On 23-24 July, the Sopot Arabian Horse Show took place for the third time. This event has permanently entered the calendar of shows in Europe, and despite the annual concerns of the organisers, the event is becoming more and more popular; proof of this may be the large participation in the show of horses from abroad. It is no coincidence, but the result of hard work of the entire team responsible for this event. The organisation of the show for another year in a row was at the highest level, despite the fact that it is ‘only’ the Breeders Show. Personally, I really like to come back to Sopot because of the fantastic, family atmosphere and the above-mentioned organisation. This year, unfortunately, the weather was a bit worse than in previous years, but I don’t think it affected the reception of the show by the participants and the audience.
The judges
The show traditionally started with the yearling colts. Section A was won in good style with CB Rembrandt (Wadee al Shaqab x Gypsy Love NA by Ever After NA), a bay bred and owned by Brugman Arabians from Belgium and who scored 91.7 points. He confirmed this win by taking the championship on Sunday and leaving Poland with the title Gold Champion Yearling Colt. The second in first yearling colt class, with a score of 91.1, was Saad de Nesma (Shiraz de Lafon x Emanolla by Vitorio TO), bred by Nesma Stud and who was awarded Silver on Sunday. Taking third with 90 points was Foggiro (Morion x Foggira by Gaspar), known from the Białka Show, bred and owned by priest Stanisław Sławiński.
Gold Yearling Colt Champion CB Rembrandt
Silver Yearling Colt Champion Saad de Nesma
The second section had only four entries forward and was won with a score of 91.45 by the eye-catching bay Iliad (Shadi al Khalediah x Ilionora MAF by Abha Mahdi), bred by Idris Hassan and owned by Kurozwęki Stud. Second in the class was the delicate in type bay Nisser Babel (Sinharib Babel x AJ Nasheeda by AJ Portofino) from Babel Arabian Horse Stud and who would become Bronze Champion. Third in the class was another descendant of Michałów’s Morion (Kahil al Shaqab x Mesalina by Ekstern), Largo KL (ex Lili PS by Ekstern), bred and owned by Klikowa Arabians.
Bronze Yearling Colt Champion Nisser Babel
The two- and three-year-old colts were judged together. The first section was won by the 2021 Polish National Champion Yearling Colt, known from the previous year and from this year’s Białka – the bay Nahil al Khalediah (Ghaith al Zobair x Nawal al Khalediah by RFI Farid), bred and owned by Al Khalediah Farm. He continued his form in the championships, being chosen almost unanimously as Gold Junior Male Champion. Second in the class, as well as in the championship, was from the Royal Cavalry of Oman, Prestige RC (ex Pristina LD by Vegas DPA), a son of FA el Rasheem (FA el Shawan x Virtuosa MLR). Another son of Gypsy Love from Brugman Arabians, came third. This was CB Galaxy (by Excalibur EA), who scored 91 points.
Gold Junior Male Champion Nahil al Khalediah
Silver Junior Male Champion Prestige RC
With a score of 91.9 points, the second section was won by the grey colt Abha Ejar (Abha Zenzybar x Abha Yiti by Abha Peshawar), bred by Ses Planes Stud, and owned by El Khatib Stud in Egypt. He would later be awarded Bronze Champion. Right behind him in the class was Perlaf Zalia (AJ Elaf x Perwilla by Ascot DD) from Katarzyna Dolińska-Witkowska’s Zalia Arabians Stud, who is making his show-ring debut this year. Another son of Morion, Panderos (ex Pretty Woman by Kunar T), bred by Jan Głowacki, and owned by Bogdan Maślanka, came third.
Bronze Junior Male Champion Abha Ejar
After the colts, it was time for the stallions. In total, we saw nine participants divided into two sections. The first section was won by the bay son of Ekstern (Monogramm x Ernestyna), Petrus PA (ex Piwonia by Kahil al Shaqab), bred and owned by Dąbrówka Arabians (PPH Parys). Second place was taken by a stallion bred at Janów Podlaski Stud, Prins, a horse with a legendary pedigree, being a son of Pogrom (QR Marc x Pętla by Visbaden) and the unforgettable Pinga (Gazal al Shaqab x Pilar by Fawor). The three best horses in the class were completed with Kolorado Prince (RFI Farid x Karbona by Ekstern), owned by Daniel Jackowiak.
However, it was in the senior stallion class that we saw medallists for this year’s Sopot Show. The first place in the class, and eventual Gold Senior Male Champion, was won by Wadi Kahil (Kahil al Shaqab x Wadi Halfa by Ekstern), bred at the Michałów Stud and owned by Ilona Bax of Just Arabians in the Netherlands. The choice of judges should not surprise anyone because Wadi Kahil is in a phenomenal horse. He presented the judges with great movement, for which he received three 20s, scoring a total of 92.45 points. Right behind him was a horse bred and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, the showy grey Shareem RC (FA el Rasheem x EKS Shakira by Shakir el Marwan). In the championship, he had to give way to another son of FA el Rasheem – D Zeidan (ex Renza el Yllan by Yllan el Jamal), owned by Meshal Almesbah and Mohammed Alsafi, who took third in the class and the Silver title ahead of Shareem RC in Bronze.
Gold Senior Male Champion Wadi Kahil
Silver Senior Male Champion D Zeidan
Bronze Senior Male Champion Shareem RC
After a short break, it was time for the yearling filly classes, where we saw five horses across two classes. Section A, in which only two horses competed, was won by Almanda O (Shanghai EAx Alma al Tiglio by Ajman Moniscione), bred at Sweden Arabian Stud by Kathleen Ohlsson. This filly was unanimously chosen on Sunday as Gold Yearling Filly Champion. Second in the class was a filly bred at Klikowa Arabians, Prosa KL (Gazal al Shaqab x Desert PS by Marwan al Shaqab).
Gold Yearling Filly Champion Almanda O
The second section was won by Eri Starra (Star Farid x Espanolita by Shanghai EA), known from Białka, a phenomenally moving filly bred and owned by Petroniusz Frejlich. In the championship, Eri Starra gave way only to Almanda and left Sopot with Silver. Second in the class was Balla Luna SW (EKS Farajj x Binduga by Kahil al Shaqab) from Suweco Stud. Third went to the grey daughter of Paladid (Al Adeed al Shaqab x Pianosa by Eukaliptus), Poema Paladia (ex Psyche Lejla by Pogrom), who completed the podium in the championship taking the Bronze Championship.
Silver Yearling Filly Champion Eri Starra
Bronze Yearling Filly Champion Poema Paladia
The junior female classes were filled with more entries, that probably caused much more emotions. The first section was won by the well-known and popular grey Esalaja M (AJ Elaf x Espanera by Kabsztad), bred and owned by Piotr Podgórny’s M Arabians. Last year, Esalaja left Sopot with the Silver Yearling Filly title but this year she did not repeat championship success. Behind her in the class was Octavia O from Sweden Arabian Stud, a daughter of Magic Magnifique (True Colours x Magic Mon Amour by Windsprees Mirage) and GM Marwan al Shakira (Marwan al Shaqab x Octavia of Rohan by AA Manhattan). In third was the Saba DA (FA el Rasheem x Savannah OS by RFI Farid), bred and owned by Danubius Arabians, who was chosen as Silver Junior Female Champion.
Silver Junior Female Champion Saba DA
In the second section, the unquestionable favourite was the exotic chestnut Naifat al Owaidah (Excalibur EA x LR Expected Beauty by Shael Dream Desert), bred and owned by Al Owaidah Stud. She won her class in style, scoring 92.15 points and then named Gold Junior Female Champion during Sunday’s championship. Right behind her was the bay from Bouche Arabian Stud, the filly CBA Indiyana (Wadee al Shaqab x Ilena el Aryes by Aryes el Ludjin), who again had to give way in the championship to take the Bronze. Third in the class was Zaretusa (RFI Farid x Zafirea by Ajman Moniscione), known from last year and bred and owned by Tomasz Tarczyński.
Gold Junior Female Champion Naifat al Owaidah
Bronze Junior Female Champion CBA Indiyana
The mare classes, as usual, are the most awaited classes and, also as usual, very well supported. In the first section, the chestnut JL Beverlie (Magic Magnifique x Artic Believe by Rohara Bacara) from JSKA Arabian Stud turned out to be the favourite! She scored 92.5 points, including three 20s for type and for movement. Behind her was the grey Ghaaram AF (Mouheb x Razal Al Zaman by Sinjabi) from Afifi Arabian Stud, who would take the Bronze Senior Female Championship. The last place qualifying for the Sunday’s championships was taken by Dellmara SW (Gzavi x Dellzyra SA by Nuzyr HCF) from Suweco Stud.
Bronze Senior Female Champion Ghaaram AF
The last class of the day brought a lot of emotions and the show’s highest score – 93.2 points! Such a score was awarded to the well-known fleabitten grey Marrakech J (Emerald J x JA Ultima by Besson Carol), bred and owned by Jadem Arabians from Belgium. This mare outclassed the competition, taking first place in the class, then on Sunday winning the titles of Gold Senior Female Champion and Best In Show! EKS Shakira (Shakir el Marwan x Poetica B by Besson Carol), bred by Elkasun Arabians in South African and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, took second in the class with 92.7 points, as well as the title of Silver Champion. Third went to the Polish-bred Future (Kahil al Shaqab x Fortycja by Pegasus), owned by Aldeem Arabians. This class concluded the end of the long first day of the show.
Gold Senior Female Champion Marrakech J (and cover photo)
Silver Senior Female Champion EKS Shakira
The next day was the championships, and the day started a bit earlier as the organisers made arranged a competition for children on hobby horses. The hobby horse is a dynamically developing sports discipline for children that, in short, consists in going around dressage arena ‘on’ a plush horse on a stick. The competitions are divided into age categories and the height of the obstacles depends on the age and skill of the participants. The park was bursting at the seams as the list of children participating in the competition was very long. There was no end to the smiles of the children, and the event was definitely a success!
The hobby horse classes
During the championships, the Amateur Presenters class was held in Sopot for the first time under the patronage of Bogdan Maślanka. Nine participants took part, and the best was Bartosz Tokarski from Janów Podlaski with Cendoza (EKS Alihandro x Cedora by Kahil al Shaqab). Congratulations! Meanwhile, the best professional handler was awarded to Nicolas Frere – congratulations there, too!
Best Amateur Handler, Bartosz Tokarski with Cendoza
Best Handler – Nicolas Frere
A Gelding Championship was also held. The first and second place in this championship were unanimous, with first place taken by the well-known, beautiful, bay from Białka Stud, Parillus (Ascot DD x Parilla by Enzo). According to Białka, Parillus, Best in Show and Gold Champion at the 2018 Białka Show, turned out to be permanently sterile, hence the decision to castrate him. Parillus is presented to a wider audience as a sports horse. Second place went to the grey Korab (Pegasus x Karbala by Emigrant), bred by the Michałów Stud and owned by Magdalena Helak-Kulczyńska, also known from sports competition. Bronze went to the grey Parsifal St Roch (Wadee al Shaqab x Prasheila by Prado) from St Roch Arabian Stud.
Best Gelding Parillus
After selecting the Best in Show – where the horses had to be shown by their owners, with the title going to Marrakech J – the third edition of the Sopot Arabian Horse Show came to an end. I am looking forward to the next edition of this show – it has a pleasant, holiday-like atmosphere, excellent organisation, great company, and an ever-increasing quality of horses. This all makes you want to come back to Sopot and while I will miss you for now, I look forward to seeing you next year!
Christine Jamar showing her homebred Marrakech J to Best in Show Sopot 2022
For more show reports from The Arabian Magazine, click here.
