News item
Changes in Kabardino-Balkaria horse breeding
President of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov has assigned Malkinsky Konzavod (stud-farm) 10 mln roubel (about 300'000 dollar) for reestablishing stud-book of Kabardian breed.
The money will be used for registering Kabardian horses found in the republic and reestablishing links to the previous stud-books. Latest stud-book (volume 5) was issued in 1995 and later discontinued.
Next year will be also a breakthrough in Kabardino-Balkaria's equine sport - there are two big competitions planned in 2007, first in June and second in October. June's competition will have prize fund of 1 mln roubel (30'000 dollar) and local authorities promised help to attract competitiors from abroad.
Kabardian horses are very important part of tradition and economics in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. Import of "Circassian" (Kabardian) horses to Europe has been documented in XVII century's Poland.
Nowadays Kabardians remain one of the best horses for endurance and tourism. Since 2002 when they first appeared in Western Europe they proven to be the only breed that can actually compete Arabian horses in endurance racing, e.g. in 2004 a Kabardian gelding Karo won second place in Championship of Germany.
Unfortunately the breeding tradition of Kabardian horses has suffered major losses in 20's after Bolshevik Revolution and during perestroika in 90's. Now the strong and beautiful breed of horses gets back to organized breeding again.