Bred at Kirow horse stud, he was one of the most important sires after the World War Second in terms of type, interior qualities, rideability and hereditary transmission. His willingness to perform was enormous, his jumping results were outstanding and his pedigree was nearly like a dream... In 1979 at CHIO Aachen nobody knew the imposing silky black stallion, who won one of the world’s most difficult jumping events – the Grand Prix of North Rhine Westfalia. The name of the beautiful stallion was Topki and he was Russian Trakehner with the best sports genes. At that time he was only seven years old, that is the beginning age for S klass jumping competitions. It is difficult even to imagine, that a young horse wins such jumping competitions without any experience or special training for international rivalry and with an internationally inexperienced rider in the saddle. All these facts show the high class of the black athlet. The pedigree of this good sized stallion joins the most performance oriented Trakehner lines of Pilger, Pythagoras, Tempelhuter and Hyperion as well as the classic Arabian blood of Priboy ox. As black as night, bursting with energy, self-assured and radiating a noble appeal, Topki was born on April 24, 1972 at the stables of famous Kirow horse stud. His dam chestnut Tropa, who carried the refined blood of her sire chestnut Arabian stallion Pomeranets ox, had produced 11 foals, including chestnut breeding stallion Trostnik by Trotil in 1980 and beautiful chestnut mare Toska by Almanach I in 1977. Being used in further breeding at Kirow horse stud,Toska gave birth to two dressage horses – liver chestnut mare Balta, born in 1985 by Blesk, and her full brother chestnut gelding Tabor, born in 1990. Balta was sold to a German amateur rider, while Tabor went on in numerous international competitions under the name “Russian Dance” with Russian dressage rider Svetlana Knyazeva, based in Germany. Last year Tabor moved to Austria at the stable of Russian dressage team member Elena Sidneva and got the new name “Romanov”. Tropa’s dam Tachta was the daughter of liver chestnut Termit, foaled in 1933 at Hauptgestut Trakehnen. This stallion embodied the fulfillment of the dreams of almost all horse breeders in the world: overall beauty, good caliber and a highly balanced motion mechanism were combined to the desired perfection. Her maternal grandsire was the stocky, short-legged and very broad and deep chestnut stallion Kupferhammer, who next to his brother Hirtensang was important carrier of Parsival blood in East Prussia. Tachta had achieved her own merits in breeding. Being the foundress of the branch of Fatme ox dam family, Tachta was also the dam of chestnut mare Data by Diabaz xx, whose son Wodopad by Wielki Wezyr became very significant stallion in Ukrainian Warmblood breed. Arabian stallion Pomeranets ox foaled in 1952 at Tersk horse stud, Russia, not only brought new important genes to Kirow horse stud and to the whole Russian Trakehnen breed, but also passed on noble head, favorable long neck and distinctive type as well as readiness to perform and health to his offspring. His pedigree was rather interesting too. On the dam side there was bay mare Mammona ox – the best and the most prolific broodmare brought from Janov Podlasky horse stud, Poland. The sire of Pomeranets ox beautiful chestnut Priboy ox was the best son of Polish bred stallion Piolun ox, whose dam Dziewanna ox was the paternal half sister to remarkable grey Fetysz ox. After World War Second dark bay stallion Ossian arrived to the USSR, but instead of being used in breeding, he was ridden in numerous eventing and show jumping competitions with great success until 1954. Ossian inherited good basic gaits, powerful jump and lively temperament from his sire bay Pilger – the stallion with deep, round barrel, good neck and the typey, small, expressive head. Enjoying his retirement at Kirow horse stud Ossian produced only 12 foals, but among them there were four talented stallions: bay Osadok out of Akustika by Andrassy, bay Opit out of Polyn, dark bay Oplot out of Oppositsija and Ostrjak. The champion of Russia among young horses Ostrjak was great looking stallion, not very big, but really chic. He was the only significant son of dark bay mare Sportfreude, foaled in 1938 at Hauptgestut Trakehnen, who appeared from the mating of medium size, extremely characteristic and impressive stallion Pythagoras with the daughter of black Ararad, who spent his whole life as chief sire at Hauptgestut Trakehnen, where he produced many stallions and broodmares and some good hunters and show horses. At the age of nine years Ostrjak was returned back to Kirow horse stud and passed on his valuable genes through more than 172 offspring. Brilliant jumping abilities, fantastic willingness to perform there were the traits that distinguished true Ostrjak’s sons, among which 10 stallions became influental sires at various horse studs all over the territory of the former USSR, to name but a few – dark bay Eol (b. 1971 out of Etelka by Ekspromt), bay Egoist (b. 1974 out of Etual by Ekspromt) and, of course, Topki. With height in withers of 168 cm and cannon bone of 22 cm Topki was also very eye-catching stallion, in whom Ostrjak’s energy, blood and diligence could be found. From 1978 to 1980 he had great results in 31 international jumping competitions in Russia, Germany and France. “Topki was a real sports horse, he was able to draw whispers, thunderous applause and astonishment from crowds. He had a great rideability, always being attentive and active”, recounted his rider Viktor Poganovskiy. At the Olympic Games 1980 in Moscow Viktor and his true partner Topki earned the gold medal for Russian team and were placed fifth individually. Since then Topky was used in breeding. His first crop of foals born in 1978 produced three breeding stallions: Veterok, Vystrel and Portas and two show jumping champions Vektor out of Vampira by Pamir and Ritual out of Ritorika by Achmad. Dark bay stallion Vystrel out of Vstrescha by Wielky Wezyr was successful in the dressage ring up to Intermediare I Prix, then he was an active sire in Lithuania, where he left a number of remarkably moving offspring, before being sent to Kaliningradsky horse stud, Russia. Black stallion Veterok out of Versija by Singapur xx collected ribbons at dressage competitions in Russia and also played an important role as a sire: his son Hiramas (b. 1987 out of Higiena by Hromogen) was highly placed in Grand Prix dressage competitions with Tatyana Dorofeeva and later with Irina Lys. At the present time this black stallion is used in breeding at Dovator horse stud, while two other Veterok’s sons Fevral (b. 1994 out of Ferpina by Fokus) and Fetischas (b. 1993 out of Frezija by Homeras) cover mares at Kavkaz horse stud and Nemuno horse stud respectively. The mating of bay stallion Fetischas with chestnut mare Hasa by Sakasnik xx produced bay Chalifas in 1999, who was approved in Leverkusen, Germany, last year. This youngster is a great mover, excellent jumper, very athletic and very pretty stallion with positive influence of Thoroughbred blood. And finally chestnut stallion Portas, ex Pritok, out of Piligrim’s daughter Piramida was one of the most successful jumpers in Lithuanian team from 1986 to 1988. During show jumping competitions held at Nemuno horse stud, Lithuania, in 1987 Portas covered bay mare Volga by Etued and the nice bay stallion Veimaras was born the next year. Later breeding at Nemuno horse stud Veimaras sired the marvelous bay stallion Etjudas with nice type and noble face and the show jumping star bay stallion Horalas (b. 1992 out of Hipogeja by Gret), who was rather successful under the saddle of American rider Hap Hansen in 2003 competition season. In 1991 at Kaliningrad horse stud the black stallion Prichod by Portas and out of Hefsa by Holl was born. Despite his small height in withers of 158 cm, he has big heart and much power and style over fences. In Germany there is the only approved Topky’s son Schenkendorf out of Schlodien II by Konigspark xx, bred by Hans-Ernst Wezel, Bavaria. The best stallion of his age group this bay showed much jumping ability, bascule and intelligence in free jumping. In 1994 Topki was sold to Palle Thisted, the breeder of Trakehner horses from Aarhus, Denmark, together with two other “Kirow stars” Hokkey and Blesk. The wonderful black stallion ended his glorious life at the age of 24 years; he is buried in Denmark. Altogether Topki has produced above 100 offspring, horses which are famous for their character, their edurance, their all-round ability and their easiness to work. Through numerous achievements Topki’s progeny aided their riders in reaching the top of show jumping and dressage elite. Sold to different parts of the world they fulfilled the expectations of their breeders, winning many championships and confirming the hopes that have been pegged on them. They are an honor to their sire...