Re: Witez II bloodlines

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/1/99 7:16:41 PM Pacific Standard Time, greymare@jps.net
writes:

<< Though she is tough as nails and loves to go, she is also sensible and
bombproof.
 
 I would also love to know more about Witez II horses in endurance. >>

My retired endurance gelding named El Kourage by Koszar (grandson of Witez II)
was the same way -- sensible and bomb-proof.  In 1982, after a bad flood in
our area, there was a huge redwood that had fallen across a road in a park
where I was riding.  I couldn't get around it or under it, so I climbed up the
bank where the butt end was resting and checked out the situation. Everything
seemed sound, so I figured I could ride Courage up the bank and climb onto and
over the fallen tree to the other side, then down the bank, and we'd be on our
way.  Courage was doing just fine until he climbed up onto the tree.  There
was a hidden hole in the root system and Courage's hind leg went in up to the
hock.  A panicky horse would have thrashed, struggled, and probably broken his
leg.  Courage simply stopped, pulled his leg out of the hole, stepped sideways
a bit onto a sound spot on the tree, paused a couple of seconds to think it
out, and quietly stepped down off the log on the other side.  I had owned him
only a month or less at this time -- was I ever impressed with his
intelligence and calmness!  What a horse!!  He's 23 now and has a popped knee
which calcified into a huge knot.  He's very lame, but he's the best mentor
for the young colts I raise -- he teaches them all the things wise horses
should know, such as "don't go near barbed wire or cattle guards" and where to
find the water in a new pasture.  How I wish I could reverse his age about 17
years.

About other Witez bred endurance horses, the all-time champ was Witezarif
owned by Donna Fitzgerald of Reno. He was by Witezar (son of Witez II) and he
won Tevis outright 6 times and tied once with a Rushcreek horse, Rushcreek
Champ. Marion Arnold, Bill Bentham, Kathy Perry, Pat Fitzgerald and many
others whose names I have forgotten have owned Hyannis horses, sons of
Kosciusko (by Witez II).  My husband is riding an excellent Hyannis horse now,
Kunyak HCC who is out of a Kosciusko mare by the Russian stallion Sukuris.
Kunyak is a consistent top ten horse in 50 milers.  No telling what he could
do if he was competed regularly and ridden by a lighter rider.  His all-time
accomplishment was 5 firsts and 5 BCs on the 1992 Applegate-Lassen 5-day ride.
I told Ted Jeary one time I thought this was one of the best crosses in his
breeding program.  Clydea Hastie in Idaho rode a gelding of the same cross
with great success.

Barbara