The odds were on our side and luckily the other client
backed out! We quickly arranged everything... That Eralda
was joining Al Shiraa was a fact!
It was a very smooth and easy deal with the Gozdzialski
family of Falborek Arabians. The only condition was
that the buyer had to go and pick Eralda up personally
with the transport. Well, that was a bit of an issue, as
Sheikha Fatima was in Abu Dhabi and it was not possible,
so they accepted me as a representative of the farm to go
pick her up.
The trip was organized, and Philip and I took a small
truck and drove from Belgium all the way to Poland. And
Poland is far, really far! We made a pit stop in Magdeburg,
in Germany, and again drove for the rest of the day until we
reached the town of Brzes ́c ́ Kujawski.
That was a tricky moment, because none of us saw her
after she was purchased, and expectations were high! In the
last kilometers, I have to confess that many doubts went
through my mind: “What if she is not good enough, if she
doesn’t grow, and if her body doesn’t balance, and if she lost
the face?”
It was snowing and starting to get dark when we arrived
at the farm. We waited in the parking lot for Mr. Lucas
Gozdzialski, and he asked if we wanted to have a coffee first,
or see her. The answer was a unanimous“see her now!”
The barn was a bit dark, and I looked right, where a
pretty bay and a dappled grey mare were standing. Then
I looked left, and in the first box, there was an extremely
fluffy weanling, with the most unbelievable face I’ve ever
seen sticking out. I just thought: “Please, I hope that one is
ours!” I looked at Philip, and he confirmed. Well, as cheesy
as it sounds, I started to cry.
There she was! The Al Shiraa game changer. We are so
happy to have been part of her journey since the beginning.
Her first show was in Mallorca, the Balearic
Championship. We needed to test her, and it was a great
opportunity to do so just half an hour from home. She was
easily Champion Filly and Best in Show.
It was time to climb higher mountains... and 2017 was
not an easy year for her; we showed her in Chantilly and
Aachen, with disappointing results. She was not at her best
stage, but still we could not understand why they could not
see how special she was. She stole so many hearts from the
public, trainers and other breeders, and they as well could
not understand it.
Even with all the struggling and not having the
expected results, none of us stopped believing in her,
especially Sheikha Fatima. Show after show, she kept
encouraging the team and saying: “I would not trade
her for any of the Champions. One day she will get
what she deserves!”
The year of 2018 would be different. A more mature
and confident Eralda started her show season as a
junior filly at Abu Dhabi International. She won
her class among more than 20 high quality fillies,
and in the finals, she was named Bronze Medal
Champion Filly.
She came back to Europe, and she put on a wonderful
show in Menton, being qualified for the championship,
but the judges did not find her in the finals. So again,
she was out. That was a crucial show as Menton
often marks the path for the rest of
the season. I have to admit, I felt a bit
defeated. Of course, Menton is a difficult
show, not the easiest ground for young
horses... and with strong classes always.
AL SHIRAA > 7 < WORLD
sharon
(sharon)
#1