Beautiful horses, hundreds of local spectators from the city of Tarnów in the stands and around the showring, championships worthy of the Polish Nationals… That’s why the words “We did it again !” came to my mind when on Sunday afternoon, just before the end of the show, all those who had worked for many months to organise the 4th edition of All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship in Tarnów appeared in the ring. I’ll start at the end and work my way up to the beginning.
The sight of the ring filled with people receiving their thanks was testament to the fact that it takes the effort and a lot of arduous work of a huge team to prepare such an event. Everyone contributed to its success, from partners and sponsors to the core organisers, and even the technical staff. It’s important to remember that crucial preparations took place, among other things, before the event began, when temperatures in the city almost reached 40°C. This is why even greater recognition is due to all those who once again made Tarnów the capital of the Arabian horse on the first weekend of July. In times that are not always easy for organisers of such events, the success of the Tarnovian show is perhaps even more satisfying.
One of the cherries on top of this delicious cake was the prize-giving ceremony of the senior mares B-class at the European Show, which had a rather unique setting. Alongside the honorary patron of the show, Tarnów’s Mayor Jakub Kwaśny, the prizes were presented by Alberto Felice De Toni, Mayor of the Italian city of Udine. His presence was by no means accidental. A few days earlier, both cities had officially sealed their partnership, continuing the cooperation initiated with a letter of intent signed in September 2025. This is a pleasant touch, demonstrating that the Tarnów championships are increasingly becoming an integral part of international promotion of the city. When asked about this, Tarnów’s Deputy Mayor Maciej Włodek told me: “A true gem of international significance has grown in Tarnów”. And it’s hard to find a more apt summary of the four editions of this event.
Behind the scenes of the fourth edition
The event was organised as always by the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association, this time together with their partners: the Klikowska Ostoja Polskich Koni Foundation and Klikowa Arabians Stud of the Rzepka Family, and the Małopolska bakery and confectionery icon, Strusinianka, run by the Błaszkiewicz Family. One of the greatest strengths of the Tarnów show remains its recognisable formula. The organisers consistently cultivate the elements that have become its hallmark over the past four editions, perfecting the formula on the go: two shows held within one weekend, classes under saddle, an amateur class, a charity auction, and events that bring the entire community together, such as the Polish Dumplings Festival and the Breeders’ Evening. At the same time, as they themselves emphasise, they don’t like to fall into routine and strive to surprise attendees with something new every year. This year was no exception.
The first amendment to last year’s event was the extended duration of the show. For the first time, the event was spread over three days, instead of two, as in previous editions. This slowed down the agenda eliminating the constant need to race against time. The show two years ago may have lasted four days, but back then, Thursday was a DC course for a select few, and Friday was dedicated to experimental endurance race.
Another distinguishing feature of the Tarnów show is the attention to the smallest details. What from a distance appears to be a light and airy affair is actually an intricate construction combining dozens of elements. Only up close does it become clear why so many hands are needed in the preparation phase – and just how well-oiled this machine is. This was evident, for example, in the carefully prepared VIP area, which combined elegant decorations with a comfortable space for relaxation.
Art also remains an integral part of the Tarnów show. Guests were once again able to marvel at the ceramic works crafted by Tomasz Mrozowski and watercolour paintings by Małgorzata Świertok, whose distinctive style has graced for several years now the covers of catalogues not only of the All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship in Tarnów, but also the Junior Spring Show in Białka Stud.
Speaking of art, it’s impossible to ignore the… cakes and pastry. Strusinianka once again proved that confectionery can be an art too. The day before the show began, a teaser video appeared on their social media showing the process of creating sweets, prepared especially for the occasion of the horse show. Each element was handmade, and the perfecting touch was a subtle dusting of edible gold. The effect was stunning. I’m sure all the guests enjoyed those sweet delicacies and perhaps even ate more than they thought they would.
However, many more culinary delights awaited us. Apart from sweets and delicious lunch, there were snacks, fresh sushi, aromatic coffee, various teas, and an open bar. Friday’s Dumpling Festival traditionally encouraged initial conversations and reunions upon arrival in Tarnów, while Saturday’s Breeders’ Evening, once the excitement of two days of competition had subsided, provided an excellent opportunity for networking and socialising in a fully informal atmosphere.
Another new addition to this year’s edition was the duo of presenters. Mirosław Kołodziej, whose voice has graced Arabian horse shows in Poland for more than a decade, was joined by Diana Bovoloni from Italy. This was an excellent improvement, as three days of almost uninterrupted commentary may present quite a challenge. It was also clear from the beginning that the presenters quickly established a great relationship, as the announcements were characterised by humour and delightful lightness.
Facts and numbers
There were two sets of judges – one for each show. The horses at the European Show were judged by Antonia Bautista (Spain), Joseph Polo (United States), and Anna Żak (Poland). The International B Show was judged by Claudia Darius (Germany), Eric Gear (France), Renata Schibler (Switzerland), Irina Stigler (Italy), and Anna Stefaniuk (Poland). And don’t forget: at last year’s show, Anna Stefaniuk was honoured with the “Arabian Prometheus” award for her contribution to Polish Arabian horse breeding. Who received this prestigious distinction this year? More on that in a moment, but for now, let’s focus on the horses. A total of 128 entries (a record!) were entered in both shows: 70 for the European and 58 for the International B.
Among the state studs, Michałów led the way, winning a total of 10 medals and two Best in Show titles in both shows. Janów Podlaski finished the competition with six medals, clearly rebuilding its position after the June show in Białka. Białka, on the other hand, once again demonstrated the extraordinary strength of its youngest generation: two gold medals and the Best in Show title were won by horses that had triumphed at the Białka Junior Spring Show just a month earlier. Private breeders also put on an excellent performance, winning a total of eighteen medals. Klikowa Arabians Stud and Dąbrówka Stud had the most reasons to celebrate – the Rzepka and Parys families won three medals each, as did Wojciech Parczewski with two medals.
The medallists also received a number of attractive prizes. Among them was a breeding to the stallion Faiz Al Bahya (Antaris OS – AJ Fekra / Marwan Al Shaqab), intended for the medallists of the junior and senior mare championships at the International B show. The prize was sponsored by Tarfah Stud from the United Arab Emirates, whose representative attended the show.
Each medallist of the International B show also received a financial prize of 400 euro and a free entry to this year’s World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme in Paris, sponsored by Global Champions Arabians Tour, the Qatari partners of All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship. Free entry to the World Championships in Paris was also awarded to all gold medallists of the European show.
Charity auction – a record that brings double joy
One of the most beautiful elements of the Tarnów show remains the charity auction. It unites the world of Arabian horse breeding with the idea of helping those who need it most.
Last year, we summarised the first three auctions, which raised nearly a quarter of a million złoty in total. The fourth edition of this initiative demonstrated that charity hasn’t spoken its last word yet. Fifteen breedings by valued stallions from three different continents were auctioned, along with works by artists already well-known to show participants – a watercolour by Małgorzata Świertok and a ceramic piece by Tomasz Mrozowski. This year’s auction broke another record, raising nearly 36,000€, or almost 160,000 złoty. This means that the total amount raised during the four editions has now exceeded 400,000 złoty! This result perfectly demonstrates the immense power of this initiative.
This year’s funds will be donated in half to the Tarnów-based “Ich Lepsze Jutro” Association, which provides care for children with varying degrees of disability. What was new was the debut of Filippo Tormena from Italy as auctioneer. The charismatic and cheerful Italian young gentleman expertly led the subsequent bids, and entrusting him with the role of auctioneer proved to be a wise decision.
At this year’s auction AB Bandar (D Seraj – Priscilla OS / Poseidon OS) was most popular, whose breeding reached 5,000€. The stallion Hamed Sarm (Royal Asad – Treasure AS / Titan AS) came second, as he went for 4,900€. The breeding of Bel Melih (Exagon OS – Bel Mayleen / AJ Mardan) reached the price of 4,800€. And a breeding to EKS Farajj (Ibn Farid – EKS Bint Helwah / Laheeb) was purchased for the amount of 4,000€.
Artworks also attracted considerable interest. The watercolour by Małgorzata Świertok fetched 1,100€, while the ceramic mosaic by Tomasz Mrozowski was sold for 650€.
With each successive edition, the auction increasingly demonstrates that it has become more than just an item on the agenda to be done with quickly. Year after year, it unites Arabian horse breeders and enthusiasts around a common goal. Successive records are the best proof that charity is something that people still hold dear and their help is sincere. Part of the proceeds from the auction will also be donated to the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association, earmarked for next year’s event.
Off we go!
Friday and Saturday brought the perfect weather for the show. Sunday afternoon on the other hand was a completely different story. The organisers tried to take advantage of every rain-free moment, but the downpour ultimately didn’t spare Tarnów, and the final championships were held in an almost torrential rain. The storm even temporarily shut down the sound system. Mirosław Kołodziej, with his trademark sense of humour, entered the VIP area and announced that if the microphone wouldn’t be fixed pronto, he would be forced to do the commentary using nothing but his vocal cords. Fortunately, the problem was quickly resolved. All right – we’ve learned the behind-the-scenes details of this year’s edition, so it’s high time we moved on to what’s most exciting: the competition in the ring.
EUROPEAN SHOW
Yearlings – surprises and sure bets
The eagerly awaited first ‘20’ arrived super early. At 3:00 pm sharp, Friday’s competition began with the yearling colts, divided into two classes. Ultimately, seven young boys entered the arena.
Following his success in Białka, many observers turned their attention to Hologram (Elshaan – Hilajla / Medalion). The Białka-bred colt did not disappoint this time either. He showed last in Class B but finished first with a score of 91.83 points. The result included a maximum mark for movement, two 19.5-point scores in this category, and a full set of 19.5-point marks for type. This improved his result from a month ago.
In the championship, two of the three judges selected Hologram as the best yearling colt, which translated into a gold medal. The third judge chose the Class A winner, Janów’s Prorok (Ptolemeusz – Pregoła / Vitorio TO), who had previously scored 91 points, including a full 19.5 points for movement. Ultimately, Prorok finished the competition with a silver medal, much to the satisfaction of the Janów team.
This is the second time this season that Elshaan’s offspring have made headlines. Following Permina’s gold medal in Białka, Hologram also confirmed that this stallion’s offspring had an exceptionally successful start to this year’s show season. Will the coming months also belong to his children? We’ll know the answer soon enough.
The biggest surprise, however, came in the fight for bronze. Once again, championships proved to have their own rules. The medal went to Wan Mor (Morion – Wan Cara / Medalion), bred by Jerzy Chrapkowski. Interestingly, the colt finished third in his class with a score of 89.67 points, but in the finals, he won over two of the three judges, allowing him to advance to the third place on the podium.
Thus, the colts that took second place in their classes remained without medals: Lazaro KL (Exagon OS – Eos Leilanee / Shanghai EA) from Klikowa Arabians Stuf, scored 90.67 points, and El Pablo (Dominic M – El Soraya / Wadee Al Shaqab), bred by Wojciech Parczewski and owned by Bogdan Maślanka, who scored 90.17 points. While guessing what the final results might be, I even managed to jot down the word “bronze” next to El Pablo in my catalogue. As practice shows, however, predicting the judges’ decisions in a championship can be an extremely perplexing task.
There is only one queen
Yearling fillies competed in three classes, with a total of fourteen young competitors entering the ring. The strongest class was Class B, which produced the eventual gold medallist.
From the moment the fillies entered the arena, it was clear that “there was only one queen indeed”. Białka’s Permina (Elshaan – Permarita / Morion) proudly came in with her tail held high and exuded confidence from the very first moment. Her excellent presentation translated into a high score of 92.5 points, which included a ‘20’ for type. This was also the second ‘20’ earned by a yearling from Białka Stud that day at this year’s show.
Second place in the class was taken by the grey Wieszczka (Ptolemeusz – Witeria / Empire) from Michałów Stud, who scored 91.33 points. Fun fact: her name in Polish means “prophetess”.
There were no major changes in the championship. This time, the class results were almost entirely reflected in the finals, which, as we’ve already noted, isn’t always the case. Permina won the gold medal by unanimous decision, repeating her success in Białka a month earlier. The silver medal went to Wieszczka.
The bronze medal went to Palatynka PA (Raoud Al Bidayer – Palatina / QR Marc) from Dąbrówka Stud. Her 91 points were the third-highest score among all yearling fillies and a perfect example of how much can change in just a month. At the Junior Show in Białka, this promising filly finished only sixth in her class.
When a full tie just isn’t enough
In the junior stallions competition, an extremely rare event occurred. In Class B, two stallions achieved an identical final score of 92 points. Furthermore, the judges also awarded them identical scores for type and movement, with both scoring a full set of 19.5 points.
In situations like these, the regulations provide a special solution. The Disciplinary Committee sets up a draw during which a random judge is selected, whose scores in the class determine the winner, based on which horse the drawn judge scored higher. This time, Palatyn PA (Morion – Prasada PA / Empire), bred by the Parys Family, had better scored. Second place went to the grey Złoty Potok (KA Nabras – Złota Wstęga / Empire) who fought for Michałów Stud at the show.
After an extremely close competition in class, nobody had any doubts in the finals. The barely two-year-old Palatyn PA, bred in the western reaches of the Lublin region, won his third gold medal by unanimous decision, and the fifth overall in his career. Złoty Potok took the silver medal, extending Michałów Stud’s medal tally. His name in Polish means “a golden stream”.
The bronze medal was won by the winner of the A class of junior stallions, El Promeusz of Sinus (Ptolemeusz – El Dora of Sinus / Ekstern), bred and owned by Sinus Arabstuteri from Sweden, who had previously scored 91.83 points in his class. The founder of the stud farm, Annika Öbrink is a huge fan of Polish breeding, which not only is clearly visible in the horses she breeds, but she also regularly attends almost every show on our side of the Baltic Sea.
Michałów takes two (medals)
In the junior fillies championship, only representatives of state studs competed for the top honours. However, the fate of the top two podium places was decided by horses from Michałów.
Two grey KA Nabras daughters earned the two highest scores of all the finalists. Zazzera, out of the mare Zigi Zana by QR Marc, scored the highest: 92.67 points. The judges awarded her two maximum marks for type and movement, and two scores of 19.5 points each in both categories. As the presenters revealed, her name means “uncombed hair” in Italian – one wonders what motivated Team Michałów to name her like that…
The second highest score of 92.17 points went to Wiosenna Przygoda (“the spring adventure”) out of Wiosenna Róża by Empire. The filly received the maximum score for movement and two 19.5-point scores in this category. If KA Nabras had been watching the livestream, he would’ve been really happy with his kids’ performances. Based on how they did in class, it was hard to expect a different outcome: the gold and silver medals went to Michałów. Reportedly, Joe Polo was delighted with Nabras’s offspring after the championships, clearly intrigued by their quality.
The third highest score of 91.83 points belonged to Perswazja KL (Lyric E.A. – Pegala PS / Gazal Al Shaqab) from Klikowa Arabians Stud, the winner of Section C. The filly received two maximum marks for movement and 19.5 across the board for type. This time, however, the high mark in class was not reflected in the championship. The bronze medal went to the winner of Section A, the Janów-bred two-year-old Piamenta (Mutabahi Al Hawajer – Pamina / Pogrom), who previously scored 91.17 points.
One deals the cards, the other breaks the bank
The senior stallion class was one of the smallest at this year’s show, with only five entrants. However, present was the well-known and highly decorated stallion Poker Face KL (RFI Unique – Plivia / Kahil Al Shaqab) from Tarnów’s very own Klikowa Arabians Stud. He received the highest score in the class: 92 points. This result was based on, among other things, a maximum score for movement, two 19.5-point scores in this category, and a full complement of 19.5-point scores for type.
Agadez (Magic Magnifique – Adelita / Kahil Al Shaqab), who is equally well-known to the public, came second. This time, the Janów-bred stallion decided to break the bank for movement, receiving straight 20s, much to the delight of his owner and handler, Karol Makowski. Ultimately, he finished the competition with a score of 91.17 points.
Third place with a score of 90.67 points went to MM Shalimar (MM Jabari – MM Santana / RFI Farid), bred at the Austrian stud farm of Mario Matt, the former world alpine skiing champion. The stallion is now owned by Adam Ochman and Polia Arabians. There was no room for disagreement in Sunday’s championship. The judges were completely unanimous in choosing the gold, silver, and bronze medallists. Gold went to Poker Face KL, silver to MM Shalimar, and bronze to Agadez.
Crème de la crème
A glance at the catalogue and the list of senior mares alone promised a top-notch spectacle, reminiscent of the Polish Nationals in Janów Podlaski every August. Suffice to say, we weren’t at all disappointed… The three highest-scoring fillies surpassed the 92-point mark, and it was between them that the fight for the full set of medals was decided.
Michałów’s Elegantia (AJ Azzam – Ellissima / Albedo) received the highest score of 92.83 points. This four-year-old literally “hovered” to victory, receiving a full complement of maximum marks for movement, as well as two ‘20s” for type and one for head and neck. It’s hard to imagine a more apt name. The Latin word “elegantia” means elegance, refinement, and good taste, qualities that Elegantia easily demonstrated in the ring, winning the gold medal.
The second highest score, 92.67 points, was awarded to Janów’s Antyfona (Haash OSB – Anima / Ekstern). The judges awarded her three ‘20s’: one each for type, head and neck, and movement. In the championship, she confirmed her high class, winning the silver medal.
The third highest score, 92.33 points, belonged to another Janów Podlaski-bred, the exceptionally striking Wencedora (Haash OSB – Wiga / Om El Bellissimo). The mare received two ‘20s”: for type, and head and neck. However, the bronze medal did not add to the Janów Podlaski Stud’s achievements. Since last year’s Pride of Poland auction, Wencedora has been the pride of Edward Sieciński’s Andryjanki Stud. As Mirosław Kołodziej aptly reminded during the award ceremony, her Spanish name (spelled vencedora) means “winner”. This bay four-year-old consistently proves in the show ring that she is more than just a mare with a Mediterranean-sounding name.
INTERNATIONAL B SHOW
Private breeders for the win
The yearling fillies championship was dominated by youth from private studs. Palomira KL (Exagon OS – Porta KL / QR Marc), a bay filly from Klikowa Arabians Stud, received four maximum marks and a score of 19.5 points for movement, which translated into a high score of 91.7 points and victory in Class A. In the final, she faced the winner of Class B, the eye-catching grey Wild Hope TT (KA Nabras – Wild Lady KA / QR Marc), bred at Tomasz Tarczyński’s Grabów nad Pilica Arabian Horse Stud, who received a slightly lower score of 91.4 points. The final decision was made by a 3-2 vote. Three of the five judges selected Palomira, while two saw Wild Hope as the gold medallist. Therefore, the gold medal went to the Rzepka Family, while the silver to the Tarczyński Family.
The bronze medal went to a filly who advanced to the finals only from the third place in Class A, albeit with a high score of 90.9 points. Her scorecard was particularly noteworthy, receiving both the maximum score for movement and… 18.5 points, with the remaining scores totalling 19.5 points. She is the bay youngster Panella PA (Rhan Al Shahania – Parisana PA / Excalibur E.A.), bred by Agata and Piotr Parys, founders of Dąbrówka Stud.
Egidijus takes gold
Among the small group of one-year-old boys, the Michałów-bred colts clearly outshone their rivals. Egidijus (Ptolemeusz – Emandonna / Ascot DD) put on an excellent performance, earning 91.6 points. Three ‘20s’ and two 19.5s for movement, as well as a full complement of 19.5s for type, spoke for themselves. Just behind him finished his stablemate, this year’s bronze medallist at the Białka Junior Spring Show, Edgeley (Erantis – Emiremia / Morion). The colt received 91 points, including a ‘20’ for movement.
Egidijus won, while Edgeley added silver to the bronze he won a month earlier in Białka. The bronze medal went to the grey Markiz (Adwan Al Sheikh – Mandoria / Psytadel) from Wojciech Parczewski’s stud, who received 89.7 points.
Class versus championship
A filly from Janów, the fantastic Parabella (Prometeusz – Pregoła / Vitorio TO), representing Klikowa Arabians Stud, literally broke the bank earning a full set of ‘20s’ for movement! She won the three-year-old fillies class with a score of 92.2 points, the highest of any junior filly. It was all the more surprising that she failed to come close to a medal finish in the championship.
Right behind her, with a score of 91.6 points, was Psyche Roksana (Picasso Di Mar – Psyche Ofelia / Echo Adonis), bred and owned by Chrcynno-Palace Stud of the Poszepczyński Family. In the final, however, the tables turned, and it was she who took the bronze medal, leaving Tarnów with a place on the podium.
The winners of classes A and B competed for gold and silver. Six ‘20s’: two for type and four for head and neck, gave the mare Marsylia (D Mezyan – Magnumka / Magnum Psyche), bred and owned by Wojciech Parczewski, victory in class A with a score of 92.1 points. The filly thus significantly improved her result from Białka a month ago, where she was rated 90.67 points.
Four ‘20s’: one for type and three for movement, went to the winner of Class B, the Michałów-bred Fidelia (Petrus PA – Fortecja / El Omari), who also finished the class with a score of 92.1 points. In the final, the two fillies almost unanimously shared the top two steps of the podium. The gold medal went to Marsylia, the silver to Fidelia.
The clash of Mutabahi’s sons
The competition between two- and three-year-old stallions featured an exciting duel between two sons of Mutabahi Al Hawajer, one bred in Janów Podlaski, the other in Michałów. Interestingly, both received identical scores of 91.2 points, the highest in their age group. Victory in Class A was determined by a higher score for movement. Michałów’s Patras (out of Pustynia Kahila by Kahil Al Shaqab) received two ‘20s’ and three 19.5-point scores in this category, overtaking the very promising Janów-bred Eskwilin, out of Etruzja by Pogrom.
The final, however, wrote a completely different scenario. While the class belonged to Patras, the championship belonged to Eskwilin. The boy from Janów took the gold medal and the championship title, while Patras had to acknowledge the superiority of two rivals from class B. The silver medal went to the chestnut Ameer Al Bahya (AJ Radman – Aja Aphrodite / WH Justice), bred by Ajman Stud and owned by Sultan Mohammed Sultan Bin Hassan Alshamsi. He advanced to the championship as the winner of Class B with a score of 90.9 points.
The bronze medal went to the bay horse Elamir Sahir (Sameh Al Shahania – Escobaria / Calatorio) from the breeding programme of Łukasz Czech, who scored 90 points. The breeder’s joy was fully justified. It’s worth noting that last year, this colt as a yearling had won the gold medal at the Emirates Arabian Horse Global Cup Poland in Janów Podlaski and silver at GCAT Prague, while this year he also took home silver from Dutch Arabian Masters.
The star that shines brightest: Ekarosa
A whopping ten ‘20s’ and an impressive score of 93 points! This was the result achieved by the phenomenal Ekarosa (Paris – Emandoria / Gazal Al Shaqab), trained by Paweł Kozikowski of JP Training Center. As befits the daughter of a Platinum Champion dam and granddaughter of a Platinum Champion sire, the Michałów-bred princess not only received the highest score at both Tarnów shows and won gold but also topped the whole thing with the Best in Show title. It was a true hat trick!
I must admit that already at last year’s show in Janów Podlaski, it was hard to take one’s eyes off her. In Tarnów, Ekarosa also captivated the audience, treating them to a true spectacle of class and elegance. The Best in Show winner received exceptional awards: a painting donated by Magdalena Muraszko-Kowalska, a medal by Tomasz Mrozowski, and a richly decorated, bejewelled halter crafted by Arquetta. Awards worthy of true royalty…
Second place in the first of three senior mare classes, with a score of 92.5 points, went to Janów’s Ebonita (Haash OSB – Etruzja / Pogrom). Her score included five ‘20s’: four for head and neck and one for type. This noble lady’s medal haul is becoming increasingly impressive. In 2023, as a yearling, she won the titles of Gold Champion Filly in Białka and European Silver Champion Mare. A year later, she became Bronze Champion Mare in Białka, and in Tarnów, she added another bronze medal to her collection. Astute readers will also have noticed that Etruzja is also the dam of the aforementioned gold medallist Eskwilin.
Janów, however, wasn’t about to end the competition with a single medal among in the senior mares finals. The silver medal went to the astounding Axara (Kahil Al Shaqab – Anilla / Pesal), led by Mateusz Tokarski to victory in the seven-year-old and older mares class with a high score of 92.75 points. Her score included two ‘20s’ for type and two scores of 19.5 in this category. Axara also received the Ganges Award for best in show horse with a racing career. This is further proof that beauty and bravery in Arabian horses do in fact go hand in hand.
A sparkling diamond in the rain
Sunday was marked by rain, which at times turned into a total downpour. The weather did not spare the organisers, the audience, or the horses themselves. In such challenging conditions, the senior stallions had to compete. First place in Class A, accompanied by the song “It’s Raining Men”, was taken by Elon KL (QR Marc – Erigone / Ekstern) from Klikowa Arabians Stud, who scored 91.10 points and added another medal to his already impressive collection – this time bronze.
The silver medal went to Panier (EKS Farajj – Paprotnia / Elgast), bred by the late Lech Błaszczyk and currently owned by Nina Suskievicova’s Suweco Stud. After the breeder’s death, the stallion remained at first in the possession of his grandson, Marek Łukaszewski, who took over Słowianin Arabians Stud, under whose banner Panier won silver medals last season in both Białka and Tarnów, and a year earlier, one more silver in Vilhelmsborg in Denmark. This year, he again finished second, but representing Suweco Stud from the Czech Republic. Personally, I’m eagerly awaiting the moment when Panier becomes completely grey. I’m convinced he’ll look even more impressive then.
The top honours, however, went to the winner of Class B. El Brillo (Morion – El Larinera / Empire) from Michałów, scored 91.5 points in his class, including a single ’20’ for type, unanimously claimed the championship title. However, his winning streak didn’t end there; he was also named Best in Show shortly afterward, meaning Michałów Stud took the most important title of the entire show twice in a row.
Special awards
As has been the tradition over the past four years, special awards were also presented. The Board of the Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association, composed of Mateusz Leniewicz-Jaworski, Łukasz Goździalski and Marek Błaszkiewicz, honoured Jerzy Białobok, Vice President of Michałów Stud, with the “Arabian Prometheus” Award for his long-standing contribution to the development and promotion of Polish Arabian horse breeding. The Association not only recognised his outstanding breeding achievements but emphasised the fact that Jerzy Białobok devoted his entire life to purebred Arabians.
The title of best handler was shared by the “Mearelli Brothers” from Elegantica Training Center. The harmonious duo, Nicola and Enrico, have been working primarily with Michałów Stud since last year, and recently also started supporting Białka Stud.
The Polish Arabian Horse Breeders Association Award for Best Breeder of a show horse for 2025 went to Chrcynno-Palace Stud. This was no surprise, as the successes achieved last season by the phenomenal Psyche Alia (Nahil Al Khalediah – Psyche Victoria / Ekstern) speak for themselves. As a yearling, she won five gold medals last season, including the titles of Polish and European Champion. Today, she is already adding further successes to the account of her new owner, Nayla Hayek, heiress to Swatch Group and founder of Hanaya Stud from Switzerland. The PAHBA Award for Best Breeder of a racing horse for 2025 was awarded by Jan Głowacki of Głowacki Arabians for the successes of his stallion Elnizo (Muqatil Al Khalidiah – Elniza / Mared Al Sahra). The winners received pastel paintings prepared especially for the occasion by Sylwia Iłenda.
Closing remarks
Riders participating in the Summer Riding Arabian Horse Show also had the opportunity to showcase their skills throughout all three days. The Hunter Pleasure class took place on Friday, the Polish Historical Costume on Saturday, and the Traditional Arabian Riding on Sunday. The competition was judged by Weronika Sosnowska, a sports judge associated with Janów Podlaski Stud. For the competitors, this was the final test of their skills before the 17th Polish Championship and the European Championship for Arabian Sport Horses, scheduled for just two weeks later at Michałów Stud.
After four editions, it’s safe to say that the Tarnów show has developed its own unique identity. The All-Polish Arabian Horse Championship once again proved that it is much more than just an Arabian horse show. It’s a place where breeders and enthusiasts of this exceptional breed meet to share several days of shared success. Over the past four years, the event at Klikowska Ostoja has grown into an icon with a well-established reputation, attracting increasingly better horses and distinguished guests from Poland and abroad. We can only hope that next year we will meet again in Tarnów and once again be able to say with complete confidence: We did it again!
