The 2015 Pride of Poland Sale (Sunday, August 16th) was just five thousand Euro away from achieving an aggregate of a round 4 million Euro. As a comparison: last year this sum amounted to 2.74 million Euro, so twice as less. In turn the Summer Sale for the first time surpassed 600 thousand Euro (the final result of both auctions was 4,598,500 Euro: 3,995,000 from the main Pride of Poland Sale and 603,500 from the Summer Sale). The record result was made up of record prices for individual horses: Pepita
achieved 1.4 million Euro – more than in 2008 World Champion Kwestura, purchased by Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi from Ajman Stud for 1.125 million Euro. For the privately bred and owned (Falborek Arabians) Wasa a buyer paid 252 thousand Euro and for Melody (bred and owned by Małgorzata and Józef Pietrzak) as much as 60 thousand Euro during the Summer Sale.
There was also a record number of buyers – the tables in the VIP sector during the National Show were so close that it was almost impossible to walk by. There were even – perhaps for the first time ever – guests from China. However the highest bid came not from the VIP sector, but from the honorary tribune. Pepita’s buyer, representing Switzerland, outbid offers from Saudi Arabia and Qatar and later came onto the arena to celebrate his success in the spotlights.
The arena was buzzing not only from the loud music, but also from gossip. Such spectacular purchases are usually made by well known Arabian horse buyers – descending from the Middle East or the UK (Halsdon Arabians). This time was different, which caused a wave of speculation. For who was this buyer working for? Iran? UAE? Saudi Arabia? Will he prove to be trustworthy? We will have to wait for an answer.
Mares as hot items
Meanwhile however Polish mares were snatched up like scarce goods during the communist era. Only four (Esmeta, Cyraneczka, Flaminia, Ewena) did not reach their reserve price and left the arena unsold, but probably even they will find new buyers in the days to come.
After the Janów-bred 2014 Polish National Champion Pepita (Ekstern – Pepesza/Eukaliptus), listed as Lot 1, came time for Michałów’s 21 year old Georgia (Monogramm – Gizela/Palas), the dam of World Champion Galilea. “For Georgia it is the last moment in terms of breeding, though with today’s breeding techniques she will still be able to produce several foals. She can also win at prestigious shows. This is an offer for a true connoisseur”, said Michałów director Jerzy Białobok
before the sale. The connoisseur turned out to be Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, the owner of the Saudi Athbah Stud, which is already a home to several other Polish mares – Piacolla, Pomerania, Panika, Andaluzja, Ellissara, Etenta and Ermina. Because many horses purchased by Athbah Stud don’t leave Europe, remaining at European training centers, Georgia doesn’t have to worry about a radical change of climate. She will also probably meet her former stablemates from Poland. The mare achieved a price of 105 thousand Euro.
Lot 3, Janów’s Berenika (Eden C – Belgica/Gazal Al Shaqab) turned out to be slightly cheaper, but still quite expensive – 75 thousand Euro was offered for her by Suweco Stud from the Czech Republic. Lot 4 – multichampion Pistoria (Gazal Al Shaqab – Palmira/Monogramm) from Michałów, rekindled the auction thrills. Her bidding ended with a staggering result of 625 thousand Euro and the lucky buyer was Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani from Al Zobair Stud, known for his respect and admiration towards Polish horses.
Pistoria will definitely become a worthy successor at is stud to her grandam Palestra by Penitent.
A high price was also predicted in the case of Michałów’s Wieża Róż (Ekstern – Wieża Babel/Laheeb). And this soon proved true – the mare will go to Qatar (Al Thumama Stud) for the sum of 270 thousand Euro. Also to Qatar, to a new stud of an undisclosed name, will go the new record price holder for a private owned horse, Wasa (WH Justice – Waresa/Empres), the dam of the internationally successful Wersa (by Ekstern). Her
bidding was very interesting, because the increments “dripped” by a thousand up to 204 thousand Euro, after which the price took off to 250 thousand. Finally an agent from Germany raised it to 252 thousand and that was that. In that moment the overall auction result surpassed 3 million Euro.
There were so many Saudi buyers that sale announcer Anna Stojanowska said more than once: “The mare will traditionally go to Saudi Arabia”. The Saudis won Anilla by Pesal (35 thousand). Eustachia by QR Marc (21 thousand), Wkra by Gazal Al Shaqab (260 thousand), Nefertari by Piaff (20 thousand), Ganga by Emigrant (88 thousand), Argolida by Grafik (16 thousand) and Farsala by Laheeb (36 thousand). A new home in Kuwait will be found by Esidona by Galba (56 thousand), Eureda by Ekstern (65 thousand) and Febris by Amir Ashiraf (40 thousand). Panonia by Eukaliptus (67 thousand) will head to the UAE. Iran will take over Wadi Halfa by Ekstern (36 thousand).
Not counting the buyer of Pepita, only four non-Middle Eastern countries were actively represented during the auction: the Czech Republic, Austria (Pellena by Ganges, 17 thousand), Great Britain and Belgium. The purchases of Shirley Watts this year included the mares Adyga (Kahil Al Shaqab – Amiga/Piaff) – 130 thousand and Altamira (Ekstern – Altona/Eukaliptus) – 250 thousand. Another known breeder, Christine Jamar, enlarged her collection with El Ghazala (Ekstern – Emigracja/Palas) – 65 thousand among others.
Just the daughters of Ekstern brought in 2.86 million Euro during this year’s auction. Even if we add the 45 thousand achieved during the Summer Sale, it will be clear that the 21 year old Polish multichampion and sire deserves great congratulations!
On Monday (August 17th) the records continue
Not only the main sale, but also the Summer Sale can boast record prices. For Melody by Psytadel (S/14), bred and owned by Małgorzata and Józef Pietrzak, a buyer from Iran paid 60 thousand Euro. Up to now the highest price at the Summer Sale was 42 thousand Euro offered last year for Elfera. As a matter of fact the prices at this year’s Summer Sale turned out to be record-setting in general. For Perespa (Enzo – Polenta/Ecaho) buyers from Saudi Arabia paid 42 thousand, Egeriana (Poganin – Elizka/Pamir) will go to Kuwait for 31 thousand, Wersja by
Poganin (Saudi Arabia) – 35 thousand, Elara by Gazal Al Shaqab (Poland) – 39 thousand, Mata Hari (Werbum – Martynika/Monogramm) – 47 thousand, Natasza by Ekstern (Kuwait) – 31 thousand and Złota Księga by Ganges (Saudi Arabia) – 30 thousand. Only 2 mares did not reach their reserve price. Also the stallions, Espimar and Gaspar, remained unsold.
An unparallel success of this year’s auction lets us remain calm about the future of Polish Arabians – at least in the near years, until the time for an economic downturn comes again. But even in times of crisis, as previous years have shown, the Polish studs are doing rather well.
The Polish Nationals almost without private breeders
Already last year it was visible that the representation of the private studs in the competition is very humble. Slowly the National Championship is turning into a state stud inspection – although it is maintained at an extremely high level of quality. However although the aesthetics do not suffer, the sport rivalry does, since there is no one to go up against. “It is very good that individual horses show up”, said about private bred horses the president of the Agricultural Property Agency, Leszek Świętochowski in the “Tydzień” television programme on TVP1 broadcast on Sunday. “Perhaps one day
they will be able to compete with us. But for now they have a lot of breeding work ahead of them”. Speaking about the state studs he emphasized that “We are focused on a long term effect and the maintaining of a 200 year old heritage”. Perhaps it is worthwhile recalling that the government once obtained the entire breeding material from private breeders. This long tradition is the property of the entire nation – though if not for the state studs it would probably not have survived the catastrophes that touched Poland in the 20th century.
Three series of yearling fillies (from 6 to 7 participants) were as always a show of charm and beauty. The state studs justly “divided” the victories between each other. The A series was won by Białka’s Celita (Lawrence El Gazal – Cella/Ekstern), the B series by Michałów’s Foggita (EL Omari – Foggia/Gazal Al Shaqab) and the C – by Janów’s Prunella (Abyad AA – Pradera/Hlayyil Ramadan). The revelation from this year’s Białka show, Janów’s Bambina (Kahil Al Shaqab – Bellisa/Poganin), placed second in her class (with a “20” for head and neck and movement) and claimed a Top Five title in the finals, yielding to her peers on the podium. Both series of the 2
year old fillies belonged to Janów and Michałów and furthermore to the daughters of Kahil Al Shaqab and granddaughters of Ekstern. Victorious were Cedora (out of Cenoza/Ekstern, 91,67) and Pustynia Kahila (out of Pustynna Malwa/Ekstern), who received 92,33 pts, including two “20s” for type. In the finals, as expected, it was the World Yearling Champion from Paris, Pustynia Kahila, that won the coveted title. Behind her placed Prunella, Celita and Foggita. The contestants from the three year old fillies class (4) were not visible in the finals. This age category was won by Janów’s Amarena (Om El Bellissimo – Amiga/Piaff).
The competition among the junior stallions was not as high in quality. Some of the foreign guests even asked where the Polish young stallions were… The classes had few entries (some horses did not arrive due to the heat temperatures) and the three year old stallions class with three entries ended up with one participant – the privately bred Wiron (Kabsztad – Wirka/Emigrant), bred by Brygida and Jerzy Chrapkowski and owned by Joanna Kustra-Lech. Wiron therefore had an easier task and didn’t have to fight for qualifying for the finals, but he did rather
well when he was there, landing a bronze medal and besting stallions which had higher scores than him: El Pais (Kahil Al Shaqab – El Fatha/Entyk), Dong (Equator – Demeter/Wojsław), the son of the auction’s star (Pepita) and Kahil Al Shaqab – Pitawal and Peon (Kahil Al Shaqab – Penta/Ecaho). Wiron’s presence on the podium may perhaps encourage other private breeders to participate next year. Victorious in the finals were Paris (Kahil Al Shaqab – Palmeta/Ecaho) and Woj (Empire – Waranga/QR Marc), the graduates of Janów and Michałów.
In the senior female classes the tone was set by the daughter of Pinga by Gazal Al Shaqab and Eden C, Janów’s Piniata. She won the class of 4-6 year old mares with a score of 92,67 (including a “20” for head and neck) and later reached for the titles of Polish National Champion and Best in Show. Michałów’s Palanga (Ekstern – Panika/Eukaliptus), the winner of the 11 years old and above mares class (93 pts, including a “20” for movement), claimed the silver and the bronze went to Elliseina (Galba – Ellissara/Laheeb), bred by Michałów and owned by Polska AKF. This was the second medal for a horse not owned by the Agricultural Property Agency. Another, also a bronze, was awarded
in the senior stallion category. This went to the visitor from Sweden, Girlan-Bey (Pesal – Gracja-Bis/Monogramm), owned by the Kristoffersen family and the first and so far only horse of private breeding (Niewierz Stud of Michał Bogajewicz) to gain a medal (silver) at the World Championships in Paris. This took place in 2005 – the stallion was already performing under the Swedish banner. In Janów Girlan-Bey won
the class of 7 year old and older stallions with a score of 91,33, including a “20” for movement. In the finals he was bested by Białka’s Cefir (Eryks – Celina/Metropolis NA) and Janów’s Barok (Om El Bellissimo – Baida/Balon), whose dam was sold on Monday to Sweden for 9 thousand Euro.
The National Championships are an important moment in the calendar of Polish breeders. It would definitely be good if the horses participating in it represented not only state breeding. In previous years private owners used to enter their horses in large numbers. Despite many exports private breeders still have many good horses. Yet we see them either abroad or at other Polish shows. There surely are ways to change this trend if only the hosts of the National Championship would wish to do so.
