| Persik | |
|---|---|
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| Breed | Arabian horse |
| Sire | Kankan |
| Dam | Pamiatka |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1 April 1969 Soviet Union |
| Died | 24 August 2001 |
Persik, born on 1 April 1969 and died on 24 August 2001, was a gray-coated Arabian horse who was the leading sire in the equestrian discipline of endurance from 1975 until his death in 2001. His eclectic origins include Polish and Russian bloodlines, as well as French and English, in particular the famous Skowronek. Purchased in 1973 from the Tersk stud farm, Persik was imported to France by Jean Cougul, a breeder from Vigoulet-Auzil, then bought by the Cévennes National Park with the aim of breeding horses suitable for trail riding. In 1975, Persik won the first edition of a well-known endurance race, the 130 km de Florac.
Although he won this event a second time with his rider Jean-Marie Fabre, Persik was better known for his breeding career than for his short sporting career. Specialized farms and structures were set up in the Grands Causses and Garrigues regions of Languedoc to promote him. He was the ancestor of many French national and international endurance raid winners, including Melfenik, Arquès Perspex, Flamme d'Avril and Out Law Persik. Persik is still considered one of the world's finest endurance stallions. A wooden sculpture of him was erected in the commune of Vigoulet-Auzil in 2017.