site.btaNational Horse Breeding Association Оrganizes 8th Annual Еxhibition of Bulgarian Draft Horses in Oreshak

For the eighth year in a row, the National Horse Breeding Association (NABA) organized an exhibition of Bulgarian draft horses in Oreshak on Saturday. The purpose of the exhibition was to present the best specimens - stallions, mares and offspring produced over the years, to check the level of selection and the work of horse breeding organizations and individual breeders.

The presented specimens were evaluated by a five-member jury according to the criteria of origin, type, exterior, movements and temperament to determine the champions in the stallion and broodmare categories. A committee also evaluated the qualities of the presented one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old adolescent horses.

The exhibition also featured specimens of preserved old pure genealogical lines, the pedigree of which can be traced back to 1953.

The first heavy-haul stallions were imported as far back as 1870, but after a few decades breeding was discontinued. The breed experienced a renaissance in 1953, when a decision was made at the state level that for the needs of labour-cooperative farms,  draft horses with greater pulling power and a calm disposition were needed. 

The Bulgarian draft horse breed was created on the basis of the Russian draft horse, with admixtures of other breeds. Horses of the breed are raised on free range, are resistant to outdoor conditions and require very little care.

"This is a unique breed. The Bulgarian draft horse is a sturdy, medium-sized draft horse that is used in agriculture and logging," told BTA zoologist engineer Ivan Tsvetanov, member of the jury.

With the change of government in the 1990s, the state stud farms were liquidated and the breeding passed to private companies. In recent years, the National Horse Breeding Association has made consistent efforts to revive the breed in this country. Last year in Oreshak, the 70th anniversary of the Bulgarian draft horse breed was celebrated, added Tsvetanov.