Hungarian
Horse Associationof America
September 1998 Newsletter
Wanda Cooksley, HC 71 - Box 108, Anselmo, NE 68813
(308) 749-2411
Denver's Horse Expo '98 required exhibitors to submit a 2-minute and 30-second script for the public's introduction to the breed-individual shown either under saddle or in hand. The scripts had to provide the breed's history and uses in an informative and colorful and entertaining fashion. Describing the Hungarian horse as "Hungarian Felver" was decided upon because it was historically accurate and colorful - - would stick in the audience's mind, hopefully. At the booth, HHA brochures and information, videos, poster boards showing the horses working cattle - - lots of response to seventy-some-year-old Steve Cooksley working cattle on his big Hungarian! - - and eventing and driving and a map of Hungary with photos of the great horse barns and royal studs. Chairs and coffee, candies to encourage people to stop and visit - - right in front of the horses' stalls, beneath the "Hungarian Felver" banner; lots of visitors, all ages, from Wyoming and Mexico and Texas and all over. Denver's Stock Show Complex is a wonderful site for any horse exhibition. But, to provide you with what the audience heard about these wonderful Hungarian horses, here is the 2-minute script that the audience heard -- grab a cup of coffee and relax for a couple minutes and you'll be as thrilled as we were to introduce the Hungarian horse to Denver's Horse Expo '98.
Back
in the days when a fine horse represented survival and the
means to a good life, the breed that Harlequin represents,
the Hungarian Felver, was the finest representative of such
a horse. The Hungarian Felver is the world's most ancient
warmblood breed and was regarded as Hungary's very symbol
and as its national treasure. Today in America its few but
proud representatives carry on the distinction of pedigree,
breeding history and performance that defines the Hungarian
Felver.
Dating to 450 A.D., the Hungarian Felver's earliest
ancestors were the tough, hardy little ponies of the steppes
and forests of Central Europe and Scandinavia and Russia.
The Finns and Germans, the Russian Mongols and Turks and the
nomad tribes combined on these tough little horses to defeat
the Roman Empire and then turned on each other - - routinely
raiding and pillaging. Ghengis Khan and his hordes rode the
foresires and dams of the Hungarian Felver. To all these
horsemen, a fast, sturdy horse was gold on the hoof: to
claim the loot of a raid,
races
and competitions to hone their fighting skills were staged -
- the best and fastest horses brought home the gold for
their riders! A good horse meant survival and wealth, and
was accordingly respected and treasured.
H.
Harliquin (H. Baron Gyemant x Hallana Star, Arab)
stallion shown at Denver Horse Expo by Gwyn Davis,
11629 Roslyn Rd, Ebert, CO 80106,
719-495-0799.
By 900 A.D., the Byzantine Avars had risen from the Turk and Mongol groups to defeat the Huns and settle what is now Hungary. From the Avars' journeys into Byzantine and Middle Eastern lands returned the Turcoman and Arabian horses. Breeding with the native Hungarian ponies produced a tall horse with plenty of bone and stamina. These half-Arab ancestors of the Hungarian Felver routinely covered 30 miles a day, daily, for up to two weeks or more! Speed and endurance now defined the Hungarian Felver.
Hungary is a land-locked crossroads in Central Europe. Into the 1800's, the Avar-Hungarian peoples were forced by their country's geography to defend on horseback and to maintain their survival as a nation on horseback. By the 1800's Hungarian Felvers were renowned and sold all over Europe to fight the Napoleonic Wars. By then, the Hungarian horses were themselves considered the spoils and booty, the loot of war. The French, the Germans and the English would steal the horses or capture them in battle. At the same time, the Hungarian people recognized the Thoroughbred horse's value and would steal or buy Thoroughbreds to return to Hungary's royal studs. Infusing Thoroughbred blood with the Hungarian Felvers produced spectacular race horses, cavalry and sporthorses - - the never beaten, multiple Derby winner, the great Hungarian mare Kincem, is the most famous example.
After World War II, the Hungarian Felvers were very nearly extinct: General Patton and the U.S. Army saved the horses and with the horses that Countess Gyurky escaped with, the Hungarian Felvers found refuge in America. Thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of another Countess, the Countess Bessenyey, and of American ranchers Jim Edwards and Steve Cooksley, the preservation of the Hungarian Felver in America has continued. The continuation of the old programs and affirmation of pedigree have produced notable American successes for the Hungarian Felvers: Hilda Gurney's Olympic Dressage horse, H. Pasha; Joe Struby's Olympic Three-Day Eventing horse, H. Nickolas; Kerry Milliken's eventing horse HMS Dash; and Margit Bessenyey's horses shown by Linda Tellington-Jones' Tevis Cup endurance and eventing stallions, to name a few.
Today there is every reason to regard the Hungarian Felver as one of America's national treasures - - as a performance horse, as a working ranch horse and as a superb Olympic competitor and sport-horse athlete.
Sincerely
Chris Beauperthuy
This article was published in the 1998 issue of the Shagya-Araber in German. Connie Kempter of Quebec did this translation with the approval of Dr. Huber. Dr. Egon Kamarasy also sent a translation. Early on, Dr. Huber had sent one made by an Australian patient-friend. I found it very interesting to compare them for their varied backgrounds were evident in their translations. It is a beautiful magazine printed on good quality paper so the nine colored pictures of Budapest and his Nebraska home are very nice. I am using the show picture of Budapest with which he opened the article. There is quite a contrast between the pictures of the range stallion and the show horse. The preceding article in the magazine is also written by Dr. Huber and tells of Linda and Joe Rudolphi's visit to Babolna accompanied by Dr. Huber.
Dr. Huber owns Shagal, the sire of Budapest. To refresh your memory, Budapest was born when his dam, *Biala, was in quarantine in the United States. She was in Adele Furby's first importation of Shagyas from Europe. The shipment also included *Shandor and *Oman. Thank you Adele for making these fine bloodlines available to us for using in our Kisber type Hungarian horses. The Shagya outcross was traditionally used at Kisber in Hungary.
You will remember Connie Kempter's article about "The Lapis-Line: Against the Odds" in the last newsletter. They also own the Trakehner stallion, Prince of Prussia, the sire of Helen Gomez's 1997 colt, HS Como No, pictured in the newsletter. Prince of Prussia's dam is from the Burnus line.
A STALLION MAKES HIS CAREER
by
Dr. Walter Huber - Nonnenhorn, Germany
Translated by Connie Kempter, Quebec
I believe, if a stallion could express his desires, he would wish for a band of broodmares, a good pasture, water and a lot of free space to run. That sounds like a fairy tale in our modern times, but it is still feasible, as I witnessed myself. In Nebraska, near the little town of Anselmo, the SHAGAL son *BUDAPEST does live exactly such a gentleman's or respected sire's life of this kind at the Cooksley Ranch. Together with his owner, Linda Rudolphi, I visited him in August '96 after attending the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The
Cooksley family breeds Hungarian Horses, to be more exact,
Kisbers, at their 10,000 hector farm. This seems odd in the
land of Quarterhorses and particularly at a ranch where
cowboy horses are used daily for stock work. At the Cooksley
ranch about 2,000 head of cattle are kept for meat
production. The ancestors of these horses originate from
imports from Hungary including from the Kisber National
Stud. They had been brought to America at the end of World
War II. In 1947, the Cooksley family commenced breeding
Kisbers. Here you find the headquarters of the "Hungarian
Horse Association of America." In its country of origin this
breed was crossed for refinement with Thoroughbreds,
Trakehners, 
Shagya-Arabians
(formerly called Arabian Race). Now one considers the time
is right to take up this practice again. To this end
*BUDAPEST was chosen. He has what it takes and his track
record is impressive.
*BUDAPEST
has received many awards and trophies from the North
American Shagya-Arabian Society and the Arabian Sport Horse
Association, Inc., also from the Illinois Centerline
Dressage Club, the American Endurance Ride Conference, the
United States Dressage Federation, the Southern Illinois
Distance Riding Association and he became a Top Five Model
Breeding.
*BUDAPEST, like his sire SHAGAL, is a strong boned stallion
with ground covering movements. He exudes Arabian flair and
friendliness. His dam *BIALA is by 6214 DAHOMAN X (1954
Topolcianky) out of 92 EMISJA from Janow Podlaski Stud in
Poland - an interesting outcross pedigree on the damside!
The breeder of *BUDAPEST is Ulla Nyegaard, Denmark. He was
imported in-utero into the United States.
At the Cooksley Ranch, *BUDAPEST is turned out together with 10 broodmares. From spring to fall he grazes a huge territory with them and their foals. In October, the herd returns to the homestead. Quickly the stallion developed his normal instincts though this situation was pretty new to him. Mares, foals and the stallion get along just fine and the Cooksleys hope by fall all the mares will be pregnant.
When we first arrived, we visited *BUDAPEST that very evening in his huge pasture. It was a moving experience for me to see a stallion and his herd peacefully grazing in the last soft pink sun rays of the day. *BUDAPEST watched us with friendly attention, while constantly keeping an eye on his herd. The endless sweep of the prairies gave me a feeling of quiet harmony. This land was once crossed by buffaloes followed by Indian tribes. Now purebred Hungarian horses are bred and raised with care here by an American farmer, surely remarkable and at the same time a unique way of connecting distant nations. Hopefully, *BUDAPEST will produce many good foals with these quality broodmares. Every stallion breeding in another horse population serves as an important ambassador of our breed. Only if the Shagya is crossed into other riding horse breeds, his sport qualities become fully apparent, as exemplified in WHITE GIRL by BAJAR, who unfortunately had to be pulled out before the cross-country in Atlanta or in JAEGERMEISTER, a GAZAL (4736 GAZAL VII-19) grandson, who completed all phases of the Olympic Three Day Event in beautiful manner and won a Team Bronze Medal. The Shagya-Arabian has the advantage over the purebred Arabian, that less generations pass before the positive influence of the Arab becomes evident in competition.
The next day we drove with the Landrover through this vast terrain to look for the cattle herds. I found the landscape to be pristine and varied, full of flowers, herbs and creatures great and small. We drove across the softly undulating countryside with the typical windmills drawing the precious water from the deep. Near the wells grazed the robust red and white Herefords with their intelligent faces. The following day a Kisber horse was saddled for me. I was riding the perfect cowboy horse, who knew of course so much more than me! My meager attempts at cutting were accepted favorably and he cooperated willingly. The breeding goal is not the cowboy horse but a versatile sporthorse. Kisber horses are used in all modern equestrian disciplines. I saw a video of Olympic Event rider David O'Conner (Team Silver Atlanta) competing successfully at Advanced level on a gelding bred by my host.
America
is still the land of unlimited opportunities. It offers also
to us Shagya breeders a great chance to further develop our
breed with the help of American ideas and enthusiasm. We
should benefit from this unique possibility and help our
American friends to get new bloodlines for improving the
quality of their horses. Their zeal is great as I found out
in our intensive nightly conversations. But the population
of the Shagya-Arabian is still too small.
Denise
Schryver of Atascadero, CA purchased HS Wachter #HS 159
(Wishes and Dreams x HS Frequent Flyer #102) from Terry and
Charlene Summers. She has him entered in the West Coast
Sporthorse Classic the last of August. The accompanying
photograph was taken of him on 6/23/98 at eleven months of
age. Denise's note card featured a lovely pencil drawing of
an inlaid California spade bit. Denise had done the drawing.
Steve liked it.
Johanne Tanguay of Montreal, Quebec purchased Hungarian Allegria #1394 (H. Epic #1180 x Lighting Donelle, TB) from Miguel Monast.
Claude and Penni Desrosiers of Surrey, B.C., Anne Cowles of Brookeville, MD, and Carole Hartman of Yelm, WA, sent their dues too late to be included in the membership booklet.
Shelly
Leibbrandt, who was showing H. Pazarlo #11789 (H.
Gyemant x H. Foto Image) very successfully, has rejoined the
Association and had a very busy show season planned for this
year.
Erin Mobley of Chadd's Ford, PA and H. Eger #1211 (H.
Gyemant x H. Homokus) 
at
an eventing show in 1997. She was not too impressed with him
when she purchased him in 1996 and knew nothing about
Hungarian horses. "But in the summer of 1996 after returning
from my freshman year at Penn State, I was delighted to
discover what a beautiful, sweet and talented horse I
happened to have. And I am not the only one. Eger frequently
receives compliments in all forms and I can't help but be
proud of my uncommon and extraordinary Hungarian. - - I hope
you can see he appears to be enjoying what he and I do. Eger
will always be a part of my life. I have so much fun with
him (even through the trying moments) that I could never see
myself parting with him." In June they placed 1st at
Pleasant Hollow Farms Horse Trials in the novice division
and are now trying their luck at training level.
Bill and Sally Be Childress of Olympia, WA, are interested in eventing and 3-Day. They are showing Hungarian Rhapsody (H. Baron Gyemant x Oh Dear, TB) in 3-day.
Friendly
Grove Farm, Bill and Sally Be Childress of Olympia,
WA have purchased HPB Rhapsody (Percheron x Hungarian
Brino). See Congratulations
and News
From Members
for news about Rhapsody. They plan to compete him in 3-day
eventing.
Cynthia Paules of Dallastown, PA is registering HPB
Looking Glass (H. Lord Cut Glass x Edelfrau) born in 1998.
The filly was bred by Katherine Nelson. Katherine Nelson
reports that Cynthia is planning to take the filly to the
Breeding Class show at Devon.
Ellen Walker of Spring City, Utah purchased H. Zsofia (H. Gyemant x H. Monda). She says Zsofia is a Hungarian version of Sophia which means "wise."
LaDonna
(Terry and Charlene Summer's daughter) and JulieAnne
Figliola of Puyallup, WA registered HS Wee Bonnie Blue
(Wishes & Dreams x H. Bonbon II). LaDonna showed H.
Marado to many championships before she was married. I know
they are happy that she and their granddaughter are now
making time for horses again.
Kacey Krenn and HPB Rhapsody #HPB112 (Percheron x Hungarian Brino) for finishing as a part of the 4th place team at the North American Young Riders Championships. Brenda Krenn writes: "Our trip to Chicago last summer for the North American Young Riders Championships was unforgettable. It was 3 15-hour days of driving to get there, but we managed without mishap, although Rhapsody was NOT pleased at not having a traveling companion! He almost didn't get to compete, as he had to be represented for the first vet inspection because of a suspected sore front foot, very surprising, as we have never had a problem soundness-wise before. But that was cleared up over the next few days, and he went on to finishing on the 4th place team. He had not a bad dressage test, no time penalties in Steeplechase, but had 3 stops on Cross-Country, which dropped him back considerably in the standings. He went on to jump a clear stadium round the next day, with no time penalties."
Katherine Nelson reports that H. Marionette (Taravari, TB x IH Szamosszeg Abszint) is winning in recognized dressage shows at 4th level for Ann Schultheis in Wisconsin.
Charlene Summers reports that HS Donner Bay (Donnerschlag, Oldenburg x H. Marado) is winning or placing high consistently in recognized dressage shows. He has scored 75 and is competing with professionally trained horses.
Linda
Rudolphi reports that H. Dusty (H. Taltos x H.
Star Dust) placed second in his first competitive horse
trials ride. They did 35 miles in 5 in heat in the high 90s.
She has been working with him since she took him back to
Illinois with her June 20th. He has adjusted very well to
being tied to the trailer overnight in the campground, the
heat and humidity and become "bombproof" (unusual things do
not bother him). I was interested as she told me of carrying
a sponge tied to a long string which she drops into a creek
of water as they pass and uses it to sponge his neck to cool
him in the heat. His range life helped because he knows to
press into a group of horses surrounding a tank full of
water to take a drink.
Lara Dorman and Melodie Sherman of Missoula, Montana, purchased Hungarian Miles #1241.
Rona
Lynn Bloom of Silver Springs, MD, purchased Hungarian
Lucky Lindy #1323.
Patty Russell of Olympia, WA writes that H. Balaton (M. Brado x Dusty's Guest, TB) is going strong at 19 years young. They had just attended a clinic with Michael Poulin in South Oregon - he loved Balaton and offered to give him a home in Maine but he's not for sale at any price. They are attempting Intermediaire II this year. "He remains the most giving intelligent horse I have ever had the good fortune to own or ride."
Jane Waddell of Edwards, CO writes that HS Dante (Northern Ocean, TB x HS Caldera whose grandmother was an imported from Hungary by 5353 Gazal VII 6) fabulously. "He's so sensitive and smart. I've had a lot of horses in my life and I've never met one quite like the Hungarian! I feel very lucky to have him.
Lara Dorman of Missoula has H. Miles (H. Max x Arabian mare) in training for endurance at Hamilton, MT. She says he is rather small but seems suited for endurance competition. "He is a Labrador of horses. He's very smart, responds to his name with a special sound and also has other vocabulary responses."
Leslie Boone of Charlotte, NC reports that they were presenting H. Szamosszeg Georgia Brown (Boss Tweed, TB x IH Szamosszeg-Absint) and her filly H. Rain by Tap to the Beat (TB) at a Rheinland-Pfalz-Saar Keuring they were hosting at their farm. "When I spoke to you a couple of years ago about Hungarian horse, you remarked upon the incredible memories Hungarian horses have. I have found this to be amazingly true in Rain. She is just now back under saddle after sustaining a training injury two years ago. She remains incredibly even tempered and performs as if there had been no break in her time under saddle. I do plan to show her this year if she remains sound."
Brenda
Krenn of Surrey, BC wrote that they have sold H.
Rhapsody (see Congratulations) to the Friendly Grove Farm.
"Kacey is going to law school this fall so doesn't have time
to ride now. Rhapsody sold very quickly because of his
talent and disposition, and my daughter will miss him for a
long time. We have enjoyed learning about Hungarian horses
through your newsletters, and who knows, maybe we'll have
another Hungarian Horse in the future. She says they all
miss his great personality including the Pony Club kids, for
whom he would stand patiently for grooming, bandaging and
conformation lessons."
Colleen Reep, 4180 Bunker Hill Road, Shingle Springs, CA 95682-9537, 530-676-2422, has HS Kateja Via Volturno for sale. She was born 6/10/95 and is by the Hanovarian Volturnus out HS Free Spirit (First Gotthard, Oldenburg x H. Marado) and was bred by Dagne Mecham. She is developing into a large, strong horse, 16h. Double registered Oldenburg and Hungarian. Price $4,000.
Martha Price, P.O. Box 1472, Las Vegas, NM 87701, 305-545-0229, has HS Tunder, filly born 3/31/97. She is by Veneziano, Trakehner out of H. Szolo (H. Taltos x H. Bajos). She is 14.3 at 14 months of age and a veterinary predicts she may be 17 hands. She is very people oriented. She would also like to sell H. Szolo (14 years of age) to a breeder who has access to more appropriate stallions than are available in her area. She has a foal at her side now by the Egyptian Arabian Monicent RSI.
Valerie Bash, 2053 Harksell Road, Ferndale, WA 98248, 360-384-5705, has HPB Braveheart (H. Keszthely by Kallo x Starlight by a TB stallion out of A registered Percheron). He is 15.3 hh, 8 years old schooling at 4th level. She says he would be very good for a young rider.
Chris Beauperthuy, 719-749-9198, has H. Tunder, a bay colt by H. Baron Gyemant out of an Arabian mare for sale. He will mature about 16-16.2hh. She was moving and I am quite sure the telephone number is current but perhaps this address is not - 2601 N. Wahsatch, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.
Linda Posh, 2745 Webb Road, Alpharetta, GA 20004, 770-475-4270, is interested in purchasing a Felver-Thoroughbred cross filly.
I know Val Sivertson, Ohop Equestrian Center, 7305 Ohop Valley Road, Eatonville, WA 98328, 253-832-3885, has horses for sale. She gave me the names by telephone and I didn't get them correctly recorded so call her for details.
Wine Glass Farm, Linda Rudolphi, Rt. 2, Box 112, Noble, IL 62868, Phone 618-752-7171, Fax 618-752-2071, has H. Bikaver (H. Gyemant x H. Tiszta) and *Budapest horses for sale from 1998 foals to a five year old mare.
Cooksley Ranch, HC 71, Box 108, Anselmo, NE 68813, 308-749-2411 (Steve and Wanda) or 308-749-2413 (George and Barbara) have young horses of various ages by H. Gyemant, *Budapest and H. Laszlo (H. Taltos x. H. Tiska) for sale.
Again, I would recommend that if you are interested in buying a horse that you also contact the people who are standing stallions, for if they do not have something for sale, they may know of someone who does.
Remember to include the extra $35 for the registration fee to cover the cost of the Performance Horse Registry. Total cost $60. The first report from this registry will be included in the newsletter after the first of the year. Several people are sending me the $35 fee to record their older horses also. Horses being shown, mares and stallions would be logical choices. In the case of the older horse, include their AHSA, USDF or other performance number also.
Send me your WRITTEN news by November 10 for the last 1998 newsletter. Note: I really enjoy the telephone calls but don't feel I get an accurate record of your activities unless it is written. January 31, 1999 is deadline for recording 1998 foals at the base price. For those of you standing stallions, the stallion service reports are also due at that time.
We have both hard
and soft cover copies of HEAVENLY HORSES by Virginia
Johnson for sale - $10 for soft cover and $15 for hard
cover. Also the HUNGARIAN DRIVING STYLE by Tibor
Pettko-Szandtner for $50.
The following is a copy of the hand out provided at the Baroness Margit Bessenyey Rooms at the Daly Mansion in Hamilton, Montana. Some time ago I included the picture taken at Hamilton at the time Honpolgar 4's first crop of foals were arriving. That was our initial introduction to Margit. Steve calls it "in the beginning." As we became convinced that a formal registry was necessary to record and preserve the bloodlines, Margit Bessenyey hired Dr. M.E. Ensminger as a technical advisor to meet with all of us for a week at Hamilton as we laid the foundation for our Hungarian Horse Association. Dr. Ensminger, the lawyers and the original breeders went through several revisions of plans to establish the registry. Everyone helped, but without her sponsorship it probably would not have survived.
I'd like to add also that Margit actually helped people as they escaped from Hungary. She met them in Vienna providing emotional and financial support, in addition to long term planning. Especially those who had concentration camp experiences had to learn how to function again as free individuals.
Thank you Sharleen Ashcraft and Gene and Pete Samulevich for your dedication of time and money to make this memorial possible at the Daly Mansion.
BARONESS MARGIT SIGRAY BESSENYEY
Baroness
Margit Bessenyey, granddaughter of Copper King Marcus
Daly and owner of the Bitterroot Stock Farm, shared her
grandfather's love for horses. She was considered to be an
enthusiastic and talented rider, breeder, and seller of
horses.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, she was the daughter of Count
Anton Sigray and Harriet Daly Sigray. Her father was head of
the Monarchist Party, which tried to restore rulership of
the Royal Family during World War II. He was interned at the
Mauthausen concentration camp for his anti-Nazi activities.
Baroness Bessenyey's mother was the daughter of Marcus Daly,
Sr. During World War II, Mrs. Bessenyey served as an
interpreter and was a leader of resistance efforts against
Nazi control of Hungary. While living in Hungary during that
war, she provided protection for some of the famous
Lippizaner stallions rescued from Austria after the Nazi
occupation. She came to the United States in 1946, and, from
this country, aided Hungarians fleeing their country after
the Russian occupation.
On 13 Jan., 1958, she married Baron George B. Bessenyey, a retired Hungarian Diplomat. The Baron died on 19 Feb. 1959.
Perhaps the Bitterroot Valley's most prominent person, she was noted for her love of horses, known as a humanitarian who had contributed to many charitable projects here and elsewhere. For example, in recent years she donated, under leases at nominal fees, parcels of stock farm land for the Bitterroot Humane Society Shelter and the Ravalli County Search and Rescue. From 1965 to 1978, she founded and sponsored the Bitterroot Competitive Trail Ride. The 20- and 100-mile rides provided a sport requiring careful conditioning, training, sportsmanship, and horsemanship. These same principles were used when she established the Rocky Mountain Competitive Trail Ride Conference, a series of nine 40- to 100-mile rides in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Canada. She was extremely safety-conscious, riding the entire Bitterroot Competitive Trail Ride during the evening and night before the actual competitions, to make certain that the bridges, canals, and trails were all in good order.
In 1969, she helped the Bitterroot Horse and Pony Club establish riding and horsemanship clinics, bringing in many of the country's most noted horsemen, for Western and English disciplines, all open to the public. In conjunction with the Bitterroot Horse and Pony Club, she donated all the equipment and materials to build the permanent hunter course at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds. When the Bitterroot Pony Club received its National Charter, she donated saddles and bridles to help new members get started.
Baroness
Bessenyey was a serious competitor, completing the grueling
100-mile Tevis Cup Ride in California as well as several
100-mile rides on the east coast. Hungary is noted for its
world class four-in-hand marathon driving and the Baroness's
two teams of four competed successfully in the east until
her death.
During her last few years, she was unable to drive her
horses herself; however, they were never driven out unless
she was in the carriage.
Baroness
Margit Bessenyey and H. Taszilo (H. Kallo x H.
Kedvenc) during their successful completion of the
Tevis Cup Ride. Steve remembers this as the Cougar
Rock area. H. Taszilo came here many times on their
rest stop from Maryland to Montana. It was a
delight to watch these handsome horses jump and
play in the freedom of a corral as they were
unloaded. Picture from Heavenly Horse
book.
The various strains of Hungarian horses were among the most sought-after mounts for cavalry used by all European nations up to World War II because of their endurance and temperament. In search of the best breeding stock for cavalry use, the U.S. Army imported some of the finest Hungarians to Front Royal, Virginia Remount Station where they were sent to Fort Reno, Oklahoma and Fort Robinson, Nebraska. When the Army was mechanized, the horses were sold.
Among the buyers was Baroness Bessenyey, who had known these horses from her childhood in Hungary. Ivan Cooksley, a Nebraska rancher, also bought some of the Hungarians after hearing about them from his brother who had worked with these horses at the Fort Robinson Remount Station. Mr. Cooksley maintained that they made the best type of working ranch horse because of their versatility, calm temperament, and endurance. A Montana rancher, Jim Edwards, had purchased a stallion, HONPOLGAR 4, which was later used by a number of U.S. breeders as a foundation sire. Mrs. Bessenyey leased HONPOLGAR 4 and the Bitterroot Hungarian Horse Farm was on its way.
After World War II, Countess Judith Gurky fled her native Hungary with 13 Hungarian horses. She settled at Greenwood, Va. as owner of Port-A-Ferry Farm and bred and trained Hungarian horses for hunters, jumpers, dressage, and combined training until her death shortly after the death of Baroness Bessenyey. Together the Baroness, Countess Gurky, Count Aladar Gurky, Jim and Helen Edwards, and Ivan (Steve) and Wanda Cooksley formed the Hungarian Horse Association in 1967 to assure the continuance of the excellence of these horses.
Mrs. Bessenyey's Bitterroot Hungarian Horse Farm formed the gene pool from which the breeding programs of the Association members derived their stock. The horses resulting from these breeders have competed very successfully in numerous 100-mile endurance and competitive trail rides and all western classes including stock horse. Their cutting horse ability is phenomenal. They have excelled in hunter trials, jumper competitions, combined training events, and steeple-chasing. They have won very impressive championships in dressage in California.
Mrs. Bessenyey established the West Winds Hungarian Horse Farm in Los Altos, California, standing six stallions and entering the horses in all forms of competition throughout the Southwest.
Presently, many of her horses are successful in dressage, jumper, and combined training events as well as the selection of a young team to train the winter of 1990 at the United States Equestrian Training Center in Gladstone, New Jersey.
Baroness
Bessenyey died in her New York City hotel room on October
23, 1984. She had recently returned from a trip to her
native country of Hungary. The Baroness is survived by her
step-children, Francis Bessenyey and Eva Bessenyey of the
United States; Magda De Bavier of Europe; her cousins,
Margaret Price Brown Trimble and Frances Carroll Brown of
Maryland, and step-grandchildren, Kristina, Ilona, Margit
and Rose De Noelle. The Baroness is buried in the Hamilton
Cemetery, overlooking the Bitterroot Valley, which she loved
next to her own Hungary.
The Bessenyey Memorial Room contains a collection of 143
trophies, 630 ribbons won by her Hungarian Horses, the
Bessenyey Hungarian riding habit, and photo exhibit which
includes numerous works by Ernie Peterson in competitions by
the Hungarian horses. Plans include complete pedigrees and
photos of Baroness Margit's horses. The Trail Ride Room
commemorates the Rocky Mountain Trail Ride Conference
instituted by the Baroness and contains awards and
memorabilia given winners. The newspaper and magazine
articles illustrate the extent to which the competitive
Trail Ride Conference and the Bitterroot Stock Farm were
involved during the 1960's and 1970's.