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| Staff Writer |
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Time to add the name Al Shahania Stud General Manager, Dean Lavy to the inventory of horsemen leading Qatar-bred horses into greatness the world over. As the former manager of the Maktoum family's Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky, Lavy has made great strides in Doha, driving Al Shahania towards racing successes.
“These days there are a lot of people training very good horses. Even the horses have evolved. You have to go with it to have continued success. If you stay behind then you're behind,” says Lavy who now calls Doha home.
It is not just racing or breeding that Lavy is immersed in. A true all-rounder, he loves all parts of the process including the pedigree analysis, attending sales, inspecting horses, selecting the races and much more.
Founded in 1980 by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Al Shahania boasts of 200 stables stables, 100 paddocks, an equine swimming pool, its own private 2000-yard training track, lush green pastures, and much more.
Below, we chat to Lavy about his life-changing role in Qatar, plans for Al Shahania over the next two months as Al Shahania prepares for the 17th Amirs Sword victory, and unfolds his decades of experience in an exclusive interview with Ten Furlongs.
Q: What are your plans for the Sword Festival this year?
A: We've won The Amir’s Sword 16 times. It's a big race for us. The festival offers a lot of different racing as well for local bred and purebred Arabians and thoroughbreds. But for the Amir Sword itself we're in good shape again. We have some golden oldies like Mon’nia who won her first Amir’s Sword at 2021 HH Amir Sword Festival. She's in good form. Ebraz, who was runner up behind her, is back in form. We have a couple of youngsters in there as well so we hope to make a good effort. Lady Princess is a very good opposing contender and we look forward to racing against her. For local owners, there's a lot of pride that goes with winning the Amir’s Sword Cup. It is a prestigious race for sure.
Q: Do you have any plans to race in the region anywhere else this year?
A: We ran in Abu Dhabi in December. Hoggar De L'Ardus was runner up to Lady Princess in the Gr.1 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown after winning the Qatar Arabian World Cup in October.
We are excited to race in Saudi but as the Saudi Cup raceday is just a week after the HH Amir’s Sword Festival, it almost feels like we need different horses for the Saudi races. We also want to look at Dubai as well with the Kahayla Classic, which Al Shahania has was won a couple of times.
Q: How did you get involved with Al Shahania?
A: I'm originally from Kentucky, in the States. I worked for the Maktoum family, the royal family of Dubai, for 26 years. I managed the farm there in Kentucky for them. I actually worked for Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum for 20 years until his unfortunate passing. And then I worked for Sheikh Mohammed another six years and was looking to maybe do something different. So I got out of the horses altogether for about a year.
And then, you know, I couldn't take it any longer. I had to get back in with the horses. So this opportunity became available in Doha and I pursued it. And obviously, my long-term UAE connections were a attractive for them here at Al Shahania.
When I came here, I was more of a Thoroughbred guy than anything. So, it was a big challenge for me to come in to work with mostly Arabian horses, learning the breed and the way they train and managing the operation.
That's how it all got started. And I've been here now for nine years.
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Q: Do you enjoy managing Al Shahania?
A: It is one of the number one farms in the world for Arabian horses and staying that way competitively is always challenging. There is a lot of difference in climate, and logistics are totally different. It's a very, very friendly, safe place, and really enjoyed my time here. And it's been challenging for me to learn about a whole new breed, from meetings to the buying of horses to racing the horses, has been challenging for me.
Q: How did you start classifying Arabians because there is such a world of difference between the two horses from the physicality to the pedigree to everything?
A: Lady Princess is very small but powerful. So you can get small but powerful horses in the Thoroughbreds as well. But the typically the most successful Arabians are large Thoroughbred-looking type Arabians.
They have a very big stature with nice shoulders. They move very well. So, nine out of 10 are the ones that are champions look like champions.
But Arabians have surprised me because a lot of times they're not that correct but they're still very good athletes with the Thoroughbred-type body type.
Q: Do you travel to buy horses?
A: Both Sheikh Mohammed and I travel to inspect horses when we make purchases. We also purchase privately. Most of our Arabian purchases are made privately. When invited, we go down to look at the horses. We watch them racing, and if something sparks our interest then we enquire whether it's for sale. Sometimes we are presented with very nice horses and buy privately.
Overall, we do quite a lot of private purchases as opposed to purchases at the sales.
Q: Where do you see the farm in 10 years? Do you see any satellite racing stables in the near future?
A: For us, I wouldn't think so. For our farm in France, the main focus is European racing. We race mainly in France and also compete in England. Occasionally we send our horses up to Spain.
Our stable in Doha is dedicated to local and regional racing. Its quite easy to go to Saudi or UAE or Oman, from Doha. So, we don't need to have a whole other operation in those places.
Q: Do you consider competition as a challenge?
A: Competition itself becomes redundant eventually but if you don't have challenges, you don't have to always look for ways to improve and that's what we're doing. There's always new training tactics, there are new tools, there are new treatment processes. So many things evolve over time and you have to keep learning to keep up.
Even if you go back five years, it was much easier to win as there were fewer competitors. These days there are a lot of people training very good horses. Even the horses have evolved. You have to go with it to have continued success. If you stay behind then you're behind.