FROM THE WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
April 2025
New WAHO Vice-President, HRH Princess Alia Al Hussein
Following the retirement of Dr. Marek Trela as WAHO’s Vice President, the Executive Committee is delighted to announce that at their April 2025 meeting they voted unanimously to approve Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Hussein as the new WAHO Vice President.
Very well known to the WAHO family, Princess Alia has been a member for over 40 years, and has been Chairman of the Royal Jordanian Stud Book Authority for the same period of time. She first joined the WAHO EC as a Consultant in 2014, moving to full EC Membership in 2016. Princess Alia was also a keynote Guest Speaker at the WAHO Conference in 2011, when her talk entitled “The Relationship Between Horses and Humans in Today’s World” was extremely well received.
With a firm commitment to horse welfare in all its aspects, both in sports and in breeding, her thoughtful and ethical approach and knowledgeable contributions to many of the issues faced by WAHO are of the utmost value to WAHO in general, and to the Executive Committee in particular. The President and Executive Committee members would like to express their sincere thanks to Princess Alia for agreeing to take on this important position in our Organization, and are confident that she will have the full support of all our members now and in the future.
Retirement of WAHO Vice President, Dr. Marek Trela
It is with great regret that we inform you that our Vice-President, Dr. Marek Trela, has retired from the WAHO Executive Committee. This was announced at the 2025 WAHO Conference in Abu Dhabi. He has been a WAHO Executive Committee member since 2004, and our Vice-President since 2016. His contributions to WAHO over the past 21 years have been immeasurable, and he will be greatly missed at our meetings in the future, not only as a friend but also as an acknowledged expert on every aspect of Arabian horses, for his veterinary knowledge, for his wisdom and for his kindness. We sincerely thank him for his many years of commitment and service to WAHO. Although he is retiring from WAHO’s EC, he is of course still closely connected with the Arabian horse world. We feel sure that we will not be losing touch and wish him every success in all his endeavours, as well as good health and happiness in the future to Marek, his wife Magda and to his extended family.
Marek made this very heartfelt and thoughtful speech on the occasion of his retirement:
“Mr. President, distinguished members of the Executive Committee, distinguished Delegates and guests, ladies and gentlemen. Everything in this world must have its final ending, the period of my membership in the WAHO Executive Committee has also come to the end. Today I would like to thank my colleagues for inviting me onto the Executive Committee, for entrusting me with the position of Vice President, for their kindness and friendship. I would like to thank the Delegates for accepting me as a member of the Executive Committee during the last 9 consecutive General Assemblies. Special thanks to the WAHO Office, Katrina Murray, for her professionalism, for her support and her friendship.
I would like to thank all the friends of the Arabian horse with whom I have had the opportunity to work. I personally consider the last 21 years of the time spent with all of you as a lovely life adventure, a great experience and sharing my knowledge of horses with the world. I have always put the welfare of WAHO above all else and I declare that I will never cease to support this Organisation with all my strength in everything I can be of help with.
My decision to leave this group was both for personal reasons and also based on the belief that the good of WAHO requires it, and I have a deep conviction that the person taking over my duties as Vice President will ensure a great future for our organisation. I am extremely pleased that this person is Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Hussein. (Applause). As she represents the highest moral standards, is an outstanding expert in breeding, she and her ancestors found the most valuable desert horses from which our modern Arabian horses descend. It is an honour for the organisation to have her on our Executive Committee. (Applause).
I know that in future WAHO will face very difficult tasks that will require difficult decisions. The present times are very different from those when WAHO was founded. A group of enthusiasts, horse lovers, people completely devoted to Arabian horses, created a kind of gentleman’s club which was joined by the other Member countries, accepting both the Definition and the principles and spirit represented by the founding Members. After 55 years, today we can discuss whether certain regulations have a positive effect or not. Whether by opening up to new biotechnologies we are acting for the good of horses or to their detriment. An important question for our times is whether opening the door to future scientific achievements will not bring negative effects in the near or distant future. Will biotechnology completely replace our traditional breeding practices? I believe that, as before, the good of the horses will always be the main goal and the registration rules in the stud books will be respected, that breeders will take care of the good of horses in resisting subsequent technical novelties, changing the breed in their own direction, that they will act in accordance with ethics and honesty. I wish WAHO enough strength and determination in not allowing anything that changes the breeding of our beloved Arabian horses from a novel hobby into a soul less industry.
I wish you all every success in breeding and in your life. WAHO has proven its responsibility of the highest value over the 55 years in its existence and I am certain that it will always be needed to represent the interest of those creatures that serve us, trust us and depend entirely on us, namely our Arabian horses. Thank you very much. (Applause)”
New full WAHO EC Member, Nathalie Weemaels
We are pleased to inform you that at their meeting in April 2025, the WAHO Executive Committee voted to move Mrs. Nathalie Weemaels from her post as an elected Consultant, which she has held since 2019, to full membership of the Executive Committee. Nathalie joined WAHO in 2014, when she was the Stud Book President and Registrar of the Arabian Stud Book of Ecuador, ensuring that Ecuador’s WAHO Membership was finally approved along with their Stud Book.
Now resident in USA, with her small breeding programme and team of endurance Arabians, Nathalie has competed successfully in FEI endurance events in many countries, and has represented Ecuador at the World Endurance Championships. She has a particular interest in welfare for the horses training and competing endurance, and therefore brings a wealth of useful and welcome experience in this demanding sport to our Committee. We look forward to her contributions in the future.
New Consultant to the Executive Committee, Dr. Mohamed Machmoum
Following the completed nomination and election procedure for new Consultants to the WAHO Executive Committee, we are pleased to inform you that the successful candidate at the 2025 WAHO General Assembly, elected by secret ballot, was Dr. Mohamed Machmoum from Morocco. A veterinarian, he has decades of experience not only of Arabians but also of other breeds from his time as the National Stud Books Office Manager and Head of the Equine Breeding Department, at the National Stud, Ministry of Agriculture. He is the current Stud Book Consultant for Libya. Dr. Machmoum is also well known internationally as an ECAHO judge and instructor. A member of ISAG, he is currently a Research Professor at the Agronomic and Veterinary Institute in Rabat, specialising in equine genetics and equine management. We welcome him and look forward to his contributions to WAHO in the future.
Retirement of WAHO Consultant, Karsten Scherling
The President and Executive Committee members would like to extend their sincere thanks to Karsten Scherling for his service as a Consultant on the WAHO Executive Committee, as that term of office came to an end at the 2025 WAHO Conference. Elected in 2019 at the WAHO Conference in Australia, Karsten has attended and contributed to all the WAHO EC meetings since then, including arranging all the technical aspects of an online meeting, where his IT experience was extremely helpful. He has also been of great assistance to the WAHO Office, always ready to help when asked.
Karsten has always been a firm supporter of WAHO, having joined with his wife Sabrina as a Life IAM in 1995. They have a dedicated Straight Egyptian breeding programme at their Al Tair Stud in Germany. He has participated in every WAHO Conference since then, including as an Observer Delegate for the Asil Club Germany, always with his camera close by, making friends from around the world with his cheerful enthusiasm. As a keen and talented photographer, he has kindly shared many of his WAHO Conference photos on his website, https://www.al-tair-stud.de/waho.htm for anyone to see and use. We all wish Karsten and Sabrina every success in the future both with their Arabian horses and with their beloved Afghan Hounds as well, and look forward to seeing Karsten again, camera in hand, at future WAHO Conferences.
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August 2023
New Consultant to the Executive Committee
We are pleased to inform you that Mr. Mohamed Al Harbi from the United Arab Emirates has been appointed as a Consultant to the Executive Committee, with immediate effect from 7 August 2023. We welcome him and look forward to his contribution to WAHO in the future.
November 2022
David Angold. 1935-2022
We are extremely sad to inform you that our WAHO Executive Committee Emeritus member, David Angold, passed away on 26 November 2022, at the age of 87.
David became a WAHO EC Member in 2001 and was our Treasurer from 2002-2017. A Past President and current Governor of the British Arab Horse Society, David was also an ECAHO DC and he accompanied his wife Angela on many of her overseas and UK judging appointments. David was also Chairman of the AHS racing committee, being involved with racing from its early beginnings as an amateur sport to its current professional status. They joined WAHO as IAMs in 1976 and attended nearly all the WAHO Conferences since that date.
David and his wife Angela were married for 65 years, they set up their successful Pinnerwood Stud in the 1960s breeding both Arabians and Anglo-Arabs. Together they have always been great supporters of all aspects of the Arabian horse, involved in breeding, owning, racing and showing both in hand and under saddle, as well as organising the UK International Arabian Horse Show for many years. They enjoyed many years of success with both their Arabians and their Anglo-Arabs with British National Champions such as Blue Ludo, Blue Madrigal, Fair Legend and El Helaly in the show ring, and on the track with the stallion Kactus, a grade one racehorse. They also stood at stud the thoroughbred stallion Sadeem, twice winner of the Ascot Gold Cup. In 1978 they imported the Spanish stallion Procyon from his breeder Don Luis de Ybarra on behalf of a client, he went on to become the leading sire of winners both in the show ring and on the racecourse for many years. Their home bred horses were renowned for their good temperaments, type, sound conformation and talent under saddle.
David was a farmer all his life, first with a dairy herd of Jersey cows, then with a herd of British Longhorn beef cattle. After he retired from farming, they set up a large, well run and popular livery yard at Pinnerwood, with many of the horses there being Arabians or derivatives. A true gentleman in every way, David was so well liked by everyone, and he will be missed greatly. We send our most sincere and heartfelt condolences to his wife Angela, to his family and to his many friends both in UK and around the world.
Caroline Sussex, David Angold, Kina Murray
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RETIREMENT OF LADY GEORGINA PELHAM: At the 2022 WAHO Jordan Conference the retirement of Lady Georgina Pelham from the WAHO Executive Committee, which she joined in 2013, was announced. She now becomes an Emeritus Member of the WAHO Executive Committee. Gina is very well known for her Arabian breeding programme at Haras La Catalina which she started in 1966, she has been an Individual Member of WAHO since 1980, and has represented Argentina at many WAHO Conferences. We all wish her continued pleasure and success with her horses, a return to better health and we thank her for her many years of service to WAHO.
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March 2019
Sami Al Nohait prior to his illness
MR. SAMI SULEIMAN AL NOHAIT
The WAHO Executive Committee is pleased to inform our members that we have received the good news that the health of our esteemed EC member, Mr. Sami Suleiman Al Nohait, is improving. In recognition of his outstanding commitment to WAHO over the years and his long, distinguished service on the Executive Committee, we are further pleased to announce that Sami is now a WAHO Executive Committee Member Emeritus.
New Consultants to the WAHO Executive Committee
Following the completed nomination and election procedure for new Consultants to the WAHO Executive Committee, we are pleased to inform you that the two successful candidates at the 2019 WAHO General Assembly, elected by secret ballot, were Mrs. Nathalie Weemaels from Ecuador and Mr. Karsten Scherling from Germany. We welcome them and look forward to their contributions to WAHO in the future.
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FROM THE WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
February 2017
The 2017 WAHO Conference in Bahrain was a great success and very much enjoyed by all who attended. A full report will follow.
ELECTION OF WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
At the start of the WAHO General Assembly on 9th February 2017, the members of the WAHO Executive Committee were confirmed by unanimous vote of the delegates present, as follows:
President: Mr. Peter Pond
Vice President: Dr. Marek Trela
Secretary: Mrs. Valerie Bunting
Treasurer: Mr. David Angold
Mr. Sami Jassim Al Boenain
Princess Alia Al Hussein
Mr. Sami S. Al Nohait
Mr. Robert J. Fauls Jr.
Mr. Xavier Guibert
Mr. Basil Jadaan
Lady Georgina Pelham
Mr. Howard Pike
Mr. Ali Shaarawi
Mrs. Caroline Sussex
RETIREMENT OF DAVID ANGOLD: On the last day of the Conference, 11th February 2017, the retirement of Mr. David Angold, WAHO’s Treasurer since 2002, was announced. We all wish him well and thank him for his many years of service to WAHO.
NEW WAHO TREASURER: Mrs. Caroline Sussex has been duly appointed as the WAHO Treasurer.
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FROM THE WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
August 2016
WAHO welcomes our two new full Executive Committee members.
We are delighted to inform you that at their meeting in August 2016, the WAHO Executive Committee voted unanimously to move HRH Princess Alia Al Hussein and Mr. Sami Jassim Al Boenain from their posts as Consultants to full membership of the Executive Committee.
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| HRH Princess Alia Al Hussein | Mr. Sami Jassim Al Boenain |
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FROM THE WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
February 2016
Mrs. Caroline Sussex. In February 2016 the WAHO Executive Committee voted unanimously to elect Mrs. Caroline Sussex from the United Kingdom as a Consultant. We are delighted to welcome Caroline to the WAHO Executive Committee.
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FROM THE WAHO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
January 2016
(photo: Irina Filsinger)
Mr. Sami Suleiman Al Nohait: We are very sorry to inform you that Mr. Sami Suleiman Al Nohait, our WAHO Vice-President and Executive Committee colleague, who has been such a great friend and supporter to WAHO for so many years, was taken seriously ill in December. This necessitated emergency surgery and a period in intensive care. Although we understand that his condition has improved slightly, at the time of writing he remains in hospital under the expert care of his doctors.
Eng. Abdulaziz Al Ghamlas, Deputy Supervisor General now responsible for the King Abdul Aziz Arabian Horses Centre in Riyadh, has recently advised us that it is likely to be many months before Mr. Sami Al Nohait can return to work. As it is clear that he will also not be able to travel for some time, it has regrettably been necessary for him to step aside, at least temporarily, from his position as WAHO Vice President. We feel sure that you will all join us in sending Sami Al Nohait our best wishes and prayers for a full recovery to health and fitness.
Dr. Marek Trela: The Executive Committee has therefore unanimously agreed to appoint Dr. Marek Trela as Acting Vice President of WAHO in the meanwhile. The President and Executive Committee of WAHO would like to express their thanks to Dr. Trela for agreeing to step into this important position in our Organization, they are confident that he will have the full support of all our members.
Mr. Ali Shaarawi: At their meeting in November 2015, the WAHO Executive Committee voted unanimously to move Mr. Ali Shaarawi from the post of Consultant to full membership of the Executive Committee.
