After losing Diamond Star in 1997 we had been looking for someone to step into his shoes. Whilst walking past the collecting ring at Malvern in 2002 we noticed this chestnut colt – I just couldn’t take my eyes off him!!!!!

How lucky we were, he was available for purchase, a bigger bonus he was bred by Jane Kadri at Al Waha Arabian Stud by Grand (Mukomol x Nevesta (Aswan x Nagrada II); he was on lease for one year to Umm Quarn and Al Waha sent their best broodmare to him – Queen’s Topaz (Midnight Gold x Dancing Queen)

Grand (Mukomol x Nevesta (Aswan x Nagrada II)

Grand, a grey, was bred at Tersk Stud in Russia in 1984 with a race record of (4/20-14,1,3) and a Classic winner, he is a Dutch National Champion, Top Ten in the World Championships and leading sire in Russia in 1993. Whilst in Russia, he sired 10 foals, 8 fillies and 2 colts. Among them Gagach (x Havana (Menes x Nalpa) reputedly one of the best stallions that Tersk ever bred, but due to an accident during his exportation to the West, he never made it out of the country.

Grand’s dam, Nevesta (Aswan x Nagrada II) is a legend being the dam of 7 winners including the Derby winners Vatican and Naum, and was Dutch and British Reserve National Champion Mare in the show ring.

Queen’s Topaz (Midnight Gold x Dancing Queen)

Toman’s dam Queen’s Topaz (Midnight Gold x Dancing Queen) is another treasure. Topaz has produced three British National Champion sons: BNC Colt Tayseer, BNC Ridden Gelding Tawoos (both by Narim RASB) and BNC Ridden Stallion Toman (Grand). Other siblings include Champion Colt Tibr and Champion Gelding Taher (both by Narim RASB) and Champion Mares Tamira (Andoy), Thoraya (Mamluk) and Teeba (Gonorar)

Tommie has the most WONDERFUL temperament and could so easily have graced our paddocks, breeding the occasional foal and been lost to the Arab world. NOT THIS ONE – he was just too good to retire at the age of 3yrs.

Fortunately, Chris and Ann Hooley came to “inspect” liked what they saw and agreed to take him to break and see if he had the potential to become a Ridden Arab Stallion.

He was broken in February 2004 entered his first show in July – Cheltenham, where he was 1st, then in at the deep end – THE BRITISH NATIONALS at Malvern where he was 1st Novice Ridden Stallions and BRITISH NATIONAL NOVICE RIDDEN CHAMPION. 2005 saw him join the “Big Boys and Girls” in the Open Ridden Classes. This was a big step – we appreciated he was not 6 until June 05, but he’s a brave chap and has wonderful producers in Chris and Ann Hooley.

His achievements this year include 8 x 1sts, 1 x Supreme Championship, 4 x Championships and a Reserve Champion culminating in becoming BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPION RIDDEN STALLIONS at Malvern and BAC SUPREME OVERALL RIDDEN CHAMPION.

Toman has visited Twemlows this year and we have enough semen stored for the next couple of years – we appreciate everyone’s impatience at wanting to use him BUT his ridden career is too important to waste – WE FEEL HE HAS TO PROVE HIMSELF!!!

Toman’s pedigree is to die for and he should hopefully prove himself to be a super sire.We intend to cover one or two of our own mares and an Al Waha mare in 2006 – this will give us some idea of what he is capable of producing. We therefore invite interested mare owners to come and see the results in 2007, when he may be available to one or two outside mares by AI.

Photo: Sweet

We feel privileged to be part of “Team Toman” along with Jane Kadri and all at Al Waha, Ann and Chris Hooley, who have produced and shown him for the past two years, without them none of this would have been possible. And all the Tommie enthusiasts who have given us encouragement and support in promoting the Arab horse to the wider public.