Bask, bred at the Albigowa State Stud in Poland and foaled in 1956, was a bay Arabian stallion who was imported into the United States in 1963 by Dr. Eugene LaCroix of Lasma Arabians. His sire was Witraz, by the famed Ofir, who also sired Witez II. His dam was Balalajka, a daughter of Amurath-Sahib.Carpenter Legends p. 14-29

Ancestry

Bask was a member of a "family" of considerable significance. All but one of Balalajka's progeny were by Witraz, and hence full siblings to Bask. His full sister Arfa was the dam of Argos, who was an important sire in Great Britain for Patricia Lindsay.Archer The Arabian Horse p. 44 His full sister Bandola was a mare of significance known as "the Queen of Poland," and was the dam of Bandos, by Negatiw. Bask's 3/4 sister Bachantka (by Wielki Szlem) had been imported to the United States in 1961 by Varian Arabians, where she was a Top Ten champion and major foundation mare for the Varian program.

Accomplishments in Poland and America

Having raced extensively in Poland, (4/40, 8/7/7) Bask was not evaluated as breeding stock until he was six. He never was put to stud in Poland, because the Janow Podlaski stud already stood a number of Witraz sons. For this reason, the Poles were also willing to sell him.Bask Biography, web site accessed October 30, 2007

Upon arrival in the United States, after a very rough journey by ship, he was put to stud and trained for the show ring. Bask earned his Legion of Merit from the International Arabian Horse Association (now Arabian Horse Association, and was the 1964 United States National Champion Halter stallion and the 1965 United States National Park horse Champion, one of only four Arabian stallions to ever accomplish such a feat. He was also 1967 reserve national champion in the harness driving equivalent of park, formal driving.

Influence on American breeding

Bask sired 1050 purebred Arabian foals, most in the time before artificial insemination was widespread in the horse industry, and 196 of these were United States or Canadian National Champions. His impact on American Arabian horse breeding has been described as "colossal".Archer The Arabian Horse p. 80

He died on July 24 1979 from colic.

References

• Archer, Rosemary The Arabian Horse: Allen Breed Series London: J. A. Allen 1992 ISBN 0-85131-549-6
• Bask pedigree from All Breed Pedigree Database accessed on October 28, 2007
• Carpenter, Marian K. Arabian Legends: Outstanding Arabian Stallions and Mares Colorado Springs, Colorado: Western Horseman, 1999 ISBN 0-911647-48-1