Already for the third time in the twelve year history of Chrcynno-Palace Stud the hosts – the Poszepczyński family of Ewa, Krzysztof and Alicja – invited Arabian horse breeders and friends for an Open Day (on August 13th, 2012). More than a hundred guests had the opportunity to see horses offered for sale, as well as stars of the stud presented with their progeny. It is worthy to also note the presence of a full range of Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles from JLR Centrum, which ideally fit into the surroundings.
The horse presentation was led by Alicja Poszepczyńska. It is thanks to her breeding decisions that the stud owes its numerous successes in Poland and abroad. „We have had a very successful beginning of the season, we cannot complain. We won several medals at the Arabian Horse Sport Championships. We had a good performance also in Białka, at the Junior Show”, she said about the recent achievements of her pupils. As a reminder: the year old Psyche Keret (Khidar – Psyche Victoria/Ekstern) became the Junior Silver Medalist in Białka, while Echo Aurora (Eternity Ibn Navarroné-D – Echo Afrodyta/Piaff) and Psyche Aditi (Echo Adonis – Pomona/Ekstern) placed in the Top Fives of their classes. Furthermore during the Sport Championships in Janów Podlaski in June rider Sławomir Przybysz took to the podium as many as six times, gaining atop horses from Chrcynno two gold medals: Galahad (Werbum – Granada/Monogramm) and Echo Adonis (Al Maraam – Echo Kallisto/Pamir) – for Senior
Dressage and Senior Classic Pleasure; three silvers: atop Galahad and Echo Apollo (Piaff – Echo Kallisto/Pamir) – in Senior Show Jumping and Senior Polish Historical Costume; and a bronze atop Echo Adonis in Hunter Pleasure. What’s more together with Echo Adonis he also secured a third spot in the overall classification in the A class of Senior Dressage. Next, during the AHO 2012 Breeders’ Championship Europe in Berlin the highly decorated Chaos Persefona (Poganin – Ceres/Ganges) won the class of 4-6 year old mares and gained a silver medal.
The presentation of the horses made a huge impression on the guests, also those from abroad. Present at the Open Day Anita Enander from the American „Arabian Horse World” magazine said: „I am really excited that we have so many different kinds of breeding programs now throughout the world and that we have both the continuing tradition in the state studs and now there is wonderful development of private breeders in Poland who can have their own ideas, take their own eye and develop their own interest and their own ideal of the horse. Because I think it strengthens the breed entirely and ensures that we have diversity for the future”. And she added: „One thing that I really appreciate when I look at the horses here is,
frankly, that many of them (all of them so far), are shown barefoot. I think it is very important that young horses are well cared for in a way that can develop naturally and they should be able to be without shoes. It is my personal opinion but I feel very strongly about it”. Johanna Ullström (ArcticTern Training Center in Belgium) emphasized the overall high quality of the presented horses: „Alicja is a good breeder. You don’t see a bad horse at the farm. All of them, even non-show horses are good quality horses. They breed for type here. For exquisite type. And it is not so easy to breed pure Polish horses with such beautiful faces, as she succeeded to breed: good nostrils, good eyes, nice little ears, and show attitude, on top of it”.
Johanna Ullström is well acquainted with Polish horses, because they are very often her charges. And not just the horses from Chrcynno – Ullström was also the first trainer of Pianissima. „I have always liked Polish Arabian horses because they fit me very well”, she said. „They are sensitive, clever and they don’t take abuse well. So they fit my style of showing very well. I always play with Polish Arabians in a way that is difficult to do with other horses”. Her favorite Arabian horses include, as she revealed, Janów’s Olita and Chaos Persefona from Chrcynno: „I have a special bond with those two mares. I love them all but these two are special to me”.
According to Johanna Ullström it wouldn’t be very easy to find another breeding program in Poland like the one at Chrcynno. When asked if that’s really the case Alicja Poszepczyńska answered: „Maybe we’re taking quicker steps in breeding… It’s a matter of thought out breeding decisions based not only on the titles of the chosen horses, but on their actual conformation, actual movement – not only during shows – and on their pedigrees. I try to select the matings in such a way to obtain the best results. Often the very titled stallions do not
give good foals, whereas a stallion who placed 5th or 6th in class is an excellent sire. So I try to look at the actual, live horses. Sometimes his personality also plays an important part. There are horses which are beautiful, perfectly conformed, correct, but lack a show horse nature. Therefore they have lesser show achievements than they should have. All of this has to be taken into consideration in breeding.”
What are the plans for the near future for the breeders from Chrcynno? As they claim, they don’t
have to participate in the National Show, since they do not agree with the rules (this year in Janów they did not walk out for the decorating ceremony as a protest against the work of the judges). „We will definitely show our horses in Poland. We also have a doors wide open to showing horses in Europe”, said Ewa Poszepczyńska and Alicja added: „It is possible that we will also be showing our horses in the Arabic countries. We can go anywhere – it’s just a matter of plan which has to be created for a given horse. We will definitely try to show at title shows, as
well as, just like so far, at international A and B ranked shows.”
The entire threesome – Ewa, Krzysztof and Alicja – look to the future with optimism, despite being more and more aware of the crisis which is felt in the Arabian field. „The Poles are pessimistic by nature”, joked Alicja. „But when I look at the foals, when I look at our horses, I am filled with optimism!”
WATCH THE VIDEO REPORT FROM 2012 OPEN DAY AT CHRCYNNO-PALACE STUD!
The report form the 2008 Open Day at Chrcynno-Palace Stud
The Past Meets the Future. 14 Years of Chrcynno-Palace Stud. PDF file»
