As every year, traditionally, the show season in Poland began at Białka Stud with the Junior Spring Show, which took place on June 8-9, 2024 and was the 34th edition of the event.
A total of 92 horses were entered, including 28 colts and 64 fillies, and their beauty was assessed by a panel of judges composed of: Bérengère Fayt from Belgium, Bruce McRea from the USA, Jonas Salzman from Germany and Łukasz Goździalski from Poland. They were accompanied by DC members: Bart Beckers (Belgium), Farhang Fazeli (Iran), Anna Winiecka, Monika Szpura and Anna Mikuła from Poland. Joanna Krawczyk, who was making her debut in this role, kept order in the ring, and the show was also hosted by Paweł Grzechnik, who was making his debut as an announcer, and it must be admitted that both of them proved themselves in their new roles.
On Saturday morning, two series (although not very numerous) of yearling colt classes started this year’s edition of the show in Białka. 15 horses were entered in this age category, and in the end we saw 10 of them. Series A was won by the bay Partes (Dominic M – Protekcja by Ekstern) from Michałów, scoring 91.5 points, which is the highest score among yearling colts. Despite this, he had to settle for a silver medal in Sunday’s championships. Right behind him in the class, and then also in the championship, was the bay Poker Move (RFI Unique – Plivia by Kahil Al Shaqab), bred at Klikowa Arabians. Poker Move is a full brother to last year’s Polish Champion – Poker Face KL, although it must be admitted that his quality is still inferior to his brother. By an almost unanimous decision of the judges, the gold medal and the first place on the podium, deservedly, went to the winner of class IB – the grey, delicate in type, eye-catching colt Comoros (HL El Ganador – Cedora by Kahil Al Shaqab), who definitely stands out from the rest of the pack, bred and owned by Janów Podlaski. The Top Five of the championship was completed by the graduates of Michałów: the second place winner in class IB, the bay Egner (Promoteusz – Emdrona by Medalion) and the third place winner in class IA, the grey Palafit (AJ Azzam – Palanga by Ekstern).

The junior colts presented themselves in two classes and we saw a total of ten 2-year-old horses in class II and only three 3-year-old horses in class III. One colt stood out in each age group and they fought for the first place on the podium in Sunday’s championship. In the class of 2-year-old colts, everyone’s attention was undoubtedly drawn to the “typical Rasheem” bred and owned by Alsaqran Arabian Horse Stud – the bay SQ Helal (FA El Rasheem – SQ Miss Enzo by ES Harir). He scored 92.63 points (one of two of the highest scores in the show), including 2×20 for type, unanimously chosen as the gold champion of junior colts and the Best In Show stallion on Sunday! The silver medal of the championship went to the above-mentioned winner of the three-year-old stallions class, the phenomenal, very masculine grey Elon KL (QR Marc – Erigone by Ekstern), bred and owned by Klikowa Arabians. Elon KL is a full brother of Efora KL, the European Junior Champion from 2020, and Elon KL himself was chosen Polish National Yearling Silver Champion Colt in 2022, so it seems that repeating this mating was a bull’s-eye. The last place on the podium and the silver medal went to the third place winner in the two-year-old colts class, Gladius SA (Dominic M – Ginessa by Shanghai E.A.), known from last year, “always second”, bred and owned by Waldemar Bąk. Behind the podium, the Top Five was completed by the second place winners in their classes – the grey Palissander SW (Raoud Albidayer – Pilarosa by Al Adeed Al Shaqab) bred by Suweco Stud, owned by Polia Arabians and the bay, another graduate of Klikowa Arabians – Will KL (Dominic M – Wieża Czarów after Vitorio TO).
The classes of yearling horses in Białka, whether colts or fillies, are probably the most interesting due to the fact that these are the first public performances of the youngest generation of Arabian horses bred in Poland, although it should be mentioned that it is the fillies that attract the most attention, because in the future they will be the basis of the breeding thought of Polish breeders. It cannot be denied that the level of fillies has been noticeably higher and more equal than that of colts for years. In the yearling fillies championship, as in the case of junior colts, the judges were unanimous in their choices, and slight differences of opinion appeared only when selecting horses for the bronze medal.

Finally, on all steps of the podium at Sunday’s championships were the winners of each of the yearling fillies classes, although in a different order than they presented themselves to the public during Saturday’s competition. The winner of the A series – another graduate of Klikowa Arabians, the grey, delicate and breathtaking El Lyrica (Lyric E.A. – Erskina by Kahil Al Shaqab) was unanimously chosen as the silver champion of the Białka show. In the class, she narrowly overtook the daughter of the phenomenal Pustynia Kahila (Kahil Al Shaqab – Pustynna Malwa by Ekstern) – the bay Perlita (by Erantis), bred in Michałów. Both fillies scored the same number of points (91.38), but El Lyrica received higher marks for type and therefore won her class. The B series and the bronze medal of the championship were won by Elzoya, bred at Janów Podlaski Stud, the grey, extremely delicate type, eye-catching daughter of the legendary Prometeusz (FA El Shawan – Pianissima by Gazal Al Shaqab) and the wonderful Euzona (Om El Bellissimo – Euzetia by Ethogram). Series C unveiled the undisputed favorite of the yearling fillies championship. First place in the class with a score of 92.00 (1×20 for type, 1×20 for head and neck) and a gold medal were awarded to the grey filly Anagramma (Picasso Di Mar – Aminata by Abyad AA), bred at Janów Podlaski Stud. Anagramma is definitely a horse that is and will be talked about, as she was also awarded the title of Best In Show Filly. We are looking forward to her next performances. Right behind her in the class was the winner of the fourth place in the championship, who was nominated for the bronze medal, the beautiful bay El Alihandra (EKS Alihandro x Enrida by Ekstern), bred and owned by Paweł Dobrzyński. The Top Five of the championship was closed by the bay Doris Star (D Zeidan x Doris Fame by Enzo) from the stud farm of Tomasz Tarczyński, third in the IVC class, also nominated by one judge for the bronze medal.

The classes for two-year-old and three-year-old fillies probably brought the most emotions, because the judges in these classes most willingly awarded 20s, although still quite sparingly as compared to previous Białka shows. The two-year-old fillies were divided into three series and they selected the winners of the first five places in Sunday’s championship. Unfortunately, none of the three-year-old fillies made it to the top five at this year’s show.

The A series of two-year-old fillies was confidently won by the almost white Wildonara (Paris – Wildona by Shanghai E.A.), a graduate of Michałów Stud, with a score of 91.63 points (including 2×20 for head and neck). Unfortunately, she was only fourth in the championship, although two judges nominated her for a silver medal. Series B belonged to the Polia Arabians bred and owned by Adam Ochman – grey Katarina AO (Raoud Albidayer x Kadira of Sinus by Fadi Al Shaqab), who matures beautifully (which is my subjective opinion, because it is definitely my type) and after becoming loose in the ring, she presented herself to the judges as if “nothing happened”, and received 91.63 points, including 1×20 for movement, which resulted in her overtaking the bay from Janów Podlaski, known from last year Ebonita (Haash OSB x Etruzja by Pogrom). Despite this, Katarina AO finished in the Top Five in the championships, and Ebonita took the bronze medal for junior fillies to her home stud (two nominations for silver and one for bronze). Once again, the C series uncovered the gold medalist of the championship. The junior filly gold medal went to the bay Wencedora (Haash OSB – Wiga by Om El Bellissimo), bred and owned by Janów Podlaski Stud, who, next to the previously mentioned SQ Helal, scored the same, highest number of points in the show, i.e. 92.63 (1×20, 3×19.5 for the type, 1×20 for the head and neck). Wencedora matures nicely, catches the eye and makes you “want to see more of her”, in addition, she also received an award for the best legs in the show. Second place in the VC class and the silver medal of the championship was awarded to the delicate and, nomen omen, elegant Elegantia (AJ Azzam – Ellissima by Albedo), who comes from Michałów Stud. In the class she scored 92.00 points (for type 4×19, 5, for head and neck 4×19.5 and for movement 2×20, 2×19.5) and was honored with the award for the best movement of the show.
Unfortunately, none of the presented three-year-old fillies was recognized by the judges in the championships, but as a journalist it is worth mentioning that this class was won by Espajlita M (AJ Elaf – Espaja by Aja Justified), known from previous seasons, who scored 91.00 points, and was bred and belongs to Piotr Podgórny M Arabians. Right behind her was the bay Belluci (Star Farid – Bella La Fuerte by Fuerte) bred and owned by Wojciech Parczewski, and the third place went to the pitch-black Nezha Blacklady (Wadee Al Shaqab – Namirah KA by Tajj) from Black Lady Arabians of Anna Janas- Naze.

The award for the best head of the show was given to the filly Paelia (EKS Farajj – Pawita by WH Justice), bred by Lech Błaszczyk and owned by Marek Łukaszewski.
Another Junior Spring Show in Białka has gone down in history. There are opinions that it is a championship that you should be at, because it is, but it no longer attracts people with its atmosphere, has a modest setting and catering facilities. For me, shows are primarily a chance to observe, admire the beauty of horses, and escape from everyday life. And I wish this approach to everyone. See you in Tarnów!