Jehangir Rustomjee, the Bahraini WAHO Registrar, returned to Poland this summer to see Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan, an important Bahraini-bred stallion gifted to Janów Podlaski in 2014.
The heatwave sweeping across Europe this summer was very much in evidence when I landed in Warsaw for the 2025 edition of the always highly anticipated Arabian Horse Days held at Stadnina Janów Podlaski in eastern Poland. I wasn’t exactly there for the event. It actually all began for me in 2014.
That was the year I was part of the delegation led by HH Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa to present the State of Poland with a very special gift – the seven-year-old Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan, a stallion from one of the most cherished and protected strains at the Royal Arabian Stud of Bahrain. HH Sheikh Isa, in conversation with me the previous year, came up with the idea, inspired by events early in the previous century. It all culminated in this very emotional and momentous occasion.
A bit of a history lesson here. Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan descends from the same family/strain as the legendary Kuheilan Afas who came to Poland early last century. He was procured by Bogdan Zientarski in the company of the Arabian horse legend Carl Raswan in search of new blood for the Arabian horse studs of Prince Roman Sanguszko. He arrived at the Prince’s Gumniska Stud in 1930. After winning on the racetrack in Poland, Kuheilan Aafas went to stud in 1938. Unfortunately, after only two seasons at stud, he disappeared without a trace after the fall of Poland in 1939, yet another victim of World War II. However, in just those two seasons he left his stamp on the Polish Arabian via Bad Afas (ex Bad), sire of Abu Afas (ex Gahdar), who in turn sired the much-valued Comet (ex Carmen by Trypolis). Comet is one of the most prepotent producers of Polish type in the history of the breed, something that is still evident to this day. I watched Piba (Gazal al Shaqab x Pilar by Fawor), a direct descendant, wowing the crowds at the 2025 Polish Nationals, shrugging off her fourteen years in an awe-inspiring show of grace and power which won her the class with one of the highest scores of the show, 92.67 points.
It was so special to be reunited with Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan who, at the grand age of seventeen, looked amazing. It was really difficult to keep a tab on him during the difficult years at the Polish State Studs between 2016 and 2022. Most importantly, I needed to know that he was alive and well. I personally feel that the fact that he was this exotic state gift protected him from sale or disposal. It was really wonderful to receive a beautiful video and photographs of him from Samantha Mattocks and Anette Mattsson at last year’s Breeding Parade.
Weronika Sosnowska, the new breeding manager at Janów, was gushing in praise for Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan’s superb temperament and outlook. I was so happy to see that he occupied the very same stall that he did when I said goodbye to him in 2014. He’s not particularly affectionate, but there was the immediate recollection of my voice and I got a nicker of “hello, where on earth have you been?”, but he looked happy and is clearly a firm stable favourite.
Former Stud Director and now advisor Marek Trela was equally effusive in praise for Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan. He stood firm in his belief of the stallion and said that he would be utilised wisely again, but he would need to wait a season while his seniors, with less years on the clock, had their sirelines re-established. So much to do with so little time.
Taking advantage of my presence there, the wonderful Janów videographers interviewed Marek and myself about Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan and did a shoot in front the iconic Clock Tower Stable block on one of the most beautiful days I was there. My boy is a reluctant poser, but he deigned to do so for such an important day, the sun glistened off his nearly dark bay coat. Earlier in the stallion yard, Marek was throwing sand in the air to get him interested. Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan is such a chilled individual, an attribute gained from centuries of selective breeding, temperament being one of the most important things we breed for.
It is hoped that Kuheilaan Aafas Maidaan will emerge from the shadows of his illustrious ancestor in the years to come and establish his own line of special in Poland. They certainly believe in him, and so do we.
