Kaszmir: His
Influence on Arabian Racing
© 1996, 1999 Roxanne Rogers
All photos © Christopher
Czartoryski, used by permission, all rights reserved.
Comments by Christopher Czartoryski (grandson
of Prince Witold Czartoryski, last owner of Kaszmir)
Kaszmir
is arguably the greatest racehorse that ever came out of the Polish
breeding program, and yet his bloodline is almost extinct in modern
breeding. Not only was Kaszmir extremely successful on the track,
he was also structurally correct, and his pedigree was impeccable
( Farys II x Hebda by Hermit). He had the three criteria that
all great sires need: pedigree, conformation and race record.
However, the Poles felt that he was not acceptable as a sire for
some very obscure reasons which I will try to shed some light
on in this article.
According to Erika Schiele's "The Arab Horse in Europe",
Kaszmir came from Janow. In 1930 he was sold to a turkey breeder
named Zawadzki. Essentially he was eliminated from Janow because
he had a blemish on his right foreleg and he simply didn't appear
to have the makings of the racehorse he became. I think we all
know this familiar story in the Thoroughbred race world, (Northern
Dancer, Sunday Silence etc.). As a three year old Kaszmir took
the Polish tracks by storm, winning all of his outings. He could
win at all distances and was defeated only once by a French horse
named Nemer whom he later defeated easily. Kaszmir won the Derby
as a four year old. He racked up winnings of 49,575 zloty in two
short years. Prince Czartoryski of Pelkinie Stud bought him from
Zawadzki as a herd stallion but decided to put him back on the
track for one more year. He won another 20,600 zloty and his trainer,
Edward Skorkowski, had this to say about Kaszmir, "The best
horse I have trained was Kaszmir. I had received him as a four
year old in autumn. He ran in 1934 under my management as a five
year old, six times always as a winner. The most characteristic
were his last four races in September: Thursday the 13th at 2400m,
Sunday the 16th at 2800m in one week on Sunday at 1600m and again
on Thursday the 27th at 2400m (lately a match with an English
horse). In all these four races - four times in two weeks - Kaszmir
was a winner. Next year (1935) Kaszmir became chief stallion at
the Prince Witold Czartoryski's stud at Pelkinie." As we
can see from this quotation Kaszmir was not only very fast but
also unbelievably durable. I do not know many modern racehorses
that could hold up under this kind of schedule.
Kaszmir was a phenomenon, a freak, like Man O War or Secretariat.
His race record reads almost identically to Man O War's: 3/18
(17-1-0) including THE DERBY, THE CRITERIUM 3 times and NINE OTHER
STAKES. He also set a track record for 1600m (1:47). This is truly
the kind of horse to inspire. And like all good athletes he was
also beautiful. He was streamlined yet solid, sound straight legs
with just the right pastern angle, short cannon bones, muscular
forearms and gaskins, clean flat bone, hindquarters well placed,
high wither, good shoulder, deep heartgirth, a pleasant masculine
head with the look of eagles in his eye. He was almost perfect.
Of his lineage, he is descended from the original imports brought
in by Count Juliusz Dzieduszycki in the middle 1800's (Krzyzyk
being among them). Kaszmir is a great, great-grandson of Krzyzyk
, a grandson of Hermit and a great grandson of Amurath 1881. No
fault can be found with his pedigree unless it be the association
with Polish aristocracy, since communist Poland did its best to
discard all traces of it's royal families and all that was associated
with them. Because of this attitude, many important horses were
probably eliminated including the precious bloodline of Kaszmir.
Quite a few years later Dickinson
offered to buy Kaszmir for $10,000.00 but Prince Czartoryski wanted
$15,000.00 and a deal was not struck. As sires, Kaszmir left behind
only Geyran and Ghabit in the Pelkinie Stud. In Rozwadowski's
Index the opinion is given that the Farys II branch of this line
(KRZYZYK) did not produce superior looking offspring. However
from extensive viewing of old photographs it is my opinion that
the members of the Farys II branch of this sire line were superior
looking to the members of the Enwer Bey branch. Trypolis may have
had more "type" than Kaszmir but he possessed an inferior
hindquarter and had a slightly rough and "soggy" (lymphatic)
structure. Roman Pankiewicz supports my assessment of Trypolis'
conformation, "Trypolis was a big, handsome horse with a
very dressy front, but unfortunately somewhat slack in the coupling."
Furthermore Trypolis did not race at all. It is only through females
that we can access the blood of Kaszmir. One such mare, is *Arwistawa
being a Geyran daughter. She had flawless conformation and was
the first double National Champion in North America. She also
set a track record in Poland for 2600 m and won the Polish Oaks.
From pictures, *Arwistawa is simply a feminine Kaszmir. Perhaps
Geyran was assessed incorrectly. Conversely a Trypolis grandson
that I also knew firsthand had all of Trypolis' physical flaws
and did not sire what we felt were correct, athletic horses.
I found the rest of Kaszmir's offspring difficult to research.
References to the ability and beauty of the get and grandget were
usually deflected to other horses in their pedigrees ignoring
the one common thread in a long line of race and show winners
- Kaszmir. Following is a complete listing of all of Kaszmir's
get, including years of birth, originating stud farms, race records
whenever possible and important progeny.
MALE GET OF KASZMIR
Ghabit (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1937, Pelkinie Stud, at stud in 1940,
sired one offspring:
Lailla (x Tecza). Unraced.
Hussein (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1938 Pelkinie Stud
Kaled (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1940 Pelkinie Stud
Uszmir (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1943 Adamowka Stud 2/19 (3-6-4) 1.
The mare Unaiza was crossed eight times with Kaszmir (see female
listings).
Geyran (Kaszmir x Zorza Pelkinska) 1937 Pelkinie, at stud 1956-57,
18 get, only one mare used in Poland (Wieszczka). Geyran is the
sire of:
*Arwistawa (x Arfa) 2/15 (4-4-5)O. +2, 1st Double National Champion,
exp. 1964 to U.S.
Mesalina (x Musailima) 1/2 (1-0-0) exp. 1963 to U.S.
Mulatka (x Musailima)
Cargo (x Carrisima) 4/23 (8-0-3) exp. 1964 to Hungary
Czarodziejka (x Carrisima) 1/1 (0-1-0)
Barkas (x Bandola) 3/13 (1-6-3)
Banger (x Bandola)
Bohun (x Bint Canaria) 6/23 (9-9-5)7
Basior (x Bint Canaria) 1/5 (1-1-2)
Elnis (x Ellora) 3/22 (4-6-4)
Orion (x Ofirka)
Kordoba (x Karramba)
Chan (x Celia)
Calenta (x Celia)
Bokalia (x Bonita)
Wieszczka (x Wilga) 2/17 (2-2-3), dam of Wieza 2/15 (3-1-6) Kurozweki
foundation mare and the dam of *Wibracja, Wigor and Stakes winner,
*Wieczorynka.
Beduin (x Bulgotka)
Fermoda (x Ferha) 1/3 (0-0-1)
Ozolis (Kaszmir x Zorza Pelkinska) 1944, Pelkinie 3/19 (5-3-8)
Set the track record (then) for 3000m (3:42)
Farat (Kaszmir x Zorza Pelkinska) 1936, Pelkinie, used in Partbred
Stud.
Kahdi (Kaszmir x Zorza Pelkinska) 1940, Pelkinie
Kaszmir was crossed five times with Zorza Pelkinska (see female
listings).
Huragan II (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1941, Zurawno, used in Partbred
Stud.
Monsum (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1942, Zurawno
Orkan (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1944, Zurawno
Kaszmir was crossed with Wichura five times (see females).
Osman (Kaszmir x Tecza) 1944, Pelkinie
Haluj (Kaszmir x Tecza) 1938, Pelkinie
Jabrail (Kaszmir x Tecza)1939, Pelkinie
Kaszmir was crossed with Tecza four times (see females).
Dzafar (Kaszmir x Dalama [out of Tecza]) 1940, Adamowka
Irak (Kaszmir x Bussorah) 1943, Pelkinie
Beithar (Kaszmir x Bussorah) 1942, Adamowka
Gadir I (Kaszmir x Bussorah) 1937, Pelkinie
Kaszmir was crossed four times with Bussorah (see females).
Fendi (Kaszmir x Uteiba) 1936, Pelkinie 1/3 (1-2-0)
Beduin (Kaszmir x Uteiba) 1937, Pelkinie, exp. 1937 to Hungary.
Jaszmir (Kaszmir x Cemira) 1939, Pelkinie 1/6 (2-2-2)
Kemir (Kaszmir x Cemira) 1940, Pelkinie, used in Partbred Stud
Lamir (Kaszmir x Cemira) 1941, Pelkinie
Kaszmir was crossed with Cemira five times (see females).
Falaj (Kaszmir x Pomponia II) 1936, Pelkinie 1/3 (1-1-1) used
in Partbred Stud.
Muktar Tab (Kaszmir x Mufta Malenka) 1938, Breniow
Mustang (Kaszmir x Muftaszara) 1937, Breniow
Gehalt (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1937, Pelkinie
Akhbar (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1942, Adamowka
Kaszmir was crossed six times with Atfa (see females).
Ghubain (Kaszmir x Aeniza) 1937, Pelkinie
Haeniz (Kaszmir x Aeniza) 1938, Pelkinie
Momir (Kaszmir x Mokka) 1939, Dubozek 1/6 (1-0-3),used in Partbred
Stud.
Taki Pan (Kaszmir x Dziwa) 1937, Janow, exp. 1939 to USSR
Sired four stallions and two mares, including the very important,
Taktika 2/14 (5-2-4) who is the dam of *Pietuszok- one of the
best stallions in Polish breeding and the sire of:
Orla 2/11 (10-1-0) D. AP. 2x + 4
*Orzel 3/12 (6-4-1)1 Nat'l Ch. Racehorse
*Gaypolka (unraced) Nat'l Top Ten Halter & Performance, sire
of racehorse sires.
*Wosk 6/31 (10-7-6) D.+6, sire of racehorse sires & dams.
Beatrice 2/12 (4-0-3) O.
*Harpia
*Harda
*Cypr
Algonkina, the dam of Algoa 2/10(6-3-0) O. AP. +1, *Algorab 6/34
(21-3-4)15, Allahabad 1/5 (2-1-2), Aleksja 1/4 (3-1-0)1.
*Pietuszok is a full brother to the influential Russian sire,
Topol 2/16 (9-4-3) 4.
Latawiec II (Kaszmir x Magja) 1938, Dobuzek
Alkazar (Kaszmir x Mekka) 1937, Kozielniki
Traktat (Kaszmir x Federacja) 1937, Janow
FEMALE GET OF KASZMIR
Fukara (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1936, Pelkinie 1/3 (2-0-1) used in Partbred
and Purebred stud, eliminated in 1951. Produced:
Faru Szlem 2/7 (1-2-3)
Fra Szlem 1/6 (1-2-2)
Larissa (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1941, Pelkinie, eliminated in 1958.
Mordzanna (Kaszmir x Unaiza)1942, Adamowka, eliminated in 1958.
Produced: *Mortissa 1/5 (1-0-1), dam of *Czortan
Czantoria 1/1 (1-0-0) exp. to UK
Unamira (Kaszmir x Unaiza) 1944, Adamowka 1/8 (1-0-5)
Hilla (Kaszmir x Zorza Pelkinska) 1938-died in 1944. Produced:
Mlech Pelkinski who left two important mares:
1.*Mufta, dam of: Mierzawa 3/26 (6-7-5), Miraz 1/2 (1-0-0) Won
a 2 mi. Steeplechase against Anglo Arabs and beat Trakheners at
jumping contests, Mubarak 2/7 (1-1-2),
*Majdan, sold to Egypt where he won many races & Muzulmanin
2/9 (1-2-2), exp. 1961 to USA, Nat'l Champion English Pleasure.
2. Miriam (Mlech Pelkinski x Gahdar [out of a Kaszmir daughter,
Gadila]). Dam of Manilla 1/8 (1-2-0) who is the grandam of *Mellon
3/24 (8-10-2) AP 2x +1, leading racehorse sire in Poland 1980-83
and all time Top Ten racehorse.
Zawierucha (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1940, Zurawno
Nawalnica (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1943, Zurawno
Fata Morgana (Kaszmir x Tecza) 1936, Pelkinie 1/2 (0-2-0)
Gomiya (Kaszmir x Tecza) 1937, Pelkinie, lost in 1945.
Dekaszma (Kaszmir x Dalama) 1944, Adamowka
Bohrel (Kaszmir x Bussorah) 1941, Adamowka, used in Partbred Stud.
Hirfa (Kaszmir x Bussorah) 1938, Pelkinie dam of the notable mare
Mira 1942-64 who produced:
Afas Mir 1/4 (1-1-0)
Ben Haifi 1/5 (2-1-1) exp. 1951 to Hungary
Cyryl 3/27 (8-8-1)2
Miriada 2/15 (2-0-4)
Mir Haifi 3/33 (6-8-10)
Misiurka 2/12 (5-3-1)2
Moczarka 4/25 (7-4-3) exp. 1963 to Canada
Mirza 2/10 (5-3-1)D.+2 exp. to USA
Miraflor 1/5 (1-0-0)
Mihrab 1/7 (2-1-1)
Mir Said 2/15 (8-3-0) D. AP. +3 at stud 1961-65, sire of *Algorab
6/34 (21-3-4), Elbrus 1/6 (3-1-0), Czartawa 1/5 (2-1-0)1 etc.
Mirolouba exp. 1963 to U.S. Foundress of large racing dynasty
in the U.S. (Brusally Arabians).
Munira (Kaszmir x Cemira) 1942 Pelkinie, eliminated 1958. Dam
of:
Munir 5/45 (12-15-9)2
Aga Munir 3/32 (8-8-3)3
Bint Munira 2/23 (3-7-2) exp. 1962 to Sweden, dam of:
Badr Bedur 1/3 (1-0-2) sire of race producing mares in France.
*Bigotka (influential mare in U.S.- Patterson Arabians).
Akra (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1941 Adamowka, eliminated 1954
Hatwah (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1938 Pelkinie,
Alhambra (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1943 Adamowka 2/9 (0-0-2) eliminated
1958. Dam of:
Don Lambro 2/8 (5-3-0) D+2 exp. 1955 to Rumania
*Ambara 2/18 (4-5-3) exp. 1963 to U.S., dam of:
*Tryguza and *Amfibia
*Almaviva 4/42 (5-6-7) exp. 1962 to G.B., dam of:
*Alondraa - Champion
Aldebar 5/61 (7-20-10)
Adbank 3/16 (6-4-4)1
Jaffa (Kaszmir x Atfa) 1939, Pelkinie, produced eight durable
winners including Babilon 2/17 (5-0- 2) D+2 and Jawita 3/28 (7-6-5)
exp. to U.S. in 1961 and dam of Wielki Raz, the sire of two
Darley winners (Maple Sugar & Fryga).
Kaszma (Kaszmir x Magja) 1939, Dubozek, eliminated 1958. Dam of:
Daszma 2/19 (2-4-1) eliminated 1958
Kasztel 3/21 (5-2-4)2 exported to Canada 1963
*Kochana 2/13 (6-0-3) O.+2, dam of *Schara (Champion in U.S.)
& *Tryncza dam of:
Samtyr 2/14 (11-2-1) NC- sire of 22 Stakes winners.
Sir Wm Tryczam 2/14 (6-2-3) D.- sire of 5 Stakes winners.
*Kluszyn 3/27 (4-7-7) exp. to U.S. in 1967.
*Kasmira (Kaszmir x *Ba-Ida) 1939, imported inutero by General
Dickinson (1938). Dam of: Cashmere who produced Chambray, the
dam of:
KA Czubuthan 5/60 (25-16-3)6
Zortana, race producing dam
Hawija (Kaszmir x *Ba-Ida) Pelkinie, lost in 1945.
Gadila (Kaszmir x Ryfka) 1937, Pelkinie, dam of Gahdar, "The
bay filly Gahdar (Wielki Szlem x Gadila by Kaszmir) foaled at
Adamowka in 1942, clean, lean, full of quality, of correct conformation
and very handsome, one of the best fillies by Wielki Szlem, gave
with Bad Afas, the colt Abu Afas, 1947, a renowned stallion and
sire of Comet. The only daughter of Gahdar, ever used in breeding,
was the bay Miriam, 1946 (x Hilla by Kaszmir) who together with
Doktryner gave the grey Manilla 1955, dam of seven fillies of
which five were exported, while Mitra 1969 and Matylda 1974, are
now in the Michalow Stud. Manilla's grandson the bay Melon 1969,
a fine racer and later leading sire in the Kurozweki Stud was
exported to the U.S. in 1978." R. Pankiewicz, Genealogical
Charts of Polish Arabians.
Gahdar produced Miriam who produced Manilla 1/8 (1-2-0) who produced
Mantyla 1/7 (2-2-0) the dam of *Mellon 3/24 (8-10-2) AP 2x +1.
*Mellon is therefore line bred to Kaszmir through both Mlech Pelkinski
and Gahdar. Gahdar is also the dam of Abu Afas 2/13 (4-3-4)1 who
is the sire of Comet 1/9(1-3-1). Gahdar was destroyed in 1956.
Hagara (Kaszmir x Ryfka) 1938, Pelkinie, lost in 1945.
Judyta (Kaszmir x Ryfka) 1939, Pelkinie
Lia (Kaszmir x Ryfka) 1941, Pelkinie
Kaszmir was crossed with Ryfka four times.
Terpsychora (Kaszmir x Huryska) 1937, Janow
Ceor Mekki (Kaszmir x Mekka) 1939 Persenkowa
Drawa II (Kaszmir x Drweca) 1938, Bezmiechowa
Lituania (Kaszmir x Nigeria) 1939, Dubozek
Sahibka (Kaszmir x Siniora) 1938, Breniow
Zawierucha (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1940, Zurawno
Nawalnica (Kaszmir x Wichura) 1943, Zurawno
Celna (Kaszmir x Bakilla) 1939, Pelkinie, exported in 1939 to
USSR
Ostrawa (Kaszmir x Certuma) 1939, Ornatowice 1/4 (3-0-1)
Tecza II (Kaszmir X Bajka) 1937, Janow, exported in 1939 to USSR.
From these statistics I can glean that the influential race horses
and race producers: Trypolis, *Pietuszok, *Mellon, *Algorab, Mira,
Mir Said , Omar (to name a few) have one thing in common - KASZMIR.
Which brings me to the puzzle of why such a respected block of
horse breeders would eliminate such greatness and prepotency from
the breeding program. Thankfully, Kaszmir was not completely abolished,
but so many of his sons and daughters had only a handful of offspring
before being "moved on". Which brings me to a theory.
A widely known and accepted theory amongst horsemen is that when
nature reaches such a pinnacle of perfection she needs to rest
for a generation. In horse breeding, theories evolve from experience,
both personal and collective. Greatness may not be reproduced
in the immediate generation. but that one superhorse carries its
influence throughout the generations and often manifests itself
in the second generation and on from there.
Calling upon the Thoroughbred world one more time, another such
phenomenon as Kaszmir was Secretariat. Retiring to the breeding
shed with one of the most outstanding race records in the industry,
everyone expected wonders of his offspring. This was not to be
however, but unlike the Poles, the Americans refused to quit on
their superstar and now we see his daughters proving to be top
broodmares.
A quotation from Dr. Edward Skorkowski supports my claim that
the Poles were not willing to wait a couple of generations for
Kaszmir's genetic greatness to prove itself, "....afterwards
the gray Derby winner Kaszmir (Farys II x Hebda) was used as a
stallion; however he did not fulfill the hopes, giving only a
few quite good daughters, the best among them the gray Gadila
out of Ryfka and the bay Hirfa out of Bussorah (Dzingishan II
x Ryfka)." It would seem that Geyran was no failure as a
stallion in either the performance or beauty of his get, but he
was the only son given any chance at all.
The premise that Kaszmir was a failure as a sire seems absurd
to me. Why would breeders repeat the same crosses so often if
the foals were disappointing? (Zorza Pelkinska-five times, Wichura
-five times, Tecza- four times, Bussorah-four times, Cemira-five
times, Atfa-six times). Since I am writing this article from a
strictly racing point of view I shudder to think that Kaszmir
get may have been passed over simply because they lacked someone's
subjective notion of type.
Also the Polish agenda was never to produce Arabian racehorses.
Indeed, Arabians were originally brought to Poland to upgrade
native stock for war purposes. In 1927 the Arabian Horse Society
of Poland stated that racing would be used as a criteria for selection
as follows, "The purpose of the races is to ascertain and
compare the proficiency of particular individuals of the breed...
not to increase speed." R. Pankiewicz. In her book, The Arabian
Horse Families of Poland, Britta Fahlgren says, "Mention
must also be made of the introduction of Arab racing in 1927 as
a basis for breeding selection... The purpose of Polish breeders
has never been to produce racehorses per se but rather to guarantee
that the horses used in the breeding program retain those two
most dominant characteristics of the Arabian - stamina and soundness
- which may be in danger of being lost in systems which put excessive
emphasis in the Arabian as a show horse." With this point
established it may shed some light on why Kaszmir lines were not
valued for their racing abilities alone.
Another possible influence on the dissolution of Kaszmir lines
in Poland could have been a political one. In the late 1950's
and early 1960's Communism was at its pinnacle in Poland and all
important positions (including Stud farm Directorships) were obtained
mainly by being "a good communist". The communists did
considerable damage to horse breeding in Poland as it was associated
with elitism. Many horses had to be hidden in small private farms
at great sacrifice to the owners. It is interesting to note that
between the years 1954 and 1964 most of Kaszmir's get and grandget
were eliminated, destroyed or exported. Also, it was in the year
1958 (a year that many Kaszmir daughters were eliminated) that
Andrzej Krytalowicz took over Directorship of Janow Podlaski State
Stud Farm. In an article from Connoisseur magazine called, "Save
the Breed", Krysztalowicz rails against the political changes
going on today in Poland, and maintains that it is the state's
responsibility to control food and animal production and supply.
Just recently some private breeders in Poland had to take Janow
Podlaski Stud Farm to court as Janow would not sell horses to
private Polish breeders. Since there is no law in Poland which
prohibits Polish people from buying horses within Poland, the
private breeders are now able to purchase horses from Janow. We
currently see Janow making desperate attempts to recapture its
share of the shrinking "show" market by re-introducing
bloodlines that were earlier eliminated.
Racing has become less and less important in Poland over time.
Today we see horses going to the breeding shed without any race
records at all. Dr. Skorkowski wrote of the importance of racing
in 1969 as follows, "The racing trials are a magnificent
performance. They are the only test of the horse quality".
The introduction of Egyptian blood into the program was a controversial,
and not altogether enlightened move I think. In 1969, Dr. Edward
Skorkowski quotes Mr. George Ranson White, MD DVM. , in his book,
"Arab Breeding in Poland," In proportion to body size
and weight, the Polish Arabian horse possesses strength second
to that of no other animal... The Polish Arabian is a stronger,
healthier and better horse (than the Egyptian Arabian). In the
Polish Arabian there is no evidence of deterioration. Each generation
is stronger and better than was its predecessor. This cannot be
said of the Egyptian Arabian: as a matter of fact the reverse
is true. The Polish Arabian is superior in all material respects
to the Egyptian!" However, that was in 1969. A more likely
and already proven bloodline to outcross with the Polish Arabian
would have been the French Arabian. Prince Roman Sangusko's "Gumniska"
stud used French-bred stallions on Polish mares to great advantage.
"The Stud (Gumniska) was obviously managed with the view
to winning races while little attention was paid to the continuity
of type. This policy objective was thoroughly fulfilled since
the stud achieved outstanding successes on the racecourse".
Rozwadowski's Indexes.
From a racing objective it is little short of tragedy that Kaszmir
blood is such a rarity. Indeed there is an urgency for dedicated
breeders to maintain early Polish type from imports of the 1940's-60's
and to outcross them with good French racing lines. Rare Polish
racing lines deserve to be maintained and Kaszmir is the rarest
of the rare. Although Kaszmir's bloodlines are largely lost to
us today, he provides us with an ideal towards which serious racing
enthusiasts can strive.
What
follows is the recent exchange of e-mail between Christopher Czartoryski,
Prince Witold Czartoryski's grandson, and myself.
Subject: Kaszmir
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 19:42:03 -0800
From: Christopher Czartoryski
To: "Kaszmir Stud & Racing Stables" arabians@telusplanet.net
I have just finished reading
the articles concerning your stud and racing
stables at De Winton. The name and history are fascinating since
my
grandfather, Prince Witold Czartoryski, was the final owner of
Kaszmir.
My father was especially close to the horse and we have many photographs
and stories concerning him. Your concern and interest in the Polish
Arabians is a source of great interest to me. My late father who
lived
most of his recent life in Edmonton, Alberta would have been most
interested as well since his interest in horses, especially Arabians,
remained active throughout his life.
I am somewhat disappointed in
your comments concerning Polish Aristocracy
" No fault can be found with his pedigree unless it be the
association
with Polish aristocracy." True, in today's world one can
fault a
political system based on genealogical principles, however most
of the
members of this class took their social and political responsibilities
very seriously. Furthermore, if not for them, this whole portion
of
equine history would NOT have occurred. As for the "Empires"
which fell
apart after the first world war and the Russian Revolution, the
truth of
the matter was that most of these people fought for and participated
in
the creation of what they hoped would be a democratic Poland.
Their
"Empires", as with the Czartoryski family, had long
been truncated by
having been confiscated by the Russians as a result of leading
revolts
against Russian domination in the 1700 and 1800's. They had lived
on
their land in the Austrian part of Poland as well as in exile
in France
and Austria prior to the end of World War I. I include this since
the
attitudes of people you may have met in Poland during the Communist
regime did not often coincide with historical realities!
I have a number of photographs
of Kaszmir and progeny as well as of
people concerned with the Arabian horse scene in Poland prior
to World
War II if you are at all interested. I would gladly send you a
selection
by e-mail. I am presently living in Vancouver and would be interested
in
hearing from you.
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 21:07:30
-0700
To: Christopher Czartoryski
From: Roxanne Rogers arabians@telusplanet.net
Subject: Re: Kaszmir
Thank you so much for contacting me. Yours is one of the most
interesting
e-mails I have received. I do need to explain the comment below
though as
you have misconstrued my meaning (obviously the fault of my amateur
writing abilities). What I actually meant was that the communist
regime
was very much against the aristocracy and I felt that Kaszmir
was likely
persecuted just for his association with the aristocracy. I arrived
at
this understanding from extensive discussions with my very dear
Polish
friends. They explained that once Communism arose there was a
very
destructive attitude from the government towards all things aristocratic.
I am very sorry for the misunderstanding and I hope this makes
my intent
more clear. I may revise that statement to avoid future misunderstandings.
I felt that the aristocrats bred the last truly great group of
Arab horses
in Poland and that the state studs benefited for a short time
from this
expertise but I also understand that directors were placed for
being "good
communists" and not necessarily for being good horsemen;
hence the present
day dissipation. Please correct me if I am wrong on any of my
understandings since I do not wish to remain misinformed.
I would love to have any information/photos you would be willing
to share
with me regarding Kaszmir or anything else you would be kind enough
to
send to me.
Again thank you for contacting me and I look forward to further
correspondence with you.
Best Regards,
Roxanne
Subject: More Concerning Kaszmir
and some pictures
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1999 23:19:12 -0800
From: Christopher Czartoryski
To: "Kaszmir Stud and Racing Stables" arabians@telusplanet.net
Dear Mrs. Rogers,
Thank you very much for your
e-mail - much appreciated. I am uncertain as
to the date of Kaszmir's death. According to my father's notes
it was in
1944. This would mean that he remained in Pelkinie through the
war even
though the other breeding horses had all been taken by the Germans
- I
suppose that he was considered too old??? This is something I
wish I
could ask my father about. You mention that Dickinson's offer
was turned
by Prince Witold Czartoryski and that Kaszmir died shortly after,
however
this must have been prior to the war and yet it would seem that
the horse
lived until 1944. Possibly my father is mistaken, since he had
to flee
Poland with us early in 1944 and he got the date of death wrong.
I doubt
this somehow as he lived at Pelkinie with his parents until late
1940 and
after his marriage to my mother in that year they lived in an
estate not
far from his parents with whom they were in very close touch.
Another little bit of the anecdote
- my grandfather Witold's wife was the
Countess Dzieduszycki and the connection with the Dzieduszycki
stud was
thus a close one. A number of Kaszmir progeny ended up in the
Zurawno
stud which belonged to the Dzieduszycki's. But then there were
very close
connections between all of the old aristocratic families despite
a degree
of rivalry as to their horses.
I am enclosing 4 photographs,
which is all I could scan and enclose at
this time.
The photographs are as follows:
1. A head shot of WIELKI SZLEM one of the major breeding stallions
at
Pelkinie many of whose descendants found their way to North America.
At
this point I am not certain what the relationship, if any, there
was to
KASZMIR. It is a nice head in any head!
2. KASZMIR, almost certainly
pre-1939 taken at Pelkinie.
3. Prince Witold Czartoryski
(my grandfather) and KASZMIR taken at
Pelkinie, c. 1940?
4. My father, Prince Peter Czartoryski
with KASZMIR at the house in
Pelkinie, c. 1939. Apparently, on occasion, my father would bring
the
horse into a salon of the house which led on to a patio when guests
were
having tea and KASZMIR was so socialized that he would mingle
with the
humans as if he did it all the time! The family had a real love
affair
with this animal.
I will continue to search for
photos which may be of interest to you and
will send them on from time to time. Thank you for your interest...
Christopher Czartoryski
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 21:50:03
-0700
To: Christopher Czartoryski
From: Roxanne Rogers arabians@telusplanet.net
Subject: Thank you.
Thank you so very much for the wonderful photos of Kaszmir with
your
father and grandfather. What a magnificent horse he was. My fascination
with him started because of our mare, *Arwistawa. She was a granddaughter
and she really bore his "stamp". Because she was the
first double National
Champion in the history of the breed as well as an excellent racehorse
it
has always been a source of frustration and confusion to me that
Geyran
(sire of *Arwistawa and son of Kaszmir) was not used more extensively.
There had to have been some political machinations going on behind
the
scenes? I am going to look up the information I have on the time
of
Kaszmir's death. I took this from a book by Erika Schiele called
"The Arab
Horse in Europe". She possibly was wrong now that I consider
it and I will
revise the article accordingly. Thank you for this information.
At this point I would like to ask your permission to quote you
directly (I
will not change any of your words) as I would love to add the
anecdotes
and facts you have given me about Kaszmir - especially the "tea
parties".
Of course I will give you full credit and I would also like to
ask another
favour; permission to post the exquisite photos of Kaszmir on
my website.
I would give you the photo credits of course. The head shot of
Wielki Szlem
was a real unexpected treat since he is such a key horse and I
have not seen
this photo of him. The photo of
Kaszmir with your father kept me quite spellbound for several
minutes.
This photo shows his flawless legs so well and he seems to have
almost an
otherworldy quality to him. The photo of Kaszmir with your grandfather
was
quite moving since it was very clear from the way that horse and
human
were looking at one another that there was a great depth of feeling
and
understanding between them. I have seen the photo of Kaszmir trotting
before but the image you sent to me is of a much better quality.
I thank you most kindly again and look forward to your response
regarding
my requests. I would be most honoured to be able to post these
rare,
archival photos of one of the greatest Arabians that ever lived.
Best Regards,
Roxanne
Subject: Re: Thank you.
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 20:43:17 -0800
From: Christopher Czartoryski
To: "Roxanne Rogers" arabians@telusplanet.net
Dear Ms Rogers,
Thank you for your reply. By
all means, please use the photographs
within the web site and as for the anecdotes, these are as I recall
my
father telling them and you can certainly use them but do, please
explain
them as anecdotes. As I have mentioned I will in the next while
look
through a great many photographs which we have to see what there
might be
which could be useful to your historical project. Till then,
Christopher Czartoryski
Tanglewood
Breeders of Polish and French Arabian Horses and Thoroughbred
Racehorses
RR1
New Noway, Alberta
Canada T0B 3L0
Tel (780) 352-6413
roxannerogers13@gmail.com
This document © 1996 - 2009
Roxanne Rogers, all rights reserved.
All photos used by permission
of Christopher Czartoryski, © Christopher Czartoryski.
