The history of the Kisbéri Stud

The history of the Kisbéri Stud is organically connected with the history of Hungarian horse racing and thoroughbred breeding. The subject of the book is about 200 years old, and its birth has a history dating back many decades. The question arises as to why Emperor Franz Joseph I founded a state stud in Kisbér. Well, the Austrians believe that good horses can be bred in the east. The geographical and climatic conditions in Kisbér are excellent for this. In the Reformation, the Batthyány brothers developed an advanced horse breeding culture in Kisbér, which was recognized and monitored by the competent decision-makers of the Viennese court. Gusztáv Herceg Batthyány (1803-1883), the excellent foreign rider, the first foreign member of the English Jockey Club, brought two English thoroughbred mares and a stallion from England in 1829, and had a horse race track built in nearby Ivánkapuszta. Gusztáv bought the famous Privateer for Count György Károlyi. Privateer is already among the winning horses in the "Lawn Book" of 1830, and in 1831 he covered in Kisbér for 20 gold. This great stallion gave birth to Furioso, born in 1836, the excellent stallion of Mezőhegyes. It is also interesting that Róbert Hesp was employed as a huntsman in Kisbér, directing the herd. As we know, he later became famous as the treasurer of Kincsem and Kincsem is also connected to Kisbér with many, many threads. Count Kázmér Batthyány, Hungary's first foreign minister, was forced to emigrate after the fall of the war of independence and died in July 1854. His brother Gusztáv settled in England, where he won an Epsom Derby with the Galopin he bought, but he also bred St. Simon, the racehorse and heiress of the century. The first written trace of the founding of the Kisbéri Stud is a document dated July 9, 1852, which is the crystallization point of this book, from which the authors guide the esteemed reader to this day, providing a glimpse into the glorious eras of our horse racing and breeding. reasons and those responsible for its liquidation. Kis-Bér, this former plain in Central Transdanubia, which is first mentioned in our diplomas in 1277, has rightly been included in our list of national monuments. Kisbér, the former Hungarian Royal Stud, deservedly became world-famous, which according to contemporary hippologists became the most beautiful stud of the Monarchy - its fate after the Compromise, between the two world wars, its glory and decline, itself a novel history. Kisbér is our first (and only) Hungarian bred English thoroughbred horse winning Epsom Derby, born here. It was conceived, born and passed out in the 54th competition unbeaten mares Treasure, and it was here that the XX. century Hungarian racehorse, Imperial, which won twenty of 25 races and was placed three times. Well, if we consider that a noble, excellent breed, the Kisbér half-breed, was created here, through which Hungary's horse breeding gained many recognitions all over Hungary and in the world, then we can understand the significance of Kisbér. The Kisbér half-breed horse breed - despite the fact that it was forced to leave its original breeding place for almost 60 years - is still bred by more than three hundred people outside and inside the country, which also means that its breeders and users love and trust it. The Kisbéri Stud - which gave success to the Derbyk line, which has been a success on many Hungarian and foreign tracks, has now been almost forgotten. Its history is closely connected with the glorious history of Hungarian horse racing and Hungarian thoroughbred breeding. By presenting the history of this patinated place, the authors attempted to shed light on the events of this century and a half through the fate, sacrificial work, successes and failures of the Kisbéri Stud as an institution, horses born and bred in the stud and people working in the Kisbéri Stud ... , this small Hungarian town, with its equestrian past and architectural monuments, still deserves captivates those who visit here once. Dr. Balázs Pataki Head of the Breeding Committee of the Kisbér Half-Blood Horse Breeding National Association