All the Polish horses, who performed on the first day of the World Championships in Paris, placed in the Top Fives’ of their classes. Poland grabbed one 1st place, one 2nd, one 3rd, one 4th and twice – 5th. 

Yesterday at show hall no 4 at the Paris Expo, situated under a viaduct, with the bays composed into its architecture, the largely gathered public (though the stands had some free seats, similar to the VIP tables) admired the fillies. In the A series of the junior fillies class (1-3 year olds) 9 out of the 15 entered horses showed up in the arena. First to appear was the

subtle, delicate and clearly very frightened by the deafening music yearling FT Shaella by Shael Dream Desert, bred in Brasil and representing Dubai. She received rather high marks (449 points in total) which allowed her to place fifth. The class was won by the last contender, the black FS Magnum’s Madonna (Magnum Psyche – Tai Bey Brittney/Bey Shah), bred by Strydom Arabians (RSA), owned by Paul Gheysens, Champion Filly from Aachen (the only 2 year old in this group), impressively shown by Michael Byatt (458 points).

The elegant as always Michael Byatt did not give his rivals a chance – the second place also went to a fantastically shown filly by him, representing Australia – Princess of Marwan by Marwan Al Shaqab (456). Third placed the daughter of Ajman Moniscione, Djoonam (454,5) and fourth – Baila de Djoon OS of Al Bidayer Stud (454). Known from earlier shows this season F.M. Gloriaa, though delights with a beautiful head, fails in movement – this time she did not make it into the Top Five.

In the B series of the junior fillies’ class we had two representatives: Psyche Victoria (Ekstern – Pallas-Atena/Ecaho), bred and owend by Chrcynno-Palace Stud, Champion from Vilhelmsborg, Denmark and Reserve Champion from Wels, Austria this current season, as well as Janów’s Altamira (Ekstern – Altona/Eukaliptus), Reserve Champion Filly from the Autumn Show in Janów Podlaski and class winner from the European Championships in Moorsele. Both showed off some nice movement upon entry and got themselves into the Top Five of the more numerous series of the junior fillies group (among the 14 entered 12 showed up).

The class was commenced by Zawah de Lam, currently representing Oman (by As Kayro), but with a total score of 448 she did not enter the Top Five. First placed rightfully went to Abha Palma (Marwan Al Shaqab – Abha Gazali/El Perfecto), bred by Marieta Salas (Ganaderia Ses Planes), owned by Al Mohamadia Stud, Reserve Champion Filly from Aachen 2008 and European Champion from Moorsele. Abha Palma “wowed” the public with her movement, for which she received the first “20” of the show. With a score of 464,5 she set the standard very high for her rivals. Psyche Victoria, shown right afterwards, was not able to beat her, though she was presented very well (traditionally by Johanna Ullström) and with a score of 451,5 took fourth place. Third place was taken away from her by Pandoraah by Padrons Psyche, owned by Al Khaled Farm (458). The lot was closed off by Altamira presented by Piotr Dwojak (450), who impressed all with stunning movement, best in the entire group, awarded with two “20s”. Sadly lesser marks for type and head and neck did not allow her to place any higher. Second place in class was secured by the poorly moving, but high-scoring (for type and head and neck) Om El Bernadette by Om El Shahman, of Saudi property (458,5).

The next class of 4 years old and above mares (8 contenders out of the 10 entered) was to belong to Poland – and so it did.

The first to enter the arena was the Al Shaqab owned Venetzia by Versace. This extremely well-known to all 4 year old garnered very high marks for type, including one “20”, but placed just fourth (457) which certainly is not a satisfactory result for her owners. After her we saw the faultlessly presented by Mariusz Liśkiewicz Pistoria (Gazal Al Shaqab – Palmira/Monogramm), European Champion Filly of 2007. Though without any “20s”, she

bested Venetzia with no effort, receiving 460,5 points. This result gave her third place in class. In turn Pistoria was headed by just half a point by Abha Myra (Marwan Al Shaqab – ZT Ludjkalba/Ludjin El Jamaal), bred by Ganaderia Ses Planes of Spain and owned by Al Shaqab Stud, Reserve Champion Mare from Aachen. Fifth place went to Lumiar Bint Balzak by Lumiar Balzak (452), owned by Dubai Stud. The class was won by a huge margin by the besieged by photographers and welcomed with loud applause Pianissima

(Gazal Al Shaqab – Pianosa/Eukaliptus), who garnered as much as 9 “20s”: 4 x type and 5 x head and neck – 470,5 points in total. Though this time she had lesser points for movement than in Aachen and Moorsele (3 x 19 and 2 x 18,5), once again she proved that there is no better mare at this given moment. After the end of the class rivalry Pianissima presented by Greg Gallun also received a special award for most beautiful head.

The B series of the senior mares class was to include 10 rivals, but only 5 of them showed up, including two from Poland: Michałów’s Emesa (Laheeb – Etopka/Eukaliptus), Top Five Mare from Moorsele and class winner from Aachen and Białka’s Emika (Eldon – Emoza/Ernal). Similar to the previous shows, the battle was fought between Emesa and Martinique (Ansata Sinan – Marratxi/Gual Moghar), bred by Susanne Reiter of Germany and

owned by Dubai Stud. The class was won by the latter with a score of 463 points. Emesa received 454 of them. Third was MA Scarlet by Hadidi, Italian bred and owned (452), fourth – the freely presented in movement by Jan Callis Russian Nerl by Balaton, owned by Tatiana Kosolapova (451,5). Emika, though she received a “20” for movement, lost a lot on the legs and closed off the lot with a score of 449.

It seems that typical Polish horses, who do not have an extremely dished profile, but move superbly well, are not able to convince the judges to place them higher. Of course Pianissima is an exception, who remains unbeaten mainly due to the notes for type and head and neck. Perhaps those who say that the Arabian show horse is being reduced to its head are right…

The list of absences in the classes looked rather alarming. It is always possible that a sudden indisposition will rule a horse out of the competition – however today those indispositions ruled out as much as half of the B series of the senior mares’ and six contenders from the junior fillies’ A series. A question arises, if some horses are entered not to compete, but to “cause a stir” among the start list. More entered horses results in the division of classes and can sometimes separate strong rivals. Such a practice of “placing” the best athletes exists in many disciplines, but in the case of Arabian horse show the birth date is decisive, not the earlier results. Maybe a way of overcoming this rule is the entering of horses to fill up space? Those will remain the secrets of trainers and owners…

On Saturday in Paris we saw the stallions, among the five Polish ones: Poganin, Esparto, Grafik, Kabsztad and Lord Bey Shah. Two younger colts met in the B series with fatal rivals (QR Mark and Baanderos). Ali Moniscione found himself in series A. Esparto and Poganin competed among other against Master Design GA, Imperial Baareg, Nijem Ibn Eternity VI, BS Specific and MCA Magnum Gold. In Grafik’s group we found Marwan Al Shaqab, Imperial Baarez and Khidar. Marajj, who lost in Aachen, was not entered.

 

Judges:

Gianmarco Aragno (IT)
Deirdre Hyde (AE)
Nasr Marei (EG)
Richard Pihlström (FR)
Willi Poth (DE)
Renata Schibler (CH)
Marianne Tengstedt (DK)