The state-run studs of Poland are known throughout the equine community to breed some of the most beautiful, functional and expensive Arabian horses in the world.

In 2006, one man spent over one million dollars purchasing and importing a number of the best of these horses, including the highest price that year for the stallion Espadero at 210,000 euros and the two highest priced mares at 160,000 and 180,000 euros respectively, only for them to essentially become expensive paddock ornaments on a farm in Melbourne.

Last month, these horses and their descendants were finally made available.

“I have always admired the breeding programs of Europe and Egypt, and our stud has been founded on the bloodlines of the mare Naadirah, who was sired by an Egyptian, conceived in Russia, born in England then imported to Australia,” David said.

“We bought semen from a stallion in Italy and used it with one of these mares, and produced an amazing colt. In turn, we bred this colt to an imported Polish mare, as well as an Egyptian and Australian champion mare, with excellent results. They are beautiful, and they are athletic. We knew we had to have more of this blood.

“I had visited this group of Polish horses several times over the years, and there were many that I wanted to incorporate into our breeding program,” David said.

The Polish Arabian horses are known for being beautiful athletes. They are incredible endurance horses, as well as show horses. In Poland, Arabians are also raced and all of the breeding stock are tested on the race track before joining the breeding program.

“In the end, I could only afford two, however they were the two I really wanted’ David said.

“I decided to go for a stallion and a mare, both of whom were conceived in Poland before their dams were imported to Australia. The mothers sold for 75,000 and 65,000 euros each at the auction, and I am thrilled to have their progeny.”

The mare, Palma El Amiera has a full sister in Poland who, since the sale of her mother to Australia, has become a record breaking broodmare in Poland. A national champion herself, she has four national champion progeny and her daughter Palabra, sold for 400,000 euros at the 2012 auction.

Palma El Ameira belongs to the highly valued family of Szamrajówka, originating about 1810 at Biała Cerkiew. This family has vanished from Poland twice but was restored when Piewica (Priboj x Taktika) was purchased in 1956 from Russia.

Palma’s other full sisters are in Saudi Arabia and Belgium.

David said that he had always felt a connection to the stallion Elganan especially, and had made several offers over the years.

“I could not be there to auction in person so had to do it on the phone which was pretty stressful, but it worked out I guess,” David said.

“An auction is exciting and you spend a lot more than you thought you would, but that sick feeling is soon replaced by elation when you win. It is a cliché, but if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen…and we did!”