Cal Poly Pomona

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W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library

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CONTENTS:

• INTRODUCTION
• HISTORY
• COLLECTIONS
• ACQUISITIONS
• SERVICES
• ACCESS
  
• LINKS
  
• CALENDAR (under construction)
• MOVIES AND STREAMING VIDEO EVENTS (historical footage, educational programs, training and feature films, etc.)
  QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (under construction)

The Ranch began a period of change in 1932 when Mr. Kellogg donated the then 750 acre W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch and 87 Arabian horses to the University of California. From 1943 to 1948 the Ranch was owned by the War Department and was known as the Pomona Quartermaster Depot (Remount). In 1948 the Ranch was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in 1949 the Ranch was deeded to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was later in 1949 when title to the Ranch and the horses was passed to the State of California with the provision that the herd of Arabian horses must be maintained. The Ranch then joined with the nearby Voorhis Campus as a branch of California Polytechnic State College, San Luis Obispo. In 1966 the one-time ranch became a state college in its own right, and in 1972 a state university.

Given these developments it was only natural that a collection of Arabian horse books should evolve. Although no exact date can be specified as the official beginning of the collection, the first volumes were obtained from the Kellogg Stables and some were acquired for the Voorhis Campus Library. After Cal Poly Pomona's first library opened, the Arabian horse collection was moved there from Voorhis. The materials were shelved in a glass case and were permitted to circulate. By the early 1970s, more materials arrived from the Kellogg Stables, and it was decided the collection merited special facilities and would no longer circulate. In 1975 a separate room was constructed in the University Library to house the Arabian horse collection. However, because the collection consisted of only about 70 volumes, a concerted effort was made to expand it. Advice from breed experts was solicited, and want lists were sent to out-of-print bookdealers. As a result, the Arabian horse collection became one of the world's largest public collections of Arabian horse materials. In 1982, in recognition of this, and in view of the continued financial support of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Arabian horse collection was given an appropriate name--the W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library.

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COLLECTIONS

Of prime importance in the Library are the W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch Papers. These papers deal with all aspects of the Ranch from its inception in 1925 until the death of Mr. Kellogg in 1951. From 1925 through 1928 the documents are originals, but the remainder are photocopies from the files of the Kellogg Company. The papers are comprised of various materials: correspondence, bills, newspaper clippings, brochures, maps, blueprints, and photographs. Of particular interest are the series of letters between Mr. Kellogg and Lady Wentworth concerning Lady Wentworth's offer to sell Mr. Kellogg the entire herd at the Crabbet Stud. There are also two letters signed by Rudolph Valentino in which he discusses conditions for the loan of Jadaan for the film, Son of the Sheik.

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Periodicals are a significant element in the collection. All known Arabian horse perodicals are acquired, incuding foreign language publications. Backfiles of current and ceased publications are maintained. The many titles held provide for a multitude of interests ranging from general to specialized areas: Arabian Horse World (general), Arabian Horse Business and Marketing Review (business), Crabbet Influence in Arabians Today (Crabbet bloodlines), Atlantic Arabian Monthly (East Coast coverage), Arabische Pferde (German language), Arab Horse Society News (from England), and Arabisch Volbloed (Dutch language) are examples.

An extensive selection of foreign and domestic stud books can be found in the W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library. Countries in which Arabians are bred on a large scale such as Poland and Spain are represented as are countries breeding Arabians on a small scale such as Belize. Stud books from both government registries and private registries reside in the collection. In addition, the collection has stud books for breeding programs no longer in existence such as the Probynabad Stud (India), and stud books which include other breeds such as the General Stud Book (England).

Books covering numerous subject areas and dating from the 1700s are included in the collection. Many are rare first editions or collectors' item. Breed history, training, showing, travel, poetry, and bloodlines are among the topics covered. Included are classic reference books such as: Gladys Brown Edwards' The Arabian, War Horse to Show Horse; W. R. Brown's The Horse of the Desert; William Tweedie's The Arabian Horse, His Country and People; Spencer Borden's The Arab Horse; James Boucaut's The Arab, the Horse of the Future; and Lady Wentworth's The Authentic Arabian Horse. There are books about specific bloodlines, for example, Crabbet, Polish, and Egyptian, respectively: The Crabbet Arabian Stud: Its History & Influence by Rosemary Archer, Colin Pearson, and Cecil Covey; 50 Years of Breeding Pure Blood Arabian Horses in Poland in Their Geneaogical Charts, 1918-1968 by Zdzislaw Rozwadowski; and The Classic Arabian Horse by Judith Forbis. Among the travel books are several important titles: Travels in Arabia Deserta by Charles M. Doughty, Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys by John L. Burckhardt, and Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates by Lady Anne Blunt. Many books are rare and valuable as much for their aesthetics as for their content. One of these is The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare by Abu Obeyd. This publication has uniquely beautiful printing and is one of the rarest holdings in the collection.

In addition to the more common types of materials, the W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library collects a number of other items. A file is kept of newletters from Arabian horse clubs throughout the United States. There is a file for farm brochures from Arabian horse breeders from around the world. The videotape collection includes farm movies, magazines, and feature films. The Library maintains a small art collection including a Gladys Brown Edwards' watercolor of the Kellogg stock horse, Farana.

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ACQUISITIONS

The W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library attempts to acquire many types of material dealing with the Arabian horse. The main focus of acquisitions policy is on printed resources in all languages; however, other types are considered on an individual basis. No material is excluded because it is controversial in some manner. General publications concerning horses or other subjects are not considered unless they can meet one of the following criteria: contain specific reference to the Arabian horse, contain information that aids the study of Arabian horses, or are written by a person prominent in the Arabian horse industry.

The manner in which holdings are acquired varies. A rare manuscript was found in the attic of the old stables and presented to the Library. Donations of materials or funds from private collectors are common. Selected donors include: Lasma Arabians, Arabian Horse World, Gladys Brown Edwards, James Kline, Mary Jane O'Neil, John Williamson, Norman and Helen Williamson, Marta Cossio, Donald Pfleuger, Lord Anthony Lytton, Mary Jane Parkinson, James Dunbar, Carol Woodbridge Mulder, Will Keith Kellogg II, Colonel James Jones, the Jockey Club of Turkey, Sandy Rolland Clark, Allen James, Emil and Debra Nowak, the Arabian Horse Society of South Africa, Barry and Joyce Swayne, the Rostock Zoo (East Germany), the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Nancy Walton, S.A.H.A.A. Imam, Ella Kooiman, Ron and Mila Hart, the Arabian Horse Association of Southern California, Charles and Barbara Brooker, Julie Suhr, Dr. Eugene Shemarykin, the National Library of South Africa, Betsy Teeter and Sharon Byford-Ruth, the Royal Stables of the Sultanate of Oman, Mary Kirkman, Dr. Bert and Ruth Husband, Ferman and Christine Ansel, Pat Spalding, the Arabian Horse Owners Foundation, Tamas Rombauer, Carol Mingst, John Pritzlaff, the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture, Deor Farms, Anna Ewers, Jerald and Debra Dirks, Sierra Empire Arabian Horse Association, Janet Stevenson, Reinhard Sax and Karl-Heinz Stockle, Omia Paul, Western Horseman, Charles and Jeanne Craver, Beth Minnich, Tom and Monica Stoner, Mack Kennington, the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, General Bailey McCune, Dr. John and Mary Bibb, Sheryl Leisure, Peter Upton, Adele Furby, and Zodiac Farms. However, the majority of titles are purchased from bookdealers specializing in horse books.

In order to support this acquisition policy, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan generously supplies funding for the purchase and restoration of materials.

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SERVICES

The W. K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library provides a number of useful services for patrons. Staff members are available to instruct patrons in the use of Arabian horse materials. This may involve the explanation of the organization of a stud book and step-by-step instructions on compiling a pedigree or simply the interpretation of entries. Library staff can also help patrons locate information on a particular subject, and in the case of foreign language publications, can assist in translating. Photocopying services are also provided for a nominal fee.

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ACCESS

In June of 2001 the Library was placed in storage due to earthquake retrofitting, asbestos abatement, and construction in the University Union (now known as the Bronco Student Center), where it was then housed. The collection was packed into hundreds of boxes and moved into the attic of the Old Kellogg Stables (from whence the collection began), and 1 stall was made available for a temporary office. However, the former space in the Bronco Student Center was reallocated to other organizations, and a new 5,600 square foot building for the Library is being planned. In the meantime, the Library is located in room 126 in the Old Kellogg Stables. This "room" was formerly 3 stalls, and some very noted horses at the Kellogg Ranch lived in them--stall #1) the honor of being in stall number 1 was originally given to Antez (for saving W. K. Kellogg's life) and was later given to Farana; stall #2) home of Ralet, a son of *Raseyn; and stall #3) the famous Skowronek son *Raseyn, a 1926 Kellogg import from the Crabbet Stud in England. In March 2004, the Kellogg Library began the process of unpacking. Due to the limited quarters, there is space for only approximately 10% of the collection on the shelves. Therefore access to all materials is not possible at the present time. Visitors are welcome by appointment. Please call or email in advance for an appointment and to inquire whether the items you are interested in are unpacked.

Melissa Paul, Curator, may be reached at (909) 869-3081 or via e-mail at mjpaul@csupomona.edu

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