
In 1926, at the age of 18, Nasik was imported to the United States by WK Kellogg, founder of the Kellogg Arabian Ranch in California. Nasik’s arrival in America was met with interest by breeders focused on preserving the original type and endurance qualities of the Arabian horse.
In the U.S., he produced the stallion Farana, a bay stallion that became a Stock horse Champion and was US Army Remount Service stallion. Nasik also sired Rifnas, an excellent dressage horse and broodmare producer and the mare Ferdika.
Nasik spent his final years at stud in the United States before he was put down in July 1937 at the age of 29.
