Overview of the Russian Bloodlines Russia purchased Kann from France in 1930 along with 6 mares. They had good shoulders and were  known as "uphill" horses, i.e. taller at the withers than at their croup. By day's standards they would  probably be considered far from beautiful (but then beauty is in the eye...) but they had strong legs and  good conformation. Kann produced the mare Krona who foaled Taktika who became a foundation mare  of the Russian Tersk breeding program. Taktika was a granddaughter of Star of the Hills, a Crabbet  mare with much inbreeding to Mesaoud and highly prized by the Tersk breeding program. Taktika  produced the famous race sire *Pietuszok who not only had a great racing background himself, but was  the sire of Orzel who was Top 10 English Pleasure and US National Champion in Racing, one of the  foundation sires of racing Arabians in the US.  *Pietuszok's sire was Priboj. Priboj was out of Rissalma, one of the Crabbet mares whom the Russian  program had acquired, known for producing horses of strength and stamina, and by Piolin, a Polish  stallion. Priboj was also the sire of triple crown winner Topol, full brother to *Pietuszok. TLA Halynov   has 4 crosses in his pedigree to Priboj who is at the foundation of many successful race pedigrees.  Please view Halynov's Russian Pedigree to learn about our stallion's Russian bloodlines with regards  to ancestral race and show backgrounds. Priboj had a deep shoulder, arched neck and a pretty head.  In 1939, the German army invaded Poland and 12 of the greatest stallions and 42 mares were evacuated  from the Janov stud to Tersk. One of those stallions was Ofir who was the sire of the 3 "W" stallions:  Wielki Szlem, Witez II,and Witraz. One of the 42 mares, Makata, was the dam of Witraz. If you can  imagine the extent to which the evacuation was fraught with chaos and confusion! The 80 or so total  stallions, mares, and foals had to walk the 1000 mile trip; there were no railroad cars available.  Mammona, daughter of Ofir, survived a 1000 mile march as a suckling from Poland to Russia to be saved  from the Germans and there founded a Dynasty of "Russian M horses" such as: *Moment, *Muscat,  *Muslin, *Mag and *Marsianin. Several months after their arrival they had to be evacuated again on a  2000 mile march into Asia to avoid the Nazi army. Although many of the Thoroughbred and half-blood  horses did not make it to the end of the journey, NOT ONE ARABIAN died!  Tak Tika is the founder of the second most famous dam line in Russia and traces to the stallion Kann  from France ... who is found in many modern day endurance and winning race arabians. Tak Tika is the  dam of Trapecia has many stars in her pedigree. One of her very athletic offspring was Tamerlan.  Amurath Sahib was Koheilan in type: massive, bony with good constitutions and proven racing ability.  He was the sire of Arax (who was out of a daughter of Wielki Szlem) who was brought to Russia in 1958  and used at stud there for 10 years. Arax is of the oldest sire line in Europe, that of Bairactar, born in  1813. In 1958, the exceptional bay son of Amurath Sahib, Arax, was sold by Poland to Russia. In the  intervening years the Kuhailan branch of the Bairactar line was lost to Poland. Poland than re-acquired  this sire line from Tersk through the Arax grandson Tallin. Arax was known for his great length and  strength of hindquarters, good legs and huge black eyes. His only fault would have been a thick throat  latch. He was sire to Nabeg, sire of many Russian bred imported to the US. He was frequently crossed  with Aswan daughters (e.g.*Nariadni).  Aswan was given to the Russian breeding program by Egypt as a gift following completion of the Aswan  Dam. Frequently Tersk would use Aswan to impart that special flare and fire yet make sure that Arax   was in the pedigree to insure good conformation. Nabeg sired such greats as Ptersk, Pesniar,  Principe, Monokol...the list goes on...I guess I should probably quit here or this is going to resemble  Genesis, with all the "begats!" For more information on the Russian breeding program in the Us, please visit SAI Oaks web site.  © Thumbs Up Production 2010