Artsakh Stallions

[valley ranch]

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http://www.panorama.am/en/all-shorts/

19:39 11/06/2015 » Society

Artsakh revives tradition of breeding Karabakh stallion almost lost because of military aggression of Azerbaijan
The assistant to the head of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) Department of Tourism, Artak Grigoryan’s exclusive interview to Panorama.am.

- What was the process of recovering the population of Karabakh stallions after war?

- The breeding of Karabakh stallions in the NKR revived since early 2000s. The breed was really under the threat of extinction at the beginning of the 90s, the years of Azerbaijan’s military aggression. Today there is no threat for Karabakh stallion on its homeland, and all the favorable conditions have been created for them to breed in the natural habitat. The center engaged in taking care of the recovering population is in the village Kirsavan.

As the history shows, the “Karabakhtsis” are quite enduring and capable to overcome any natural difficulties. They appear on the edge of extinction only in turbulent times of war and attacks. Generally, this breed is the child of freedom and piece and best of all reproduces itself in natural environment in the mountains near Kirsana.

- We know that Karabakh stallion played a special part in the Armenian history since the ancient times.

- The Karabakh stallions were the pride of the cavalry of the Armenian kings and meliks in Karabakh, and today they are the pride of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Suffice it to mention a few facts about the Armenian stallion. Back in the 19th century the journal Horse-breeding published an article according to which the Persian horses are so popular because they have the blood of the “Karabakh” breed. In 1952 a group of specialists from the Russian Empire arrived in Persia and noted that the key to success of the Persian cavalry were the Karabakh stallions among them which actually did not yield to their Arabic kindred in anything.

In his book "Melikdoms of Khamsa” Raffi writes that the cavalry rich in Karabakh stallions and famous for its power since the ancient times was a part of the Artsakh Army. Raffi points that Karabakh stallion was outwardly analogous to the Arabian breed, but had a specific golden-red color. These fast and safe horses helped the Armenian cavalry in the historically significant battles, even outside Artsakh.

Another interesting fact is that the famous tsarist general Artsakh-born Valerian Madatov – who founded dynastic stud farm in Shushi - also dealt with the cultivation of Karabakh stallion.

- Actually, until the beginning of the last century the cultivation of Karabakh stallions was local meliks’ prerogative. What happened next?

- As a result of wars and revolutions, Karabakh racer appeared on the edge of extinction. Only in the 1940s it was possible to restore the population of Karabakh stallion with titanic efforts. By the way, in Soviet times, Nikita Khrushchev gifted a wonderful Karabakh racer to the British Queen. And again, because of the war in the early 90s, Karabakh stallion was on the verge of extinction. Today, no less than Herculean efforts are being made to protect it from aggression.

- How is the Karabakh stallion peculiar?

- It is not very tall, but it is very strong and enduring. It has broad chest and a distinctive color. It is often called "orange" because of the special yellow-orange color.