The annual horse breeders’ festival is gaining popularity among both Polish Konik experts and fans of nature and Polish heritage. This year’s 9th edition was held on 6-7 September. The event was hosted by the Research Station of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno. – We are delighted that every year the Weekend with Polish Konik gains more and more supporters – pointed out Dr Mamadou Bah, head of the station, during the opening ceremony.
Participants in the event were welcomed by Dr Mamadou Bah and Aleksandra Szymborska, who looks after the breeding of the Polish Konik horses in Popielno – a native breed derived from wild horses, the tarpan. During the opening ceremony, the importance of the event was emphasised, which is becoming more and more popular with the public every year. The prestige of the ‘Weekend with Polish Konik’ is also evidenced by this year’s guests, including representatives of horse breeders’ associations, members of the Polish Academy of Sciences, representatives of scientific and academic institutions, etc.
The first day featured the performance trials of Polish horses, for which a total of 19 horses were entered. Performance trials are ‘examinations’ developed for a specific breed of horse. Their purpose is to assess the performance requirements adopted for a given breed. The Commission pays attention to, among other things, the horse’s behaviour, speed or physical parameters evaluated at the performance test. A horse from the research station in Popielno also entered the performance test. Eventually, 15 horses completed the trials with positive results. In harness trials, 2 mares and 1 stallion were successful. In the riding trials, 12 mares took part. The horses with the best results were awarded cups.
In the harness trials, special attention was drawn to the stallion Grosz P, who finished with an excellent score of 34 points. The stallion, owned and bred by the research station in Popielno, was awarded the cup for the best performed basic field harness trial. The preparation of the horse and the driving of the carriage were handled by an employee of our station, Jacek Lipka.
The judging committee, appointed by the Polish Horse Breeders Association (PZHK) in Warsaw, consisted of Adam Domżała, director of the Warmia and Mazury Horse Breeders Association, Jan L. Slomiany, chairman of the Polish Horse Stud Book Commission, Prof. Zbigniew Jaworski and Patrycja Wojciechowska from the PZHK Stud Book and Identification Department. After the end of the trials, the commission also carried out the licensing and verification of the horses. As a result of the bonus assessment (i.e. the evaluation of the animal’s breeding and performance value), the stallion Gambit P from the breeding of the research station in Popielno scored 81 points. It is worth noting that horses receiving more than 80 points are considered to be of exceptional breeding value. On the same day, two mares entering the bonus verification were assessed. The mare Wiechlina finished the assessment with a score of 78 points, and the mare Dawka received 79 points, which shows a high level of breeding.
Foals Assessment
On the second day of the event, the presentation and evaluation of foals took place. There were 15 foals on the entry list, 9 of which came from the breeding of the Research Station of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno and 6 belonged to private breeders. The committee composed of: Adam Domżała, Prof. Marta Siemieniuch, an expert in the physiology and pathology of animal reproduction and horse breeding and use, and Marek Niewiński, director of the Provincial Horse Breeders’ Association in Białystok, conducted the premiuming of the young horses.
The highest scored foal was Weksel P, the offspring of the stallion Batial P and the mare Wiechlina, bred by the IARFR PAS research station in Popielno. The stallion Gwiazdor P, also a son of the stallion Batial P, also deserves an honourable mention and was awarded second place. Third place went to the mare Legalna M from the breeding of Sławomir Niedbalski. It is worth noting that this year the mare Lotka M from the breeding of Sławomir Niedbalski placed her progeny on the podium for the third time in a row, which confirms the continuation of the high breeding level of this line.
Our sincere congratulations to all breeders, riders and drivers. Thanks and appreciation also go to all those involved in the preparation of the horses for the trials and judging.
Photo Michał Janiak
