Created by Jeffrey Wintersteen © 2006 All rights reserved.

Wintersteen Arabians Blog

The following is Jeff Wintersteen's blog of informal thoughts, journal entries, ideas on Polish breeding and daily life on a small family run Arabian farm in Colorado.  Your comments are welcome:  click here

December 14, 2009

There are flashier horses currently on the farm, probably due more to her drab gray and brownish coloring that hides her real quality. But if you take a moment to look past the aesthetics of color, a different picture starts to emerge. Clean, faultless limbs extend down from a substantial balanced body with an impressive barrel. Her head is shapely with wonderful ears inherited from her mother with dark luminous eyes. She has no white, like her sire, except a strange small spot on her shoulder that will no doubt disappear as she transforms to a beautiful dapple gray.

Her pedigree also will not cause any initial enthusiasm for the casual observer, but for the serious Polish enthusiast it is intriguing to say the least. Her sire, Ontario HF, is the best son of the US's greatest race horse, Monarch AH. Ontario's siring duties, however, were brief in the US, leaving only 7 foals before his exportation to the land of his ancestors. As for her dam, before this filly's arrival, Phyllan was most noted for producing our chief sire Pejczyk. Phyllan is also the alpha mare of our herd, and has imparted her confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm for life to her daughter.No doubt that for 22 year old Phyllan, this filly represents her final gift. WA Phylarka had spent the entirety of her life on the farm until this summer. Her first trailer ride came over the July 4 weekend to participate in the Colorado Breeders Cup SHIH classes at Estes Park. She was the youngest of the 7 entries of the class with over $3,000 of payback on the line. The last to show, she walked into the show ring with the confidence that belied her years. She took the Reserve Championship, beating out the 5 year old previous year's champion WA Elegancja. As Ela's owner remembered, "I was worried about beating some of the other horses, but should have known Phylarka would be tough. She wasn't overlooked her second outing off the farm as Colorado Breeders Cup Two Year Old Champion Filly almost two months later.

It is now late fall, one that has been colder than usual, surpassing temperatures not seen since before of the turning of the 19^th century. Phylarka's coat is a bit longer and between snow storms I have been putting her through some ground work in the arena, the preferred round pen too filled with the white stuff. She has taken to her new found job with an enthusiasm that makes it a joy to work with such rare individuals. Yesterday, having a brief respite from a month full of travel, and took the opportunity to climb up on her for the first time. Still unable to use the round pen, she gives such a confidence I felt no need for its relative safety. After I legged up, she softened in the bridle as I collected the reins, walked out and took it all in stride like a horse twice her age and experience. We have no idea how fast she is, but I have little doubt her best is yet to come.

September 26, 2009

The summer escapades of our mare WA Borkata are now over.  Jennifer Forsberg Meyer once wrote about equine courage, "the willingness of that horse to find just a tiny bit more when it counts is not something a horse chooses to do on his own, he does it because he is asked to do so.  Indeed, the great ones do so out of an uncommon generosity -- they will give you their heart when you ask for it."  While there are horses on the farm that have won more championships, I think Borkata epitomizes what Ms. Meyer calls an uncommon generosity.  Indulge me as I give a little background.

July 16, 2004 I was at Little Large Animal clinic holding a two month old foal while my parents and I watched in heart breaking despair a sweat drench *Boruta (Alegro x Borowina by Etap) laying before us. We had just been given the diagnoses by the attending veterinarian staff that the intestine had ruptured and there was little that could be done but humanely euthanize her. Despite her misery, *Boruta's complete attention was on her panic stricken foal which prompted one of the vet's assistants to say, "what a good mare she is."  With tears rolling down my cheeks I say, "this is *Boruta, race winner in Poland, daughter of Polish Reserve Champion Borowina, maternal sister to Race Horses of the Year Borek and BoryslawÖ she is a GREAT mare." After the awkward silence that follows, the head vet asks my father if we wanted to take the body with us or leave *Boruta here after she is put down.  My father resolutely says she would come home with us to be buried on the farm. "Dad," I say, as gently as I can, "we can't bring the filly home in the trailer with the body of her mother."  Dad knows I am right, and can't stifle a sob realizing our loss is complete.

We actually didn't own *Boruta as the time of her passing, she had come to the farm with three other mares the previous spring to be bred to Pejczyk.  In the few weeks she was there, dad certainly took a shine to her and jumped at the chance when her owner called and said he was moving, wondered if *Boruta could come to our farm to foal out.  At dad's persistence a lease agreement was worked out for a couple breeding seasons including keeping the current foal she was carrying and we would return *Boruta in foal to Pejczyk. Soon after the bay filly arrived, dad began negotiations this time for an outright purchase for our first imported Polish mare.

The two month old orphan we took back to the farm that ill-fated summer day we named WA Borkata, carrying the illustrious "B" of her family. She never left the farm again till she was a yearling, more on a lark than actual plan. We called her Katie and was considered "our race horse", but while training up the 3 other yearlings for the fall show in halter, our local trainer wanted to add her to the show string -- finding her the best student of them all.   In her first class she was Reserve Champion Colorado Breeders Cup against 9 other yearling fillies as judged by Brian Murch.  As a 3 year old, she did indeed go to the track, but never raced, instead taking time out to win Reserve Champion Colorado Breeders Cup SHIH and Reserve Champion Region VIII SHIH Mare both Open and ATH as well as showing halter and hunter pleasure.  She ran her first race as a 4 year old, winning Reserve Champion in the Colorado Breeders Cup Race and placing 3rd in her first endurance ride.

Which brings us to this yearÖ after spring of race training, Katie's first start was May 25th, a dismal day of overcast clouds and muddy track.  Katie was unsettled in the saddling paddock, acted up at the gates, broke slow and trailed the field.  After such an inauspicious beginning, I sat her out the next race, changed jocks and rode her myself to the gates to work on standing and getting her to relax.  She also worked okay under the new jockey so I entered her for July 3rd in what would prove to be a busy weekend for Katie as it would include both a race and a show! After being quiet at the gates, breaking well and running a better race, it was still not the effort I was hoping for.  There was little time to ponder this, however, for within an hour after the race she was bathed, and loaded up in the trailer back to the farm.  There she was fed; legs poulticed, wrapped and then loaded back up in the trailer for the trip to in Estes Park for the morning Colorado Breeders Cup SHIH.

At the show, Katie was subdued and not really extending in her trot. I just figured we were asking too much, as she came in 4th of 7 entries.  After the show, I had a chance to review the video of the race and called Polly, Katie's jockey, with a concern.  It seemed she never switched leads coming off the turn, which for her is unusual.  Polly verified my observation and now I had a nagging feeling something was not right, and her show performance was a little more than just being tired.  Dr. Moak confirmed my suspicion a couple days later as she was not hitting the ground on the front causing inflammation in her hindquarters.  We re-did her shoes, gave her a week off, and I cursed myself for not catching it earlier.

On July 19th, Colorado Breeders Cup Stakes day, the race Katie was originally pointed towards, I brought her back for a 3 furlong work with Polly up.  Dad and I drove to the lot by the paddock to watch while mom was perched on the balcony off the 3rd floor of the clubhouse.  Polly let Katie start rolling a little late and they were not quite up to speed by the 3/8ths pole.  Coming off the turn, however, I could tell they were flying and smiled as I watched an effortless lead change through the binoculars.  Halfway down the lane Polly finally asked Katie for more and Katie dug in, still finding another gear past the wire.  I watched the duo gallop out before I looked down at the 39.27 emblazoned on the digital letters of my stopwatch.  To my knowledge, one of the fastest Arabian works of the summer.  Dad and I were all smiles, but mom was just disappointed we weren't in the day's headline race.  Polly says she is like a different horse now, bittersweet news as we missed the race we most wanted to make.

I brought her back for one more work, only to have no more races to that fit her conditions.  At this point Kara started getting her Katie ready for hunter pleasure again as her sire would need her points for the Top Stallion Award.  A week later, however, there is an accident at the farm as Katie is slammed into a gate trying to avoid two older mares putting a 10 inch gouge on the point of her shoulder that required over 20 stitches! "Give her two weeks stall rest and you won't know this every happened, rush her back," cautioned the vet, "and it could split open."  Threes days into her stall rest Katie broke out in hives from head to hoof.  Vet explains this is psychosomatic with her being stalled up instead of active as she usually is.  Sure enough, within 36 hours of being turned out 10 days later her coat is again a shiny dappled bay.

With now just two weeks to turn a race horse into a show horse, Patty Ross is enlisted to help get Kara and Katie ready.  Armed with a lifetime of experience, Patty comes up to the farm and Kara and Katie show their talent as they are looking pretty good for the upcoming show.

First day at the show, however, having all those horses going around the training ring proved a little much for a dead fit horse off the track.  Katie especially does not like having horses come up behind her, understandable for a filly encouraged to not let a horse get by at the track.  Patty is a little unsure if we should show her in her scheduled class the next day, but I ask Kara if she can get around the ring safely as we need the points. Always confident Kara says "sure."

Next day, Katie is much better, even standing relaxed, something she was not during the day previous.  If we had had one more day, could have made a better run at it.  Katie misses her right lead right in front of the judge and they are 5th.  A frustrated Kara back at the stall is disappointed with the performance while I crunch the numbers for the stallion award.  Having fallen behind the day before, we are back in front, mostly due to great rides from paternal sister WA Elegancja in hunter pleasure and western pleasure.  Katie, however, does her part with her Top 5 contributing one point, and we are now one point in front!  "See, you and Katie did what you needed to do," explains my sister in-law to her daughter.  Kara asks what this means, and I say, "means you and Katie need to go 25 miles", referring to the CBC endurance ride at the end of the month as stallion award is still too close and she will be the only Pejczyk to carry the flag for her sire.

I would be out of the country for the endurance ride, but take over the conditioning till I need to leave. 5 to 6 miles on the farm every other day are very pleasant and Katie is as comfortable and happy as I have known her.  We do a 10 mile ride down by Larkspur with a couple other riders, and Katie's trot is as fast as the other's canter.  With three miles left, I let Katie gallop out back to the trailer, and she barely takes a deep breath putting a 5 minute gap on the others.  I call Kara that night, "don't be afraid to put some distance between you and the competition with a strong gallop.  Katie is as good as I can have her."

In Zurich, I send a text to Kara about an hour prior to the start of the endurance ride, "Good luck, I know you two can do it.  After you get by 12 miles, bury them!"  Late at night in my hotel room, I get call from Kara.   "We were second!" she says in an anguished voice.  "We should just take her to Nationals, at least we would get a reserve!" referring to Katie's 6th Reserve Championship, never have been in the top spot.  It was never spoken, but Kara and I desperately wanted a winners garland hung around her neck.  "How is Katie?" I ask.  "Oh she is fine, Poppy is playing with her by the trailer. She was just awesome, there for me every time I asked her. We could have caught them, I was just afraid to over ride her."

Kara and Katie came in just two minutes behind the winner, slicing a several minute deficit from the half way point.  Liz Wheeler, who we called in to help as she has hundreds of miles in experience, sent me an e-mail the next morning, "Kara is a trooper!!  She had a great ride and took very good care of her horse; pacing her to keep her from being over tired, etc.  Her recovery rate was very fast and that is an advantage.  I am very proud of her.  Wish I could have known more about the last leg of the ride.  I would have told Kara to take it a little faster than she did since it was so short, she really did the responsible thing, especially if the last leg had been longer."

That night after the ride, our orphan filly came back to the farm; mom and dad bathed her with warm water and liniment, put on thick wool cooler and poultice her legs. She ate her oats and mash as dad bedded her stall with straw so she could have a good night's rest -- another bridesmaid performance in no way a measure of their affection.  As for the Top Stallion Award, her sire won by 3 points, a total of 5 were supplied by the filly that still hasn't won a championship for us.  Most stallions should be so lucky to have sired such a foal.

July 10, 2009

It is with great relief that Maks was 4th today! As we say in racing, he "hit the board" and showed some nice improvement. To back up just a bit, after Mak's disappointing second start, Polly said she thought I should find another rider.  Not easy with a colt that has been running at the back of the field his first two races, especially in the free market of the backside where I only have two horses.  Often times trainers will get jocks to stick with a horse because they don't want to lose the mount on another horse the trainer has.  Not an option for me, so starting from scratch, I need to find a jock that fits Maks.  One of the jockeys I like was John Rochaburn, who came to the track a couple years ago.  He had never ridden Arabians prior to arriving at Arapahoe, and admits a rocky start in figuring them out.  We often galloped together when last year when he was up for another trainer and he was always honest about how he was doing with them.  This year, however, he seem to be figuring things out, no surprise he always struck me as very bright, professional and talented rider... and I just had this feeling about him and Maks.  The problem was, John was now becoming a "in demand" rider, not easy for a small timer like me to secure him.

To complicate things, I was leaving for Salt Lake City on Sunday, the same day we needed to enter.  I called his agent several times Saturday when we were up at Estes Park, left messages and got no response. With a 6:15am flight, I left mom in charge to try and get a hold of his agent Danny.  I also asked Polly to try and talk to John, and let him know the colt had some talent as well, she said she would.  (If you remember, he was up on the other horse when Maks had a nice work a couple weeks back -- see below.)  When I landed in Salt Lake, my phone rang immediately, mom saying she talked to Danny and he told her to call back in 30 minutes for an answer.  She had been since trying to call back and he didn't pick up -- clearly they were sorting out their options.  I was headed to a meeting, and said just keep trying as we still had an hour before entries closed.  Finally, a few minutes before 10am, mom called and said John had agreed to ride Maks, and he was entered.  I was relieved, but also knew we wouldn't keep John up on Maks if he didn't show something in the race.

Since John had never been up on Maks, I arranged a work for Tuesday. Tuesday comes and the summer rain has left a sloppy track.  Still out of town I confer with dad and Kara and decide just to have John gallop him rather than risk a misstep.  Maks was in the bridle during the gallop, and John was very positive on how he felt.... so far so good.

Race day... hot with temps in the high 80's, but Maks was more professional in the paddock, didn't wash out as he had previously.  John came over for a brief conference prior to legging him up and asked me what I wanted.  I told him we needed to "engage him" in the race, as Maks was hanging at the quarter pole.  I then had the good sense to shut up, as John had some ideas of his own.  Since we had drawn the one hole, John wanted to use some speed early to get a good position -- 2nd or 3rd, as from the form Maks clearly wasn't running well from the back.  I just said he is "your horse", and legged him up.

John did just that and they were well placed early.  Maks kinda sputtered at the quarter, but John kept riding him and Maks re-engaged, came running down the lane passing some.  John was smiling coming back, "he improved a lot. You just can't stop riding him.  He will be much better next out.  He was still driving at the finish."  John will ride him back, we are in a position to try and win one of these things.

It was nice to be more in the thick of things, Maks came out of the race fine, snorting and prancing back to the barn.  With the connections all talking about John back and the barn, Kara paid me a very appreciated compliment, "smart choice Uncle Jeff. I didn't know if you were doing the right thing, but it worked."

July 4, 2009

Kara asked to be excused from groom duties at track on Friday so she could show her mare Angel at the Estes Park Sport Horse classes. The chestnut mare was a gift from good friend and breeder Barbara Boodell.  Barbara breeds some top notch English horses, and has been in the business long enough she didn't think this impeccably bred MHR Nobility daughter (out of a Barbary daughter) would cut the mustard in English, so she just wanted to cut her losses and give her to a good home. Unlike a lot of us, Barbara knew it was better for both her and the horse than spending a lot of time and energy to get just a few dollars -- we should all be so smart!  So Angel was given to then 12 year old Kara, dad got her started under saddle and the mare went to live with my niece in Texas, they have since moved back to Colorado. As 12 year olds will do, Kara spent about 10 hours a day on this horse, even riding and jumping her without a bridle. I actually think Angel is more dog than horse, as she can even be lead by just her mane -- no halter!

Eventually Kara decided she wanted to show Angel as a jumper, building all kinds of jumps in the arena and out in the pastures at the farm. Kara trained Angel herself, save for a few lessons locally. When I heard that time and clearing the jumps is the decider for this event, I knew they probably found their niche. Kara won her first class, novice something or other, the first out for both. I was at the track when I got the call; I can only imagine the surprise of the other exhibitors to see my niece charging around on her little fireball. Mom then called to tell me she was DQ'd, I called Kara for an explanation and Kara said casually that she won THAT class, she was DQ'd later in a hunter pleasure class for wrong color pants; her 4th class as she was waiting for another jumping class. All told, my niece did 7 classes in one day, for Angel and Kara, a light day!

June 21, 2009

Maks returned to the track again for his first work since his race.  Polly was up and went in company with two other horses.  I need to confess that, while I still have a lot of confidence in this horse, our early race meet has been less than stellar.  I was wondering about a couple issues, even considering Maks is just still growing too much as he is still a tall and immature looking teenager.

General chaos that goes with trying to organize three different agents, jockeys and horses for a "in company" work, but Maks stood quietly tacked at his stall for 45 minutes waiting to go, even watched his stall mate Katie went for a gallop in the interim without a nicker -- I LOVE this horse. Finally we are ready -- jocks are legged up, and trainers in pile into their golf carts, and pickups for the short drive up to the dirt lot overlooking the stretch to watch.  Maks, who had only gone to the walker at the farm yesterday, was on his toes.  Kara, dad and I got out to watch the 4 furlong work, the longest of his career.  The trio started rolling just before the half and I could see Maks was eager with Polly taking a snug hold. The gray, Duro, was already struggling to keep up and Polly and John on the other two were working hard to keep the group intact for little longer.  I didn't get a split as they rolled by the first 1/8th or the second, but could see they were clipping pretty good.  Maks was still in the bridle, and I was starting to swell with hope.  I glanced at the 3 furlong split, 41.0, fastest Maks had gone yet this year and he wasn't done.  Duro was now out the back, but I had already been given permission from the other trainers that if Maks wanted to go on, "let him".  Polly asked Maks for the first time, just let him out a notch and smooched.  Maks, as he has been doing earlier in his spring didn't "hang", but surged forward.  John was moving on the bay filly Amazing Finish to try and keep up, but Maks was still distancing himself.  While not the most professional conduct for a work, the Wintersteen's were all yelling encouragement to Maks.  The other trainers were laughing and Ken asked what I got him in. "53.78!" I replied not able to hide my grin.  That prompted his counterpart Mark, "one of the better works of the summer, I can't believe how fast they were going."

Polly was all praise back at the barn, "He was sooo good this morning. I am figuring him out, he just needs the confidence." She admitted being a little disappointed with his race, but thinks there is some real talent there. We certainly didn't "win" anything, but you couldn't tell by our smiles. Maks got a huge boost of confidence and bested some other horses.  No doubt our racing string got a spark this week, and it was Polly who provided it.

June 12, 2009

Unceremoniously, the first *Ganges son to race in the US went to post on Friday -- awfully special to the Wintersteen's, hardly noted by anyone else.  After a week of torrential rain, the track was muddy and tiring, Maks, who was stuck down on the rail, got the worst of it.  He tired pretty badly, and after running mid pack drifted to last but was still trying after the turn, and came back to pass some.  Jockey Polly Robson, covered in mud, as was her mount, was laughing, "most horses would just quit, he never stopped trying".  Maks ran with no medications, just hay and grain the way the good Lord intended.  The Wintersteen's are a patient bunch. Some of our very best horses finished worse than Maks on their first start, I blame the trainer generally. If he comes out of the race well we will start looking for his second start.

We are very blessed to have Polly riding for us.  She used to exercise for me when I first got my trainers license and was up on Pejczyk early in his career.  I credit her for teaching me a lot about Pejczyk and how to run him.  The previous Saturday she was crowded by leading rider Richard Vichirilli.  Polly would have none of it, filed an objection and won the race despite crossing the line second.  The week before, a trainer legging her up and threw over the horse -- then started swearing at her right there in the paddock! After she won the race, she got in the trainers face and set the record straight.  Unassuming Polly is just quiet, sweet and as good as horsewomen you can find -- turning for home with a chance, I wouldn't trade her for anyone. 

Sunday I put Polly up on Katie, who was beaten badly in her first out this season. She was suppose to have Jose up, but when Jose spun me I ended up with another jock that had never seen my filly, let alone ridden her.  Still I was pretty perplexed by the poor finish and sought out Polly to help.  Polly said "most girls don't like being hit, I doubt she is any different."  Katie worked 3 furlongs in 40.23 with Polly up just waving the stick, the best of her short career and second fastest of the day.  We are not completely out of the woods, but now Polly is now helping me figure out Pejczyk's daughter.  I tried to pay her (normally jocks just work on commission, but in this instance she was going the extra step), but Polly wouldn't take money, "I always like riding for you guys, your horses are so well trained and turned out." Coming from her is quite a compliment.

GF Jet Stream, a Pejczyk gelding out of Region VIII Champion Yearling Sweepstakes Filly is edging closer to his first race. Bred and owned by Jim and Cindy Gromelski, he was in training for most of last summer, never got out of a trot and labeled "difficult".  Kara and I worked with him this spring a little -- credit Kara with being up the first time he ever loped with a rider -- before turning him over to Jerry Partin.  Jerry says this horse has not done a thing wrong yet, and sure loves his job.  He has had two works for 41.4 and 41.2 respectively and conservative Jerry, who has been doing this for 30 years, says he is "above average".  For all the knocking race trainers take, there are some that are awfully good horseman, I include Jerry in that group.

May 3, 2009

Leaden gray skies finally unleashed the first of the day's showers as I pulled into Arapahoe Park. Perhaps in other parts of the world such gloomy weather dampens the mood, but not in the semi-arid high plains of Colorado. Spring rain is cause for celebration, especially the day after the improbable and miraculous Derby run by Mine That Bird. Colorado may pack overall more economic punch than southern neighbor New Mexico, but make no mistake, we are the smaller sibling when it comes to horse racing. But there was nothing but pride and joy for our big brother -- whose trainers, jockeys and grooms flood our backside during the summer -- making his mark on racing's biggest day.

After galloping Katie and Maks, Kara and I cooled them out walking the aisle to the sound of rain clattering on the metal roofs, and sight of steam rising up from the coolers on their backs. We share barn 23 with some boys along with their string of 6 quarter horses and had sporadic conversation as we passed them each lap around the shed row. They kicked at the wet, muddy clay on their boots, and watched the water stream off the roof. "I am so happy for those guys," Simon said with a contented grin. "I actually met Chip Woolley at Riudoso last year. "Man, the Derby, that is just the best."

That a $9,500 yearling could be hauled from a track in New Mexico to blow by the financier's, the sheik's and blue-blood's multi-million dollar horses with their Armani suited trainers sent shockwaves through this part of the racing world. Never mind the current owners of Mine That Bird paid $400,000 for him or that he was Canadian Champion and ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Never mind that the last race the "Bird" ran was richer AND he was just as close to winning as much ballyhooed Dunkirk's final prep. Because on this beautifully rainy Sunday, everyone on the backside scratching to get by is smiling, vindicated with the Bird's Derby win that good horsemen and women are not the monopoly of the east coast or California. All they need is that one horse, and just maybe such a miraculous run is also possible for them. And yet again we are reminded that rarely does the initial sale price of a horse denote the actual value.

April 24, 2009

The Wintersteen's are at the very least resilient, and with race season only a month away, there is little time for drowning our sorrows.  Maks gave us all a reason to smile today, as we were at Soaring Eagle  -- a nearby private track -- for the first speed work of the season.  We planned to work Katie and Maks a little over 2 furlongs on the sandy track.  The last time we worked them was in August, Maks could not keep up with Katie, fresh off her first race, and they blazed 3 furlongs in 40.59 -- very respectable time with Kara having Katie in a choke hold.  The culprit was Maks still having breathing issues which we had not completely sorted out.  Today, Maks had on his new Cornell collar to help with his breathing and Kara in the irons.  The duo was nothing short of spectacular with Maks making huge ground gobbling strides with remarkable ease.  From my vantage point on Katie about 4 feet way, Maks was a gorgeous sight, dappled bay coat glistening in the spring sunshine, more muscling than last year and head that continues to dry out.  I had Katie was flat out to try keeping up, though admittedly she was at a 30lb. disadvantage with myself on her back.  Kara was sitting chilly on Maks, asking him for nothing as he continued to lengthen his stride.  She needed to stand up in the irons once we crossed the line to try to keep Maks from going around again.  Perhaps Mak's biggest fan, 16 year old Kara remarked, "He still has a ton more gears, we aren't even close to the bottom.  He is for sure a two turn horse."  We were both laughing jogging back to dad who was wearing his first smile in a while.  Awfully early in the season, but we just might have a chip in the game.  At the very least, better day than yesterday.

April 23, 2009

This morning at about 7 am Estansia (Monogramm x *Erwina) began to deliver her *Hun foal.  There were immediate complications as the foal was positioned backwards in the birth canal.  After several hours of effort, first by my parents and then by the arrival of the vet, the foal was repositioned and a stillborn colt was delivered.  Obviously there were two lives hanging in the balance, and we were all very fearful of losing Estansia as well. I was not at the farm at the time, but left immediately on hearing the initial reports.  Halfway enroute, I received a call from mom, despite the loss of the foal, I wept with relief that Estansia was still with us.  An hour prior I was dealing with the realization of losing both, I gladly accepted the alternative.  In the end, Estansia suffered severe hematoma around the vulva, however, there was very little tearing.  While rather traumatic and sad news for all concerned, at this point all examinations look very promising for Estansia and our vet thinks she will have a full physical and reproductive recovery.  I had hoped to be able to write about our beautiful *Hun filly, but after the morning it is with complete heart wrenching solace to still have our Estansia.  So many have fared far worse this breeding season.

February 19, 2009

Flynn had a perfect vantage point from his window seat of the patches of snow dotting the Mongolian Rim as the plane started to settle down towards the Sonora desert and Sky Harbor airport. We had managed a spur of the moment trip to join my parents in Scottsdale, looking forward to seeing *Embra, soaking up the winter sunshine, and, particularly for Flynn, his first encounter with a Saguaro cactus. Within an hour of our arrival, dad had zoomed in an ushered us to the first of three parties during our 3 day stint where  Flynn saw his first Saguaro and I met up with the Debowiec son *Jiuliusz de Wiec.  Debowiec (Monogramm x Debowka by Eternit) is rather special to me as I bid on him in 1999 Polish Prestige Sale, much to the chagrin of my wife.  I obviously lost in bidding to Lenita Perroy and Debowiec went to Brazil. I always knew Debowiec's progeny would show up in the states; it was rather special for me to see his first.

The next day, we saw the enchanting *Embra who finished 4th in her class. In talking later with leasee partner Kirk Bardole, he just quipped, "who cares... I still love her!"  His main purpose was to get a gray filly from her.  Quite possible Embra may mark the end of an era and the Michalow/ Monogramm dominance in the US National show ring.   When all said and done, though, just a lovely mare.

After the morning classes, we went down to Duke Mendel's party south of Scottsdale.  Duke owns Odyssey SC, has been an ardent supporter of the Colorado Breeders Cup, and a tremendous guy. It was very well attended, offered complimentary lunch, drinks and viewing of a wide variety of stallions and sale horses -- including rare treats in performances by *Kordelas and OKW Entrigue.  Unlike like the other two parties we attended, Duke did it right with things to entertain the kids as well, including a jumping tent, cotton candy and face painting.  It sure made it easier to be a dad at this one.  Flynn shed some tears on leaving, "Can we go back to Scottsdale soon Dad?"  Next year buddy...

January 19, 2009

A breeder's commitment can be measured in their priorities, especially during these economic difficulties that we are all face. Nobody needs to be told that the Arabian horse is a luxury, not a necessity. The running joke with all our fellow breeders in Colorado that we should also get in line for our share of the stimulus as well. That said, the latest vehicle to arrive at the farm is kelly green with a lone canary yellow seat. It is also a newer model than any of the family's personal vehicles, or farm's pride ñ the big Dodge Dually for hauling hay and horses. It is, of course, a John Deere to replace the aging and battered industrial John Deere that finally collapsed in exhaustion shortly before Christmas, leaving an ever growing manure pile in its wake. This tractor is as close to new as we have had, a 2003 with only 200+ hours, 4 wheel drive and ridiculously easy to drive. Still, I think most urban dwellers might find it hard to understand our excitement.

Besides "manure management" the new tractor was quickly put to use as our "European style" training track was in need of some work revamping. The former 3/4 mile rough oval is now an even rougher figure 8 that adds some distance coming out near a mile and has two nice long gallops up hill. The track has been disced, harrowed and a fair amount of sand and wood chips hauled for footing in preparation of legging up the race string this spring.

November 21, 2008

Friday morning I swung by the AHA convention and listened to some opening remarks on the score card discussion, but unfortunately needed to leave before things got heated for my flight to see recent Polish import *Gorec.  *Gorec, who I saw last in 2004, is a Derby winner, double winner of the Europa Cup, and the best Polish race horse to step on US soil since *Wiking.  He was recently imported by Billie Glosser.  I left pleasant Colorado weather and flew south to Dallas and markedly colder weather! Billie had warned me to dress warm, admittedly I did not take her advice at my peril. After I got my rental car, headed north and was able to enjoy a beautiful Texas sunset sitting in rush hour traffic on 35E. There was still some light on arriving at Love N War Arabians, and after greetings with fellow guest Marsha Parkinson, Billie ushered us out to the truck to go see horses.

We all laughed as I compared our horse viewing to an African safari. I had been in South Africa this June with my family and there were stark similarities as Billie turned the truck off the road and started driving across the Texas plain, evening sky still a glow from the setting sun, in search of the not so elusive Arabian horse! Love N War sits on 140 acres north of Dallas and the driveway to the house and barn runs through the pastures so a bulk of the herd roams freely. Some noteworthy of the evening; certainly the hidden gem *Nimfa (Partner x Nejtyczanka by Banat)-- whose maternal sibling Nimb I also liked in Poland, Eurokina (*Europejczyk x Cekina by Palas), Polliana (*Bandos x FR Polonaise by Aristo Katalac), the bold moving To The Point (Tomanchie x Ten Cents A Kiss by Sambor). I also inspected both recent imports Fukara (Samshiek x Furora by Pepton) ñ maternal sibling to stallion *Furiat and Oriwia (Espardero x  Osilka by Batyskaf).  I was very intrigued by Oriwia whose sire I very much like and she is the result of his first efforts in this regard.  She has a wonderful head, compact body and great length of leg.  While I had never seen Batyskaf in person before being shipped off to Turkey, having Marsha there was an incredible resource.  Certainly this mare is a rare pedigree indeed.  It was dark by the time we saw the young Pamiatka (*Emanor x Panda VF by *Bandos).  I freely admit the mare I most covet from Billie's herd is Pamiatka.  She confirms not only Marsha's breeding wisdom, but *Emanor's under-rated abilities as a sire.  She is in foal to *Equifor and I share Billie's excitement for this foal.

After the "safari" we headed south to Lone Star track for a couple stakes races ñ Mandolyn Hill Farm Stallion Stakes Colts/Geldings and Mares/ Fillies.  Both races were 7 furlongs for $20,000.  This included a reception and dinner overlooking the track.  Some of those in attendance were Gene LaCroix, and actually sat with us for a bit.  Yeah you read correctly, Gene is currently racing TB's and interested in getting into Arabian racing.  In addition we were joined Denise Gault of Race Street who represents Darley Stud in the US as well as Bill Smith the HRH Sheik Maktoum's representative, interesting company to say the least.  As luck would have it friend and mentor trainer had horses in each race and bet I bet both and they both won -- Jessys Princess and Caitlyns Hot.  Liz invited me to join them in the win circle both times.  I have often extolled Liz's abilities as a trainer, she continues to prove me right.  The next day met a lady at the Mandolyn Hill Farm open house that remarked what a good night I had on Friday, it took me a second but then understood she thought I was the winning owner for both races!  I reluctantly came clean that I was only in the win circle by invitation and they were both owned by Sam Vasquez -- we both got a chuckle.

Next morning we hustled for a all too brief visit at Toskhara, my first time.  We saw the man himself *Kordelas, as well as, a variety of *Kordelas progeny working under saddle.  I was very impressed with *Kordelas' abilities in this regard.  We are also treated to Billie's beautiful Padron Pysche son MS Firedevil and her up and coming *Ganges son (bred by Marsha) Panasz out of *Europejczyk daughter Palapejczyk.  Firedevil was extremely high quality, and both Marsha and I remarked how well the cross worked in his beautiful hindquarters.  As for the Ganges son, is still maturing but shows lots of promise.  The trip to Toshkara was far too brief, however, and only in leaving did realize in our rush we didn't see Favoritt and *Expo who had been on my short list.

A few minutes drive from Toskhara, we arrived at Mandolynn Hill Farm for their open house .  I was admittedly excited to step in the barn and start reading the name plates of some pretty significant race sires, including Chndaka, sire of Polish Triple Crown winner Orgia Fata and KA Czubuthan.  But the real source for my excitement was a horse I hadn't seen since his first victorious romp in the Europa Cup, and meeting only for the second time, this time on US soil.  I was certainly not there to "inspect" *Gorec, in my mind he had nothing to prove in this regard.  I was, however, extremely pleased to discover firsthand what a kind and gentle horse he is.  In addition, to stand in his stall and have *Wojslaw's owner Marsha Parkinson -- grand sire to *Gorec -- comment on the similarities, talk about his shoulder angle, demonstrate depth of hip, etc. was a rare treat.  *Gorec seemed extremely well settled and happy in his new home which is a first rate stallion operation.  Dave Rhea, farm manager, and I discussed *Gorec briefly.  I liked Dave immediately, a true horseman in every sense.  Dave mentioned Gene LaCroix had made a trip up to see him the day before and "liked him", and as Dave pointed out, "It is Gene LaCroix!"  When I asked Dave what he personally thought of him, Dave just said, "he has a lot of Ö" and pounded his chest over his heart.  We both agreed if he makes ONLY this contribution to his foals, it is enough.

I then rushed to the airport, far too short of a visit.  If ever extended an invitation to Love N War Arabians, do yourself a favor and accept the wonderful Texas hospitality at "Chea le Billie's".  Billie has a tremendous sense of humor and passion for the Arabian horse.  She has acquired and bred some wonderful individuals.  Mostly I would like to publicly thank her for her generous friendship and wonderful care of *Gorec.  *Gorec is in first rate facility and has a bright future here on US soil.  He is one of the most courageous horses I have ever had the pleasure to witness and a trait that won many fans in Europe -- I am happy to see, is already doing the same in the US.  I look forward to the future with brave *Gorec!

October 4, 2008

The leaden skies that had threatened all day finally let loose on the way to one of my favorites haunts for dinner outside Zurich, and within earshot of landing jets at the nearby airport. Though sun has long since set here, it is just morning in Colorado and my father is warming up Miraczyk getting ready for the CBC Reining class. A few days earlier, three generations of Wintersteen's rolled into the event center a day early of the assigned set up date courtesy of the barn manager Bill. As luck would have it, work demanded by absence for the important annual fall show, and finale of the Colorado Breeders Cup classes for the year. Therefore my contribution at the show this year is going to be limited to helping step up the farm's drapes, and bedding stalls before kissing my son and hugging my parents' goodbye and rushing to catch the 5:45pm Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. If I could choose, certainly I would be 5,000 miles to the west amid the dust and excitement of the event center. Not only am I missing my dad's performance with Miraczyk; I am disappointed not to be able to take the lead of the Pejczyk gelding Epic later in the day for his CBC breeding class. I have done all his schooling myself and we had some great stand ups last week. Reluctantly I leave the task of showing him to my niece.

My cell rings and a quick look at the display tells me the caller. I smile as I answer, already I can hear mom's excitement in her voice. Despite a poor warm up, Miraczyk and dad did great ñ they finished second. A few minutes later, mom calls back to recant her original report, they actually won! Facts generally fall by the wayside during this sort of excitement. Dinner passes with my thoughts on home, and I don't mind the walk back to the hotel through the evening rain. Through a restless night -- still on Colorado time with more than just my thoughts ñ my cell chirps periodically with updated text messages on the farm's progress. By the time my delayed United flight from Dulles lands at DIA the next night, the rains from Zurich seem to have swept over the Rockies and the pound window outside seat 6A. Dad found some help from one of our clients and already has torn down our aisle, no need to swing through and lend a hand.I am admittedly relieved, just a bit tired from too many hours of plane time. I will swing by the farm in the morning and relive the farm's success over lunch.

September 27, 2008

Spent a beautiful autumn day the farm  with the "joys" of clipping for the upcoming fall show, as well as, schooling the halter horses.  Epic seems to be adjusting even to the clipping aspect, though grudgingly, of his role as a show horse and Emfatyk is doing much better this year with his stand up.

Dad, just  73 years young, is getting the Pejczyk filly, WA Miracyzk, ready for the maiden entry in reining for both.  This all came about when I suggested sending this filly up for training to get ready for the fall show in western pleasure.   While dad is an enjoys of all the stuff we do with the horses, ie racing, showing, etc. his favorite has always been reining.  Dad had finally had enough and just said no, announcing instead she was going in reining and he would do the training himself.  He reasons the joy of horse is working with them on a daily basis rather than just paying bills and showing up to see your horse compete with someone else -- besides he is not getting younger.  What can you really say to that?  I started long lining her this summer -- she had been in training before -- and dad got on in mid July.  He does take her up for lessons a couple times a week, but make no mistake, she is his mount.  I think there is also a lot of pleasure in that not only having bred the filly, he bred her sire and dam as well.  A year or so back someone asked if she was pure Polish, dad got this Cheshire cat grin and said, "Better, she is pure Wintersteen."

September 3, 2008

It is almost 5 months since the accident with Pejczyk's hoof, I am happy to report he is back to the usual antics; watching over mares from his 15 acre pasture, snorting and bellowing their departure and arrival each day to his barn, and ever faithful with his 6 am wake up call for feeding.  His bar shoe on the injured foot was replaced again for the second time, and the farrier is amazed at the growth.  It looks to be a full recovery with little or no evidence it ever happened.

The days have drifted into an easier tempo, mostly just working with the two halter horses.  Of them, Epic -- a yearling Pejczyk gelding, is getting his first real work in his young life.  Already he bathes, cross ties, takes leg wraps and lunges well in just short time.  He is also doing admirable with his stand up, a smart guy that is constantly trying to guess rather than wait for what I want.  That he walks directly up to me in the pasture for ready to start each lesson is evidence he likes having a job.

August 23, 2008

One thing is certain, endurance is NOT racing.  I have never heard of anyone going the wrong way at the track.  The same cannot be said for our first endeavor into endurance.  In fairness, seemed to be an epidemic with a lot of the competitors and that was the major complaint heard around the water trough.  Kara and Katie needed to stay with their sponsor for the ride because of Kara's tender age.  Liz Wheeler was kind enough to help us out in this regard on her gelding Sparky, and Liz's years of experience were certainly welcome.  The duo of Liz and Kara, however, put in far more than the required 25 miles making not one, but two wrong turns.  Regardless, they finished 2nd and 3rd in the CBC event, that, had they not done the extracurricular riding, probably otherwise could have won.

 Live and learn, a frustrated Kara vows to come back next year without the sponsor requirements and get it done right.  As for the horse, Katie looked like she was just getting warmed up at the 12 mile vet check, but a series of wrong turns and pushing hard at the end left her beat.  I could almost see her asking me, "What kind of race is this anyway?"  She still picked up a check and points for her sire in the CBC stallion award competition effectively securing it for Pejczyk -- his fifth in as many years.  Certainly the odds are in his favor when he has the likes of dad's blue collar filly in his stable.  There maybe those with glitzy championships, but none have done more in event after event.  Katie has competed in halter, hunter pleasure, SHIH, racing and now endurance over the course of four years -- the epitome of Arabian versatility.

August 17, 2008

The summer monsoons were finally here, the only drawback is they fell all over the course of three days.  Those three inches of rain still leave Colorado short of the annual average, but it is welcome non the less.  It is perhaps a little late, as Colorado had a record number of consecutives days in the 90's this summer leaving the pastures bone dry.  This means we need to supplement the 18 horses on the farm with hay we can't afford.  With fuel prices through the roof, everybody feels the pinch and hay has soared past eight bucks a bale, effectively doubling our cost.  Farming is about controlling these costs, so dad, after crunching the numbers, decided to bring hay down from my sister's ranch in Montana.  They raise cattle, and grow wheat and barley on their 3,000 acres just west of Billings.  A bountiful hay crop leaves enough to spare, so family horses will be fed family hay.  The Dodge breaking down in Sheridan complicates the return trip and we don't need a calculator to know this hay is no longer a quarter the price of Colorado hay.

The track season is over for another year, Katie and Maks were both entered in the same race the last weekend, but it was never used.  Such is racing, would have been great to get Maks his first start and Katie's 40.59 and never asked in her last work told me she was sitting on something big -- the light switch had finally gone on the last race, she now understood her role.  I swing through the track to collect silks, papers and settle accounts.  Now we concentrate on the show string for the Colorado Breeders Cup (CBC) events first week of October -- Maks will also go into open halter.  One chore still left for Katie before she hangs up her bridle for the winter.  She is stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs in her last race to 25 miles for CBC endurance ride next weekend, Kara will have the mount.  I have been jogging and loping her 5 to 6 miles on the farm, and Kara took her for a 12 miler last weekend to check out the course.  In Kara's words, "nobody is going to catch us once we get through the vet check."  I certainly appreciate her confidence and hope it is warranted.

July 30, 2008

Maks finally has his day... he was simply smoking!  After nearly a month of trying to correctly diagnose Mak's breathing issue, Dr. Moak wanted him breezed in a "Cornell Collar" and then scoped.  Maks is only symptomatic at speed, and since that happens only every 7 to 10 days it has taken a while to sort out.  The collar is a relatively new device that attaches under throat not unlike a cribbing collar.  It keeps the horse from impeding his airway with how he holds his head.  This is non-invasive device, and if it works, no drugs, surgery, would be required -- just a leather collar that helps keep his airway open.  To my pleasure, it was decided that I would be best choice to be up for the breeze as I had the most experience with hearing his breathing.  Till Maks got used to wearing the new contraption, he wore no martingale to let him put his head where it felt the most comfortable.

With all the players in place, and I set off for the track for a short work down the stretch.  Maks was moving easily around the backside, and when I shook the reins at the quarter pole we were off.  There was a light wind blowing straight up the lane so it was rather noisy to hear him breathing, but certainly I knew we were clipping along.  He never showed a sign of slowing when I stood up in the irons past the line, in fact, I had to coax him back to me at the 7 furlong chute.  I couldn't help but smile; I think he would have happily gone around again being finally able to fill his lungs with the air he needed.  As we jogged back, mentor Liz was standing by the eighth pole laughing, "looked liked that worked" was all she could say and mom confirmed "he was flying".  Maks was breathing normal by the time we reached the gap, in stark contrast to his other works.  The scope was all clear -- blisters, everything -- and he was pronounced race ready.  I doubt we will get a race in before the meet ends, but still a big victory in what has been long summer for a three year old.

July 20, 2008

Two years in the making is finally here -- Katie's first race.  In my mind, it was suppose to be different.  The day is a scorcher, highs to hit a hundred by the forth race.  To complicate the situation, we put her in against the colts where she will face nine rivals, our rational was for CBC money.  The result of this we lost Jose -- who, thinking we would enter her against the her own sex, already committed to the mount on Chasing Roses.  No hard feelings as Katie is in deep, making me rethink our decision not to wait a week for the filly race.  Kara leads our bay filly up to the paddock, the first for both as sweet sixteen Kara just got her groom's license a few days prior.  Katie is on her toes knowing something is up, my mouth is dry in anticipation.

I tell Roberto, "just give her a good trip and take care of her," before I leg him up.  He smiles and quips a quick, "yes boss."  The gates open and the field is a flurry of color.  I try to locate her, instinctively looking towards the back of the field.  I see some blue silks, then realize that is the number two Finales Majic.  I finally find her, just behind the first flight surrounded by a pack colts streaking down the backstretch.  They move through the quarter in 24 and change, about a second faster than Emaranta's race a week ago.  I can't help but smile, if nothing else she proved some people wrong as this filly can scoot.  As if on cue, Katie has had enough and starts backing up through the field around the turn.  Roberto waves his stick and she moves nicely down the stretch, maintaining a second place against CBC horses but well up the track from the winner.

Jogging back to us at the gap, Katie is flagging her tail and I can tell she none worse for the wear.  Roberto smiles, "she is gonna be just fine boss!"  I understand his meaning, not just physically but a nod to her potential.  High on adrenaline, she give Kara all she can handle as we walk back to the barn, to me she has never looked better.  I finally breathe a sigh of relief, we survived our first start, and Roberto just might be right.

July 13, 2008

If the fourth was a good day, we start running out of adjectives for this weekend.  Emaranta gets her win, just a pleasure to finally write that.  She was blessed with one of the deepest hips ever born on the farm, got that from her dad I suspect, but also front legs that were slightly turned in and cannons offset.  After a stint in halter, decided she needed to prove her self at the track -- courage, athleticism and above all soundness.  It seemed like the last one would be the biggest problem, but funny thing after not starting her three or four year old year -- she didn't get straighter, but she sure got sounder.  As for courage and athleticism, those were never in doubt from the first time I breezed her.  She was suppose to be on the sale list but walking off the track that day I told mom, "we can't sell this one, she is a great mare."  Her place in our hearts was already cemented before her astonishing 6 length romp of her rivals on Friday, now we can't say her name without smiling.

While Emaranta shined, Maks had a long week.  The speed work on Thursday found him still wheezing a bit, a scope revealed inflammation in the airway from a virus.   That the colt was working those times and not getting the air he needed still has me shaking my head in disbelief.  Maks also got shoes on for the first time, not to mention plenty of gate work which meant making extra trips from the farm.  All in all, Maks is beat, actually we are both in need of the scheduled day off Monday.  Still, glad we got done what was needed.  As Jose slipped off him this morning, he said, "Nice job boss, this guy is twice the colt he was a week ago. "  A trainer shoulders the burden of not only the safety of the horses in his care, but ultimately the people he legs up, so such sentiment is welcome.  A good day stretches to a good week. 

July 4, 2008

Some days are just better than others.  It begins with an early morning at the track.  Jose couldn't get to both yesterday so we are back with Katie who needs to go to the gates.  She will then catch a ride to Estes Park for her SHIH class tomorrow.  Katie was bounced around between trainers while I was away, all came back with the same answer -- "don't waste your time on this filly, just not fast enough."  My mentor and leading trainer Liz told me not to pull the trigger so quick, some fillies need company to show their true talent, and she suspects Katie maybe one of them.  Easy advice to follow as we have high hopes for her.

Jose is up on Katie largely out of courtesy for having the mount on Maks.  I tell him, "just help me get her gate card, you don't have to ride her if you don't want to, Maks will still be yours."  Katie is exemplary at the gates and breaks like a rocket, catching Jose by surprise, then they are across the seven furlong gap and gone - just tail, hooves and Jose's backside amid a flurry of kickback.  The gate crew say one more time and she is ready.  She is certainly looking the part if nothing else.

Back at the barn I wait for Jose to return, when he sees me he starts shaking his head.  "Please don't give this filly to nobody, I want to ride her!"  Finally some welcome news on her, and we can stay on schedule for the CBC race at the end of the month.

I head home to load up the car, family and head to Estes Park by noon.  There is SHIH tomorrow, but this evening we will try and win a championship for Emfatyk in halter.  The sun is scorching when we arrive as I use up my cell battery trying to find an overdue truck and trailer.  Overheated twice, the big dually diesel finally crawls into the show grounds with mom, Kara and the show string at 2:30.  By 5:30 I am in my suit, tie knotted at my throat and beads of sweat rolling down my back.  Emfatyk isn't perfect, but his number gets called first, and again in the championship.  He finally has one and mom is thrilled -- my son is equally impressed by the tri color ribbon.  I am just hot, tired and thirsty.

The day ends with dinner to celebrate Emfatyk's win, then the annual fireworks over the lake.  My four year old fights to stay awake, but despite the booming explosions is softly snoring in my arms by the time the finale colors the night sky at 10:30.  By any measure, a good day. 

June 21, 2008

Just returned from three weeks out of town on business and then pleasure in South Africa and London.  My first stop was the track where Emaranta, Katie and Maks have been divvied between trainers while I was gone.  Two works were on the tab for the morning, an easy breeze for Emaranta and, most importantly, the first "official" work of Mak's career.  While in Cape Town I got a text from Liz Brand, "Just worked Maks a quarter with company!  He did great!  Very competitive & huge stride."

While that certainly made me smile half a world away, I have come to realize the truest indicator of our success at the track usually comes from who we get for a jockey.  As in any free market system, the best horses attracted the best riders.  When you can leg up a great rider, it means your horse is generally in the same category.  Pejczyk had Turf Paradise's leading rider Kelly Bridges up when he won.  Texas' perennial top jockey Larry Taylor was in the irons for Brilliance's Retama campaign and never finished worse than second -- including a win.

In my perfect vision for Mak's rider, it was Jose Torres from the very start.  Though he can make questionable decisions at times, Jose is one of the most talented riders on the back side, and one who truly loves his charges.  I maybe projecting a bit, but the horses seem to WANT to run for him -- who better for a colt that loves to run.  We have been buds for most of my years as a trainer, always friendly jawing at each other when we pass to and from our gallops.  While I wouldn't hesitate to leg him up on any of my horses, I rarely have.  I don't hold it against him if he doesn't want to ride for me, it is after all his livelihood.  The one time he rode Brilliance for me and he returned apologetic after a gutsy second in deep slop, just getting caught at the wire.  "I shouldn't have hit her, she just stopped... I am so sorry.  I want her back, I will make it right and win."  Brilliance left for Texas and he never got his chance.

I couldn't leave Liz's text alone, and called mom for a few more details despite the long distance charges on my cell.  Mom was excited to hear from me, and said I would never guess who was in Mak's stall when she arrived at the track prior to his first breeze --  Jose!  He was brushing Maks, and when he saw my mom just said "I love this horse -- all class".

Today Maks worked a dismal time in a strangle hold, begging to be let loose.  Jose gives me a smile and the thumbs up jogging back to the gap.  I am disappointed to not have a good indication of his speed, and chide Jose for not him opening up.  He just laughs and says, "don't worry man, with the good ones we take our time."  Always tough to demonstrate patience with a promising 3 year old, now it is Jose who is making good decisions.

May 4, 2008

The tragedy that befell Eight Belles left me despondent and sleepless last night. Other than my family, there is nothing I love more than our horses.  I also have a dark secret, I love horse racing.  I love the simple elegance of an exercise saddle, a cool morning at the track hearing the muted sound of galloping horses on soft earth.  I love the power of a horse under me, bowing the neck into the bridle, begging to go faster.  I love the look of a fit horse, dapples lying on thin skin over the defined muscles.  My horses love it too, and please don't try convincing me otherwise until you see our Emaranta prance back to the barn with her tail over her back after running a personal best third, or our colt Pejczyk that carried on for a month after his win.  My *Pepton daughter lived her racing career for running as fast as she could, every stride she could despite our efforts to persuade her otherwise at times.

How then do you morally reconcile this tragedy that transpired to the beautifully fast gray filly?  It was a question that kept turning over in my mind last night.  Fortunately, I realized, the Polish masters have already provided direction.

The modern Thoroughbred is descendent from three Arabian sires.  It was the Arabian frame coupled with the powerful engine of the English domestic horse that produced a lighter and faster horse.  Over the centuries, breeders have endeavored to produce horses that can win races, and little other goal. Today, it is more complex with some breeders breeding for racing and others for a commercial market at auction where early speed and fashionable pedigree is paramount to bring high prices.  The common denominator remains speed, however, for proof just leaf through the latest issue of the Bloodhorse. "Soundness" and "stamina" are words that rarely find their way into an ad for the leading sires.  Also, the industry standard of "under tack" two year old sales means the prospect has little hope of bringing top dollar if it can't demonstrate an eighth of a mile in 10 seconds and change ñ this in the spring of their two year old year.

The modern Polish Arabian also owes its most important qualities to racing, the decades testing on the track of Lvov then Warsaw.  It simply would not be the horse it is today without these rigors.  By contrast, however, the race track was never a means to the end.  The key words used by the Polish Directors are "stamina", "courage" and "soundness", with no emphasis on speed.  The philosophy was outlined by Zenon Lipowicz in his article Arabian Horse Racing in Poland and of how Poland reacted when confronted with a differing philosophy:

It was decided that the Arabian races in Poland would not have maximum speed as the chief goal, but would serve to systematically condition the horses, as well as to select for soundness, courage and stamina.  Premises adopted for racing Arabians in Poland were: (1) Arabian horses would race relatively long distances; (2) they would race while carrying heavier weights; (3) they would begin racing as three-year-olds; and (4) the classic races such as the Derby and Oaks would be organized for four-year-olds.  Bogdan Zientarski, stud manager for Prince Sanguszko, developed an elaborate system of organizing races, so successful that the number of race days, races, participating horses, and purses increased year after year.  Travelling in France in 1929, Zientarski discovered not only a 40-year history of racing, but racehorses far superior to the Polish Arabians.  He imported a number of French horses, including an excellent colt, Nedjari 1926 (Nibeh DB x Nedjarine). When the imported French Arabians began winning on the Polish tracks, Zientarski eliminated the mares tracing to the old Sanguszko family lines from the breeding program.  However, the Ministry of Agriculture and private breeders favored the original Polish type, highly prized for its great beauty and refinement, which was lost when the Polish Arabian was crossed with the French horse. Therefore, the T.H.K.A. ruled that the French Arabians and their progeny could not participate in classic races.

One could argue effectively that the ruling to deny French Arabians saved the Polish Arabian from morphing into something other than the horses we know today.  As Eight Belles reminds us so brutally, we face the same danger today, however, by allowing to Arabian racing follow the path of the French and Thoroughbreds.  To breed entirely for speed, ignoring soundness and other worthy attributes of the Arabian, is to put the animals we cherish so much at risk.  Regardless of the money or laurels afforded the winners, it is morally repugnant to do so.

April  27, 2008

I love Derby week -- the works, the speculation, even more enhanced with some phenomenal websites like www.kentuckyderby.com.  A few days ago, Nick Zito worked Cool Coal Man in company with Coal Man's designated rider, Julien Leparoux, on the opposing mount.  Zito said he wanted Julien, "to be able to see his horse rather than be on top of him."  This logic had me scratching my head till we repeated our previous workout at Soaring Eagle from 12 days ago, with Kara and I also switching mounts.  As we let the girls extend the last quarter I had a growing appreciation of Katie and of Zito's reasoning.

Training race horses, or any type of horse for that matter, is learning how to "listen" to what your horse is telling you.  Katie has, for the last couple weeks, been trying to tell me something I haven't been able to hear.  She has been a bit agitated in her gallops, throwing her head and finding reasons to spook.  From checking teeth, changing up the warm up to try and help relax her in the gallops -- we are ticking the boxes to find some solutions.  Katie was perfect today and told me, I am starting to hear what she has been saying.

As any breeder knows, most horses need to go down the drive way at some point, never to return.  This is not always an easy task, and finding the "perfect home" can be even more challenging in the current market of decreased demand.  Count Enchantor as one of the lucky ones, the tall 2 year old *Ecaho colt finds a new home we couldn't be happier with.  May all our foals be so blessed.

April  15, 2008

The fragility of life became brutally apparent yesterday when my cell rings 500 miles away from home.  It was one of our clients who just arrived at the farm to find Pejczyk hobbling along in the north pasture.  He had torn a huge chunk of his right front foot and hoof completely away.  With nobody home, she wanted to know what she should do.  I heard myself rattle off in a mechanical voice immediate instructions to help stabilize the situation, and then listed off the vets to call in order of importance -- their numbers written on the whiteboard by the tack room.  As I hung up to let her attend to my directions, a feeling of complete helplessness washed over me because of my geography, and quite frankly feeling utterly afraid of what this might mean.  A horse's foot is, quite literally, his life.  Derby winner Barbaro taught us all that without four sound limbs, survival is simply not a reasonable possibility for our equine counterparts.  I can't help but think of Pejczyk's impact on our farm and lives, as he is unequivocally the foundation on which everything has been built.  Beyond Pejczyk's obvious phenotype and genotype, he also has the "uncommon generosity" which goes to our deep emotional attachment to this animal. The last 24 hours have been a roller coaster of emotions till this morning when Dr. Gaughan, equine surgeon at Littleton Large Animal Clinic, pronounced, "he probably dodged a bullet" and has a good prognosis for full recovery.  Certainly this does not mean Pejczyk is out of the woods, nor does not mean that there will not be significant challenges over the next nine months that will take to recover, but we happily accept this opposed to the unimaginable darker alternative. 

April 6, 2008

Early morning as I roll down I-25 under an azure blue sky just south of Castle Rock.  This is one of my favorite areas of this state -- the table top buttes, rocky outcroppings, expanses of rolling grassland dispersed by forests of ancient ponderosas.  All of this in the shadow of Pikes Peak looming in the distance, still covered in winter snow.  Zebulan Pike "discovered" the mountain in 1806, though the indigenous Kiowa, Arapahoe and Cheyenne would probably dispute that claim.  The mountain inspired Katherine Bates' America the Beautiful "... above the fruited plain..." line  -- certainly an important piece of Americana.  My destination is the Soaring Eagle Ranch a few miles to the east, an expansive 225 acre farm owned by Jane and Ray Teusch, fixtures of Arabian racing in Colorado.  The Teusch's have also been generous with the use of their facility, even to those who are essentially their competitors.  They know a rising tide lifts all boats large and small.

The plan is to gallop the girls -- Katie and Emaranta -- 2 miles letting them stretch out the last quarter.  This will serve two purposes 1) getting some speed into them and 2) letting Kara who will have the mount on Emaranta get the feel of opening her up.  Emaranta defies an appropriately eloquent description as she is trotting out in the warm up with her neck bowed in the bridle, and pushing off her rear end in a beautifully dappled gray coat.  Kara sitting her perfectly completes the picture.   When we get to the final turn of the final mile, Katie and I have a two length advantage but it disappears in two ground inhaling strides when Kara clucks to Emaranta.  With Katie's lack of foundation and a 30 pound disadvantage, the two explode by us and are gone.  I have to yell up the track to have Kara ease her, Emaranta's legs always in the back of my mind.  When Katie and I finally catch up, Kara can't hide her grin - no doubt my niece will soon be a better rider than I ever will. 

Maks also goes for a mile jog/ gallop just as easy as you please.  He is a little studdy, and unsure of unfamiliar surroundings, but exemplary other than that. Certainly forgivable, first time ever ridden off the farm.  He continues to do nothing wrong, legs still stone cold in the morning, so we will continue to go forward.

Last bit of news for the week is the birth of Pejczyk's first half Arabian foal, out of a Quarter Horse mare.  The palomino colt has been dubbed "Peyd N Gold", can't argue it isn't fitting.  The breeder is ecstatic, must say to me the color was a little shocking, however, the trademark poll and tight ears say it is a Pejczyk.  The Poles have bred Anglo-Arabians for centuries and still do, also use their Arabian sires to improve the local horse population.  Stands to reason a Polish sire in the western US would cover a Quarter Horse - the cowboy in my father is tickled to no end.

March 22, 2008

An unseasonable early chill in the air as I stood this morning under a cloudless sky in the north pasture, knit cap pulled down low and the collar of my jacket turned up.  I could hear Katie's hooves striking the soft earth and the rhythmic snorting of her breathing drifting through the quiet.  Kara was galloping her on the uphill section of our "track" for the third time, past my vantage point and under my scrutiny.  My 15 year old niece has been given the okay from her parents to being an exercise rider at the track, today was her first go at taking one of the race string out for their morning gallop.  Katie was a animated, wanting to open up a little more than Kara was letting her.  Kara did a great job keeping her under wraps.  For her second mount, I gave the okay to stretch Emaranta out a little more the last lap.  Emaranta was bending into the bridle and kicking up dirt as she dug up the hill.  When the duo trotted back I could see the hint of a smile underneath Kara's helmet, proof enough of the enjoyment for both.

Last weekend we took Pj and Emfatyk down to the Horse Expo to sell breedings to the former, just plain sell the latter.  A decent amount of traffic and certainly some interest, but still two in the trailer home.  Pj certainly relishes this role and was on his absolute best behavior.  Stood like a 25 year old gelding for pets, carrots, and endless questions from the youngsters.  He also waited patiently our turn to present for the Breed Parade, but as soon as they announced his name, tail went up and he snorted in --  an 11 year old warrior that knows the score and willing to do his part.

Maks is doing even better in the long lines, and already been ridden around the track by himself.  Can't believe how attached I have become to this colt and how much I see his father *Ganges in him.  Has that "show me once then I got it" attitude, he is on the sale list, but secretly hoping the others go first.

February 22, 2008

Just returned to home after a 5 week trip that ended in Japan.   Great country with friendly people but made me acutely aware I am a western American in my soul.  After a week of close quarters in that island nation, I finally felt I could breath again in the wide open spaces of the Colorado plains.  Beautiful day with temps in the high 50's and the front range blanketed in white from one of the best winters for snow in a decade.

Chores for today are the getting the farm's racing string out for some jogging -  called "legging up" in race track vernacular, getting the joints, tendons and soft cartilage ready for the upcoming gallops.  Emaranta seems unsure about getting back to work after a winter break but Katie now seems to understand her role and is into the bit, straining to go.  She seems more mature and developed as a four year old, and I have no doubt I will have a my hands full with her gallops.

I also climb aboard our three year old *Ganges colt Maksimum for the first time.  The round pen is still full of snow so made due in the arena with mom holding him on the lead.  Already he is doing great bitted in side reins and he never moved a muscle as I mounted as lightly as I could muster.  Maks is also filling out and I am quietly optimistic about his chances for success.

Decided a week home with the family before my next trip was better than rushing down to Scottsdale, doesn't mean we aren't in touch with the news though.  Baske Afire sells to Strawberry Banks farm for 2.8 million, we couldn't be happier with the buyer -- great stallion and great farm.  A couple nationals back I was there with Flynn who was only a few months old at the time.  As my parents were talking with Brian Murch, Barbara couldn't resist slipping over to talk kids rather than horses.  I told her tongue in cheek that I just bought Flynn a t-shirt that said "Egyptians Make Me Cry!"  She brightened and asked where, then laughed when she realized I was only kidding.  Strawberry Banks has their priorities right:  family, honesty and the welfare of the Arabian horse first and foremost...  if they can make a sale that would be great too.  They deserve all the success they can handle.

November 27, 2007

It was a beautiful day in Colorado for Thanksgiving.  A dusting of snow and temps in the mid 30's, but in the still dry air, the sunshine makes it feel warmer.  The big activity of the day besides eating, of course, was a trail ride with 14 friends and family on 12 of the farm's horses.  The idea originated with mom, Kara and Tisa and they did a bulk of the organizing.  No small task when one considers matching horse, rider, saddle and tack.  They labored a few hours making lists and putting together bridles.

Not all of the riders were experienced, nor were all the horses for that matter.  The riders ranged from 4 to mid 70's, the horses from 3 to 22.  What made me even prouder were three of the horses had spent their summer on the track, a testament to the soundness of mind and disposition of a well trained race horse.

My son insisted on riding our 7 year old mare Brilliance who has raced his entire four year old life.  He has only known going to the track for her important morning works, cheering her in "our colors" Saturday afternoons in Colorado, or via simulcast during her two autumn campaigns in Texas.  As an esteemed member of the family, she certainly occupies that same place in his heart that an older sibling who was the varsity quarterback would.  No surprise when he has his choice of mounts, it is always Brilliance.

November 19, 2007

Any equine evaluation, with the exception of a work at the track,  is done purely from a subjective point of view.  When you say, "that horse is well coupled, or great length of leg", it is not because of some objective measurement.  Our 2 year old *Ganges colt Maksimum is just beginning some initial ground work for starting under saddle.  We have always considered him to the be the longest necked individual the farm has ever produced.  Today I add objective proof to that subjective assessment.  Our side reins which have been used on every other horse on this farm are too short for this stretchy guy.  I need to swing by the feed store for some bungee and scissor clips, that along with some electricians tape and we are good to go.

There is no doubt that Maks loves to run, a fact he demonstrates daily after he is turned out.  The other colts and gelding soon tire of his game of "follow me" and turn bystanders.  Doesn't matter, Maks still churns out the laps around 30 acres.  I hope he makes the connection to this love of gallops when he steps on the track for the first time this spring.

The *Ecaho colt is also coming three but acts more like an 18 year old gelding that has seen it all.  My niece has started him under saddle.  When dad explained to our reining trainer what this 15 year old was doing, he said, "don't take that horse to a trainer, they will just ruin him."  Considering the source, words to contemplate.  Kara and I talked about Emfatyk getting his shot at the track this summer too, since my parents gave the nod,  he is now on "work list".  The easy ones like this don't take that much trouble to see if they have any talent, it is the difficult ones you may never have the patience to find out.

October 27, 2007

The adobe steeple rolls by on our way down Raton pass, remnants of an 1700's era Spanish mission framed in golden cottonwoods and burnished scrub oak.  My son asks for the fourth time in as many minutes if we are still in New Mexico, and finally receives a different answer... we are back in Colorado.  It is bittersweet return from the last US Nationals in Albuquerque, we celebrated the previous night with a traditional meal at the Church Street Cafe in Old Town. 

We also said our goodbyes to the legend *Elandra.  She is off to her new purchaser in Australia, her Reserve Championship did not diminish her worth in my eyes however.  George Z took us back to her stall where she was being measured for a life size bronze by noted sculptor Judy Nordquist -- fitting praise.  Both my son and niece fed her some carrots, first time they were able see her in the flesh.  My niece, now 15, noted she thought *Elandra would be a little deeper in the chest for a mare that ran second in the Oaks.  There is a candor about her that makes me smile.

We also witnessed the crowning of the newest legend from the distinguished family of Emigracja, great granddaughter *Emandoria.  She won easily and unanimously in simplistic fashion.  I have a growing respect for Greg Gallun and his handling of these Polish masterpieces.  MichałÛw can now stow this trophy next to her World Championship trophy from last year, and her mother's a few years before that.  To think of it in those terms, it is hard to over exaggerate the accomplishment.  My son certainly liked her the best, I doubt however because of superior equine appreciation, due more to her name or maybe the sleezy she was wearing as he fed her carrots.  To a 4 year old, she must have looked like the super hero she is.

October 9, 2007

For hundreds of years for farmers in the west, fall has always meant putting up hay for the winter.  We carry out the tradition on a beautiful October day -- 135 bales to a load.  Only forty five degrees this morning meant digging out the Carharts buried since spring, but by mid morning we are down to t-shirts and drinking long pulls from the water bottles - one cup of morning coffee was a poor choice for today's chore.  My brother recently retired from the Air Force and moved his family back to build a house in the north forty.  His labor is welcome and makes this task easier for my father and I than previous years.  An overflow of horses means the hay barn has been converted to stalls, which also means the hay is now outside needing to be covered.  My four year old son Flynn proudly climbs the stack to help hang tarps, and asks innocently, "Are you guys sure the horses will eat all of this?" 

After a break for a snack, mom, son and grandson go for a ride.  I get  Brilliance saddled honoring my commitment to help her cope with her retirement from racing.  Brilliance had been playing musical stalls, but now more comfortable with the older mares.  Maybe she just wanted away from the "kids barn."  Flynn rides Godiva alone in the arena while we get ready.  Not the first grandchild Godiva has been entrusted with.  When my niece was about the same age she would shimmy up Godiva's leg like a pole to get in the saddle.  At that point we figured Godiva was broke.  She can no longer carry a foal to term, but Godiva's role on the farm isn't any less important.  My mom rides Melissa and I smile at thought of two grandmothers taking the younger generation for a ride.  With more confidence than his experience warrants, Flynn doesn't want Granny to pony him as we head out to the pasture, I patiently tell him his time will come.  My son chatters on, Godiva flicking her ears back every now and then, wondering if this is something she should pay attention to.  The temperature is pushing high 60's, and the sun feels warm on my back.  I soak in the moment, committing it to memory for future years.

September 21, 2007

This is my favorite time of the year in Colorado.  The high plain's cottonwoods are just starting to hint at the luminous gold they will soon turn -- higher up, the aspen are already there.  The nights are cool and finally back to some decent sleeping weather.  The days are filled with pleasant sunshine, something to soak in rather than avoid like in August.  The sky has also turned an azure and completely cloudless blue that has made the state famous. 

I resolve to try and help Brilliance settle into retirement before the first snow, hopefully a few bareback rides and some trips to explore new trails will be just what is needed.  No doubt my tall bay mare is not handling being unemployed very well right now.  "She is just feels too good, doesn't know what to do with herself," my father reports.  Brilliance ran her 16th and last race in July.  She had been cording up in the race -- certainly a painful, both to experience and to watch.  Since Brilliance was 7 years old and already proved she can win, I wanted to do right by her, and called it a career.  Seems now I probably should have had this discussion with Brilliance before I made my decision.

On the track, Brilliance was a serious filly, always attacking her morning workouts.  When I say attack, it is also not some overly dramatic description, but entirely accurate having been on the receiving end of her gallops.  I remember once we were going for an "easy" two miles, but rounding the clubhouse turn after the first mile, my calves were cramping, I was drenched in sweat and to make matters worse was, starting to lose a stirrup.  Brilliance was still on the bit and I was having serious doubts about making it by the gap where my fellow trainers watch with any sort of dignity.  I did, but the various scenarios of how that could have ended up still make me smile.

She gives me that look right now that seems to ask "Why aren't we training?  What did I do wrong?  I know I can still win!"  It makes my heart ache, this filly has given me her life every time I asked.  I wish I could explain this isn't punishment, but trying to protect her.  I don't think the looks will stop, however, till she has something else to occupy her time.  Maybe a foal by her side will do just that.

September 4, 2007

I can finally feel fall in the early morning air, the chill is fleeting, but promises an end to the dog days of summer.  The fall show is over and, as with any show, we had both our successes and disappointments.  The successes will be remembered by garlands, photos and ribbons hanging in the tack room, the disappointments for only a week more.  At the moment, however, the most overwhelming feeling is fatigue.  We are not a "below the sidewalk" farm --  a tongue in cheek term coined from a funny encounter at Albuquerque a couple years ago.  It refers to the reserved box seats that are below the walkway in Tingley arena, we have always had general admission tickets.  Because we are not a "below the sidewalk" farm, it means WE actually do everything -- from setting up the drapes, multiple trips hauling horses, to on our knees sanding halter horse's feet.  When the Wednesday to Sunday (not counting prep days) show was over we had a labor day picnic at the farm trying to re-charge our batteries.  Only my 4 year old still had energy reserves to show off by driving his John Deere gator no handed to the delight of the family.

In all we had 8 (3 were client's) horses that showed in halter and performance classes.  Our row won four championships in the Colorado Breeders Cup (CBC), a number of class wins and a championship in the class A show.  Our blue collar filly Katie picked up a check in both her halter and hunter pleasure class.  That she went from the track to a controlled hand gallop in the show ring with a just turned 15 year old in the irons a week later is testament to a 3 year old with a great mind.  Overall, between clients and farm horses, our horses pocketed over $13,000 in CBC payback-- an astonishing amount that will take the sting out of the numerous costs of training and showing.  In most ways, the money was spent before we arrived, we are only acting as the middle man with someone else's cash.

The next week will be spent getting long needed video of sale horses, sending out stallion DVD's and all the other tasks put on hold as we prepared for the show.  I am looking forward to the more casual pace of fall, maybe start a few 2 year old colts in the long lines, and of course, a return to Tingley and our "above the side walk" seats.

August 8, 2007

The summer heat is back but we had a brief break from a monsoonal flow out of the Gulf of California that brought a daily drenching for more than a week.  It was a welcome respite, but for a semi-arid land that is not used to so much moisture the torrents of rain washed everything in its path.  Therefore we needed to tractor in more sand (which is in great supply on the farm from the sometimes dry creek beds) for the round pen.  The pastures are waist high though, a beautiful sight in an afternoon breeze.

The summer race season is all but over -- one weekend left but no races for our fillies.  Means we need to swing through and clean out the tack stall, pick up papers, silks and settle any accounts.  No horses will make the fall trip to Texas as Brilliance did last year.  The economics of $900 a month plus vet bills means a filly needs to finish first or second every race.  Texas is a deeper pool than Colorado -- need to know they can swim before we throw them in. 

This doesn't mean the work is over, already for the last couple months the farm has been in full swing with the show string getting ready for the Colorado Breeders Cup -- all the Pejczyks and *Ecahos are eligible, plus a *Ganges colt to show in the Open.  While I have been toiling at the track, my niece and contract trainer have been working these horses.  With track horses done, I can help out conditioning the halter colts, a *Ganges and an *Ecaho -- both two years old.  They have been turned out "Polish style" with the other males on the farm.  The nicks and bruises are testament to a playful summer.  They will be separated now for the remaining few weeks to "clean" them up a bit.  Their forelocks are half way down their faces, manes long, definition on their flanks... I like their look already.  (We will debate later whether to clip bridle paths though I know how I will vote!)  In this heat doesn't take long to work up a sweat under the neoprene in the round pen.  I have also been schooling them, always a difficult task.  No secret what most trainers will do to get that "hard stand up".  Besides just the ethics of the behavior, I can't find it in me to violate the trust these colts have shown in me.  So while I won't ever hit them, with some hissing, a "scary broom", etc, I am slowly getting them to tighten up their bodies and show.  I guess the proof of my efforts will come in front of the judge.

Katie is still in training, but of a different type.  She got her gate approval and was ready to race, just didn't get a start before the end of the meet.  She did every thing right, but we didn't want to rush her.  "Only three," dad says, "we do right by her and she will right by us."  Next year we hope will be her time to shine, both racing and at Sport Horse Nationals.  No rest yet as she will go to back to the halter ring to help her sire earn stallion award points for the CBC.  Quite a summer so far as she won Regional Reserve Champion in SHIH -- a blue collar filly that has already done "right by us" and the backbone of the farm.

July 27, 2007

Colorado is Spanish for "colored red", a name derived by Conquistadors in seeing the Fountain Formation -- a brick colored band of sandstone that runs north to south across the state.  It was pushed to the surface 230 million or so years ago when two continents collided, giving birth to the Rocky Mountains.  An appropriate name, not only in its description, but hints at the history of this southwest state.  Certainly Colorado can be categorized a variety of  ways, but a few miles south of Colorado Springs the names tell the tale: La Junta, Pueblo, La Veta, Alamosa, Salida, Buena Vista, Durango, Cortez, and so on. 

Sitting in an airport again which is a large part of my nomadic lifestyle, I am trying to make it home for early morning gallops.  Thunderstorms in Charlotte seem to have other plans.  I bide my time by reading the Wall Street Journal about potatoes rotting in the fields outside Twin Falls.  I have driven that stretch of interstate in the evening dusk, irrigation pipes spraying the Snake river onto green fields that stretch to the horizon -- the organic smell of earth and humidity in the warm summer air brings a smile at recollection.  The farmers' plight is caused by increased border patrols in Arizona that are keeping their work force from making it north -- proof enough even legal Americans don't want this work.  We have seen the same situation closer to home, the backside has less good hands this summer and riders are in demand.  Legal or not, they are good horseman and the backbone of the industry.  Trying to find replacements that will work 14 hours - 6 days a week, sleep in the tack room, clean stalls, and have the skill to tape a horse on race day is near impossible.  Hard working men that make their way back to wives, children and parents south of the border when the meet is over.

Years ago I groomed for a National Showhorse barn to get some experience.  I soon found out my value was not in my skills, but that I had a drivers license.  One of my first tasks was driving a full 12 horse trailer from the farm to the show facilities outside Denver.  I was accompanied by Felix, a young man about my own age.  He was the right hand of the barn's trainer, spoke little, when he did it wasn't in English.  From cleaning stalls, tacking horses, to warming them up, Felix did it all.  License or not, he could also handle the big truck, so whenever I got into a fix, he would scramble over me and get the rig going again, then we would switch places back.  I still see him at shows, we always smile in recognition.  I have my doubts I will see him this year.  Certainly there is no easy answer, but they are inextricably interwoven in the horse industry and the heritage of this land, reason enough the agrarian west has been largely quiet in the debate.

July 25, 2007

Race for breeding -- a simple concept the Poles have done for decades that seems to befuddle American breeders who insist on trying to specialize an inherently versatile breed.  In trying to mirror the Poles we have encountered the same confused understanding of our own objectives from breeders.  We also don't try to breed race horses, we race horses to try to improve our breeding program and hopefully breed a good horse.  As matter of record, we also show, but when we spend 2k for one show compared to racing all summer to actually make money, especially with the lucrative state bred program, simple economics explain why we do more of one than the other.  Also, keeping in mind Arabians have been an implement of war throughout antiquity, what better modern way to tests a war horse's stamina, speed, soundness and above all courage than racing?  Does western pleasure serve as the same measure of a horse's courage?  A day at the races gives an easy answer, charging through a hole on the rail amid flying dirt and hooves is not for the feint hearted equine.  At the same time, we want to adhere to the breed standard of type.  For example we bred to Ontario HF not because he was a great race horse, but because he was correct, beautiful AND a great race horse.  To be sure, this is a delicate and difficult balance, and in the modern arena of specialized english, halter or race horses, not the direction a majority of breeders choose.  That said, we don't feel it makes it any less worthy. 

July 22, 2007

I was in Rhode Island with my in-laws celebrating one of two annual birthdays for my son -- the result of doting grandparents on separate ends of the country.  While the east coast set concentrated on balloons, presents and cake to entertain a 4 year old, the other set had their hands full saddling for race day with an absent trainer, further complicated in that Emaranta had yet returned to last year's form in the afternoon despite some glowing morning workouts. 

It was another crazy week, began by thinking we will start the Pejczyk filly Katie with Emaranta sitting out till we figure out her problems.  Then it is decided Katie needs a rest too so both are out.  Finally, Dr. Moak works his magic, "No reason Emaranta can't run."  As always...  feet, feet, and feet!  She wasn't hitting the ground quite right, causing a little inflammation in the knees, which surely were starting to sting just when the jockey was asking for her life.  Regardless the breed, "no foot no horse" rings true. 

With the same nervousness as if I was there, I took a ten minute break from the party to watch Emaranta dispatch a huge rally from 17 lengths back at the 3/8ths pole, getting up for third.  It was elation for the family, not only did she return to last years form, but seeing Emaranta bouncing back to barn -- snorting with her tail over her back -- made it clear she physically felt great and still enjoyed her job.  Jockey Guillermo Izquierdo, on her back for the first time, was thrilled, "This filly never stopped trying!"  There is no better compliment for an Arabian mare that ponies my son on her days off.

July 20, 2007

Horses generate far more expenses than just feed and shoes as anyone who has ever spent any length of time with the creatures would know.  Running in from the pasture, the herd, with our newest Pejczyk foal in the lead, decided to end their charge a little belatedly.  The foal was "tea kettled" (my father's description) by his 3 year old full sister.  This sent him head long into the metal gate, breaking both his upper and lower jaw, and knocking out a fair amount of his teeth.  This happened a few days ago and he was rushed to Littleton Large for surgery.  The good news is he will make a full recovery, with the only evidence that will remain as an adult is a little more frequent dental care.  The bad news will come today as he is picked up and the bill paid.  I could do a query on Quick Books to see the total we have spent at that establishment, but I think some things are better left for other times.  The filly who did the tea kettling also did not escape unscathed, needing some stitches but otherwise will be fine.  Horses will find any danger in the pasture, or failing that, will make their own.  Reason enough we fret about posts, gate latches and holes almost constantly. 

Another "medical" issue on the farm is too many testicles.  The solution, all be it an easy one, is made difficult by the finality of it.  Any un-shown, un-raced colt that has never lost and carries limitless hope to some future buyer.  In theory anyway, but experienced breeders know few make it and there are far too many stallions compared to sires.  I remember one May in Poland we had just returned from a pasture full of yearling and two year old colts at MichałÛw.  Dad asked Director Jaworowski how many he thought they would keep as stallion prospects. After a moment of thought Jaworowski replied, "One -- maybe two," then quickly added, "but this was a very good year!"

July 8, 2007

Colorado Arabian Race Day at the track means a full day affair.  Put together in cooperation of the Colorado Arabian Breeders Alliance (CABA) and Colorado Owners and Breeders of Racing Arabians (COBRA) it is a day to introduce people to Arabian racing, with talks, tours, races and perhaps most important, lunch at the track.  For me it is a full morning with getting Katie to the gates early, shoeing Brilliance, then saddling Emaranta in the 4th and everything that comes with that.  All this will be done in the baking sun, highs will be deep into the 90's.

Katie was near perfect on her gate work.  Shaun the starters says, "one more time and we are there," in his calm quiet way, strange from such a hulk of a man.  Must be habit from someone who makes his living cajoling naturally claustrophobic creatures into confined spaces.  Emaranta ran huge till the quarter, only half a length back and a hole opening up on the inside.  For the briefest of moments I thought this was her day, but there was no response.  Looking at the race replay, seems she did everything on her own, never asked down the lane.  Could be my fault for the 2 minute mile four days ago that left her short, but I have a sneaking suspicion we might need a change in riders.  A difficult choice, one I am not keen on, but it is still mine to make.

The girls have their legs wrapped and ready to go home, it is hot, dusty and both humans and horses are tired.  Dad paying a few bills, so I leave my niece in charge at the stalls.  As I load my son into car, I hear 4 minutes to post for race 6 over the track PA.  The race is an open allowance for boys that will pit the some of the best of the country, certainly from the track, against each other.  Earlier the track handicapper told our group it would be the race of the day.  Made me smile to hear him talk about an Arabian race that way.  As I strapped my son in, I asked if he would like to see it.  "Yeah" was his enthusiastic response.

I drove through the backside to a small parking area over looking the quarter pole, the distance down the stretch to grandstands and wire.  The announcer is barely audible through the open windows.  The gates pop open at the 7 furlong pole over half a mile away.  There is a flood of color onto the track and the field starts rolling down the backstretch in silence.  As they start into the turn the first sound to reach us is the horses' breathing, it is soft and muted, next comes their hooves striking the freshly tilled track, soft and constant.  SW Zell, one of the best in the country, is favored, but I am routing for SE Bunker Buster.  Bunker is a stout liver chestnut, not very tall but endowed with athletic talent and heart.  His dam was second in the AJC Oaks in Delaware.  I talked with Jose who had the mount on Bunker earlier in the day, he was excited at his chances.  Jose is as talented as they come, and there are days he is masterful, I hope he has one of those days.

I see him in the yellow silks let Bunker out a notch as they near the end of the turn and I cringe at Jose's decision.  Bunker flattens his ears and has the lead in two strides, SW sitting patiently off his flank.  I yell encouragement out the open window, startling my son at both the noise and my intensity.  The next sound to reach us is like large sporadic drops of rain hitting the windshield.  It takes me a moment to realize it is the jock's sticks finding the sides of their mounts.  Even with us now, SW makes his move and draws up with Bunker who fights to hold him off.  But Bunker is empty, and SW is by.  It is silent again, except for the soft drone of the announcer in the distance and then a brief surge from the crowd as the horses hit the wire.  SW wins, Bunker dug deep to hold on for second. 

I turn on the car and head out of the west end of the lot, blackened skies over the front range hold a promise of needed rain.  I hear the soft snore of my son in back seat.  SW is a worthy winner, but Bunker has danced every dance and always gives his all.  I think that counts for something. 

July 3, 2007

I have always equated a love of horses with a sickness that can reap havoc on your finances and relationships if you are not careful.  Perhaps it is genetic, perhaps it is environmental -- I tend to lean to the former and think it can more often be found in the females of the human species.  How else could you explain the multitude of young girls at horse shows on any weekend across the country?  Their population would dwarf the males by 4 to 1 by my estimation.  My niece has the affliction -- in all likely hood incurable.  This has its blessings as my parents will always have help on the farm where work is plentiful.  It also provided the farm with the first homebred Regional Champion as WA Borkata won Region VIII Reserve Champion Mare both Open and ATH in SHIH.  The three year old filly was taking a break from her training at the track.  It was not the result of a master plan developed over the long winter, more of a result in the filly not quite ready for the Colorado Breeders Cup (CBC) race scheduled for the 8th, so we decided to take some time off and shoot for the CBC SHIH at Estes Park.  A reserve championship and finishing 2nd out of 11 in the regional pre-show gave reason for the family to huddle again.  My niece assured me she could do 10 points better next go around, so she got her shot.  Now she is formulating a plan for Nationals, like I said...

June 17, 2007

Doing  the usual morning hustle at the track in getting everything lined up for Katie's first work when passing a walker full with Thoroughbreds.  Something had just set them off;  the snorting, tails flagging, and floating movement of these 16 + hand running machines gave me reason enough to stop and watch the spectacle.  It was proof the Arabian blood, despite generations back, really isn't buried that far below the surface.   

Back to the real business of the day, confirming with "Wild Bill" who is to be up for the pending work.  The race track is the ultimate free market with the economic ebb and flow of everyone -- trainers, jockeys, their agents and exercise riders -- all trying to move themselves up a notch.  Loyalty lasts for the length of a ride, business is business, and those that take things personally won't last long.  Billy is "bunched up" and can make no promises on getting her out.  No surprise - everyone will ride your stakes winners, however, few raise their hand for a non-starter.  Plan B turns out to be better than Plan A as  I see Polly who worked for me a couple years back when I first got my license, she says she can get to me third after the break.  She was first call on Pejczyk and a large part of his success in winning.  Her quiet demeanor, superior schooling skills, and innate feel of the horse are tailor made for today's work.  Her being on Pejczyk's daughter for her first speed is beautifully poetic, and I can't help but smile at my luck.

I have legged Polly up with no martingale and stirrups up short which on the backside means speed.  Katie senses this is not the usual gallop and is a little bit on edge.  Polly listens to my instructions, "Just take her around the long way, work from the 3/8ths.  This is just a schooling work, nothing fancy."  I hope my voice conveys none of the nervousness I feel.  Polly seems confident that I have Katie prepared for this next step, though I suddenly wish I could do one more gallop on her.

Not the fastest work, not even close... but Katie stretched out down the lane coming home in 13 and change for the last 1/8, a time which hints at possible turn of foot.  Katie was well within herself and still pulling around the turn .  Polly is all smiles coming off the gap, "What a mind this filly has!," she gushes.  Katie would do great with company next time Polly also reports.  A gritty filly that is like her father -- Polly wants to stay aboard for the next work and I am happy to have her - both of us thinking we moved "up a notch".

June 10, 2007

Emaranta had her second work today, fastest of the day going a 1/2 in 54.6.  Marc, her committed jockey, was up for the work, and was grinning coming off the track.  Emaranta is showing more speed than last year, as I caught her through the first 3/8ths in 39 and change.  I am excited about the work, the best of her career so far.  Marc loves her, and can't keep from saying it over and over.  I hope that his enthusiasm and Emaranta's approval of him will get them clear late stretch.  Racing is about experience and knowledge, but just as important is enthusiasm and confidence.  Watching the team I assembled bouncing next to me, Emaranta's tail over her back and snorting with Marc laying on her neck and talking in her ear, who am I to argue.  This duo clearly thinks they can win.   

June 5, 2007

There is a tired clichÈ that horse business highs are few compared to the plentiful lows.  Tired it may be, but also true as the last few days have bore witness.  Story begins with our "Oops baby" -- a Pejczyk daughter out of his mother.  Yeah, you read correct, the result of a two year old colt out to pasture with the mares.  Pejczyk was so docile and laid back, we thought he had some serious testosterone and fertility issues.  That clearly proved not to be the case, Pejczyk was just not one to kiss and tell!   We didn't even realize Phyllan was in foal till we spent the spring trying to fit up a pregnant mare -- not our proudest moment.  To this inauspicious beginning came Piekna - Polish for "Beautiful" - few would argue an inappropriate use of the name.  Despite lack of womb nutrition, we did out best to give her the attention any horse deserves.  With not a lot of positives, not the least of which a useable pedigree, left her off the list of breeding, and sale candidates.  After being started under saddle on the farm, Piekna accompanied her mother to Texas and in the care of my niece.   Piekna went to a trainer for finishing up who deemed her "un-trainable."  (That my 10 year old niece assumed the role and started riding her over jumps speaks volumes of that trainer's talent!)  "Pets" don't enhance the economic viability of a breeding operation, which means Piekna needed a home.  After several no takers over the years, Piekna was donated a month ago to a farm that took care of abused children.  We had hopes that she had found her place in this world, as she was the favorite of a couple ten year old boys.  Two days ago we got a call from the program director that Piekna had been kicked, and her leg shattered.  My parents immediately left for to see her.  Nothing the vet and staff could do, but they waited till my parents arrived as a courtesy for them to say their goodbyes before she was put down.  Piekna was brought back to the farm and laid to rest next to one of our most esteemed breeding successes.  As mom explains to my 3 year old son, "So I can remember her every time I walk by" - proof that ribbons won or dollars earned are not a barometer of emotional attachment.  Through her tears, my mother summed it up best, "I just wish she had had a better life."

The next day I saddled my filly Brilliance at Arapahoe for an allowance race.  She was the morning line favorite by the handicappers, having been first or second since August in her campaign from Colorado to Texas.  Fighting the rear wraps, and a loose horse on the way to the saddling paddock didn't nothing to settle an edgy filly, laying waste to our best plan.  Brilliance galloped home last.  She seemed frustrated as me on the way back to the barn.  Simple law of the horse business should have predicted the outcome, highs come by themselves, the lows in torrents.

May 22, 2007

I was away on business when I got an excited call from mom -- Estansia had her Pejczyk foal, a gray colt.  The arrival was about right according to the chart, but we had been expecting it for a couple weeks as she was showing signs of an early delivery.  Estansia is a sneaky one though, and doesn't advertise too much as most of her previous foals have been found in the morning alert, up and nursing -- all this despite video monitors in the barn.  Monitors, of course, demand the viewer be awake to be useful!

As is most often the case, we had hoped for filly especially since the two previous foals out of Estansia were colts.  Estansia's only filly, her first foal, was sold at a few days old -- misguided confidence that the farm can produce another easily.  Life, however, is unpredictable, those precious fillies should be treasured as this young fellow reminds us.  A healthy correct foal regardless the gender, however, helps erase any disappointment.

May 14, 2007

Emaranta bounced back all right.  After two days off she was all I could handle today.  We galloped a mile and a half at Arapahoe, my first time out on the track this year.  She was in the bridle, snorting and begging me to turn her loose.  She IS going to be tough this summer.

Later and unceremoniously at roughly 9:45 am the first Pejczyk foal ever stepped on a public race track when Katie - WA Borkata out of *Boruta - ponied 1 mile.  Mom and I stood on the rail and watched.  She is starting to look the part and certainly acted like her old man --never turned a hair.  Jaime said she was the best one she has taken all week.  Katie will return this week or on Monday for her first gallop.  Still too early to see when her first start will be, but she shipped great, nice a relaxed.  Today was certainly a positive step, and she is ready for the next one.

May 11, 2007

Pulled into Arapahoe Park mid morning after taking my son to pre-school.  The high plains were awash in a sea of green with snow covered Mt. Evans and Longs Peak dominated the horizon.  The sky was cloudless with not a breath of wind.  I just wanted to swing through and drop off a blanket for Brilliance and get my license renewed.  Liz wanted to know if I would ride Brilliance as she was up for a mile and a quarter leg stretcher.  Not having my vest, helmet and boots with me, I needed to regretfully decline.  I stayed, however to see the gallop.  Brilliance dragged Nathan most of it, and when I asked how she was Nathan responded, "This filly just wants to rock and roll."  Indeed, Brilliance truly believes there are only two speeds, stopped and all out, of the two she prefers all out. 

I walked with them back to the barn and I realized why I love racing so much.  Though the competition, the thrill of the gallops and the pure joy the horses show in their work is all an important part, but I think the real reason is the look of a fit, well conformed Arabian race horse coming off the track.  Brilliance bounced next to me, her dark bay coat stained in sweat, nostrils flared on her chiseled head, long neck arched and in the bridle.  She was a living, breathing vision -- a tenuous, fragile one I know too well!

The next stop was the farm to gallop Katie and Emaranta.  I threw the exercise saddle on three year old Katie for the first time as the old Stueben I had been using had a tendency to creep up on her.  I hoped I wasn't going to miss the legs rolls and deeper seat.  Katie was near perfect, save a spook of sorts.  She was kind enough top do it at the same spot each time which, surviving the first, knowing it was coming kept me out of the dirt for the remaining three laps.  She just might get a start in this summer.

Last one was Emaranta, she was a bit sluggish and will get a couple days off.  I have been pushing her this last week, but she will bounce back.  Next week she will go to the track, with no races for her in the first book I didn't see why I need  to rush up there.  Earlier I saw "her jockey" from last summer.  She ran a third with him in her second start - they were a good team despite the inexperience for both of them.  Emaranta is the one running the race, so I guess she should pick who she wants on her back.   I yelled across the gap if he would ride her again, "absolutely" came the reply with no hesitation.  A jockey with no enthusiasm for your horse is not worth giving a leg up.  If we can get a two turn race for her, she has a nice shot.  Purse and Colorado bred money will buy some hay for the winter.

April 25, 2007

During my travels this winter I read a "Colorado History".  One of the more interesting periods was the settlement of the state's eastern plains by farmers in the mid 1800's.  They were lured to high arid flats by claims of period scientists that the rainfall associated with the Eastern and Midwest states was slowly moving west, in turn making this land farmable for variety of crops.  Of course, the four year trend proved to be a minor apparition in the Colorado climate, forcing those new farmers back east.  I only mention this as further proof that Colorado has always  been an arid state, and the current drought we are experiencing is probably more the norm than not. 

This drought, however, had a slight respite the past 32 hours with wind, rain, and heavy snows that toppled some of the farms 100 year old ponderosas.  They had already endured drought brought beetles, which killed 60 or more of these trees -- the clean up is still ongoing.  The irony of the needed moisture taking down some of the surviving trees is laughable.  I say laughable because any other reaction might cause less committed souls reason enough to pull stakes and follow earlier counterparts east.  The new snow also adds to the workload in plowing out the training track, draining the round pen in an effort just to return the chores in which we are already behind.

The three year old filly Katie - WA Borkata (WA Pejczyk x *Boruta/ Alegro) -  also had a mixed reaction to the new snow.  Newly shod in preparation for galloping at the track, her feet were balling up with snow, making a puzzle she was finding difficult to work out.

March 27, 2007

I arrived at the farm after being gone for a couple weeks on business.  The big news was arrival of Phyllan's filly, half sister to Pejczyk.  She is by Ontario HF, arguably Monarch AH's greatest son. Ontario was exported to Poland in November, making this filly one of the few foals of his that will be born in the US.  We had great hopes that Ontario would deliver not only on racing prowess, but also beauty...  wow, are we excited about the results.  Though breeding horses is a tough business, a nice foal makes everything easier.  Even the mundane chores seem to go a little bit quicker and everybody is excited.  A new foal represents hope and optimism, almost unlimited potential. 

This filly is our attempt to stem the tide of "French" race horses, which in our opinion, just do not exhibit the Arabian type of a horse we would like to breed.  It isn't that I could point to any French pedigree and say this horse is a Thoroughbred, I am not suggesting that.  My only contention is that your "typical" French horse, and there are exceptions like Bengali De' Albret for one, do not exhibit the Arabian standard.  This is certainly not a revelation on my part.  When the first French horses first arrived in Poland in 1929 their notable lack of type and beauty was a cause of concern despite their superior racing ability.  Consequently, the Society of Arabian Horse Breeders ruled that the French horses could not compete in the Classic races for fear of compromising their prized ìPolishî look.  I guess we continue to look to the Polish breeding philosophy, which is still proving to be a road map for success in our breeding endeavors.

February 25, 2007

In beautiful sunny Scottsdale today.  It is nice to be back again after such a long absence.  Something about palm trees makes the everyday stress seem a little less important.  The big class of the day for me anyway was the Older Mares featuring *Elandra -- the recent Monogramm imported from Poland by the Sloan's.  I have an admitted bias towards her, not only from a pedigree standpoint as she is out of Erlanda -- full sister to Emanacja and Emigrantka -- but saw her in '99 with George Z at the Warsaw track.  It was a rainy day and we were sorting through the line up in the program for the next race.  We both looked at each other when we saw her name and rushed down to see her in the paddock despite the weather.  Though thoroughly soaked, she was just gorgeous, fit, snorty, an elegance about her that is hard to articulate.  It has been a few years since I have seen her, missing the 2005 sale where she was purchased.  As they call the class in *Elandra is beautiful and trotty in her entrance with Greg Gallun, drier than I remembered.  Any gray dapple she had in her youth has faded to a soft white.  A lady standing at the rail behind me gasps and remarks, "That gray mare must be from Poland with that brand.  Looks like another one of those will win Nationals."  Indeed another one of "those", meaning impeccably bred Monogramm daughters from MichałÛw State Stud.  Incidentally, why is it the announcers at Scottsdale and US Nationals continue to mispronounce MichałÛw, making it sound like a cheap beer?  Have there not been enough of MichałÛw horses carting off championships that they can not be afforded the courtesy of a proper pronunciation?  But back to *Elandra, she is perfect, unanimous, but I must disagree with the unsolicited assessment from behind, she is not merely another "those".  This mare was second in the Oaks, she is perhaps the most complete mare we will see for some time.