Sire Line – Kuhailan Haifi DB - The Backbone Of Polish Breeding by Arabian Horse World

SIRE LINE–KUHAILAN HAIFI DB THE BACKBONE OF POLISH BREEDING b y B e t t y F in ke KUHAILAN HAIFI WAS ONE OF THE LAST DESERTBRED STALLIONS IMPORTED TO POLAND, ALONG WITH KUHAILAN AFAS IN 1931. BUT IN TERMS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE ARABIAN BREED, HE IS SECOND TO NONE.

ountries that breed Arabian horses can often name one foundation stallion whose influence far exceeds all others and extends far beyond the borders of the country to which he was originally imported: Saklawi I for Egypt, Mesaoud for Britain, Bairactar for Germany. In Poland, this title belongs to Kuhailan Haifi, although, compared to the others, he was a latecomer. While they were all imported during the 19th century, he only arrived in 1931. In the last issue, I have already described the background of the last Arabian-buying expedition from Poland, which was led by Bogdan Zietarski and Carl Raswan on behalf of Prince Roman Sanguszko. It may be useful, though, to take a closer look at the importance of the Sanguszko family for Arabian breeding in Poland, and indeed the world. Polish Arabian breeding can be traced back to the

18th century and started with the private breeding programs of aristocratic families. The Sanguszkos played a particularly prominent role in this. In fact, all the famous old Polish stud farms from which the Arabian horses of Poland originate belonged to members and associates of the Sanguszko family. The original Sanguszko stud was established in the 16th century at Slawuta, birthplace of those notorious Polish foundation mares of whose background nothing is known but that they came from Slawuta. This made some breeders doubt the purity of Polish Arabian horses, leading to the creation of the Blue List and select breeding associations such as the Asil Club and Al Khamsa. But the lack of information on these mares is hardly surprising if we consider that they were foaled over Kuhailan Haifi DB

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“... finally they led in

KUHAILAN HAIFI DB KUHAILAN HAIFI B. 1923 D.B. RUALA BED., IMP. 1931 PL OFIR B. 1933 (DZIWA) JANOW PODLASKI WIELKI SZLEM B. 1938 (ELEGANTKA) JANOW PODLASKI MLECH PELKINSKI B. 1942 (HILLA) PELKINIE ANARCHISTA B. 1947 (BOMBA) NOWY DWOR CZARDASZ B. 1949 (BAZA) NOWY DWOR *DOMAN GR. 1964 (DARDA) MICHALOW, EXP. SE, USA RHAMAN B. 1972 (RHAPSODY IN BLUE) BOSTROM/SE, EXP. AL IFTEH B. 1983 (SEMMA II) TIARET/AL HOULM 2001 (OKKAZA) AL KIFANE B. 1985 (DJELFA) TIARET/AL TALISMAN CH. 1993 (KAHRABA) METIDJI/AL KAIROUAN GR. 1976 (KARILLION) FOCH/SE GAZON B. 1966 (GAZELLA) MICHALOW *BEN-COMET B. 1967 (MURCJA) BRAUR/PL, EXP. USA BENS LEGACY GR. 1993 (LEGACY KASHMERE) KEESEE/USA *FINISZ B. 1967 (FORTA) MICHALOW, EXP. USA MIRA-FINISZ B. 1973 (LE-MIRA) PETTY/USA FINITO-FINISZ B. 1992 (FAR KARA BECKKA) TOLLEFSON KESSEY/USA TKR MACHISMO B. 1997 (MEDA) TOLLEFSON KESSEY/USA FINN-AGAIN B. 2014 (TKR BELLE NOIR) TOLLEFSON KESSEY/USA CZORT B. 1949 (FORTA) NOWY DWOR *CZORTAN GR. 1962 (*MORTISSA) USA (I.U.) IVANHOE TSATAN B. 1968 (HILLCRESTS BINT TSATYR) DRAVES/USA IVANHOE TSULTAN B. 1971 (HILLCRESTS BINT IMARAFF) DRAVES/USA TSULTAN TSUNRISE B. 1981 (LZ RENEE) ROHARA/USA NLMONTANATSUNRISE B. 1992 (J-MAR PERTENDER) HARRISON/USA TSULYBRATION B. 1981 (LALYFA) TAITZ/USA SUPREME TSULTAN CH. 1984 (AELI KUN) BILIDA/USA TSULLIVAN B. 1985 (EL CAMILLE) MEIER/USA BEY TSHAH MAJIK CH. 1989 (BEY SHARINA) HOCHSTETLER/USA DESPERADOS MAJIK B. 2013 (EV ANNIE OAKLEY) HOCHSTETLER/USA IVANHOETSYNTSATAN CH. 1974 (LATSONA) MARTIN/USA GAZORT B. 1969 (*GAWRA) MCBRIDE/USA REZORT B. 1977 (INCA LEGEND) RUST/USA ZORTA BL. 1978 (SERENITA) MAR-CON/USA ZORTA SON BL. 1991 (ROBIN-ARI) CHIRON/USA ZORTAMUS BL. 2002 (KRAKOWA) TUCKER/USA AMURATH VARONEZH GR. 1975 (AMURATH KASHMIRA) LOEBER/USA DJAAT N. 1976 (TWINOAK ZAHRESS) SCHNORR/USA, EXP. AU (I.U.) *RUSZT CH. 1962 (RUSZNICA) PL, EXP. USA KREZUS B. 1963 (KREOLKA) JANOW PODLASKI *ELLORUS B. 1972 (ELLORA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. USA KORSARZ CH. 1985 (*GENUA) TWEED/USA, EXP. CAN DESTE METARZAN CH. 1995 (DESTE ZBRUNETTE) ESTES/USA DESTE ZECHARIAH CH. 2000 (DESTE SWEET TOUCH) ESTES/USA FMR SPEEDI JOSE B. 2006 (FMR DUNASIA) SINGLETON/USA SABBAT B. 1964 (SABELLINA) JANOW PODLASKI *BANZAJ GR. 1965 (BANDOLA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. USA *DAMPOL GR. (DRUCHNA) MICHALOW, EXP. USA *ETAN B. 1965 (ETNA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. FR, USA SHERKHAN II B. 1970 (SIEROTKA) DE NEXON/FR MUZLETAN B. 1975 (MUZIA) WRIGHT/USA, EXP. EC ALCAZAR GR. 1993 (ALHAJAS FANCY) ARTETA/EC ASTRAKAN GR. 2001 (KERALA) ARTETA/EC *SAMBOR CH. 1965 (*SABELLINA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. USA SAMTYR CH. 1971 (*TRYNCZA) RUBIN/USA SAAM CH. 1977 (COUNTS JEWEL) HARRISON/USA CV RISING STAR CH. 1990 (TRIPOLLE) SHULER/USA NUSAAM CH. 1991 (MALABAR ATHENA) ALLISON/USA, EXP. UAE PS COPPER SAGE CH. 1993 (MALABAR ATHENA) RAINE/USA, EXP. UAE SAMSTAR CH. 1978 (COUNTS JEWEL) HARRISON/USA CHARLIE VALENTINE CH. 1984 (SILVER DAHL) LULOFF/USA, EXP. UAE SAMS COUNT CH. 1979 (COUNTS JEWEL) HARRISON/USA BOBBIES SAM GR. 1979 (MAJORCA DE WASHOE) HARRISON/USA SAMSUN CH. 1979 (RUCELLA) HARRISON/USA, EXP. FR TAKADO CH. 2000 (TAKADA) BIRABEN/FR SAMS FIX CH. 1982 (DIMFIXA) HARRISON/USA STYYX GR. 1988 (HH MALOSCA) HARRISON/USA T C TOMTYR GR. 1988 (KELLOWNA) LUCKETT/USA THOROUGHBRED B. 2002 (VANESSA DU LOUP) BIN ZAYED/USA TOMANCHIE GR. 1990 (KELLOWNA) LUCKETT/USA MUCHO CALIENTE B. 1996 (MSAS ZBRITZKA) TOWN & COUNTRY/USA FORAY B. 2005 (FAST FORWARD) DARLEY STUD MANAGEMENT LLC/USA ARANSAS HF GR. 1995 (ARRA) FLAMMER/USA NEED FOR SPEED GR. 2004 (BRISTOL, BREEZE) HOLST/USA STRAVINSKY HF B. 1995 (*STOKROTKA) FLAMMER/USA XXXPEDITE CH. 1995 (XXXENTRICITY) USA THREE T KONTIKI GR. 1998 (TIKI BELLE STAR) BAUER/USA TTT TRIPOD B. 2001 (LA DEE DAH) THREET/USA TTT LITTLE DAN CH. 2005 (MI GIEPSY) THREET/USA SAMS STYLE GR. 1996 (DIMORCA) MAGNESS/USA SIR WM QUESAM B. 1973 (JADI TSABARQUETTE) RUBIN/USA SIR WM TRYCZAM CH. 1973 (*TRYNCZA) RUBIN/USA SW SAMOTRYN CH. 1975 (*TRYNCZA) RUBIN/USA EW TOULOUSE GR. 1975 (TRYNADA) RUBIN/USA HINDI AMMAN GR. 1989 (HINDIA SAMIA) HINDI/USA SIR WM BOGDAN BR. 1982 (*GROTESKA) RUBIN/USA SAM TIKI B. 1985 (KYLA TIKI) THURMON/USA JOHNNY ONTHE SPOT B. 1991 (SPOT ME) WAGNER/USA, EXP. UAE, FR NURACHI 2006 (VELOCITA DU CAYROU) UAE NURRI 2006 (MURASSONE) UAE DREAMS OF VALOR CH. 1995 (FULFILLED DREAM) SMITH/USA SECOND SON B. 1996 (FADBAI PRINCESS) VANTAE POINT/USA CROWNN ROYAL B. 2004 (ROYAL ATHEENA) KIRSHNER OR MIHALOFF/USA

the bay Kuhailan

Haifi. It is just the horse I am seeking. Not large, dry, on splendid legs, no trace of cow-hocks. A long neck, a noble head not very small, with distended thin, movable nostrils, a splendidly highcarried tail.

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200 years ago. Slawuta’s stud records did not survive the numerous wars and upheavals that ravaged the country. The fact that these mares were the foundation of Polish Arabian breeding is undisputed. In the late 19th century, when other countries were only just beginning to breed Arabians, Polish Arabians were already winning gold medals at the World Exhibition at Paris and being exported to other countries. In 1835, Wladyslaw Sanguszko established the Gumniska Stud, which was continued by his son Eustachy and grandson Roman. This Prince Roman Sanguszko (not to be confused with his uncle, also named Roman, the owner of Slawuta who was killed in the war in 1917) represented the fifth generation of the family

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Ofir 1933 (Kuhailan Haifi x Dziwa), the only Kuhailan Haifi son to carry on the male line, although he was captured by the Russians in 1939.

to breed Arabian horses. It was to be the last, but perhaps also the most significant. Both Gumniska and Slawuta were destroyed in World War I, but Prince Roman was able to rebuild the breeding program after the war with the few horses that survived: three stallions and eight mares. He not only continued the breeding program of his family, he also did new things. When Arabian racing was first established in Poland in 1927, he was the first Polish breeder to import horses from France. In addition, he revived the tradition of his ancestors and sent an expedition to the Arabian Desert to purchase new horses for the stud. It was led by the Arabian expert Carl Raswan and by Bogdan Zietarski, who trained the Prince’s racehorses and had already purchased horses for the studs at Bábolna and Ilok. After six months of travel, they returned with four mares and five stallions, of which Kuhailan Zaid became a foundation sire for Bábolna and Kuhailan Afas established a sire line in Poland

“It is a line that beat all the odds: not only did it rest on just one horse, but this horse was born at a time when all of Europe was falling apart.

”

that was the subject of the last article in this series. But the crowning glory of this collection was Kuhailan Haifi. In his journals, Zietarski relates how he found this horse: “During a three day stay at Abu Draatha I noticed some bay Kuhailat fillies, very equal in type and very beautiful indeed. They were sired by a bay stallion belonging to the Ruala Bedouins in the neighborhood of Jauf ... finally they led in the bay Kuhailan Haifi. It is just the horse I am seeking. Not large, dry, on splendid legs,

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no trace of cow-hocks. A long neck, a noble head not very small, with distended thin, movable nostrils, a splendidly high-carried tail.” (From Britta Fahlgren, The Arabian Horse Families of Poland). The journals go on to say that he acquired the stallion that same night, not giving any details; despite stating elsewhere that the Ruala chief was apparently unwilling to part with the horse. Only fairly recently, 80 years after this historic importation, previously unknown letters written by Bogdan Zietarski to Prince Roman Sanguszko were discovered in a private collection. They give a completely different version of Kuhailan Haifi’s purchase. These new discoveries were first published on the website Polskiearaby.com a few years ago and yield the surprising information that this horse – which was not for sale, having no less than 40 different owners – was acquired in exchange for a supply of armored vests. An English translation of the letter is given as follows: Having received permission, I set off with the corporal and Raswan to the desert. I found nothing among the Sâaba, Fid’An or Wuold’ali Bedouins, while among the Ruala who come under the authority of Emir Fuaz (whom I offered the vests), 800 km from Damascus I found a bay Kuhailan stallion, with a small, handsome head, good tail carriage, long, deepchested, with legs and hooves in a terrible state like they all have. However

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KUHAILAN HAIFI DB SAMMIE JOE CH. 1986 (FAGAI) TOLBERT/USA SAMSHEIK CH. 1987 (CASSELS GENUA) THURMAN/USA, EXP. QA, GB SAMPLE COPY CH. 1987 (RUSHCREEK INGRID) LIEBERMAN/USA, EXP. UAE SAMBORZELSTA CH. 1988 (BRUSALLY ORZELSTA) THURMON/USA TF GRANDEUR B. 1997 (OVATION AOF) TRANQUILLITY FARM/USA LS JERONIMO B. 2003 (BASKS CZERIE)ROGERS OR PRICE/USA ELFUR B. 1966 (ELLORA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. TERSK ELBRUS GR. 19783 (NESRAVNENNAJA) TERSK, EXP. LT SNIEGAS CH. 1991 (SAULE) LT *PENTAGON GR. 1966 (PENZA) JANOW, EXP. USA RA-JER B. (ROYAL RA BASKA) PRENTISS & RAYFORD/USA RF RAVENSONG B. 2000 (RR WIND SONG) MEARS/USA *EL PASO B. 1967 (ELLORA) JANOW, EXP. USA *CADYK B. 1973 (CUMPARSITA) MICHALOW, EXP. SE, USA EXODUS B. 1984 (EX DARA) SE LEXICON B. 1984 (LEWA) HAMMARGREN/SE *ERROS CH. 1973 (ESKAPADA) MICHALOW, EXP. USA TRIPLE A FERROS B. 1988 (TRIPLE A FARRAH) USA IL FILOU 2014 (ES SIBERIA) PAVVO GR. 1994 (KHASSIOPEIA) USA WEZUWIUZ CH. 1999 (*WIGANA) USA GORSET B. 1973 (GILZA) MICHALOW, EXP. DE *CZAPRAK B. 1974 (CZATANOGA) MICHALOW, EXP. SE, USA WIATR B. 1975 (WADERA) MICHALOW, EXP. BR CORIOLAN CH. 1976 (CEDZYNA) MICHALOW, EXP. GB, NL FASON B. 1976 (FLADRA) MICHALOW, EXP. SE WILKOLAK B. 1976 (WADERA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA FAMES FORTUNE B. 1977 (FAME) LASMA/USA APPLAUZ B. 1977 (ANDALUSIA) LASMA/USA MACTALLA B. 1995 (FANTAZHA) PARAMONT/USA, EXP. CAN EMPERATIVE B. 1977 (KJ ROYAL EMERALD) FLAVINS/USA GUARNTEED GR. 1977 (GDYNIA) LASMA/USA MS ELLUSION CH. 1978 (MS BAQUETA) TOPP/USA PASK B. 1978 (DESERT CROSS) MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY/USA SAHIBI CH. 1978 (WIND CHARM) USA, FORTALEZA/EXP. BR AF BRISTOL B. 1982 (TIFLA ISLAM) BR TRUE FAME B. 1978 (FAME) LASMA/USA, EXP. AUS ESSQUIRE B. 1979 (NEW FASHION) LASMA/USA TOKIO B. 1979 (TIFLA ISLAM) FORTALEZA, EXP. BR ALKAZAR B. 1980 (ALGERIA) JANOW, EXP. USA WEZYR GR. 1986 (WOJENKA) BIALKA, EXP. FR ETOGRAM GR. 1981 (ETNA) JANOW PODLASKI EMERYK GR. 1990 (EROTYKA) MICHALOW, EXP. SE EL BATAL 1995 (EUTERPE) JANOW PODLASKI EUTIN GR. 1996 (EUZEBIA) JANOW PODLASKI PREDATOR GR. 2002 (PENETRACJA) WISNIEWSKI/PL ELSING B. 1982 (ELSINOE) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. FR BERLIN BEY (AA) B. 1995 (BERENIKA) PL EUROPEJCZYK B. 1982 (EUROPA) JANOW, EXP. USA DANTON GR. 1988 (DAROWIZNA) BIALKA, EXP. UAE DAKOTA B. 1989 (DALIDA) MICHALOW, EXP. USA, CHILE IBERO 2002 (ILLIVIT FORTUNE) EGE B. 1990 (ETRUSKA) KARLSSON/SE PEGE STAR GR. 1998 (POALMA) HYATT/DE BAZYL B. 1991 (BAZYLEA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. DE EUROPIA GR. 1992 (*ENARIA) TEISAN AUTO CO./USA GRANDEURS PATRIOT B. 2004 (SOUTHERNN BELLE) COWLES/USA EKSPORT B. 1994 (ESPARCETA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. BR SAALIM B GR. 1994 (9 FARAG II) BÁBOLNA/HU ALBUM B. 1995 (ALEJKA) JANOW PODLASKI WEZUWIUSZ B. 1995 (WIZYTA) KUROZWEKI SWF EUROS FIRE CH. 1997 (CELYNA) TESDAL/USA RSA FIRE CZYK CH. 2007 (HAAP NICOLE) RAYSIK/USA WA PEJCZYK B. 1997 (PHYLLAN) WINTERSTEEN/USA AH GALLANT B. 1984 (*GONINA) TOWN AND COUNTRY FARMS/USA MAGIC VF B. 1984 (BASKS MARIA) VENTURA/USA PIERROT GR. 1969 (PIERZGA) JANOW PODLASKI, EXP. DE, USA SANTHOS GR. 1981 (SAIKA) HUSSMANN/DE POLAR B. 1987 (POLARKA II) HUSSMANN/DE PA NOEL BR. 1995 (NYALA II) MINOS GR. 1987 (MAKALFA) BURGGRAF/DE, EXP. USA SPEED GR. 1995 (SAMS SLUE) BIN ZAYED/USA, EXP. UAE SANSAL B. 1990 (SALINKA) DABLINSKI/DE, EXP. DK MAXIM GR. 1993 (MASHUGA) BURGGRAF/DE MARQUIS GR.. 1994 (MARKIZA) ISMER/DE EXCELENZ GR. 2003 (EXQUITA) ISMER/DE, EXP. MISTRAL GR. 1995 (MASHUGA) BURGGRAF/DE, EXP. PL ERMIS CH. 2005 (ERYNIA) ROWINSKI/PL SAGAN GR. 1995 (PROSA) ENGEL/DE SHANOKK B. 1998 (SINJAH) DE, EXP. IT EH ETHOS GR. 2006 (ESTRELLA) BÄR/DE AF SIR VIVOR B. 1990 (DOBRA KA) GROWELL/USA *SABSON GR. 1970 (*SABELLINA) IMP. USA (I.U.) DUCH B. 1950 (BOJAZN) NOWY DWOR LITAUR GR. 1956 (LAGUNA) MICHALOW *KASZTEL B. 1951 (KASZMA) PL, EXP. USA ALGIER B. 1953 (ALGA) NOWY DWOR, EXP. SE *DE ELIXIR B. 1974 (EXESSA) AXELSSON/SE, EXP. USA *RUSAZCIE GR. 1974 (RUCASJA) BLOMMERÖD/SE, EXP. USA ALTO B. 1975 (ALDIFA) BLOMMEROD/SE, EXP. FR *NABYTEK CH. 1976 (NIDSHEM) UHLEN/SE, EXP. USA CF AVATAR B. 1982 (ARISTO KAPRYS) CALAIS FARM/USA *MALIGG B. 1977 (MARITSA) BLOMMEROD/SE, EXP. USA RD MISHA B. 1978 (MARITZA) BLOMMEROD/SE, EXP. DE, USA *EL MUDIR BR. *1954 (MUNIRA) NOWY DWOR, EXP. USA BORYS DBR. *1956 (BOJKENA) NOWY DWOR, EXP. DE

I saw such good young mares by him, that I decided to obtain the horse by all means. The stallion belonged to 40 owners and was used as a breeding sire. They said that he is absolutely not for sale. So I told Fuaz that I have his word, that in exchange for the armored vests I could choose any horses I wish. I am modest, I don’t want horses, but just that one horse. Fuaz made a face as though he just ate a raw frog, but said: I gave my word, you will get that horse. Then they started babbling among each other, how many camels and sheep Fuaz gave for the stallion, I don’t know. However in the evening Fuaz’s slave told us that it’d be best if we escaped from the camp early morning at sunrise and headed straight for Damascus. That’s exactly what we did, covering 400 km that first day, which considering a drive across the steppe without roads was a pretty good result. We spent the first night among Bedouins from an unfamiliar tribe, the second in a small French fort, while on the third night we were arrived in Damascus. Until today I do not know whether it was a comedy arranged in my honor, or the truth. Either way Raswan rattled his teeth the entire way and damned me to the tenth generation. I finally threatened that I would throw him out of the car and he calmed down. The drama was not yet over. Zietarski and Raswan faced an agonizing wait in Damascus until the stallion was finally delivered to them. Zietarski wrote to Prince Roman on April 1st, 1931: “Today my concerns have slightly

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left : Wielki Szlem 1938 (Ofir x Elegantka), one of the horses who miraculously survived the bombing of Dresden.

Wind 1938 (Ofir x Jaga II), the first Polish stallion to be used at Marbach State Stud and sire of the great broodmare Winarsad.

SKORKOWSKI PHOTO

right :

diminished. The bay stallion has come from the desert. For a week I could not sleep out of fear that I would not get the horse. The French have sent out a punitive expedition and are disarming the Bedouins. There is no way to get to the desert. I was afraid that in the face of these circumstances they might not be able to deliver the horse, but I have already given the vests and how could I return to Gumniska without the stallion?” The question is of course why Zietarski chose to present a very different, and much less dramatic, tale in his published journals. On Polskiearaby.com, Monika Luft argues that it may well have been wiser to hide something that could be (justifiably) construed as an arms trade with the Bedouins. So what about the horse that Zietarski wanted to acquire at such risk? The stallion that, according to his journals, made him go “weak in the knees” and “almost faint”, quite aside from losing sleep at the thought of not being able to take him home? Looking at the photos of this celebrated stallion, anyone who

has grown up with today’s Arabian show horse standard might well be baffled. This image in no way corresponds to what we are used to seeing today. The head is dry and refined, but entirely without a dish; the neck long, but quite broad and a little heavy. The conformation shows both strengths and weaknesses: an excellent shoulder and topline followed by somewhat short quarters, and while he may not have been cow-hocked, the hind legs look far from ideal. Well, that much at least is not unlike modern show horses; everything else is about as far removed as you can imagine. If this horse appeared at a show today, he would certainly be noticed, but only for being so very different. And yet his descendants, unmistakably carrying his stamp, won championships well into the 1980s and for many years even dominated the show rings of America. Such are the vagaries of changing fashion. Yet while a very different type might be in fashion today, the influence of Kuhailan Haifi still stands unchallenged. Like his stablemate Kuhailan

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Afas, Kuhailan Haifi did not have a long career at stud: just three years until his untimely death. In 1932, Janow Podlaski sent a few mares to Gumniska to be bred to him. One of them was Dziwa, one of the last Polish mares entirely descended from desertbred lines. In 1933, she gave birth to a colt that was named Ofir. This one stallion – the last Polish sire of 100% desert breeding – is the origin of the entire Kuhailan Haifi line today. It is a line that beat all the odds: not only did it rest on just one horse, but this horse was born at a time when all of Europe was falling apart. Ofir’s time, too, was limited. In 1939, aged just six years, he along with many other Polish Arabians was captured by the Russian army and taken to Tersk. In Russia, his daughter Mammona was to become enormously influential. The sire line, however, is entirely based on his first foal crop at Janow Podlaski. In those days, the names were chosen by the alphabet, a new letter for each year. The 1938 Janow foal crop was the “W” year, and it included the three great sons of Ofir who would each establish

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their own distinctive branches: Wielki Szlem, *Witez II, and Witraz. Another Ofir son born that year was named Wyrwidab. He somehow ended up in Germany after the War, where his name was changed to the more easily pronounceable “Wind” and he became the first Polish sire to be used at Marbach State Stud. Unlike his brothers he was unable to establish his own line. But his daughters became very important in German post-war Arabian breeding, including Marbach’s own hugely influential Winarsad. The entire Kuhailan Haifi line only narrowly escaped being destroyed by the War. In the summer of 1944 Janow Podlaski, at that time under German occupation and management, had to be evacuated as the Russian army advanced from the East. The horses, including the Ofir sons, were taken westwards to Saxony, where they found temporary shelter. But by

If this horse “appeared at a show today, he would certainly be noticed, but only for being so very different. And yet his descendants, unmistakably carrying his stamp, won championships well into the 1980s

”

February 1945, they were no longer safe and forced to move on. During their flight, around 200 horses, including 80 stallions, were caught in the bombing of Dresden. A tale that has passed into legend describes

Elegantka was by Fetysz’s sire Bakszysz. Wielki Szlem’s photos show a horse of what became known as the classic Ofir type, or the the Polish Kuhailan type. Typical characteristics include the strong

how stud groom Jan Ziniewicz, in the midst of fire and chaos, refused to let go of his charges, the two Ofir sons Witraz and Wielki Szlem, even when Witraz’s tail caught fire. The next morning, so it is told, only 20 of the 80 stallions were still alive, among them Witraz and Wielki Szlem. The third Ofir son, *Witez II, was part of a group of horses captured by General Patton and taken to the USA. Witraz and Wielki Szlem played a vital role in rebuilding the Polish Arabian breeding program after the War. The two stallions were very closely related, to the point of being almost brothers in blood. Both their dams were daughters of the famous mare Gazella II. Witraz’s dam Makata was sired by Fetysz, while Wielki Szlem’s dam

Erika Schiele’s iconic photograph of Janow stud groom Jan Ziniewicz, who held onto Wielki Szlem and Witraz during the bombing of Dresden, shown here with their grandsons Czort and Almifar.

bay color, sometimes with dappling but very little in the way of white markings, and a head that is straight in profile, but very dry and refined with small ears, a broad forehead, large eyes, and wide nostrils. The body is strong and compact with a long neck and relatively short legs. This type continued on through the generations and can still be found today, though hardly ever in the show ring anymore. Andrzej Krzysztalowicz, director of Janow Podlaski, said of Wielki Szlem that he “had a very correct conformation, was deep and broad in the chest, had a small

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top left :

Czardasz 1949 (Wielki Szlem x Baza), winner of the Polish Derby and the Criterium and chief sire at Michalow.

top right : *Finisz 1967 (Czardasz x Forta), Polish Derby and Criterium winner and sire of race winners in the U.S.

head with huge dark eyes and showed a comparatively good movement.” Roman Pankiewicz, who also knew Wielki Szlem personally, describes his disposition as “gentle and trustful,” very unlike his more spirited brother Witraz. In assessing Wielki Szlem’s significance as breeding horse, Pankiewicz writes: “He passed on his correctness even when mated to rather inferior mares, adding also his refinement. His merits for Polish breeding are unmeasurable. After World War II, only some mares survived. They were of different quality and among them were also weaker ones such as the daughters of Kaszmir from Pelkinie. Only thanks to Wielki Szlem this valuable breeding material was preserved. Even mated to poorer representatives of good damlines, he produced daughters who established their own

families. Let us be grateful to him for this.” (Seven Splendids, 1996). There is indeed much to be grateful for, even just looking at his daughters. Many of them produced important stallions, including Gahdar, whose son Abu Afas sired the great Comet; Gwara and Angara, whose sons Gwarny and Arax respectively continued the two main branches of the Bairactar line in Poland and Russia; and Ellenai, dam of the full brothers *Eleuzis, *Elkin, and Elf. Wielki Szlem sired a total of eight sons that were used for breeding, including five in Poland. Of the latter, four are mainly found in indirect lines today. Anarchista (1947 out of Bomba) is known chiefly for his daughters Fatma, who produced several good broodmares as well as the international sire Fawor, and Czatanoga, dam of the stallions Czeremosz and *Chutor. Anarchista was out of a mare sired by Kuhailan Zaid, another horse from the Zietarski importation, as was Czardasz (Wielki Szlem x Baza), foaled in 1949. Czardasz was a Derby and Criterium winner and a chief sire at Michałów for a time. His

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daughters were valuable broodmares. Three of his sons were imported to the U.S., two of which may still have tail male descendants: *Ben-Comet (1967 out of Murcja) and *Finisz (1967 out of Forta). The son of two racing stars, *Finisz was an excellent racehorse himself, winning both the Derby and the Criterium in Poland before being imported. In the U.S., he sired Mira-Finisz, who was a winner in both pleasure priving and English pleasure and sire endurance and race horses, including winning race horse and race horse sire, Finito-Finisz. This branch is now very slim and it appears that the few stallions of breeding age are not being used. The third Czardasz son, *Doman (1964 out of Darda), came to the U.S. via Sweden. While did not leave much in the U.S., his Swedish-bred son Rahman was sold to the Algerian State Stud Tiaret, where he was heavily used and his line may still be active. The Wielki Szlem son that continued the male line was Czort, foaled in 1949. He was a three quarter brother to *Finisz, being out of the famous mare

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SKORKOWSKI PHOTO

top left :

Czort 1949 (Wielki Szlem x Forta), winner of 13 races in Poland, including the Derby and all major stakes and never out of the money.

top right: Gazort 1969 (*Czortan x *Gawra) was a halter and English pleasure winner and a very popular sire during the 1970s.

Forta, descended from the French racing lines imported by Prince Roman Sanguszko, and he became one of Poland’s best ever Arabian racehorses and foremost racehorse sire. He had inherited the typical straight, but refined head of his sire along with the bay color, a long neck with a clean throat and altogether excellent conformation with a splendid front. Of his dam, he showed little influence, unless it was in his performance at the track. Czort won the Polish Derby as well as all other major stakes. In 19 races during four seasons, he won 13 times and placed second five times, his worst result being one third place. His get took after him in this respect, including four Polish Derby winners as well as

middle left : *Czortan 1962 (Czort x *Mortissa), imported to the U.S. in utero and sired many successful sons and daughters. middle right:

Ivanhoe Tsatan 1968 (*Czortan x Hillcrests Bint Tsatyr) was *Czortan’s most significant son, but very little survived of his line today.

bottom right: Ivanhoe Tsultan 1971 (Ivanhoe Tsatan x Hillcrests Bint Imaraff), one of the most popular sires of his day with over 600 foals to his credit.

two National Champion racehorses in the U.S. No less than eight of his sons were imported to the U.S., but only three of these established their own branches. The first of these was *Czortan (1962 out of *Mortissa), who was imported in utero. His line was very popular in the 1970s and

1980s, chiefly through his sons Ivanhoe Tsatan (1968 out of Hillcrests Bint Tsatyr) and Gazort (1969 out of *Gawra), who were both very popular sires during the 1970s and 1980s. Both are found mostly in indirect lines today, although Ivanhoe Tsatan’s son Ivanhoe Tsultan (1971 out of Hillcrests Bint Imaraff) sired over

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top left:

*Sambor 1965 (Czort x *Sabellina), U.S. National Champion Race Horse as well as a park horse winner and founder of a dynasty.

top right: Sam Tiki 1985 (*Sambor x Kyla Tiki), undefeated as a three-year-old and a leading race horse sire in his day. bottom left:

Samtyr 1971 (*Sambor x *Tryncza), ten times Arabian racehorse sire of the year and sire of 11 stakes winners. bottom right:

Saam 1977 (Samtyr x Counts Jewel), an IAHA Derby winner who went on to become a successful endurance horse.

600 foals. He was rather like the Padrons Psyche of the 1980s – his descendants were everywhere and easily recognized by amusing names like “Tsenterfold” or “Tsunrise.” But this once numerous branch has become very rare today, which shows just how quickly the tide can turn even for a once popular bloodline. He is best remembered today for his beautiful daughters, such as the 1981 U.S. National Champion Mare Rohara Tsultress. *Sambor (1965 out of *Sabellina) established a major dynasty of racehorses in the U.S., which is not surprising: not only

was he by Czort, but his dam *Sabellina was herself a Derby and Oaks winner. *Sambor himself was 1969 U.S. Champion race horse, in addition to winning as a park horse. His most significant sons in terms of breeding were Sam Tiki (1985 out of Kyla Tiki), who was undefeated as a three-year-old, and the pure Polish Samtyr (1971 out of *Tryncza). Samtyr was also a National Champion Racehorse and Arabian Racehorse Sire of the Year no less than ten times, siring well over 100 race horses including 11 stakes winners. They include

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IAHA Derby winners Saam (1977 out of Counts Jewel), who went on to become a successful endurance horse, Bobbies Sam (1979 out of Majorca de Washoe), multiple stakes winner Sams Count (1979 out of Counts Jewel) and Samstar (1978 out of Counts Jewel). Samstar sired Charlie Valentine (1984 out of Silver Dahl), who ranks among the best U.S.-bred Arabian racehorses in the late 1980s/early 1990s, but left very little in the way of descendants. Like many of these horses, he was eventually exported to the Emirates. This line used to be huge in American

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Charlie Valentine 1984 (Samstar x Silver Dahl), one of the best U.S. Arabian raceforses in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

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Etogram 1981 (*El Paso x Etruria), one of several *El Paso sons retained for breeding by the Polish state studs.

third from top: Emeryk 1990 (Etogram x Erotyka), exported to Sweden’s Blommeröd Stud and a champion in Sweden and Norway. bottom:

Europejczyk 1982 (*El Paso x Europa), possibly *El Paso’s finest son and initially kept as his sire’s successor.

his sons remained in Poland, Etogram (1981 out of Etna) and Europejczyk (1982 out of Europa). Great hopes were set in Europejczyk, arguably one of the finest stallions ever to emerge from this branch, but despite his individual excellence he was not a very strong sire and little remained of him. When all is said and done, *El Paso’s main contribution to Polish

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second from top:

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Arabian racing, but like others has been largely supplanted by the Arabian racehorses of France and the new Saudi horses. It still continues in race breeding on a smaller scale today, one of the more prominent modern examples being the hugely successful, if somewhat oddly named Samtyr grandson Thoroughbred (T C Tomtyr x Vanessa de Loup), foaled in 2002, who amassed life earnings of $ 303,079 at the track. Czort’s most famous and influential son was the one that was also used in Poland: *El Paso, foaled in 1967 out of the Witraz daughter Ellora. True to his breeding, he was the archetypal Polish Kuhailan stallion. While today many would consider him plain, he lived at a time when this type was highly popular. During the 1970s, having already served as chief sire in Poland, he was leased to the U.S. for three years and named U.S. National Champion Stallion in 1976. A few years later, during the so-called “golden years“ of Arabian breeding, he came back to the U.S. for good, purchased for a seven-figure sum. Two of

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top right: *El Paso 1967 (Czort x Ellora), sold to the U.S. for a seven-figure sum and U.S. National Champion Stallion in 1976.

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top: left:

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top left: Album

1995 (Europejczyk x Alejka), the only Eurpejczyk son used for breeding at Janow Podlaski.

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top right: Pierrot 1969 (Czort x Pierzga), Polish Derby winner and one of the foundation sires at Römerwall Stud in Germany.

breeding came through his daughters, especially Michałów’s Wilejka. Wilejka’s full sister *Wizja also came to the U.S. on lease and was a National Champion Mare in 1977, but in terms of breeding, Wilejka proved more significant. One son of Czort was exported to Germany: Pierrot (1969 out of Pierzga), a Polish Derby winner and for many years chief sire at the Römerwall Stud, one of the few farms in Germany to specialize in Polish bloodlines. Pierrot was not a hugely attractive horse, but he was an athlete who sired athletic horses that were much prettier than he

was himself. His crowning achievement was his 1981 son Santhos (out of Saika), a stallion both athletic and beautiful. For many years Santhos was the leading sire of Arabian racehorses in Germany, with sons and daughters winning the Derby both in Germany and in Poland. The Santhos son Minos, out of the predominantly Egyptian mare Makalfa, was the first German horse to win the Polish Derby. This proved an excellent match, as his full sister Minerva won the German Derby and both Makalfa and her daughter Mashuga produced several other race winners by Santhos. His

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bottom left:

Santhos 1981 (Pierrot x Saika), for years the leading Arabian racehorse sire in Germany whose get won the Derby both in Poland and in Germany.

bottom right: Minos 1987 (Santhos x Makalfa) winning the Polish Derby in 1990, the first ever German horse to achieve this.

offspring also excelled in other ridden disciplines, including endurance. The Santhos son Moonwalker was a successful reining horse in Germany, even winning against Quarter Horses. Sadly, this horse, who may well have been Santhos’s most beautiful and typey son, was never used for breeding. Many

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Moonwalker 1987 (Santhos x Medinaa) was a successful reining horse in Germany, but never used for breeding.

middle left: *Rusazcie 1974 (Algier x Rucasja), Swedish National Champion and World Reserve Champion.

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top right: EH Ethos 2006 (Santhos x Estrella), the last and youngest Santhos son in Germany.

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top left:

middle right;

RD Misha 1978 (Algier x Maritza), Danish National Champion with a breeding career in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the U.S. *El Mudir 1954 (Wielki Szlem x Munira), one of several Wielki Szlem sons imported to the U.S., but only his daughters bred on.

other Santhos sons were, though, and his line still continues in Germany today. His sire *Pierrot was eventually imported to the U.S., as was Minos, but not much has remained; possibly due to the increasing success and popularity of French horses in racing. Two sons of Wielki Szlem were also imported to the U.S., but neither of them succeeded in establishing his own line. *El Mudir (1954 out of Munira), who was a sire at Lasma along with *Bask for a time, is still found in modern pedigrees through his daughters. Algier 1953 (Wielki Szlem x

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bottom:

Alga) was exported to Sweden, where he joined the famous Blommeröd Stud. He is best known for his handsome son *Rusazcie (1974 out of Rucasja), who was Swedish National Champion and Reserve World Champion and was leased to the U.S. Two other Algier sons from Sweden, *Nabytek and *Maligg, were also imported to the U.S., but did not have much impact. The same goes for RD Misha (Algier x Maritza), a very international horse. He was bred in Sweden, imported to the U.S. in utero, and

later returned to Sweden. From there he went to Denmark, where he was National Champion Stallion, and in 1986 was leased to the Ismer Stud in Germany. He sired some daughters that bred on, but did not leave any sons.

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