Horses ar beauty, emotions and passion - the interwiew with Agnieszka Prytulczyk, the owner of Derby winner the Night Thunder.

HORSES ARE BEAUTY, EMOTIONS AND

PASSION An interview with Agnieszką Prytulczyk, the owner of Derby winner the Night Thunder.

AUTHOR: KRZYSZTOF ROMANIUK PHOTOS: SŁUŻEWIEC RACECOURSE

You have been the owner of racing horses for a short time. How did it start?

Agnieszka Prytulczyk: In fact, my partner had the greatest part in all of this. He has always been fascinated by horses and, when looking for a place for a house, he planned a stable next to it. Indeed, it happened and his passion became mine as well. Initially, we had a few of our own Friesian Draft Horses. Soon we started running a guesthouse, so we had other mounts under our care as well. When it comes to the adventure with horse racing, it started with watching the films from the series „Life on the races”, telling about the trainer Adam Wyrzyk and his stable. We felt that he is a colorful man, on one hand relaxed and humorous, hard-working and trustworthy on the other. We were fascinated by the world of racing and decided that we would like to give it a try. A decision was made spontaneously one Sunday - we are going to Służewiec and there we will try to find coach Wyrzyk.

Have you made it?

A.P.: For people who do not visit Służewiec it might seem unbelievable but that is exactly what happened. We met him walking in the racing area and started talking. He stated that if we want to have a racing horse, we should go with him to the auction in Ireland. Just like that.

Previously, you have not dealt with race horses. First purchase and derby winner right away?

A.P.: We bought three Thoroughbreds then. Based on pedigrees and advice from trainer Adam Wyrzyk, who assesses not only their origin, but also their health and appearance. This is very important, because a horse of excellent pedi-

gree with poor health may not even start. This is how we became the owners of Sunmoonstar and stallions: Polish King and Night Thunder. With the latter, Adam Wyrzyk immediately emphasized that it was a large and massive horse, so we need to be prepared that at the age of two he might rather not achieve anything. He did quite well however, he won the race, as did Sunmoonstar. After the first season of racing, we decided to leave one horse in racing training. Our choice was Night Thunder because of his pedigree and the trainer’s continued faith in his abilities. He said „Aga, just wait for him, he is still growing and developing”. He was not wrong. At the age of three, Night Thunder won his first three heats, including the most important one - Derby. I am very proud to be the owner of this very horse. Even when he does not win, it brings me great joy that he is healthy, running and fulfilling himself in this sport. The emotions that accompany it are priceless. This is what I love about racing and horses. The amazing emotions, beauty and movement of these animals.

What are the next plans for Night Thunder. Are you planning any further purchases?

A.P.: As for the Night Thunder’s further career, I rely on the opinion of the trainer. He is a great and experienced specialist. Our cooperation is perfect. As long as Night Thunder feels like racing at a high level, he will keep running. In the longer term, we are definitely considering incorporating him into breeding, due to his achievements and pedigree. As for the next shopping, definitely yes, it would be nice to have another Derby winner! Unfortunately, our plans were

slowed down a bit by the pandemic. We want to attend a normal auction, see the horses which we are buying. We will see how things will turn out in the context of the upcoming auction season, whether they will come back in their traditional form or will only be online again.

If you were to point out something that being an owner gave you - what would it be?

A.P.: It is not easy to describe. There is a lot to learn from this. You have to be patient – not everything comes right away, you have to trust the trainer, you can learn how to experience emotions at an amazing level. Winning brings joy, but just like winning, you have to be able to lose. Horses are living organisms, they may have a bad day, or something may not suit them. You need to remember that and be prepared for it. Do not be discouraged, it should be treated as an adventure. All these emotions, experiences and ultimately joy - this is something priceless that stays with us forever. Wonderful memories.

Finally, please tell me a bit about the horse boarding house. How does running such a place and a normal working day look like?

A.P.: You can also call it a hotel for horses. We provide stalls to people who want to keep their mounts at our place. We provide them with space and care, while the owners take care of them and ride them. However, it is a difficult and demanding job. We start in the morning and end in the evening. If I have enough time and strength, I also ride horses myself.