by Dick Reed, Toskhara Arabians
Aubrey, TX
One of the stars of the Auction stepped into the spotlight on Friday night at the preview. It was PIETA (Gazal Al Shaqab X Pilar by Fawor) a four year old bred by Janow Podlaski.
The photo of PIETA in the catalog was not particularly captivating. Stuart Vesty told me he had spent three days trying to get a great shot of this young mare, he never succeeded. I fully expected PIETA to be the top lot of the sale based on her breeding. Gazal Al Shaqab has produced some of the most valued horses in the World over the last few years; Marwan Al Shaqab, Pianissima and Emmandoria come to top of mind but I have seen many others.
PIETA is out of Pilar a highly successful show mare and the chosen daughter of PIPI by Banat, herself the daughter of PILARKA one of the most beautiful Palas daughters ever seen. I knew she would be spectacular but people only seeing the photograph weren't prepared for the mare herself. She looked great and the auction attendees began to buzz about PIETA.
*PRUDENCJA (Emigrant X Pergola by Falsyfikat) 1997 bred by Michalow. Sold to Dubai for €70,000 ($93,000).
Everyone was looking ahead to the Auction on Sunday, wondering what was in store.
ERRARA (Monogramm X Estela by Probat) 1996 bred by Michalow, sold to Dubai for €165,000 ($220,000).
Christine Jamar didn't buy Zulejka as some had thought. It was a Belgium family that reportedly are new to horses. I didn't meet them so I don't know. There were several groups of Belgium people that Christine brought to the auction and between these groups they bought some very expensive horses.
There was lots of interest in Zulejka from people from the US (in Greg Gallun's group) but they backed off when the price went over $200,000. Greg has become a fixture at the Pride of Poland. Well he should as it has produced multiple US National Championships for him and his customers.
SOTIKA (WH Justice X Slonka by Wojslaw) 2nd Class A Yearling Fillies bred by Falborek Arabians.
The private Polish breeders are putting a lot of pressure on the State Studs. This was particularly evident in the yearling classes.
WH JUSTICE (Magnum Psyche X Vona Sher-Renea by El Sher-Mann) bred in the US and PSYTADEL (Padron Psyche X Bint Bey Shah by Bey Shah) have sired a number of foals in private breeding programs. Some are very beautiful, such as the winner of Class A Yearling Fillies, ESPIRA (Psytadel X Ekspiacja by Emigrant), she was bred by Lech Blaszczyk.
The Polish Nationals is also a show in which amateurs handlers are welcome to show their horses.
HANAH (Poganin X Hina by Gabaryt) bred by Alicja Najmowicz. Pretty filly, pretty girl; they didn't make the cut but still nice to see.
Yearling Fillies Class B
2nd Place
PASADIA (Ekstern X Pasadena by Eukaliptus) bred by Czeple Arabians.
1st Class B Yearling Fillies
ESPINEZJA (Psytadel X Entaga by Ganges) bred by Leszek Jarmuz.
The two year old filly class followed the two year old fillies class.
The horses from the State Studs returned to the head of the line with the top three places going to their fillies.
Third Place Two Year Old Fillies
WIEZA SNOW (Emigrant X Wieza Babel by Laheeb) bred by Michalow.
This filly was a grand daughter of Wiazma one of the high interest auction horses. Horses from this line are noted for their animated nature. It comes from EL AZRAK via BANAT, ARBIL, WIAZMA.
Second Place Two Year Old Fillies
EMIRIONA (Grafik X Emmona by Monogramm) bred by Michalow.
Monogramm blood was extensively represented throughout the high placings in the show. In the younger classes as the grandsire on either the sire or dam side as in this case.
First Place Two Year Old Fillies
PINTA (Ekstern X Pilar by Fawor) bred by Janow Podlaski.
The class winner was a half sister to PIETA, the Gazal daughter of great interest in the Auction, and by the Monogramm son, EKSTERN. PINTA represents the fusion of the very successful Monogramm horses from Michalow, with the wonderful "P" dam line from Janow Podlaski.
There were four new classes at the Polish Nationals this year. Three year old fillies and one, two and three year old colts. It was my understanding that because ECAHO rules state that a complete set of classes had to be included to call a show a National Championship and because private Polish breeders complained, the classes were added.
Historically the Poles didn't show colts until after they returned from racing and they didn't show three year old fillies because they were at the race track. I thought these were sound reasons but one doesn't fight European bureaucracy.... so on with the show.
One of the great treats of returning to Poland every year is to see the development of horses. One filly I have always liked was EKINA (Ekstern X Eklera by Ecaho) bred by Bialka.
2004
I first saw her in 2004 at Bialka while she was still with her dam. She had an exotically beautiful head and a flaxen mane and tail.
She placed fourth in this years show, but still looked great. She was let down somewhat by the lack of strength through the quarters. Bialka has neither the resources or the facilities to compete totally with the larger programs at Janow and Michalow.
With EKINA only placing fourth one knows something special was going on. There was, its called Gazal daughters.
3rd Place Three Year Old Fillies
The top three fillies were ALL by Gazal out of Monogramm daughters from Michalow. Not only are Monogramm daughters great show mares they are also great broodmares, and look very well crossed when bred to Gazal.
PISTORIA (Gazal Al Shaqab X Palmira by Monogramm) bred by Michalow.
2nd Place Three Year Old Fillies
One of the things that distinguishes the Monogramm horses is great movement. Movement is vital in ECAHO points system. Norma had 2X20 and 1X19 for movement.
NORMA (Gazal Al Shaqab X Nina by Monogramm) bred by Michalow.
1st Place Three Year Old Fillies
There was no doubt in my mind who would win the class when she first came in the ring. I have lots of lovely photos of her but this one captures her extreme quality.
EJRENE (Gazal Al Shaqab X Emocja by Monogramm) bred by Michalow.
Here is a photo of EJRENE trotting.
Yearling Colts
There was a very large class of yearling colts. Most were shown by private breeders.
3rd Place Yearling Colts
The third place colt was a full brother to PIETA the young mare generating the greatest interest in the Auction.
PIZARRO (Gazal Al Shaqab X Pilar by Fawor) bred by Janow Podlaski.
2nd Place Yearling Colt
KABSZTAD (Poganin X Kwestura by Monogramm) bred by Michalow. This colt is a nephew of *Kordelas so I was gratified to see his high placing.
1st Yearling Colts
The class was won by a very showy colt bred by a private breeder.
ALTIS (WH Justice X Albia by Pers) bred by Falborek Arabians.
And then in the middle of the two year old colt class the rain came...
Following the heavy rain, the show was moved inside.
The remainder of the two year old colt class was greatly impacted as wet horses and handlers waited while the arena was prepared and then tried to show. It really impacted this class but the rest of the day was rainy so once again the new Janow arena really saved the show.
1st Place Two Year Old Colts
BOREAS (Metropolis NA X Bombina by Bomarc) bred by Wojeich Kowalik.
This colts grandsire BOMARC (Bask X Boltonka by Arax) bred by Lasma Arabians and exported to Swedan was the only Bask son that saw extensive use anywhere in Europe. This colts dam BOMBINA (Bomarc X Prowincja by Probat) was bred by Bloomerod Stud in Sweden and imported to Poland by Wojeich Kowalik. Wojeich had worked at Bloomerod for many years and then returned to Poland with several well bred mares. He is the breeder, owner and handler of Boreas and was very happy with this win.
2007 Polish Nationals Champion Stallion
POGANIN (Laheeb X Pohulanka by Pepton) bred by Janow Podlaski.
Race Record 1,11(0,2,1,2)
Left Merik Trella, Director and Right Anna S. Assistant Director, Janow Podlaski, Poland. The Polish National Anthem was being played to honor the winner.
2007 Polish Reserve Champion Stallion
GRAFIK (Eukaliptus X Gaskonia by Probat)
2007 Polish Junior Champion Mare
EJRENE (Gazal Al Shaqab X Emocja by Monogramm) bred by Michalow.
Nobody else in the Junior Mares could keep the light from shining on Ejrene. She was the hands down winner of the class. I think she will be a formable competitor at Aachen, the European Championships and Paris.
2007 Polish Reserve Junior Champion Mare
PINTA (Ekstern X Pilar by Fawor) bred by Janow Podlaski.
2007 Polish Reserve Junior Champion Colt
ALTIS (WH Justice X Albia by Pers) Falborek Arabians.
2007 Junior Polish Champion Colt
CELSJUSZ (Ekstern X Carina by Pesal) Bred by Bialka State Stud.
2007 Reserver Champion Mare
PALANGA (Ekstern X Panika by Eukaliptus) bred by Michalow.
2007 Polish National Champion Mare
PALMIRA (Monogramm X Palestra by Penitent) bred by Michalow.
The Polish National Champion Mare is a very tough Championship to win. Many great mares don't ever win because on the day another mare looked a little more "sparkly".
2007 Polish National Champion Stallion
POGANIN (Laheeb X Pohulanka by Pepton) bred by Janow Podlaski.
Each year they present an award to the "Best Race Horse at the Show". It was won by GWARO (Bardysz X Gwarancja by Piechur)
Each year they give an award to the horse they feel deserves recognition for "impact to the breed". This years award winner was:
SARMACJA (Gil X Saszetka by Engano) 1986 bred by Janow Podlaski.
Sarmacja has established her own dynasty of great race horses including the wonderful race mare SAVVANNAH by Monarch AH. Sarmacja had obviously just been hauled out of the pasture and had never seen a crowd like this since the race track. She was nervous at first but then began to carry herself with pride and she was walked around the ring to the applause of the Polish audience.
The foundation of breeding at Janow Podlaski (over 200 years) was based on producing military mounts with the purebred program used to maintain the quality. This history has evolved into an Anglo Arabian program which has become increasingly successful as the borders were opened for their Anglos to compete in dressage, show jumping and three day eventing throughout Europe.
This is one of the mares from their best Anglo line. She had a wonderful long and free flowing stride.
The military theme was continued as the Polish flag was presented on horse back by military officers.
On left METROPOLIS NA (Concensus X NDL Martinique by Muscat) bred by Mike Nichols, siring foals in Poland.
Poland also operates a "preservation program" in that they retain select sire and dam lines. Janow Podlaski currently is supporting 14 active mare lines and 7 (I think this is the correct number but I'm not positive) active stalloion lines. Maintaining sire and dam lines is the best way to retain as much genetic diversity in the program as possible. This and the fact that they bring in outside blood means that they are not trapped if issues occur within the herd. The State Studs cooperate in maintaining the total Polish sire and dam program. No other breeding program in the World comes close to having this scope.
They presented a representative of each of the mare lines to the audience. This is as close as we got to a breeding Parade at Janow. There are too many activities crowded into too little time to provide for a breeding parade. This is a loss because one really doesn't have a chance to see the Janow horses.
This is the representative of one of the dam lines, I just don't know which.
This is ETNOLOGIA (Gazal Al Shaqab X Etalanta by Europejczyk) 2003 bred by Janow Podlaski. Further info by Kina:
"Class 7A winner with 92.00 points, Etalanta is out of Etnografia (Aloes/Etazerka by Bandos) so as you will know from that, the dam line goes on back to famous mare Etna, so the same female line as Etruria etcetera. The dam line is therefore that of Woloszka, born at Slawuta circa 1810."
In regard to wanting her that may be a problem if she ever comes on the market as Mrs. Watts (Halsdon Arabians, UK) seems to also have a fondness for her.
Another shot of ETNOLOGIA (Gazal Al Shaqab X Etalanta by Europejczyk) competing in the mare Championship.
The Pride of Poland Auction, formerly Polish Prestige Auction, is the longest running Arabian horse auction in the World. It has been held every year starting with the boom years of the early 80's, through the collapse in the late 80's, the stagnant years of the 90's and into the recovery which commenced in Poland with the turn of the new Century.
The prices began to slowly trend upwards in the early part of this Century. 2006 was a spectacular success for the Pride of Poland Auction as the total sale produced more $$'s than any other auction even those in the boom times of the early 80's.
Most people felt the 2006 Auction was a "one off" event heavily impacted by the appearance of a Australian/Malaysian buyer who purchased many of the top horses and seemed to have no limit on what he would spend.
The general assessment of those I talked to was that the Auction would not produce the same revenues in 2007 as it had in 2006.
Auction day started with the Championship classes and then the presentations. The next step was the preview in which all the horses would be presented. This is the chance to see all the horses in broad daylight presented one by one on the large show grounds. It is the one opportunity to get photographs of all the horses in ideal conditions.
Lot S3 DORIS DAY (Ganges X Dalida by Probat) 2002 bred by Michalow, she is a maternal half sister to the great race stallion DRUID by Wojslaw.
This is a "big event" in Poland, covered on National TV, with live feeds from ring side.
Arabian Horses are the one Polish Export which is "world class" in the International Market. The Polish People are rightfully proud of this heritage.