Few of the Del Cid bred arabians have been eligible for export to the USA because of 1) their propensity for equine Piraplasmosis and 2) the reluctance or lack of interest in this Yeguada towards selling off their stock. Their policy has been to retain their blood lines so as to see the development of their breeding choices through more than one generation---often as many as 4 or 5. 
 

The Del Cid properties run from high rocky ground to the "marismas" or wetlands of Huelva where the tick population run amuck. Most all those horses carry both types of equine Piraplasmosis, the tick bearing disease which has been so difficult to cleanse from the bloodstream. It is also rare in the fact that the Del Cid horses are offered for sale to the public only very seldom--basically once every ten years. 

The Del Cid horses were raised on hundreds of acres of arroyo filled rocky sparse grasslands. They were dry fed at one end and watered at the other. No fences, no human participation. Foals were born out in the "wilds" and if they make it in they survive. The mare herds are brought in twice a year: In the late summer for foal branding and weanling registration and the separation of colts from the fillies and then again for breeding the following February.

Little to no handling is done with the females. The males are sent off to another ranch/Cortijo where they are turned out to run free until the end of their third year when selection and training *may* be started. The average total numbers of stock run between 200 and 250 head on an annual basis. Being selected to be retained alone is a feat. Being kept as a breeding stallion out of so many horses was a rare honor indeed. *Komuste had that honor as did *Ciato.
 

Timing also was right for *Ciato as he was sold to Don Mendez Torres in 1978 as an 8 year old where he sired all fillies except for two grey colts. Although elder Don Juan Del Cid did not bring his horses into the agricultural fairs, nor did his heirs participate in Arabian Shows, those who have been fortunate enough to obtain his stock have indeed shown their horses. This Don Mendes did also with *Ciato in Sevilla, catching the eye of Jay Stream from Greengate Farms who was there at the time. Other American breeders such as the Hoyts, and their trainer Jim Porcher, queried about Ciato as well, but Jay Steam was there first and imported Ciato to the US in 1982. His movement was spectacular.
 
 

The Stanleys of Stanley Ranch, then known as Sitting Rock Spanish Arabians also were importers of Del Cid breeding. Mally and Dave's stories of finding their way out to the Del Cid Yeguada to see more of that breeding and what they went thru to persuade the heirs to sell any stock is a *Book* unto itself. Talk about a wilderness area! It was there that they met *Komuste and 3 of his sons. Fortunately for us they were successful and were able to purchase all four stallions. 
 

The Del Cid horses are known for their excellent bone, their well developed muscling and their stamina. They are horses which have survived the rigors of their upbringing for generations. The two brothers Jose Maria and Juan Del Cid bought their first horses from the Yeguada Militar in 1912, two years after the Marques de Casa Domecq Yeguada was established. (The latter is known as the oldest private breeder.)
 

The Del Cid breeding program has continued however totally unbroken from one generation to another down to present day, so therefore remains the eldest most continuous line amongst the private breeders of Spain. Their initial emphasis was on the Polish import Van-Dyck daughters and granddaughters. These in turn were bred out to stallions of desert breeding such as Korosko Or.Ar. with the results 
bred back to the Gandhy son Xamir and Gandy grandson Habiente. 
Xamir was a stallion bought from a private breeder by the YM for use on their own mares. His dam was Bayadera from lines originally bred by both Del Cid and the YM tracing to the Polish imported mare Kebrebassa. Furthermore Xamir offered more crosses to the sought after Van-Dyck blood thru his maternal grandsire. The broad forehead, big dark eye and compact muscular look are very typical of this breeding. The shoulder and rear angulation very much reflects the athletic ability for which this Polish line in Spain is noted. 
 

Habiente, S.Del E., Chestnut stallion (Gandy X Veranda, a Veragua mare) was also used extensively in the Del Cid breeding program. In blood, a ¾ brother to Maquillo and Malvito, Del Cid used him to sire Paita (Habiente X Jaecera by Barquillo) dam of Chavali, the maternal granddam of *AN Malik. Paita’s ¾ brother-in-bloods was Pepete (Habiente X Oklaoma by Barquillo), a 1959 Grey stallion, sire of few but very successful get both in Europe and the USA. 
 

An interesting point is that other than the stock bought from the total dispersal of the Marques de Casa Domecq and a few YM mares, the Duque de Veragua purchased part of his foundation stock from Jose Maria and Juan Del Cid. Known as a fastidious breeder with a *very* selective eye, Veragua searched outside of Spain for what he 
could not find in his own country. Although many of his imports he chose later not to breed or sold on, he kept and bred his Del Cid mares continually right up to his death. These unfortunately were lost or their foals were not identifiable after the Civil War. It is very likely that the “Vera” mares carried some Del Cid lines. (The original Del Cid stock would have been branded with the well known double C.) 

© EG-C/29-XII-03 

Copyright © 2004 by the Spanish Arabian Horse Society. 
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