ISG (Internationale Shagya-Araber Gesellschaft), the association joining the Shagya-Arabian breeders of 17 member countries organizes a breeding review in every two years, that is called Europachampionat.
The right to organize the event this year was won by the two German association of Arabian horses together, which is a great success in itself, as putting aside their previous differences they joined their forces again for the success of their event.
Choosing the right location is half the battle. Marbach is a stud established more than 500 years ago in 1514, protected and maintained as the jewel of Baden-Württemberg, which is serving German horse breeding in the middle of a biosphere reserve – that is also declared protected by the UNESCO – bordered by the forests of the „Schwäbische Alb”, 750 meters above sea level. Four traditional horse breeds are bred here, one of them is the Purebred Arabian horse. As the successor of the Stud in Weil, breeding work is done still based on the original principles today with 20 broodmares and their offspring. As a stud, as a horse training centre, breeding station, stallion examination location, almost the whole “equestrian industry” is represented here on the highest level. Their eventing course is exceptional, but driving competitions were organized here as well, they are farming 1000 hectares, where they mainly produce fodder.
The class winners of age categories were chosen out of more than half a hundred horses of 26 breeders from 7 countries. The junior and senior champions were chosen for each sex out of the class winners and second best horses.
Out of the five judges (Lea Ernst, Switzerland, Franz Hoppenberger, Austria, Michal Horny, Slovakia, Diether von Kleist, Germany, Tamás Rombauer, Hungary) three judged in each class, of course judges did not judge horses arriving from their own stud.
Unfortunately Hungary was only represented by the Bábolna National Stud Farm, from where five horses were sent to Marbach. The class of 1 year old stallions was won clearly by the grey studcolt, Gazal XXIII-1 (Lenkoran) from Bábolna with 7.38 points, and he also won the title of Reserve Champion in the Junior Championship behind the Czech bred, German owned three-years old bay stallion, Shengo Khaliff from the Koheilan line.
Among the junior mares we did not win a title, albeit we did not enter.
O’Bajan XXVI-6, a grey mare born in 2011, with start number 27 earned second place in a very strong class with 11 horses with a score of 7.86, therefore she was entitled to participate in the finals. 294 O’Bajan Basa, born in 2008 was entered into the class of 11 years old and older horses, and won the class with a record score of 8.95, and later was chosen as champion mare.
In the class of 11 years and older stallions Gazal XIX-2 (XXIV), born in 2006, son of Páris showed exceptional form and won the class with a score of 8.62, and won the championship without a doubt and was even chosen as the best stallion of the show. From the mares this title was won by Januska, a swiss bred and owned, Thamias-Jamila horse, born in 2016.
From the four champion titles, in the 4 years and older category, a horse from Bábolna was the best among the stallions and also among the mares, from the 1-3 years old category we won a Reserve Champion title, in which the skill of our handlers played a big part. We thank our handlers Anita Arany, Tamás Vaskó and Olivér Tóth, who helped us out as László Molnár got injured.
Tamás Rombauer
Results:
| Category | Name | Pedigree | Year of birth | Owner |
| Junior Champion Mare | Januska | Thamias / Jamila | 2016 | G.u.U. Haldemann, Switzerland |
| Junior Reserve Champion Mare | Hadban-828 (Saphira) | Tirkhan / Dahoman-211 | 2018 | F. Kögl, Austria |
| Junior Champion Stallion | Shengo Khaliff | Koheilan XI / Shena | 2016 | H. Stoischek, Germany |
| Junior Reserve Champion Stallion | Gazal XXIII-1 | Gazal XXIII (Lenkoran) / 296 Siglavy Bagdady VIII | 2018 | Bábolna National Stud Farm, Hungary |
| Senior Champion Mare | 294 O’Bajan Basa | O’Bajan Basa / 273 Gazal XIX-2 | 2008 | Bábolna National Stud Farm, Hungary |
| Senior Reserve Champion Mare | Malika | Shaman / Monifa | 2004 | R. Mäder-Schmidt, Germany |
| Senior Champion Stallion | Gazal XIX-2 | Gazal XIX / 260 Kemir V | 2006 | Bábolna National Stud Farm, Hungary |
| Senior Reserve Champion Stallion | D’Amour | Saramour / Daika | 2005 | A. Sommer, Germany |
