[shell]

I just discovered that my black Arab mare, Velvet, has 2 crosses to *Witez II.
I had no idea, but there is a group of people who covet this line in their horses. Should I find out about joining? He is in the 5th generation on top and bottom of her pedigree.



*WITEZ II
(Ofir x Federacja)
April 1, 1939 - June 9, 1965This never before published photo of *Witez II was taken by Marcia Eddy in 1965, a few months before *Witez II died. Marcia is a Charter Member of *Witez II Owners Network and is the owner of Eddy Arabians at Campbell, Texas.
Marcia said this about the photo: "I'm sending you 3 slides of *Witez II, which I took in 1965. He was fuzzy with his winter coat but he still had that Look of Eagles." Photo used with permission of owner.
ALL NEW
MEMBER PAGES

FIND YOUR SPECIAL *WITEZ II ARABIAN
in our
CLASSIFIED ADS Visit our
MEMORIAL TO *WITEZ II HORSES

[cassidy]

aww y not what have you got to lose!

[Sandra-A1]

Witez II was a super horse and quiet famous...he was part of the horses General Patton took from the Germans when he sent the troops to rescue the Lippazaner Mares.
People know all about the Lippazaners but do not know that there were lots of other horses rescued too.....
Great Arabians like Witez II for example!
Here is his story:

MARCH 2002: Witez II
by Becki Bell

In 1938, the Arabian horses of Poland were the pioneers of a resurrected breed. Bloodlines that had nearly been destroyed in World War I had staged an extraordinary recovery, and new lines were flourishing with the help of imported Arabians from Hungary, Austria and Arabia. In that year a dark bay colt was born at Janow Podlaski out of famous desertbred lines (his grandfather had been imported from Arabia only seven years earlier). The colt was called Witez II, "The Prince." But unlike many of today's stallions, who are earmarked for active but mostly stable lives on stud farms almost from the time of birth, Witez II was not to make his way easily into the world.

In the autumn of 1939, Adolph Hitler's troops invaded Poland, and it was clear that no village, farm, or horse was safe from becoming a spoil of war. Witez II and the horses he pastured with were in danger, and their handlers knew that the only escape route lay to the east. Safety for the travelers meant that the horses and their handlers could not all go together, so Witez II and the other yearlings were divided from the rest of the herd and sent away on their own.

The small band was only a few miles into their journey when a group of German bombers appeared in the sky above them and began dropping bombs into the field. The horses erupted into panicked flight and within moments the group was disbanded. Witez's handler managed to regain control over him but by then the pair had been separated from their companions and was forced to proceed alone.

If travel with the band was treacherous, travel alone was much more so and Witez II and his handler were eventually forced to seek safety with a local woodcutter, who recruited the horse to help haul lumber until it became too dangerous for the pair to remain. In an effort to disguise his charge, who was clearly developing into a quality animal, Witez's handler smeared his coat with mud and they began the journey to Janow, where it was hoped they would have more ready access to feed.

Janow was now occupied by the Germans, however, and upon their arrival it became clear that the only available feed was at the stud. Undaunted, Witez's handler stole into the stud each night and brought food out for his charge, but it was not enough. It eventually became obvious that the horse would die if his situation did not change, and so his handler reluctantly turned him over to the Germans in the hope that they would restore his health.

It is not commonly known that at that time, Nazi Germany was financing a program to breed a "super horse" to carry the Nazi army of "super men." An evaluation of Witez II convinced his new German handlers that the horse was of high quality and fit to join the other 1500 horses of various breeds who were participating in the program in Hostau Czechoslovakia.

It was not long after Witez II was moved to Hostau that the Americans and Russians began to advance to what German veterinarian R. Lessing, who was in charge of the program, considered uncomfortably close to the Hostau stud. Dr. Lessing and his assistant, W. Kroll, began to fear that the Russians might capture their horses and slaughter them as food for the troops. Speaking only a few English words they had learned from a German-English dictionary, Dr. Lessing and Dr. Kroll traveled through enemy lines under a white flag to ask for American assistance. "Wonder horses ..." they told the Americans, "All the good horses ... super horses ..." Their appeal was accepted and General George Patton Jr. gave permission for the Colonel in charge to negotiate for the horses' surrender.

But the Germans refused to give up their "Super Horses" peacefully, and General Patton was eventually forced to give the order for his Third Army to "liberate" the horses as "prisoners of war" before the Russians could arrive on the scene. The mission was not a simple one, however, and although Hostau was quickly captured the two platoons of Lieutenant William D. Guinlivan were cut off from the rest of the American forces and were forced to wait for reinforcements despite a dwindling ammunition supply.

On April 28, 1945 the Americans finally secured the German stud and rode Hitler's army of "super horses" out of Hostau. By the time they reached Bavaria, 200 miles away and under fire en route, many of the horses were lame but not one of them had been lost. The horses were taken to the Monsback Stud and cared for by Colonel Hamilton, General Patton's "best horseman," who checked each horse's pedigree and lineage and made arrangements for them to be transported to the United States on a freighter bound for Front Royal, Virginia.

In those days, traveling overseas was no small matter, especially in the middle of winter. Heavy seas delayed the journey and the constant moisture of being at sea began to turn the hay storage moldy. Many of the equine travelers coliced, but Witez managed to make the journey in fairly good condition. During the voyage, the foal *Wontez, a *Witez II son, was born to the mare *Iwonka III.

From Virginia, *Witez II was sent to a division of the Army Remount Service, where he stood at stud until 1949 when the government determined that the horse was no longer a necessary vehicle of war. *Witez II was sold at auction and sent to California, where he joined the Hurlbutt Calarabia ranch and enjoyed the remainder of his years as a stud. His amazing story helped him to earn the respect and admiration of Arabian breeders and hobbyists alike, but it was "the look of eagles" that fired his success as a stud and secured numerous championships for his get.

*Witez II lived until 1965, when he died quietly in his pasture. During his US stud career he produced 215 foals, 30 of which became champions. *Witez II descendents today number in the thousands. His story has been remembered in two books, and his image has even been reproduced on a Polish postage stamp. If it can be said that the Arabians of Poland pioneered the resurrection of their breed, then it can surely also be said that Witez II pioneered the Polish Arabian's legacy in America.

[belle4]

Shell,

Your mares neck is just unreal! What a beauty.

[Sandra-A1]

*Witez II at Fort Reno in April, 1949, when he was eleven.

[shell]

OMG Sandra!! I feel like I just found treasure in my own pasture! I had no idea about WitezII and how great he was. Now I love Velvet even more! I contacted the WitezII people, but have not herd back yet. I wonder what they will think of Velvet. Maybe they will give me a persentage like the other horses on the site.
Thanks for the info. I am going to print it and put it with her papers!

[Sandra-A1]

I am partial to Witez II bloodlines myself.....my first Arabian was a Witez II grandson.
Here is part of the lovely letter I got from his owners this past June:

He lived a productive life well into his 30th year. For several years, he has been teaching new riders, finally retiring eariler this year, still beautiful and not showing his age. In the early morning hours of June 23, a great one passed. I am priviledged to have shared in his life.....

Here are some photos of him.
I am sorry some of them are not all that clear...they are really old and did not scan well. The ones of him standing were taken the day we went to look at him to see if we wanted to buy him. The ones of him in harness were taken about a week after the first time he had ever been hooked to the cart. He really loved to drive and the 5th time he was shown in pleasure driving he won Reserve State Champion at the State Championship show they used to hold at the State Fair. The horse that beat him had been showing in harness for several years!
I can't speak for all the Witez II horses but I do know that this one and his sire were super people horses and truly loved to please. They were very self aware and when they enjoyed doing something knew how to let you know!

[shell]

Originally Posted by belle4

Shell,

Your mares neck is just unreal! What a beauty.

Thanks Bella. She get's that beautiful neck from her sire, Telaviv. He is now dead, but what a beauty he was. He only sires about 20 foals and Velvet was one of his first. He was not used as a stud untill he was in his teens.
I wish I had a body shot of him. Ho well. I am sure he was a beauty all over.

[wyldterv]

Shell, I had a very heavily Davenport and Crabbet bred gelding who was 15/16the Arab and 1/16 QH who had 3 crosses to Witez II King is 27 and still going strong and was/is the most BOMB proof horse anyone could ask for.

He was the first horse I ever owned, I got him when I was 13 and he was just 2 yrs old and I trained him to saddle myself, my first time to do so and then retrained him 3 yrs later when I had a ton more knowledge, and that boy forgave every mistake I made.

I know alot of the top endurance horses have also been Witez II descendents as well. That is a line I've always been partial too and like to see blended with some of the Egyptian lines, you get a fairly exotic looking horse with more mental groundedness IMO when it's blended right.