The 2015 All Nations Cup

The 2015 All Nations Cup with a Commentary by Dr. Hans J. Nagel

Text by Lisa Abraham

Featuring photos by Mohammed Abu Haimed (KSA), Henrike Hörmann (GER) and Lisa Abraham

The 2015 All Nations Cup (ANC) in Aachen (Germany), from September 26-27, featured not only a stimulating show environment, but also one of the toughest competition arenas in the world. Due to its prestige, the ANC attracts some of our world’s most important competitors and attracts spectators from all over the world.

Since 1987, in cooperation with the German Arabian Society, the ANC has taken place in Aachen, Germany.  Originally the intention of the organizers was to have the show take place in a different country every year. Ultimately this proved to be a difficult task. As the German Arabian Society had been hosting international shows in Aachen successfully since 1979, the partnership with the ANC committee, chaired by Dr. Han Joachim Nagel, proved to a be a successful step.

In his “Greeting,” located in the show program, Dr. Nagel stated, “The annually held ANC has become a welcome meeting place for all those who are especially devoted to Arabian Horses, be it as friends or breeders. You all want to witness the best Arabian Horses worldwide being introduced to the judges in front of an enthusiastic audience and to find out which one of these horses will be awarded the Championship titles at the end of the show. Whoever becomes a Show Champion in Aachen can be assured that they have achieved the most important and indisputable award that is granted annually in the world of Arabian horse breeding.”

A Unique Show

There are so many outstanding qualities of this show. Regarding the ANC, one hears such statements as, “This show is about the horses” and “This is the most serious horse  show.” The success of the ANC is no accident. The objectives of the show are well thought out and thoroughly executed by a team of highly competent individuals who share similar values regarding show management.  Furthermore, there are so many features that are intended to improve both the competition and viewing experience of the show.

Lisa Abraham: As last year was my first year attending the ANC, I was struck by the efficiency of the show and how many of the people involved in the organization remarked that the “Show runs itself.”

Dr. Nagel: The ANC is a very established event. It is in the hands of organizers who have long years of experience. We know very well what the facilities in Aachen offer and observe regularly the feedback from year-to-year from the public, exhibitors and the trainers.

Lisa Abraham: It is obvious that deliberate measures are taken to engage and entertain the public. Can you elaborate on this?

Dr. Nagel: One thing that has contributed to the success of the Aachen show is that people are constantly entertained. Every minute should have some form of entertainment. I wanted things one on top of another and to me, this makes the show full. Also, the time table to a show is also critical and for that you need good people.

The size of the competition ring is also important. In a smaller ring, the horse is closer to the public—creating a higher degree of involvement. In a larger ring, it is more difficult for the public to see making it more difficult to follow the judges’ opinions of the show. Especially today, this makes a difference when there is such a small difference between the top horses. When one is too far away, differences cannot be recognized. Also, in a smaller ring set up, the public is all together and it’s nice to see a full arena without empty seats. This makes the show livelier.

Finally, we pay a lot of attention to the announcer. For the overall success of the show and ambiance, the announcer and the music play an important role to the enjoyment of the show. We feel it is also important that the proper information is communicated so that the public can follow accurately.

Lisa Abraham: I’m quite fond of the Ecaho rules regarding the “Disguising of Exhibits.” It is my opinion that Ecaho has taken the lead in enforcing these perspectives and is even providing an example for other organizations to follow. For example, just this year, The Pyramid Society (USA) took the same stance regarding excessive make up and clipping for their 2015 US Egyptian Event—and it was both welcomed and supported by participants. That being said, even within Ecaho itself, the ANC seems to maintain a higher commitment to enforcement. Can you give your perspective?

Dr. Nagel: It is an important aim to not change the outside appearance of a horse. This is mainly done by coloring and/or shaving. Hairs on certain part of the head have meaning by nature. Horse hairs around the mouth are used as a tool for feeling and horses have hair in their ears to protect them from foreign particles. All eyelashes have a definite functions as well. Therefore none of these should be removed. Also, the natural color of a horse’s skin is a part of the total. If the skin is colored, it brings unbalance into the whole harmony. Coloring might even be used for hiding spots which might be unpleasant to the observer. In total, this subject is a part of animal protection and respect for nature.

Lisa Abraham: In the United States, we don’t employ the DC system and in many cases the judges are expected to penalize for measures that are disciplinary in nature, as well as judge. How was this system developed?

Dr. Nagel: The DC System is one of the main reasons why Ecaho was created. The foundation of Ecaho is based on the following principles: (1) to have (in Europe) a common judging system, in which it was decided to choose the point system; (2) to introduce the pyramid system for the shows in order to require qualification for participation.  Therefore, on the lowest category is the ‘C’ show, then followed by the ‘B’ show and then finally the ‘A’ show. Only the best horses can qualify to compete in the ‘A’ shows. In the early 1980’s, when Ecaho was established, there were only three “A’ shows: The World (in Paris); the All Nations Cup (ultimately in Aachen); and the European Championships. Finally the third was the introduction of the Disciplinary Committee which follows in the category of animal protection. Such committees are charged that no cruelty takes place in the show ground anywhere, that horses entering the ring are healthy and nowhere handicapped and that any changes in the outside appearance of the horse are controlled.

Handlers Cup Award

Besides the classes themselves, another exciting competition in Aachen is the Handler’s Cup.  Although there are other shows which also recognize the exceptional work of the  Handlers, such as the Arabian Breeders World Cup (Las Vegas), the ANC is unique in how it awards this prestigious title. It was created by Mr. Jan Calis and it is set up like a contest or Class. Each Handler, who has entered him or herself, brings a horse into the ring and shows it just as he or she would in a regular competition. Previous recipients include: Frank Spoenle (GERMANY), Eric Dorsers (HOLLAND), Johanna Ullstrom (SWEDEN), Mariusz Liskrewicz (POLAND), Mary Lang (AUSTRIA), Giacomo Capacci (ITALY), Nicolas Frere (BELGIUM) and Louise Brian (GREAT BRITAIN).

After facing stiff competition, Rebecka Uggelkahl became the 2015 recipient of the Handlers Cup. Johanna Ullström of Darby Farm (Belgium) shared, “Rebecka came from Sweden to our farm for a few weeks as a 15 year old girl. Instantly we recognized her talent. She is especially gifted with a fantastic ability to communicate with the horses. Since then, Rebecka has become a valuable part of our horse family. As part of our amateur team, which she joined earlier this year, she has shown our horses successfully, including her own colt, Oliver JJ (Sharahm X Olivia K). Entering her to compete for the ANC Handlers Cup was an easy decision. Best of all, after a flawless presentation of her yearling filly--she won! We are so proud to have her on our team as she certainly will have an important part in the future of Arabian horses.”

Judges

The classes were judged by a panel of six, chosen from a total group of nine, who are picked through a lottery system before each class. The categories for scoring included: type, head, neck, body & topline, legs and movement. Scoring is based on a 20-point system with half points. In the case of a tie, the horse with the most points for Type is to receive the higher placement. If this does not resolve the tie, then the score for movement decides.  The Championships were judged comparatively.

Judith Forbis of Ansata Arabian Stud (USA) shared, “When I first began judging internationally in the 80's it was quite different than it is today. New generations of judges, owners and horses have come into being since then and the pressures as well as the rules and scoring have changed.  I remember judging the ANC and that I enjoyed it very much.  There was a good camaraderie among the judges, and one felt no pressure to be ‘in sync’ with anyone.  It appears to me over the years that this particular show has tried to maintain a high level of fairness and discipline.  The facility is always attractive and with all the different national flags displayed it gives one a real sense of excitement and enthusiasm to be a part of this global Arabian horse community.  To me this is ‘the show’ on the European continent and certainly one of the most prestigious internationally. I am honored to have judged it.”

Lisa Abraham: In their quest for fairness, the ANC takes judging and their choice of judges very seriously.  What do you look for in judges?

Dr. Nagel: Judging is a critical factor of the show. The Arabian horse is the center of the show and the judge is closest to the horse. Judging can make people very happy or very mad—this we have to consider in our choices. Therefore the choice of judges is a very important one.

Most important a judge should be two things. First, he or she should be knowledgeable with both an understanding of what is an Arabian and the typical features of an Arabian, which differs from other breeds.  These are both learned from education and experience. Second, a judge should be honest and objective. A judge should not be guided by a preference for a certain type of Arabian within the breed, nor favor a horse in order to please an outside interest. All who do not follow such principles play with their own reputations. The public of today is more educated. Any wrongdoing is quickly noted and will be brought to the attention of the show organizers.

As previously mentioned, in Europe we apply the Point system. Regrettably, not all judges use the full scale, which such system offers. There are two reasons for this: (1) lack of courage; and (2), a judge who always awards good scores is more appreciated than one who is more critical and therefore has more opportunities to be invited. The majority likes judges who are not too critical—and not bring bringing faults clearly forward. However, we are seeing higher scores overall and this is also due to the fact that the quality of the horse is getting higher. Many more horses are coming closer and closer to the standard against which the judging takes place. The ANC Committee considers all of this when choosing judges.

Also, we employ a higher number of judges to get the fairest average possible. The German Society, in corporation with the ANC committee, introduced the lottery system to choose judges before classes in order to underline how seriously objectivity is rated. All such moves have been appreciated by the public and exhibitors.

The 2015 ANC panel of judges included: Marianne Tengstedt (Denmark), Retata Schibler (Switzerland), Gianmarco Aragno (Italy) Cedes Bakker (Netherland) Mohamed Machmoun (Moracco), Holger Ismer (Germany), Richard Petty (USA), Allan Preston (Austrialia) and Luiz Rocco (Brazil).

Championships

To write that this year’s competition was deep, would certainly be an understatement. Within the traditional ANC classes, there was not a single unanimous champion indicating the depth of quality competing. However, for the most part, within these classes the judges were relatively consistent as to who they felt belonged in the top three, despite differences in actual placing.

The Yearling Championships certainly showcased the quality of the upcoming generations. Although the competition was tough for both the Fillies and the Colts, both Championships had interesting similarities. In both Championships, the judges were in relative agreement as to the medal winners, particular Gold and Silver; both Gold Champions were chosen by five judges; and finally from the scoring in their Qualifying Classes, there was a point spread of .14 between the medal winners, the smallest spread among all Championships, indicating the very small difference in quality among those competing.

The Yearling Filly Gold Champion was Mimi NK (Nofal NK X Cinnamon Spice VLA), bred and owned by NK Arabians (JOR). Additionally with a score of 92.57, Mimi NK earned the highest class score of all yearlings. Silver honors went Mozn Albidayer (S.M.A. Magic One X Mattaharii), bred and owned by Albidayer Stud (UAE), while the Bronze went to Rewayah Athbah (EKS Alihandro X Fedora RG) who was bred and owned by Athbah Stud (KSA). The only other horses who were chosen for medal earnings included: Jayda Alrabi (one for Silver and one for Bronze) and D Shireen (two for Bronze).

AJ Azzam (AJ Mordan X Ysadora), owned and bred by Ajman Stud, prevailed as the Yearling Colt Gold Champion, despite finishing second in his Qualifying Class to Bronze Champion, Luigi (Kanz Al Bidayer X Lolita), bred by D. Saelens (BEL) and owned by Al Shahania Stud (QAT). Other horses that were chosen for medals included: D Aasef (two for Bronze), Paris (two for Bronze) and Amaar Al Nasser (one for Bronze).

The Silver went to an exciting young colt: Alexxanderr (X AR Most Irresistible), bred by Frances Butler and Brandi Carson (USA) and owned by Alsayed Stud (KSA). With a  Qualifying Class Score of 92.43, Alexxander earned the highest score of the three medal winners in this Championship. It is also interesting to note, that his sire, Excalibur E. A., bred by Equus Arabians and owned by Las Rosas Arabians (UR), was the toast of the 2014 ANC. Not only was he the unanimous Gold Junior Stallion, but he also received the highest scores of the show with four 20’s for Type and straight 20’s for movement!

The scorecards in the Junior Filly Championship absolutely indicated the high quality competing. It is very interesting to note, that each of the medal winners were chosen by three judges for Gold—does it get any closer than that? In the end, it was Piacolla (Enzo X Polonica), a 2012 mare, bred by Stanina Koni Michalow (POL) and owned by Athbah Stud (KSA) who became the Junior Filly Gold Champion. As a side note, in 2014, it was Piacolla who earned the highest monetary amount in the 2014 Pride of Poland Sale. The Bronze honors were earned by Pustyna Kahila (Kahil Al Shaqab X Pustyna Malwa), a 2013 mare, bred and owned by Stadnina Koni Michalow (POL). Other horses who were chosen for medals included: Al Jazeera (one for Silver and two for Bronze), Psyrella (two for Bronze) and Star Of Vitorio ORA (one for Bronze).

Silver honors were awarded to Elle Flamenca (Ajman Moniscione X Allamara MA), who first captured our hearts in Las Vegas, at the Arabian Breeders World Cup when she was named the 2015 Junior Mare Gold Champion. Elle Flamenca is a 2013 mare and is owned by Dubai Arabian Horse Stud (UAE). However, she was bred in the USA by Joel Desmarteau, of Markelle Arabians. Although to have bred a Silver Champion at Aachen is an enormous accomplishment, Joel’s influence as a breeder stretches further. He shared, “My only dream when I began breeding horses was to create a quality Arabian that would be considered good enough to be presented at a show like Scottsdale. One that a trainer would be proud to show, or even me as an amateur owner. I also wanted to fit into this environment, as it had mesmerized me since I saw my first Arabian in the early 1980s.

  “I purchased RGA Kouress in 1999 because I really wanted a brood mare in which to experiment. She had a dam line that I knew well and was thrilled to acquire—and luckily she was in my price range. I grew up studying the Arabian horse magazines and was familiar with the success of the Polish breeding programs and the influence they had on the market, in the United States.

“The fact that RGA Kouress was out of a *Eukaliptus daughter, who was out of a *Bask daughter, made my decision easy. In 2003, before most of the world could pronounce his name, I bred RGA Kouress to Marwan Al Shaqab. Marajj was the result from this cross, and the rest is history with him.

“When the cross with Marwan worked so well with Kouress, instead of buying another Kouvay Bey daughter, I decided to find more of the dam line to which I attributed her success. I purchased a maternal sister to RGA Kouress named RA Miss Saigon--a daughter of *Exceladdinn. Her first foal for me was the *Marwan Al Shaqab duaghter, Allamara MA--who is the dam of Elle Flamenca.”

“I have to say that to be in Aachen and watch the success of Marajjj’s offspring, and now to see a filly I bred, out of a mare that I bred, compete in some of the toughest competition for Arabian horses in the world, has made me extremely proud as a small breeder.”

The Junior Colt Gold Champion was Morion (Kahil Al Shaqab X Mesalina), a 2013 colt, bred and owned by Stadnina Koni Michalow (POL). With a Qualifying Class score of 92.78, which he shared with Piacolla, he earned one of the higher point averages of the show. Gallardo J (Emerald J X Gomera J), a 2013 colt, bred by Christine Jamar-Demeersseman (BEL) and owned by Ajman Stud (UAE), who was the 2015 Dubai and Menton Gold Champion, became the Silver Champion. While Equiborn K.A. (QR Marc X Espadrilla), 2012 colt, bred and owned by Knockle Arabians (BEL), earned the Bronze.

A couple of interesting things to note in this Junior Colt Championship. First, between the Gold and Bronze Champion, there was a Qualifying Class point spread of .70--the largest of all the Championships. Second, this is one of only two Championships in which a judge choose a non-medal earning horse for Gold. Although three other judges chose him for Silver, Judge Machmoun chose the fourth place finisher, Nashmi Al Hawajer, for Gold. While Cadence PA was chosen by two judges for Silver and two for Bronze.

The Senior Mare Classes and Championships are always a favorite. It is not just their beauty, but also their hearts that captivate us—and this year was no different as we admired some of our world’s most beautiful females. Although there still existed relative agreement among the judges, there was more variation of placement in this Championship. As in the Junior Filly Championship, each of the medal winners was chosen for Gold. Ultimately, it was F.M. Gloriaa (WH Justice X Psity Of Angels), a 2007 mare, bred and owned by Mieke Sans (BEL), who became the Senior Mare Gold Champion.

The Senior Mare Silver Champion was one who is loved for the heart she shows in the ring--Pinga, bred by Stadnina Koni Janow Podlaski (POL) and owned by Aljawza Stud  (KSA). As she was born in 2004, not only was Pinga the most senior of all the medal winners, with a Qualifying Class score of 93.40, she was the highest scoring female.  Finally, although Judge Machmoun chose her for Gold, Salwa Al Zobair (Marajj X Esklawa), a 2007 mare, owned and bred by Al Zolbair Stud (UAE), became the Bronze Champion.

This is the second Championship in which a non-medal winner was chosen for Gold. Judge Bakker chose Norma, also a fourth place finisher, for his top choice, while Judge Ismer for chose her for Bronze. As a side note, Norma, in her qualifying Class, received four 20’s for movement and two 19.5’s. Additionally, Emira was chosen for Silver by one judge and Wadad Zamani was chosen for Bronze by another.

As one would expect, the Senior Stallion championship was intense. The three eventual medal winners also earned the three highest scores of the show in their Qualifying Classes. The Senior Stallion Gold Champion was E.S. Harir (AJ Dinar X TF Magnum’s Magic), a 2011 stallion, bred by Sheikh Abdulla Bin Majid Al Qassemi (UAE) and owned by Al Saqran Stud (KW). Although he was not unanimous, six judges chose him for Gold—more than any other Gold Champion (in the traditional Championships). The Silver Champion was Equator (QR Marc X Ekliptyka), a 2010 stallion, bred and owned by Stadnina Koni Michalow (P0L). In their Qualifying Class, Gold Champion, E.S. Harir and Silver Champion, Equator, tied with a top show score of 93.68. E.S. Harir prevailed with a higher score in Type. The Bronze went to AJA Justified (WH Justice X AJA Beneja), a 2007 stallion, bred by AJA Arabians (GB) and owned by RB Arabians (ITL).

“Vote and Win”

As always the ANC is innovative in both transparency and in its quest to further engage the public in the show. This year the “Vote and Win” system was introduced. Once registered in a thorough system to prevent double entries, participants engaged in a competition in which winners drew from a jackpot of 14,000 EUROS. The voting took place during the Championship Classes. Participants could vote on their choices of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Those who made the same choice of the judges shared from a class pot of 2,000 EUROS. As a side note, this public participation was considered to be of entertainment value and had nothing to do with the actual judging and/or scores. Results were only shared after the judges’ scores were revealed.

Claire Fowler, of Top Hat Arabians (UK), shared, “I thought this year's show was the best in a long time. The ‘Vote and Win’ bought fun to the Championships which were beginning to feel like a formality. It was great to pit your own opinion against that of the judges and it created some great discussions among my friends and me. It was quite funny that my companion and I didn't agree on one single result. So I did rather enjoy gloating that I won three to her zero! It’s been a long time since I have enjoyed the Championships so much.”

Another fascinating invitation that the organizers offered was the opportunity for participants to share whom they would like to see judge at next year’s ANC. The results were published after the final Championship Class. However, it was strongly noted that, although the ANC committee will both welcome and consider the opinions of the public, the ANC Committee reserves the absolute right to select judges.

Awards

The Nations Cup, also called The Lady Harmsworth Blunt Memorial Trophy, is awarded to the nation whose entries score the highest number of points based on class placement. Only the best result of every class for each participating nation is noted. The All Nations Cup Breeders Trophy, also called The Ian Hedley Memorial Trophy, is a perpetual trophy to honor the breeders of the most successful horses. Although it uses the same point scale as the Nations Cup, it is awarded to the country which has bred the most winners. Points are awarded to the country where the breeder has citizenship at the time of the horse’s birth. In the instance of joint breedership with different nations, the decision for one nation only is to be recorded on the entry form. The 2015 recipient of both Awards was the country of Poland!

~

I wanted to end this editorial with what I felt was one of the most impressive features of the 2015 ANC show. This year, for the first time, geldings were invited to participate—and it was appreciated and supported! In all, there were three classes offered, with 28 geldings who competed. I would like to make a personal observation by writing that the quality of these geldings was outstanding. A travel companion of mine remarked that in certain parts of the world, many of these horses would have remained stallions.

Lisa Abraham: What was the reason for including the Gelding Classes and Championships?

Dr. Nagel: There is a riding competition that takes place at the same time and in the same location as the ANC. We felt that adding a venue for Geldings was complimentary to the performance competition and of interest to its spectators. The interest in riding in Germany is increasing and those members in our association who prefer riding are getting a bigger voice. It is in our interest to encourage riding and most of these riders prefer geldings. The reason for this preference is the fact that public riding places, both inside and outside, do not like stallions in riding groups. The ANC and German Society wants to encourage these interests in Aachen.

Often times, my most memorable show experiences are social. One such occasion was on Sunday morning over breakfast, before Championships, while still at the hotel. A  topic of discussion was how pleased everyone was with the Geldings. One member of our table was Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani, of Al Rayyan Farm (QAT). His remarks were most refreshing. He stated, “I absolutely want to support the gelding—this is very important. First, when it comes to horses, of course I love Arabian horses, but really--I love all horses—any kind of horse. I love the animal first. Then when I love this animal—I love the gelding too. Opportunities to showcase geldings supports my marketing. If an animal is not of the quality that I desire for reproduction or showing as a reproductive animal, such as in the halter ring, than I must find a way for him. I need to find people who like to ride for endurance or other types of sport. Shows are a great place for people to find geldings and this in turn help the animal too.”

The Gelding Gold Champion was AJA Adonis (Wh Justice X Sanadina), a 2009 gelding, bred by AJA Arabians (UK) and owned by Charlotte Bowskill (UK). AJA Adonis was the only Gold Champion of the show who was chosen unanimously. The Silver Champion was Postar (Om El Bellissimo X Pomerania), a 2011 gelding, bred by Stadnina Koni Janow Podlaski (POL) and owned by Glasman Arabians (BEL).  The Bronze was earned by Briery Edykt (Emir Ibn Nahaman X GHS Psydiva), a 2011 gelding, bred by Mrs. E. A. Hedley (UK) and owned by J.L. Miller (UK). Although this class was won by unanimous decision, not only were the choices for Silver and Bronze far more varied, but more horses were chosen to be medal winners than in any other class—which indicated not only the high level of quality present in the new Gelding competition, but also the overwhelming support these Gelding competitions received.

The 2016 All Nations Cup, in Aachen Germany, will take place on September 23-25, in conjunction with the German National Championships and Arabian Futurity Cup and the 12^th ANC Dressage & Jumping Competitions. For information please visit:

http://www.all-nations-cup.org/

~

Dr. Han J. Nagel’s influence in the Arabian horse world has been both deep and wide spread. For over twenty years he was the president of the German Arabian Horse Association (VZAP) and for ten, the President of the World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO). He founded the world famous Katharinhof Stud (Germany) and has been breeding for over fifty years. He has also written valuable resource materials and has been a regular contributor to various media.

~

Mohammed Abu Haimed is a professional photographer who spends most of his time working internationally. He is from Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and manages the Alassalah Media Website. He loves his work and has a passion for photography. In 2014, Mohammed won the Arabian Photography Competition in his home country.

~

Henrike Hörmann is a photographer whose unique style has become recognizable. Through her work which has been published internationally, she is making an impact in the Arabian show world with her ability to portray the emotion and warmth of her subjects. Her farm, Hof Hörmann, is in Königslutter, Germany, where she is currently breeding her third generation of Arabian horses.

~

Lisa Abraham is an International Journalist and Photographer from the United States. Although she does free-lance for various media, her primary dedication is to Arabhorse.com as a Premier Contributor and Representative. She is also a breeder of Straight Egyptian Arabians.