Elizabeth Salmon, from Texas USA and an Arabian-lover with 30 years experience of the breed, was at the British National Championships at Ascot in 1985 when she saw a very special stallion.  "He took my breath away," she remembers, "he stole the show with his regal presence and charisma and I found it hard to look at any other horse in the ring!" 

 

     The stallion was the dynamic chestnut *Ralvon Elijah and his impact on Elizabeth was as potent as that of his famous grandsire, Ralvon Pilgrim, on the European Arabian World at the first World Championships in 1977, when he took out the International title with a command performance whose highlight was a stunning workout at the flying trot.

 

     *Ralvon Elijah is the son of Ralvon Nazarene, many times Champion under international judges at major shows in Australia, and out of Ralvon Pilgrim's wonderful dam Trix Silver, by the Talal stallion *The Puritan.  His dam, Mill Hill Sharmal, is by Pilgrim, giving him two crosses to Trix Silver.

 

     His breeders, Val and Ron Males, who had taken Ralvon Pilgrim to England for his great win in 1977,

saw the yearling colt Elijah leave his native shores for the English stud of Micheal Pitt-Rivers knowing he was to be in the hands of an expert.  He was not exposed to the limelight until he was 5 years of age, then was shown lightly with great success.   The following year, 1985, he was Champion at Royal Windsor, the Arabian Horse Society Northern Show, and British Champion Stallion under American Tom McNair.  In 1985, he was Champion at Royal Bath and West, the AHS Northern Show, the Royal Show, British National Championships, and at the All Nations Cup in Switzerland under a panel of International judges.  He was also the Lloyd's Bank Supreme Champion over all breeds at the Royal Show, under a hunter judge.   The European Arabian magazine NordArab described him as "the most distinguished internationally winning horse in history".

 

     Ralvon Elijah never stood at public stud in England, so the number of his offspring was limited, but the few progeny he sired began to win also and when Elizabeth first saw him his foals were doing well on the show circuit.  She and Texan Bill Murphy enquired about purchasing the stallion but were not successful, but the following year when she was once more at Ascot (this time with Paul and Barbara Adams) Elizabeth was told that Elijah had to be sold due to the unfortunate serious illness of his owner, Micheal Pitt-Rivers. 

 

     As a result, Elijah and one of his yearling fillies were purchased by the Elijah Enterprise, which consisted of Elizabeth, Paul and Barbara Adams, Bill Murphy and Don and Jo Ann Holson.

 

     So, at the age of nine, Ralvon Elijah moved across the Atlantic to the USA on November 1986, then was quarentined until April 1987.  He bred several mares that season, was conditioned and trained the American way and was shown for two Championships at his first two outings, although he was up against much younger stallions.  However, with the reservations that the show circuit in the US has become exceedingly political in mind, the members of the Elijah Enterprise showed their stallion mainly to let breeders see him.  So he was taken to Scottsdale and made Top Twenty, attracting great interest.

 

     Meanwhile, his daughter *Dalal had already been awarded Junior Champion Mare and Reserve Grand Champion on her first outing in Houston and his first foal drop was very promising, with several youngsters appearing top halter prospects.

 

     Back in England, Ralvon Elijah's son Hadeir (owned by Saudi Arabian T. Aggad) had been Champion Yearling Colt at the 1987 British Nationals, Champion Two Year old, and Res. Champion  British National Stallion in 1988.  His daughter, Dyaah, was Res. Champion Yearling Filly in 1987, and another daughter, Emeera, won the same award in 1988.   Dyaah, was sold to Paolo Gucci of Italy, along with Hadeir's younger full sister.   The success of these youngsters, along with those of the fillies Niah and Nowra, made Ralvon Elijah, joint Leading Sire of the British National Show in 1987, and Runner-up in 1988.

 

     A daughter, Najella, owned by Zaki Edrees of Saudi Arabia, had been Supreme Female at the AHS Northern  Show in 1985 and Nowra won the same title in 1987.  Two year old colt, Nazran, Champion Stallion and Res. Supreme in 1988 at the Northern Region Show. 

 

     The outstanding success of these progeny has led to demand for Ralvon Elijah's sons and daughters.  Paolo Gucci, unable to buy further stock in England, recently bought two U.S. bred fillies, while Surena Gurney of England, purchased the beautiful Elijah-lookalike colt, F.B. Joshua; hours before leaving for England as a weanling he was Res. Champion Junior Stallion at Dallas, and mare owners are already lining up for his first breeding season in a year's time.

 

     Ralvon Elijah has been shown to American breeders right across the continent, and the reaction from experts has always been the same-comments on his true type, correct, sound conformation and extravagant floating action.  His fan club is enormous and a professionally made video and contacts in over thirty states who help with his promotion have ensured he is getting top quality mares.  In, addition to being a winning halter horse,  he is proving a marvellous performer.  During the six weeks after Scottsdale, Elijah and Elizabeth placed twice in training level dressage and his rider says his temperament is exceptional.  "Never in thirty years' experience have I handled such a well-behaved stallion in any situation but particularly with his mares."

 

     At the Region 9 Championships, believed to be the toughest in the nation, Ralvon Elijah went Top Five.  Then on to the National Championships.  Writes Elizabeth, "Excited spectators gave him more applause than almost any other stallion at the Nationals, but unfortunately he does not have the Saddlebred look that is the current trend for stallions - a trend which has worried American breeders to the extent that the Arabian Owner's Foundation felt compelled to make a video on correct Arabian type which will be circulated to judges and shown at judging seminars."

 

     She adds, "In the Bible, Elijah was a prophet, who was destined to bring the people back top the true religion.  It is the deepest commitment of the Elijah Enterprise that the U.S.A. Ralvon Elijah will help bring the Arabian breed back to the true type, which in some strains is in great danger of being lost."