About Shagya-Arabians

SHAGYA-ARABIANS are born as the perfect riding and carriage horses. The SHAGYA-ARABIAN is a special breed with ARABIAN blood lines
and not very known worldwide because of its rarity. The SHAGYA-ARABIAN is generally taller than the PUREBRED ARABIAN HORSE and his
temperament is more relaxed. With its excellent properties, the SHAGYA-ARABIANS conquered long ago, all disciplines of equestrian sport.

This special Arabian breed was developed 150 - 200 years ago on the famous military stud farms of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, primarily in
Hungary at Babolna, Radautz and Piber. Later stud farms in Czechoslovakia, Rumania and Bulgaria also bred SHAGYAS and not to forget en
Baden-Wurtemburg Germany. The purpose was to develop a breed of superior cavalry and carriage horses.

With its origins deriving from purebred desert Arabians, the SHAGYA breed was consolidated many generations ago, so that it breeds consistently
true to type. The SHAGYAS combine the advantages of the Bedouin Arabian - elegant, type great hardiness and toughness, endurance, easy keeping
qualities, an inborn friendliness toward humans), with the requirements of a modern riding horse, like sufficient height for heavy riders, big frame and
a great rideability; excellent movements and a enormous jumping ability. The foundation stallions of the SHAGYA breed were original desert breed
Arabians. They were bred with mares which showed a great deal of Arabian influence, English Thoroughbreds and Lippizaners were also used
occasionally in order to increase size and to improve movement and riding qualities.

The SHAGYAS not only served as cavalry horses in many European theaters of war, they were also used as brilliant parade horses for Europe´s royalty.
The Imperial guards of the Habsburgs in Vienna were always mounted on elegant SHAGYAS. Even today one can still admire many statues
commemorating the heroic deeds of these horses in Hungary.

The SHAGYA breed can be said to have begun in 1789, when, as a result of an edict from the Emperor, the Babolna stud was founded 80 kilometers
west of Budapest (Hungary). The conditions for developing a superior breed were extremely favorable. Not only was the stud farm endowed with
gigantic pastures ideal for horse husbandry, it was also managed by the Magyars, Hungary´s talented native horseman’s, who had highly developed
skills as horse breeders.

The major progenitors of the SHAGYA breed were purchased by experts who were sent from Hungary on difficult and dangerous expeditions to the
deserts of Arabia. Very high prices were paid for these prized individuals. The most important stallion to mention is the dappled-grey stallion SHAGYA,
born in 1810. He was bred by the Bani Saher tribe of Bedouins and came to Babolna in 1836. He was such an outstanding producer that he appears in
nearly all SHAGYA-pedigrees. He not only put his stamp on the breed, he also gave it his name. Other foundation stallions include the original Arabians
GAZLAN-GAZAN, KOHEILAN, MERSUCH, DAHOMAN, SIGLAVY, SIGLAVY-BAGDADY and the black O’BAJAN; and two stallions which
came from the royal stud farm of Weil in Wurtemberg AMURATH und KEMIR. KUHAILAN HAIFI, KTTHAYLAN ZAID and the Egyptian stallions
IBN GAILAL und FARAG were used later and also have influenced the breed.

Over 150 years of selection in order - meticulous records were kept of the breeding program in the studbooks. These venerable volumes contain not
only the pedigree, color and measurements of all of the stallions and mares used; they also record many other characteristics of the individuals and of
their offspring’s.

Today´s SHAGYA still have the advantages of the PUREBRED ARABIANS, but is taller, with a bigger frame, a longer croup, high tail carriage,
and expressive face, a beautiful curved neck, with a strong, dry and correct frame; a size between 1.55 m and 1.60m; with productive, energetic and
elastic gaits. SHAGYAS are horses with endurance and good aptitude.

SHAGYAS are the perfect partner in horse sports. They have all the good qualities necessary to be ideal for dressage, jumping, endurance, hunting,
3 day eventing and have themselves successful proved in open competitions against warmbloods. They are also suitable to perform as pleasure horses
for the enjoyment of the whole family.

If PUREBRED ARABIANS are considered the „diamonds“ of the horse world, SHAGYAS can be considered the „priceless“, cut and polished in
order to fulfill the demand for high quality riding and driving horses in the modern world. - Once you have the pleasure to be associated with a
SHAGYA-ARABIAN it becomes a passion…

The stud “ALBORADA ARABIANS” breeds with SHAGYAS a new cross called “ALBORADA CROSS” with all the
advantages of the SHAGYAS, especially for the ENDURANCE-SPORTS in Europe. We also have a beautiful collection of SHAGYAS on sale directly
in our residence in Hungary.

Because we love SHAGYAS. Your ALBORADA-ARABIANS Breeding and Endurance Team:
Ines, Peter, Andree, Günter and Robert