The great gala of the Arabian horse, which is the All Nations Cup in Aachen organized already for 33 years, again brought satisfaction to Polish breeders. Similarly to last year, both of the main trophies, awarded jointly to national teams, went last weekend (25-27th of September) to Poland: the All Nations Cup (The Lady Harmsworth Blunt Memorial Trophy) for the 9th time in history and the Breeders Cup (The Major T.W.I. Hedley Memorial Trophy) for the 6th time. The
great joy of the Polish team was witnessed by a remnant of spectators, who were already leaving the Albert-Vahle-Halle in great numbers and photographers who felt it was their duty to immortalize this moment. Placing the decoration ceremonies of the winning teams at the very end had to result in an exodus, as some guests were heading off to various Open Days in nearby studs and training centers, while others were simply going home.
Among the many novelties proposed this year by the organizers of the All Nations Cup definitely praiseworthy was the public reading of each of the judges’ verdict in the finals. Since every one of them had to personally proclaim their choice in the spotlight, there was no room for irresponsible and thoughtless decisions. The tension could be felt in the air more than when the votes were quietly counted in the show office. The event’s attractiveness benefitted from this greatly.
Another idea which engaged the public was voting through a specially created “Vote & Win” app. Each of the participants had a chance to compare his or her choices with the choice of the judges, but also win cash if those choices were the same. There were 2 thousand Euro to be distributed during each final. The senior stallion finals were predicted by the most people – 24. The least – the gelding championships (just one person, but it could be due to a lesser interest in this category) and junior stallions (4 people).
The horses were assessed by six judges chosen by draw before each class from among the 9 present. The jurors awarded marks for six traits: type, head, neck, conformation and body and finally legs and movement. The separation of marks for head and neck is something we are seeing more and more of at European shows. However because of this it is harder to “make up” lost points by means of movement. In the yearling classes the top four of each class qualified for the finals, in the others – the top three. Together with the gelding classes there were 168 entries. In the end 108 horses were shown, not counting the three gelding classes, which were actually quite numerous (the top five of each class qualified for the finals) and were judged using the comparative method. Rather noticeable was the absence of two power players of the world breeding scene – Al Khalediah Stables and Al Shaqab Stud. We will probably see horses of these owners soon in Paris.
The juniors compete on Friday
The A series of the 2 year old fillies class (5 participants) was won by a representative of Dubai, the American bred Elle Flamenca (Ajman Moniscione – Allamara MA/Marwan Al Shaqab) with a score of 92,57 pts including a “20” for head, setting the bar high for her rivals. Her score would’ve been even higher if not for the 17,5 for movement given by one of the judges, with the rest of the marks being 19 and 18,5 (the same judge gave the filly 19,5 for body, when others
remained at 18 and 18,5). So as we see, discrepancies in assessment take place even during such prestigious, long time running shows as the All Nations Cup in Aachen. In the B series (7 participants) victorious was Janów’s Al Jazeera (Kahil Al Shaqab – Alhasa/Ganges) with a score of 92,92 (including three “20s” for movement) before Michałów’s Pustynia Kahila (Kahil Al Shaqab – Pustynna Malwa/Ekstern, 92,5).
In total the Polish team consisted of 25 participants. There were also other Polish bred horses competing under different banners (6). And so the exported a year ago to Saudi Arabia (Athbah Stud) Piacolla (Enzo – Polonica/Ekstern) won the three year old fillies class with 92,78 (incl. a “20” for head).
There was just one 2 year old colts class, but how numerous it was – 11 participants! This included the Polish Morion (Kahil Al Shaqab – Mesalina/Ekstern), bred and owned by Michałów Stud, who did very well, winning with a score of 92,78 (incl. a “20” for head). The three year olds class was won by Nashmi Al Hawajer (Marajj – Maniba Bint Ibn Narav/Ibn Narev) from the Arabian Emirates.
The yearlings and seniors perform on Saturday
The show began on Saturday morning at a killer time (8:00 am) and the first to show up on the arena were the yearling fillies of the A series (7 rivals). Victorious was the recent gold champion from Prague, Mimi NK (Nofal NK – Cinnamon N Spice VLA/First Cyte), bred and owned by NK Arabians from Jordan (92,57, incl. a “20” for type). The B series proved much harder than the A, and not just due to the number of competing fillies (12). Among them was for example Mozn
Albidayer (S.M.A. Magic One – Mattaharii/Magnum Chall HVP) from Albidayer Stud, who made herself seen already in Menton and who won the class with a score of 92,22 (incl. a “20” for type and one more for head). She was the public’s favorite, as seen in the internet voting.
Both series of the yearling colts had 5 entries each. In the A group Poland was represented by the Janów’s Paris (Kahil Al Shaqab – Palmeta/Ecaho) and Edenson (Eden C – Emiramida/Piruet), br/o. by Stanisław Sławiński; in the B group we saw Fuerte (Shanghai EA – Frymuszka/Ekstern), bred by Jan Dobrzyński and owned by Samy Ben Saad (Saudi Arabia). The A series had a dead cert favorite from Wels and Nowe Wrońska in Poland (Al Khalediah European Arabian Horse Festival), AJ Azzam
(AJ Mardan – Ysadora/Marwan Al Shaqab) from Ajman Stud, whose name – as his owners said – means “determined”. He claimed 92,22 pts (incl. two “20s” for head), but yielded to his rival, the Belgian bred Luigi (Kanz Albidayer – Lolita/Om El Bahreyn), owned by Al Shahania Stud (Qatar), who, though without “20s”, received a slightly higher score: 92,29. But everyone anticipated that the determined AJ Azzam would have the last laugh in the finals. The second
series also had its favorite – the winner from Menton, Alexxanderr (Excalibur EA – AR Most Irresistible/ML Mostly Padron,) of American breeding and owned by Alsayed Stud from Saudi Arabia. And it was him who won the class with a score of 92,43.
After the yearlings came time for the seniors. The arena was entered by 4-6 year old mares of the A series (5 participants). This class also had its distinctive favorite, awarded in Wels with a gold medal – Wadad Zamani (Laheeb – Zena Al Buraq/Al Manar), owned by Hanaya Arabians
(Switzerland), who took the lead with a score of 92,64, incl. a “20” for type and one more for head. In the B series (6 rivals) triumphed the representative of Belgium, Orfa D’Arab K.A. (QR Marc – OSO Axotica/Monogramm) from Knocke Arabians, who was showered by the judges with high marks (93,54, incl. a “20” for type) and who, as it later turned out, was the Highest Scored
Mare of the Show and Best European Horse of Private Breeding.
Next on the arena we saw 6 mares aged 7-10 years old. The contestants had a tough rival in the form of the returning to the show ring World Champion FM Gloriaa (WH Justice – Psity of Angels/Psytadel), of Belgian breeding and ownership (Mieke Sans). She bested her rivals with a score of 93,33, incl. a “20” for type and three “20s” for head. Six was also the number of
participants in the oldest mare class – and they were really a sight to see! The Polish born: Pinga (Gazal Al Shaqab – Pilar/Fawor), Norma (Gazal Al Shaqab – Nina/Monogramm) and Emira (Laheeb – Embra/Monogramm) are nothing but the world’s highest quality. Janów’s Pinga, leased to Aljawza Stud (Saudi Arabia), had her five minutes. She looked great and with two “20s” for type, one for neck and one for movement, her final score amounted to 93,4 and allowed her to
win the extremely difficult competition. As it later turned out, she also became the crowds’ favorite and received the “People’s Choice” award in the mare category. In turn the Michałów bred Norma, today owned by the Saudi Al Muawd Stud, with a white-clad Ryan Jones on the other end of the rope, exhibited moves so fantastic to the music of “Pretty Woman” and deafening cheers from the public, that the judges had no choice but to award her with four “20s”
and two “19,5s” for this trait. A total score of 92,92 gave her second place. Third came Emira (92,71, incl. a “20” for type) from Michałów. And so all three finalists of this class were representatives of Polish breeding.
After the geldings class, which performed in the middle of the day, came time for the stallions. Among the 4-6 year olds (6 rivals) three were born in Poland: Michałów’s Equator (QR Marc –
Ekliptyka/Ekstern), Chrcynno-Palace’s Psyche Keret (Khidar – Psyche Victoria/Ekstern) and the Janów bred Etoryk (Om El Shahmaan – Etnologia/Gazal Al Shaqab), owned by Flaxman Arabians (Belgium). The very warmly received Equator (93,68, incl. a “20” for type and one more for head) received the same score as the class’ winner, but although he lost due to type he was an absolute number one when it comes to movement: the entire group of six judges awarded him with the highest marks for this trait! He was the only horse who managed such
a feat during this year’s All Nations Cup. Equator, despite being a power moving machine, was bested by the bronze medalist from Menton, E.S. Harir (AJ Dinar – TF Magnums Magic/Magnum Psyche), bred by Sheikh Abdulla bin Majid al Qassemi (UAE) and owned by Al Saqran Stud (Kuwait), who could also boast an entire bag of “20s”: three for type and four for the head. Psyche Keret was third (91,74), Etoryk fourth (91,39, incl. three “20s” for movement).
The numerous class of 7-10 year old stallions was won by another favorite, the bronze medalist from the 2015 Al Khalediah European Arabian Horse Festival and once World Champion Aja Justified (WH Justice – Aja Beneja/FS Bengali), bred by Aja Arabians (GB) and owned by Ronen Braver (Israel). His score – 93,4 (incl. a “20”for type and four “20s” for head). There were four 11 year olds and above and victorious was Al Milan (Al Lahab – Milena/Ibn Narev), bred and owned by Sax Arabians (Germany) with a score of 90,97.
Championship time, everyone has a chance
After the parade with 24 flags of countries participating in the show and a solemn oath from the judges, it was time for the finals – first the geldings, later the mares and then the stallions. Especially thrilling was the yearling fillies’ finale, because it was not at all obvious whether the gold would go to Mozn Albidayer or Mimi NK. Finally it was the Jordanian representative that had more votes from the judges. The Albidayer Stud charge claimed the silver and the bronze went to Rewayah Athbah (EKS Alihandro – Fedora RG/WH Justice), bred and owned by Athbah Stud (Saudi Arabia).
Victorious in the junior mares’ championship was Piacolla, to the great joy of the Polish and Saudi spectators, while Elle Flamenco received the silver. There was also room on the podium for Pustynia Kahila, who earlier lost in class to Al Jazeera. And so the first medal – bronze – went to the Polish team. As a matter of fact Pustynia Kahila brushed against the silver, because she received the same amount of points as Elle Flamenca. What determined the final result was the point result from the classes (92,57:92,50).
The Polish viewers had high hopes regarding the senior mares finals. In the end Pinga took the silver, behind FM Gloriaa, while Norma and Emira did not make it into the top three. The bronze was awarded to Salwa Al Zobair (Marajj – Esklawa/Eukaliptus) from the United Arab Emirates. Despite many other successes, Orfa D’Arab K.A. also did not fit onto the podium. It was not the first time when high scores in classes do not translate to good results in the championships.
In the yearling colts finals we were once again witnesses to some fierce competition. As expected by many, the “determined” AJ Azzam (also the winner of the public’s choice award in his class) bested his rivals, claiming the gold, before Alexxanderr and Luigi, although some judges placed their bets on Alexxanderr, who presented himself just as well as the Ajman Stud charge and received just 2 points less than his rival. As the winner’s owners reminded everyone, AJ Azzam managed the same feat as his sire AJ Mardan, a gold medalist from Aachen in 2012. Alexxanderr is also following in the footsteps of his ancestors. His grandsire Shanghai EA is a winner from Aachen from two years ago and his sire Excalibur EA won here a year ago.
The Polish supporters had to wait until the junior stallions championship in order to hear the Polish national anthem. It was played for Morion, who bested Gallardo J (Emerald J – Gomera/Ekstern), bred by Jadem Arabians and owned by Ajman Stud and Equiborn KA (QR Marc – Espadrilla/Monogramm), bred and owned by Knocke Arabians. It turns out that it is not only the Polish mares that can boast triumphs on international arenas. Surely many breeders today – both from Poland and abroad – would consider Morion for their breeding plans in the upcoming
seasons. For now it is not improbable that Morion will repeat Ekstern’s success and become Triple Crowned. Silently Polish fans were also counting on a gold for Equator, but we are well aware that that could’ve been just too much. During the senior stallions championship the finalists were shown to the music from “Game of Thrones”, though luckily this rivalry wasn’t as murderous. Equator took the silver and the public’s favorite, E.S. Harir, the gold. The bronze was awarded to Aja Justified.
Finally it is impossible not to notice that beside the powerful players on the Arabian horse market there is a young, dynamic and ambitious generation of owners from the Middle East. These include, among others, Aljawza Stud, Alsayed Stud, Al Thumama Stud and Al Muawd Stud. In the not so distant future it will be them who will be setting the tone on the show arenas. That’s why it brings us great joy that many of them appreciate Polish breeding and in their search for good horses come to our country.
Judges:
Marianne Tengstedt (Denmark)
Renata Schibler (Switzerland)
Gianmarco Aragno (Italy)
Cedes Bakker (Netherlands)
Mohamed Machmoun (Morocco)
Holger Ismer (Germany)
Richard Petty (USA)
Allan Preston (Australia)
Luiz Rocco (Brasil)
