Pride of Poland 2010

Pride of Poland

Pride of Poland 2010

Rafał Czarnecki
September 7, 2016

Rafał Czarnecki
September 7, 2016

The Arabian Horse Days, which have permanently written themselves down in the calendar of the Polish breeding tradition, surprise us with something each year and are remembered due to certain events and horses participating in them. Two years ago they caused much excitement by means of the spectacular successes of the invincible Pianissima and the sale of World Champion Mare Kwestura for a “trifle” of 1,125,000 Euro. Last year for the first time in the history of the auction a yet unborn foal was sold, while the National Show ended with the success of the private breeders, who returned home with four out of six junior medals, including two Reserve Champions.

The 32nd Polish National Arabian Horse Show combined with the 41st Pride of Poland Sale was to be the year of Pilar, who held promise for a financial success, especially since her perhaps most titled daughter was entered into the National Show – the bay Pinga, Polish National Champion Filly and Best in Show of 2005, who returned to Poland just a month ago after residing almost two years in the US. Unfortunately the weather and the worldwide economic crisis foiled all plans and this year’s Arabian Horse Days will be remembered as a dramatic evacuation of horses in pitch-darkness during the storm and a decrease of the auction’s income after several years of prosperity. However Pilar fulfilled the expectations and she achieved the highest price of the auction: 240 thousand Euro.

The Sale

After a small break all gathered in the indoor arena where Fryderyk Chopin’s 200th birthday was commemorated with a special performance by Arabian stallions, which presented themselves to live music. The riders threw white roses in the direction of the piano, handed to them previously by a lady with a child in historical costumes. This beautiful picture of our tradition and national achievement began the 41st auction, known since 2001 as the Pride of Poland. The round 10th anniversary of organizing the event by Polturf did not end in a great celebration, as there wasn’t much to be happy about. It was the weakest auction of the past several years, as 10 out of the 36 horses offered in the main sale did not sell. Several were bought without any fight whatsoever after reaching the reserve price, which this year seemed to be set for many horses at a low level of 10 thousand Euro. The world crisis finally caught up with the Arabian business, but I don’t think anyone expected such a decrease of prices. In 2008 the auction brought a total of 3 million Euro, last year nearly 2,5 million and this year only slightly more than a million… Of course we should mention that in the previous years the high financial result came courtesy of the sale of the spectacular Kwestura, but analyzing the average price achieved from the sale of horses from the main auction list in 2007-2009 (excluding the mentioned mare from our statistics) we see that the average maintained an even level of around 80 thousand Euro per horse. This year that amount is lower by half, being a little more than 39 thousand Euro. A similar decrease can be observed in the number of horses which reached the 100 thousand Euro mark: in 2007 there were seven such horses, in 2008 and 2009 – six. This year the magical number of 100 thousand Euro was surpassed only by Janów’s Pilar (240 thousand euro). However this year’s auction doesn’t necessarily have to herald a long lasting crisis, as in the last decade we have witnessed similar events right after entering the new millennium. In 2001 fifteen out of the 39 offered horses did not sell and the average price for a mare was just under 40 thousand dollars. The next year was slightly better, as up for sale was the freshly crowned Reserve Champion Filly – Wieża Wiatrów (Ganges – Wiaźma/Arbil) and the auction ended with the sale of 30 out of the 33 offered mares with an average price of 36 thousand dollars. A year later again 13 out of the 37 offered mares did not change owners, with the average amounting to just 32 thousand dollars. The highest prices were given for Embella (Monogramm – Emanacja/Eukaliptus) and Elwia (Ecaho – Etopka/Eukaliptus), for whom 140 thousand Euro was given each*. The third price of the auction was 105 thousand Euro for the Michałów-bred Figlarka (Monogramm – Frejlina/Pepton). These three mares “made” the entire auction, as the rest sold around 10 thousand Euro per horse. The years 2004-2005 brought a breakthrough. The number of offered horses was decreased to 29-30 and the prices went up. The mare Palestyna (Monogramm – Palestra/Penitent) achieved a sum of 300 thousand Euro, a year later Elandra (Monogramm – Erlanda/Eukaliptus) reached 290 thousand Euro. Sums surpassing 100 thousand Euro began to appear more frequently and after lean years again came years of plenty. In capitalism there are often fluctuations and there cannot always be increases and record prices.

A large surprise this year was the fact that in the top five of the highest sold horses two belonged to private owners. Purchased for a sum of 48 thousand Euro was last year’s Autumn Show Champion Filly from Janów Podlaski – the bay Gadnes (Psytadel – Gracea/Etogram), bred and owned by Jan Głowacki. This two year old filly showed a direction in which the demand of the market will probably be heading. Foreign buyers are looking for young horses, promising a show career and the most sought after are individuals with achievements under their belt. Such a horse was without a doubt Lot 25 Ermina (Galba – Echidna/Ararat), bred by Samko P.U.H. and owned by Monika Luft, a granddaughter of Elandra, a regular at international shows where she placed in the Top Five of her classes and a class winner from Białka. She found a buyer for the second highest price of this year’s auction, 90 thousand Euro! This mare with a uniquely beautiful carved head is the highest sold horse of private ownership in the history of the Janów sale. Her new owner however wanted to remain anonymous. It is only known that Ermina will leave Poland. The other two private owned mares (Primadonna and Sotika) were not sold and the reserve prices of 75 thousand Euro seemed to be too high for this year, though sometimes it is better to leave a good horse in your own stable than to sell it below the value that it means to us.

Looking at the Pride of Poland offer we find a different regularity than the one that the world demand is heading for. The average age of the offered mares is 8 years – with the state stud horses averaging 8,5 and the private-bred slightly over 4 years. Of course we must remember that we cannot sell only young and unproven mares, as they must leave progeny in Poland in order to maintain the continuity of the dam line and their sale cannot compromise our breeding itself. The interest in Monogramm daughters has decreased, who beside those with an outstanding show career aren’t such an attractive offer as they used to be a couple of years ago. Foreign buyers prefer to purchase the younger daughters of Ekstern than to spend large sums on 15-16 year old mares, burdened with a reproduction risk and problems with re-selling the horse at a later time. We must remember that our mares after producing several foals at the buyer’s stud often change owners, being simply a good investment. Six out of the seven Ekstern daughters offered this year for sale were sold. The highest price was achieved by the Junior Spring Show Reserve Champion Filly from 2001, Wilga (out of Wenessa/Egon). This 11 year old mare can boast a successful breeding career with her signature daughter by Gazal Al Shaqab – the grey Wilda, last year’s Polish National Reserve Champion Mare from Janów Podlaski. It is definitely a pity to sell such a handsome mare, proven broodmare, in foal to an outstanding sire of show horses QR Marc for a sum of 82 thousand Euro to Belgium. With that she became the highest sold horse from Michałów Stud, who this year painfully felt the world crisis in comparison to previous auctions. The stud’s budget will be enlarged by 368,700 Euro from horses sold at both the main auction and Selection Sale. Last year Michałów’s auction income amounted to more than one million Euro and two years ago, thanks to the sale of Kwestura, almost two million Euro! An even worse balance has been made by Białka Stud, which earned a total of just 64 thousand Euro… Whereas Janów Podlaski Stud is the only one that saved itself from the crisis, though this year’s result is lower than the previous, which surpassed one million Euro. The total of 560 thousand Euro, considering such a tough year, should be recognized as a rather large amount.

Considering that last year Shirley Watts from Great Britain purchased two Janów mares, offering for the daughter of Pipi, the bay Preria (by Ararat), 230 thousand Euro and several minutes later half a million Euro for the young Pinta (Ekstern – Pilar/Fawor), her total purchases amounted to 730 thousand Euro, which is slightly less than the entire outcome of this year’s auction! This time Halsdon Arabians will welcome three mares: Michałów’s Pampa (Gazal Al Shaqab – Palestyna/Monogramm) for 45 thousand Euro and Janów’s Hekla (Primo – Harpia/Ernal) and Agusta (Piaff – Albigowa/Fawor), for which Mrs. Watts paid 40 thousand Euro each, having spent a total of 125 thousand Euro. Everyone betted that due to the love for this dam line Mrs. Watts would make her dream come true and purchase the dam of the previously bought daughters: Pinta (500 thousand Euro) and Pieta (300 thousand Euro). Though during the pre-sale presentations she inspected Pilar thoroughly, applauding her loudly, during the sale she moved aside for Al Shaqab Stud from Qatar, allowing them to purchase this epochal mare for the already mentioned 240 thousand Euro. The new owners gave Shirley Watts a joyful hug – was it a thank you gesture for the opportunity to purchase this mare? Pilar has produced good looking foals each year and during her 10 year breeding career at Janów Podlaski gave ten foals, the most successful by Gazal Al Shaqab, to whom she was bred five times. So it is not surprising that it were buyers from the Middle East that were interested in purchasing this mare. Heading off to Qatar is also a Laheeb daughter – the grey Ariadne (out of Argentyna/Partner), for whom 60 thousand Euro was given and an Angor daughter – Galatea (out of Gehenna/Monogramm), who was sold for 27 thousand Euro. A decisively smaller group of horses will journey to the US: three mares for a total sum of 46 thousand Euro. This shows the change in the clientele market. Not as far as a couple of years ago buyers from the US were the most active bidders during the sale and today their presence is barely visible. Whereas the European market is developing more intensively – this year it was led by France, who purchased as much as seven horses for a decent total of 215 thousand Euro. Also the highest sold horse of the Selection Sale (30 thousand Euro) will head to France: the stallion El Azem (Gazal Al Shaqab – El Fatha/Entyk). Last year the stallion Eol (out of Eutona/Etogram), for whom 12 thousand Euro was given, also went to France. As we can see, our countries have more in common than just a love for Chopin’s music – perhaps the time has come for the expansion of Polish Arabians in that country?

Also our domestic breeders did not fail and took advantage of the sale offer to acquire good genetic material for their herds. Three mares will stay in Poland, including a Monogramm daughter, the chestnut Wyborna (out of Wybranka/Piechur), sold for 20 thousand Euro. Slightly more expensive at 30 thousand Euro was Emetyna (Ekstern – Esina/Sinus) and for a minimum price of 10 thousand Euro the beautiful Laheeb daughter, Percepcja (out of Perturbacja/Laheeb) was bought. The total amount of domestic purchases is 60 thousand Euro, which is 14 thousand higher than the American buys, not counting the four mares purchased by the Poles for a total of 18,5 thousand Euro at the Selection Sale, where the buyers from America were not present at all.

The auction itself was rather spiritless, without frequent surges of thrills and emotions which we could’ve witnessed in the previous years. A truly vibrant atmosphere appeared only during the bidding of Pilar and Ermina. The audience also did a good job of cheering on the horses and encouraging the potential buyers to make a decision to bid.

As this year’s auction showed it is time to search for new markets, as the buyers who have been coming to Poland for years have this time greatly reduced their purchases. We can only hope that the Polish Arabians, as many times before, will come out of yet another crisis unscathed.

Results
(prices in EUR)

Pride of Poland 2010
(36 mares offered, 1 withdrawn, 35 present)

Pilar 240 thousand, Qatar
Ermina 90 thousand, Saudi Arabia
Wilga 82 thousand, Belgium
Ariadne 60 thousand, Qatar
Gadnes 48 thousand, France
Pampa 45 thousand, GB
Agusta 40 thousand, GB
Etyka 40 thousand, France
Hekla 40 thousand, WB
Ebla 35 thousand, France
Emetyna 30 thousand, Poland
Pustynna Tęcza 30 thousand, France
Natea 23 thousand, Kuwait
Altea 22 thousand, USA
Dębowa Góra 22 thousand, France
Perita 22 thousand, France
Galatea 20 thousand, Qatar
Wyborna 20 thousand, Poland
Papaya 18 thousand, France
Efuzja 17 thousand, Austria
Bajgora 12 thousand, USA
El Haza 12 thousand, Belgiium
Emigra 12 thousand, USA
Erreuza 12 thousand, Kuwait
Percepcja 10 thousand, Poland
Petrara 10 thousand, Kuwait

Selection Sale 2010
(33 offered mares, 1 withdrawn, 32 present, 8 stallions)

Pernacja 20 thousand, GB
Emfora 12 thousand, Qatar
Gioconda 8 thousand, (?)
Papua 8 thousand, Belgium
Manresa 7,5 thousand, South Africa
Alena, 6,5 thousand, Denmark
Cyminka 6 thousand, Poland
Eka (z klaczką Ekanta po Celsjusz) 6 thousand, Switzerland
Pomposa 4,7 thousand, France
Equita 4,5 thousand, Poland
Eneryda 4 thousand, Luxemburg
Erydia 4 thousand, Qatar
Euskoma 4 thousand, Qatar
Fabira 4 thousand, Poland
Nimba 4 thousand, Kuwait
Pensacola 4 thousand, Poland