The General Tibor von Pettko-Szandtner (1886 - 1961) was not only one of Europe’s great horseman, but
“ a distinguished scientist, scholar, cavalry officer and stud manager of the first rank…” as Carl Raswan wrote
about the General.
He born in 1886 on the Hungarian studfarm of his father, after First World War has served manager Hungarian studfarm, in 1932
became commandant at Babolna, among the chief sires he used were purebred Arabian Koheilan VIII, Mersuch II, Mersuch III,
Siglavy IV and desert Kuhaylan Zaid, among his chief Shagya stallion were Gazal II, O’Bajan and Shagya XXV, and by 1942 was
called to Budapest to join the Agricultural Ministry, heading all of Hungary’s studfarms.
The coming of Russian by 1945 he was forced to flee the country to Germany and Sweden, by 1949 he accepted the directorship of
the Royal Stud “Kafr Farouk” in Cairo (the name Kafr Farouk was changed to El Zahraa after 1952) he moved with his wife to
Egypt to take on the task of breeding and managing Egypt’s Arabian stud, General has restructured the breeding program, he
culled the broodmare band, keeping only those mares with the type, conformation, and pedigree to meet his standard, he applied
the same selectivity to the stallion depots.
The General is probably best known today as the one who has selected the remained horses of the ex-King Farouk by 1952, and
who incorporated Nazeer into the
Society’s breeding herd and his breeding horses reach many countries United State (the greatest number went to the U.S,
Anasta Ibn Halima,
stallion to sire both U.S national champion stallion and U.S national champion mare,
Morafic the leading import sire
of U.S national winner…etc), Germany Ghazal and Hadban Enzahi, revitalized the breeding program at Marbach. Russia
Aswan (his influence is now
spreading in Europe and all over the world) Poland, Hungary, Morocco, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen. The General has chosen his
stallions and broodmare carefully, Nazeer,
El Sareei, Sharkasi,
Moniet El Nefous,
Nefisa, Bukra…etc.
In 1959 the time came to move to Germany to seek treatment for his wife’s advancing cancer and in spring 1961 the General
died.
Mrs. Judith Forbis visited the farm shortly after General’s departure in 1959 and reported:
“The farm was kept immaculate, flowers bloomed gaily in the garden, and the corral fences were
kept sparkling white”
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According to Carl Raswan wrote in 1961 that:
“His memory lives forever not only in the hears of his beloved people, but also among the
Egyptians and horse-lovers all over the world.”
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