THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION CASPIANS

An Introduction by Elizabeth Webster of the Caspian Stud (UK)

 (prefix 'Hopstone').

Those names with an asterisk, sprinkled throughout the International and British Caspian Stud Books, indicate the Foundation Caspians.  They were pioneers in every sense of the word, travelling far from their native Iran to carve a niche in the modern-day horse establishment.  They were the first of their type for more than a thousand years to be carefully bred and valued for more than their ability to work hard and exist on little.  They could hardly have foreseen such changes in their lives!

Modern Research into an Ancient Breed

It was impossible in 1965 to see your first Caspian and not be struck by such unique elegance and beauty in such a small horse.  It still is today.  Soon one is also enchanted by their personalities, impressed by their toughness and excited by the possibilities in the breed's future.  Their discoverer and mentor, Louise Firouz, went further, uncovering a fascinating history that showed just how much the kings of ancient Persia had esteemed these little horses.

She also started an in-depth examination of the physiology and genotype of the Caspian that is ongoing - it has been dubbed the most researched horse breed ever.  The Caspian's importance as one of the ancestors of most of the hot-blooded horse breeds known today has been recognised by world-renowned authorities.  Yet its history has been one of alternating riches, poverty, fame, obscurity -and back again.  Wars and the violent fall of dynasties left little opportunity for horse-breeding, and the small horses were believed to be extinct for over a thousand years.  Even after re-discovery, the collapse of the Peacock Throne, war and revolution have ensured that life in Iran is still hard on both the breed and its breeders.

The Foundation Caspians, whether they remained in Iran or emigrated in the late '60s and early '70s, are thus immensely important to all breeders of the modern-day Caspian.  The bedrock from which their descendants now flourish across the world, they appear again and again in the Stud Books.  Let me introduce you to some of those that I came to know personally during my time at Hopstone...

Our First Importation

Although the dark bay stallion OSTAD* remained in Iran, he is strongly represented in the UK by a daughter.  TALIYEH came to us early in the '70s, in-foal and with MAROUN, a 4-month old colt foal by Ruba II, at foot.  The unborn foal was Hopstone Banafsheh, sole UK representative of her sire FELFEL*.  Maroun became our senior stallion, a kind, mischievous and intelligent character who passed on his wonderful temperament and conformation in good measure. His mother was to become the dam of many of today's leading sires, and remained at Hopstone until her death at 22, having produced 14 quality foals.

The grey stallion ASEMAN* also stayed in Iran, but his 3 year old son MEHRAN arrived on the same flight as Taliyeh.  Bred by Louise Firouz, Mehran was a dark grey which faded to pure white with age.  From the beginning he was a perfect gentleman, coping with our early attempts at horse-breeding with equanimity and good humour. Mehran's son HOPSTONE KAFTAR was exported to the Heroden Stud in West Australia.  He became a most successful sire of pure and part-bred Caspians, star of the Gyles' family's popular and impressive Caspian Demonstration Team, and, at 23 years old, still takes part in club driving events.

The Royal Connection

The beautiful dark chesnut mare KHORSHID KOLA*, bought from an Iranian villager and later presented to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh by Louise Firouz, came to Britain via quarantine in Budapest.  My first sight of her was in a walled paddock at Hampton Court with the bay stallion ROSTAM.  Soon we were offered both on permanent loan so that their genes would be available to breeders. Khorshid Kola's chesnut colt HOPSTONE ATESH, by Karoun, was exported to New Zealand.  Resident stallion at the Cheleken Stud, he has sired many part-bred Caspians which have excelled in the show-ring and in show-jumping and cross-country events.

Khorshid Kola*'s beauty and kind temperament were truly a credit to the breed and she played an important role in their international acceptance.

The Stallion from Bermuda

The grey stallion DARIA NOUR* was found working in a mountain village in Northern Iran, and was soon an enthusiastic 'pony-racer' on the Teheran racetrack for the Firouz family and friends.  He was later imported to Bermuda by Joan Taplin and regularly ridden by young children, during which time our stud was able to purchase his first colt, AMU DARIA, from his importer in England.  The mid-1970's fuel crisis (and consequent imported feed-shortage on Bermuda), prompted us to bring him, the pretty little bay mare MITRA*, the Duke of Edinburgh's Momtaz-e-Mahal and their offspring Darius and Vashta to England.  Daria Nour ('Dusty') was a tiny, 'flea-bitten grey' stallion with a classic Caspian head and enormous presence, who imbued his foals with his delightful, insouciant personality and, apart from working visits, stayed with us until his death at around 21 years old.  Amu Daria was later exported to South Australia.  Another of Dusty's sons, the bay Forstal's Barewa, became a popular UK sire.

The Mercy Flight

The bay stallion PALANG* came to Hopstone with several foundation mares in the last flight from Iran before the Gulf War and Revolution interrupted exports.  It had been planned to export their offspring, but a mercy flight was hurriedly organised when they were seriously threatened by wolf attack, which made national headlines.  Imported with little time between their discovery in the wild and a lengthy, delayed flight, all were thin and traumatised on arrival, but soon acclimatised to British conditions.  A larger type, with a strong head, Palang* possessed very typical conformation and sired foals with lovely temperaments, of a size which proved useful for performance.  Two of his sons are the popular sire HOPSTONE SHABDIZ, and the (now deceased) gelding Hopstone Chahar Shambe, the wheeler in Chris Belton's winning competition tandem team.

With Palang* came SIYAH GOSH* (pictured left), FATEMEH*, TALOCHE*, SHIRINE*, DOUEEZ* and PARI* - mares who left the Hopstone Stud, after several months' rest, for new homes. Siyah Gosh*, the sole survivor today, is still thriving in Norfolk. Amongst her foals was the Henden Stud's HOPSTONE SHOJA, by Maroun, a well-known representative at many shows.  The lovely apricot-coloured Shirine* has been the subject of her owner Brenda Dalton's own affectionate book.  The chesnut Pari*, bay Fatemeh* and Doueez*, a fine grey mare with mutilated ears, went on to have useful breeding careers, a Fatemeh* daughter travelling to Canada.  Hopstone Lili, a daughter of Taloche*, is now in France.

The Value of Foundation Lines

I hope this necessarily brief description of the Foundation Caspians and a few of their progeny has given a glimpse of the horses behind the asterisks.  Readers of the stud books will be able to see how many other important individuals have played a part and to judge for themselves the relative contributions each has subsequently made to today's international Caspian breed.   Every Foundation Line is valuable and we have the responsibility to see that all are wisely used for the future benefit of the breed.  Just as I have, I hope that all those who have the opportunity of working with or owning Caspian Horses will feel honoured by the chance and enhanced by the experience.

E.W.
2001