Arabian horse auctions – Janów Podlaski, 1996-2000

The history of the Arabian horse auction in Janów in the years 1996 - 2000 according to Marek Grzybowski.

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"This year (2023 - note ed. PLPJ) the 53rd Arabian horse auction in Janów Podlaski is to take place. For over twenty first years I was the organizer of this auction, the author of many marketing solutions, the auctioneer and the co-creator of the great international success of Polish thoroughbreds. You can read about how it happened that people from the richest spheres of this world began to make pilgrimages to the poor, gray country behind the "Iron Curtain" in my memoirs "The Horse and the Polish Matter" published in Koni Polski No. 4-6 from 1994, currently available on the portal "Legends of Polish horse riding":

Chronicle of the auction in Janów 1970-1977
Chronicle of auctions in Janów 1978-1980, Polish Prestige auctions 1980-1985
Chronicle of the Polish Prestige auction 1986-1991

In these memoirs, I will describe the years 1996 - 2000, when the private company Polish Prestige raised the Janów auction from the fall of 1992-1995, provided the auction with independent financing and development and opposed the AWRSP's privatization plans, as a consequence in 2001 it was removed from the organization of the auction and erased from history. I will also point out the reasons why the "Pride of Poland" auction is not the pride of Poland, but a symptom of the decline of Polish horse breeding.

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1996 "Life Raft"

The auction in Janów, after our departure from Animeks, was losing its importance year by year. When the result in 1995 fell below 50% ($381.500) compared to 1991 ($873.100), the breeders decided in the spring of 1996 to start talks with Polish Prestige. Negotiations took place against the position of AWRSP, which saw me as the main opponent of its privatization activities. At that time, I wrote a lot and appeared in the media in defense of state studs and herds.

The agreement with Polish Prestige was blocked by one of the Agency's directors, who attended the meeting with a gloomy face.

- "Titanic is sinking, we are changing to a life raft" - cut short director Jaworowski and the authority of the great breeder prevailed. On behalf of the studs, the agreement was signed by Ignacy Jaworowski, Michał Maciejewski (Andrzej Krzyształowicz had already retired), Andrzej Guziuk and Władysław Guziuk. For our part, me and Radosław Wiszniowski. It was a transparent agreement written on one page between partners who had known each other for a long time and had full confidence in each other. In return for an 11% commission, Polish Prestige was responsible for preparing and conducting the auction, settling the transaction and delivering the horses to the buyers. The costs of the auction were settled after the auction between the beneficiaries of the sale, in proportion to the revenues obtained. Polish Prestige participated in covering 11% of the costs. In fact, our share in the costs was greater than 11%, because the basis for customer acquisition was my trips to shows in the USA, Europe or WAHO congresses, financed by our company. Together with the breeders, we set the annual budget of the Festival, including the proceeds from sponsorship, sales of VIP cards, trade stands, tickets, catalogues, car parks, etc.

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Read more... (click to go to the Polish Digital Equestrian Library)

Author Marek Grzybowski