First Time in Kladruby. And Straight Away with a Camera in My Hands

There are places people hear about for years. They see them in photographs, documentaries, across social media… and still somehow feel that "one day" their time to visit will finally come. That was exactly how I felt about Kladruby nad Labem.

And yet, I've been circling around the world of Old Kladruber horses for quite a long time. I regularly travel to Slatiňany for dressage competitions and I've visited other stud farms as well — for example Topoľčianky, Kopčany, and both Czech state stud farms. But Kladruby? Somehow, it always slipped away from me. Something always came up, plans changed, or I happened to be somewhere on the other side of the country. And so, I finally visited the National Stud Farm Kladruby at the age of thirty-three.

How did it happen? How was I suddenly standing there… taking photographs?

Well, as we say in Czech: "A closed mouth catches no flies." So I sent a message explaining that I was preparing a horse breed calendar and that it would be amazing to include a stallion directly from the National Stud Farm. And suddenly, there I was standing with my camera in front of the breeding stallion Rudolfo Eminenza XII, able to take a photograph I never truly imagined I would one day have the opportunity to capture.

And it took my breath away.

Not in an exaggerated way. Not in an "Instagram-perfect" way. Genuinely. The space, the history, the atmosphere… and above all, the horses themselves. The National Stud Farm is one of those places people know from photographs, but in person it feels entirely different. More majestic. More peaceful.

And the internet? It went a little crazy. 😄
The photograph spread across Facebook faster than a fighter jet over the mountains, and I still cannot understand how many people shared it, commented on it, and how much joy it brought to others. Honestly? Probably even more to me.

And because I'm someone who simply cannot resist horse-related facts, here's one more. Today, the Old Kladruber horse exists in two color varieties - grey and black. And no, it's not "just a color." Black Kladrubers tend to be more robust and their typical Roman nose profile is much more pronounced. Greys appear finer and more elegant. If you compare photographs of both varieties side by side, you'll truly see the difference.

And me? I simply have a soft spot for the black ones. 🖤

Maybe because the black Old Kladruber carries something monumental and slightly mysterious at the same time.

And now enjoy the photographs. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to be there!