*Aswan
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Aswan was foaled in 1958 by the Egyptian Agricultural Organization. His sire, Nazeer, was revered by breeders of Egyptian Arabians and acknowledged throughout the world as a successful race horse as well as a superior sire. The colt was originally named Raafat. In 1963, he was given to Chairman Khrushchev by President Nasser as a small "thank you" for Russian financing of the Aswan Dam. This magnificent Nazeer son, Raafat, was renamed "Aswan" in honor of the occasion.
Aswan's positive points of conformation included a certain levelness to the croup with high tail carriage, an exotically beautiful head, extreme "turn on" personality and good but somewhat straight shoulders. His less than desirable conformation points were a short neck, slightly offset knees, hind legs that were too straight, front legs carried too far forward and decreased function of the shoulder.
Aswan's first foal crop arrived in 1966. He sired about 260 foals, many of whom became famous stallions and broodmares. Champions in the show ring and on the racetrack, his get have won national championships throughout Europe and have been exported to Australia and North America. His son Marsianin was named 1981 U.S. National Champion Stallion. Aswan's son Mashuk, out of the Salon daughter Malutka, was first used for breeding in 1980 and is considered a proven sire by this time. He is a record-holder on the track and is noted for his smooth combination of exquisite type with strength and athleric ability. Another son, Kilimanjaro, was many times national champion of the FRG. Antey won a championship of Scandinavian countries. Among his daughters are Katun (European champion), Kapriza, Nariadnaia, and Niwa (all US Champions). Many other Aswan's offspring became champions of many countries. Many daughters became outstanding broodmares at Tersk. There are 35 of them: Pesnia, Magnolia, Madonna, Malinka, Molva, and many others.
Aswan died in 1984 at the age of 26, thus ending an illustrious career as a major sire at Tersk. On his grave at Tersk a marble monument was put up.