Hungarian Arabian Stud Babolna Slated to Close |
Source: Darlene Steven
Feb 18, 2008 - 12:46:32 PM |
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In a open letter (January 19th, 2008) to Arabian and Shagya breeders all over the world Tamas Rombauer, past director the Hungarian Arabian State Stud of Babolna, announced that he was withdrawn from his position as it director. He mentioned that the horses would be placed in to conservatorship of private breeders, basically disbanded. See attached letter.
This 200 year old stud is a former fortress with large stone walls that enclose the main court yard of the stud. Today it is the main offices for the Babolna chicken breeding corporation, along with other agricultural business run by the former Agricultural Co-op. The historical fort also houses the main headquarters of the Hungarian Arabian Stud Babolna.
Within the enormous rectangular walls is the formal garden area with main fountain and the bronze of Shagya db,. It is so massive inside the entire Olympic dressage indoor arena building is positioned width wide also containing a coach house to store the large ceremonial carriage collection used for special events. The traditional Hungarian harness with their long leather braided stallangs have been paraded since the time of Empress Maria Theresa in the mid 1700's. This empress of the Austro Hungarian Empire was responsible for driving the Ottoman Turks back into Turkey and interning the all the finest Arabian stallions, who's blood was so desired at this time at the farm to which surrounds the Fortress Babolna.
From her proclamation, Babolna was to create a horse breeding farm to continue the lineage of the purebred Arabians and create a breed of horse for the Hungarian Calvary originally referred to as Arabe- rasse, now referred to as the Shagya Arabian. She further more created an entire system throughout the countryside, where stallions would rotate in to smaller local studs for breeding better horses in that area. The plan showed that it was much easier for one good stallion to create many good offspring, while a mare would only conceive a limited amount of offspring in her lifetime. In recent time the Anglo Arabian has also been bred there from English Thoroughbreds.
To lose such a magnificent stud with a very old tradition would be a loss to the heritage of the Arabian horse. In the mid 1990's there was a political movement to close the stud and disband the horses, with such a world wide out cry the farm was re-instated and actually enlarged, with a multi million dollar renovation of the entire property. Although this up grade was made for the entire agricultural main offices for Babolna, it also allowed the State to continue its work of the breeding of Arabian horses.
This beautification project benefited the Arabian State Stud to a great extent, by the increase of tourism during horse events held at their new facility. It allowed the stud to host not only horse shows, but judging seminars, and breeder conferences. Today, the complex is now known for its grandeur and fine care of its horses.
In his letter Rombauer, explained that although this is a particular problem now for the Hungarian Arabian Estate Stud, it is actually an entire problem for all historically based horse breeding operations throughout Europe on state owned property. As the population grows and land becomes more valuable, these very old state studs will become political pawns in government programs as they try to reclaim the land for other uses.
Although the Arabian horse is not considered a rare in endangered breed, the Shagya Arabian is, as their numbers have been sustained at around 2000 breeding animals worldwide. In the United States and Canada the number is less then 150 breeding animals. For many Shagya Arabian breeders they consider Babolna the birthplace of this 200 year old Hungarian breed of horse and to loose such a shrine like Babolna to development, is not only a loss for the Arabian community, but a Hungarian cultural icon to the past.
For further updates to the situation. www.shagyaregistry.com/SAVEBabolna
The ASAV will post the latest contacts and information to the page. Press the SAVE Babolna button to find a blog to post their thoughts and petitions to protest the closing of the find Arabian State stud.
Letter from Tamas Rombauer
Dear Friends!
I would like to inform you, that with 17th January 2008 I have been withdrawn as director of Babolna National Stud Estate Ltd., and at the same time my employment with this company has come to an end.
The decision has been made by the National Council of Property Agency and has been executed by the director general of the Corporation Responsible for National Properties. In the background of the affair is the acquisition of 11.000 hectare of land of the earlier company, the Babolna Corporation, from which until today the Stud could not get any hectare. Moreover, the decision of the government regarding this (namely that the Babolna National Stud would get 760 hectares of land) has not been executed for one and a half years. Their intention is to give the stud together with the horses to trusteeship, for which there is no operable pattern in the world.
I have been in charge of the breeding program of Babolna Stud for 17 years and during the last 5 years I was the director of the whole National Stud Estate Ltd. (2 studs, the Arabian Stud Babolna and the Englisch Thoroughbred Stud in Diospuszta, the tourism, botanic and zoological park, operating of the electric network, maintenance of the traditional buildings, organizing fairs and exhibitions, school). We have reached significant results, in which our breeding, professional co-operation with international organizations and breeders played an important role. All this needed all my time and attention, and so I could not accept many invitations that I received in the last years. Thank you for your understanding!
I would also like to thank everybody, who granted help to Babolna in the past, mainly since 1990. The place would not be enough to make a list of these people, and I am sure, there were some of them, whom I would forget to mention, but Mr. Krzysztalowicz/Janow, Mr. Eckehard Frielinghaus (ISG) and Mr. Jay Stream (WAHO) are lucky, that they do not see, how the breeding work of 219 years will be eliminated.
Depending on my free time I will go on to assist the activity of the MALE (Society of the Hungarian Arabian Horse Breeders) as "volunteer". Together with the directors of other European State Studs, we have begun to co-ordinate the activities of the National Studs of Europe, and have planned to create a Society, the European State Stud Assembly (ESSA). The necessity of this is now confirmed by what is happening in Babolna and in Hungarian horse breeding.
Only the loud protest of the national and international public can help Babolna and prevent similar actions. At least, such a protest will probably make those responsible to re-consider what they have done. This is by no means only a national problem, since the question to preserve a cultural heritage of Europe, in this case the Shagya-Arabs, is to preserve a horse breed, which has been qualified by the Hungarian Parliament as an endangered one. Regarding preservation of this breed, the President of Hungary, Mr. Laszlo Solyom has committed himself. Decision regarding the future of the Bábolna National Stud can be made by Prof. Dr. Janos Nagy, President of the National Council for Property Agency, as well as the Financial Minister, Mr. Janos Veres.
"Today us -- tomorrow you" -- this could be the slogan, since every breed, which is in state ownership is threatened by this danger. And without any basis, the private breeders are not able to preserve what is considered a "not so modern" breed.
Your protest can be successful if the press is also informed about what is happening. In case, you are going to do something in this regard, is our Society ready to help you.
Once more thank you for your co-operation.
With best regards,
Tamas Rombauer
2943 Babolna, Wesselenyi u. 46.
e-mail: rombauer@vivamail.hu
Tel: +36-34-568-086
Mobil: +36-20-569-5503
Tamas Rombauer to speak in Kentucky on Arabian Horses
Tamas Rombauer, past director of the Hungarian Arabian State Stud – Babolna will speak in Simpsonville, Kentucky in March. Rombauer is the foremost expert on the breeding practices of Arabian, Shagya Arabian, Anglo Arabians and Thoroughbreds in Hungary. Over the past 17 years he was in charge of the National Stud Estate Ltd. (2 studs, the Arabian Stud Babolna and the English Thoroughbred Stud in Diospuszta. Along with his duties of agri-tourism at the farms.
Tamas Rombauer was invited by the American Shagya Arabian Verband inc, a registry for the Shagya Arabian breed in the USA, to speak at the weekend of clinics and seminars March 14,15 & 16th, 2008. His procurement for this speaking engagement is from the generous Grassroots Funding Program of KEEP -- the Kentucky Equine Educational Project. (www.horseswork.com) the ASAV is pleased that Rombauer will be our renowned expert for the weekend -- speaking about the Arabian and Shagya Breeding programs at Babolna, Hungary. He will also have many pictures of horses from their breeding programs there as well as answer any questions that will be asked about the slated closing of the Stud.
While on his trip to the USA, he will be trying to generate support from Arabian and horse enthusiasts all over the world to protest the closing of this 200 year old Arabian State Stud. For further developments and updates: www.shagyaregistry.com -The SAVE Babolna. Button will take you directly to the page of address to write to protest the closing, blog and see pictures of the stud. He hopes to visit the home offices of horse organization in Lexington located at the Kentucky Horse Park.
For further information, you may download a a general detailed press release about the meeting, and a tri-fold PDF.
© 2008 by www.hanoverian.org
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