Midwest - Fall 2020, published with Arabian Horse Times

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AN AMERICAN STALLION IN POLAND

by THERESA CARDAMONE

The iconic clock tower barn at JanĂłw Podlaski State Stud is among the most recognized structures in the Arabian horse galaxy. Kissed by a bright, early-morning sun, the

whitewashed building is a symbol of the enduring passion of the Polish breeders who have

raised some of the world’s finest horses on that same site. As the crisp fall air pinks the cheeks of the stud groom, he pauses in the doorway, the warm breath of the stallion at his side

creating a dragon-like vapor stream. Copper coat glimmering, the long-legged chestnut halts, surveying his new home. 2018 Canadian National Champion Futurity Colt and 2019 United States National Champion Junior Stallion Harjeet MA has come to Poland.

Harvanna MA (Harjeet MA x Aria Anastasia)

In the long history of Janów Podlaski and Michalów State Studs, only a few American-bred stallions have ever covered mares there. It is a rare and distinct honor reserved for only the most coveted, proven sires like Monogramm and, more recently, United States National Champion Vitorio TO. So, what does the young National Champion Harjeet bring to the Polish breeding program? Why have they pursued this historic lease? Bred by Steve and Darla Miles and foaled at their Milestone Arabians in Kansas, USA, Harjeet is a homegrown son of World Champion Hariry Al Shaqab and the exquisite Alia Psyche IA. There is no doubt that his pedigree is packed with some of the most beautiful and successful horses the world has ever seen. But that alone was not enough to attract the attention of Polish breeders.

Gerald Kurtz operates a thriving training center in Poland and has a long-established relationship with the Polish breeders, including at the state studs. He explained that the Polish breeders are always looking to the United States, following the shows and the market virtually. As they witnessed Harjeet MA being crowned the 2019 United States National Champion Junior Stallion, the horse’s quality and pedigree caught their attention.

“We saw that this horse has something special, that we need,” Kurtz explains.

“We liked his conformation and his classical attitude. Especially at Janów, we have horses that need a little different construction; we always lack legs. Along with his long legs, he has the kind of length of neck we would like to see back in the Polish breeding program.

“When a very special stallion is born, you can see it. We believe that out of 1,000 colts born, there will be one sire. Harjeet is a young stallion, promising, with all the things conformation-wise, and he’s smart, which you need in a horse. We should not forget that the Arabian horse should be easy to handle; that is the original attitude of the Arabian horse. We think Harjeet can add to that.”

Alia Psyche IA - Dam of Harjeet MA

Kurtz reached out to David Boggs at Midwest to determine if Steve and Darla Miles would be interested in a lease arrangement. “We have an ongoing relationship between Poland and Midwest, and I have been involved in other leases, that of Vitorio and iconic Polish horses such as Pogrom, Wieza Mocy, Perfirka and Perfinka, and most recently, the Queen, Pinga. We are constantly trading information back and forth; we have a great trust in each other. This exciting collaboration is based on that trust. We trust in the skills and judgment of David Boggs and the Miles. Harjeet is exactly what the two Polish studs are looking for.”

The Polish breeders believe that Harjeet will improve the quality of the offspring of mares sired by some of their most successful stallions. “The Janów breeding management want to breed their direct daughters of Ekstern to Harjeet, to improve the length of neck. Also, there is quite a large band of Kahil Al Shaqab daughters that could be an interesting cross. The beautiful Pinga is in the United States on lease to Cedar Ridge Arabians, but here in Poland, we will definitely breed our Pinga daughters to Harjeet. Vitorio’s daughters are very good producers; the best foals that we have are always out of the Vitorio daughters! And Harjeet will be even an upgrade because he brings more length of leg. That’s what we believe!”

Harjeet will also stand at stud to Polish private breeders, who often have mares from similar families. In America, Harjeet sired three foals in his first crop, foaled in 2019, all bred by Milestone Arabians. At the 2020 Arabian National Breeder Finals, two of those fillies were shown to top honors for their new owners, with the third remaining at Milestone. Harvanna MA (x Aria Anastasia, by Baha AA) earned a unanimous victory in her Scottsdale Silver Sire Yearling Filly class for owners

Walter Mishek and Cheryl Westrum. Mishek has been a breeder and owner for decades, with mares like U.S. National Champions Heritage Desiree and La Duquesa among the many extraordinary horses he has promoted.

“Harvanna MA is, without question, a superstar,” Mishek states.

“She possesses all the qualities of the great Mishek mares before her. She’s incredible. She has extreme type, an incredible neck, a fantastic topline, a beautiful tail, great legs and is extremely tall, like her father, Harjeet MA. Harvanna MA embodies all the best traits of the champions found in her pedigree, which explains her extraordinary beauty.

Unforgettable MA (Harjeet MA x Legacys Treasure)

“Harjeet MA is an incredible sire. He contributes the best of himself in both genotype and phenotype and is the catalyst for his mares to produce their best offspring. In my opinion, Harvanna MA is the best example of his ability as a sire. I believe she will excel as both a superior show horse and, more importantly, an aristocrat breeding mare.”

When Harvanna came back into the ring for the ANBF Scottsdale Silver Sire Auction Yearling Filly Championship, she had to compete with a second daughter of Harjeet, Unforgettable MA (x Legacys Treasure, by Legacy of Fame), in a strong class of fillies. In a performance truly felt around the world, Unforgettable emerged as the Gold Champion for owner Mindy Peters, with Harvanna right alongside her as the Silver Champion. Mindy first saw Unforgettable when she happened to stop by Midwest during a photo shoot in January 2020.

“David walked out with this bouncing beam of sunshine!” she enthuses. “Instantly, I could not take my eyes off her. She reminded me so much of my Brazilian National Champion and Scottsdale Champion mare, Belle Song HVP. I could not stop thinking about her. She’s Unforgettable.” Before long, the Miles had agreed to sell the filly to Mindy.

“My favorite thing about “Goldie” is that she is complete. She has a great overall structure, a wonderful neck and shoulder, and big, black eyes. She will be a tremendous asset to my breeding program for these very fundamental reasons, and as Harjeet’s first Gold Champion, she is a proven show horse, too! In deciding to purchase her, I looked at her pedigree. Her mother is a stunning mare and top producer, and her sire is a young superstar. Not only is he absolutely beautiful, but each baby I have seen is terrific!”

Back in Poland, through live streaming, the breeders were watching. And they were thrilled with what they saw. The two daughters of Harjeet were displaying the very traits that the state stud breeders were looking for. Kurtz explains, “We followed the Arabian National Breeder Finals very closely. We were so excited to see that, from the few foals he has already produced, there is such quality already on the market. That is very exciting.” Steve and Darla Miles were also watching remotely, from their home in Kansas. It was sinking into them that they were responsible for breeding decisions that have really paid off.

“That class was so special,” Steve emotes. “We were so excited.

You have a thought process, study pedigrees, use some common sense, and then get to celebrate the results! We were so excited when the fillies went Gold and Silver champion! In general, we are pretty hard on males and would breed to outside stallions to

improve our herd. We didn’t think we’d be a stallion owner. But Harjeet has always been exceptional. It’s hard to find a flaw in this stallion or his offspring. We have five coming-three-year-old mares of Marwan breeding that we can’t wait to breed to him.”

The Miles’s have two 2020 foals by Harjeet, including the only colt he has sired thus far, a “hidden gem” that will be shown by Midwest. Darla has high hopes for their filly out of SS Calypsos Butterfly, Pure Bliss MA, and she expresses humility at the honor of having bred such a dynamic stallion. “It’s a true privilege. Early on, we got excited and bought a Valentino son, but we quickly realized that we did not want to only breed to our farm stallion.

But Harjeet was different from the moment he was born. He seemed to know all about life already and was drinking water from a bucket on day two! He has near-perfect conformation with great legs. As a sire, he has complemented the different mares, erasing their less-desirable traits.”

Both Steve and Darla give David Boggs credit and thanks for mentoring them over the years and helping them to develop their eye for a good horse. They are also thankful for his leadership in orchestrating Harjeet’s historic lease to the Polish stud farms.

“The lease came out of left field for us,” says Steve. “We had no idea that the Polish breeders were interested in Harjeet.” They put their trust in David Boggs to negotiate the agreement that would send Harjeet to the historic state studs. Under the agreed-upon terms, Harjeet will stand the 2021 season at Janów Podlaski and the 2022 season at Michalów. Steve and Darla Miles plan to visit Poland each year to witness the wonder of seeing the newly born Harjeet foals out of the famed mares of Poland.

“Harjeet is very hard to fault,” Boggs proclaims. “He is so well-balanced and leggy, with an incredible neck that he is passing on. He has a charismatic and animated nature. You don’t often see a horse that is so complete, and so mentally sound. He is bred to be a great breeding horse and is proving it with his first foals. I am grateful to have played a part in arranging the lease to Poland for Steve and Darla and thank Mr. Gerald Kurtz for his assistance and guidance.

This will be a huge win for both Milestone and Poland. Harjeet is an extraordinary horse.” Walter Mishek couldn’t agree more. “He’s extremely special,” he adds. “In body and temperament, Harjeet MA is the epitome of the classic Arabian and he sires these qualities. Over the 55 years I’ve been involved with Arabians, Aramus, Magnum Psyche and Khemosabi were probably the three most perfect stallions I’ve ever seen. They were magnificent. Now, Harjeet is taking his place among those greats.”

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Proudly owned & bred by Milestone Arabians Steve & Darla Miles darlam@milesexcavating.com or 816.769.7172

W W W. M I L E S T O N E A R A B I A N S . C O M

On Lease to Janรณw Podlaski Stud biuro@skjanow.pl or 83.3413009 and Stadnina Koni Michaล รณw office@stadninamichalow.pl or +48.41.356.54.05 For additional breeding information contact David Boggs: david@midwestarabian.com or 612.328.8312 W W W. M I D W E S TA R A B I A N . C O M

Polish Representative Gerald Kurtz geraldkurtz@mac.com or 0048.725.254.368

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