[Fairfax]

Mrs. Tankersley passed away this morning after a long and fulfilled life. She founded the famous Al-Marah Arabians in Barnesville Maryland however moved to Bear Claw Road Tucson Arizona many decades ago.

She believed in the Arabian horse and took every opportunity to promote the breed in all disciplines from halter to racing and dressage to cutting.

Her legacy has been established.

She provided Vietnam War vets with an opportunity to apprentice at the farm learning basics to training and even farm accounting.

She was an author and wife a mother and a breeder of Arabian Horses.

[quietann]

Thanks for posting this. I was always an admirer of her breeding program.

Oddly enough, the barn where I tried out my mare 5 years ago is the original Barnesville property.

[BasqueMom]

Not an Arab "person", but I've heard nothing but good things about her over the
years. If only all the other breeds had breeders of her quality.........

[IdahoRider]

What a loss. But, God, what a life she lived!
Sheilah

[ThreeFigs]

Yes, what a loss, indeed. She bred good 'uns.

[copper1]

Mrs T beleived in the athletic ability of the Arabian horse and bred horses that not only looked good, but could do stuff! Jumping, dressage, working cows,riding the trails, Al Marah is often in the pedigree!

[whitney159]

I used to have a mare from those Al-Marah lines (guess I still do as I have a half-arab baby out of her) and was amazed at her athleticism. She could do anything, with the sure-footedness of a mountain goat, and an amazing jump.
What a great contribution to the breed!

[Trakehner]

I'm sorry to hear the Arab world lost a real champion.

I visited Al-Marah when she was still there, and even boarded at the property after it became Liberty Farm.

She did breed some lovely arabs when she was in Maryland, she also bred some terrible horses. Her arabs were known as being fairly small due to too much line breeding, necessitating culling of the poor things.

She was a neat lady.

[Ghazzu]

I'm sorry to hear the Arab world lost a real champion.

I visited Al-Marah when she was still there, and even boarded at the property after it became Liberty Farm.

She did breed some lovely arabs when she was in Maryland, she also bred some terrible horses. Her arabs were known as being fairly small due to too much line breeding, necessitating culling of the poor things.

She was a neat lady.

Why would mall necessitate anything other than a shorter rider?

[mjhco]

I'm sorry to hear the Arab world lost a real champion.

I visited Al-Marah when she was still there, and even boarded at the property after it became Liberty Farm.

She did breed some lovely arabs when she was in Maryland, she also bred some terrible horses. Her arabs were known as being fairly small due to too much line breeding, necessitating culling of the poor things.

She was a neat lady.

Well, bless your heart.

[HorsesRMyTherapy]

RIP Mrs. T, Ma'am

My sincerest condolences and jingles to her family.

[HorsesRMyTherapy]

Well, bless your heart.

Ditto

[draftxfan]

Well, bless your heart.

Yes to this.

My Al-Marah gelding (born in 1967, by A.M. Radames) and my sisters' (born in 1958, by Indraff) were both lovely, athletic boys who could jump, hack, and, in the case of mine, win in hand, in open dressage, and in Western Pleasure, and do very respectably (fourth) in a fifty-miler. In those days, my guy was big enough (at 15hh) that I was often asked if he was an Anglo-Arab. I didn't keep up with the breed after mine died in 1990, so I don't know where Mrs. T went with bloodlines beyond the 1970s, but that double-R (Raffles–Rissalix) nick was very special.

As was Mrs. T herself.

[mjhco]

She was an icon.

If she had bred 1/2 the champions she bred she would be a legend in any breeding community.

If she had bred 1/4 of the champions she bred she would be a legend.

If she had bred 1/10 of the champions she bred she would still have been a legend.

Ride away singing, Mrs. T. Ride away singing.

[jumpytoo]

Godspeed Mrs. T, you had some mighty fine animals over the years,including recently some very competitive hunters.

[Trakehner]

"Well bless your heart" right back at y'all.

When you line breed you can get some great horses and a lot of culls. She loved her stallions and bred daughters and grand-daughters back to their original sires. In the Washington area her Arabs were known for several things...small size was one of them...and she bred some amazing animals and not all little.

She had a beautiful farm, loved the breed and was always happy to show people around Al-Marah. She used to let us have horseshows at her farm and was very generous to us TB hunter riders. I even bought one of her Arab fillies from her who was a great horse and tall (15 hands).

[draftxfan]

When you line breed you can get some great horses and a lot of culls. She loved her stallions and bred daughters and grand-daughters back to their original sires. In the Washington area her Arabs were known for several things...small size was one of them...and she bred some amazing animals and not all little.

Fair enough, Trakehner -- though I boarded at Conoy for years when Mrs. T owned it, and I don't remember ever thinking that small size was a particular issue with her stock. Now that I have only Perch crosses, my standards are a bit different!

[rmh_rider]

Very sad to hear.

[quietann]

Well... linebreeding to *Raffles, who was all of 13.3 hands, couldn't help but lead to short. However -- if I remember correctly (was into Arabs 30-some years ago) that is part of the reason she started crossing in Rissalix-bred horses; they were taller. Even *Raseyn, whose lines she also used, threw taller foals. So... a good example of a breeder who, when presented with an issue is her horses, figured out how to deal with it.

Agree with all others who say her horses were and are fine *using* horses... very common in sport-bred Arab lines.

[Unfforgettable]

She also wasn't afraid of a complete outcross to add some size...she purchased the Spanish Barich de Washoe son, Opalo and used him quite a bit.