“Those present at the show will confirm that this year’s edition was spectacular. The bar was set very high. And now it’s even higher.” These are the words Mirosław Kołodziej used to conclude his article from last year’s show in Tarnów, treating his readers to both curiosity and eager anticipation. And indeed, as promised, the organisers managed to reach for the stars – even further.

The hospitable Klikowska Ostoja Polskich Koni (Refuge for Polish Horses in Klikowa), the former princely stud farm of the Sanguszko Family, hosted the third All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship on the first weekend of July. It was here, in a land steeped in tradition and passion for Arabian horses, that Tarnów once again became the informal Arabian horse capital of Poland, the meeting place for breeders and enthusiasts from Poland and across Europe. It’s hard to find a better symbol of continuity, where aristocratic traditions of old meet modern standards and international renown.

This year’s edition had a unique, experimental character. For the first time, not one but two shows were held back-to-back: the European and the B-International. A total of 139 horses were entered in both events, of which 54 competed in the European show and 85 in the International one. Some of them competed in both shows, allowing them to be evaluated by different judges. Were the scores the same? Or did they differ significantly? Well find out soon enough.

The show was organised by the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association in collaboration with key partners, including the National Support Centre for Agriculture, Global Champions Arabians Tour, Klikowa Arabians Stud, and Strusinianka – a well-known chain of confectioneries and bakeries. The event was held under the honorary patronage of Jakub Kwaśny, Mayor of the City of Tarnów, and Łukasz Smółka, Marshal of the Lesser Polish Voivodeship.

Although this year’s edition had a new formula, several key elements remained unchanged: art exhibitions, a charity auction, riding competitions, friendly integration and – naturally – the most important heroes of this event: purebred Arabians.

By far the biggest success can be claimed by Michałów Stud, whose mares stormed through the championships, and the Głowacki Family’s private stud farm, whose yearling colt is surely destined to take over many a show ring.

For body and soul

The Pierogi Festival on Friday evening, as in previous years, introduced guests to the show’s atmosphere in a delicious and scrumptious way. This culinary highlight, sponsored by Klikowa Arabians owned by the Rzepka Family, provided an excellent opportunity for conversation and reminiscing over traditional Polish dishes. The whole experience was complemented by delicious liqueurs sponsored by the Podlesie Arabians of the Błaszkiewicz Family, owners of Strusinianka.

After a Saturday full of competition, working with horses in truly tropical temperatures, and cheering on one’s favourites, it was time for the Breeders’ Evening. It was not only a chance to relax, but also to bond with the community and have fun with live music.

Throughout the show, guests in the VIP tent were treated to artisanal sweets, exquisite in both taste and form. These were created by the aforementioned Strusinianka, a company with a proud 160-year baking tradition, helmed by Beata and Marek Błaszkiewicz. Fresh coffee effectively alleviated fatigue, even if only for a moment, as the tight schedule undoubtedly took its toll on many attendees.

Horses and artists – a tryst with beauty

Since the first edition of the All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship, art has been an integral part of the event. Artists who reflect the beauty, nobility, and elegance of Arabian horses in their works once again created a number of remarkable artworks especially for the show. The VIP tent featured both paintings and ceramic works that uniquely showcased the majestic beauty of the purebred Arabian. As in the previous year, Beata and Marek Błaszkiewicz of Podlesie Arabians sponsored unique, handcrafted ceramic medals featuring a head of an Arabian horse. Their creator was Tomasz Mrozowski, a veterinarian and artist in one.

Among the works on display, a watercolour by Małgorzata Świertok was a must-see! Her illustrations, combining oriental symbolism with the theme of Arabian horses, graced the cover of this year’s catalogue, as was the case in previous editions. The original watercolour and a ceramic sculpture by Tomasz Mrozowski were donated to the show’s charity auction, supporting a worthy cause.

Images created by Magdalena Muraszko-Kowalska and the artist known as Erna Polak were presented as awards to class and championship winners. The group of artists also included photographers – artists of the lens who capture what’s fleeting, often invisible to the eye: emotions, moods, the harmony of movement and light, and joie de vivre as well as presenters, breeders, judges, and children who flock to the show in Tarnów. Thanks to their work, we can relive these special moments again and again. Among them were Ewa Imielska-Hebda, Patrycja Makowska, Karolina Misztal, Sylwia Iłenda, and Auriane Schwanen. Sylwia, also known for her pastels, this time created hand-painted pendants for special guests, small works of art featuring images of Arabian horses painted on stones. This meeting of horse and art was no coincidence. The uniqueness of Arabian horses has inspired the greatest of artists and writers for centuries.

Charity auction – a quarter million złoty!

A beautiful tradition, which the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association has made an integral part of the All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship, is the charity auction, the proceeds of which support children in foster institutions in Tarnów. Since it was held for the third time, it’s high time we took our calculators out. Let’s have a look at some rather impressive numbers.

In 2023, EUR 17,250 was raised, equivalent to PLN 76,500. A year later, the result was even better, with EUR 21,000 raised, or PLN 90,600. This year’s edition brought in EUR 18,400, or approximately PLN 80,000. This totals an impressive quarter million Polish zloty! This year, proceeds will go to the Janusz Korczak Care and Educational Facility in Tarnów.

Nine breedings were donated to the charity auction. The highest price, EUR 4,500, was paid for the breeding to Exagon OS (Cyclone OS – Strastya OS / EKS Alihandro), offered by Monika Siecińska-Jaworowska of Andryjanki Stud. Breedings to Amaar (RFI Farid – Adiya / WH Justice), Medan Al Shaqab (Farhoud Al Shaqab – Abha Myra / Marwan Al Shaqab), and E.S. Harir (AJ Dinar – TF Magnums Magic / Magnum Psyche) also generated considerable interest. The Rzepka Family of Klikowa Arabians, Katarzyna Ostrowska of St. Roch Arabians, and Mariusz Nagórka will soon be expecting offspring from these famous sires.

The artistic highlight of the auction, as was the case last year, was the original watercolour by Małgorzata Świertok. The work went for €2,000 and will adorn the walls at Podlesie Arabians.

The same price was achieved by a breeding to the stallion Amaar (RFI Farid – Adiya / WH Justice), offered by Marek Rzepka from Klikowa Arabians. Two works by Tomasz Mrozowski – a sculpture of the head of an Arabian horse and a ceramic medal – achieved a total of €1,700. Their new owners are Mateusz Jaworski and Hekmat Al Shareif from the United Arab Emirates. An unusual item at the auction was a wooden walking stick with a silver horse head embellished with amber stones, which was purchased by Bogdan Maślanka for €200.

Equestrian duets and the first steps of future handlers

Ridden classes are another permanent fixture of the All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship. Although there were few pairs participating in these competitions this year, the participants deserve even greater respect for their courage and commitment.

On Saturday, the Polish Historical Costume class (4 pairs) was held, and on Sunday, the Traditional Arabian Riding class (5 pairs) – both expertly judged by Weronika Sosnowska. In both cases, the same pairs competed for first and second place: Karolina Ziobro on Purytanin (Kabsztad – Pustynna Malwa / Ekstern), bred at the Michałów Stud and owned by Marcin Ziobro, and Hanna Dziża on Cygarro z Gór (Portel – Cirila z Gór / Pentagram), bred and owned by Wacław Sajdak.

On Saturday, Karolina Ziobro emerged victorious, taking first place, while Hanna Dziża was second. On the next day, the tables were turned, with Hanna Dziża taking the top spot. Third place on the first day went to Agnieszka Helbik-Kuśmierz riding El-Salem (Piaff – El-Zachra / Machmuth Nur), bred and owned by Arkadiusz Nierodkiewicz, while on Sunday it was Adam Dębiński with his chestnut stallion Paristan (Psytadel – Parusa / Poganin), bred by Józef Pietrzak.

Sunday also saw the amateur presenters’ class, offering a chance for potential future professionals to try their hand at showing horses. Six pairs participated and Karol Makowski took first place presenting his grey mare, Psyche Adelajda (Psyche Ull – Psyche Diana / FA El Shawan), bred at Chrcynno-Palace Stud. Róża Skorupowska took second place with the Janów-bred mare Pobelloia (Erantis – Pasawa / Pogrom), owned by Bogdan Maślanka. Dominika Zaucha placed third, presenting the grey gelding Wonder KL (Aja Angelo – Wieża Nimf / Kahil Al Shaqab), bred at Klikowa Arabians. Some might remember that Wonder KL is the Gold Gelding Champion from last year’s show in Tarnów who had a full set of 20s for movement.

It’s show time – and make it double!

Two shows in two days? Now that’s quite a challenge. The agenda was packed full, and the pace was at times dizzying. Despite the logistical hiccups, everything was completed down to the last detail, though it was impossible not to realise we were racing against time a couple of times.

The European Show began on Saturday morning and continued until lunchtime. The International Show classes began immediately afterward, but due to time constraints, the last two classes were moved to Sunday morning. At noon on Sunday, the championships began – first of the European show, then the International.

Thanks to the partnership agreement signed last year by the Polish Arabian Horse Breeding Association with Global Champions Arabians Tour, class winners again received vouchers to participate in one of the series’ events, this time held in Prague. The voucher includes free entry for the horses to the show and free stables.

This year’s judging panel was also international. The European Show was judged by Kathleen Ohlsson (Sweden), Amira Safady (the Netherlands), and James Swaenepoel (Belgium). The International show was judged by Cedes Bakker (Netherlands), Scott Brumfield (USA), Bérengère Fayt (France), Zico Guardia (Brazil), Joanne Lowe (Great Britain), Mohamed Oussidhoum (Morocco), Caroline Reid (Great Britain), and Jonas Salzmann (Kuwait).

EUROPEAN SHOW

Yearling colts ready to start

A small class of yearling colts (five horses) was the first to blaze a trail in the Tarnów show ring. Exit UMM (Exagon OS – Aja Estelle / Aja Angelo), a colt born in southern Sweden at Moëll & Moëll Arabians and currently residing at Barakah Arabians in Denmark had the highest score of 91 points. His owner, Mia Hvid-Wraae, also successfully bid for a breeding to Morion at the charity auction.

Second and third places went to Pustynny Książe (Wadee Al Shaqab – Paradna / Equator), bred and owned by Anna Janas-Naze, who scored 90.67 points, and Pianisto KL (Lyric EA – Pianissa KL / Ajman Moniscione), bred and owned by Klikowa Arabians, with a score of 89.67 points. In the championship, Exit UMM once again proved his status and won the gold medal. Pustynny Książe and Pianisto KL swapped places on the final podium.

Cornelia from Janów on top

A little while later, the yearling fillies competed in two classes, with a total of 11 contenders. Pieszczota (Belmari – Pericola / Kahil Al Shaqab), bred at Białka Stud took lead in class A, proudly standing out with her large eyes and impressive movement. She scored 91.42 points, clearly outpacing her rivals. This improved her score from last month at the Junior Spring Show in Białka (89.33 points), as this time she performed significantly better. She didn’t lose her form or composure throughout the championships, claiming the Yearling Filly Silver Champion title.

In Class B, three out of six fillies were daughters sired by the Michałów-bred stallion Ptolemeusz. The best of them, and the best of the entire class, was the charming grey Cornelia (Ptolemeusz – Cedora / Kahil Al Shaqab), bred in Janów Podlaski, who scored 92.13 points. In the championship, she was awarded the title of Gold Champion by a unanimous decision of the judges. Right behind her in class, with a score of 90.75 points, was the bay El Elsza of Sinus (Ptolemeusz – El Elwa of Sinus / Wadee Al Shaqab), a filly bred and owned by the Sinus Arabstuteri from Sweden. El Elsza joined the abovementioned ladies as she won bronze in the Yearling Fillies Championship.

Six ’20s’ and unanimous gold

Following the youngest participants in the show, it was time for junior horses. The future silver and bronze medallists of the Junior Mare Championship were in Class A of the 2-3-year-old mares. These were Parabella, a daughter of Prometeusz out of Pregoła by Vitorio TO, bred by Janów Podlaski Stud and owned by Klikowa Arabians, and Perida.

The bay Parabella stood out with her very correct body, lovely and quite unique grey coat, and her movement which was full of youthful vigour, for which she received three scores of 19.5. A total score of 91.83 points secured her victory in class. However, she did not take silver in the championship. The medal went to Janów’s Perida (Picasso Di Mar – Paolila / Pogrom), who placed second in the same class with a score of 91.67 points. The gold medallist, meanwhile, emerged from Class B – and with real panache. Białka’s sensational Ejna (D Kaheel – Elwimia / Ascot DD) captivated the judges, earning a whopping six “20s”: three each for type and movement, for an impressive score of 92.22 points. The jury was once again unanimous in choosing the gold champion.

The gold medal in the Junior Stallion Championship went to Marek Rzepka’s family-owned Klikowa Arabians Stud. Poker Move KL (RFI Unique – Plivia / Kahil Al Shaqab) won the 2-year-old stallions class with a score of 90.92 points. Białka’s Etyl (Haash OSB – Elzamira / Glorius Apal) left Tarnów with the silver medal, having earlier won the 3-year-old colt class in impressive fashion. He particularly dazzled with his movement, receiving a full set of 20s, for a total of 91.91 points . The bronze medal went to the snow-white colt Palissander SW (Raoud Al Bidayer – Pilarosa / Al Adeed Al Shaqab), bred by Suweco Stud and owned by Adam Ochmann and Polia Arabians. He placed second in his class with a score of 90.67 points. Also worth mentioning is Monarchio (Star Farid – Minerwina / Kahil Al Shaqab), bred by Wojciech Parczewski and owned by Bogdan Maślanka. He advanced to the finals from third place in his class with a score of 88.92 points, gaining in the championship the favour of two judges, who nominated him for bronze.

FA Estymacja with the highest score of the entire event

In the senior mares class, a total of 15 contenders competed for the top honours. Undefeated in both Class A and the championship was the grey Estymacja FA (Empower – Estema / Emerald J), bred by Krzysztof Goździalski of Falborek Arabians and owned by Joanna Wojtecka and Paweł Kozikowski’s JP Training Center. Estymacja FA boasted incredible movement and delighted the judges, receiving a full set of “20s” for (that’s right) movement, one “20” for type, and high marks for head and neck (2 x 19.5 and 19.75), giving her an impressive total score of 93.25 points – the highest of all the horses on both Saturday and Sunday. She left Tarnów as the Gold Senior Mare Champion.

Second place in her class and the Silver Mare Champion title went to Efora KL (QR Marc – Erigone / Ekstern), a mare bred and owned by Klikowa Arabians. She received 91.83 points for her performance. The bronze medal went to the grey Fogata (Muranas Jassehr – Formis / Esparto), bred in Michałów and owned by Paweł Syliwoniuk. Fogata placed third in the championship and second in Class B, receiving a score of 91.5 points. The judges awarded her the medal unanimously.

Senior Stallions – Ames JR reigns supreme

Among the senior stallions, Ames JR (Psytadel – Altara / Gazal Al Shaqab), a show horse with considerable experience on the red carpet, bred and owned by Janusz Ryżkowski, was unrivalled. This stallion boasts the title of 2019National Junior Champion Stallion, which only confirms his status. In Tarnów, Ames JR outclassed the competition, earning 92.67 points, including top marks for movement and, quite interestingly, very high marks for legs – three times 16 points. As we know, judges are generally reluctant to award such marks in this category.

Second place with a score of 91.42 points went to Encarino (Shiraz de Lafon – Eneria / QR Marc), bred by Janów Podlaski Stud and owned by Agata Pryciak. Ashton was third, a bay son of Pogrom out of Atanda by Eden C, bred at Edward Sieciński’s Andryjanki Stud, having scored 90.25 points. The championship standings remained unchanged: gold for Ames JR, silver for Encarino, and bronze for Ashton.

INTERNATIONAL SHOW

Unrivalled yearlings from Michałów

The yearling fillies competing in Classes A and B of the International Show presented a very even quality, but in each class, a representative of Michałów Stud clearly stood out. In Class A, the grey Zazzera, daughter of KA Nabras and the famous Zigi Zana by QR Marc, proved unrivalled. Zazzera, scoring 91.40 points, outshone her rivals – the other fillies were scored between 89.00 and 89.60 points.

In Class B, Epiforana (Mutabahi Al Hawajer – Espana / QR Marc) put on a real show, dazzling with her movement, earning four “20s” in this category and a total of 92.10 points. Her competitors received scores ranging from 90.20 to 91.20 points.

In the championship, the judges were unanimous – the gold medal went to Epiforana, and the silver to Zazzera. The bronze medal went to the beautiful Wiosenna Przygoda (KA Nabras – Wiosenna Róża / Empire), also from the stables in Michałów. This meant the entire podium belonged to Michałów! Moreover, two medallists were KA Nabras daughters.

Gellatto – the first step to great victories

In the yearling colts class, the undisputed hero was the bay Gellatto – a son of the award-winning stallion Nahil Al Khalediah and the mare Gratella by Morion, bred by Jan Głowacki. Handsome, with a beautiful head and neck, he stole the attention of not only the audience but also the judges, who awarded him a high score of 91.90 points, including four “20s”: one each for type and movement, and two for head and neck. In the championship, he unanimously took home the gold medal and the champion title. As it turned out, this wasn’t his only highlight of the day.

Aaron (KA Nabras – Anielka / Ekstern), this year’s bronze medallist from Białka, advanced to the finals from second place in Class A with a score of 90.40 points. He repeated this success in Tarnów, again finishing third.

El Soray LJ (Star Farid – El Soraya/Wadee Al Shaqab), bred and owned by Leszek Jarmuż, advanced to the finals from Class B. He placed in the Top Five in Białka, and this time he won silver, showing how his form was improving.

And I have a feeling that Gellatto, Aaron, and Białka’s gold medallist, El Primero, will be jostling for a spot in the final line-up once again. Their rivalry promises to be truly exciting, and… something tells me this is just the beginning.

The Janów-bred Elzoya does not disappoint and goes for gold

In class A of two-year-old fillies, the clear favourite from the start was the charming Elzoya, daughter of the excellent Euzona by Om El Belissimo and sired by Pianissima’s son, Prometeusz. This year’s silver medallist from Białka again did not disappoint the expectations of her enthusiastic home team from Janów Podlaski, earning 92.20 points. The judges awarded her very high scores: a full row of 19.5 points for type, head and neck, and movement. Class B was much more evenly matched. The contenders’ scores ranged from 90.70 to 91 points, with two mares achieving identical scores of 90.90 points. Unfortunately, neither managed to steal a place on the final podium.

In the three-year-old fillies class, four competitors lined up – two of them grey, the other two bay. The top two spots went to the latter. Cararra (D Zeidan – Calatina / Emerald J), bred by Marek Kondrasiuk and owned by Alicja Najmowicz, proved to be the best. Allow me to offer a personal note: Cararra is a mare with a very good head and neck, correct conformation, and great potential, so I’m rooting for her to reach greater heights. In Tarnów, she scored 91.80 points, including a full 19.5 for type as well as head and neck, along with four 19.5s and one 19 for movement. Second place in this class went to Michałów’s Pustynia Wiktorii (Dominic M – Pustynia Kahila / Kahil Al Shaqab), who scored 91.20 points. In the championship, the final podium perfectly reflected the class scored. Gold went to Elzoya, silver to Cararra, and bronze to Pustynia Wiktorii.

Białka repeats itself – same medallists, same emotions

Among the junior colts, there were no surprises – the results were exactly the same as they had been in Białka just a month earlier! The two-year-old stallion class was won by Palatyn PA (Morion – Prasada PA / Empire), bred and owned by the Parys Family at Dąbrówka Stud, with a score of 90.5 points. Palatyn PA didn’t look back, adding another gold medal in Tarnów to his gold from Białka.

The winner of the three-year-old stallion class was the grey Panier (EKS Farajj – Paprotnia / Elgast), bred by Lech Błaszczyk and owned by his grandson Marek Łukaszewski. Although he received a higher score than Palatyn, with 91.5 points, he was awarded the Silver Champion title. Third place in class and the bronze medal in the finals went to Fawoniusz (Wolare – Finga / Genetrix), bred and owned by Krzysztof Jagielski, who scored 90.10 points.

Michałów dominates in senior mares

The senior mares class was exceptionally strong. Thirteen contenders entered the ring, 12 of whom were scored (one was withdrawn due to lameness). Five of them achieved scores equal to or higher than 92 points, while the rest exceeded the 90-point mark.

In the 4-6-year-old mares class, the best performer was the bay Labonita (Dominic M – Lakonia / Chimeryk) from Michałów Stud. This beautiful mare with striking eyes and deep ganache, earned 92.30 points and deservedly qualified for the finals in first place. This is no surprise, as she is the 2022 Polish National Yearling Filly Champion. In Tarnów, she added the bronze medal to her collection, securing a spot on the podium for Michałów, which, after dominating the yearling fillies, once again swept all the medals.

The gold medal went to the milky grey Wildanova (WH Justice – Wilda / Gazal Al Shaqab), who is becoming more beautiful with each passing year. The mare dominated the ring, receiving a full set of “20s” for movement and a single twenty for type, giving her a total of 93 points and, if I’m not mistaken, the highest score of her hitherto career.

A slightly lower score was given to Poganinka (Dominic M – Lakonia / Chimeryk), who has a large fan base, as the judges awarded her 92.9 points. Poganinka has accustomed us to effortlessly flying through the ring, and this time it was no different: a full set of “20s” for movement and two more for type. In the championship, she joined her stablemates with the Silver Champion title.

Last but not least: Senior Stallions

Among the older stallions, the bay, charismatic, and in fantastic condition stallion Nisser Babel (Sinharib Babel – AJ Nasheeda / AJ Portofino), bred and owned by Hekmat Al Shareif from the United Arab Emirates, stood out with his exotic beauty. The stallion received 92.10 points from the judges and qualified to the finals from first place.

In second place with a score of 90.5 points was Elon KL (QR Marc – Erigone / Ekstern) from Klikowa Arabians Stud. This balance of power was confirmed in the championship: Nisser Babel took gold, and Elon KL silver. The bronze medallist was the winner of the 7-year-old and older stallions class, Petrus PA (Ekstern – Piwonia / Kahil Al Shaqab) from Dąbrówka Stud of the Parys Family, who received a score of 91.80 points from the judges. Interestingly, this class also included medallists from the European Championship held in the morning: Ames JR, Encarino, and Ashton. However, the different balance of power and the different judging panel prevented those horses from repeating their earlier success.

Best of the Best – Special Awards

To the great and well-deserved delight of his breeders and owners, Gellatto deservedly received the title of Best in Show Stallion. In addition to the Marshal of the Lesser Polish Voivodeship Trophy, he also received the special award for Best Head. Michałów’s Wildanova, in excellent form, was honoured with the title of Best in Show Mare and the Mayor of the City of Tarnów Trophy.

The Ganges Award for best horse in show with a racing career went to Elon KL from Klikowa Arabians. The title of best Pure Polish Mare was awarded to the grey Pantera, daughter of Ekstern and the mare Pampa by Gazal Al Shaqab, bred by Michałów Stud and owned by Bogdan Maślanka. Pantera earned a high score of 91.75 points in the European show, including twenties across the board for movement, and 90.50 points in the International Show. The title of best Pure Polish Stallion went to Piernat (Gaspar – Pogoria / Ekstern), bred by Andrzej Borkowski and owned by Agnieszka Dąbrowska, with his distinctive, extremely original flea-bitten coat.

A touching moment was the presentation of the Special Award of the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association – the Arabian Prometheus – to Anna Stefaniuk. This unique distinction is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Arabian horse breeding in Poland. Anna Stefaniuk spent almost 40 years at the Janów Podlaski Stud, serving as Chief Breeding Specialist. The recipient of this prestigious award is also an international A-level judge.

The handlers weren’t overlooked either during the special awards ceremony. The Best Handler of the Show award went to Enrico Mearelli from Elegantica Training Center, who, together with his brother Nicola, recently joined the Michałów show team.

The show’s organisers never cease to surprise, and each year they reach for increasingly bold, often experimental solutions. They have already announced that in twelve months we will once again be treated to a powerful dose of excitement in Tarnów’s Klikowska Ostoja.

The only thing the growing number of participants and spectators could wish for is an even wider selection of horses in each class. However, with so many accompanying attractions and two shows taking place simultaneously, one might begin to wonder if two days is actually enough. Perhaps a three-day format, with the event starting on Friday, would be worth a thought? Such an expansion could give the event the character of a true Arabian Horse Festival, serving as an excellent prelude to the rapidly approaching Polish Arabian Horse Days in Janów Podlaski.