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[RC] Babolna Arabian and Shagya stud threatened! - Donna CossThis stud was found in 1789 and survived two world wars and the Russian occupation. The communistsare again in control through elections etc. and all that seems to be important is MONEY and how they can obtain more. I have friends and family who recently visited Hungary and the country is being destroyed by political motives that do not benefit the general population. The only way this national stud can be saved is by an international outcry and pressure put upon those who seem to be in power. The stud farm IS a success and becoming more and more a tourist attraction as well as recognized as a powerful source of precious Arabian blood and the home of the Shagya breed. Here is the letter from Tamás Rombauer regarding Bábolna. ----------Dear Friends! I would like to inform you, that with 17th January 2008 I have been withdrawn as director of Bábolna National Stud Estate Ltd., and at the same time my employment with this company has come to an end. The decision has been made by the National Council of Property Agency and has been executed by the director general of the Corporation Responsible for National Properties. In the background of the affair is the acquisition of 11.000 hectare of land of the earlier company, the Bábolna Corporation, from which until today the Stud could not get any hectare. Moreover, the decision of the government regarding this (namely that the Bábolna National Stud would get 760 hectares of land) has not been executed for one and a half years. Their intention is to give the stud together with the horses to trusteeship, for which there is no operable pattern in the world. I have been in charge of the breeding program of Bábolna Stud for 17 years and during the last 5 years I was the director of the whole National Stud Estate Ltd. (2 studs, the Arabian Stud Bábolna and the Englisch Thoroughbred Stud in Dióspuszta, the tourism, botanic and zoological park, operating of the electric network, maintenance of the traditional buildings, organising fairs and exhibitions, school). We have reached significant results, in which our breeding, professional co-operation with international organisations and breeders played an important role. All this needed all my time and attention, and so I could not accept many invitations that I received in the last years. Thank you for your understanding! I would also like to thank everybody, who granted help to Bábolna in the past, mainly since 1990. The place would not be enough to make a list of these people, and I am sure, there were some of them, whom I would forget to mention, but Mr. Krzysztalowicz/Janow, Mr. Eckehard Frielinghaus (ISG) and Mr. Jay Stream (WAHO) are lucky, that they do not see, how the breeding work of 219 years will be eliminated. Depending on my free time I will go on to assist the activity of the MALE (Society of the Hungarian Arabian Horse Breeders) as "volunteer". Together with the directors of other European State Studs, we have begun to co-ordinate the activities of the National Studs of Europe, and have planned to create a Society, the European State Stud Assembly (ESSA). The necessity of this is now confirmed by what is happening in Bábolna and in Hungarian horse breeding. Only the loud protest of the national and international public can help Babolna and prevent similar actions. At least, such a protest will probably make those responsible to re-consider what they have done. This is by no means only a national problem, since the question to preserve a cultural heritage of Europe, in this case the Shagya- Arabs, is to preserve a horse breed, which has been qualified by the Hungarian Parliament as an endangered one. Regarding preservation of this breed, the President of Hungary, Mr. László Sólyom has committed himself, and Prof. Dr. János Nagy, President of the National Council for Property Agency is responsible, not to speak about the Financial Minister, Mr. János Veres. "Today us – tomorrow you" - this could be the slogan, since every breed, which is in state ownership is threatened by this danger. And without any basis, the private breeders are not able to preserve what is considered a "not so modern" breed. Your protest can be successful if the press is also informed about what is happening. In case, you are going to do something in this regard, is our Society ready to help you. Once more thank you for your co-operation. With best regards, Tamás Rombauer 2943 Bábolna, Wesselényi u. 46. e-mail: rombauer@xxxxxxxxxxx Tel: +36-34-568-086 Mobil: +36-20-569-5503 __._,_.___PLEASE COPY AND SEND TO WHOMEVER MIGHT ASSIST IN SAVING THE BABOLNA STUD =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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