NIGA PEDIGREE MAGIC by   ARLENE MAGID

           What do U.S. and Canadian National Champion Mare JBK MYSTIC FAWN, U.S. Reserve National Champion Mare and U.S. and Canadian National Champion Futurity Filly MAGNIFICOOS JEWEL, leading broodmare HAL ANE VERSARE (dam of 5 National winners from 6 foals), U.S. Reserve National Champion Sweepstakes Colt SOLID GOLD VF, seven-time National winner in performance PATRIOTS IMAGE and Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt and National Champion sire MIZAN TAJ HALIM all have in common? They are all linebred to the great stallion NIGA.

NIGA's influence on the breed is all the more remarkable considering he sired just 99 registered lifetime foals in his 26 year lifespan. Many stallions with hundreds of get have had far less overall importance than NIGA.

NIGA, like many of the breed's greats, was bred by a master breeder who understood both conformation and genetics. Dan Gainey has been recognized for the horses he bred who have been National Champions in both halter and performance. The "Gainey look" is recognized worldwide, and NIGA is a proud standard bearer for it, though his heritage is somewhat different than that of the FERZON /AZRAFF cross horses whose snowy white beauty has inspired so many people for many years. NIGA is 3/4 Crabbet and 1/4 Polish. Like the other Gainey horses, he is linebred to the great Polish sire SKOWRONEK.

His sire, the coal black halter champion NITEZ is out of the SKOWRONEK granddaughter NAFA. NITEZ was owned for some years by Gainey and even beat FERZON in the show ring when both competed at the same show in stallion halter. He sired 6 National winners in halter and performance. NITEZ was sired by the phenomenal *WITEZ II, one of the most influential stallions ever imported from Poland. *WITEZ II nicked exceptionally well with NITEZ's dam NAFA and with her daughter NAFALLA (who produced 4 National winners by him). NITEZ is a 3/4 brother to U.S. Reserve National Champion Stallion BOLERO++(sire of U.S. National Champion Stallion ZARABO++ and of U.S. National Champion Open Cutting XENOPHONN, the all time leading sire of Arabian cutting horses). NITEZ is also a 3/4 brother to U.S. Top Ten Stallion NATEZ, sire of National winners in halter and cutting including U.S. National Champion Mare INDIAN GENII. NITEZ's dam NAFA is out of NARASA, a full sister to the noted stock horse FARANA, also a famed broodmare sire whose daughters include National Champion producer YATANA and BINT SAHARA, for many years the breed's leading producer of champions.

NIGA's dam GALENA is pure Crabbet breeding. She had just three registered offspring, and NIGA is her only son. Her daughters were champion producers and have had considerable influence of their own (U.S. National Champion Stallion ETERNETY, a sire of National Champions in halter and performance, is descended in tail female from the GALENA daughter GAYGAL). GALENA is linebred to SKOWRONEK. Her sire, the National winner sire PHANTOM, is an incest bred son of the SKOWRONEK daughter *RIFALA sired by her own son IMAGE (himself a National Champion sire). *RIFALA's son *RAFFLES sired 45 producers of National winners and all of her registered foals have National winners tracing to them. GALENA's dam BALENA also produced U.S. Top Ten Mare AL-MARAH WALTZING MATILDA and GARENE, sire of U.S. National Champion Stallion PETIT JEAN. Like NAFA, BALENA was sired by the great SKOWRONEK son *RASEYN, sire of U.S. Top Ten Mare ANGYL (herself dam of U.S. National Champion Stallion BAY ABI++) and of 21 producers of National winners including National Champion sires FERSEYN (the double grandsire of FERZON) and SUREYN (whose 19 National winning get include the first U.S. National Champion Stallion and Mare).

He had a very typey head with wide jowls and huge eyes set on a beautifully shaped neck of good length. His neck was set properly on his well-angled shoulders. His legs were straight, with good bone and large feet. NIGA was very short backed and had a comparatively level topline with a very high tail set and carried his tail in a plume even when at rest. Because NIGA was linebred to SKOWRONEK, one of the typiest stallions in breed history, he was very successful at passing on that type to his descendants. SKOWRONEK was a stallion who tolerated inbreeding very well, as has his descendant NIGA.

NIGA has also passed on this black gene, as 11 of his 99 get were registered as black. In NIGA's case, the black color often associated with him is a bonus added to the beautiful Arabians from his line. NIGA horses are quality Arabians first and foremost, their color is just another reason to want one!  NIGA's 99 registered get include National winners in halter, english pleasure AOTR and native costume, as well as regional winners in western pleasure, cutting, and other performance divisions.
One son, COUNT NIGA+, earned his IAHA Legion of Honor in 1987 with all points achieved from endurance rides. His get are beautiful athletes and pass on their own best attributes consistently. Twelve of his 99 offspring have produced National winners of their own, in halter, english pleasure, english sidesaddle, hunt pleasure, trail, cutting, reining, and native costume.
NIGA sired 6 sons out of FERZON daughters who sired National winners, including the noted broodmare sires GARIS (who has 11 daughters who produced National winners), and GAMAAR (sire of 15 mares who produced National winners including CHANTILLY ROSE, dam of 6 National winners). GAMAAR grandget also produced U.S. National Champion Stallions FAME VF+ and ECHO MAGNIFFICOO.
NIGA's influence is far reaching and often a number of winners in a given class at a National show will trace to him--for example, 5 of the ten 2000 Canadian Futurity Colt winners have at least one line to NIGA!

Senior sire EDS WITEZ is the last born son of NIGA, and with only 10 get registered through 1997 he is already the sire of the dam of a National winner. His daughter YASSI VAN WITEZ is the dam of 1997  and 1999  U.S. Top Ten Hunt Pleasure AOTR 40 and Over. BLACK FLAME, a coal black athlete who is showing at the 2000 Nationals in western and hunt pleasure AOTR.
As with his sire NIGA, EDS WITEZ has been selectively bred and is showing himself a worthy progenitor of this great line. His black color, excellent breed type and overall good structure offer mare owners a chance to obtain not only NIGA blood close up, but also the blood of NIGA's paternal grandsire

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ARLENE MAGID Pedigree Research  &  Consulting Service