Remembering Pilot by Marek Trela

The great stallion Pilot passed away on Tuesday 23 August. Marek Trela shares his memories and thoughts on this great stallion with The Arabian Magazine family, and we share it here on The Romance of the Arabian Horse. 

Remembering Pilot…

Stallion Pilot (PL),
dark bay,
by Fawor out of Pipi by Banat,
Sire Line – Kuhailan Afas
Dam Line – Szamrajowka
3 February 1987 – 23 August 2016

This could be information about so many horses – but is not, It is about HIM.

Not many stallions captured my heart as Pilot. A foal from Pipi (Banat x Pilarka by Palas) was, from very beginning, a favourite of his breeder Director Andrzej Krzyształowicz as well as everybody in Janów Podlaski Stud. Pilot was a beautiful dark bay colt with great presence and movement, and there were hopes that he would have a future breeding career as a chief sire. His damline could not be better – both mother, Pipi, and grandmother, Pilarka, were probably the best that ever existed in Polish breeding. Both were great broodmares and show winners.

As a yearling, Pilot won the National Junior Champion Stallion title at Białka, a result that did not surprise anyone.

Right after his racing career, Pilot left to the USA to Paulo Gucci and next few years were not a time of joy and happiness. Unfortunately, in 1993, Pilot was starving at the stud, together with the other horses. Miraculously, he survived and went to England begin a new life at Halsdon Arabians.

Halsdon Arabians is a place that can be called a ‘horse paradise’ and we were all extremely happy to know that this was his new home. After very quick recovery, Pilot became a successful show horse. In 1996, he won for his owner, Mrs Shirley Watts, titles of International Champion Stallion in Blommerïd, Sweden, and International Champion Stallion in Towerlands.

I knew that Director Krzyształowicz had plans to use Pilot in Janów but due to the all disturbances in his life, this had was not possible. So I was extremely happy to hear the answer of Mrs Watts to my question about the possibility to use Pilot at Janów Podlaski. His two years of 2000-2001 were repeated again in 2011-2012.

In Poland, Pilot has in total 37 foals including 16 fillies and many of them were of the highest quality. Mares such as Bellanda (ex Belladonna by Europejczyk), Epoka (ex Epoza by Eukaliptus), Pelota (ex Pembina by Arbil), Pepina (ex Petla by Visbaden) and Peteria (ex Pereja by HS Etiquette) are top mares, and their offspring have won a lot of trophies at the shows. Stallions such as HS Pirandelo (ex Pikieta by Probat), Epejos (Elwira by Arbil) and Pedagog (ex Petla) were used in Janów Stud to protect and continue Kuhailan Afas Line.

For me personally, Pilot was not only an important stallion, but a good friend. Many times in Janów, I would visit his box and we had conversations. He was mostly listening, and I bet he really understood everything.

It was my privilege and honour to see Pilot at Halsdon just few weeks ago, in his own paddock. There, we made a selfie – the last selfie.