147 horses were announced to the 19th Białka Junior Spring Show and just a few of them didn’t arrive to the meeting. As each year the Białka show attracted real crowds of breeders, owners and Arabian horses lovers, however, the weather was not favorable. Although it stopped raining soon (it was raining since early Saturday morning), the cold annoyed everyone. Anyway, the bad weather was insignificant at the „best show in the world”, according to the President of Polish Association of Arabian Horses Breeders, Mrs. Izabella Pawelec-Zawadzka. ‘This show is the best one’, she explained to us, ‘first of all because of quantity of horses which can not be seen anywhere, second, because of their quality. Besides, it is a fascinating presentation of the offspring of stallions that were used the previous year. This year’s conclusion is that Polish breeding develops in a good way and extraordinary spontaneously. Polish breeders are the talented and brave ones. It isn’t just my opinion – the judges also admit being surprised by such high level of horses that are being shown here. We also paid attention to the excellent preparing of horses, whose bred and training is more and more professional”.
The judges team was different than expected. The announced Claudia Darius was replaced by Władysław Guziuk (Poland), and Ferdinand Huemer (who cancelled his arrival in the last minute due to his illness) by Jerzy Zbyszewski (George Z) from the US. The other two judges were Lenita Perroy (Brasil) and Koenraad Detailleur (Belgium). The judging always provokes very emotional reactions, but this time especially because quite a big for the 10-point scale discrepancies occurred. The judges gave f.ex. from 8 to 10 points for type or from 7 to 9 for head and neck. However, the overall opinion about judging in Białka was positive and the final scores didn’t meet with the audience’s stricture.
The first ones that entered the ring – still in the drizzling rain – were the A group of yearling colts. There was only one who didn’t appear at the show so there were 14 participants. The first notes were quite low (even 32 points). The first horse who really impressed the judges was Michałów-bred Złoty Książę (by Enzo, out of Złota Księga/Ganges) – who, among the habitual guests of breeding inspections, was a favorite to win his class. Strong, well-built, dark bay colt received 41 points, which gave him the first position. The notes gave the second place to FS Bengali son Eternal (out of Ewitacja/Ganges), owned/bred by Mała Wieś Stud. His appearance at the ring raised big
interest as he is the first presented in public Polish offspring of the German-bred stallion imported to Kielnarowa Stud. Eternal did it with a huge charm, receiving three ‘nines’ for movements. So not only the colt’s breeder Jan Głowacki was offered congratulations, but also Czesław Witko, who had imported FS Bengali to Poland. The third position was won by Michałów-bred El Omari, another son of Enzo (out of Embra/Monogramm), the fourth place – by Janów-bred Sabedo (by Ganges, out of Sabina/Pamir), and Epifan (by Psytadel, out of Epimeria/Pesal), owned/bred by Piotr Hełko, was fifth.
In this first class only the winner received over 40 points, and the fifth stallion received only 37,33 points. In the next classes it was very different – among the fillies even 40 points was not enough to enter the final five! The only thing was characteristic for all classes – the points spread reaching even 11 points among the first and the last horse. Today a couple of times the last performing horse was winning the class. That occurred in the B-class of yearling colts. Two horses were withdrawn from this class and one was disqualified due to refusal of cooperation with the handlerthe . 11 horses were evaluated. The winner was flowing over
arena (despite of slippery pavement which wasn’t in favor of good movement) Michałów-bred Chimeryk (by Eryks, out of Chimera/Emigrant). He received five ‘nines’ – two for type and three absolutely deserved for movements, which gave him 42,33 points, although we have to admit that also notes, according to his name, were in this case chimerical: 10-8-10 for type and 9-7-9 for head and neck. This horse definitely was not the Belgian judge’s favorite as he gave him lower notes than the other two judges. ‘Tens’ for Chimeryk were not the first ones that were given on Saturday in Białka – the first highest note was received by Zachary (by Psytadel out of Zeksterna/Ekstern) who had performed before, owned/bred by Czeple Arabians. This colt showed off with a beautiful movement and grace which was applauded broadly (which gave joy to his owner, priest Stanisław Sławiński) and the final
note was 40,33 points (including a “ten” for movements). It allowed him to become third. The second position was surprisingly won by Gerard (by Pegasus, out of Gwarka/Monogramm), owned/bred by Bełżyce Arabians of Agnieszka and Andrzej Wójtowicz. This is the only Pegasus’s offspring who came so far in Białka. The fourth position was won by Wadis (by WH Justice, out of Waresa/Empres), owned/bred by Falborek Arabians, the fifth – by Ersin (by Piruet, out of Epikasja/Werbum), owned/bred by Sowiniec stud (although both had a big loss of points comparing to the first three who scored over 40).
In the next class, the two year old colts section A, all nine enrolled participants arrived. This class became lucky for the Poszepczyński family (Chrcynno-Palace Stud), who triumphed for the first time on Saturday (but not for the last time at the show!), receiving a statuette for the 1st place of the full brother of the multichampion Psyche Victoria, the colt Psyche Ares (by Ekstern, out of Pallas-Atena/Ecaho), who – like Chimeryk in the previous class – was the last to perform. The colt received 41,67 points, however he was performing in an absolute silence
– there was an energy malfunction during the two year old colts’ class and not only the music was off, but the microphone as well, so the results of a couple of last horses were announced by Anna Stojanowska after a brake. This unpleasant surprise caused a certain delay and anxiety about the further proceeding of the show – but the malfunction didn’t repeat. The second place in this class was won by Cerio (by Poganin, out of Cetra/Eldon), owned/bred by Jean-Marie Popiel’s Kurozwęki Stud, Poster (by Ekstern, out of Parella/Arbil) from Kielnarowa Stud was third, Fascyt (by Ekstern, out of Firosetta/Eldon), bred by priest Stanisław Sławiński, owned by Magdalena and Robert Rudziński, was fourth. The first five was closed by Almelo (by El Nabila B, out of Altea/Eukaliptus), also with a big point loss to the leaders.
The triumph in the B-class of two year old colts (9 participants) was for Janów Podlaski State Stud, due to Albano, another Enzo son in this show (by Alena/Emigrant). With 41,33 points he outdistanced the rivals. Michałów-bred Embellon (by Poganin, out of Embella/Monogramm),
who became second, received 39,67 points. The third position was won again by Janów-bred Wandalin (by Ekstern, out of Wanilia/Allegro), while the host’s horse, Białka-bred Esteron (by Salar, out of Estrelia/Pamir) was 4th. Fifth place was for the only private-bred colt in the first five, Emilio (by Etnodrons Psyche, out of Ensena/Expo), owned/bred by Petroniusz Frejlich.
The favorite among the three year old colts (10 participants) was Panicz (by Gaspar, out of Pelisa/Europejczyk), owned/bred by Monika Luft and he won this competition, although this time he didn’t show his outstanding movement. However, high notes for type and head and neck (three ‘nines’ each time) decided that the final note was over 40 points (40,67) and that
he became first. A Gazal Al Shaqab son, American-bred Ali Gazal LA (by Yermeh Sangayla, out of Gay Laddin) owned by Kielnarowa Stud, was just after him. Another spectacular Gaspar son (the second one in the final five) Elsati (by Ezla, out of Wojsław), bred by Wojciech Janowski, owned by Przemysław Janowski, became third. Fourth position went to Chrcynno-Palace Stud, and it was won by Echo Apollo (by Piaff, out of Echo Kallisto/Pamir). The rate was closed by Askar, also a Piaff son (out of Aliara/Europejczyk), bred and owned by Sowiniec Stud.
The next class – group A of yearling fillies (16 participants) – was the one that was called the ‘class of death’. There was a very high level and very high grades which caused that even 40 points was not enough to enter the final five. The first ten points (for type) was given to a Psytadel daughter Gadnes (out of Gracea/Etogram), owned and bred by Jan Głowacki. The final note of 40 points was enough only to become third in the class. But it could not be different as the winner, the daughter of the champion mare Palmira/Monogramm, hoary
Parmana by Al Maraam, owned/bred by Michałów State Stud, received the whole bunch of ‘tens’ for type! Three ‘nines’ for head and neck and three ‘nines’ more for movements gave her an excellent result of 43 points. It was impossible to beat, although there wasn’t a big difference between the first and second place – 10-10-9 for type and three ‘nines’ for head and neck and movement. These great notes were given to Michałów-bred Wieża Róż (by Ekstern, out of Wieża Babel/Laheeb) – the final grade: 42,33. El Piatzolla (by WH Justice, out of Enya/Ekstern), owned/bred by Z.P.H. Strusinianka, who became fifth in her class during the last week championship in Wels in Austria, was fourth this time. The fifth place was won by Janów-bred Penta (by Ecaho, out of Pepina/Pilot). A‘10’ for type was not enough for Farah-Darina (by Poganin, out of Farah-Cegranta/Emigrant), bred/owned by Andrzej Ou, in order to enter the final five – maybe because the judges were not compliant in this case – the other notes were 8 and 9, and a similar difference was also in the grades for head and neck: 9-7-9.
Another class of yearling fillies had 15 participants. This time, just like in the three year old colts class, the best was Gaspar’s offspring, Michałów-bred bay Flaminia (out of Filistra/ Gazal Al Shaqab), who with 10 points for movements and with final note 42,00 beat Psyche Kybele (by Khidar, out of Pomona/Ekstern) from Chrcynno-Palace Stud. Ewilena (by Ekstern, out of Ewina/Wojsław), owned/bred by Michałów State Stud, with three ‘10’ – for type and movements (41 points), became third. Janów-bred Pilarosa (by Al Adeed Al Shaqab, out of Pilar/Fawor) was classified on the fourth position, while on the fifth – another horse, after Emilio, from Petroniusz Frejlich’s stud, El Hajfa (by Etnodrons Psyche, out of El Habiba/Ecaho).
Saturday’s last class was the C-group of yearling fillies (16 participants), and it turned out to be a huge triumph of Chrcynno-Palace Stud. The full Psyche Victoria’s sister Psyche Kreuza (by Ekstern, out of Pallas Atena/Ecaho), beautifully shown by Alicja Poszepczyńska, didn’t give any chance to her rivals. She received six „tens”: for type, head and neck and movements. The final note, 43,33, was the day’s (and the show’s) highest one. The results confirmed that
matching Ekstern with the Ecaho daughter Pallas-Atena is a real ‘golden cross’. The next positions in the final five were won by fillies from the state studs. The second place was given to Janów Podlaski, due to a Ganges daughter Alegra (out of Alena/Emigrant), who was given two „tens” for movements and ended the competition with 42,00 points. Third, fourth and fifth place were taken by Ekstern daughters: Pustynna Malwa (out of Pustynna Róża/Emigrant), with one „ten” for the type, Lawinia (out of Luanda/Emigrant), with one „ten” for movements and Mesalina (out of Mata Hari/Werbum), with one „10” for type. The last one hit the deck on a slippery pavement which looked rather serious. Fortunately nothing happened and the filly didn’t suffer any injury.
After the first day of the show a very strong presence of Ekstern (two triumphs of his offspring in the classes and numerous positions in the fives) shall be noticed. Enzo had a very good performance (two victories and one third place of his offspring) and Gaspar (also two victories and a final five). A quite numerously represented WH Justice had two of his offspring in the first fives, but there was no victory. Al Maraam was represented by the Palmira’s offspring, although in this case the mother’s quality „guaranteed” the daughter’s position. The Michałów (four victories) and Chrcynno-Palace (two victories) studs can also have reasons to be content. The titles won in Białka have a great meaning in the future – they often decide the future career of the awarded horses.
The coverage of Sunday competition is coming soon!
