shagya 101 - long

[Todd & Toni Jones <tjones@coinet.com>]

Hi Michelle,

The stallion Sylvia talked about is
*Oman, a german import, and is owned
by Carolyn Tucker of Amara Farms, in
Morgan Hill California. *Oman is a
purebred Shagya stallion, bay,
15.3-1/2hh (really), does 4th level
dressage (competes), jumps to 5
feet, wins many CTR competitions in
his area, has attempted Tevis twice,
the last time they got to the check
within 13 miles of the finish and
the vet said they could go, but
Carolyn felt a foot/leg wasn't quite
right and so she pulled him (too
valuable to risk and he's her best
friend, he's fine now), and is
licensed and approved with the
International Sporthorse
Registry/Oldenburg N.A.. There are 2
other bloodlines of Shagyas
available in the United States. They
came to the U.S. in 1986 and there
are less than 150 purebreds
registered at this time with NASS.
Probably only about that many
partbreds also. Separate registry.
Purebred breeding stock MUST be
inspected and approved (by Germans
or other approved judges with
International Shagya Society) before
used for breeding.

The breed originated in 1789 in
Babolna, Hungary. The
Austro-Monarchy liked certain things
about the purebred arabs, like their
stamina, easy keeping abilities,
movement. But wanted something a bit
bigger, more bone, substance, calmer
and with better riding and driving
qualities for going to war, pulling
artillery, etc.. Back then it was
cheaper to fund state studs to
produce your own horses for the
cavalry than to buy from other
countries. Countries went to war or
had battles on average of every 7
years. Lots of horses died, they
needed lots of replacements and
often. So they developed the Shagya.
For their foundation stock on the
mares they started with performance
proven mares of various breeds,
including Arabs, TB's, some of the
local draft type mares and crosses
of the above. Notice that the mares
were performance tested, read, went
to war and came back alive and had
the qualities they were looking for
and wanted to pass on. Sound, good
feet, good legs, brains, willingness
to please, etc. The Hungarians then
went to Syria and thereabouts and
looked high and low for quality
purebred desert bred arabs to import
for their breeding program. From
that point on they only used their
Shagyas or imported more desert bred
Arabs for breeding every 4th
generation. Their programs were far
more complex than anything we do
here, except maybe the TB on the
race track.

Each Shagya was performance tested
before being allowed into the
breeding program. Both mares and
stallions. A Shagya was sent to a
regiment where careful records were
kept on each horse. They did a 480
ride through forest, mountains and
desert in 10 days, jumping, 2-mile
sprints, long driving trips, etc.,
and factors of stamina, soundness,
attitude, easy keeping abilities
were all kept track of. Only about 1
in 30 stallions made the grade for
breeding.

Before any purebred Arab stallion
could be entered into the main
breeding program, he had to breed 30
mares every year for 3 years. These
would be Shagya mares and there
would be 10 great quality, 10 medium
quality and 10 lower quality (note:
but still good enough for the
breeding program). At the end of the
3 years all 90 offspring would be
brought before breeding committee,
if they did not meet the standard
they and the stallion were
eliminated from the breeding
program. Read: sold to an
agricultural based economy that used
horses in everyday life.

The Shagya breed derived its name
from the original Desertbred
stallion "Shagya" which was imported
from Syria in 1836. He was grey and
stood about 16 hands according to
the Babolna records. The Shagya was
also developed, and is used, as an
arab bloodstock source to improve
other breeds. Shagyas when cross
bred will retain size and substance
while adding elegant correct
movement. You can find them in many
warm blood breeds. 2 or 3 Shagyas
stood at the German State
Hannoverian Stud during the 1960's
and the only outside bloodstock
source allowed into the Lipizzans at
Piber stud this century was a Shagya
around 1980. In Europe Shagyas
compete against warmbloods.

The Hungarian stud directors didn't
strive for anything over 16 hands
although an occasional individual
will get larger than that. They knew
that Arabs over that size can have
many soundness problems. The breed,
since developed for war
circumstances, excels at dressage,
3-day, hunter/jumper and endurance.
They are prepotent for their traits
mentioned before and are genetically
predictable due to the Hungarian's
linebreeding program. IMO we've lost
a lot of valuable knowledge over the
years of other countries breeding
programs that would help us today in
our programs.

The Shagya has an interesting story,
both in their country of origin,
getting through WWII when most were
slaughtered for food, and about how
the foundation stallion was
discovered here in the U.S. in
Montana.

For my own personal part, I and
O'Biwon have done three 50 mile
endurance rides this year. Most
people can't believe they are riding
next to a stallion, if they find
out. Most don't. He eats well,
drinks well, is extremely sure
footed (none of the silly 4 year old
stumble bunnies that my other young
arabs all had to go through before
getting it figured out), not spooky,
calm, takes things in stride, is
under criteria at the vet checks
when we come in even with all the
excitement going on. Resting pulse
in the pasture of 28. At the rides
he was anywhere from 32 to 56,
usually was around 48. He can go all
alone or with a group, he doesn't
need another horse for motivation to
just go on and on. Has a HUGE trot
that we are still developing and a
very comfortable cadenced canter.
Correct legs, excellent feet that
wear evenly, (seems impervious to
rocks with or without shoes), tracks
straight and is my pal. He's very
pleasant to be around as a
companion. He just turned 6 in Sept.
Next year we hope to take in a
couple of dressage competitions, and
go to a few more 50 mile rides just
for completing. I can't guarantee
that all Shagyas are just like him,
but based on what I've seen and
heard, most are. They are trusting,
sensitive, and would most likely
follow you into the house.

Sorry for taking up so much space,
but there seemed to be several
people interested in the breed and
rather than post each one
separately, I did it this way in
case there were more people
interested.

Toni Jones
Shagya stallion O'Biwon (*Oman x
Aerial AF)
Prineville, Oregon



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