5.53pm – That is it. My inaugural, unplanned live coverage is done. I hope that you have enjoyed it. There will be more videos going on Facebook page over the next couple of days, so tune in then. It has been a great show – thank you all, and safe journey home.
5.51pm – To huge applause, IM Bayard Cathare has been crowned unanimous Gold Senior Male Champion! In 2012 he was Bronze, 2013 he was Silver. Then he had colic surgery. This is just the most amazing result and the joy and relief on handler, Franck’s face is clear to see. IS Exxpu is Silver – congratulations to Dr Nils for breeding such a super stud!
5.47pm – Bronze goes to Safeer… Has IM Bayard Cathare done it?
5.46pm – Top Five honours to Wiron and LVA Maximus.
5.44pm – The officials are ready to leave the arena, and the stallions are still quietly waiting behind them for the results of the Senior Male Championship. The atmosphere has just gone up a notch again…
5.42pm – Teresa de Borbon is standing down as DC, with this her last show. There is a special presentation for her, which is lovely to see. We wish her all the best.
5.30pm – Time for all the thank you so before the stallion results. Quite rightly too- so many people work so hard to make this event come together. All the judges, DC team, ring master, scorers, music, announcer… But mostly, my thanks go to Christine Jamar-Demeersseman and Carl van Roosbroeck, the organisers of the show. See you in another two years – inshallah!
5.26pm – All nod to Kristof Heymans, who has done the music for the show. He has been brilliant, and the music fitting at every stage of the competition. Thank you.
5.24pm – And we are done. The judges are leaving the arena. Time to cross fingers.
5.10pm – Goodness, these boys are loving showing off…!
5.02pm – Confirmed. The wonderful Etnologia is Gold- and we get the British National anthem to boot. Silver goes to the classy bay, Majeedah CF.
5.01pm – Oh my good golly! Etnologia has done it!! GOLD!
4.59pm – Aja Europa has got the Bronze Senior Female Championship with Ava and Fahera Top Five…
4.55pm – The judges have decided in what was the longest championship of the afternoon. And no wonder – it was an incredible class.
4.51pm – All stunning Senior Female Championship. I’d hate to be having to pin this one.
4.36pm – It is the mares next… I’d love Etnologia to win this. I’ve been told that it is her last show and she so deserves this, having always been the bridesmaid behind her Gazal Al Shaqab half-siblings such as Emandoria and Pianissima, among others. Go, Etnologia, go!
4.32pm – That was tense!! Winning the Gold European Championships for the THIRD time is three-year-old Gallardo J. Silver goes to Luigi – kudos to his handler Tom Oben for being so gracious – and Bronze to Falah Al Shaqab. Mansour Al Jalawiyah and Fuerte take the Top Five. Mares next!
4.25pm – Sorry for that. The Junior Female Championship went as follows: Gold, MM Niyama; Silver, Carmine Al Khaled; Bronze, Galerida. Top Five Nihal and Pustynia Khalia in a somewhat surprising result. Now the results of the colts – too close to call.
4.21pm – Apologies for the delay, the author is interviewing someone. At the moment, it is the battle of Luigi and Gallardo J…
3.34pm – Cyclone OS a terrific Silver. MM Jabari surely is Gold? YES! He is. Congratulations to all, another beautiful championship.
3.33pm – Mansour AM takes a worthy Bronze.
3.42pm – After a wrong call, El Shaad and EOS Apollo get called into Top Five.
3.40pm – The judging is done, seems very quick. Honestly, some lovely young horses in here.
3.33pm – The yearling colts have all done their show – a great championship and some stellar horses in here. My money is on MM Jabari though…
3.22pm -Yes, she has. Gold to the Ajman Stud with their feminine HDM Maria Apal. This really was a beautiful championship- The quality of yearling fillies in Europe really has stepped up a huge level this year.
3.21pm – Aja Caprice gets the Silver. Which means HDM Maria Apal must have the Gold…
3.20pm – Bronze Yearling Filly Champion- DA Alihandra!
3.19pm – Top Five to Tarfah Athbah and Emara AT..
3.16pm – They have judged that quite quickly and we are waiting for the awards. Who will be the first Gold Champion of the 2016 European Championships?
3.13pm – There are eight fillies forward – lovely to see so many good movers. Hard to choose but Aja Caprice came in with some flair…
3.02pm – We are back! The Yearling Filly Championship kicks off this afternoon.
1.04pm – Psy Dream has gone second! Three 20s for movement helped him to 91.6 points. So that’s the final class done – IM Bayard Cathare, Psy Dream, LVA Maximus, Eqzotik. Poganin is in fifth with 91 points. So close! Liberty classes next – Lunch break for me. See you for the Championships!
1.01pm – Psy Dream (Psytadel x La Diva) is in now for Armada Arabians. I just love the way he moves. Eqzotik has just gone into third place with 91.1. IM Bayard Cathare has this in the bag, with LVA Maximus (Espana Estopa x Challon Salana) in second with 91.2. Can Psy Dream go above him?
12.58pm – The penultimate horse is in now, the super Ansata Qasim son Eqzotik (ex NA Erotika), owned and bred by Claire Fowler. This 11-year old has done do well for Claire and her family and rumours has it that this is his last show before he turns his hand to ridden.
12.49pm – Go to The Arabian Magazine Facebook page to check out the video of IM Bayard Cathare! He scored a huge 93.2 – the highest of the boys – including four 20s. Bred in France and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, he is by Padrons Immage and out of Shamilah Bagheera. No one has got close to him yet…
12.37pm – The low down…We have: Eqzotik; Psy Dream; IM Bayard Cathare; LVA Maximus; Poganin; Aja Sanagor; Aja Ben Nazif; and Amoroso de Salvadora. Great to see so many older boys out – especially Amoroso de Salvadora, who at 18 years of age put on quite the show!
12.32 – Finally, they are ready to come in. Eight stallions. Let’s go!
12.24pm – That is the penultimate class done. Ainhoa Saadeen (Perfect de Lafon x Ainhoa Sanaa) powered to the win with 90.9 points for Maria Jose Lopez Montilla. El Omari and Albano (Enzo x Alena) for Janow Podlaski tied for second with 90.6 points, with El Omari taking the higher place. Senior stallions next and – finally – a big class. I think we are all looking forward to this one!
12.19pm – El Omari (Enzo x Embra) just put on a good show for the Michalow State Stud. He did that wonderful thing where it looks as if he was dancing in time with the music- one of the many reasons we love the Arabian horse, of course.
12.09pm – We have four stallions forward of six entered. Such a shame that there’s not a bit more stallion power here. That said, there are two Polish National champions in the ring – you can’t get much better than that.
11.59am – That class is over. Winning is Dr Nils Ismer’s homebred IS Exxpu (QR Marc x IS Exelsia), who absolutely powered around the arena. He scored 91.9. Second place is Safeer (Ajman Moniscione x MO Sajfa) for Tina Martucci. He scored 91.7. Third goes to the crowd-pleaser, Profender (QR Marc x Palanga) with 91.1 points for the Sagaert family. It’s the eight-to-ten-year-old stallion class next.
11.43am – This is another small stallion class with just four forward. Where are they all?
11.38am – That was a very close-scoring class at the top. Zloty Medal (QR Marc x Zloty Orda) won for Michalow with 91.4. Then it was Mabrouk Aljassimya (Shagran Al Nasser x Om El Sanadiqa) with 91.2 for Louisa Biles and Lauren Benson. Third, with the same score, was Wiron (Kabsztad x Wirka) for Johanna Kustna-Lech. Now for the next group of stallions!
11.09am – Etnologia is the winner, then Emmona, Samsara Nawal and Euspira. Stallions next, aged four-to-five years.
11.06am – Ah, that’s lovely. Pawel, who worked at Janow until all the changes this year, showed Etnologia and it is his girlfriend, Johanna, leading her in for the Best Head Award. Marek Trela walks in with Shirley Watts. The biggest round of applause of the show, right there. We all know where the true Poland lies…
11.04am She has done it – and with the highest score of the show, too! 93.9 including four 20s for type and two for movement.
11.03am – Etnologia was beautiful, I had goosebumps. Head on over to the Facebook page as there is a video being uploaded now. Surely she is the winner? Euspira score 90.2.
10.58am – Emmona scores 91.4; Samsara Nawal scores 90.5.
10.54am – Okay, it is the senior mare class. Fourth mares forward, all grey and all huge movers. First in was Emmona (Monogramm x Emilda); Michalow. Then it is Samsara Nawal (Imperial Kamilll x Nour); Mr and Mrs Duke, UK. Euspira (Gazal Al Shaqab x Euskara); Bialka. And then – the Janow bred, Halsdon owned Etnologia (Gazal Al Shaqab x Etalanta).
10.47am – It’s time for Etnologia!
10.41am – Right, we have the results from this amazing class. Fahera (TS Apolo x Epy) took the win for HRH Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Altona took second, L Farahdiba (WH Justice x Feemi) was third with 91.9, Al Princess Aliha (WH Justice x Al Aliha) fourth with 91.8, and Psyche Victoria (Ekstern x Pallas-Atena) fifth with 91.4. What a close class!
10.38am – That was incredible! Altona (El Nabila B x Laranda) caught the eye as soon as she came in. For her individual show, she raised the roof and scored straight 20s for movement! Her score? 92 points. Not enough to win the class – pipped by 0.1 points – but what an amazing impression she made! Bred at Michalow, she is owned by Mohammed Al Ghemblas of Kuwait.
10.10am – That is a shame; Abha Palma and Wieza Roz are not here, possibly the two mares I would liked to have seen the most. That said, this is a beautiful class of ethereal grey mares. Many bred in Poland, and I think that this is going to be a big-scoring class. There really are some special mares here.
10.05am – It’s the mares aged eight-to-ten years now. Eight are forward and thereafter some big names in the catalogue; I will update you who isn’t here as soon as…
9.59am – Yes, she has done it. Ava has won with 91.9 points; I thought she should have pushed 92 points actually but she still won in style. Second goes to Wieza Marc’a with Antartia KA (QR Marc x Altona) third for owner/handler Jan Lemmens.
9.56am – Ava is in the ring. When she breaks into her stride, she is just beautiful. She is so haughty and majestic – I think she has this!
9.53am – The first horse to be shown was Wieza Marc’a (QR Marc x Wieza Marzen), bred at Michalow and owned by Sinus Arabians in Sweden.she scored 90.9. We think…
9.50am – I think the surprise for the day for me is that Glenn Schoukens is in the ring! Part of Schoukens Training Center, Glenn was showing at the US Nationals last week – Reserve US National Champion with Equator no less – and here he is now. No one can say that these trainers don’t work hard!
9.47am – Ava just gave me goosebumps. I’ve known this mare since she was a foal and she has matured so beautifully. Bred by Pat Hannay from the UK, Ava is owned by Al Thumama Stud. Sired by Vervaldee, she is out of Aziza. There may only be three mare in this class but it is a very beautiful one.
9.43am – It is the six-to-seven-year-old mare class now, with just three entries. Many eyes will be on Ava…
9.36am – Majeedah CF held the lead with Aja Europa in second; she also gets the consolation prize of Best Head. Third place goes to JV Nerina (Kadar’s Echoo x Nimah), bred by Johanna Ullström and owned by Nina Suskevicova, with 91 points. Two mares tied for fourth with 90.8 points and the higher place went to Fer Lisaline (Gual Ghorki x Mirija Al Sabah), bred by Yeguado Ferrero and owned by Javier Fernandez Echarri. The Janow owned and bred Euzona (Om El Bellisimo x Euzetia) took fifth. HS Patchouli was just 0.1 points behind.
9.31am – We have a new leader! Cafra Arabians in Germany have been great breeders over the years and Majeedah CF (WH Justice x Maharani CF) just went into the lead with 91.7 points. This pretty bay is now owned by Al Khashab Stud in Kuwait, and I suspect that she will take the class.
9.23am – This is interesting to see – Halsdon Stud have a marriage in the ring now. HS Patchouli (Polan x Peczora) is five years old and it is great to see horses bred at this legendary stud out and showing.
9.21am – Wow, what a start to the show! The very feminine Aja Europa (Aja Justified x HB Marais) just claimed 91.4 points from the judges. This exquisite young mare was Reserve Junior Female Champion here as a yearling and she is maturing beautifully. She received one 20 for type, and is bred by Aja Arabians. Aja Europa is proudly owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, and she is the class leader.
9.05am – Good morning everybody! I hope you had a good evening, and thank you for the feedback on this new way of reporting from a show. It is time for the four-to-five-year-old mare class – and in they come!
5.10pm – That is it for today’s classes. I hope you have enjoyed this coverage – offering something a little bit different. We will be back tomorrow for the first of the mare classes at 9am tomorrow. Thank you.
5.08pm – We have it – the winner is Nabeel Al Nasser (ex Noof Al Nasser) not owned and bred by Al Nasser Stud. Second goes to Athbah Stud’s Pistorius (ex ZT Ludjteyna) – is this the first time he hasn’t won? I am not sure, but he is such a crowd pleaser. Both geldings scored 90.5 points.
5.05pm – We know that Panthos (QR Marc x Palanga) is third with 90 points. He is owned by the Sagaert family from Belgium. There is a tie at the top between Nabeel Al Nasser and Pistorius, both sired by EKS Alihandro. Pistorius has been a very big winner already, in spite of being just a yearling; will he be winning another prize here?
5pm – That’s it, the last horse has left the ring. Some big-moving geldings in there, some earning 20s for movement. Just one more score to come and we will have our winners…
4.40pm – The last class of the day is the geldings, with seven entries. There are some super horses forward and it is wonderful that such a prestigious show has always had classes for the true ambassadors of our breed.
4.30pm – And the 2016 European Championships colt foal winner is VDV Conquestador (Fayyad Al Fayyad x Gypsy Love NA) owned and bred by VDV Management. Al Pacino (AJ Mardan x Aljuba) took second for for Sabato Florio and third went to the Baahir El Marwan son DW Il Divo (ex Car’mel-D) for Isabelle de Wasch.
4pm – AJ Norah won, congratulations to her owner/breeder, the Ajman Stud on such an amazing foal. Second was Charlie’s Angel (QR Marc x Atheena) for Wenche Roefs. Third place goes to Johanna Ullström with her homebred, Sharanya JJ (Nader Al Shaqab x Shantell JJ). Colt foals are in next.
3.55pm – Well, the judges certainly liked AJ Norah as well! Two 20s for type, one for head/neck, and this exquisite chestnut filly foal has the highest score of the show with 92.4 points. I don’t think that she can be beaten.
3.27pm – All lovely filly foal class. I am not always a fan of these classes as I hate to see stress on the foals. But this is a lovely class and there are two stand outs for me – Manara Elygance (RFI Farid x Dixiletta) and AJ Norah (AJ Mardan x Inspired Najla).
3.16pm – That’s the junior classes over for this year’s European Championships. Next in is the foals and the geldings.
3.11pm – He’s done it! Gallardo J scores 92.1 points. He is, of course, sired by Emerald J and out of Gomera J, a full brother to Grace J and a multiple Champion including at the 2015 Dubai International. Bred by Jadem Arabians, he is owned by the Ajman Stud. In second place on 91.5 points is Al Shaqab Stud’s Falah Al Shaqab (Fadi Al Shaqab x Joseph Just Emotion). Third goes to Mansour Al Jalawiyah (Emerald J x Gypsy Love NA). EA Arjen El Marwetyn (ZT Marwteyn x Ancholy Ali) is fourth with Calateon (Vitorio TO x Calatea) fifth.
3.08pm – Gallardo was last to show and we are all waiting for his results… Just how close is it going to be?
3pm – Whoops, sorry for the technical hitches! The filly class was won in some style by Pustynia Khalia (Kahil Al Shaqab x Pustynna Malwa), who was Gold Yearling Filly World Champion in 2014. Second to her was the Shangahi EA daughter, Galerida (ex Galilea), with both fillies being owner and bred by Michalow State Stud. Now in is a terrific three-year-old colt class, featuring Falal Al Shaqab and Gallardo J among others!
2pm – About to start with the three-year-old fillies.
1.05pm – Lunch break! Be back soon.
1.03pm – Fourth goes to Masoun Al Adeyat (Ajman Moniscione x Maryah OS), owned and bred by The Royal Cavalry of Oman, with 90.6 points. Fifth goes to R’adjah de Cartherey (QR Marc x Badi’ah de Cartherey), owned and bred by Christina Rigat.
1pm – That’s it, Luigi has won the class and best head to boot. Fuerte is in second place, then Zeus EA. Fourth and fifth still to be announced and, as is always the way, I missed a score…
12.58pm – The last colt has been judged and we are just catching up on the last of the scores. Fuerte (Shanghai EA x Frymuszka) scored 91.4 to take second place.
12.51pm – Luigi has maintained the lead and has likely won this class – although never underestimate Fuerte, the Polish-bred colt that has been a big winner this year thanks, in part, to his terrific movement. Zeus EA (Shangahi EA x Essence of Marwan), owned and bred by Equus Arabians, currently has second place with 91 points.
12.44pm – Luigi has the highest score of the show so far – 92.2 points! Bred by Danielle Saelens, he is owned by Al Shahania Stud from Qatar. Sired by Kanz Albidayer, he is out of Lolita. Is his score high enough to take the win? We currently have Zeus EA, Excalibur EA’s full brother, in the ring…
12.36pm – If you want to see Luigi make his entrance, head on over to our Facebook page to watch the video – The Arabian Magazine.
12.24pm – The filly presentation is almost over. The last class before lunch is the two-year-old colts, with Luigi as the big star.
12.19pm – That was a long class full of some very lovely fillies. Mario Matt has made it a double as MM Niyama (WH Justice x Nautis El Perseus) took the win with 92 points. This filly has a host of titles to her name and will be going for another championship tomorrow. Carmine El Khaled (Glorious Apal x Cosmopolitan J) took second for Al Khalediah Farm with 91.2 points. Just 0.1 points behind was the Michalow beauty, El Larinera (Empire x El Emeera). Grace J took fourth with 90.6 points, the same score as fifth-placed Adelita (Kahil Al Shaqab x Altamira) for Janow Podlaski.
11.46am – Grace J has just come flying into the ring. Sired by the great Emerald J and out of Gomera J, this bay filly always impresses. Bred by Jadem Arabians, she is owned by Christina Schlapfer from Switzerland. Christina shows Grace herself and the bond and harmony between this horse and handler is always lovely to see. The way that Christina shows wins her new fans at every event.
11.25am – MM Jabari kept the lead and he is the clear winner. Congratulations Mario! Second place went to El Shaad (FA El Shawan x El Estrada) with 90.8 points. He was bred and owned by Jozef and Malgorzata Pietrzak of Poland, as was Gall of Marwteyn (ZT Marwteyn x Gallia). A grandson of Galba and Galilea, this grey colt was a huge mover as his pedigree would suggest. He scored 90.6 points, with Al Picasso (RFI Farid x Al Princess Aliha) fourth with Al Hambra Arabians just behind on 90.4 points. Fifth with 90 points in this close class was Dastan (Equator x Dama Pik) for the Michalow State Stud.
11.11am – The highest score of the show so far is for MM Jabari with 92 points! This superb colt has set the bar in this class.
11.03am – All are forward for the second yearling colt classes, including the not-in-the-catalogue number 29, MM Jabari (EKS Alihandro x MM Julietta), owned and bred by Mario Matt Arabians in Austria. This showy chestnut is first to be judged.
10.54am -The class winner and the best head award go to the same horse again. But this is a super winner and comes from Karl-Heinz Stockle’s Osterhof Stud – Cyclone OS (RFI Farid x Inspired Najla) with 91.7 points. This farm consistently produces great champions around the world and this bay colt is no exception. Second place goes to EOS Apollo (Lawrence El Gazal x Annou El Wuotan) with 90.6 points for Fasil Ibrahim Al Ibrahim. Third, with 90.1 points, is Maserati des Alpes (Marwan Al Shaqab x Mira des Alpes), another future star for October Berg. Fourth is the EKS Alihandro son Darshaan (ex Doralina) owned by Nils Is merely with 89.7 points and fifth is Fadym PKA (Fadi Al Shaqab x Ydola F) for Petraeus Muller with 89.4 points.
10.31am – All six colts in this class are forward.
10.27am – The lovely Emandoria daughter Emanolla (by Vitorio TO) was second with 91.3, Poganinka third, Tarfah Athbah (EKS Alihandro x Ermina) fourth with 90.8 points, and RK Andra (EKS Alihandro x TF Mistic Royal) fifth with 90.6 points. Now on with the first of two yearling colt classes!
10.19am – The last yearling filly has shown and this really want as another super class. HDM Maria Apal has the class win with 91.9 points – the rest to follow
10.16am – Great movement scores for Poganinka – 20, 20, 20, 19.5 and 20! I can’t remember a yearling filly getting such high movement scores before, great to see, and this lovely dancing chestnut really deserved it.
10.11am – The big-moving Polish filly, Poganinka, has just powered her way around the arena and received the first real round of applause of the day. Bred and owned by the Michalow State Stud, she is sired by Polish National Champion Stallion El Omari and is out of Pentra-by Poganin.
10.04am – The judges loved her! Two 20s for type, two for head and neck, to score 91.9 points. That is the top score so far.
9.58am – The beautiful HDM Maria Apal (RFI Farid x WW Imania-Apal) is currently in the ring. This really is a very lovely young filly with lots of potential ahead. She was Silver Yearling Filly Champion in Aachen and I am sure that her connections are hoping that she will go one better here.
9.48am – The second yearling filly class is in, and it is beautiful. I think that the quality is going to be very high at the show this year!
9.40am – Now for the results of this first lovely yearling filly class! There was a tie at the top but with the higher type score, DA Alihandra took the win for her owner/breeder Cornelia Kolnberger. In second was Aja Caprice, owned and bred by Aja Arabians. Both scored 91.3. Third with 90.5 points was Emara AT, Jameelah Al Adeyat fourth and fifth went to Elizia Alfabia (ZT Magnofantasy) x Alfabia Gaia) with 90.2 and 89.8 respectively. A beautiful class!
9.34am – No class results yet, there is a tie for the Best Head Award. I’d love to see movement rewarded more – what do you think?
While the wait, the judges this year are Urs Aeschbacher, Claudia Davies, Lucas Gozdzialski, Christian Moschini, Luiz Rocco and Marianne Tengstedt.
9.29am – We have our first 20 of the day! DA Alihandra (EKS Alihandro x DA Miss Justice) for head.
9.28am – We are coming to the end of this first class, with the showy Aja Caprice (EKS Alihandro x Aja Carina) being shown.
9.23am – What a beautiful class of yearling fillies this is, the first of two sections at the show. Jameelah Al Adeyat (Fadi Al Shaqab x Juvita) has currently caught my eye as has Emirates AT (Kahil Al Shaqab x To Exotikah).
9.20am – We are finally underway after a few technical hitches!
