Norway

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2019 REPORT:

The Norwegian Arab Horse Society has provided the following information. In 2017, 5 foals were registered. There were 8 exports and 10 imports. There were 4 National shows and approximately 30 endurance competitions.

2008 REPORT FROM THE NORWEGIAN ARAB HORSE SOCIETY (NAHF):

The current published stud book for NAHF is volume V, and it covers the period from 1991 to 1997. A supplement for the period 1998 to 1999 will be published beginning of 2009. Our plan is to publish the next stud book ( volume VI) in 2010, for the years 2000 – 2008. NAHF Registry will have a new database working from 2009.

60 foals were born in 2008. 24 horses have been imported in 2008, 7 horses have been exported. Estimated number of living Arabians is 900.

Our national authorities demand that every horse has a passport, and since 2007 all horses have to be micro-chipped. The micro-chips we use are ISO-standard, and NAHF have to get the micro-chip from the national authorities. The micro-chip is sent out to the owner of the foal, with the rest of the registration papers. A veterinarian has to chip the horse, and return a sign form to the Registry.

NAHF do allow use of artificial insemination, transported semen. We do not for the moment allow embryo transfer. But we will register imports produced by embryo transfer.

NAHF are now running two shows every year, one international show in June / July and one national show in August. At the national show it is also classes for riding, jumping and western. Futurity Cup for yearlings has been a popular introduction at the national show. The Arabian horse are used in ridden classes, jumping, driving, racing, endurance and western riding, but mostly the Arab horse in Norway are used as a ” family horse”. The Norwegian Riding Federation arrange all activities for ridden classes, jumping and endurance, this are classes open for all breeds. At NAHF national show the performance classes are only for the purebred Arabian horse. Racing is run by the Norwegian Jockey Club, and they have only a few races for purebred Arabians in Norway, but it is possible to go to Sweden – were they have races more regularly.

Fortunately we can see a growing activity, and the Society is working to encourage owners to use their horses in performance competitions.

The Norwegian Arabian Horse Society has arranged different seminar to educate their members in history, care and use of the purebred Arabian horse. The Society has a magazine, published 3- 4 times pr. year , with information an articles to educate our members.

REPORT MADE AT 2007 WAHO CONFERENCE:

In 2007, Norway registered 45 foals and processed 8 exports and 22 imports.

The current published stud book for Norway is volume 5, covering the period 1991-1997. A supplement for the period 1998-2005 will be published this year, our plan is then to publish the next stud book in 2009. We are working with a new database and we hope this will come into use at the end of this year.

In 2005 we registered 32 foals, but there are still some pending that will be registered this year. In 2006 we registered 28 foals and about 20 are still pending registration. The number of foals over the past 5 years has been between 40 to 60. In Norway we still have licensing for stallions being used for breeding, this is mostly because the National Authorities want to have the same system for all the different breeds in Norway. The Norwegian Registry will register all foals as long as they fulfill the requirements to be a purebred Arabian, even if the stallion is not licensed. Today we have about 50 stallions that have been licensed, about 15 to 20 have been used for breeding. The number of broodmares is about 200, normally 50 to 60 are covered in a year. The estimated number of living Arabians is 750. Numbers of imports are about 20 to 25 each year, and between 1 and 3 horses are exported each year.

Norway has been blood-typing foals and imports since 1985, from 2000 we changed to DNA, although for a period we had to use both systems. Our national authorities demand that every horse has a passport, and from 2007 all horses have to be micro-chipped, and it is an ISO standard system that we are using. We do allow the use of Artificial Insemination and transported semen, but we do not for the moment allow Embryo transfer but we will register imports produced by this method.

We run 2 shows every year, one international show normally in June or July, and our National show in August. At the National Show there are also classes for riding, jumping and western. Local shows are also arranged, one in the north of Norway, north of even the polar circle, normally this show is held every 2nd year. Our Arabian horses are used for riding, jumping, driving, racing, endurance and western riding. But mostly the Arabian horses in Norway are used as family horses. The Norwegian Riding Federation arranges all activities for ridden classes, jumping and endurance, these classes are open for all breeds. At the National Show the performance classes are only for purebred Arabians. Racing is run by the Norwegian Jockey Club, and they have only a few races for purebred Arabians in Norway, but the owners also have the possibility to race their horses in Sweden and Denmark. We can see a growth in the activities and the Society is working for encouraging owners to use their horses in performance competition.

The Norwegian Arabian Horse Society has arranged different seminars to educate our members in the history, care and use of the purebred Arabian horse, normally they have one course every year.

Trophy Winners


KA FERRARI – 2007 WAHO Trophy Winner – Norway

KA FERRARI, Bay Gelding, *1996 (Fynt/Firanka).
Breeder: Krone Araberstutteri. Owners: Miriam and Ellen Kongevold.
Strain: Not Recorded (Family of Ukrainka, circa 1815).

The Norwegian Arab Horse Society is pleased to announce the winner of their 2007 WAHO Trophy winner is one of their best endurance horses, KA Ferrari. Among his most excellent results and titles are that of 2007 Nordic-Baltic Endurance Champion (124 km ride in Denmark) and Norwegian Senior Champion (128 km in Rendalen). In 2008 he completed the Grand-Prix endurance ride at the 160 km FEI-competition in Sweden.

He was also the Norwegian Riding Association’s Championship-winner in 2006 and 2007, this is an annual award to the horse and rider with most points in endurance each season, the points are given for each class, according to the number of competitors and the result.

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KA Ferrari ridden by his owner Miriam Kongevold.

Miriam and Ferrari are now aiming towards European Championship Endurance in 2009 and maybe World Championship Endurance in 2010.

KA Ferrari is also used for therapy-riding for children and youths. He also competes in lower levels showjumping. Ferrari, who is from all Polish bloodlines, is an amazing horse who not only has great athletic abilities, but also an equally great personality.


WIELKI PAWO – 2006 WAHO Trophy Winner – Norway

WIELKI PAWO, Grey stallion, 1994 (Pawodok – Wielka Cha-Cha)
Owner/Breeder: Åge Stenumgård.
Strain: Kehailan Dajani (Mlecha)

The Norwegian Arab Horse Society is pleased to announce that Wielki Pawo has been awarded their 2006 WAHO Trophy. This lovely stallion of predominantly Polish bloodlines has been champion several times at international shows as well as gaining Best in Show titles.

He also excels under saddle. Over the last few years he has been trained and ridden in several competitions including dressage, with good results.

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His wonderful temperament has also allowed him to be used for some rather unusual assignments. He has been used by an artist who wanted photos with a horse in different kinds of situations. The first time it was by the photographer Knut Bry who wanted to make a poster for a play. Wielki Pawo was the horse he chose, and he took the horse indoors onto the stage of the Oslo National Theatre to get the poster he wanted. In the summer of 2006 another artist, Kristin Gunter, wanted to show the movement of a horse from a very different viewpoint – from directly underneath. This was a very complicated project because the horse had to trot across a bridge made of Plexiglas which was 15 metres long and suspended 1.5 metres above ground level.

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An Arabian was perfect for this job because the horse could not be too heavy (due to the strength of the Plexiglas), and again Wielki Pawo was chosen. The artist then stood underneath this Plexiglas bridge, filming the horse. Kristin Gunter showed this film at Kistefoss museum with very great success.

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To successfully meet such unusual challenges, a horse must have tremendous trust and confidence in his handler in what he is being asked to do. Therefore, it was considered that for the above reasons, as well as for his beauty and show wins, Wielki Pawo displays the best Arabian attributes to a high degree, and is a worthy ambassador of the breed in Norway.


ZANTOS – 2005 WAHO Trophy Winner – Norway

ZANTOS, Chestnut gelding, *1987, (Zaana / Blue Chap).
Breeder: Guri Hårstad. Owner: Bjoerg A. Hals.
Strain: Kehailan Rodan (Rodania 1869).

The Norwegian Arab Horse Society (NAHF) are pleased to announce that their winner of the 2005 WAHO Trophy is the 18 year-old chestnut gelding, Zantos. A small horse at only 145cm, but a great horse nonetheless, Zantos and his owner Bjoerg A. Hals have been the most winning combination in western riding disciplines in Norway for the last three years. Zantos has now retired from top level competing, and is going to be the schoolmaster for Bjoerg’s daughter, although maybe he will take part in some competitions with her in the future.

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Western riding is not yet a very big discipline in Norway, but Zantos has become an icon in western riding and he has shown us all that an Arabian horse can reach the top in riding competitions. He is a great ambassador for the Arabian breed in Norway and is a very worthy winner of the first WAHO Trophy.

Click to Enlarge - Zantos, 2005 WAHO Trophy winner for Norway, resplendent in his western riding finery.
Zantos, 2005 WAHO Trophy winner for Norway,
resplendent in his western riding finery.