At the beginning of December 2018, a few days before the III Winter Arabian Horse Auction, I received a phone call from the then President of Michałów State Stud, Monika Słowik, with a proposal of cooperation. I must admit that this phone surprised me a lot. The cooperation included taking over the function of animal husbandry at the stud and creating breeding plan for 2019.
I didn’t get much time to think. A decision that, I must admit, was not easy for me, had to be made immediately, literally overnight. I was in a great quandary. I was in love with the Kurozwęki Stud, where I started work as a animal husbandry right after graduating from studies at the University of Agriculture in Kraków. In that period of my life, I gave my whole heart to the Kurozwęki Stud, with which I was associated from the beginning of my life related to horses, especially pure arabian horses. Each of us has places which we always recall sentimentally, so it was a very difficult decision for me.
On the other hand, I realized that the proposal to cooperate with Michałów State Stud was a great opportunity for me to develop myself and that is why I decided to move. Of course, I was full of anxiety. I moved from a small farm to a huge one that I had to get to know. I had to learn a lot of new things, a different horse rearing, a different team management system. At the Kurozwęki Stud I managed a small team and looked after 60 horses. At Michałów State Stud, the number of horses oscillates around 400. It was and it is still a huge challenge. Moving from the Kurozwęki Stud to the Michałów State Stud, literally turned my life upside down, although it was an honor for me to receive such a proposal. It meant that my great life passion for Arabian horses was noticed. I perfectly remember that feeling while walking around the stables in the first days. I was intimidated by beauty of the horses that I was honored to look at. When I dived into their pedigrees, I was fascinated by their perfect consolidation.
The foaling season is ahead of us. I find it as the most beautiful period of time in my work. It is the foaling season that verifies breeding decisions. It shows whether they were right or not. Stable no. 4, the so-called „foaling stable” is the place where I spend the most of the time in the first months of the year. I try to be at each foaling, regardless of the time of day or night, especially when mares close to my heart, such as Galilea (Laheeb – Georgia / Monogramm), Wilda (Gazal Al Shaqab – Wilga / Ekstern) and Elihara (El Nabila B – Esmirna / Werbum) foal.They are the ones that captivated me the most with their type, charisma and beautiful eyes in dark frames.
Working in this place is the great honor for me and the huge challenge that I face every day. I love this place! My place on Earth! Also yours?
Weronika Sosnowska
Senior horse breeding specialist
Michałów State Stud