Embryo offered at Poland's elite horse auction sparks controversy

The annual Pride of Poland Arabian horse auction, a highlight for breeders and enthusiasts, is set to include a unique item this year: a horse embryo. Organizers are advertising the chance to become a breeder of a foal from champion mare Protekcja and stallion Fajer. The embryo has already been implanted in a surrogate mare named Fortunatka, who will be sold along with the embryo.

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Take advantage of an amazing opportunity to become a breeder of a foal from a Michalow champion mare, Protekcja.

The auction, held in Janów Podlaski, is a significant event in the world of Arabian horses, a breed considered a point of national pride for Poland. Established in 1970, the event has seen record-breaking sales, including a mare sold for 1.4 million euros in 2015.

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It is neither unusual nor extraordinary. During auctions held after the Nations Cup, an international purebred Arabian horse show in Aachen, Germany, in addition to mares, embryos can usually also be bid on.

While the sale of an embryo is a first for this year's main auction, it is not entirely unprecedented. In 2019, an embryo from the mare Emandoria sold for 100,000 euros. Despite the novelty, Jerzy Białobok, vice-president of the Michałow Stud, stated that selling embryos is a common practice during auctions following international competitions, such as the one held in Aachen, Germany. He explained that embryo transfer is a frequent method in horse breeding.

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Embryo reproduction is a very common practice.