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Important Sires-lines of Purebred Shagya-Araber race: Shagya - Line
by Dr. Fritz Gramatzki - 1979 |
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Since the breeding of Shagya Arabians in West
Germany has been systematically recorded in the now completed stud book, the presentation of the sire lines that helped to
form this magnificent breed is of particular interest. In 1979 a series of articles entitled „The Shagyas", by Dr. Fritz
Gramatzki, has been published to that effect in the breed magazine Arabische Pferde, based on genealogical charts worked out
by Miss Liselotte Tarakus (see Appendix). The original articles are here reprinted with the permission of Dr. Fritz
Gramatzki’s son. |
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The Arabs from Babolna, Radautz and Topolcianky
The history of the Shagya breed
began in the year 1789 with the founding of the Hungarian state stud, Babolna. The dramatic history of this world famous stud
makes an exciting story: many times, its breeding stock was almost hopelessly decimated by war, destruction, evacuation, or
mismanagement, and it seems like a miracle that the breeding programs at Babolna and in many other countries today - as far as
they are purebred Shagyas - can still be traced back to the original foundation mares. From the very beginning of the Babolna
Stud, the stud books were meticulously kept; today, they lie well protected in the stud's museum. In these stud books, all the
stallions and mares from the beginning and through the entire history of the breed are listed with their breeding, colour,
measurements, markings, and produce, and it is a thrilling experience to look through these venerable tomes and to follow the
long lines of descent of the various families. Here we find the famous names of the many desertbred Arabian mares and
stallions that were acquired in expeditions to the Middle East and around which Babolna's breeding programs grew, pure Arabian
as well as Shagya.
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As an example of the continuity of
the female lines, the wide-spread family of the desertbred Arabian mare „Tifle" is shown. She was foaled in 1810 in the desert
and was of the Hamdani strain, of the Nejd breed. In the same way, all foundation mares and their descendants are documented
in the stud books of Babolna up to the present day. In some cases, the origins of the foundation mares are not clear; for
example in the cases of the mares named,, Moldvai" (foaled in 1781 and in 1785) and „Czerkesz" (foaled in 1782), who came from
the breeding district of Bukowina together with other horses. |
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The difference between Babolna's
two breeding programs, the purebred Arabians and the Shagyas, lies in the fact that in the Shagya breed, a few drops of
non-Arabian blood were added in order to increase size and bone and produce a better riding horse. This fact is clearly stated
in the stud books, without any attempts to hide it. |
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For the year 1836, the stud book
lists as a new acquisition the „dapple grey stallion Shagya", foaled in 1810 at the tribe of the Bani Saher, an original
Arabian of the Koheil Siglavy breed, bought together with other horses in Syria. In the stud book, this Shagya is listed as
having had a height of approximately 1.60 m, which shows that he must have been an extraordinarily strong stallion. Erika
Schiele, who has studied the original documents, writes about this stallion in Arabians in Europe:,,.. . Fürst Pückler, on his
visit to Babolna in 1839, praised of the stallions particularly Shagya, grey with strong bones and harmonious in all parts. Of
course, Fürst Pückler could then hardly know that the dapple grey Shagya would become the progenitor of the best Arabian lines
in the AustrianHungarian monarchy. The beauty, toughness and endurance of his descendants, their elegance and
indestructibility, became synonymous for the entire army, and every officer and guardsman was glad when he could ride a Shagya. They were the most elegant horses both under saddle and in harness, as well as being able to do any kind of
agricultural work. These were, and are, the descendants of this unique old Shagya from the Syrian desert ... Shagya sons and
grandsons became chief sires at Babolna, Mezöhegyes, Radautz, Piber, Topolcianky, and Kabijuk; Shagyas were imported to
Yugoslavia, South America, the United States, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, and during the '20s even to Egypt." |
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Radautz, situated in the formerly
Austrian Bukowina, was particularly important in developing the Arabian-bred saddle horse, also known as the Radautzer, in
whose development the Shagya line played the most significant part. Its splendour ended abruptly together with the Austrian
monarchy, when the entire breeding stock of Radautz were auctioned off and the precious horses were scattered to the four
winds. |
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In 1910, Gustav Rau wrote in the
Sankt Georg about the loss of the Radautz stock: „The best products of Radautz have always been its Arabian-bred horses. The Radautz breeding stock were a precious possession, a collection and a bubbling fountain of the most precious blood in Austrian
horse breeding. For over 100 years, Radautz produced excellent stallions who, particularly in Galicia, sired those tough,
iron horses whose quality was a by word. One has often heard, „tough as a Radautzer". . . . The Shagyas are ... the best
thing Radautz has..." Rau goes on to mention half-bred Arabians strong as trees, and stresses their wonderful swinging gaits
with the superb, never failing action in front and the immense power behind. |
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The state studs of Babolna and
Radautz were closely connected through the exchange of excellent stallions, which was not confined to the Shagya line alone;
and there are great similarities in the bloodlines of the two studs. |
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A third stud of similar
significance is the Chekoslovakian Topolcianky, which after the example of Babolna and Radautz based its breeding program on
Shagyas and was closely connected to the other two stud through its imports. At Topolcianky, special emphasis was placed on
size and performance ability. |
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The genealogy of the Shagya line
shows how this so important bloodline has been documented in unbroken descent, besides showing the close connection between
the three stud farms mentioned above. D. von Arenschild, the last director of Babolna, has worked out this genealogy, and it
has been supplemented from the stud book of Topolcianky for 1967 and from German documents. Von Arenschild still uses the
term ,Arabian-bred horses", which was formerly used for the breed. |
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n the purebred breeding programs the blood of Shagya was not heavily used, and a Shagya male line does not exist in pure Arabians today. Among the Shagyas,
too, this sire line has become rare. It is carried on primarily in the wonderful broodmares that bear its mark in their type,
bone, and energy. With the sire lines, other lines have come into the foreground during the last 20 years. |
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After World War II, the wonderful
breeding stock at Babolna were threatened by a similar fate as that which had erased Radautz some 25 years earlier. As
agriculture became more and more technological, the large horse breeding programs were given up, and Babolna was no
exception. Precious breeding horses were slaughtered; the wonderful blacks in particular were very much decimated. Only a
small remnant was left of the 15 Arabian stallions and 250 Arabian mares (purebred and Shagya) that had stood at Babolna in
1944. It goes to the credit of general director Dr. Robert Burgert, that this near-extinction of the old Babolna stock was
stopped in time. Dr. Burgert did all he could to retrieve the precious broodmares that had been scattered throughout the
country and were being used for work, but not for breeding. It was possible to identify each horse by its individual brand,
which every weanling at Babolna is given. As a result, visitors to Babolna in the '60s could once again see some of the
former splendour and inspect 4 to 5 stallions and 50 to 60 mares of the old, proven lines. Most of these belonged to the
Arabian-bred (Shagya) breed; only few were purebred. |
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Chief sire in 1965 was the
splendid grey Gazal VII, foaled in 1944 by Gazal II out of 129 Shagya XXV. This stallion has stamped his type, size and bone,
action and performance ability on the broodmare band at Babolna. He invariably passed on these characteristics, and it was a
stroke of good luck that this stallion, over 20 years of age, came to Germany and began a second stud career at the stud of
Dr. Schmidt-Ankum, where he produced excellent results until his death at age 31. |
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Particularly notable for type and
presence was the grey stallion Shagya XXXVI, an elegant and highly talented dressage horse. He was primarily a sire of
broodmares, and many beautiful and athletic mares attest to his prepotency today. |
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Shagya XXXIII and Shagya XXXIX
were less significant. |
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The black O'Bajan XIII was
especially eye-catching; a smaller horse, but with long lines, extremely beautiful, and well-porportioned, and an excellent
sire. His dam was the wiry purebred mare 242 Kuhaylan Zaid, whose characteristics are evident in her descendants even after
several generations. |
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During the last 30 years, Babolna
and Topolcianky have built up their stock once more, though the numbers today are smaller. Their breeding aims are now
somewhat different: while the Chekoslovakian stud farm emphasises the Shagya lines underthe motto of „performance, size, and
nobility", Babolna has chosen to use original Arabian stallions from EI Zahraa on the old Shagya families. This method is
justifiable and no doubt sometimes necessary, but it requires a particularly careful selection of the resulting youngstock,
in order to cull the too small and delicate horses that will occur. |
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The chestnut stallion Ibn Galal
(now at the Poth's stud farm, West Germany), has been particularly successful with daughters of Gazal VII and O'Bajan XIII and
has transmitted not only refinement, toughness, and action, but also the required size and bone. |
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The times of the decline of Shagya-breeding
in Hungary after the War have been beneficial for the development of the breed in Germany. Dedicated breeders soon realized
the value of this Arabian breed, and more and more broodmares and stallions of often high quality came across the Hungarian
borders especially to West Germany, but also to Denmark, Austria, and Switzerland. The breeders formed an organisation,
whose first advisers were the unforgettable stud director Ernst Bilke and Dr. Frielinghaus, who has been particularly active
on behalf of the Shagyas. |
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The breeding could always be
determined without doubt through the individual brand; thus, our breeders have horses derived directly from the stud books of
Babolna and Topolcianky and may be seen as continuations of those stud farms.: |
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Well-visited shows, stallion
licensings, performance tests, and endurance rides helped to advertise the breed, its purpose and abilities, and accordingly
gave its breeders a means of orientation. The tendency towards a versatile saddle horse led to a change in the model of the
ideal Arabian, which used to tend more towards a square shape. The change to a longer, rectangular form is achieved by placing
the emphasis on a back well fitted for a saddle, with high withers, and long, well laid back shoulders. A broad, slightly
sloping croup and improved hocks are the prerequisites for a powerful drive from behind. The swinging muscles of the back make
for a comfortable ride at all gaits. |
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Breeders are becoming steadily
more aware of the treasures in their stables; they are getting used to studying pedigrees especially in their choice of which stallion to use, and in regard to
athletic ability. This is only possible if there are stud books available to everyone, in which one can check on the genetic
background and other characteristics of the horses that are to be mated. For this reason, the Shagya stud book has been in
preparation for several years and will soon be published. The pedigrees are being checked by Lieselotte Tarakus. At present,
the number of horses that will be included in this 1st Shagya stud book will be approximately 400, 150 of which are no longer
breeding. Of the 250 Shagyas alive today, the bloodlines are as follows |
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the Gazal line with 35 mares and 14
stallions,
the Shagya line with 30 mares and 7
stallions,
the 0'Bajan line with 23 mares and 5
stallions.
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The bloodline basis is very broad,
and the less numerous sire lines are represented by several registered mares: Siglavy, Siglavy Bagdady VI (purebred); Jussuf
VII, Koheilan X (purebred) and XI, Kuhailan Zaid (purebred), Farag (purebred), and Mersuch. |
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Taken together, the genetic
background and the conformation of these Shagya Arabians form an strong and broad breeding basis which, together with
deliberate selection and development, contains all possibilities for the future of the breed. |
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It is to be appreciated that our
neighbours in Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria have shown interest in registering their often very valuable Shagyas in this
stud book. This will enlargen the genetic pool and make possible a coordination of breeders on an international basis.
Basically, however, the stallions and mares should be registered in national stud books under the same conditions. This is
emphasized by the decision of the WAHO executive committee at the convention in Hamburg in 1978, according to which Shagya
Arabians that have been bred pure after the system of Babolna and Topolcianky may be termed „pure bred Shagya Arabians", and
their combined breeders are accepted as an associate member of the WAHO. The Shagya breeders' organisation is under WAHO
patronage, and its members may use the WAHO emblem. |
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This decision has been officially
announced by Mr. Stream, WAHO president, at the plenary meeting. „Purebred" in this case means that the horses have been bred
pure among themselves and in connection with the word „Shagya" should preclude any confusion with „purebred Arabian". At the
show held in conjunction with the WAHO convention, 45 Shagyas convincingly demonstrated type, caliber and action ability of
this breed. They were much admired by foreign visitors and no doubt helped their breed win acceptance with WAHO. |
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A good demonstration of the level
of quality is the annual stallion licensing at Kranichstein. There, one can clearly see the superiority of the purebred
Shagyas over other kinds of Arabian-bred horses, for of 18 Arabian-bred stallions entered, 13 were Shagyas, of which 8
quality stallions were licensed, 4 were turned down, and one colt was withdrawn. The 5 non-Shagyas entered in this category
were not licensed because of conformation faults. |
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Similarly, at the stallion
performance trials at Medingen and Marbach Shagyas are regularly noted for their riding qualities, their sure way of going
cross-country, their endurance, and their jumping ability. I have never heard of a Shagya that did not pass the test. |
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It would be a good idea if mares, too, were tested at least once in their lives
for their riding qualities, endurance, and jumping ability; as long as there are no official trials for mares, every breeder
should in his own interests enter his mares in jumping competitions or endurance rides. |
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The Arabian registry of West
Germany allows such horses to be registered as Arabian-bred horses that have maximally 1 ancestor no sooner than in the 5th
generation who is not eligible for registration as an Arabian. Shagyas are entered in the same section of the stud book as
these horses. However, since Shagyas have pedigrees that go back in unbroken descent over 20 generations, they are a breed in
themselves and produce more predictable results. |
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The section for Arabian-bred
horses also includes horses from Mangalia, Borike, and Kolarowgrad. They, too, have long and well-documented pedigrees; their
eligibility as Shagyas however has still to be determined through careful genealogical work. |
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All this is to show that Shagyas are
purebred horses whose bloodlines can be traced in all lines to the stud books of Radautz, Babolna, and Topolcianky. This blood
also found its way to the great Polish stud farms and to Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslawia, and in some cases to Russia, and was
there bred on according to the methods used at Babolna. The descendants of these breeding programs should therefore also be
accepted for Shagya breeding, as far as the pedigrees can be checked in the stud books. Breeders are well advised to
consciously follow the old traditions in continuing to breed on and perfect these noble, typey, and athletic horses. |
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