NEWS

It was a cheerful, sunny day of June the 7th, 2024, when the Second Polish Arabian Horse Show, in the „specific origin” formula of ECAHO, took place at Białka Stud. It was organized by Białka People`s Sports Club, supported by the Pure Polish Arabian Society and addressed to those breeders, who didn`t  give in to the trend of using of foreign showy stallions – it proved a real phenomenon in the Polish Arabian horse market! The show was attended by 28 horses with historical, pure Polish pedigrees – significantly more than last year. For the first time held was the foal class – separately for colts and fillies, up to 6 months of age. Entered were quite many colts, what is a good syndrom, promising future producers. Finally the classes weren`t less numerous than in other shows in Europe. Horses were estimated by an international judging board. Applied was a comparative system, but the judges fulfilled their task correctly – especially concerning foals up to 6 months of age, in different stages of development. The Friday afternoon was warm, sunny and kept in an intimate atmosphere, well completed  with a tasteful design.

Conducting of such class makes a great challenge for the organizer, the more that only Białka Stud in Poland produces a significant numer of foals with pure Polish pedigrees. A suckling foal can be easily schooled for the show by the breeder, in its own stable, without additional costs of training and transport. It is an advantageous offer especially for breeders living close to the place of show, willing to evaluate their foals. Shown were 10 foals, including 9 bred and owned at Białka, whereas one belonged to Agricola Mazury. All were properly trained, gentle and calm, some of them showing a natural refinement. Even their names were correctly fitted, underlining their Polish origin.

The progeny of Palert (Ilderim DB), represented in the highest quantity, distinguished itself, but the greatest sensation was the get of Wiedźmin  (Ibrahim DB). Representatives of this sireline, through  the branch of Skowronek, became in Poland as rare, as rollers – a species of birds, who were considered as extinct in Roztocze region! The black colt Poraj 2024 (Wiedźmin – Pelifetta by Morion) proved, that combining a stallion in an old type, but carrying a set of Pure Polish genes, with a mare in a modern type, with a pedigree saturated with trendy, showy stallions – one can obtain a correct foal, able to prolong the sireline in the future.

Wiedźmin proved himself as well as a sire to the already mentioned colt, as to the bay filly Atrakcja 2024 (Wiedźmin – Akaria by El Omari) – the winner in 6-mo.o. and younger foals class. This graceful filly descends from the damline Scherife DB, through the branch of the mare Albania, passing on mostly performance traits. To this family belong such famous racers, as Abisynia or Aryjka. Atrakcja is already beautiful, whereas in some years she can also prove racing abilities.

Very impressive seems to be the get of the stallion Palert, bay, 2018 (Alert – Pericola by Kahil Al Shaqab). The bay colt Nektar 2024 (Palert – Nefrytka by Amanito) distinguished himself with a correct conformation and a beautifully set neck. Apart from the Arabian type – he revealed also an even temper. According to the pedigree, predominated with Polish ancestors, the progeny of Palert seems decidedly better than by Alert himself. It may be the result of the high quality show ancestors from the last 30 years, present in this pedigree – from the dam`s side Pericola by Kahil Al Shaqab was the daughter of Pilarosa by Al Adeed Al Shaqab, whereas the dam of Alert was Andaluzja by Sanadik El Shaklan. The crop of foals by Palert is significantly equalized, correct, with well-set necks, shapely, short heads with broad foreheads, beautiful black eyes and classic Arabian looks.

Among this foal crop surely deserving attention was the grey colt Emmon 2024 (Palert – Egiria by Esparto). He was a son of one of the most beautiful Białka mares, with a classic pure Polish  pedigree, sparsely represented in Poland. Slightly less correct than Nektar and Poraj, but, in turn, much more typey. We`ll be able to observe their further development in the coming years.

The progeny of one of the last sons of Ekstern – the grey stallion Falset (Kuhailan Haifi DB) – were a living proof, how great mistake was, that he was gelded. Shown were one colt and one filly by Falset. The grey colt Parysów 2024 (Falset – Perforia by Vitorio TO), was less than one month old, thus tiny in bone, but one could notice his refinement and a high quality inherited after his dam. Perforia – a half sister to the Triple crowned Perfinka – gave birth to Parysów in the age of 11, what confirms the rightness of the proverb: „Better late than never!” As the Arabian mares are long-living – we can expect more than one good foal out of her.

The grey filly, gracefully named Panna Róża 2024 (Falset – Pernata by LVA Maximus), in the age of 6 months, makes an impression of a fully shaped foal, with a beautiful head, correct conformation and pure Polish type. Her dam, Pernata, is a daughter of LVA Maximus, sired by  a faus World Champion Espano Estopa – a great-grandson to our Skowronek. LVA Maximus was used at Białka on a small scale, but Pernata is a proof, that stallions with Polish blood or tracing back to historical Polish sirelines  are worth using.

In the classes of yearlings and 2-y.-olds judged were 3 colts and 2 fillies – all bred and owned by Białka Stud. For more than 3 years the management of Białka Stud undertook the program of regaining Polish genetic material to the broodmares band, It provided a come-back of the primary goal of foundation of the stud, i.e. breeding of good-looking and useful horses. In the classes of yearlings and 2-year-olds the results of such breeding policy were clearly visible.

Of course it is too early to find spectacular effects in the progeny of mares with conformation faults and with undetermined type. Moreover, they  couldn`t be compared to horses selected for shows. Anyway, obtaining a colt like Canion 2024, grey (Falset – Cytera by Piaff) makes a good prognosis for the future. Canion won his class, because he has an athletic body, correct conformation, beautifully set neck, efficient movement and correctly set center of gravity. A yearling showing power and masculinity is a rarity now. The colt is deserving attention because of his correctness, movement and performance potential, despite his head inherited after his dam – a daughter of Piaff. He descends also from an interesting damline – Cytera is a representative of Bent-El-Arab DB family, preserved at Białka and producing as well utility, as show horses for several generations. Cytera descends fron another branch of that family, than more popular show mares, as Cella or Celita. She possesses a more utility type, what probably caused an athletic setup of the colt Canion.

In yearlings and 2-year-olds class took part two fillies – daughters by the sires from Ilderim DB sireline. There were: the 2-y.o., grey Ewidencja 2022 (Palert – Egiza by HK Krystall), who won the class, being more mature and correct; and the yearling Hossa, grey, 2023 (Palatino – Hergetia by Esparto), who made a great impression because of her long, beautifully set neck and good movement.

On the basis of foals and junior classes one must underline, that Polish Arabian horses are late maturing. That`s why those youngsters were hardly comparable to other young horses, taking part in the Junior Spring Show. Such celebrities, as Kwestura or Zagrobla, began to conquer the world only n the age of 5-6, when they became developed enough. Horses in the Polish type, because of their late maturing, need many years to dry up and grow pretty with age, similarily as in the breeding of Straight Egyptians. In the Pure Polish population sometimes born are quite inferior foals, who later change into amazing, typey individuals. Unfortunately, the contemporary market for show horses expects specimens ready almost after birth, and some of them are available for purchase. Some faults, however, reveal in them with age and that``s why many yearling and 2-year-olds don`t appear in senior classes, whereas Polish horses only then begin to gain their first successes.

Senior classes

In Senior Mares classes champion titles were granted to two beautiful, grey mares. One of them was already known from previous shows – it was Permaria, grey, 2011 (Esparto – Perfirka by Gazal Al Shaqab), bred at Białka.  She won her age group, as well as Janów-bred Beatrice, grey, 2020 (Alert – Beira by Pogrom). Finally the Best In Show title was given to Beatrice and went with her to Janów. It means that another State Stud in Poland, apart from Białka, noticed the need and chance for promoting its horses  in a „specific origin” show.

In the class for 3-4-years-old mares placed second was Emostka, grey, 2021 (Ostragon – Emrida by Eryks), bred at Białka, whereas in the age group of 5 – and – over years old mares second place was granted to Pantera, grey, 2009 (Ekstern – Pampa by Gazal Al Shaqab), bred at Michałów, owned by Mr. Bogdan Maślanka and handled by the owner – very satisfied by the result!

To the class for 3-4-y.o. stallions entered was only one colt, with an extremely interesting pedigree. It was the brown Foset 2021 (Oset – Fraszynka by Epejos). His sire was Oset, bred at Białka, from the Kuhailan Afas DB sireline – a sireline on the verge of extinction – bred and owned by Mrs. Danuta Jaskółka-Grylewicz. The colt was rather short, like his sire, but correct in conformation, harmonious, with a well-set neck, broad forehead and large, black eyes. It`s a pity that there were no other competitors in the class, but one could acknowledge perversely, that Foset decidedly defeated those colts, who were absent at Białka.

Hardly believable is, that so broadly and successfully used in Polish breeding, as Probat, who sired 12 sons qualified as suitable for breeding, no descendants were left behind in state studs – some remained only in private breeding. Foset seems to be one of the few representatives of his fading sireline through the Białka-bred stallion Oset 1993 (Alegro – Osełka by Palas), distinguishing himself with good utility traits, character and pretty brown color, passed on to his progeny.

It was another example confirming in practice, that Polish Arabian horses were preserved and cherished not by State Studs (established for that aim), but by private breeders, who are fully conscious about the value of a cultural heritage, passed on from generation to generation. The State Studs managers many years ago forgot about their main purpose of existence and let the flood of foreign genetics effectively remove stallions from Polish historical sirelines from the leading sires` stalls.

In the class for the stallions 5-y.o. and older four horses took part. Unfortunately Prado from Janów had to be withdrawn because of lameness. He is the only son of Ekstern left in the State studs, but very sparsely used in breeding. In the stallions` championship the Bronze medal was given to Zarbil, bay, 2019  (Forman – Zahara by Arbil), from the sireline of Krzyżyk DB, bred and owned by Mrs. Danuta Jaskółka – Grylewicz. Silver went to the grey Piernat 2007 (Gaspar – Pogoria by Ekstern), bred by Andrzej Borkowski and owned by Agnieszka Dąbrowska. With the Gold medal awarded was Elshaan, bay, 2015 (Marshaan – Elena Bint Europe) tracing back to Bairactar DB, bred and owned by Sax Arabians, leased by Białka Stud. Stallions taking part in that class were much diversified according to their pedigrees. We could see a representative of the oldest sireline used in Poland – the stallion Zarbil from the sireline of Krzyżyk DB, inbred to Arbil, with mostly Kuhailan ancestors. Correct in conformation, athletic, with a good movement – he makes an interesting offer for Kuhailan fans.

The stallion Piernat, in an original form of flea-bitten grey color, belongs to the Saklawi I sireline through the branch of Palas – the only branch of this sireline acknowleged as Pure Polish because of its long period of assimilation in Poland. He is one of rare descendants of the famous, Michałów-bred stallion Emigrant, significantly merited for the Polish breeding, through his son Gaspar 1998 (out of Gaskonia). Piernat revealed a good nervous balance, confidence and contact with his owner, when Mrs. Dąbrowska took him for a ride bareback in the surrounding park. It showed, that an Arabian horse is not only a versatile utility horse, but also a humen friend.

The stallion Elshaan was bred in Germany, but traced back to the foundation sire Bairactar DB, whose sireline is acknowledged as Polish. Moreover, he is inbred to Arax and Mammona, who via Tiersk brought back to Poland their valuable blood. It was a great success of Białka Stud to obtain such stallion in order to enrich their breeding and refresh the blood, using the theoretically extraneous, but at the same time close to our broodmares` band.

A Polish Arabian Horse Show, organized for the second time in the „specific origin” formula, fulfilled its task. It gathered a lot of horses with Polish pedigrees, differing significantly from the show horses contemporarily bred in Poland, as well according to pedigrees, as to phenotypes. It enabled to show, evaluate and compare them to the „globalized clones” (quoting Prof. Krystyna Chmiel). Above all, it made happy not only show participants, but also viewers, both at Białka or online, cheering on Polish horses. Great interest shown by American breeders, for whom the trade mark „Pure Polish” is still attractive, should convince our fans of Polish horses, that they are doing good job.

There is still a few stallions with Polish pedigrees available for breeding. On that background Elshaan seemed more admirable and useful for Białka broodmares` band. Although the representation of Białka Stud predominated in numer – it, however, gives hope for revival of the population of Polish Arabian horses, driven out by globalized „showy” products.

In my subjective opinion, as a person some time ago closely bound with Polish state-conducted breeding, showing horses with Polish pedigrees, given up more than 20 years ago, is as well a challenge, as a sign of courage. A challenge, because Polish genetics was mostly consigned to the dustbin, and courage was needed to confront with those, who never bred horses, but are always first to cirticize. Nevertheless, in order to create a full success, necessary is a market for Polish horses, to make them a good alternative to showy type hunting. Moreover, those two breeding goals don`t exclude each other. The Białka show proved quite the opposite.

Polish historical sirelines:

Ilderim DB, b. 1894, imp. In 1900 to Sławuta (Princes Sanguszko)

Ibrahim DB, b. 1899, imp. 1907 to Antoniny (Counts Potocki)

Kuhailan Haifi DB, b. 1923, imp. 1931 to Gumniska (Princes Sanguszko)

Kuhailan Afas DB, b. 1930, imp. 1931 to Gumniska (Princes Sanguszko)

Krzyżyk DB, b. 1869, imp. 1876 to Jarczowce (Count Dzieduszycki)

Palas 1968  (sireline Saklawi I b. 1886), imp. 1973 to Poland

Bairactar DB, b. 1813, imp. 1817 to Weil