Sire Line - *Mirage DB by Arabian Horse World

SIRE LINE–KUHAILAN AFAS DB A PEARL ISLAND TREASURE b y B e t t y F in ke THE RAREST FOUNDATION LINES IN THE ARABIAN BREED ARE THOSE FROM BAHRAIN: ONLY TWO DAM LINES AND ONE SIRE LINE HAVE THEIR ORIGIN IN THE ISLAND FAMOUS FOR ITS PEARLS AND ITS HORSES. THE ONE AND ONLY BAHRAINI SIRE LINE, THAT OF KUHAILAN AFAS DB, WAS ESTABLISHED IN POLAND IN THE 1930S.

he 19th century was the time when European breeders first discovered the Arabian and its superior qualities. It was the age in which kings, princes, and other noblemen founded stud farms, sending their agents to travel to Arabia to buy foundation horses or, as in the case of the Blunts, traveling there to find those horses themselves. As a result, most of the sire lines and mare families we know today date back to that time, the earliest – those of Weil and Poland – dating back to the 1810s and the younger ones – those of Crabbet Park – to the 1870s/80s. Following the turn of the century, the era of travel and importation came to an end when cars began to replace horses as a means of transport and the horse lost its significance in Arabia. But there are a few exceptions to that rule. Just as Poland can claim the oldest dam lines, it can also claim

the youngest sire lines, and in each case, they are among the most influential in the world. In 1930, a Polish prince sent another expedition to Arabia to look for horses, the last of its kind: Prince Roman Sanguszko, owner of the old Polish Gumniska Stud and member of a family already famous for its Arabian horses. He sent his stud manager, Bogdan Zietarski, who was accounted one of the leading experts of his day, along with the German Arabian expert Carl Raswan, who had lived with the Bedouins and was familiar with the desert and its tribes. The two men traveled throughout the Arabian countries, visiting the Royal Agricultural Society Stud and the farm of Prince Mohammed Ali in Egypt, several Bedouin tribes in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the Nejd, and the royal stud of Two views of Kuhailan Afas DB: as a yearling when he was purchased (left), and as a mature horse (right).

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SIRE LINE

left : Bad Afas 1940 (Kuhailan Afas x Bad), the only surviving son of Kuhailan Afas DB. right :

Abu Afas 1947 (Bad Afas x Gahdar), taken after his exportation to East Germany where he was a very influential sire.

Bahrain. One year later, they returned to Poland with nine horses: the mares Rabda Khuszaiba, Hadba Inzihi, Hamdanija Semria, and Kuhailat Ajouz (Szeikha), and the stallions Kuhailan Haifi, Kuhailan Afas, Kuhailan Kruszan, Kuhailan-Ajouz, and Kuhailan Zaid, arguably one of the finest groups of horses ever taken from Arabia to Poland. However, the 1930s were not the best time for Arabian breeding in Poland, or anywhere else in Europe (or for many other things, for that matter). The years that should have seen the families of these horses develop and grow strong at Gumniska brought war and destruction instead. Of the four mares and of two of the stallions, hardly anything has remained, they themselves and as well as their produce being lost in World War II. Only three of the stallions founded their own lines which still continue. That of Kuhailan Zaid, however, who was not taken to Gumniska, but to Bábolna in Hungary, is now limited to the Shagya-Arabian breed and very rare today. He did have considerable influence in pure Arabian breeding through his daughters. Kuhailan Afas was unique among those nine imports in that he came from Bahrain. Zietarksi purchased him as a yearling mainly because he liked his

parents. “I admired a dark bay 18-year-old Kuhailat mare with excellent conformation,” he noted in his travel diaries. “The foals are by a 10-year-old bay Kuhailan Wadnan stallion with superb legs which have been ruined by hobbling and bad shoeing, with a rather large head but showing all characteristics of noble descent, a good croup and excellently high carried tail ... a bay yearling colt out of the Kuhailat Afas mare by the Kuhailan Wadnan stallion appears to be very good; I purchased him after lengthy negotiations.” Zietarski could not buy horses from the royal stables themselves, which never sold any horses but only gave them away as gifts; something that has not changed to the present day. Kuhailan Afas had been given to a servant, from whom Zietarski subsequently bought him. Judging from his photos, Kuhailan Afas appears to have resembled his sire a great deal. They show a bay stallion with good conformation and legs, a somewhat sloping croup, but with a high-set and well-carried tail, and a head that appears quite large compared to the modern ideal. They show, in fact, a typical Bahraini stallion of the kind you can still find there today. The stallions are generally

characterized by having quite large heads with straight profiles, but very dry and refined. Kuhailan Afas does not appear to have been used very much, but this may well be due to the War. Only four foals are known by name, three of them born in 1939 and one in 1940. World War II destroyed much of the Gumniska breeding program; at least two of the imported mares and many of their foals were lost in the war. The three 1939 Kuhailan Afas foals disappeared without a trace, including his only daughter. In the end, only one son was left to continue the line: Bad Afas, a bay colt born in 1940. His dam Bad was one of a group of Arabians imported from France by Roman Sanguszko, who supported Arabian racing. Even then, French Arabians were known for their superior racing ability and looked more like racehorses than other Arabians, but it should be added that there was no doubt about their purity. These horses – including Bad herself – had impeccable pedigrees tracing in all lines to the desert. Bad Afas sired two sons, both foaled in 1947, that are found in modern pedigrees: Abu Afas and Arcus, both bred at Nowy Dwor Stud. Of these, Abu Afas was chiefly responsible for establishing

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SIRE LINE left :

left : Comet 1953 (Abu Afas x Carmen), one of the most important sires in post-war Polish breeding. right :

*Meczet 1961 (Comet x Mimika), U.S. National Champion in three performance disciplines and Reserve in another.

the sire line. He was out of Gahdar, a daughter of Wielki Szlem, whose grandsire Kuhailan Haifi had been imported by Zietarski and Raswan together with Kuhailan Afas. In Poland, Abu Afas sired only one son, but this one son was sufficient to establish the line. His name was Comet, which proved entirely appropriate, because this stallion blazed like a shooting star across the galaxy of Arabian breeding. Comet was without doubt one of the most significant Polish sires of the post-war period. Although he died young at only eleven years of age, he sired a huge number of offspring almost equally divided between sons and daughters. The importance especially of his daughters for Polish Arabian breeding can hardly be overestimated. It is safe to say that without them, Polish Arabians would not have become as successful as they did.

Comet was different from his sire and grandsire not just with regard to the number of his foals; he was also a radical departure in type and color. Until this point, the stallions of the Kuhailan Afas line had been rather unassuming bays. Abu Afas was not a horse you would call pretty, and his get often tended to be on the plain side (more about this later). But Comet was nothing like him. He was a stunning fleabitten grey of classic Arabian type, taking far more after his dam Carmen (by Trypolis) than his sire. Not only that, but he was a very strong sire whose get as well as grandget often looked like him and contributed greatly to the overall type that would make Polish Arabians so popular in later years. Even those of his get that didn’t look like him were able to reproduce his type in the next generation. For example, his daughter Eunice, herself bay, was the dam of the full siblings Eukaliptus, Euben, and Europa, who in type and color resembled Comet far more than their own sire Bandos. Comet daughters became the mainstays of Polish breeding,

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often excelling at producing stallions. Many of them were also imported to the United States, where they did the same. Besides Eunice, the most important among them include Arba, *Bint Ambara, *Dysputa, Engracja, Estonia, *Felluka, *Gdynia, *Gwyn, and Warmia. Perhaps on account of retaining so many of his daughters as broodmares, the Polish studs only ever used five Comet sons: the bays Ego (1959 out of Egeria), Badr Bedur (1960 out of Bint Munira), and Bajdak (1962 out of Bajdara), and the greys Carrador (1960 out of Czaruta), and Carycyn (1961 out of Cerekiew). Each of them was used only sparingly before being sold abroad. Most crucially, none of them left a son in Poland with the exception of Badr Bedur, but his son Dambor in turn sired just one son, who was also exported. In Poland, the Kuhailan Afas sire line did not last very long. But it flourished elsewhere. An amazing number of 30 Comet sons were used for breeding, but all of them were exported. The majority (18) came to the U.S., including the former chief sires

KUHAILAN AFAS DB

SIRE LINE

KUHAILAN AFAS DB IMP. 1931 GUMNISKA BAD AFAS B.1940 (BAD) ABU AFAS B. 1947 (GAHDAR) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. DDR COMET GR. 1953 (CARMEN) NOWY DWOR/PL *EGO B. 1959 (EGERIA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. USA *BAHARR B. 1968 (BANDA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA, CAN TRIPLE-A SURBARR B. 1974 (TRIPLE-A SURISSA) GUTHRIE/CAN TRIPLE A MIDNITE BL. 1977 (TRIPLE A OZTYMA) GUTHRIE/CAN, EXP. AUS TRIPLE A HARDEE BL. 1989 (TRIPLE A KAIDEEMA) GUTHRIE/CAN RELAX B. 1972 (ROKADA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL MENELAUS GR. 1959 (MIMONKA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. BE, DE SEDAN GR. 1959 (SALWA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. NL VREYS SEDAN GR. 1976 (SILVER ROSE) NL *WIRAZ GR. 1959 (WIELKA ZORZA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. USA FOUR WINDS FLAG GR. 1968 (*ROKITKA) BORG/USA SILVIRAZ GR. 1970 (SILVER SONG) PATTERSON/USA MASYAH ED AREG B. 1979 (MELHAFA ED AREG) BORG/USA FW VEILED PROPHET B. 1984 (VALASK) HARGRAVE/USA SPOTTED PROPHET CH. 1996 (GYPSY KONSTELACJA) SANDERS/USA BADR BEDUR B. 1960 (BINT MUNIRA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP.FR DAMBOR GR. 1966 (DASZAWA) MICHALOW/PL ERYK GR. 1973 (ESTEBNA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. SE DJOU SAID B. 1979 (DJOURA) FR SUN AL MAURY CH. 1991 (SALIA DE CARRÈRE) FR, EXP. GB CYTISE DE GHAZAL B. 1995 (CHERIE D’ESPIENS) FR, EXP. SYR DINIS MET BIARRITZ B. 1981 (QKYJAHILLA IBN JAHCY) FR, EXP. POR RADIR 1998 (JAMITA) POR SANDOKAN B. 1999 (ZA-IRA) POR HABDUR CH. 1981 (HABANERA) FR KORAM 1987 (PAMLA) FR ABU DIAREK 2005 (ABU FUNTA) FR AKIM B. 1989 (MARIE JUANA) FR *Dar 1963 (Comet x Darda), one of JAZZ DE MARJOLAINE CH. 2005 (MAGNOLIA DU CAYROU) FR BILBAO GR. 1960 (BIKA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. SE the very few Comet sons in the U.S. SALOMON GR. 1967 (SAKLA) SE whose lines still continue today. ALHAMBRA B. 1968 (AMBRETTA) SE *CARRADOR GR. 1960 (CZARUTA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. USA *CZESTER GR. 1960 (CEREKIEW) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. USA BRUSALLY CZESAST GR. 1969 (*BASTA) TWEED/USA BRUSALLY CZESOST GR. 1969 (*CHLOSTA) TWEED/USA *GROJEC B. 1960 (GASTRONOMIA) NOWY DWOR/PL, EXP. GB, USA *Ego and *Bajdak. In fact, the U.S. at CRANLEIGH FREDREC CH. 1965 (TATIAMA) POLLARD/GB INDIAN SABRE CH. 1977 (INDIAN FAIR) POLLARD/GB one time was home to a stunning VIVEK GR. 1987 (SHAMARAH SPARKLE) GB SHA’IR CH. 1966 (SAHIRAH OF THE STORM) LYTTON/GB FEROZESHAH B. 1970 (SCINDIGO BLUE) GB collection of the finest look-alike SHAH JEHAN GR. 1971 (SAIDI) GB, EXP. CH INDIAN GRODUST B. 1968 (INDIAN GOLDDUST) GB, EXP. DK Comet sons in the world: *Wiraz, INDIAN RAKOSI B. 1981 (STUARDESSA) DK SIROCCO SKY B.1968 (SABLE SKY) TOWNSEND/GB, EXP. FR *Carrador, *Czester, *Essaul, CASIMIR DE SKY 1995 (LAZIZA) FR VATHEK CH. 1968 (MAHBUBAT BINT EL MALIK) PITT-RIVERS/GB, EXP. FR *Carycyn, *Corsair, *Meczet, FAHR CH. 1976 (BAILARINA) FR JELOUD GR. 1987 (BAB SOUIKA) FR *Mustafar, *Dar, *Flis, *Gulden, and CASHMIR GR. 1969 (CASSADA) SE FADLAK B. 1975 (AYSCHA) SE *Gwar. Yet none of them managed BLUE FARANARZ B. 1990 (FALANGA) SE CRANLEIGH KARIM B. 1969 (TATIAMA) POLLARD/GB, EXP. ES SKY CRUSADER GR. 1970 (SAPPHIRE SKY) TOWNSEND/GB to establish a major branch of his GROMET (RODANIEH RAFAQA) F. *1971 (LILAC TIME) SOANES/GB, EXP. DE NIZAAR B. 1975 (CONSUELLA) VORDERBRÜGGE/DE own, though some of them sired RAMAK CH. 1976 (CONSTANZE) VORDERBRÜGGE/DE HARI B. 1971 (BRIGHT GLEAM) GB over 100 foals, *Flis and *Gwar over COPENHAGEN GR. 1973 (KASMIRA) GB, EXP. ZA DAOUD EL SHEDID GR. 1975 (KASMIRA) GB 200. *Wiraz (1959 out of Wielka BELDAN GR. 1961 (BINT MUNIRA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE, USA *BIKOMET CH. 1961 (*BIKA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA (I.U.) Zorza) was a U.S. National Top Ten BABIARZ MLA B. 1988 (FOX RUN BASKOGIA) WASSERMAN/USA VTC SEVENTH SON BL. 2001 (SANTANAS MELODY) MILLER-MCCLELLAN/USA Park Horse, a Legion of Merit *CARYCYN GR. 1961 (CEREKIEW) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP.USA CHOPINN B. 1978 (BASKERA) LOCUST FARMS/USA *CORSAIR GR. 1961 (SZARZA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA (I.U.) winner, and sire of nine National SWA ANSAIR GR. 1985 (SWA ABRAA) ROBISON/USA LASAIR GR. 1996 (LA LA SUCCESS) MCNAIR/USA Champions. *Czester (1960 out of LITTLE STAR BR. 1961 (LATAWICA) LINDSAY/GB, EXP. NL RONDEELS JOF B. 1975 (AL MADINA) NL Cerekiew) was a U.S. and Canadian CONDOR B. 1979 (KAMA) NL *MECZET GR. 1961 (MIMIKA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA Top Ten Stallion, a Legion of Merit *MUSTAFAR GR. 1961 (MUSAILIMA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE, USA MUSTANG GR. 1971 (SWEET NICOLINA) OHLSSON/SE winner, and successful performance MUSTAFAGE CH. 1973 (ROMINNA) FOSS/USA *BAJDAK B. 1962 (BAJDARA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA sire. *Meczet (1961 out of Mimika) ADMIRAL CH. 1963 (ADIS ABEBA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. GB CYRASA B. 1963 (BARCELONA) GB (I.U.), EXP. AU, NZ *DAR GR. 1963 (DARDA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA was a National Champion in Park, ANTHEM GR. 1975 (*ANDANTINA) PATTERSON/USA, EXP. BR RSC EL DEB HARAN GR. 1992 (AF EUDORA) BR Formal Combination (twice), and CENTENNIAL GR. 1976 (*CEREZYNA) PATTERSON/USA NASTOK CH. 1978 (*NEGOTKA) PATTERSON/USA, EXP. BR Native Costume, as well as National MERIDIAN CH. 1974 (MESALIA) PATTERSON/USA MEDALION B. 1981 (MARUSHKA) PATTERSON/USA, EXP. CAN Reserve Champion in Formal BENTLEE B. 1987 (BASKS MARIA) VENTURA/USA METALIK B. 1987 (WARISTA) NORTH/USA Driving. Yet, rather like Comet GGOLD B. 1992 (BASK CHAMPAGNE) VALDENEGRO/USA MEDAL OF FIRE CH. 1993 (FLARING FIRE) WESSELL/USA himself, these horses are now found *ESSAUL GR. 1963 (ELA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP.SE ,USA SAMURAI CH. 1971 (FARISSLA) LEWENHAUPT/SE BAYCHATSSAUL GR. 1975 (BAYCHATKA) VARIAN/USA in pedigrees mainly through their *ETER B. 1963 (ESTOKADA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA BACK STREET B. 1974 (STAR OF ERKA) SMART/USA daughters, though there are still TAVISTOCKS SHOGUN CH. 1980 (AQUINA) NICHOLS/USA EL GUNDAR B. 1996 (ELLORIA) COLLINS/USA slim lines to *Dar, *Flis, *Bikomet MC CITY LIGHTS B. 2004 (ALLINDA) COLLINS/USA

(1961 out of *Bika), and *Eter (1963

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SIRE LINE

top left :

*Zbrucz 1963 (Comet x Znachorka), chief sire at the Brusally Ranch and father of a racing dynasty.

top right : Badr Bedur 1960 (Comet x Bint Munira) was exported to France, where he still has an existing line. middle : Habdur 1981 (Badr Bedur x Habanera), one of Badr Bedur’s French sons whose branches continue.

“Comet was without

doubt one of the most significant

Polish sires of the post-war period.

”

out of Estokada). He sired the very successful stallion Back Street (1974 out of Star of Erka), but here again both *Eter and Back Street appear in modern pedigrees mostly through their daughters, frequently in successful park and English pleasure horses. One of the most successful of Comet’s sons in the U.S. was the bay *Zbrucz (1963 out of Znachorka). A good racehorse in Poland and a U.S. National Reserve Champion Park Horse, *Zbrucz was for many years chief sire at the Brusally Ranch and established his own racing dynasty, back in the days before racing was taken over by French and Saudi horses. His grandson Cassels Bruczest (Brusally Zbruenu x Brusally-Czeska by *Czester) was an IAHA Derby winner and set two U.S. track records. This branch may still exist in the U.S., but if so, it is

bottom left:

Elaborat 1964 (Comet x Elokwencja) established a line in France and appears in many racehorse pedigrees.

bottom right: Zefiro de Nulvi 1995 (Rubis de Carrère x Zulema), a French grandson of Elaborat now in the Emirates.

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now very small. In Europe, too, the exported Comet sons were more influential through their daughters than their sons. Three of them - Badr Bedur (1960 out of Bint Munira), Giewont (1963 out of Gwara), and Elaborat (1964 out of Elokwencja) were sold to France and successfully used for breeding race and endurance horses. They are often found in pedigrees on the dam’s side. For example, the Badr Bedur daughter Djebella II was the dam of the leading French race horse sire Djelfor. Both Badr Bedur and Elaborat still have tail male line descendants in France, and descendants of Badr Bedur have been sold to both Syria and Portugal as breeding stallions. Both Giewont and Elaborat were later imported to the United States, but Elaborat left little and Giewont sired no foals there at all. One of Comet’s least typical, but most influential sons was Grojec, foaled in 1960 out of Gastronomia and exported to Britain. A bright bay with a blaze and four socks, he took after his maternal grandam Ofirka in type and color. He was famously purchased by Lady Anne Lytton, daughter of Lady Wentworth and granddaughter of the Blunts,

KUHAILAN AFAS DB

SIRE LINE

F I N K E P H OTO

*FLIS GR. 1963 (FORTA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA DF AMBUSH BL. 1987 (WIELKA ARJA) DOMAIN FARM/USA SDF BLACK DUST GR. 1997 (AMON-RE DUFAN) FERGUSON/USA PHOENIX STARR NG CH. 2005 (ALANDRAA STAR) GRAHAM/USA *GIEWONT GR. 1963 (GWARA) PL, EXP. FR, USA COQUELICOT III CH. 1969 (FETNA) FR LE FABULEUX 1972 (SALOME) FR *GULDEN GR. 1963 (GALOPADA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA *GWAR GR. 1963 (GWADIANA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA *ZBRUCZ B. 1963 (ZNACHORKA) PL, EXP.USA BRUSALLY ZBRUENU B. 1970 (GENUA) TWEED/USA CASSELS BRUBOJ CH. 1978 (BRUSALLY ORMIRO) CASSEL/USA BRUFIRE B. 1991 (AERIAL FIREVNYI) AERIAL ARABIANS/USA CASSELS BRUCZEST GR. 1978 (BRUSALLY CZESKA) CASSEL/USA C ROLAND GR. 1995 (C ELYSIA) CASSEL/USA ZUBAR B. 1971 (SKORIFA) TWEED/USA GONDAR CH. 1976 (GONTYNA) USA *ELABORAT GR. 1964 (ELOKWENCJA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. FR, USA OLYMPE LA COSTE GR. 1980 (FLORINE) FR NIVADOUR CARDONNE GR. 1994 (PISTACHE DU CASSOU) FR, EXP. GB RUBIS DE CARRÈRE CH. 1983 (NEVADOUR) FR, EXP. IT ZEFIRO DE NULVI CH. 1995 (ZULEMA) FR, EXP. IT, DE, UAE *DERWISZ GR. 1965 (DASZAWA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA POHANIEC GR. 1965 (PLANETA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. SE POMAR B. 1971 (MARITSA) BLOMMEROD/SE, EXP. DE, FR BOREXPO B. 1974 (BOREXIA) BLOMMERÖD/SE, EXP. DE, USA IMPALLA CH. 1982 (ILDRIMA) ISMER/DE, EXP. AT FOREX GR. 1974 (FOREXIA) BLOMMERÖD/SE, EXP. FR PROBAT B. 1975 (BOREXIA) BLOMMEROD/SE, EXP. PL, USA GWIZD B. 1981 (GWIAZDA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. RU, USA, BE PEGAS B. 1987 (PIALA) TERSK/RU ANZUR CH. 2001 (VYPLATA) ZLYNSKII STUD/RU NEGASIMYI B. 1988 (NANI) TERSK/RU, EXP. NL, DE NAJM AL GHALIYA B. 1995 (TABORA) AKONIT GR. 1996 (ACADEMY) TERSK/RU, EXP. DK DIAMOND HEAD CH. 1996 (JUVARA) LANCEE/DE DIONIS 1998 (DIANA) TERSK/RU POGOJII CH. 1988 (PESNIANKA) TERSK/RU, EXP. UAE PARTIZAN BA B. 1990 (*POZNAN) USA GIL B. 1981 (GILDIA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA, NL EL KONTO B. 1986 (ELSINOE) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. DE MACHMUTH NUR B. 1994 (MEKKA IV) HAHN/DE ETMAN GR. 1986 (ETRURIA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE, GB HILLMAN GR. 1993 (HARMONIKA) SE MILAGRO B. 1986 (MARUNKA) JACKOWSKA/PL, EXP. SE ENRILO CH. 1981 (EMISJA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA, CAN EGON CH. 1986 (EPOPEJA) MICHALOW/PL DEGON DE HELIOS CH. 1992 (DUGANA) FR FAWOR BR. 1981 (FATIMA) PL, EXP. GB, USA BOREK BL. 1987 (BOROWINA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL EDINBURG B. 1996 (EKOSFERA) KUROZWEKI/PL SANAGO B. 2001 (SAMARIA) PILOT BR. 1987 (PIPI) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. USA, NL, GB G TAMIM BR. 1993 (SHAHTEYNA) GUCCI/USA, EXP. QA, BE, GB SH TABOO BL. 2004 (SH SABRINA) GB LTF EMINENCE C CH. 2006 (DAJAN SHAKLAN KJ) GB AK KUDA BL. 1999 (MY MIDNITE DANCER) HAWKE/GB SG INDIGO BL. 2004 (INAYA BINT ATTICUS) GEORGE/GB HS PIRANDELO BL. 1999 (PIKIETA) WATTS/GB, EXP. FR EPEJOS BL. 2001 (ELWIRA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. FR PEDAGOG B. 2001 (PETLA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL NL DANCING SPIRIT BL. 2004 (MY MIDNITE DANCER) HAWKE/GB, EXP. DE, CHINA EKERT BL. 2011 (EKUMENA) PL ORKAN B. 1987 (ORCHIS) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE PARNASSOS GR. 1996 (PENELOPE) OHLSSON/SE KAVIET B. 1988 (KASHAJ) PARAMONT/USA ORIEN B. 2008 (ORLAYIA) PARAMONT/USA GHENT B. 1989 (GAY MUZALLINDA) PARAMONT/USA, EXP. DE WETERAN B. 1992 (WILEJKA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. DE WARANIO GR. 1999 (PIEZIME) ENGEL/DE GARNIZON B. 1982 (GLOWNIA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. USA VALENTINO BA B. 1990 (ATARAXIA) BITTERSWEET/USA WERMUT B. 1982 (WARMIA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. DE, GB DZIEWIERZ B. 1989 (DZIERLATKA) BIALKA/PL EL AMOR B. 1989 (ELSTERNA) BIALKA/PL EDUKT B. 1990 (ELENA) KUROZWEKI/PL, EXP. USA BARD B. 1991 (BUKOWINA) KUROZWEKI/PL ELSEWYR B. 1991 (EDYCJA) KUROZWEKI/PL, EXP. DE ZEBULON B. 1994 (ZALOTNICA) BÄR/DE SAFAR MAHZEBU B. 2001 (MAHARANI IV) PFEIFFER/DE ALEGRO B. 1983 (ALGERIA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. DK, NL EUROL B. 1989 (EUROPA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL PAWIK GR. 1989 (PARTITA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. DE, KSA SATURN B. 1989 (SARABANDA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE EUREKO HT CH. 1991 (EUROPEJKA) NL ORLANDO B. 1991 (ORDYNACJA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. PAK ANGOR GR. 1992 (ANGOLA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL OSET BR. 1993 (OSELKA) BIALKA/PL PIRUET GR. 1983 (PIECZEC) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. FR PIGALE GR. 1990 (ALWERNIA) PHILSTROM/FR PIOTR CH. 1992 (DILAILA) PHILSTROM/FR, EXP. BUL PIRELK DE HELIOS 1992 (ETELKA) FR WAGNER GR. 1994 (WISJA) IT BF PARSIPHAL GR. 1998 (VESTA MERAVIGLIA) IT KATANE MOSSUD 2004 (REGALIA SA) IT ALDEBARAN DI LORIS 1998 (SHAH-XOTIC) FR WARES GR. 2002 (WERNERA) BORYSLAW CH. 1984 (BOROWINA) MICHALOW/PL ESTETYK CH. 1991 (ESTEPA) PL PAMIR GR. 1984 (PARMA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL ALT B. 1990 (ALEJKA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. SE ALMIR B. 1996 (ESPMIRA) SE, EXP. USA, BRA MILLENNIUM B. 1999 (TATARKA) SE

F I N K E P H OTO

top :

Grojec 1960 (Comet x Gastronomia), the most popular imported Arabian stallion in Britain since Skowronek.

bottom :

Sky Crusader 1970 (Grojec x Sapphire Sky) was a leading sire of Arabian racehorses in Britain in the 1980s/90s.

because his color reminded her of the Crabbet stallion *Nasik whom she had owned as a young girl. Grojec became a hugely successful sire in Britain, the most used imported stallion since Skowronek and for many years one of the most popular sires in the country. His best son Sky Crusader (1970 out of Sapphire Sky) was a leading racehorse sire in Britain for many years, but his male line did not carry on; possibly because this was around the time the French horses began to dominate Arabian races and other lines were more in demand. Despite siring many breeding sons, Grojec’s greatest influence

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SIRE LINE

top left :

Pohaniec 1965 (Comet x Planeta), 1972 Swedish National Champion Stallion and the most influential Comet son.

top right : Probat 1975 (Pohaniec x Borexia), imported from Sweden to Poland to revive the Kuhailan Afas line. middle left: Alegro 1983 (Probat x Algeria), one of several Probat sons retained and used by the Polish state studs.

Kuhailan Afas had become extinct in its country of origin. The stud management had all too readily parted with those many Comet sons and grandsons that were now scattered around the globe. This situation marked a turning point in the breeding strategies of the Polish state studs, which had until then relied almost entirely on their own homebred horses. The only exception was the occasional exchange of horses with the Russian state stud at Tersk. From Tersk had come Palas, introducing a new line to Polish breeding, as well as a few mares that were imported especially to bring back Polish dam lines that had been lost. So why not bring back a lost Polish sire line? Tersk, however, was of little use in this respect, never having had any stallions of the Kuhailan Afas line. For the first time, Poland needed to look

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today comes through his daughters and his male line is virtually extinct. As an old horse, he was sold to the U.S.. But at that time, you might say the U.S. was saturated with superb Polish stallions, and, like so many others, he did not leave much of mark. Only some of his daughters bred on. In Poland, however, the situation was even more serious. By the early 1980s, the sire line of

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bottom left:

*Fawor 1981 (Probat x Fatma), one of the most international and influential Probat sons.

bottom right: *Enrilo 1981 (Probat x Emisja) was used as a sire at Michalow before being sold to the USA.

towards the West. The most likely source was Sweden’s Blommeröd Stud, which was based entirely on imports from Poland. In 1970, Blommeröd had imported the Comet son Pohaniec (1965 out of Planeta), who was named Swedish National Champion Stallion in 1972 and Reserve Champion Stallion at the first international show held in Germany in 1976. Pohaniec was already a very international sire, with sons exported to Norway, France, and the U.S.. The Poles chose a young bay stallion named Probat, by Pohaniec out of the Exelsjor daughter Borexia, full brother to Borexpo, who had been sold to Germany and later to the U.S.. From 1980 to 1983, Probat was leased to Poland in exchange for the stallion Algomej. Probat’s lease to Poland was a triumphant success. Being entirely of old Polish breeding himself, he did not add anything new to the Polish gene pool, but he brought something back that had been lacking: the sire line of Kuhailan Afas. And while many of his get were exported, the Polish studs did

KUHAILAN AFAS DB

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Fawor, who ranks as one of Probat’s most typey sons, also went to the U.S. and eventually to Britain. He became a very international sire, as did his perhaps finest son, Pilot (1987 out of Pipi), who sired a number of excellent stallions that also did well under saddle. Fawor‘s dam was a daughter of the great racing mare Forta, so it is hardly surprising that some of his get also did well at the track; his son Dekor (out of Dekada) was the 1996 Polish Derby winner. Several Fawor sons also came to Germany, of which Weteran (1992 out of Wilejka) sired numerous

not make the same mistake they had made with Comet in selling all his sons. Instead, they retained many of them for breeding, and even those that were eventually sold abroad left sufficient foals in Poland before they left. Among those used in Poland, three stallions had the greatest impact: the brown Fawor (1981 out of Fatma), the bay Alegro (1983 out of Algeria), and the grey Pamir (1984 out of Parma). The chestnut *Enrilo (1981 out of Emisja) was also used at Michalow for a time, before being sold to the U.S..

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BATYSKAF GR. 1990 (BAJECZKA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL, EXP. TU MERON GR. 1996 (MEDYTACJA) WOJTOWICZ/PL MAJOR GR. 1997 (META) BIALKA/PL PALMER GR. 1997 (PETYCJA) BIALKA/PL PLAGIAT GR. 1997 (PERFORACJA) BIALKA/PL, EXP. SE AMARANT GR. 1998 (ARABIA) BIALKA/PL FIOLEK GR. 1998 (FATIHA) BIALKA/PL PAMOUR GR. 1993 (FEDERACJA) ISMER/DE (IMP.I.U.) IS ORLOW GR. 2003 (ORALA) ISMER/DE PIBER GR. 1996 (PILINA) JANOW PODLASKI/PL GAFAL CH. 1998 (GRATKA) MICHALOW/PL, EXP. AZ PIONIER B. 1986 (PIKA) SE POWER B. 1991 (MANIERA) SE, EXP. GB GALIB BEN AFAS CH. 1966 (GALKA) ROSTOCK/GDR ZAHIB B. 1989 (ZEDER) LAUBE/GDR ZAMAREC B. 1989 (ZAMARA) DE CID BEN AFAS B. 1968 (CYNERARIA) ROSTOCK/GDR, EXP. SE GALBA BEN AFAS CH. 1968 (GALKA) ROSTOCK/GDR GRANDE BEN AFAS CH. 1971 (GRAZYNA) ROSTOCK/GDR GIDRAN EL AFAS B. 1991 (GIDRANIA) DE ARCUS BR. 1947 (TECZA) NOWY DWOR/PL BRANIBOR BL. 1958 (BAJDARA) NOWY DWOR/PL *DUNAJEC BR. 1964 (DYSKA) PL, EXP. USA DUNABASQUE BL. 1977 (JK BASK LABELLE) SHELTON/USA SAM BASQUE B. 1982 (FITZ JANNY) FITZSIMMONS/USA ABSOLUTE BASQUE B. 1999 (ABDULLAKA) HART/USA FMR BAY EAGLE B. 1988 (BRUSALLY ORZELUBA) USA GRABIEC B. 1964 (GASTRONOMIA) PL, EXP. FR

“ In Poland, the

Kuhailan Afas sire line did not last very long.

”

performance horses. His son Waranio (1999 out of Piezime), another handsome athlete, was raced in Poland for three seasons with excellent results before embarking on a career in endurance. He is one of the very few breeding stallions in Germany who passed his performance test

top:

Pilot 1987 (Fawor x Pipi), the leading Fawor son with sons and grandsons in many countries.

middle: AH Kuda 1999 (Pilot x My Midnight Dancer), one of the best Pilot sons in Britain and a winner in-hand and under saddle.

bottom right: Waranio

1999 (Weteran x Piezime) raced successfully for three seasons before embarking on his endurance career.

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1992 (Fawor x Wilejka), exported to Germany and successful sire of performance horses, pictured at 23 years of age.

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bottom left: Weteran

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top left:

Pamir 1984 (Probat x Parma), Polish National Champion as well as a Derby winner and a sire of both.

bottom left:

IS Orlow 2003 (Pamour x Orala), one of the very few Arabian stallions approved by the Hanoverian association.

bottom right: Gafal 1998 (Pamir x Gratka), one of Pamir’s Derby winning sons, now standing in Azerbaijan.

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top right: Pamour 1993 (Pamir x Federacja), the Pamir son imported to Germany in utero and a successful sire there.

“The line still continues in Poland; but it has now grown very slim once more and, along with other old Polish lines, is threatening to disappear beneath the unending wave of foreign sires that is swallowing Polish breeding in its homeland. twice, in racing and endurance. Fawor’s line still continues in Poland as well, with one of the most prominent members being the Pilot son Pedagog, who also did well at the track. Among the Probat sons used in Poland, Pamir ranks first, another horse notable not only for his beauty and type, but also for his athletic ability. He was one of those horses that prove conclusively that beauty and

”

athleticism are not mutually exclusive. He was both a Polish National Champion Stallion and a racehorse that never finished unplaced, winning five times including the Derby and two other stakes. He also sired winners, including the handsome Derby and Criterium winner Batyskaf (1990 out of Bajeczka), who, after siring the next generation of race winners in Poland, was sold to Turkey for the record sum of

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$450,000. Another superb (and handsome) racehorse sired by Pamir was Gafal (1998 out of Gratka), who also won the Derby and was eventually sold to Azerbaijan. Pamir also has a line in Germany through his son Pamour (1993 out of Federacja), imported in utero by the Ismer stud and sire of the excellent stallion IS Orlow (2003 out of Orala). IS Orlow is approved by the Hanoverian association, an honor only rarely awarded to an Arabian. Pamir himself was exported to Brazil in 2000, but his blood remains strong in Polish breeding. Beauty and performance often go hand in hand in Probat’s descendants. Another good example is the stunning Piruet (1983 out of Pieczec) who was exported to France. A beautiful white stallion straight from a fairy tale, he was World Champion Stallion twice (besides winning many other titles), but he also excelled as a sire of endurance horses in France. The Probat son Gwizd (1981 out of Gwiazda) is another international sire, first

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used from 1985-87 at Tersk in Russia, where he established his own small international branch, before coming to Belgium via the U.S.. Wermut (1982 out of the Comet daughter Warmia), one of Probat’s most handsome sons, was used in Poland for many years, mainly at Kurozweki and Bialka, before being sold to Germany and later to Britain. Gil (Probat x Gildia), foaled in 1981, was also used briefly in Poland, siring the stallion El Konto (1986 out of Elsinoe), who was sold to Germany and sired two sons there; Gil was later exported to the Netherlands, where he was approved for Warmblood breeding. Many other Probat sons were used for breeding in Poland and/or exported to other countries. In summary, Probat did exactly what he was supposed to do. He brought the Kuhailan Afas line back into Polish breeding and, as an extra bonus, also sired a large number of great broodmares. At this point, the line still continues in Poland; but it has now grown very slim once more and, along with other old Polish

lines, is threatening to disappear beneath the unending wave of foreign sires that is swallowing Polish breeding in its homeland. After returning to Sweden, Probat was imported to the U.S. in 1987. But although he was heavily used and sired many foals, none of his American sons established a line. However, some of his younger sons and grandsons may still be alive. While Comet was certainly Abu Afas’s most significant son, he was not the only one. There is another, lesser known aspect to this story. Back in the days of the Iron Curtain, breeders in the socialist states were only able to acquire foreign breeding stock by

Wermut 1982 (Probat x Warmia), stood at Kurozweki and Bialka before being exported first to Germany and then to Britain.

middle: Gil 1981 (Probat x Gildia), used as a sire at Janow Podlaski and later sold to the Netherlands. bottom left:

El Konto 1986 (Gil x Elsinoe), sold to Germany and sire of two sons there.

bottom right: Machmuth Nur 1994 (El Konto x Mekka IV), one of El Konto’s German sons, out of a double Abu Afas mare.

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Gwizd 1981 (Probat x Gwiazda), for several years leased to the Russian Tersk Stud.

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Piruet 1983 (Probat x Pieczec), twice World Champion Stallion and a successful sire of endurance horses in France.

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top:

Zahib 1989 (Galib Ben Afas x Zeder), one of the East German Abu Afas line descendants.

middle: Branibor 1958 (Arcus x Tecza) established the only line to Kuhailan Afas that did not come from Abu Afas.

*Dunajec 1964 (Branibor x Dyska), founder of a small racing dynasty in the USA.

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bottom:

Skorage 1947 (Gaysar x Rageyma), a grandson of Rifage and one of the most popular stallions in the 1950s.

way of gifts of state (such as Aswan at Tersk) or from other socialist states. The former German Democratic Republic — known as East Germany for short – had a small Arabian breeding program at the zoo in Rostock, based mainly on Polish horses. One of their foundation stallions was none other than Abu Afas himself. While he did not sire

another Comet there, he did have four approved sons as well as many daughters. His get tended to be on the plain side, but this was not an issue in that particular time and place; Abu Afas’s blood was very prominent in East German Arabian breeding and also found its way into other breeds such as Trakehners and Lewitzer Ponies. Abu Afas was so significant there that following the reunification of Germany, he was posthumously awarded the title of Elite stallion by the German registry, along with his son Galib Ben Afas. However, after the reunification these horses, not being pretty in the accepted sense, lost much of their significance. In the former East Germany, there had been no show scene; Arabians were primarily riding and sport horses, and the Abus Afas descendants excelled at what they did and were well known for their athletic ability. But they were not pretty and as a consequence there are not many of them left now, if any at all. While the vast majority of the Kuhailan Afas sire line goes back to Abu Afas, there is also a very slim line descending from the second son of Bad Afas, Arcus. Arcus sired just one son, the black

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Branibor, foaled in 1958 out of Bajdara, whose blood survives chiefly through his daughters. Two Branibor sons were exported: *Dunajec (1984 out of Dyska) to the U.S. and Grabiec (1964 out of Gastronomia) to France. *Dunajec established his own small racing dynasty in the U.S.. His 1996 grandson Boeagle (FMR Bay Eagle x Bozell) was a hugely successful racehorse and held a national record, but never sired any foals. If this line still exists, it is hanging on by a thread. As for Grabiec, he appears through his daughters in the pedigrees of many French racing Arabians. His daughter Mandore produced no less than three extremely successful racing sires by Manganate: Djamel, Djendel, and Dormane. And you might say that this brings us full circle. Prince Roman Sanguszko was the first Polish breeder to import French racing Arabians; how appropriate, then, that the descendants of the stallion he imported from Bahrain came back to France, leaving their mark on French racing breeding in turn. As an added note of interest, a few years ago the Polish state studs, for the very first time, were given an original Bahraini stallion as a gift. This stallion is, by name and strain, Kuhailan Afas. It appears he is being used on racing lines. While he is of the same female strain as his predecessor, he is of course from an entirely different sire line. Whether he will be able to establish a sire line, which would be entirely his own, remains to be seen.