Zandai Arabians has been involved in genetic research with respect to questions of Egyptian Arabian horse purity. Beginning with the landmark article by Michael Boling in 1998 in Arabian Visions, the technique of mitochondrial DNA analysis was applied to the problem of "root mare confusion." This controversy arose in regard to the identity of the female lines of Maaroufa and Ghazieh I. Historically, Maaroufa has been considered a Koheilan Jellabi and Ghazieh I has been considered a Saqlawi Jedrania. However, conflicting historical evidence has suggested and the Boling research has confirmed that these two mares are, in fact, female descendents of a common female ancestress. This means that Maaroufa was not a Koheilan Jellabi but, in fact, a Saqlawi Jedrania.
We have reproduced these findings at Zandai Arabians with mitochondrial DNA analysis of our own horses. A pilot study was done in 2005 to determine the mitochondrial DNA sequence of five major existing EAO female lines, namely Rodania {Koheilan Rodania}, Venus (Hadban Enzahi}, Roga El Beida {Saqlawi Jedrania}, Bint El Bahrein {Dahma Shahwania}, El Shebaa {Abbeyan Om Jurays} and El Dahma {Dahma Shahwania}. The results of the 2005 study indicate that the lines of El Dahma, El Shebaa and Bint El Bahrein are unique and distinct from all of the other EAO female lines. However, the study found that the mare lines of Rodania, Venus and Roga El Beida are identical mitochondrial DNA matches, meaning that they share a common root mare ancestress. This was a most surprising result and based on this, further research is being pursued.
Zandai Arabians is currently planning a definitive large scale survey of all extant EAO female blood lines. Anyone interested in volunteering their straight Egyptian horses for this study are encouraged to sign up by contacting me by email. The study requires one tube of blood per horse, at no cost to the owner. Tail female descendents of the above named mares are needed.
