Homer Davenport, a newspaper reporter from Illinois, was inspired to collect Syrian-bred asil Arabians that he had seen at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. In 1906, he traveled to the Middle East where, with the help of his friend Sheikh Akhmet Haffez, he was able to purchase high-quality mares and stallions.
The Sheikh aboard *Wadduda, the warmare he presented to Davenport in 1906. Note the horse’s relatively long ears, flat body and thin skin, features typical of dry-climate mammals of many species. Note also
her flat forehead and the complete absence of...
The handsome, athletic and correct 5-year-old stallion *Haleb was given to Davenport by Nazim Pasha, the Governor of Syria.
Right: Portraits of Homer Davenport and his Bedouin friend and mentor, Sheikh Akhmet Haffez.