The jubilee 30th Polish National Show and 39th sale (since 2001 known as “Pride of Poland”) was a groundbreaking event for Polish breeding. The spectacular success of private bred horses, the sale record price of a Polish-bred horse, and the foreign sires influence – point the new direction for the Arabian horse breeding in Poland.
Beautifully surrounded Janów Podlaski Stud is a truly „horse paradise” with its noble creatures – Arabian horses. In the barns designed by famous Henryk Marconi each year a number of great horses are being born and are carrying the name of this place all over the world. It is also the place where since 1979 the best Polish bred horses can be seen at the Polish National Show.
Every year this peaceful place becomes the Arabian horse breeding capital. This year again thousands of guests visited the stud; two weeks before the event all the VIP tickets were sold! The reason was obvious: not always one can see so many Arabian famous stars gathered at one small area, including three world champion mares: 2000 Junior Champion Emmona (Monogramm – Emilda/Pamir), undefeated Pianissima (Gazal Al Shaqab – Pianosa/Eukaliptus) and lot A of the 2008 Pride of Poland sale, 2007 World Champion mare Kwestura (Monogramm – Kwesta/Pesennik).
Polish Nationals
On Friday evening the 30th Polish National Show started with some young elite of Polish breeding being judged by: Mrs. Titti Gagliani/Italy, Mrs. Ann Norden/Sweden, Mr. Peter Gamlin/UK and Mr. Nasr Marei/Egypt, being the last one a respected authority of straight Egyptian breeding focused on extremely dishy heads. Polish horses do not show the overestimation on this feature being harmonious but beautiful. But the lack of extremely dishy head was probably the reason (in my opinion) of an “18,5” given for this particulare feature by this jugde to Pinga or Norma, while other jugdes scored them definitely higher for “head and neck” (including a “20” for Pinga!). Will the fashion for dish like heads cause health problems in the future, as it has already happened to some dog breeds? For the time being it is an open question.
Quite new was the scoring method with half of point notes that had to help in lowering the notes differences. But in my opinion it did not worked. Especially big differences one could have observed in legs scores.
During the first class of yearling colts on Friday an unexpected accident occurred when the handler Mariusz Liśkiewicz was hit on the face by the colt Dariusz (Al Maraam – Drzewica/Ganges). It all looked quite dangerously and an immediate help came into the
arena but the best handler of Michałów State Stud peacefully and patiently ended the presentation and Dariusz became Top Five yearling colt. This class was won by Janów-bred Enzo son Albano, scored 90,50, in front of Willars (Al Maraam – Wilga/ Ekstern) from Michałów Stud.
A kind of attractive to watch was the presentation of El Makiur (Makiur Lip – Erotomania/Ekstern), that escaped while on the arena and has shown his movements free. Due to the new ECAHO rules, while caught he was judged again in the order. Also some progeny of Etnodrons Psyche (Padrons Psyche – Etnografia/Aloes), bred by Stanisław Redestowicz and owned by his son Paweł Redestowicz, did very well in this class.
Two-year-old-colts class was not a surprise – won by Kabsztad (Poganin – Kwestura/Monogramm) perfectly handled by Mariusz Liśkiewicz. The colt was in a very good disposition flying over the arena and well shown at stand. It was his day – he was chosen Polish National Junior Champion. This was his second trophy gained in Poland after Białka Spring Show. He has proven to be the best Poganin son and the best young colt in Poland right now.
Kind of a surprise was the place of Lord Bey Shah, bred and owned by Małgorzata and Józef Pietrzak. He competed at the same class of two-year-old-colts placing second after Kabsztad and qualified to the championships. He performed very well gaining the trophy of Polish Junior Reserve Champion for his maternal Minnesota Arabians. This colt of big frames, nice head and movements is highly inbred to Padrons Psyche (12,5%). The other Top Five placed colts were three Janów-bred Ekstern sons: Aretus, Agar and Sajun.
At the three-year-old-colts class (with Janów-bred Ekstern son Prado withdrawn) there were three private bred and owned colts in competition, with Białka Spring Show Reserve Champion Boreas (Metropolis NA – Bombina/Bomarc) considered to be the favorite. Against him Miły Pan (Piaff – Majka/Eurol), bred and owned by Michał Bogajewicz, the Champion of I Autumn Janów Podlaski Show performed, and grey, still progressing colt Enalej (Emigrant – Enona/Fawor), bred by Jerzy Nejman, owned by Beata Dzikowska. It was Enalej who took the class winning with the high score of 90 points.
Junior Championships brought again a number of surprises and a big satisfaction to the private breeders that very carefully choose the chief sires for their breeding programs last times. It’s already quite common to import foreign stallions semen or putting the horses to professional trainers. Finally, at Top Five of junior stallion championships (besides the champions already mentioned) appeared: Albano from Janów Podlaski, Willars from Michałów and Boreas, bred and owned by Wojciech Kowalik.
The next day the judges had an extreme challenge to judge 2 classes of yearling fillies with 13 entries each. The first one was dominated by US-related mares as half of the group was sired by Padrons Psyche line stallions including three by Enzo, two by Psytadel and one by WH Justice. The class IA was very strong and the top four horses scored with 90 points and over. First placed was Białka Champion Filly – Palabra sired by Enzo and bred by Janów Podlaski. Her short face with low set big eye, great neck and topline impressed the judges who scored her 91,33. Not much less as 91 was an Ekstern daughter Pasterna, bred and owned by Lech Błaszczyk.
The winner of the section two was unexpectedly a Gaspar daughter -– Dębowa Łąka out of Dębowa Góra by Laheeb. This metallic grey filly with exotic head and good movements won the hearts of the judges and scored 90,83. Just after her was another horse bred by Małgorzata and Józef Pietrzak, Melody by Psytadel out of Mina by Monogramm, a valuable broodmare for this private stud. With the score of 90,5 points she has beaten the full sister to famous Pianissima, Passionaria (90,00). Espinilla by Al Maraam (br/o. by Michałów Stud) was fourth, and Bajaderka by Złocień (br/o. by another private stud – Agricola Farm) fifth.
Top five places in two-year-old-fillies class were shared between the daughters of Ekstern, Psytadel, WH Justice and Poganin. The first section was won by a good mover, Janów-bred Bohema by Ekstern (91,17), scored with two „20” for movements. Amongst the awarded group was also a Gazal Al Shaqab daughter, Janów-bred Alabama (89,5), with her dynamic end expressive movements. There were also a WH Justice daughter, bay Sotika (89,5) bred and owned by Falborek Arabians, and Elfera by Psytadel (89,33), bred and owned by Lech Błaszczyk.
The winner of the second section of this group was a pretty Galba daughter Golteria out of Gotlandia by Pesal. The strong point of this filly is her movement that she was awarded with 20 and 2×19,5 for and that gave her the class leadership with total score of 92. The second was also good moving Wołogda by Ekstern (b/o. SK Janów Podlaski).
After this class 6 three-year-old mares were shown with three Ekstern daughters placed on the top: Eksterna (91,33), bred and owned by Falborek Arabians, one of the most beautiful daughters of her sire with pretty small head, wide forehead and large dark eyes (her only minus is quite a short neck that her sire is sometimes passing), Janów-bred Altamira (90,67) and Białka-bred Herlina (90,17).
It was very interesting to see the judges making an uneasy decision of choosing the champions out from 10 excellent fillies – there were four private bred and the same number of Janów-bred with the other two bred by Michałów State Stud. Half of this group was sired by multichampion Ekstern, three – with the blood of Padrons Psyche, and one by Galba and Gaspar – which is a very good achievement of the daughter of the last one, Dębowa Łąka (out of Dębowa Góra/Laheeb). This filly has proven that also her sire is a valuable stallion – she was placed third in the Top Five of the championships after the Reserve Champion
Eksterna. It has to be said that Eksterna’s title is another big success of Polish private breeding. The second Reserve title went to the private bred and owned horse at this show. The other Top Fives were: Bohema from Janów Podlaski and Melody from Minnesota Arabians.
The next class of senior mares, four-to-six-year-old, impressed also the strict jury. The spectators nicknamed the group as a „Gazals parade” with 10 mares and only one of them sired by an other stallion (private bred and owned Ensulana by Avangard). The class was very
equal in the quality of participants and the judges awarded Janów-bred Pinga (93,00), with her exotic head, perfect neck and very good topline and expressive movements. It was not a surprise that later she was also awarded with the Best Movement Trophy. Michałów-bred Ejrene (91,83), one of the shortest faces in Poland, was also qualified to the top five of this group.
Even more exciting was the next section of mares 4-6-year-old with Gazal Al Shaqab daughters again and the highest score of the show for the undefeated one and only – Triplecrowned in Europe, US National and Al Khalediah Festival Champion Pianissima! Six times “20” for type and head and neck gave her the win with 95 points. Second one was Janów-bred Belgica with 2,5 pts less and the third Etnologia, also from Janów Podlaski.
The section of 7-10-year-old mares was taken by Michałów-bred Laheeb daughter Emesa, with excellent head and neck, scored 92,67, in front of a Monogramm daughter – 2000 World
Junior Champion Emmona (91,67), and Białka-bred Emika (91,5) by Eldon, however she didn’t move as well as she usually can and scored 2×19 and 18,5 for movements. As fourth was Michałów-bred Ekstern daughter Elgina (91,33), and the last in top five – dam of the nice colt Alert (by Piaff) – Andaluzja (91,17) from Janów Podlaski.
The eldest mares class was clearly dominated by Monogramm daughters. As first scored with 3×20 for type and head and neck Espadrilla was shown and scored 92,5 points that gave her the first place at the end as well. Besides the “Monogramms” there was also an Etogram daughter from Janów Podlaski qualified to the top five in this group – dry, refined and well conformed, bay Eutona.
The female championships were of course a matter of formality with unanimous Champion Pianissima. The Reserve trophy was not such foreseeable and finally went to Espadrilla, and the places in the Top Five were gained by Emesa, Pinga and Belgica.
Each year the stallions classes are very impatiently expected by the breeders – as the beautiful mares can only be admired at the showring but a stallion can possibly join everybody’s breeding program. The section of stallions 4-8-year-old was very interesting to Ibe seen with four Gazal sons placed in the Top Five and one private bred Padrons Psyche son – Etnodrons Psyche, bred by Stanisław Redestowicz, owned by Paweł Redestowicz.
The 2005 Polish National Junior Champion Stallion, dark bay El Azem out of El Fatha/Entyk, showed very expressive movements flying over the ring and cheered by the spectators. Very high scores for movements gave him the fourth rank in the class with the total of 90,67 points. In front of him Janów-bred Pegasus (91,17), one of the most promising Gazal Al Shaqab sons was placed – one will surely have a chance to see his young progeny at Białka Show next Spring. The second place was gained by Eryks (91,17) from Michałów, also a great mover and scored the same result as Pegasus – but higher points for type gave him his second position. The class was beautifully won by the big framed stallion Drabant out of Demona by Monogramm. Outstandingly handled he showed his best attitudes (92,17 points, including 2×20 for movements).
It was getting dark when the small group of 9-year-old and above stallions entered. There were no surprises – with the 2007 European Reserve Champion Grafik as the winner scored 92,33 points. Also Drabant deserved his second place at the championships.
The Best in Show was – of course – Pianissima, also awarded with the Best Female Trophy. The WAHO Trophy for the best of the breed was presented to the famous sire, Tulip Cup, All Nations Cup, European, World and Mercedes Diamond Cup Borgloon Champion Ekstern. A kind of tradition is the Best Handler Award this time given to a foreign guest – Greg Gallun (the award was sponsored by polskiearaby.pl). Greg has shown both
champion mares this time – Pianissima and Palabra. With standing ovation the Best Trainer Award was presented to the one and only man at Michałów Stud – Mariusz Liśkiewicz, who trains and shows horses in a natural way full of both horse and human understanding.
The exciting Polish National Show was a big triumph also for Polish private breeders. The main role plays the use of foreign stallions semen – one could easily seen whole groups by European leading sires as Psytadel and WH Justice. The most popular from the Polish offer of sires were Ekstern and Poganin.
Polish State studs usually use each stallion on a larger scale so we can see the “eras” of different stallions: the eldest now – “Monogramms”, amongst horses 4-6-year-old – the unbeaten progeny of Gazal Al Shaqab (average score of 91,42 points) or Ekstern progeny in younger classes with average score of 89,78 points.
The sale
It was 39th time when the buyers from all over the world came to Janów Podlaski – including the guests from USA, Australia, Brazil, Middle East and Europe. The sale was highly appreciated as for the first time since the last two decades such a noble mare was going to be the star of the offer – 2007 World Champion Kwestura. At the main sale there were 37 top selected mares and 25 of them were sold, nearly 1/3 was not sold that – comparing with the last year with 26 mares and only one not sold – was not such a big achievement. Even when the total amount of the sale was impressive and reached 3 million euro but, excluding Kwestura, the total income was lower than in the past in ca. 500 000 euro. Last year 7 mares reached the total of 100 000 euro or over; this time besides Kwestura – five. Also the average price per horse was worse for 3000 euro than the year before (this time 74 000 excluding Kwestura). Even if the total income was amazing the overall interest in the sale lowered and only a few horses purchased for big amounts made a good final result.
The first one on the ring appeared lot number 1 – black Ganges daughter Wróżka out of Wipera by Fawor. The buyers from Belgium paid for her 52 000 euro. After that with an extending trot cheered with amazed spectators Kwestura appeared on the ring. She electrified the crowds and the atmosphere warmed up with the price flying up to 350 000 euro in the first minute of bidding and to 600 000 in the second one. The fact that Kwestura is in foal to the fashionable QR Marc was an additional plus of the offer. The bidding ended with 1.125.000 euro and Middle Eastern Ajman Stud is Kwestura’s new owner – however the bidding seemed to be controversial as after it ended a kind of misunderstanding has appeared and Christine Jamar bidding for her client was very upset.
The next came Janów-bred Cefeida, purchased for 25 000 to the US. Cefeida was one of the 7 mares sold to North America for only ca 130 000 euro with highest sold horse Erotika (40 000 euro). Lots of past buyers didn’t come this year as the Sloan brothers for instance; additionally a low price of US dollar in Europe is also a matter of fact.
The first mare offered by Białka Stud, Calineczka by Metropolis NA, was not sold as well as Cirsza and Pereira (both sold after the auction), Arvena and Estrelia. Białka-bred mares were coming back to the stables usually without reaching their minimum prices that was quite surprising as some of the price offers were attractive. The buyers were very strict this year anyway so Białka had no problem with selling the beautiful Ekina with her exotic head (for which she was scored at Białka show with the highest scores of the show – even higher than the world champion Emandoria). Ekina was sold to Begium for 100 000 euro.
Janów Podlaski stud put also a very attractive star at this year’s sale – Polish National Junior Champion and Best in Show in 2002, the charismatic Amra by Eukaliptus. For 340 000 euro she was purchased by The Rolling Stones drummer wife – Mrs. Shirley Watts. Her Halsdon Arabians will also be joined by Eldon daughter Andromeda, sold for 270 000 euro. The interesting offer was also the young black Elwinga by HS Pirandelo (Pilot – Elekcja/Etogram) – a pure Polish stallion that was on lease from Shirley Watts. This Junior Champion Mare of Bełżyce Show in Poland was purchased to Belgium.
Michałów Stud besides the spectacular Kwestura gained the record prices for its daughters of Laheeb (Imperial Imdal – AK Latifa/Ibn Moniet El Nefous) – being on lease to Poland in 1999. He sired a number of excellent progeny and was used again this year. The excellent mover Egea out of Egna by Eukaliptus was magnetic for the buyers and gained the amount of 160 000 euro from the clients from Saudi Arabia as well as an other Laheeb daughter bred by Michałów, Ellissara purchased for the high amount of 240 000 euro. One of
the high sellers was also a daughter of Emigrant (sold to the US not long ago), the flea-bitten Peczora (90 000 euro) and his granddaughter Dormeza (Ekstern – Dobrzyca/Emigrant), in foal to Laheeb, purchased by Polish breeders Małgorzata and Józef Pietrzak for 65 000 euro.
Polish breeders were not only buying but also successfully offering their horses for sale. First of three private owned mares – Garuna was sold to the UK for 47 000 euro, the second one Emegna (the only Magnum Psyche daughter offered) was purchased for 60 000 euro to
Saudi Arabia. Third – Bellissima was the highest selling private bred and owned horse of this sale purchased for 80 000 euro to Saudi Arabia as well.
An interesting offer was also presented this year at the Selection Sale, modified Silent Sale so far. The bidding was public as the main auction, but only the horses that had earlier inquiries went on bid. Bidding itself was the same as the main auction but without horses on the ring. I don’t think was a good idea at all! If the bidding is public, what sense does it make to watch the empty arena?
The historical sale brought Poland the total of 3175000 euro, with 1/3 part for World Champion Kwestura that became the highest selling Polish horse ever beating the record price of Penicylina made in 1985 at the Polish Ovation auction – $1,5 million.
For me was lacking the show atmosphere that could have been seen in the past. The sad music in backgrounds was not warming up the spectators nor buyers and no one was encouraging people to cheer the bidding. Where was the amazing atmosphere and shaking showground with “We Will Rock You” as the background?
The few spectators that lasted until the evening parade of Janów Podlaski Stud were awarded by a truly dessert of this event. When the lights turned off the painting of Juliusz Kossak: “Tadeusz Kościuszko portrait” appeared on the screen. Simultaneously a historically
dressed rider came into the arena riding dark bay Esturion – looking exactly the same as the painting. It was a really impressive look! The next to appear were: the portrait „Amazon” with the stallion Album under Danuta Konończuk in sidesaddle and Salar presented in hand in red woolen halter as a desert bred horse leaded by Emir Rzewuski. The next painting – “Going to the haunting” by Jerzy Kossak was cheerfully greeted by the audience when three stallions appeared: bay Aslan and grey Perseusz and Eskulap with
three Polish hounds leaded by hunters. It was like going to the past – but the next scene was even more moving: the illustration of the painting “Lancer and a girl”. The lancer entered riding dark bay Esturion accompanied by Polish folk dressed girl carrying bunch of roses. It was an exceptional show ending the whole event.
Polish breeders divide a year into before- and after Janów. This year the event was really special. National Show has proven the abilities of Polish private breeding; the one and only Pianissima gathered crowds of her fans and made the breeders thinking if there is anything
more beautiful that one can breed? But we should also consider where is the limit of beauty and overrefinement… Kwestura was a real star of the auction and has beaten the price record of the past 20 years. 149 horses entered to the Nationals (138 participated) showed the big Polish tradition of breeding Arabian horses. Polish Arabian horse – thanks to the dedicated people – survived from the wars and nowadays has the deepest registered pedigrees in the world. The new era for Polish breeding that many of us were predicting some years ago – comes now.
See also the photo gallery from Janów Podlaski by Katarzyna Dolińska
Read more:
A historic record: 1,125 million for Kwestura! Pianissima Best in Show
Six „20s” for National Champion Pianissima
