THE STUD

    Canterbury Farm came about in 1969 when I purchased my first Arabian mare, a granddaughter of Witeź II. In the mid 1970’s I visited Arizona where I saw my first pure Polish Arabians and my choice of breeding horses was set. The first pure Polish mare purchased was Wieczorynka (Melon x Wieża by Doktryner) bred by Kurozwęki Stud. This was in 1983, so Canterbury Farm has been breeding Arabians for 35 years and Polish Arabians for 21 years. Many trips to Poland followed. The country, horses, and wonderful people met, have become home and family. Through the blessings of being in the right place at the right time, and sometimes waiting for years for it to be the correct time, exceptional horses have been purchased and brought to the farm. Originally the location was in California, the operation eventually was moved to Maryland on the East Coast of the USA. Two hundred thirteen acres constitutes the farm, with some of our own hay grown and a large part in pasture for the Arabians.

THE HORSES

 

I first saw Wojsław on the track as a three year old. I dashed across the saddling paddock to look at him closely. I was amazed at his correctness, type and unmistakable quality. I went to get a program to find out who he was. When I saw the superb pedigree, I knew why he was so spectacular. He was by Tallin, a stallion leased from Russia to reestablish the Bairactar db/ Amurath Sahib/ Arax sire line in Poland. The icing on the cake for me, he was out of none other than my all time favorite Polish mare, *Wilejka. I tried to purchase him, but was told that “It is impossible.” However, persistence paid off, and finally in 2002 Jerzy and Urszula Bialobok agreed that he needed to join his dam, Wilejka, and his sisters, Wełtawa (by Arbil), Wilenka (by Tallin) and Walencia (by Goliat) in Maryland. Wybranka was added to the family in 2003. Thirteen years after being overwhelmed by his high quality at the racetrack in Warsaw , it was a dream come true that – thanks to help Białoboks he was headed to my farm. It is such an extreme honor

to have him here, and this spring’s foals have exceeded expectations in beauty, elegance, correctness, and nobility which is already apparent in the youngsters. Exceptional fillies are Zlota Wilejka (out of Zaspa by Bandos), Alekzandrya (out of Algebra), Akwerela (out of Almeria), Czjna (out of Perdela by Pers) and Sandomierszka (out of Sieniawa by Probat). And I still can’t believe THE Wojsław is in my barn!!!

Four years before Wojsław came to the USA, the Białoboks kindly entrusted my favorite mare, Wilejka (El Paso – Warmia / Comet), into my care. She was lived out her last 6 years in comfort, happiness, and good health doing teaching jobs and babysitting for the weanlings. She was 22 when she came to America and 28 when she passed away to the greener pastures a few months ago.

 

She had a unique personality with her ever present search for sugar, her consistantly pleasant demeanor, and her ability to make herself the favorite of all who visited as she followed along the tour of the horses in pasture. Wilejka belongs to all those who knew her, for no one ever forgot her. She will remain always reflected in her foals, her grandget and well into the future. She was a once in a lifetime horse, and I am so grateful that Michałów, the Białoboks, and Poland were generous enough to share her.

    Wilejka was bred to Goliat (Eukaliptus x Gildia by El Paso) in

1998 by embryo transfer. This was her only foal bred outside of Poland. She gave me an incredible bay filly, Walencia, who is the reflection of her dam in personality, as well as elegance and class. She is bay, so follows the appearance of her aunts as well. Walencia has been bred to Ganges for a 2005 foal, her first. Wybranka, Wełtawa and Wilenka will also have Ganges foals.

    Goliat (Eukaliptus – Gildia / El Paso) was the first stallion I purchased in Poland, in 1989. He was bred by Michałów as well. Goliat has turned out to be an excellent sire and represents the best of his breeding. His cross with Wilejka (Walencia) was incredible. He is a 3/4 sibling to Grenlandia (Eukaliptus – Getynga/Palas, 1996 Polish National Senior Champion Mare), however more Kuhailan in type with his El Paso breeding and bay color.

 

Algonkina (Pietuszok – Alga / Witraż) was a spectacular mare, judging her only through photographs, and mirrored in her offspring. This was definitely a family that I wanted to incorporate into the program. I searched out her only son in the US at the time, he being Algorab (by Mir Said). I found him being used as a personal riding horse in the mountains. He was a spectacular race horse in the US, racing for 6 years, and was in the money in 82% of his races. He stood at stud at my farm in California.

     The wonderful Algomej (Celebes x Algonkina/Pietuszok) was imported later. After he went through the Gucci debacle, he went to Meadow Wood Farm. I

purchased him in 1997, and he was reputed to be dropping in his fertility. However when at my farm, he was bred to 16 mares, and the following spring, he had 15 foals on the ground. Algomej continued to be extremely fertile, and was retired at 27, much against his wishes. He passed away early this year, at 31. We have a number of his daughters, and one son to carry on.

 

Algonkina has left her legacy also through her three Algeria daughters. These were Algerina (by Ellorus), Almeria (by Probat) and Algebra (by Ellorus). Algerina has passed on, but both Almeria and Algebra are in foal to Ganges for 05, and both had exceptionally nice Wojsław fillies this spring. This fine family of Janów Podlaski, is firmly established at Canterbury Farm along with other lines from Janów including those from

Bogatynia (Europejczyk – Borowina / Etap), Beliza (Etap – Beatrice/Pietuszok), Candela (Etap – Capella / Aquinor) , and Sabellina mares. I am very grateful to have these mares carrying on their blood in the US. Bogatynia was a mare that I had seen as a yearling. I got the answer that “It is impossible” to her sale, however eventually she was put in the auction, and needless to say, I was successful in purchasing this outstanding daughter of Europejczyk. She is in foal to Ganges for 05.

    The Milordka family through Estokada was a line which I also wanted to add and finally was able to purchase the lovely Wojsław daughter, Edessa, who was out of Empressa. She has turned out to be an excellent broodmare, producing some lovely fillies with Goliat. Her in-utero son, Ellis (Emigrant) is a 3/4 brother to Emrod (1998 Polish National Junior Champion Stallion and 2001 Swedish National Champion). He has sired some fine foals, and serves as an outcross stallion to the Kuhailan stallions here, which also includes haning Ganges on lease for a year.

    A year later also through the kindness of the Białoboks, Egeria

(Eukaliptus x Emigracja), was purchased and this fine mare brought these spectacular bloodlines to the Western Hemisphere. She has matured into a lovely horse, and has bequeathed Emenencja (by Wojsław), the only full sister in blood to Emanor (Polish, US and Scottsdale Champion Stallion, Canadian Reserve Champion Stallion) , and Etherya (by Ganges) to the program. She is again in foal to Ganges. Egeria, like many of the Eukaliptus

horses, took her time to mature, and still is in the process of doing so. Each year she becomes more elegant, etherial, and classically noble.

    Canterbury Farm has almost 145 horses and has a projected foal crop in 2005 of 54 foals. Most of these are sired by Ganges (Monogramm – Garonna by Fanatyk). Thanks to the help of George Zbyszewski and the Białoboks, I was able to lease this significant stallion for a breeding season. I took him to US National Championships, where he was handled by Greg Gallun, who did an excellent job preparing, training and showing him. In the excessively competitive National Championships in America Ganges was named US National Champion Reserve Senior Stallion. It was an honor to have

been part of his success. There are many of his foals due this spring, and if Wieza Wilejka (x Weltawa by Arbil) and Patagonyia (Palapejczyk by Europejczyk) are any indication of what will be arriving, then it will be a banner year.

 

The farm is my dream come true, and I am owned by the regal Polish Arabians with whom I am most fortunate to share Life’s Journey. I am dedicated to continue these lines with integrity to the Polish breeding principles. We all are so blessed with such beauty in our lives and it is a humbling experience to watch characteristics of previous generations come alive in the mirror of life in the foals.

    Thank you to Poland, to the past determination, and to the present keepers of the light.

THE FUTURE

The Arabian breeding program of Poland has withstood the test of centuries, wars, and changing tastes. It has consistently created horses who are exquisite, athletic, correct, courageous, and noble. At Canterbury Farm at Melfield, breeders of Pure Polish Arabians, we are endeavoring to continue the integrity of these

programs. We have spent years gathering mares and stallions of the preeminent families and sire lines, and have collected some of the best horses outside of Poland. The goal is to preserve and breed on the Polish lines in purity and to provide offspring for other breeders wanting Polish programs, as well as for outcrossing on other lines, plus horses who can win in the show ring, on the track, in the endurance world, and in the heart.

 

The collection of our horses is a lifelong passion and we wish to share the results of our breeding program with those interested in the good minded, correct, athletic, exquisite, and noble Polish Arabian.

translated by Urszula Łęczycka