Photography unless stated by Javan Schaller
Something very special happened in Las Vegas this year at the Arabian Breeders’ Alliance World Cup. A European horse competed in the show and not only did he win the hearts of countless people around, and in, the show-ring, he also showed how to win a class in style – and what style it was! For Wortex Kalliste’s owner and breeder, Jennifer Dhombre of Kalliste Arabians in France, this was a very special moment indeed and saw some of her dreams become reality. This is the story so far of Wortex Kalliste.
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| Wortex Kalliste with Jennifer Dhombre |
Jennifer Dhombre has had a lifelong passion for the Arabian horse but this feature is purely about Wortex Kalliste – her incredible homebred two-year-old colt that has been turning heads since the moment he was born. Wortex represents two generations of Kalliste Arabians breeding and for Jennifer and her family, seeing her young colt show in Las Vegas was a very emotional experience. “I still remember well the day that he was born and to see him compete in such strong competition in America was amazing,” explains Jennifer.
Foaled in 2014, Wortex Kalliste is sired by the much-loved stallion, Shanghai EA, a son of the renowned ‘champion maker’, WH Justice (Magnum Psyche x Vona Sher-Renea by El Sher-Mann). Shanghai EA has been an exceptional sire and it was an easy decision for Jennifer to make when she was looking for a suitable stallion to breed over her very special multiple-champion homebred mare, Mirwanah Kalliste.
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| Mirwanah Kalliste ©Jerry |
Born in 2010, Mirwanah Kalliste is sired by the triple World Champion Marwan Al Shaqab (Gazal Al Shaqab x Little Liza Fame by Fame VF) and out of Jennifer’s straight Russian mare, Nakubaya Kossack (Kubay Khan x Nalatonna by Balaton). From the moment she was born, Jennifer knew that Minrwanah was special and she did not disappoint, taking championships across Europe. “I am so lucky with Mirwanah,” Jennifer tells me. “She is considered to be one of the most beautiful Marwan Al Shaqab daughters in the world and she has taken titles in Bordeaux, Hasselt, Menton and Paris. Mirwanah is so special to me – not because of what she has won but because of the horse that she is.”
Having loved Shanghai EA and the many qualities that this stallion was stamping on his progeny, as well as his great attitude as a show horse, Jennifer decided to that he was the best choice for Mirwanah’s maiden year. In 2014, Jennifer’s belief in the cross was proved to be right when Mirwanah foaled a grey colt – one whom Jennifer said at the time was the very best that she had ever bred. His name? Wortex Kalliste.
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| Las Vegas this year. |
Wortex is a three-quarter brother to European Triple Crown Champion, Excalibur EA (Shanghai EA x Essence of Marwan EA by Marwan Al Shaqab), and he has already shown that he has the same class and style to join the ranks of the very best.
At his very first show, the Tulip Cup, Wortex took home the Bronze Yearling Male Championship and from there, he never looked back. He took the Gold Medal at the European Breeders’ Cup in Chantilly, was named the Best French horse at the Menton International A Show, was the highest scoring yearling at the European Championships, and placed Top Five Arabian Futurity Europe – the only colt to be selected.
“Wortex had a great start to his show career, and as a yearling, he realised many of my dreams for him,” Jennifer explains. “I have always wanted to have one of my horses show in the United States and I knew that Wortex was that horse. For me, he has the presence, power and Arabian type, as well as substance and movement. I knew that Ted Carson had shown Excalibur EA with great success in the States and I believed that he and Wortex would be a good match. So in January, I sent Wortex to the United States and he was shown for the first time with Ted at Scottsdale through a special presentation.
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| Competing in Las Vegas with Ted Carson. |
“To see the reaction of the American breeders to Wortex was very special indeed! They seemed to love him and it was a wonderful experience to see this. Wortex has a lot of European type and an exotic face that has earned him several ‘best head’ awards, and it was perhaps the first time that some American breeders had seen such a horse in the flesh before!”
With Wortex’s presence made, all eyes were then on Las Vegas and the Arabian Breeders’ World Cup, held in April. This would be the first time that Kalliste Arabians showed in the United States, and also Ted’s first show with Wortex. The results? Incredible! Following his class, I would post on The Arabian Magazine page on Facebook:
Some moments go down in history – and you can say… You were there.
In all the years that I have been going to the Arabian Breeders’ World Cup, I cannot remember such a dramatic entrance, such an amazing win. The European bred and owned Wortex Kalliste made his US debut in Vegas this morning – and he came into the arena as if he owned it! With a huge score of 333.5 points, he won the class with ease, a full four points ahead of the next horse.
Wortex Kalliste is owned and bred by Jennifer Dhombre of Kalliste Arabians in France. Jennifer not only has the honour of breeding this dynamic and typey colt, she also bred his dam, the acclaimed Mirwanah Kalliste.
Congratulations to all involved in this impressive win – the roof truly came off the Vegas arena today!
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Words and scores do not lie – Wortex truly came into the arena as if he had been waiting for this moment all his life. He put his head down and powered around the arena, leaving the other colts – high quality colts – trailing behind him. It was a breathtaking sight, and the most impressive debut I have ever seen in a show-ring. Jaw-dropping, breathtaking, incredible.
Wortex Kalliste immediately became a sensation and people crowded around an emotional Jennifer to find out more about this amazing colt. Wortex received the highest score of all the colts in Vegas this year and as well as his Champion Two-year-old Colt title, he would take a very strong Silver Supreme Junior Male Championship the following day.
The story of Wortex Kalliste is already a success story – but he is not even three years of age, so there is much more to come from this impressive young colt. He will be standing with Ted Carson for the rest of 2016 and also 2017, and his first mares in the United States have already been confirmed in foal. And, as if all that were not exciting enough, Jennifer announced just before the Vegas show that Wortex’s full sister had been born. Watch this space…
