Pianissima –
The Queen of Janow is Dead

Queen Pianissima is dead – this incredible message travels around the globe since this morning. She was the icon of Polish, yes, of global Arabian breeding. She was the most successful show horse of all time and she was a lovable personality, with friends around the globe, who brought her banana, one of her favorite foods.

She was guarded like an eyeball in Janow Podlaski, and even sent to give birth of her first foal to the United States, standing in the vicinity of a special clinic to rule out all eventualities with complications. In Janow, she had her own pasture, which she shared with a couple of girlfriends and where she led the life of a “normal horse”. There was no indication that her life would end with only 12 years. She became suddenly ill and died, despite all medical help.
When a yearling filly called Pianissima in 2004 at the hands of Johanna Ullström won the World Championships in Paris, we had no idea that this triumph would last nearly 10 years. Not only won Pianissima the European Triple Crown, as a Junior, she topped this by winning the same title four years later as a Senior. Not enough, she also was US National Champion, Scottsdale Champion and Dubai International Champion. “For me, however, her victory in Riyadh at the Al Khalediah International show was perhaps the most significant victory: When the Polish national anthem was played in the Arabian desert, in the heart of Nedjd, at the very place, from where her ancestors had once come – that was really moving!” recalls Director Dr. Marek Trela this historic moment. Or her trip to Dubai, where she had to stand – as a foreign horse – in quarantine. For this purpose the organiser had simply taken one of the huge exhibition halls, completely empty except for a red carpet that led to two horse boxes in the middle. There the Queen of Janow resided.
Actually, Pianissima was sent to “show-retirement” in 2012 on the occasion of the Polish National Championships. But then Marek Trela was enticed by the newly created title of “Platinum Champion” to show her again at the World Championships in Paris 2013. And one must say, in all these years, Pianissima has lost none of her charisma and of course also won this title – she is and always remains the most successful show horse of our time. She will remain forever the Queen of Janow.

Pianissimas most important show results

Pianissimas Legacy