strzegom ang.cdr

Reportage from Polish stud farm in Strzegom
Visit to the dam of
Age of Japa and
another Czech stars
Age of Gold, a dam of Age of Japa
Polish horses have had a good reputation in our country for dozens of years. They owe it to
their results obtained on our and not only our tracks. Especially, this year’s season is
excellent for Polish breeding, first of all thanks to Age of Japa – the winner of Czech and
Slovakian Derby. The dark bay horse from Bača Palkovice stable was born at Strzegom Stud
Farm and we went to the very stud farm located near Wrocław to obtain this reportage.
Strzegom Stud Farm (in Polish: Stadnina Koni Strzegom) was founded in 1955. Since that
time, a number of great horses was bred there. Many of our horses competed with them at
International Meetings and, unfortunately, our horses often fell behind them. Horses such as
Orsk, Jaka Bądź, Cisow, Dum-Dum, Cardiff or Calderon succeeded both on domestic and
foreign tracks.
In 1999, Strzegom – as the first of big Polish state-owned stud farms – was privatized. Mr
Janusz Romanowski became its owner thanks to his firm, Cybernetyki Investment S.A.
However, Mr Romanowski started buying new horses two years before to revive the breeding
at Strzegom. He bought them, first of all, in England and Ireland. Our readers could follow
the purchases completed by his another company, Polska Korporacja Inwestycyjna, through
our Auctions section. Then these horses started on our tracks.
Although Polish breeding has been based on domestic families for many years, in opinion of
Czech racing lovers a new owner has had a great success thanks to the offspring of imported
mares. One of them was Accesa that had given birth to Acces to Java before when in
Germany. Then, Acces to Java was a champion of Czech two years old horses and one of
leaders of his generation. Another mare, Sava, is known as a dam of Savignon, a winner of
Sain Leger. Age of Gold is also a famous mare. She is a dam of Age of Japa that has been the
seventh winner of Czech triple crown in history. There is a number of great dams imported to
Strzegom. Mr Romanowski have bought also Nick of Time in Newmarket through his another
company, Pol-Kaufring. She is a dam of the excellent mare, Nick of Memory, that had many
successes in Poland and won Spring Mare Award in Slovakia. Polska Korporacja
Inwestycyjna bought Karioka in England when she was a yearling. She started racing in
Poland. She is a dam of Kamerdyner, the winner of Polish Derby. Undoubtedly, the profitable
purchases were not too expensive, especially when they are evaluated having regard for the
subsequent successes. For instance, Accesa was bought as a brood mare and she cost only 800
guineas, and Sava was bought as a yearling at 5,000 guineas. Age of Gold and Nick of Time
were more expensive. They were bought as three years old mares by Strzegom at Horses in
Training Sale in Newmarket in 1997 at 12,000 and 14,000 guineas. Czech breeders do not buy
future dams at such prices…
Strzegom Stud Farm, Skarżyce Estate
Strzegom, and actually Mr Romanowski did not buy only mares through his companies. For
instance, Two-Twenty-Two (Fair King) that is popular in our country was bought also at an
auction. He was four years old racehorse and cost 34,000 guineas. Another present stallion
from Strzegom, Double Alleged (Alleged) was also bought at Horses in Training Auction at
20,000 guineas. The next stallion from Strzegom, Suave Dancer, son of Country Club and the
winner of Polish Derby, was bought as a yearling at 20,000 guineas. If you think, taking into
account our breeders’ experience, that domestic breeding career is not enough, you should
know that Country Club was second at a race in Germany and he is still in breeding. And he is
a sire of the above mentioned Kamerdyner, a winner of derby.
When you come to Strzegom Stud Farm, at first you will see a small castle in Żelazowo
where Administration Centre of the stud farm is located at present. The headquarters planned
with a flourish, the remaining buildings, stables around and the small lake were established in
old days. Now they are rather a charge therefore, among other things, that the stud farm was
reduced in recent years. The stables’ occupants will move to the second of Strzegom farms,
i.e. to Skarżyce. The most of breeding horses is already located there and, first of all, horses in
training will move.
Sava, a dam of Savignon, with her foal,
Sunny Money by Solo Banco
Strzegom Stud Farm has reduced number of horses rather visibly but its maintenance exceeds
seriously any maintenance costs that we know from our realities. Now they have 51 brood
mares (in the list below, some mares are missing because they are in training) and 75 training
horses. Unlike Polish customs, the most of horses are trained at home in the stud farm area
and only few of them is trained by private trainers. When I ask about this situation, Michał
Romanowski, the stud farm owner’s son and its manager that was our guide, explains: “We
try to carry out selection as soon as possible and this does not work with private trainers. I
want trainers to evaluate horses after 2-3 months while they explain all the time that they
need to wait, they need time, in short, they want to train horses.” When I notice that many
horses really need time to mature in order to show their true quality, Romanowski suggests to
look at this at another point of view: “The quick selection is more viable than waiting.”
In case of Strzegom, a pressure for quick selection is the logical choice and it reflects situation
on Polish market. Michał Romanowski says that hardly anyone buys horses in Poland.
“Actually, there is no market here and Polish breeding exists thanks to Czech owners.” He
exaggerates a bit but despite this, his words show the situation in Poland. “Actually, Polish
owners do not buy yearlings at all and we sell only older stabled horses” he says and this
explains why he requires quick elimination of horses unsuitable for racing. “We have about
50 brood mares that give more or less 30 foals yearly. Since we sell few yearlings, the
remaining horses must be trained.” Thanks to quick selection, the horses evaluated negatively
make room for new horses in a stable. Of course, costs increase if older horses are sold. When
I ask about these costs, Mr Romanowski answers unambiguously: “It is not worth while, we
must cover costs of maintenance from another sources.”
Brood mares at Strzegom Stud Farm
ACCESS TO STAR (POL)
ACCESA (GB)
AGE OF GOLD (GB)
BABY BEST (IRE)
BE KNOWS (POL)
CAREWNA (GB)
CORRALIA (POL)
CZERWONA SZARFA (POL)
CZERWONA ROZA (POL)
DOMIKLA (POL)
DONNA POLONIA (IRE)
DROGA MA (POL)
FIRST LOVE (POL)
HEBRAJKA (POL)
HECIOLINA (POL)
HIPOTEZZA (POL)
HRABINA (POL)
INJAZAAT (USA)
INTRYGA (POL)
IRAWADI (IRE)
IRKUCJA (POL)
JAKUSA (POL)
JAKUTERIA (POL)
JAWA (POL)
JOUNG RIVER (POL)
KANIKA (GB)
KARAOKE (POL)
KARUZELA (GB)
KOTERIA (POL)
LADY ST. CYR (POL)
LIVELY JACQ (IRE)
LUCKY PARADAISE (GB)
MALA (POL)
MANTYSA (POL)
MARIA TERESA (POL)
MIRRA BELISSIMA (GB)
MOSCI PANNA (POL)
NICK OF TIME (GB)
NORA (POL)
NOWA ERA (POL)
OMBRELETTA (POL)
ORGIA (POL)
RUBY POLONIA (IRE)
SAINTE CAROLINA (POL)
SAINTE POLONIA (GB)
SAVA (GB)
STEFORA (POL)
TURKAWECZKA (POL)
2002
1993
1994
1997
1998
2000
1999
2002
1996
1991
1997
2001
2005
2003
2001
1993
1998
1994
1998
1997
2004
1997
2006
2002
2004
1992
2003
1998
2003
2002
1996
1998
1998
2004
2002
2001
2002
1994
1999
1999
2002
2001
1997
2004
1998
1996
2003
2000
Two-Twenty-Two - Accesa, Mtoto
Mtoto - Abundantia, Surumu
Belmez - Romantic Age, Mill Reef
Namaqualand - Baby Caroline, Martin John
Who Knows - Biba, Dixieland
Starborough - Cubist, Tate Gallery
Danzig Connection - Corrina Corrina, Risk Me
Enjoy Plan - Cervetrosa, Orange Bay
Alywar - Cervetrosa, Orange Bay
Dakota - Domicella, River Chanter
Colonel Collins - Doo Han, Doulab
Two-Twenty-Two - Donatella, All Hands On Deck
Country Club - First Affair, Black Tie Affair
Duke Valentino - Helena de la Roque, Courtroom
Double Alleged - Heca, Lincoln
Who Knows - Hipoteza, Conor Pass
Turners Hill - Hetmanka, Dixieland
Dayjur - Basma, Grey Dawn II
Beaconsfield - Imada, Dakota
Be My Chief - Incendio, Siberian Express
Royal Court - Irawadi, Be My Chief
Special Power - Jawnosc, Dakota
Double Alleged - Jakusa, Special Power
All Hands On Deck - Junona, Omen
Two-Twenty-Two - Joung Girl, Valiant Heart
Be My Chief - Kalisha, Rainbow Quest
Country Club - Karuzela, Tagula
Tagula - Kanika, Be My Chief
Jape - Kopiejka, Dakota
Alhijaz - Lady St Lawrence, Bering
Case Law - Nordic Living, Nordico
Magic Ring - Lindy Belle, Alleging
Who Knows - Mala Czarna, Dakota
Royal Court - Manzala, Irish River
Enjoy Plan - Maria Alm, Dakota
Hernando - Manzala, Irish River
Two-Twenty-Two - Moja Mila, Orange Bay
Mtoto - Nikitina, Nijinsky
Danzig Connection - Nest, Sharpo
Who Knows - Nowa Fala, Orange Bay
Royal Court - Ombrelia, Dixieland
Muhtarram - Oregon Dream, Seattle Dancer
Robellino - Ruby Heights, Shirley Heights
Country Club - Sainte Aldey, Kaldoun
Green Tune - Sainte Aldey, Kaldoun
Elmaamul - Scottish Legend, Legend of France
Alhijaz - Stefka, Pursuit of Love
Muhtarram - Tundra, Common Grounds
Several years ago, Polish breeders placed hopes in buyers from England but the best years
went by evidently. “After Galileo’s success, the English used to buy horses at much higher
prices than the price of Galileo itself but none of the bought horses could not approach his
records so the English are not interested in purchase now. In short, Galileo was only one.”
Although Strzegom, and more precisely Polska Korporacja Inwestycyjna has the great racing
stable (there were 75 horses in training during my visit), the breeding is their main activity.
Therefore, practically every horse in training is for sale. “With the exception of some mares
we want to include in breeding” Romanowski says, but then he adds that in case of a good
offer they could be sold, too.
According to Mr Romanowski, achievement of better economic performance is slowed down,
first of all, by low popularity of racing and low subsidies. The latter is well known from our
market, too. Therefore, the stud manager would like to reduce number of dams to 40 mares.
“We want to have young mares first of all. We do not want to have mares over 15 years old”
he says and explains: “There are some problems with fertilization in case of older mares.
Furthermore, the breeding requires a genetic progress. It cannot use the same base.”
Mr Romanowski’s opinion on selection of dams is clear although older breeders do not share
its. “It is better to have a dam that gives good horses regularly than to have a mare that has
given one champion and nothing more. The offspring of the latter will be bought in the next
year and maybe in two or three years but then buyers will disappear. While the offspring off
the former will be bought all the time.”
The stud farm has 7 own stallions for fifty mares. The stallions are also rented to another
breeders willingly. For instance, we could see a good job of Two-Twenty-Two in Vlachovice
this year. “All stallions are rentable with the exception of Double Alleged” Mr Romanowski
says. “Double Alleged will be also for rent but not in the next season. He had few chances
here and I would like him to prove oneself. The sire of Nick of Memory deserves this
certainly. Mr Romanowski would like also to give a chance to Solo Banco (Unfuwain) that is
nearly unknown in our country. “His offspring is not numerous but some of these horses are
very good.” The above mentioned Two-Twenty-Two is respected very much by Mr
Romanowski who trains the local horses, too. “We have many horses by him. They are good
and healthy horses. I do not know why Polish trainers not really want to work with them.”
The remaining stallions at Strzegom are: Leonidas (Ela-Mana-Mou), Romarion
(Sadlers’Hall), Country Club (Suave Dancer), and Cossio (Shirley Heights) that is well
known in our country.
Nick of Time, a dam of both beautiful
Nick of Memory and Nick of Gold that
runs in our country, with her foal Nick of Dream
by Double Alleged, a brother of Nick of Memory
Accesa, a dam of Access to Java,
Czech champion, with her
foal Acceleration
by Double Alleged
For the time being there is no plan to buy new stallions but it is possible in future, of course.
Michał Romanowski thinks that „Our only chance to hunt for a really good stallion is to buy
horses after they have finished their racing career”.
When I talked to the stud manager at his office about the stud farm and its prospects, our
conversation was rather pessimistic due to a deep crisis that afflicted Polish breeding and
racing. Then we went to pasture and this pessimism disappeared. The pasture (they have got
about 200 ha of pasture and they were building the next pasture-beds during our visit) was as
green as we can see at Moravia hardly ever. One of carers was showing me the dams I was
interested in the most – these ones whose offspring had looked very presentable on our tracks.
Going past the broad pasture-beds in heat of 30°C was really a sports achievement. I was
looking forward to meeting Age of Gold and her foal the most but unfortunately, I faced a
disappointment. Admittedly, I found the mare at the pasture and she was in very good shape
but she has no foal this year. So, I watched her all by herself. Admittedly, I did not see his
sire, Belmez, with my own eyes but when judging by the picture, she is really his type.
At the next pasture-bed, I found Accesa with her foal by Double Alleged and her daughter,
Access to Star. She had also a foal, All About Cossio, with her. The foal’s pedigree is very
interesting for us because it includes two stallions that were at our country, too. The colt is a
son of Cossio as you guess certainly. His dam, Access to Star, is a daughter of Two-TwentyTwo.
The most of mares had halters with their names, so I could find mares I was interested in
easily. I recognized one of them, Sava, a long way. As you can see at the picture, the mare has
a race that is very similar to Savignon’s race so I could recognize her easily.
The stable rearing of foals up to age of one
at common stables is Polish speciality.
After my stroll of several kilometers, I came back to the stud farm to continue my
conversation with Michał Romanowski about the stud farm. The frail man looking like a
jockey (as he told me later, he used to ride as a jockey for 5 seasons and he had won over 60
races) together with his girl-friend manages the whole stud farm with his iron hand. He has
substituted for Mr and Mrs Konarski, that had left the stud farm. We talked also about
possible sale of yearlings from Strzegom at Central European Auction in Pardubice. Mr
Romanowski considered my suggestion to put the offspring of dams that are already known
to our owners up for auction. When he called me the next day to inform about his decision, I
was very happy. The following horses would come to Pardubice in October: Age of Love, a
half-sister of Age of Japa, by Tribal Instint; Bremen Plan, a half-brother of Bremen Club
(Country Club); and Suweren (Two-Twenty-Two – Sava), a real brother of Savignon, a
winner of Sain Leger! So, the buyers should be happy.
We can often hear about a crisis in Polish breeding due to, among other things, problems of
Służewiec Racecourse. After one visit at one stud farm, it is impossible to evaluate how deep
it is, if any. However, I can say that no crisis can be seen when looking at horses at Strzegom.
The horses are in very good shape and the pasture is well-kept. These two indications are the
most important and they can be easy on the eye. You will be able to become convinced of this
and to compare yearlings from Strzegom with ours in Pardubice yourselves. You will have a
chance to buy Age of Love. There is no horse like it worldwide. Do you know another horse
which brother or sister won the triple crown and which sire won the triple crown, too?
Miloslav Vlček