The Queen is Only One - the story of Kwestura

By Urszula Leczycka - Arabhorsepromotion.com
Photos by Gigi Grasso, Irina Filsinger, Stuart Vesty
Article courtesy of Tutto Arabi

 

When the crop of Monogramm-sired foals at Michałów State Stud of Poland was born, director Ignacy Jaworowski, one of the most talented and successful breeders in the world described in his diaries: "Monogramm foals are very spectacular with fantastic show abilities; at first glance one is stricken by their big beauty and excellent movements. They give an excellent impression of the elegant floating motions, the outstanding beauty and a generally smooth shapes with well-set necks. Heads being small, dry with impressive eyes, dishy faces...".

Passion and determination of Director Jaworowski, a man awarded with the Breeding Oscar (the Trophy granted by Arabian Horse Trust of America for outstanding breeding achievements) resulted with one of the most significant deals made for Polish breeding ever - to bring the young, promising colt named Monogramm for two years lease to preserve the Kuhailan Haifi db. male line in Poland. In the result of this lease the milestone of success was made raising Michałów Stud farm up to the top of the most successful breeders of show horses in the world - with its number of 108 Monogramm foals, out from which over 100 became champions and counting in nearly 20 countries across the globe they made their tributes to many farms around the world as a breeding horses. But at that time no one could probably imagine that one of these Monogramm sired foals in several years would became the horse most talked about, beating the records not only at the show rings but also at the sales lists, being described as one of the most spectacular horse sales ever, and the highest sold horse in over 40 years history of Polish sales.

Kwestura was the second foal of Kwesta, 1988 Polish National Junior Champion Mare, sired by Pesennik - the stallion leased from Tersk Stud, Russia, by Michałów Stud in 1985 for the... racing abilities of his own and of his pedigree of Latif db. through great performance sire Kann. Dam of Kwesta was snowy white, wonderfully dark eyed Kabała - 1978 Polish National Junior Champion Mare and 1983 European Cup Reserve Champion, the daughter of Straight Egyptian immortal Palas and out of Kometa, granddaughter of Carmen - the same one that produced Comet, the famous foundation sire for Michałów Stud at the beginning of its existence in early 50'ies. Kwesta herself was maternal halfsister to famous 1993 US National Champion Mare - Kawalkada (Penitent - Kabała), whose son - Kulig (by Balon) is up to date preserving the line in Polish breeding program. Although Kwesta has produced only five registered foals  - three fillies and two colts, besides Kwestura, most of the maternal halfsisters and female relatives of "the Queen" became valuable producers around the world: Karolina (Laheeb - Kwesta) - at Michałów Stud and Krynolina (Egon - Kwesta) as a broodmare of value at Al Khalediah Farm, Saudi Arabia. Another close relative to Kwestura - Monogramm sired great granddaughter of Kometa - Krystalinah (Monogramm - Kryza by Enrilo) sold in utero from Michałów Stud to UK now produces another outstanding generations of Pure Polish foals in her new home in the Netherlands. The famous and close to Kwestura  in pedigree is also grey stallion Kordelas (Monogramm - Kabała) - typey mover successful both in shows, performance and in the breeding barn. Sold to Reed Family of Toshkara Arabians in the US he became Midlands Group Summer Show Reserve Champion, Towerlands International A-Show Reserve Champion, International Champion of Merrist Wood show, twice World Top Ten Stallion - in hand and Top Ten US Nationals Reining Horse, Top Five Region IX Reining Horse, Mayfest Challenge Reining Horse Champion - under the saddle and the sire of many successful performance horses in the US while in the breeding barn.

When young at age Kwestura herself was not an eye catching beauty. Opposite to her other Monogramm sired halfsibling and the further biggest rival at showrings - Fallada, to get Kwestura's outstanding quality and beauty in her first years, the observer had to be rather apprehensive, with good eye for judging a horse - recalled Urszula Białobok, breeding manager of Michałów Stud who was eye witness of Kwestura's growing into the iconic admired and as the quintessential Arabian mare. At 1996 Polish Nationals all the 7 yearling fillies by Monogramm shown by Michałów took the class in a row and their two years old half-sisters grabbed places from 1 to 4 with young, beautiful chestnut female copy of her sire - Kwestura making her show debut becoming Polish National Junior Champion. The greatest satisfaction for her breeder came the same year in the autumn when yearling Kwestura (placed in front of Fallada) won her class at All Nations Cup in Germany. "This is just the beginning - director Jaworowski wrote in 1997 summing up the show achievements of first Monogramm foals - over the years these young horses will develop improving in the presence and I hope for their further successes in Poland and abroad...". Did He know how prophetic words He said? Nowadays, Kwestura's accomplishments in the international show ring are unrivalled - as one of the most beautiful mares ever bred in Poland at all she was even more successful at the end - proving her beauty worldwide in Europe and while on lease to US (Nichols Arabians) with the further titles of: 1997 Spring Show Reserve Champion Filly, 1999 All Nations Cup Champion Mare, 2000 European Champion Mare, 2000 & 2001 Polish National Reserve Champion Mare, 2002 Champion Mare - Columbus, 2003 US National Champion Mare, 2005 World Top Ten Champion Mare and finally in 2007 - World Senior Champion Mare. This was her last trophy won for Poland before her spectacular sale at 2008 Pride of Poland auction.

Every inch the Queen, Kwestura most amazingly was continuing to become more stunningly beautiful and exquisitely refined with each passing year, entering the prime of her life as both a broodmare and show horse. Her phenomenal phenotype was the prototype of the classic Arabian mare: with her authentic Arabian type - Kwestura embodies the very highest level of aristocratic quality, regal elegance, exotic refinement, enchanting femininity and commanding presence of the breed ideal. All these royal features couldn't have been missed by the royal society catching the eye of HH Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi - the Crown Prince of Ajman and the owner of one of the very best collections of the prettiest Arabian horses in the world in his Ajman Stud, UAE. The 2008 Pride of Poland sale was probably one of the most electrifying horse sales in the history bringing the victory to Sheikh Ammar who, after the exciting fight, for the unbelievable price of 1 125 000 Euro became the proud owner of this Queen of the royal breed, making her the highest sold horse at the sale in Poland ever!

But this was not the end of Kwestura's being in the spotlight. In 2009 Ajman Stud has proudly announced the "comeback of the Queen" that appeared in hands of Frank Spoenle at 2009 International A-Show in Menton winning the Senior Mare Championships and gaining the title of Best Female of the Show. This was the beginning of the show season fulfilled with her further successes: 2009 Elran Cup Gold Champion Mare, 2009 European Champion Mare and Highest Scored of the show (95,00 with eleven "20") and finally - 2009 World Champion Mare that made her the only horse to win the Senior World Champion Mare trophy twice in the history. The golden circle was made and closed.

Before her unbeatable sale Kwestura has left her legacy in maternal Polish breeding. As a dam of 11 foals until the time of her sale to Ajman she did produce 6 foals in Poland and 5 by embryo transfers while on lease to Nichols Arabians, USA. The most known of her produce so far is Kabsztad - the grey colt with mother-like face and a lot of show attitudes of his sire - Poganin (Polish National Reserve Champion Colt & Polish National Champion Stallion, Top Five European Champion Stallion and twice Top Ten World Champion Stallion) and paternal grandsire - multiple champion of Israel and European Reserve Champion - Laheeb. Kabsztad has began his career in Poland with the titles of Białka Junior Spring Show Champion, Polish National Junior Champion, European Reserve Junior Champion and World Top Ten titles, and was continuing his successful show appearances on lease to  Atbah Stud, Saudi Arabia, winning the trophies of: Reserve Junior Champion of Al Khalediah Festival, Dubai A-show Top Five, Sharjah A-show Champion, Menton A-show Reserve Champion, Top Five European and Top Ten World Stallion titles. Back to Poland he is beginning his breeding career at maternal stud of Michałów passing the valuable bloodlines of his outstandingly producing grandsires and entitled parents while his dam took her royal place in the truly royal barns of Ajman.

And as each history of every brilliant begins with a brilliant idea, her story began with the genius talent, love and passion of the best breeders in the world. It was continued thanks to the brilliant ideas of hundreds of years of breeding and raising tradition, and at the end - the genius talents for planning, promotion, handling and showing. It all had its final with a name recognized nowadays at every corner of Arabian horse breeders' world - Kwestura.

Owned with proud and honor by: Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi

Show record:

1996 Polish National Champion Filly - Janów Podlaski (PL)

1997 Spring Show Reserve Champion Filly - Białka (PL)

1999 All Nations Cup Champion Mare - Aachen (DE)

2000 European Champion Mare - Vilhelmsborg (DK)

2000 & 2001 Polish National Reserve Champion Mare - Janów Podlaski (PL)

2002 Champion Mare - Columbus, OH (USA)

2003 US National Champion Mare - Louisville, KY (USA)

2005 World Top Ten Champion Mare - Salon du Cheval, Paris (FR)

2007 World Champion Mare - Salon du Cheval, Paris (FR)

2009 Menton A-Show Champion Mare and Best Female of the Show

2009 Elran Cup Gold Champion Mare

2009 European Champion Mare and Highest Scored of the show (95,00, eleven "20")

2009 World Champion Mare

 

Racing record:

1998 8 starts: 1xI, 1xII, 4xIII, 1xIV, 1xV