It’s nearly time for the 2009 annual USDF Convention, in which all of the winners in the various categories will be honored. In anticipation of this event, the North American Shagya-Arabian Society (NASS), the North American registry for Shagya-Arabians affiliated with the Purebred Shagya Society International, takes this opportunity to congratulate the 2008 Shagya-bred horses who were featured in last year’s event.
The NASS sponsors “All-Breed” Awards in USDF for Purebred and Part-Shagyas in the NASS Registry and in 2008 the USDF All-Breed Winner for NASS was the Purebred Shagya mare WS Emilagra, bred, owned and ridden by Kathy Richkind. She won the Training Level as well as the Adult amateur awards. Emilagra is a chestnut mare with high white socks and a belly spot, and, in fact, she is also registered as a Pinto! Her sire, the imported Shagya stallion *Shandor, was himself a successful dressage competitor, and her dam sire is the well-known foundation stallion for the North American Shagya breed, Hungarian Bravo.
Hungarian Bravo, while a Purebred Shagya, was, as his registered name implies, actually originally registered in America as a Hungarian Horse with the Hungarian Horse Association of America (the “HHAA”). This is because the Shagya Arabian is a breed that has been and continues to be used for Hungarian horse breeding in both Hungary and in America. Shagyas which are approved for breeding by NASS are eligible to be used for the “Main”, or “Felver” book of the HHAA. And, accordingly, we find many NASS-registered Shagyas in the pedigrees of the USDF winners in the HHAA All-Breed Awards Division.
The HHAA winners include a number of youngsters: The weanling colt HS Boldizsar, is by the Part-Shagya stallion H. Sir Bungee by *Shandor, and H. Sir Bungee also sired the second, third, and fourth-place winners in the yearling colt/gelding division! Meanwhile, *Shandor is again represented on the dam side of the pedigrees of the second placed yearling filly, the second placed two-year-old gelding, and the winner of the three-year-old gelding division. In each case the dam is the *Shandor daughter H. Aldas, who was herself very successful when shown both in hand and under saddle a few years ago.
We also find the Shagya stallion Starwalker represented by his daughter Hungarian Jade, who won the Northwest Sport Horse Breeder’s fifth place award in the Mare Championships.
In conclusion, the NASS would also like to congratulate the Purebred Arabian Stallion KB Omega Fahim+++// and his owner Elaine Kerrigan for winning the Prix St. Georges Open Award in the Arabian Horse Association division!! KB Omega Fahim is approved by NASS for Purebred Shagya Arabian breeding and exemplifies the qualities which Shagya Arabian breeders look for when outcrossing to Purebred Shagya Arabians.
It’s going to be very exciting in future years to watch both the growth of the Purebred Shagya representatives participating in USDF awards, as well as their part-bred offspring in the many different breeds such as Hungarians and Trakehners which utilize Shagya Arabians as improvers. This is history repeating itself, as Shagya Arabians have been used as improvers for other breeds for over 200 years. In America, many horse breeders are beginning to appreciate the genetic heritage which the Shagya breed can offer, so we anticipate seeing many more Purebred Shagyas as well as Part-Shagyas receiving USDF awards.
For more information about the North Americans Shagya-Arabian Society (NASS) please visit www.Shagya.net.