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Some horses will make an impression on you that will last a lifetime and for me that horse is Ganges. For me he is an example of the perfect stallion – he won at the Racetrack, he won in performance and he won in the showring. He has the greatest disposition and he is strong and correct. All those features are great, but even greater is that his offspring inherit those features, over and over and over again. And for me, THAT is the proof of a great stallion, a stallion that will matter for the breed and that will be remembered not only by people like myself that love them for who they are, but also by breeders in the future that will value them for what they have passed on and for bringing the breed forward. And Ganges is definitely one of those. 30 years ago, on the 6^th of April 1994, this wonderful stallion was born at Michalów stud in Poland and today we celebrate his 30^th Birthday. Happy Birthday beautiful boy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganges was born in the first foal crop by Monogramm (Negatraz x Monogramma) at Michalów stud in Poland and everyone had high hopes in this bay colt from the start. His dam Garonna was by Fanatyk, a son of the 1982 Polish National Champion Stallion Aloes (Celebes x Algoa) and out of the beautiful white mare Fatima (Negatiw x Fatma). Garonna´s dam Gizela was a daughter of Palas (Aswan x Panel) and out of the bay Gilza (Espartero x Gastronomia). Gilza was an amazing producer and she had 13 foals before she was sold to Weatherford Farms in USA at the age of 20. She had a foal every year except in 1974 and 1986 producing 9 daughters and 4 sons. She is the dam of the stallion Gorset (by El Paso), the famous Palas-daughters Gizela, Giemza and Getynga, the beautiful Eskimos-daughter Gitana, beautiful Gasawa (by Probat) and the great producing Grenada (by Set). Gizela was born in 1977 and she had 12 offspring between 1983-1995 and she was just as great producing daughters as her dam, Gizela had 9 daughters and 3 sons. Her most famous daughters are the Monogramm-daughters Georgia and Gehenna, the Probat-daughter Gaskonia and the two Pepton-daughters Geneza and Giza. And of course the bay Garonna, who was named Polish National Junior Reserve Champion Mare. Garonna had 5 offspring in Poland before she was sold to John Blincoe, a breeder from USA that tried to buy Ganges at young age but the answer was simply that he was not for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganges was Polish National Junior Reserve Champion Colt in 1995 and 1996. He was then sent to the racetrack and raced for two seasons with 16 starts, 3xI (Koheilana I St.), 3xII, 6xIII (Bialka St.), 1xIV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He started his breeding career in 1999 at Michalów and was shown at some selective shows winning 2000 Scandinavian Open Champion Stallion and Best in Show, Blommeröd, 2001 Polish National Champion Stallion and 2001 All Nations Cup Reserve Champion Stallion.

 

 

In 2002 Ganges was leased to Mike Nichols in USA and in 2003-2004 to Marsha Parkinson, Canterbury Farm. During his time in the US he was named Champion Stallion in Columbus Ohio, Top Ten Country Country English Pleasure Champion Stallion in Scottsdale and US National Reserve Champion Stallion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 8^th of April in 1993, I had the great honour to drive down to Michalów and pick Ganges up and bring him to Sweden. I had after several trips to Michalow managed to arrange a lease to Sinus Arabian Stud for 3.5 months and we were thrilled to have this unique opportunity to stand this great stallion and breed our mares to him – a leading sire of racehorses, and a great sire of show and performance horses.

After some waiting for all the paper work to be done on the 9^th we loaded Ganges on the lorry and it was an amazing feeling when I left Michalów and headed towards Sweden. Talk about road-trip – me and Ganges driving through Poland, Germany, Denmark and finally Sweden! I had to pinch myself driving out of the gates of Michalow, what an adventure it was! 

It was an uneventful trip until we were on the ferry between Rostock in Germany and Gedser in Denmark. The ferry would take just 2-hours but after barely 30 minutes we run into a pretty bad storm and it was hard even to stand still. Ganges is a very calm horse to transport but at this point he was really scared and I was standing with him putting his head in my arms and we both were hoping that the sea would calm down. After about 10 minutes the alarm went off and some truck drivers left the car deck and went upstairs. I do not scare easily but it was not a nice situation and I could not help thinking why the alarm went off… was it because of a fire or were we about to sink…? All I knew was that I would never leave Ganges so I kept looking at my watch and counting down… 55 minutes to Gedser, 50 minutes to Gedser… When the alarm went off for the second time I started to wonder when I would have to unload Ganges so that we could escape through the emergency exit… when I could smell the smoke or see the water that would come in…?  

Both Ganges and I were relieved when we finally arrived to Gedser and could continue our drive up to Sweden. At 5am we arrived at Maria Holgersson´s Stall Lunnarp and I unloaded Ganges and walked him for a while before I brought him into his new stall. Talk about a magical moment to stand on Swedish soil holding Ganges while the sun was rising.

 

Ganges bred 11 mares in Sweden before it was time for me to bring him back to Poland. In the evening on the 24^th of July I loaded him onto the lorry to begin the journey back to Michalów. This time the ferry was uneventful and the whole trip went great. It was with mixed feelings I unloaded him at Michalów and handed over the lead-rope to the groom. I will be forever grateful for the amazing opportunity to have him in Sweden as a result I got a bay colt (later gelded) named Savitri out of Silencia (Ecaho x Salaterka/Elton) and a dark brown filly named Sharda out of Salaterka (Elton x Sapala/Cadyk). Sharda is her fathers daughter and she is my heart-horse. She has to this date given me three foals – Shamira (by Ecaho), Shapala (by Marwan) and Shadi (by Poter) and the strenght and power from Ganges can be seen in all three of them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganges is a great contribution to the breed and it is very clear when you see his sons and daughters over the world producing and performing and continue his legacy. He has successful offspring in all disciplines and his daughters are extremely valuable broodmares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Ganges, you are one in a million!

 

 

 

There is no bigger joy than to have a special bond with an animal. Your horse, dog or cat will give you so much love and wonderful moments and create lots of precious memories. It is a true blessing, but the backside of having an animal is the responsibility of having to make the hard decision to one day have to say goodbye to your best friend. It is heartbreaking and incredible hard and I wish that our beloved animals would live as long as we do. All animals will make an impression on you, but some of them are bigger than life and when they go it feels like they are taking a part of you with them. But in those times the memories and sometimes their offspring will keep them with you forever.

 

On June 22nd I had to say goodbye to a horse that forever will stay in my heart, one of the gentlest souls I have ever met, the amazing stallion Marwan (CE Magnum x Margotka/Algorytm) and even if I knew for months that this day would come it was one of the toughest days in my life and I miss him every day. But even if he is not with us anymore I am forever grateful for all our precious memories and his amazing babies who will carry on his legacy and make sure that Marwan forever will be with us.

I attended my first Swedish National Show in 1985 when I was 15 years old and was lucky to see many amazing horses like the Polish-bred Haracz (Palas x Harmonia), Pilawa (Burkan x Platyna) and Etnograf (Engano x Etna), but it was the 2-year old Blommeröd colt Algorytm (Algomej x Aleksota) that blew me away with his amazing movements and Kuhailan type. When Algomej was standing at Kurozweki Stud they always ended all presentations by letting him loose in the big yard between the barns and he was impressive with his powerful movements. Algorytm was a son of Janów Podlaski-bred Algomej (Celebes x Algonkina), 1980 Swedish National Champion Stallion and 1985 Polish National Reserve Champion Stallion. Algomej was on lease to Blommeröd 1980-1984 in exchange for Probat (Pohaniec x Borexia) and he made a huge impact on Swedish breeding and you can find him in the pedigree of many great horses here. Algomej was as true Kuhailan in type and he had spectacular movements and he passed those on to his offspring and descendants. Algomej was a full-brother to the Queen of Janów Podlaski – the great Algeria. He was sold to Marsha Parkinson, USA, and lived out his live at her farm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Algorytm´s dam Aleksota was a stunning, fleabitten mare with a pretty head and huge black eyes, a daughter of the great Negatiw (Naseem x Taraszcza). She was bred by Janów Podlaski in 1965 and imported to Blommeröd later the same year with her dam Alfa (Wielki Szlem x Alhambra). Both Alfa and Aleksota would be very influential broodmares at Blommeröd and both lived out there lives at the stud.  Alfa is the dam of 1977 Swedish National Champion Stallion Alrex (by Exelsjor) exp. Elevage de Piew, France and the valuable daughters Dokala (by Dardir), Aldifa (by Dardir) exp Moreau-Sipiére, France, Pohania (by Pohaniec) exp. M. Ferrari, France, Alfa Omega (by Pohaniec) exp Lasma Arabians, USA, Familia (by Madar) exp. Patterson Arabians, USA and Alfa Runia (by Rusnir) exp. Nicasio Valley Arabians, USA.

Aleksota was also a very valuable producer as the dam of Algorytm´s fullbrother Algokian who was sold as a young colt to Randy Shockley, USA and the Espartero-son Spartacus, exp. U. Skårup-Nielsen, Denmark. She is also the dam of several great daughters as Aleksja (by Exelsjor) exp. M. Nichols, USA, Aleksandra (by Dardir), Alpina (by Pohaniec) exp. J. Blincoe, USA, Lewa (by Algier), Sonata (by Rusnir) exp. U. Skårup-Nielsen, Denmark, Rusnita (by Rusnir) exp. J. Blincoe, USA and Aksamitna (by Bomarc) exp. Lasma Arabians, USA. 

 

Algorytm stayed his whole life at Blommeröd and his offspring all had his trademark movements and huge black eyes. My favorite Algorytm-offspring will always be the gorgeous Margotka (out of WAHO-trophy awarded Maskarada/Partner), a female version of her stunning sire.

Maskarada had 13 offspring at Blommeröd and beside the great Margotka, she got several beautiful daughters including Martyna (by Algorytm), Modesty (by Emperator) exp. Iran after a succesful show career and leaving several great foals at Blommeröd. Mandala (Fynt x Maskarada)  was the dam of Magnolika (by Emrod) and Migracja (by Gazal Al Shaqab). Migracja had two foals at Blommeröd – Malagant (by Turki Al Rayyan) exp. Israel and Morgana (by QR Marc) exp. Al Bidayer Stud, UAE – before she was sold to Knokke Arabians in Belgium and there she continued to be a great producer. 

 

 

 

Maskarada´s dam Marcessa was a stunning chestnut mare named Swedish National Champion Mare in 1983.

Marcessa´s sire Madar (Dardir x Maritsa) was Swedish National Champion Stallion in 1976 but died an untimely death at the mere age of 10. Despite the fact that he only had 23 registered offspring he left a huge impact through his daughters and his blood can be found in both Europe and USA. Cesarszowa (Madar x Cesa) was exported to USA after producing 3 daughters including 1981 Swedish National Junior Champion Catarina (by Pohaniec). In USA Cesarszowa produced two great sons – the fleabitten grey Ukzmal (by Enoss) and the dark bay Noble Rhyton (by Gai Monarch). Familia (Madar x Alfa) was 1978 Swedish National Junior Champion and then sold to Patterson Arabians, USA, in 1981 in foal to Algomej. Filmia (Madar x Finisia), Argentina (Madar x Alabama) and Albania (Madar x Alba) were all important broodmares for their owners in Sweden. 

Madar was sired by Swedish National Champion and European Champion Stallion Dardir (Nabor x Darda) and out of the Tersk-bred mare Maritsa (Arax x Monopolia). Maritsa was a stunning, bay mare born at Tersk stud in Russia. With a regal pedigree and a granddaughter to the legendary Mammona (Ofir x Krucica), who was stolen by the Russian army in 1939 and walked as a foal the 1997 kilometer to Tersk. Maritsa was exported to England as a 3-year old and had two foals at Margaret Evans before she was sold in 1967 to Blommeröd in foal to the Russian-bred stallion Naplyv (Pomeranets x Nitochka/Naseem) and produced the filly Marna in 1968. Marna was later exported to Nichols Arabians in USA. Maritsa would produce 9 more foals at Blommeröd with two of her sons being named Swedish National Champion Stallion – Madar in 1977 and Pomar (by Pohaniec) in 1975 and 1981. She produced very valuable daughters including Maricedia (by Cedr), Madeira (by Dardir) and Magnolia (by Dardir) as well as the two full-brothers Maligg and RD Misha (by Algier). In the US she produced Maryk and the daughters NDL Marissa and NDL Martinique, all 3 sired by Muscat (Salon x Malpia). NDL Martinique is the dam of Metropolis NA (by the Monogramm-son Consencus), who was gifted to Poland from Mike Nichols. Metropolis NA carried 3 lines to the great Mammona and he sired foals at all three State Studs and was a extremely talented performance horse frequently competing under saddle in Poland.

Marcessa had 11 foals at Blommeröd and while Maskarada was her successor at Blommeröd, her other daughters Maniera (by Da Capo), Madeleine (by Da Capo) and Marcella (by El Fawor) has been treasured broodmares in Sweden.

Marcessa´s dam Cesa (by Cedr) was out of the bay Sakla (Amurath Sahib x Saga), the full sister to Estokada – the mare who founded the great E-family at Michalow with legendary horses like Estebna, Elkana, Eskapada, Emigrantka and Emandoria. Sakla was bred by Michalów Stud and raced 2 years at the Warsaw Racetrack with 19 starts (1st 2 times, 2nd 7 times, 3rd 4 times) before she returned to Michalów and was bred to Anarchista (Wielki Szlem x Bomba) and produced the colt Sharaf in 1959 and Sakuntala (by Nabor) in 1960. In 1962 she was imported to Sweden with her filly Sake (by El Trypoli) at side. She produced 3 foals at Gåvetorp before she and Sake was sold to Blommeröd. She would then be the foundation mare of the most successful families at Blommeröd through Sake and Cesa. The Sakla-family have conquered 25 Swedish National Champion titles, making the family the most successful at the Swedish Nationals. 

Margotka was not only a very successful show horse, but she would also be one of the all-time best broodmares at Blommeröd, being the dam of the 3 stunning Gazal Al Shaqab-daughters Magora, Marylla and Maranta.

In 2007 Margotka had a bay, pretty colt sired by World Reserve Junior Champion Stallion CE Magnum (Magnum Psyche x RA Cool Elygance/Jocool) and he was named Marwan. I saw Marwan for the first time as a yearling and fell in love with him, he was a prettier version of Algorytm with the same powerful movements and huge black eyes.

 

Marwan was standing at stud at Blommeröd 2009-2013 with 9 registered offspring (13 mares bred).

Marwan has been showed succesfully with several Champion titles, his last show was the 2018 Scandinavian Open Championship where he won his class and was awarded Silver Champion Stallion.

In January 2020 Erik and I visited my dear friend Vicke at Blommeröd Arabian Stud. Blommeröd has an impressive history and has made an important impact not only in the Swedish Arabian horse, but in Arabian horse breeding worldwide during the past nearly 6 decades.

Erik and I had bought our farm in May 2019 and now we had my 2 mares Silencia (by Ecaho) and Sharda (by Ganges), Eriks mare Gazqoria (Equator x Gazira) and soon to arrive from Kullatorp Arabian Stud we were expecting Calma (Ecaho x Calisia) and Chaya (Nader Al Shaqab x Confidentia) on lease.

Silencia and Sharda traces down to the Blommeröd-mare Salamalaika (Algier x Salexja) and belongs to the family of Sakla (Amurath Sahib x Saga) through her daughter Sake (by El Trypoli).  Calma and Chaya traces down to the legendary Canaria (Trypolis x Saga), the dam of the great stallion Celebes, so all of them belonged to the valuable Saga-family just like Marwan. I had doubled up earlier on the Saga-family by using stallions who trace down to Cesa/Sakla/Saga and Estokada/Saga with great result and in my opinion the most important when chosing your mare or stallion is to have a strong, solid dam family.

When we were at Blommeröd an idea came to me, we had the previous evening talked about how sad it was that Marwan was not used in breeding and I was positive that he would be a great cross with our group of mares, so before we left I asked Vicke if she would consider us having him on lease to offer him to the public and to breed our mares. Even though it was hard for her to send Marwan away, as he was the last horse left at Blommeröd, she thought it was a great idea and I will be forever grateful for her that she let her King come to live with us.

Marwan bred our 4 mares and 2 outside mares in 2020. He was a joy to have in the barn, when we had children visiting he was the horse they got to brush and cuddle with and he loved every minute of it. During a photo shoot I did of him in May I put a western saddle and a bosall on him and my friends Sören and Daniel who assisted thought I should sit on him. I knew that he was used to the saddle but never had a rider on his back, but as with everything you did with Marwan you could feel that he trusted you and after a few steps with Erik holding the reins I was riding him in the pasture. And just like that he was started under saddle.

How I loved him! He was always positive, always wanted to do his best and he loved to do things. Erik used to take him for walks, often to visit the bulls or walk into the pasture with the heifers. One time they went for a walk and I found them inside the pen with the bulls, the bulls smelling at Marwan and he was standing there happy with his new friends.

In March 2021 Marwan´s first offspring was born at our farm – a very look alike bay son out of Gazqoria who was named Gianniz and a few days later Silencia had a grey colt who was named Sawino.

I had a lot of faith in Marwan as a sire, I had seen most of his offspring at Blommeröd and knew that he would be a great cross with our mares and I was right, both colts were stunning with wonderful temperament, great conformation and boy – they could move!

Next up was a grey filly named Calima, out of the Kullatorp-mare Calma and last out for the season was a super pretty colt with tons of charisma out of Chaya. We named him Chay and he was sold as a future stallion prospect to Pekka and Magnus Blommander. Sawino was sold to Malin Matikainen and Gianniz to Sylvia Ziegler and I love getting messages and updates about their new boys

In 2021 Marwan bred 5 of our mares and had one outside mare and this year we had the good fortune to get 2 colts and 3 fillies and this second foal crop are even more amazing than the first. Gazqoria had a chestnut filly, Giulia, and she is a show stopper! Amazing mover and tons of charisma.

Silencia had another colt this year, but this time he was bay and a long-legged carbon copy of Marwan. He is named Santino and is looking for his new person. 

Calma blessed us with another filly, Celina, and with Calima being more in phenotype like Calma, Celina looks more like Marwan. We have decided to keep Calima, so great moving, showy Celina is looking for her new owner. Someone will be a very lucky person, she has a great future in both breeding, performance and show. 

I was really excited about the two last Marwan-foals of the season as this was his first foals out of Sharda (Ganges x Salaterka) and Espinoza (Marwan Al Shaqab x Estetica). When we leased Marwan, the combination I was most excited about was Marwan-Sharda as I knew it would be something special and indeed it was – on the 15th of May Sharda had a bay filly named Shapala and she is all I could ever hoped for – long-legged, upright, huge black eyes, great conformation and the best movements of them all.

Marwan´s sire CE Magnum was a World Reserve Junior Champion, sired by the famous Magnum Psyche (Padrons Psyche x A Fancy Miracle) and out of the great mare RA Cool Elygance (Jocool x Elysia).

In my opinion CE Magnum´s best daughter was JB Psynderella, bred by Oppreva Araber and out of the great mare Estetica (LM Limaal x Enza). She was multiple Champion mare and a Champion-producing mare and was awarded with the WAHO-trophy in Sweden 2005. JB Psynderella was sold as a young filly to Liezl Els, Agmal Arabians, South Africa, and was an incredible broodmare, but unfortunately she passed away way too young in 2021 during foaling. 

We were lucky to have the Estetica-daughter Espinoza (by Marwan Al Shaqab) boarded at our farm and when she was sold to Arvak Nord/Kristina Lindfors we had the opportunity to lease her. I immediately knew that Marwan would be a perfect match.

I have always said that I never keep colts, but when Espinoza had her colt I was blown away and knew that he is a keeper. To honour his sire we named him El Marwan and he is stunning! Great movements, tons of attitude, a neck to die for and the biggest eyes imaginable. I am so happy that we will have a son to carry on Marwan´s legacy. 

Marwan had an old injury to his right front knee and in July 2021 he got lame. The veterinarian treated it and he was good for a few weeks, then he started to limp again. I had the veterinarian x-ray the knee and we could confirm that he had an old injury with very bad arthritis. He still limped and some days it was worse, but he was still the same positive and happy boy so we took one day at the time, but knew that his time was limited. In April of 2022 he bred his favorite mare Silencia and he was a really happy boy and a few weeks later he bred Calma. Then at the end of May he was rapidly getting worse and when we could see that he was in pain I talked to Vicke and we made the hardest decision that it was time to say goodbye.

I am so blessed to have had Marwan in my life and to have all his offspring that will carry on his legacy and make me still have a piece of him. I miss him every day – his neigh when I came into the barn, how he nuzzled my hand in search of a treat and how he put his head on my shoulder. I am so happy that I can see him in his daughters and sons and I am forever grateful to Vicke for trusting us with her precious boy.

Marwan had 9 registred offspring (13 mares bred) before he came to us and I am happy that he got to breed some really great mares here and the opportunity to produce more offspring. During 2020-2022 he bred 14 mares – all mares got in foal on the first try except one outside mare (a maiden 19 year old mare who later was confirmed having hormonal problems). One mare aborted twins, he bred one Welsh Cob mare who produced a beautiful part-bred bay filly foal and then we have ourselves got 9 foals so far and expecting 2 more in 2023. So his lifetime record is 27 mares bred with 18 registered foals –  8 colts and 10 fillies. And we have hopefully 2 born in 2023 to add to the list.

Of his registered foals just one has been used in breeding so far and that is his daughter Poezja born at Blommeröd in 2011 (out of Piyada/Ceper) who got a filly in 2016, WR Pigalle (by Thanatos) and Poezja is in foal for a 2023 foal by Phi Pazador (Zen Zalvador x Panchaia) for her owner Phi Arabians/Charlotte Björge.

We have got 5 colts by Marwan and I am thrilled that two of them are so high quality that they will be kept as future stallions, so hopefully he will have two sons breeding on and we are retaining some of his daughters for our breeding program.

Marwan has now been gone for 4 months and I miss him every day, but we are so blessed to have so many of his babies and to know that he always will be a part of our breeding program is a precious gift. And he is always present in our barn, in spirit, photos and memories. Thank you Vicke for sharing your amazing King with us!

I am so happy to have not only Marwan but also my S-mares representing the legendary Blommeröd-bloodlines. If anyone want to learn more about the great impact Blommeröd Arabian Stud have had on Arabian horse breeding not only in Sweden, but worldwide, you can read my article published in The Arabian Magazine 2012: Article: “Little Janow, the Swedish Stud with the Antique Polish Bloodlines: Blommeröd Arabian Stud