A prominent English thoroughbred linked to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader, has vanished from a Czech Republic stud farm in Krabčice, a village in the northeast. Reports from a specialized equestrian portal note that Czech police are assessing a possible theft without clear ownership identification.
The incident seems to have occurred on the night of March 4, 2023. An unidentified intruder allegedly targeted qualified breeding horses housed at Krabcic stables, with authorities stating that a carabiner was used to release a safety chain from a sliding door and the stallion was taken away, according to police spokesman Pavel Kofrov.
Law enforcement observed that the 16-year-old stallion bore a distinctive irregular white star on the forehead and a white mark near the knuckle of its right hind leg, close to the hoof. The animal’s breeding value is estimated at around 400 thousand crowns, roughly equal to 18 thousand dollars.
Jezdci, the equestrian portal, says that this kind of horse theft is unprecedented in the Czech racing sector. The same source notes that Zazu, a 16-year-old stallion tied to Ramzan Kadyrov, was frozen by Czech authorities under sanction-related measures.
Officials from the Financial and Analytics Department say they have taken appropriate steps, but ongoing police investigations prevent further details at this time.
Historical records show Zazu was bred at a German stud. Kadyrov acquired the horse from the WH Sport International stable in Germany in 2012, ahead of a major racing event in Dubai, where the stallion finished fifth. Across its career, Zazu competed in 36 races across eight countries, claiming nine wins and earning about €1.2 million for its owners.
Since 2016 Zazu has not raced and has been used primarily as a breeding stallion to advance the breed. Jezdci notes that in recent years he has been a highly sought-after sire among Czech breeders, with stud fees for mares averaging around $900 per pregnancy.
Beyond Zazu, two other Kadyrov horses have been active in the Czech Republic—a stallion named Mikhail Glinka and a sprinter called Dux Scholar. The latter was transferred to Russia last year following a change of ownership arrangements.
In 2022, just before a major military operation affected Ukraine, two Russian-speaking men attempted to move the Krabčice horses out of the stable, claiming that the stallions owned by the Chechen leader should be transported to Poland. The farm leadership declined the request, according to the Czech portal.
Kadyrov has faced European Union sanctions since 2014. He has spoken about lifting restrictions on Czech horses in 2017. While pursuing relief, authorities allowed certain prize money to be allocated to animal care, rather than personal use, under the sanctions framework.
Horses have long been a central passion for Kadyrov. Public records indicate he owns more than 120 thoroughbreds that regularly race and generate substantial winnings, with at least 34 English stallions housed at the Akhmat riding club alone.
Trainer Said Shaptukaev recalled that in 2019 Kadyrov was an adept rider who often tended to his stables in his spare time. He described how the leader could ride on the gallop or trek across fields for hours, sometimes arriving in town by car and returning on a live horse. Kadyrov is commonly seen riding an Arabian stallion, and he has received several horses as gifts, including a famed stallion named Leonardo, reportedly one of the toughest horses in the world, presented by the Crown Prince of Dubai.