After the championships, the expected Pride of Poland auction began on Sunday 15 August at 4pm. The list of horses intended for sale was published in May, but the auction catalogue only appeared on the internet on 26 July – an unprecedented event because the catalogue was always the most important element in promoting the auction. It is difficult to say what caused the delay in publication and the extremely modest advertising of the event around the world. It is important that the auctions can be considered successful, and that the prices received for the horses satisfactory.
The auction was conducted by Eric Blaack and Grzegorz Miśtal, both known to the Polish audience from previous editions of the event.
A total of 16 horses were put up for sale, including seven from Michałów Stud, six from Janów Podlaski, one from Białka, and two from private breeders. The list included three stallions, unheard of in recent years: Pomian (Gazal al Shaqab x Pilar by Fawor), Ermitage (QR Marc x Emandoria by Gazal al Shaqab), and the auction star, Equator (QR Marc x Ekliptyka by Ekstern).
While there were no ‘big draw’ mares up for auction as in recent years, the fillies Brodnica (Pogrom x Bambina by Kahil al Shaqab) from Janów Podlaski and El Madera (Morion x El Medonia by Shanghai EA) from Michałów, as well as the mare Emandorissa (Abha Qatar x Emanda by Ecaho), were undisputed stars.
The auction started with the mare from Białka – Cefrena (Lawrence el Gazal x Cella by Ekstern). €15,000 for the first horse, sold to Poland, and a lively auction boded well for the rest of the auction.
Cefrena
Lot 2 was Amiga from Janów Podlaski (Piaff x Amra by Eukaliptus), one of three mares with a pure Polish pedigree offered at the auction. She reached the price of €26,000 and will go to Sweden.
Amiga
El Madera (Morion x El Medonia by Shanghai EA), in at lot number 3, was not initially mentioned among the favourites of the auction, but it was expected that her presence would not go unnoticed. After a fierce and rapidly progressing bidding, Nina Suskevicova from the Czech Republic won her with a price of €155,000.
El Madera
Lot 4, Equator’s full sister, the chestnut Enobaria, was led out to the ring, but she did not evoke the expected emotion and was finally sold to Poland for €34,000.
Enobaria
The sale of the horse with number 5 on the auction list was the first stallion offered, the grey stallion from Janów, Pomian. He turned out to be an exceptional spectacle and the bidding started modestly with a starting price of €5,000 and was sold for €46,000 to Saudi Arabia. Pomian was the first horse that ran alone, without halter, in the ring that evening. In my opinion, this way of presentation for the next horses offered roused positive emotions of both buyers and the public. Thanks to this form of horse presentation, the auction took on a fun atmosphere and it was certainly unique in this respect.
Pomian
Another horse on the list, Emandorissa, was also loose and her bidding raised a lot of emotions. The starting price was set at €150,000 and the mare was finally sold for €450,000 to Al Thumama Stud in Qatar.
Emandorissa (and lead photo)
Another mare from the list, Ebira (Empire x Ebra by Alert) bred by Michałów Stud, did not find interest among buyers and left the ring unsold.
Ebira
The mare with number 8, Bemola (Pomian x Belissa by Poganin) bred in Janów Podlaski, was sold for €25,000 to Belgium.
Bemola
Meanwhile, Lot 9, Estama (EKS Alihandro x Estaka by Gazal al Shaqab) from Falborek Arabians, sold to Kuwait for €17,000.
Estama
And then it came the climax of the auction – Lot 10. To the beat of Ecuador by Sash!, the king of the auction, Equator from Michałów Stu, entered the ring. The audience and everyone around the ring welcomed him with great enthusiasm. The starting price was €300,000 and, surprisingly for this price, there were no bidders. The price was lowered to €200,000 and this definitely revived the auction. Unexpectedly, at €400,000, the auction slowed down and Equator was sold to Saudi Arabia for €450,000. He will go to Alrajhiat Stud, who bought Białka’s Perfinka (Esparto x Perfika by Gazal al Shaqab) a year ago.
Equator
With number 11, we saw another mare with a pure Polish pedigree. This was Bigamia (Ekstern x Barka by Ararat) from Janów Podlaski, but there was no one willing to buy her.
Bigamia
Next on the list was the two-year old filly Brodnica from Janów Podlaski. The starting price was set at €100,000, but due to the lack of bidders, the price had to be lowered to €50,000. Luckily, the auction gained momentum and with a bid of €160,000, the mare was ‘on the market’, but the auction did not slow down. Finally, Bordnica was auctioned off for €250,000 to Hanaya Stud in Switzerland.
Brodnica
The next two mares, Lot 13 Paradna (Equator x Piękna Pani by Ekstern) and Lot 14 Tatra (Palatino x Tartina by Perseusz), did not rouse much emotion and were sold for €15,000 and €8,000 respectively. Paradna will stay in Poland while Tatra will go to the Netherlands.
Paradna
Tatra
The pentultimate horse on the list, Lot 15, was the stallion Ermitage, full brother of the phenomenal Belgian breeding Emerald J. This stallion enjoyed great interest and despite the low starting price and quick reserve price, he was sold for €72,000 to Saudi Arabia.
Ermitage
The final horse, Lot 16, Pustynna Noc (WH Kaneko MS x Pustynna Kalia by Ekstern) from Michałów Stud, was sold for €35,000 to the Netherlands.
Pustynna Noc
Ultimately, out of the 16 offered horses, 14 new homes were found for a total amount of €1,598,000, which makes the auction successful.
Read about the 2021 Polish National Championships here.
