Witraz
Ofir x Makata
Born 1938
Witraz, a bay stallion, is one of the famous "W's" sired by Ofir. He is the sire of *Bask, who is the paternal grandsire of Monogramm.
20th Century Foundation Sire
International Sire of Significance
The name Witraz is synonymous with the Polish Arabian - he was a horse of superior quality who can can be found in nearly every Arabian pedigree of Polish descent.
One of the famous four "W"'s born in 1938 at Janow Podlaski and sired by the legendary Ofir, Witraz survived the atrocities of World War II amidst the harshest conditions, including the bombing of Dresden by Allied forces. Arriving on the night of February 13th, 1945, with the westward evacuation of the Janow herd to Germany, the entire group of 80 stallions were engulfed in the one of the fiercest campaigns of the European theatre, an event that destroyed the city of Dresden. Over half of the stallions were lost in the rampage, a fate that certainly would have befallen Witraz if not for the courage of his groom, Jan Ziniewicz.
With Witraz in one hand and Wielki Szlem in the other, Jan held fast to his precious charges throughout the horrific ordeal, even when Witraz's tail caught fire. Director Krzysztalowicz arrived early the next morning to find his most precious sires distraught, but unharmed, thanks to the incredible courage of the groom who had risked his own life to save the stallions.
Both Witraz and Wielki Szlem were repatriated to Poland in 1946, where each would establish legendary legacies of unparalleled importance to the breed. Witraz was sent to the newly established State Stud at Albigowa (while Janow Podlaski was rebuilt) where he was met by the masterful breeding genius of Roman Pankiewicz, a combination which propelled each into the international limelight and secured a place for each in the annals of breed history. At Albigowa, Witraz became the personal riding horse of Director Pankiewicz and was bred to the stud's finest mares.
Described as a horse of "remarkable beauty, with a wonderful head accented by large, dark eyes, small, fine ears and a refined muzzle with capacious nostrils", Witraz was also well known for his good size, substantial, athletic build and long, well shaped neck. His most famous get was the immortal Bask - had he done nothing but sire this legend, he would have secured his place in history. Yet, Witraz was a remarkably prepotent stallion sired who sired several outstanding sons and a host of superlative daughters who have irrevocably changed the breed.
