POLAND (by Agata Grosicka) Danish expertise and Polish enthusiasm created an initiative that aims to update Polish dressage horse breeding, as this interview with Mateusz Cichon and Thomas Sigternhjerggaard explains. Mateusz and Michal Cichon are among the top-ranked Polish young dressage riders, but last year they decided that riding is simply not enough. So they sought the help of Danish dressage rider, trainer and breeder Andreas Helgstrand.
From this collaboration, they created Cichon Stallions – a new breeding centre for dressage horses in Poland located in Radzionków, Silesia Region. Currently, they are offering four stallions: Furst Sav (Sir Foundation - Fürstin x Fürst Heinrich); Sir Europe (Sir Donnerhall I - Genoveva x Welt Hit II); Sweet Boy (San Amour - Romana x Depardieu); and Furstentraum 2 (Fürst Heinrich - Maikiki x Konigstraum). I had the opportunity to meet with Mateusz and Thomas, from Helgstrand Dressage, in Radzionków recently.
Q How did it all begin? Thomas: The Cichons
bought some horses from us and have seen how we do it and what we have right now here with Andreas (Helgstrand). So in Denmark we come up with an idea to help our Polish partners develop Poland a bit more. They bought a few stallions, and now they want to breed them and use the semen from the best stallions possible to eventually produce better foals out of their breeding.
Mateusz: We want to tell the whole of Poland we can do better in sports.
Thomas: It has to be a certain eye-opener to change the way breeders work here
Q What is the current situation with breeding sport horses here in Poland? How one can spot a good horse?
Mateusz: When it comes to horse shows, only regions are organizing them at the moment. If you really search for a good horse you can find one, but you really have to try hard. We need a platform for the breeders, all the breeders are using social media, but the virtual world is not enough. There has to be a proper way to do it in the real world.
