How does the Babolna naming system work?
Foundation horses imported to Hungary were given their own names. For example, the black stallion O’Bajan, bred by the Sebaa tribe, was imported from the desert in 1885. Babolna foals are given the name of their sire followed by a foal number indicating order of birth during a given year. Thus O’Bajan foals born during 1906 were named O’Bajan-1, O’Bajan-2, O’Bajan-3, O’Bajan-4, etc. When mares enter the broodmare band, they are given broodmare numbers in front of their name, and the foal numbers are usually dropped. The many broodmare daughters of O’Bajan included 22 O’Bajan and 124 O’Bajan. If a mare dies or is sold from Babolna, her broodmare number is reassigned to a young mare entering the broodmare band. When stallions are promoted to chief sires at Babolna, the foal number is replaced by a Roman numeral indicating order of coming into service. Several sons of O’Bajan stood at Babolna: O’Bajan I started in 1895, O’Bajan II in 1897, O’Bajan III in 1902, O’Bajan IV in 1903, and then
