Bahrain donates prized stallion at Pride of Poland auction

Stallion Kuhailan Afas Maidaan donated to Janow Podlaski stid farm at Pride of Poland auction: photo - PAP/Wojciech Pacewicz

Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, grandson of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, presented the stallion, part of the historic Kuheilan Afas strain of horses, in the presence of Poland's deputy prime minister Janusz Piechocinski.

The presentation occurred during the internationally renowned Pride of Poland auction, which ended on Sunday, a sale taking place at the stud farm annually since 1970.

The Janów Podlaski stud farm draws on decades of tradition, dating back to when Polish duke Roman Sanguszko, owner of a horse breeding farm in Gumniska near Tarnów, travelled to the Middle East around 100 years ago to buy Arabian horses.

He brought back two stallions from the Kuhailan Afasa line which is still present in Polish-bred horses.

The stallion gifted to Janów Podlaski, named Kuhailan Afasa Maidaan is from this famous line.

Polish Arabian horses are ranked among the most beautiful horses in the world and prices at the auction have topped a million euro.

In 2008 a mare named Kwestura broke the record, selling for 1,250,000 euro.

In 1984 a buyer paid a million dollars for the mare Penicylina. Last year, the mare El Saghira was bought for half a million euro by Shirley Watts, wife of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. (pg/ek)