In the shadow of the Nationals in the Summer, but with just as beautiful weather, the first day of the 3rd Autumn Arabian Horse Show took place on Saturday. Much numerous were the halter classes (especially the fillies’), participating in the performance classes were 8 horses privately owned and as tradition has it – also a group of Janów Podlaski’s chief sires. For the first time both titles of Junior Champions were awarded to private bred horses: Junior Champion Mare went to the filly performing with the first entry number – Pasterna (Ekstern – Pasywa/Wachlarz), bred and owned by Lech Błaszczyk, while the Junior Champion Stallion to Panicz (Gaspar – Pelisa/Europejczyk, bred and owned by Monika Luft), who – together with his trainer Marek Demczuk – accomplished an unusual feat, gaining a third champion title within just 5 weeks.

The show began with dressage. Victorious in this competition was Arzgir (Gordon – Arabika/Balaton) with Anna Kwaśniewska, bred by Tersk, owned by Janusz Ryżkowski. Second was the gelding Hamid (Eukaliptus – Hajnówka/El Paso) bred by Janów Podlaski, owned by Tadeusz Sadownik, third – Metropolis NA (Consensus – NDL Martinique/Muscat), bred by Nichols Arabians, owned by Janów Podlaski Stud. Later in the Western Pole bending class two horses performed: Hrabina (Equin – Habra/Argo) with Anna Łagodzińska, bred by Ryszard Górecki, owned by Artur Górecki and Batman (Plank – Babochka/Armaniak), bred by Jan Dziedzic, owned by Marek Czerwiński. The winner out of these two was Batman under Sabina Widera.

The next class (of yearling fillies) saw 13 competitors, including 5 representing the hosts. The remaining participants were fillies of private breeding. Janów’s yearlings were shown by less experienced handlers of the state stud, who got a chance to try their skills. Already in the first class the judges made it clear that there would be no preferential treatment – the marks were very strict as for a C-ranked show, while the half-points allowed for a further diversification of scores. “19s” were awarded very carefully; during the entire first day only two horses surpassed the 90 point mark. The winner of the class (and later champion) Pasterna received 89,5 points, behind her placed another Ekstern daughter – Janów’s Atma (out of Altona/Eukaliptus), third was Entografia (Psytadel – Entaga/Ganges), bred and owned by Kębliny Stud. Fourth and fifth place went to Janów’s Benita (Enzo – Bogini/Arbil) and Bajaderka from Agricola Farm (Złocień – Bagatela/Pesal). The largest sensation of this class was the lack of the loudly applauded full sister to Pianissima – Passionaria (Gazal Al Shaqab – Pianosa/Eukaliptus), 88,17 points – in the Top Five.

Among the 8 two year old fillies were 3 Janów bred and owned and all of them entered the Top Five. The class was won by Wołogda (Ekstern – Wanilia/Alegro) with a score of 90,17, third and fourth were respectively: another Ekstern offspring Bohema (out of Bogini/Arbil) and Gazal progeny Alabama (out of Altona/Eukaliptus). Jumping onto the second spot was the Lech Błaszczyk bred Elfera (Psytadel – Eiffla/Ekstern), while the lot was closed off with Marionetka of Agricola Farm (Wołyń – MB Marasa/El Halimaar).

Seven three year old fillies graced the arena in the next class and again one of them surpassed the 90 point mark – another representative of the hosts, Altamira (Ekstern – Altona/Eukaliptus): 90,5. She was also chosen at the end of the day as Junior Reserve Champion Mare. The rest of the Top Five included: Gaja Selene of Chrcynno Stud (Emigrant – Granada/Monogramm), another Ekstern daughter, Białka’s Herlina (out of Heroldia/Eukaliptus), one more Chrcynno representative – Echo Afrodyta (Piaff – Echo Kallisto/Pamir) and Warejka (Piaff – Walentyna/Monogramm) bred and owned by Jerzy Chrapkowski. One has to admit that with the lack of mares from Michałów the progeny of Ekstern from other breedings confirmed the class of that stud’s sire.

The state studs did not enter any junior colts into this year’s Autumn Show. For that reason the private bred horses competed solely among themselves. Out of the seven yearlings the best proved to be Emilio – 88,5 points – (Etnodrons Psyche – Ensena/Expo), bred and owned by Petroniusz Frejlich (who celebrated his name day on Saturday, and the colt’s win was the best gift). Behind him placed Cerio (Poganin – Cetra/Eldon), bred and owned by Jean Martin Popiel (Kurozwęki Stud). In the final battle for the Reserve Championship Cerio defeated Emilio, winning the title from second place in class. Third and fourth spots among the yearlings were taken by Chrcynno Stud graduates: Psyche Eros (Galba – Pomona/Ekstern) and Psyche Ares (Ekstern – Pallas-Atena/Ecaho), both grandsons of Pelisa/Europejczyk, dam of the victorious Panicz. Fifth came Sadamin (BS Black Fable – Silvatica/Fawor) from Silvatica Black Arabians.

The two and thee year old colts competed in one class, which consisted of 8 individuals. The winner was Panicz with a score of 89,67 (chosen later as Champion), before Chelaton (Makiur Lip – Canzona/Penthagonn, bred and owned by Stanisław Gutowski. Third was Czar Dam (Poganin – Contra/Eldon), bred by Justyna Płatek, owned by Jan Dobrzyński, fourth came Epimedes (Aslan – Eureka/Pesal), bred by Tomasz Kowalik, owned by Elżbieta Gaworska, fifth – Ensenator (Ekstern – Ensena/Expo), bred and owned by Petroniusz Frejlich.

Saturday also saw four performance classes: show jumping, Classic Pleasure and historical costume. In the Classic Pleasure – mares and geldings victorious was Hrabina under Anna Łagodzińska (this competition saw only female riders awarded). She is a mare with beautiful and flowing movement – it’s clear that the rider sits atop her comfortably, while the mare herself seems to like being shown. Among the stallions triumphed Grom (Album – Głowica/Pepi), bred by Eugeniusz Kupryś, owned by Michał Gryglas, under Marek Prokopiuk – in the first series – and Metropolis NA under Daria Gutowska in the second. The second series was a presentation of solely Janów stallions, similar to the second series of the classical costume class, where the winner in turn was Aslan (Eukaliptus – Algora/Probat) under Joanna Szymko. In the first series the best proved to be Gniew (Wiek – Głowica/Pepi), bred by Eugniusz Kupryś, owned by Magdalena and Roberta Rudziński. The horse was mounted by Michał Gryglas. In the costume classes ¾ of the score is the ability to control and correctly perform the gaits, while ¼ is the mark for the costume. As always, Janów’s stallions were prepared by Artur Bieńkowski, while watching over the costumes was Anna Stefaniuk.

First place in show jumping went to Eroika (Addham – Euglena/Banat), bred by Hanna Sztuka, owned by Zbigniew Grzywiński. The mare was guided by Bartosz Kołodziejczyk. Only 4 out of the 8 competing horses completed the course, but that 4 presented a truly high level.

„The level of the riders in the performance classes was diverse”, evaluates Hanna Sztuka (Agricola Farm), a Polish Equestrian Federation sport instructor. “However there is a group which displays a very decent level of training. The dressage contest saw more horses than at most nationwide competitions. The level of the top three was really impressive. There was no shame also in the show jumping. There appears to be another candidate, after Niniwa, for succeeding in this field. I believe we will hear more about these horses”.

„Arabians as performance horses have a large future”, Hanna Sztuka adds. “Show horses are a playground for merely some tens of people, while equestrian riding is for everyone. I believe that the concept of the Autumn Show will be maintained – with time there will be more of the performance classes, while the halter presentations will simply become an addition”.

 

Because of the disqualification of the mare Eroika after the championships, first place in show jumping went to Wandea (Ganges – Wilnianka/Tallin), bred and owned by Michałów Stud, guided by Małgorzata Błaszczyk.

Judging on Saturday were:

Halter classes:
Elisabeth Chat (Austria)
Koenraad Detailleur (Belgium)
Mark Ismer (Germany)

Classic Pleasure and costume classes judges:
Elisabeth Chat (Austria)

Dressage and show jumping judge:
Jacek Zagor

Western classes judges:
Marek Godzina
Jacek Krogulski