Throwback Thursday…
Without doubt the most world-wide influential Swedish-bred mare exported to USA has been Edjora, the dam of 1982 US National Champion Mare Kajora (by Kaborr) and granddam of World Champion Stallion Gazal Al Shaqab (by Anaza El Farid). Edjora was a great producer in USA, but not everyone know that before she was exported in 1972 she left one daughter in Sweden by the Swedish National Champion Stallion Espartero (Nabor-Ela) and this only daughter created her own dynasty…
Edjora was the first Arabian foal born at Wilkesbacka and the Axelsson family. Brita and Rolf Axelsson saw her sire Exelsjor (Aquinor-Eleonora) being shown at the first Swedish National Show at Flyinge in 1966 where he was named Champion Stallion and they knew that they wanted a foal by this great stallion. They bought the mare Edessa (Pietuszok-Ellora) and in 1968 she gave birth to a grey filly that was named Edjora.
Edjora was sent down to Erik Erlandsson in 1971 to be bred to Espartero. Brita and Rolf Axelsson had taught Edjora some tricks and not long after their arrival Erik called Brita concerned that Edjora was sick as she was looking at her belly each time he entered her stall. “Just give her a piece of sugar and she will quit” said Brita but Erik did not settle with that without an explanation, so Brita told him about the tricks that she and Rolf taught her. Edjora was a steel grey with a white tail and if you asked her to show her beautiful tail she would reach back and grab the tail with her teeth and show the tail. The other trick was that they asked her to show her breasts. Edjora then lifted her hind leg and pointed with her head towards her breast. “But you have two” and then she did the same thing on the other side. Erik laughed when he heard the story and was sure to bring sugar to her each time he entered her stall.
Edjora had a grey filly with a blaze in 1972 and she got her name – Wiewiorka (squirrel in Polish) – because of the way she kept her tail on her back when she was turned out. Edjora was exported to USA together with her dam Edessa at the end of 1972 and Wiewiorka was retained as a broodmare at Wilkesbacka. The photo of Wiewiorka was taken in 1976 together with her filly Wierzba (by Erystawi). Wiewiorka had 3 fillies (1975-1977) by the Circus-stallion Erystawi (Witraz-Enorme) – Wiedjora, Wierzba and Wyborowa. Wiedjora was sold to Blommeröd Arabian Stud and Wyborowa found her new home at Aspenäs Arabian Stud and was later sold to USA. Wierzba was standing at Wilkesbacka until she passed away in 1995 leaving a total of 11 offspring including the Champion Mare Woalka by Axelsson´s Aladdin-son Maz (out of the Maritsa-daughter Maricedia).
After Erystawi was sold to USA the Axelsson´s leased another Polish-bred stallion from Erik Erlandsson, the great race stallion Krezus (Czort-Kreolka) and Wiewiorka produced another filly in 1978, Wiosna and a colt, Wiatr, in 1979 – both by Krezus. Wiewiorka was then sold to Agneta Tysklind, Wessinge Mölla Arabian Stud, in foal to another great race stallion from Poland, Figaro (Negatiw-Fortunata). She had a colt in 1980, Zamiar, and he has been a very talented dressage horse and was standing as a breeding stallion at Wessinge Mölla.
Wiewiorka´s daughter Walewska (by the Exelsjor-son Grojor) has been her best producing offspring. Walewska produced the great moving Wazka (by Rousseau) and she in her turn is the dam of several champion offspring: Wieta (by Etat), Wega Classic (by Metat), Wazkana (by Medalj) and Classic Senna (by Etyde). Wega Classic was bred by Inger Nilsson, Classic Stable and she was sold to Birgitta Hemmingsson and Sture Larsson. Wega Classic had 11 offspring and her best daughters have been the twice Swedish National Junior Champion Waliza (by Fax) and Sharm El Sheika (by CE Magnum). Waliza was sold as a weanling to Britt and Jörgen Svanberg-Olsen, Oppreva Araber, and she produced one foal every year between 2003-2012 including 4 National Champions – JB Ffemme Ffatale (by Ffatal Attraction), JB Wizcaya (by Aja Sanagor), JB Veronicaa (by El Amin) and JB Aurora (by Adawy).
Wiewiorka had a total of 18 foals (9 fillies and 9 colts) and she made her famous mother proud making a great legacy in Swedish breeding.