A round of applause, shouting and whistling began even before he showed up on the All Nations Cup arena in Aachen. The stallion marked with the “Mahomet touch” trotted with a high flagged tail and beautifully arched neck, causing a burst of euphoria. The total score of 93 points, which included as many as thirteen “20s”, brought the public to their feet. Several hours later the stallion claimed the title of Senior Champion Stallion. That’s how the slogan of “The Return of a King” became true. WH Justice, after a several year break, strongly marked his repeated presence on the show arena.
But let’s go back in time to May 16th, 1999. In the surroundings of the Rocky Mountains, in one of the most beautiful valleys in the US, the mare Vona Sher-Renea gives birth to a grey colt, who will soon top the list of the most popular sires of all time. Sired by a “living legend”, the stallion Magnum Psyche, through his parents WH Justice inherits the blood of giants, such as the invaluable Padron or El Shaklan.
When he was growing up in Salt Lake Valley, two young breeders from Europe, Thierry and Catherine Kerjean, were looking for a handsome, young stallion. When they received a video from the States, they were literally speechless at the sight of the young colt full of charisma and type. Not long after the horse arrived in Italy. In the first year of his stud career WH Justice covered only 14 mares, but the foals produced this way immediately exhibited his potential. Among them were such notable names as Panarea by Palawan – the later European Junior Champion Mare, World Reserve Champion and Champion from the prestigious show in Dubai, as well as Ajman Moniscione, who went on to gain the titles of European Reserve Champion and All Nations Cup Reserve Champion, as well as Junior Champion Stallion in Menton.
The offspring of WH Justice began to take on the show arenas by storm. Bess Fa’izah reached for the highest trophy in 2006, claiming the title of World Champion. At her side stood the Reserve Champion, the already mentioned Panarea by Palawan. There was no doubt that mare owners from all continents would now make endeavors toward being able to breed their best mares to WH Justice.
The first in Poland
The first to introduce the blood of WH Justice into their breeding program in Poland was the stud of Falborek Arabians. The Goździalski family recalls the process of how the decision of using the stallion grew on them: “During 2003-2005, after the successes of our Szanta on European arenas, we noticed a trend for horses which differed in type from Arabian horses of Polish breeding. We analyzed their results on show arenas, paying attention mainly to foreign stallions, especially those which already had offspring on the ground. There were several such stallions: Gazal Al Shaqab, his son Marwan, Sanadik El Shaklan and lastly WH Justice. In 2004 during the All Nations Cup the latter definitely stood out. That’s when the decision was made to use him at our stud. The World Championships in Paris, which took place in that same year, additionally confirmed the rightness of our decision. Of course we were also a bit anxious, as we were at the time one of the first breeders in Europe and the first in Poland who decided to use him. However we had high expectations and hopes.”
In the next year WH Justice covered four mares especially selected to suit him. This would enable the comparison of future offspring on a larger scale. In 2006 four foals were born – two colts and two fillies. The best at the time turned out to be the light chestnut Satis (out of KP Sadika/Simeon Sadik), who as a yearling won the B series of the yearling colts’ class during the 17th Junior Spring Show in Białka. The owners were fully satisfied: “Whatever the further development of our horses we knew that we could not have made a better decision regarding them. Both we and the late Wojciech Kowalik believed in their success.”
It was in the hands of Wojciech Kowalik that the yearling Wasa (out of Waresa/Empres) gained the title of 2007 Junior Reserve Champion Mare in Białka. She won the A series of the yearling fillies’ class with a score of 92,33 points (two “20s” for head and neck), which turned out to be the second highest out of the entire show group of 126 horses! The lovely mare of a steel-grey coat color twice qualified for the finals during the Polish Nationals in Janów Podlaski. She also placed twice in the top fives of her classes during international shows in Wels and Moorsele. Last year she won a bronze medal at the 1st Arabia Polska Horse Festival.
Even greater successes can be boasted by Altis (out of Albia/Pers). The grey stallion is gifted with splendid movement, so he draws the attention of viewers and judges alike everywhere he goes. In 2007 he claimed the title of Polish National Reserve Junior Champion, winning his class with a high score of 91,67 points (including a “20” for head and neck and two “20s” for movement). In the finals he had to yield to Białka’s Celsjusz, but a month later he overtook his rival during the All Nations Cup in Aachen, where he won the title of Reserve Junior Champion Stallion.
That same year in Verona Altis took home the title of Top Five Junior Stallion. During the World Championships he was recognized as one of the Junior Top Ten. In January of 2008 he won his class at the Al Khalediah Show in Saudi Arabia, becoming one of the highest decorated privately bred Polish horses that had been led to victory by his breeder. After long negotiations a decision to sell him was made. Was it right? “I think that it was. After those successes the stallion wrote himself down in the history of Polish Arabian horse breeding. Until today he is the best ambassador of our stud. Calling him Falborek’s pride or even Poland’s pride, is absolutely justified”, says Krzysztof Goździalski. These words are confirmed by the 2011 All Nations Cup, during which Altis won the class of 4-6 years old stallions with a score of 92,20 points, including three “20s” for an impressive trot.
In 2007 Falborek witnessed the birth of subsequent foals by WH Justice – Bint Matis (out of KP Bint Malikah el Nil/U.P. Sheitan) and Satenia (out of Słonka/Wojsław), in 2008 Pertisa (out of Pernacja/Ekstern) and Wadis (out of Waresa/Empres) and in 2009 Albad – Altis’ full brother. The grey Pertisa, presented in 2010 during the National Show by Tomasz Jakubowski, exhibited phenomenal movement. She ultimately secured third place in class with a final score of 90,67 (two “20s” for movement). Several months later, during the European Championships, in the B series of the two year old fillies’ class, she placed fourth with 90,1, right behind the Polish National Junior Champion, the chestnut Wieża Róż. Her further career was shelved due to a serious injury at the Warsaw race track. The Goździalski family took up a fight to save the mare and seven months later, thanks to their determination, she began to walk again. “Faith works miracles, and that’s what happened in this case. We’re happy that our persistence allowed the mare to be with us today”, they add.
The most titled one
However the most titled daughter of WH Justice born on Polish soil is undoubtedly the phenomenal El Piatzolla (out of Enya/Ekstern). She was foaled, just like her legendary father, in May, precisely on the 26th. This day is well remembered by her breeders, Beata and Marek Błaszkiewicz from Podlesie Arabians: “Her birth was an important event for us. The strong and lively foal stood on her legs already after 15 minutes and not long after demanded milk. The next day she went with her dam for her first walk. A nimble, alert and curious filly, a miniature of exquisite beauty with a flagged tail, bouncing off the ground like a ball. We were happy, touched and proud, observing our princess.”
Already as a yearling El Piatzolla gained her first title – a silver medal in Blommeröd. In the finals the mares were presented in pouring rain, but the unfavorable weather did not interfere with the filly’s debut. She didn’t have to wait long for her next medal. Already two months’ later she won the bronze during the 4th Autumn Show at Janów Podlaski, where she enraptured the judges with a sweeping trot and long suspension phase. The list of accomplishments of this young, just 3 years old mare, is impressive. Only in 2011 she gained another three medals, starting with the gold in Deurne at the Tulip Cup B-show in Holland, through a bronze from the 21st Junior Spring Show in Białka, ending with the silver at the 1st Arabia Polska horse festival. “We love to watch her, we are delighted with her beauty, a movement full of elegance and grace, and trusting eyes. We have an extraordinary horse. Dreams do come true”, say the proud breeders. In these circumstances a repeated mating of her dam to WH Justice is no surprise. This time the result was a colt – El Fado.
Take care of your mares…
A second beautiful mare was born at Słowianin stud. The chestnut Ekspiracja (out of Eklezja/Monogramm) as a yearling in 2009 in Białka placed 10th. However two months later, during the National Show in Janów Podlaski and owned by Krzysztof Falba at the time, she “jumped up” by 5 notches. Next year at the same event she came in 4th with a score of 89,67 points. Last season she repeated the result, but with a higher final score: 91,5 points (including two “19,5s” for head and neck).
The mare’s breeder, Lech Błaszczyk, when asked whether he regrets his decision to sell her, shrugs: “I’m a passionate and a bit of a madcap, whereas Polish breeding is full of many ardent and jealous people. I don’t regret the decision because Ekspiracja’s dam is again in foal to WH Justice and will give birth to a full sibling in the spring.” Furthermore a mating that resulted in a good moving, dainty colt – Elgast out of Elfera/Psytadel – was also repeated.
So far in Poland 21 offspring of the 12 year old WH Justice were foaled, including last year’s crop: the grey colt Gotico (out of Ginga/Werbum) bred by Piotr Podgórny and the filly Emancja (out of Echidna/Ararat), bred by Stanisław Sławiński. The number seems rather small, especially since more than 750 have already been born worldwide. So the fact that when bred to Polish mares such stars appeared, in a relatively small group at that, is even more pleasing. In a few months or even weeks new foals will be stamping about next to their dams. “Take care of your mares – their backs are your protection and their bellies are your treasury”, the Prophet was to say. May they be true diamonds, who after an appropriate cut will shine brightly and bring fame to Polish breeding.
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