Breeding News 325 - January 2024 by breedingnews

JANUARY 2024

BN #325

Wishing you a peaceful, and prosperous New Year from the Breeding News team BREEDER

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ISSUE # 325 – JANUARY 2024

C O NT ENTS 8 – CORLAND: WHAT IT MEANS TO DESCEND FROM HOLSTEINER 104A

One of Corland’s current showjumping stars is Leone Jei (Baltic VDL - Dara x Corland, bred bu Gijs van Mersbergen), who won the CP International Grand Prix presented by Rolex at the Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary under the saddle of Martin Fuchs (SUI). 14 – INNOVATION, COLLABORATION AND PROFESSIONALIZATION FOR MARIËN

Part 1 of this article published in our December 2023 issue, related the story of Tom Mariën, the founder of Equitom, the largest and most innovative equine hospital in Europe and, by extension and reference, a renowned global player in veterinary medicine.

20 – BEST STALLIONS DURING THE 2023 NATIONS’ CUP SEASON

The 2023 Nations’ Cup season recorded a great many results for historical analysis, and the leading stallion with the most offspring participating in Nations’ Cup classes throughout the year was Chacco-Blue. Meanwhile, the studbook with the most representative sires was KWPN.

22 – YOUNG TALENTS SHOWCASED AT NZ NATIONAL SJ CHAMPIONSHIP

The National Young Horse Jumping Championships is almost certainly the most important showcase of up-and-coming equine talent in New Zealand. It’s held each December in Hastings, with competitions for four- to sevenyear-olds over three tough days.

January 2024

IN THIS ISSUE 26 30 32 35 36 39 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 53 55 56 62

Breeding highlights from 41st Flanders Christmas Jumping Kill Bill du Mesnil woms 3yo win for Jean-Luc Lebourgeois Stall Of East aiming to breed top-class horses / SWB First Advent weekend sees Trakehner mare power Fantastic greys and rewarding dam lines at KWPN test Exciting decisions during Hanoverian Jumper Masters Polish young horses evaluated during Intercarpathia Show Holsteiner licensing awards champion and premium sires / SWB Highest HSI approval rating for Button Sitte and Carrabis Z / HSI Swedish Warmblood records its best dressage WBCYH ever! / SWB Taking it all the way: From breeding to show ring / CWHBA Young BWP members: Passion and a willingness to learn / IYB Edward: A true Hannoveraner stallion of the year Showjumping quality that hasn’t been seen in a long time Westfalian stallion son of Total McLaren fetches €700,000 Nine studbook stallions added to KFPS roster for 2024 / KFPS WBFSH publishes annual studbook members’ reports

DEPARTMENTS 5 7 66/67 68

Editorial: Prize money and stallions in top jumping Briefs and last-minute news WBFSH update Calendar of events

PHOTOGRAPHS (COVER AND PG. 3) COVER PHOTO – DONATELLO D’AUGE (BRED BY 2022/2023 #1 WBFSH SHOWJUMPING BREEDER SUSANA EPAILLARD GARCIA CERECEDA), RIDDEN BY THE BREEDER’S HUSBAND, JULIEN EPAILLARD (FEI/ARND BRONKHORST) CONTENTS PHOTOS – PG 3 (TOP TO BOTTOM): CORLAND/WOUT JAN VAN DER SCHAS (PETER LLEWELLYN); TOM MARIËN (PRIVATE COLLECTION); VENARD DU CERISY/STEVE GERDAT (JOSÉ FC); MATAI ZARITÉ/TRISTAN THOMAS (CORNEGE)

WWW.BREEDINGNEWS.COM PUBLISHER Breeding International Ltd. ADVERTISING Tel: +33 (0)6 80 14 41 83 (English and French) EDITORIAL OFFICE E-mail: editor@breedingnews.com Internet: www.breedingnews.com EDITORIAL BOARD Xavier Libbrecht Jean Llewellyn Alban Poudret LAY-OUT AND DESIGN Jean Llewellyn WEBSITE AND ONLINE DATABASE Peter Llewellyn

January 2024

Launched as Breeding News for Sport Horses in January 1977, WORLD BREEDING NEWS is published every month by Breeding International Ltd., and is available exclusively online. From January 1, 2019, the publication’s official title was changed to WORLD BREEDING NEWS FOR SPORT HORSES to reflect the new partnership between the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses and Breeding News. Twelve issues each year are uploaded to our website before the last day of every month. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, by any means, without written permission, is strictly prohibited. Copyright: The editorial policy of Breeding News seeks to publish a wide variety of views, although publication does not imply endorsement by the publisher, or any individual associated with the publication in any way. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher and editor cannot accept liability for any errors which may occur. Unsolicited articles, photographs and letters on any suitable subject may be submitted on-spec by email to editor@breedingnews.com. It is implicit that digital images accompanying articles are either copyright free, or that permission for publication has been granted by the photographer.BREEDING NEWS FOR SPORT HORSES publishes the BN WORLDWIDE SPORT HORSE STALLION DIRECTORY: A digital version with a stallion database is uploaded onto the BN website in March every year.

E DI TOR IAL PRIZE MONEY AND STALLIONS IN TOP JUMPING

elebrating more than 60 years, especially since the show invested in the central hall of Palexpo more than 20 years ago under the presidency of Pierre Genecand, the international showjumping of CHI Geneva is indisputably a global reference in terms of an ‘indoor’. Its date, at the beginning of December, its geographical location in the heart of Europe, its arena whose dimensions are without rival anywhere in the world, its mechanical organization perfectly oiled under the joint competences of Sophie Mottu and Alban Poudret, are unparalleled. So many criteria that make this equestrian event a unique product. Much like its major partner, the watchmaker Rolex whose famous cases make the ‘Tout Planète’ run with envy, and the heights of luxury on home ground provide, so to say, the dope that drives the prizes in the two major classes: the Top Ten, and the Grand Prix, which counts towards the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. The clasp of the bracelet between the CHI and Rolex is firmly fastened, as we say! The exceptional prize money of the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday, however, was inferior to that of the Prague final of the Longines Global Champions tour, two weeks earlier. It’s results that decide the best horse-rider combinations who will perform on Lake Leman’s shores; places that are especially coveted since the prize money offered by the two Swiss watchmakers never stops progressing. Figures? In 2013, the year of the first eponymous Rolex Grand Prix, the overall prize money for the Grand Prix was CHF600,000,

which had increased to CHF1,100,000 in 2023. The winner at that time – Steve Guerdat (SUI) riding Nino des Buissonnets (SF), earned CHF198,000, while this year’s winner, Richard Vogel (GER) riding United Touch S took home CHF370,000. This is, indeed, almost double if we observe that the Swiss franc has continued to climb and is now higher than the euro and the US dollar, which was not the case 11 years ago. This backtracking which references inflation has also had an impact on the types of horses chosen by the best competitors. United Touch S, the winner of this recent CHI Geneva edition is a stallion, while Nino des Buissonnets was a gelding. This coming trend was highlighted at the beginning of the XXIst century, in the wake of the World Equestrian Games in Jerez 2002, where four Selle Français stallions occupied the top step of the showjumping podium for team France: Diamant de Sémilly (Éric Levallois), Dollar du Mûrier (Éric Navet), Dollar de la Pierre (Reynald Angot), Crocus Graverie (Gilles de Balanda). Four riders performing with stallions in trying to establish their reputations at the highest level, and thus their future breeding careers. It was the same for mares. However, this gender trend has completely changed in the past 10 years. In 2013 there were 23 reproducers at the start of the Grand Prix: 11 stallions and 12 mares, making up more than half the entries. In 2023 there were only 16: four stallions against 12 mares, meaning tjat 24 starters were geldings. If the number of mares has remained stable at around 25%, the proportion of geldings and stallions has slowly but completely reversed. January 2024

Why? The first explanation is technical. Riders and breeders consider that a gelding is often more mentally stable than stallions that are usually more sensitive, more unpredictable. Once trained, the gelding is more ‘consistent’ than the stallion. The second reason is that a stallion is often belonging to a horse breeder, dealer, stallion owner, or syndicate whose ambition is to later trade his seed. But this expectation is often contrary to that of the rider: a sporting career versus one dedicated to breeding. Technical absences from the former in terms of covering/collection periods is in itself a problem. Meanwhile, ‘commercial’ calculations that determine the performances and commitments of the stallion are sometimes not in line with the ambitions of the rider, whose first concern is to be as competitive as possible without having to consider other incidental calculations. Another issue is more difficult to identify. Indeed, more commercial. If the stallion has good results, its breeding fee and value rise.

The opposite is also true because the stallion often has more ‘character’ than a gelding and, consequently, more difficulties might arise resulting in a deterioration in his reputation. Very high-level riders’ objectives appear to be diverging from those of breeders and/or stallion owners. As the sport professionalizes, the prize money mentioned above directly impacts remuneration (and a rider’s overall reputation), as well as the investments of owners which, in the meantime, are becoming more substantial. Top riders are above all pilots who live better and better from their art. What’s so important about seeing a stallion perform ‘live’? Guessing what he will bring to the next generation? Is it not enough to have patience and wait a little longer for things to happen naturally? The answer seems to be clearly demonstrated by this partial study of the evolution of the Rolex Grand Prix Geneva. Xavier Libbrecht

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B R I EF S Hannoverian mare of the year – Lady Gaga’s big show: The Niedersachsenhalle in Verden was all hers when she made her grand entrance. Lady Gaga owes this title to her two sons Commissar Pezi and Cato Boy, as well as her daughter So Gaga, who caused a furore on the international show jumping circuit last year. Lady Gaga’s breeder Johannes zur Lage received the certificate and a wellendowed cheque from R+V/VTV Versicherung during the show programme of the Verden licensing of showjumping stallions. Lady Gaga (Lord Pezi x Fly High) was born on March, 2007, and descends from the dam line of Ambella, which came to the zur Lage family farm with the 1943born St.Pr.St. Flupha by Flugeladjutant x Almarich. Lady Gaga’s hereditary power is impressive. All Lady Gaga (Ph: Hannoveraner) five of her offspring, who are already under saddle, have achieved top placings in showjumping arenas. Ridden by Martin Fuchs, her eldest son is the 10-year-old Commissar Pezi (Commissario), who largely contributed to team Switzerland’s victory in the prestigious Aachen Nations’ Cup in July this year. His one-year-younger full brother Cato Boy, who celebrated successes up to 1m50 with the Irish rider Shane Breen, is hardly inferior. After winning the Birmingham barrier jumping competition in October, the young British rider Katie Speller took over the reins. Third in the Lady Gaga offspring team is Hann.Pr.St. So Gaga (Stakkato), who is at the start of a great career under the saddle of Mynou Diederichsmeier. The seven-yearold has already recorded victorious success in 1m45 jumping classes, while full brother Stakkolord has reached medium level (M) with already boast victories in 1.45 metre jumping competitions. Full brother Stakkolord has reached medium (M) level with Maria Katharina Mallohn, while the youngest, Cool Pezi (Colman), is competing with Louisa Muller in tests for young showjumpers up to elementary level. Clearly, the newly crowned mare of the year already has three stars in the Hannoveraner Jumper Breeding Programme. Eight months ago, Lady Gaga’s son Captain Pezi by Cicero Z was licensed in Verden and has moved into a stall at the Celle State Stud. The Zangersheide.Auction closed her 2023 auction season with a breathtaking auction of 24 carefully selected young horses. Ranging from promising showjumpers under saddle to emerging freejumpers, there was something to attract the attention of passionate horse people worldwide. The absolute eye-catcher of the evening was the four-year-old mare Angy Z, a beautiful offspring of Aganix du Seigneur Z in combination with Numero Uno. Her impressive appearance and promising pedigree ensured that Angy Z could count on a lot of national and international interest. After a particularly tough bidding duel, it was ultimately an investor who recognized the extraordinary potential of this mare and acquired her for a prestigious showjumping stable for the impressive sum of €140,000. We can expect to see her in the ring in future under the Union Jack of Great Britain. The four-year-old mare Quickstep Z also left a deep impression; a daughter of Qatar Z out of Tony Stormanns’ top mare Servus Z (Solid Gold Z) was sold for €60,000 and will further develop her career in Hungary. Another horse that melted hearts was the four-year-old grey mare Dalida Z; a daughter of Dominator 2000 Z and Cornet Obolensky who sold to Spain for €37,000. Among the freejumpers, the threeyear-old black mare Daydream GT Z was the headliner of the evening. Sired by Diamant de Semilly x Casall, her impressive pedigree in combination with her elegant appearance impressed many customers and, in the end, it was a Dutch buyer who managed to get his hands on the deal for €24,000. There was also a lot of interest in the three-year-old mare Caprice Van Den Haze Z, who combines the blood of grey stallion Colorit Z with that of Zapatero. She stood out with her unlimited scope and her body use and found her new owner on Belgian soil for a sum of €20,000. A new edition of the Zangersheide Stallion Auction will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024 during the Zangersheide International in Sentower Park in Belgium. Important KWPN board update: Ieko Sevinga, Cor Loeffen, and Jacques Marée have joined the KWPN General Board. They thus succeed Leontine ter Harmsel-Zanderink, René van Klooster, and Berlinde Middelbrink. Ieko Sevinga is a jack-of-all-trades and brings an impressively full resumé. In addition to professional commitments, he is active in his spare time with breeding and excercising his Gelderlanders and harness horses. Jacques Marée has extensive knowledge of horse breeding and health. As a veterinarian/entrepreneur, Marée is closely involved with dressage horse breeding of both mares and stallions. Cor Loeffen, until recently chairman of the KWPN jumping stallion selection committee, is now the third new KWPN board member. His specific advantage is his great knowledge and passion for the KWPN horse and the breeders behind the horses, thus combining his knowledge from pedigrees and KWPN members. He is certainly familiar to virtually all the members, while his accessibility to them is a huge advantage. CvA It is with great sadness that we report the passing of international showjumper Lesley McNaught at the age of 59. During her active competition career, she was regarded as the best female rider of her generation, winning numerous medals at the highest level. Born in Hinckley, Yorkshire, in 1964, Lesley won silver with the Swiss team at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with Dulf Z and was Swiss showjumping champion 1991 and 2005. She also represented the Swiss colours at three world championships (one team medal), four European championships (four medals, including two team gold medals), and seven world cup finals (two podiums). Lesley McNaught has been the show jumping coach of the Swiss eventing team for three years and her great expertise made a significant contribution to the recent successes of the Swiss eventing riders. These include, in particular, the team qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. “Lesley McNaught was an exceptional rider and a woman who put her heart and soul into her sport, the horses and the riders on the team. We express our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends,” said President of Swiss Equestrian, Damian Müller. January 2024

Corland: What it means to descend from Holsteiner 104A BY ADRIANA VAN TILBURG PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER LLEWELLYN One of Corland’s current showjumping stars is Leone Jei (Baltic VDL - Dara x Corland, bred bu Gijs van Mersbergen), who won the CP International Grand Prix presented by Rolex at the Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary under the saddle of Martin Fuchs (SUI).

orland descends from the well-known Holstein lineage 104A, so what is his background? Dam line 104A is a very old Stamm tracing back to 1833, when the mare Ahne 131/Lise was born. But we will skip almost 100 years and start in 1928. In that year Bianka (Tobias - Sanna x Ortwin, breeder: Hermann Bahlmann) was born and enjoyed instant world fame in 1934 by winning the coveted Aachen Grand Prix as a six-year-old with Axel Holst. She was the only horse to stay clear jumping eight obstacles higher than 1m70! Her full sister Clärchen is the grandmother of Retina (Ramzes A - Dolli x Lopshorn, breeder: Hilda Magens). Between 1958 and 1960, Retina was among the best German showjumpers under the saddle of Fritz Thiedemann. Their highlight was winning the Hamburg Derby in 1959 when Retina was only seven years old, and one year later finishing second in the same class. Retina was sold outside Germany but returned to Holstein thanks to Dutch jumper Anton Ebben. She was then used as a broodmare by Rheder Thormählen, Harm Thormählen’s father, who used mares with sport careers for breeding back in the 1960s. Retina has been invaluable to Holstein breeding and, at the age of 16, gave the stallion Capitano (Grand Vikar), who would become a hallmark sire, producing Capitol I, bred by Harm Thormählen out of Stamm 173. After Capitano, Retina had three daughters: Heirika (Marlon xx), Germania 2 (Marlon xx) and Ibylle (Moltke I); the latter being Corland’s third dam. Germania 2’s offspring include several very good jumpers such as Cassini Miraflores (Cassini II) with Venezuelan Luis Fernando Larrazabal, and Cartino 10 (Carrico), at 1m60 with Pénélope Leprevost before being exported to Russia. Germania 2 is also the dam of the stallion Landego (Landgraf I), a major Grand Prix winner and ninth in the 1991 World Cup final in Gothenburg with Germany’s Elmar Gundel. sire of Life is Life, and damsire of outstanding horses such as C-Ingmar (Cassini I) with Germany's Pia-Luise Aufrechte-Bruggink; Casland (Cassini I) with Belgian Dirk Demeersman and Jérôme Guéry; PSG Opus (Contender) with Belgian François Mathy Jr and Austrian Stefan Eder; and especially Lianos (Landlord), who enabled Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa to become world champion in Rome in 1998. Ibylle (Moltke I) would become Retina’s last offspring, who was awarded as a state premium mare and sold as a four-

January 2024

year-old to Prof Hartwig Schmidt. Since then her production has been incredible: dam of the approved stallion Laurin (Ladalco), who was approved at the Holstein stallion selection in 1987. He jumped at 1m40 with Manuel Köllmann. His only Holstein-approved son Laurinn Holstein jumped at international level for several years under the name Sandstone Laurinn with Gaby Salick. He is sired by the dam, Esche, of Marius (Condrieu xx), with whom Hinrich Romeike captured double gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The approved stallions Chin Top (Chin Chin), Carloni (Come On), Joliot (Joost), and Nerrado (Nekton) also go back to Ibylle.

State premium mare Odetta The state premium mare Odetta (Ronald) was Ibylle’s first daughter. Professor Schmidt, a friend of the Thormählen family, seized the opportunity to purchase Ibylle, whom he coveted: “Because she was a daughter of Retina, but also because of her sire Moltke I, a son of Maximus, one of the first performance stallions in Germany.” Ibylle first gave him Odetta, Corland’s granddam, out of a cross with Ronald (Ramiro Z), a stallion he chose more for his pedigree than for his model. “Ronald was not chic or modern, but his dam was a daughter of Heilbutt, a stallion I often found in the papers of very good horses,” he explained. “Since Heilbutt is also Maximus’s maternal grandfather, I thought it would be interesting to use Ronald to capture certain qualities.” Odetta then produced Landetto (Landgraf I), a stallion who was sold to VDL Stud and approved by BWP. Landetto jumped internationally with Stefan Corten and Kevin Gielen. Odetta’s daughter Doretta II (Lord) produced the international showjumper Acodetto (Acobat II, ridden by Gert Jan Bruggink). Doretta II’s son Avion/aka Bull Run’s Alpha & Omega (Acorado I) jumped at Grand Prix level in America with Kristen VanderVeen. A full brother to Avion is the Holsteiner approved stallion Acolord who jumped at 1m40 level in Italy. Acolord is also the sire of RMF Zecilie, who won the 2019 St Tropez GCT with Jessica Springsteen and was double clear in the 2021 Brussels Nations Cup. Coretto (Corrado I - Odetta) is also approved in Germany for Rhineland breeding. Ibylle is also the dam of the stallion Laurin (Ladalco),

Corland over the water jump with Wout Jan van der Schans (NED) during the 2002 CN International Grand Prix, Spruce Meadows, Calgary sire and damsire of several horses that have competed at the highest level. Odetta was combined several times with Landgraf I, from which combination came the mare Thyra, who would later become Corland’s dam.

Bloodline quality The quality of a lineage can be measured by the offspring that the mares produce. Thyra is a great example of top quality with her offspring. At the age of four Thyra was covered by the Selle Français bred stallion Fier de Lui (Rantzau xx), who has covered mainly in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. From this combination came Aretina, the dam of Elsafina, who in turn became the dam of several outstanding horses, including the fantastic Corradina 2 (Corrado I x Sandro). She was world and European team champion, respectively in 2010 in Lexington and 2011 in Madrid, as well as double individual silver medallist at the 2009 European Championships in Windsor and Madrid, all under the saddle of Carsten-Otto Nagel. Her full brother Cohinoor also jumped 1m45 under the saddle of Jan Meves. Another full brother Conradin jumped at 1m50. Professor Schmidt successfully used Cor de la Bryère twice after Fier de Lui, with Thyra producing three horses that

jumped at 1m60 level: Corlanda (Cor de la Bryère), under the saddle of Willi Mellinger, Corland, and Clapton VDL (Caretino). Thyra also produced the Olympic dressage horse, Sir S (Silvester), about whom Nicola Heyser Burger has fond memories: “I started Sir S under saddle and broke him in. Bo Kristoffersen sat on him the first few times, when he was very anxious. As a four-year-old, he was brilliant. He showed so much talent for dressage and always did everything right. He eventually came with me to Switzerland where I trained him. I won several heavy trials with him before he was sold.” Sir S was ridden in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games by Francoise Cantamessa, who recalls: “I rode Sir S for three years. He had a very good character, and when he saw the truck he wanted to gallop into it. He loved travelling.” Sir S’s full sister Felicitas V also came under Nicola’s saddle: “I jumped her at 1m30 as a five-year-old, and she also went with me to Switzerland. Felicitas V was owned by my mother and she bred with her. She produced six offspring of which three competed in international showjumping; for example, Conde who jumped 1m55. Acron competed at Prix St. George level in the United States.” Thyra was a well-developed, long-lined riding horse with lots of charisma and nobility. She also inherited the hard legs of her great-grandmother, the influential and legendary Retina (Ramzes). A true sports talent, this mare won the challenging 1959 Hamburg Derby with Fritz Thiedeman. Thyra’s sharp disposition – also a trait of Corland offspring – is evident in her offspring. Professor Schmidt again used Cor de la Bryère to breed Gorlanda, who became the dam of two 1m60 winners bred bty Manfred Birchler in Switzerland: Caracas (Caretino) with Belgian rider Rudi Helsen, and Liatos II (by Liatos) with Swiss riders Annina and Philipp Züger. Nicola Heyser Burger recalls: Manfred bought Gorlanda here at our stables. I don’t even believe she was out of the box. He had already bought Corlanda before that so he knew the quality of the full sister. Thyra’s other daughters have also produced numerous 1m50/1m60 winners, including Conde 30 (Calido I), Qualino (Quinar), Quote 6 (Quidam de Revel), and Davenport VDL (Diamant de Semilly). According to Professor Schmidt: “I have pictures of Thyra taken on Landgraf I’s 30th birthday when she was 15 years old. She was a very special mare and all her offspring could jump. Thyra was put under saddle as a threeyear-old and had a lot of energy and scope. Her technique could have been better, which was the reason I used Cor de la Bryère. He made the technique of all her offspring very good. It was a bit of luck that I could keep her because,as a two-yearold a lot of money was offered for her, but I said no. Thyra gave me so much. She was a great mare.” Corland, Corradina, and Liatos II have several things in common: All three participated in several European Championships and all three have Thyra in their dam line. In 2009, Professor Hartwig Schmidt was honoured as the Holsteiner breeder-of- the-year for his success with the exceptional Corradina, as well as the many other performance horses that came out of this special lineage. January 2024

Corland in the hands of Wout Jan van der Schans – 2001 Cana Cup at Spruce Meadows, Calgary

Small breeding

Corland in Denmark

Talking about the mare line, Nicole Heyser Burger said: “They are horses with a lot of character. They know what they want, but they will do anything for you when you respect them. They are also very strong in their inheritance of sport horses. Thyra was a top mare, but her daughters and granddaughters also give international sport horses. Sometimes it skips a generation but then the performance comes back. I have noticed this with several mares now. All of my older mares have one or two approved sons. The performance density is incredible, and all without embryo transfer or ICSI. Hartwig used to breed with a few mares and I now breed with more mares. “I also find it very interesting to see that so many good performing horses come out of just a few mares, as several branches from this line are doing very well. The mare Odetta is at the beginning of several branches. The mare Paolotta (Acorado I - Doretta II x Lord) also produced many sport horses including the 1m60 jumper Cassirado (Cassini I) who is also well approved in Switzerland. Coming back to Corland. I would like to use him for one of my mares in order to apply line breeding. It was always extremely important for Hartwig how the mares and stallions were bred, so I’m analysing the stallions he used, looking where performance comes from, and where it doesn’t.”

Bred by Professor Hartwig Schmidt, Corland was born in 1989. His career began with his approval as a two-and-a-halfyear-old stallion for the Holstein studbook. Nicola Heyser Burger looks back: “We prepared Corland for the inspection at home. Hartwig lunged him and trained him, but I had to practise bringing him forward. I could then trot with him in hand and Hartwig would sit on a bike and whip us from behind. Although Corland was a lot of a stallion, he had a fine character. Otherwise Hartwig wouldn’t have let me practice with him.” Corland was sold during his inspection to Denmark to Kristian Svenningsen, Finn Holving, and Henning Jensenn. In Denmark, he operated under the name Corlando, winning his 90-day performance test, including 10s for his temparement, jumping (both trainer and rider), and for the use of his back. Kristian Svenningsen remembers: “We were in Neumünster at the stallion approval and there we saw Corland who showed very well. We then contacted Bo Kristoffersen whom we know well, and he again knew Corland very well because he lived at the breeder’s house at the time. He confirmed that Corland was very good, so we then agreed to buy him. Corland was tested for his performance test by Lorne Kroman, an Olympic rider from

10 January 2024

Denmark. During his performance test, he had two riders: one who rode him daily, and Danish rider Bjorn Ikast rode him during his final test. Bjorn already thought Corland had qualities for the international sport.” According to Henning Jensenn: “We bought Corland because at that time there were no stallions by Cor de la Bryère in Denmark or Sweden. Bo told us Corland was up for auction and was a world champion, so we bought him at the auction. We went to Germany with Bo Kristoffersen when Corland was five years old and Bo had never ridden the horse before, but they qualified for the Bundeschampionat. Corland had very good jumping qualities and he has a very fine temperament, which he also passed on to his offspring. Corland had a very strong character so we had many good experiences with him. It was a special experience later when we saw him jumping on television during the European Championships. We hid behind the bench when he rode into the course.”

Corland as a young sport horse Corland himself was active in showjumping as a young horse, taking his first steps under the saddle of Rudie Telgenhof in Denmark. As a four-year-old, he won both qualifiers for the Danish young horse championships and came second in the final. As a five-year-old, he again won both qualifications and finished fourth in the final. As a sixyear-old, he won one qualifier for the Danish studbook and was later ridden by Bo Kristoffersen at the German young horse championships. Kristian Svenningsen adds: “He showed tremendous jumping quality. He could be tricky at times and Professor Schmidt had also said that his dam Thyra was not so easy and was difficult especially when breaking her in. Sometimes we saw that back in his offspring but most of the ones I know had and still have a top character. The will to want to do his best was a really top quality of Corland. We also regularly visited Prof Schmidt at home and he said that the Van de Lageweg family knew very well what kind of competition rider would suit Corland. We are very happy that Corland finally also got all chances in breeding and was able to live up to that. Here in Denmark, he was not so appreciated. We also followed his career in the sport, and his pedigree excels in quality.”

VDL Stud Wiepke van de Lageweg had a good connection with Professor Schmidt because he had bought Corland: “Thanks to Corland, I became connected with his breeder. We visited Professor Schmidt’s home several times and he used stallions of ours for his breeding at that time. The last time I was with him his health was already deteriorating, but I was able to buy a very good mare from him. This is the now four-year-old mare Oretta VDL (Zirocco Blue - Paoletta x Acorado I). We had bought several stallions from Professor Schmidt beforehand,

including the stallion Landetto; a nice detail is that Jus de Pomme and Landetto swapped owners – Jus de Pomme came to VDL Stud and Landetto moved to Belgium. We also bought as a foal the stallion Davenport VDL competing at 1m60 with Laura Klaphake from Professor Schmidt. He was a very good breeder, really a breeder at heart.” After a tip-off from Fred van Straaten and his performance under the saddle of Bo Kirstoffersen at the World Championships for young show jumpers, Corland was noticed by Wiepke van de Lageweg who brought him to the Netherlands where he was KWPN approved. Wiepke van de Lageweg remember: “I drove to Denmark with my son Wiebe Yde and we wanted to buy Corland. There was one problem according to the owners, Paul Schockemöhle also wanted to buy him; so we bought him together. Eventually Paul wanted to sell his share so we got to own him completely. “Corland has meant a lot to our company. He was a very good breeding and sport stallion, and is still important in breeding. At that time, we wanted a Cor de la Bryère son for breeding and had also had previous sons but they were not approved by the stallion selection committee. With the purchase of Corland, there was also a new stallion selection committee and they approved Corland for KWPN. Corland has been very valuable for breeding, with many good direct sport horses, broodmares, and approved stallions but he also makes his mark in the second and third generations.” In the Netherlands, he started in the sport under the saddle of Menno Botma being before being acquired by Ulrich Kirchhoff, who says: “I have always believed in Corland. I rode him when he was bought by Paul Schockemöhle and Wiepke van de Lageweg and rode him as a six- and seven-year-old, for example, at the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, and I rode him again as an eight-year-old. I really believed in Corland as a jumper and as a stallion. He had so much will to perform and you could see the Cor de la Bryère blood in him.”

Wout Jan van der Schans Dutch rider Wout Jan van der Schans would achieve the most successes with Corland in international showjumping. At the European Championships in Arnhem Corland proved he belonged to the top in the world. Ridden by Wout Jan, he won both qualifiers with the best Nations Cup result, had the fastest clear round in individual showjumping, and finished ninth in the final. The duo competed at the highest level for several seasons and won a Benelux championship title in The Hague. They achieved numerous placings at grand prix events such as in Calgary, Maastricht, The Hague, Helsinki, Zuidlaren, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Donaueschingen, Verona, and Bordeaux. Wout Jan recalls: “Corland was a special horse with a lot of quality, a very good way of jumping, very careful and a very intelligent and co-operative horse. He had a top attitude. When he came to me there were quite a lot of pundits who were sceptical about whether he would have January 2024

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enough ability for the very toughest work. I always believed in Corland from the beginning because he was a horse with a top attitude. Because of his attitude he always grew to a higher level. “The European Championships in Arnhem were very special because a lot of people didn’t believe he could handle that level. He had been performing consistently all year then, just two weeks before the championships I broke my collarbone. It looked like I wouldn’t be able to ride at the championship, but thanks to the help of Jeroen Dubbeldam, and the advice of Jan Tops and Bert Romp (who were chefs d'equipe at the time) I was able to go. They wanted Corland along anyway because he was very fast, so the intention was that I should have a top result. But because of my broken collarbone it all seemed impossible. “However, I recovered miraculously fast, so we went to the Europeans and everything went according to plan. That again showed Corland’s tremendous attitude, even though my broken collarbone was already fairly well healed, I obviously couldn’t ride like I would have if I hadn’t been injured. It was Corland’s attitude and caution that helped me. As it happened, we won the first round and held our number one position until the very last test, when we lowered two rails and finished ninth in the individual final. Corland deserved to win, which is what someone always remembers. “Everyone is very positive and enthusiastic about how he showed there and I definitely see his qualities in his offspring. Now you come across a lot of good horses out of a Corland dam, so you can actually say that he is a very strong sire. In those days, his offspring were not immediately licensed, but I think people now think differently about his offspring as inspection horses. At the time, KWPN did not like horses that were a bit longer and a bit soft in the loins. They preferred horses to be a bit shorter and tighter. Now they’ve abandoned that thought because they see that a jumper can jump better with the longer model. I think he could now get higher scores at KWPN inspections with his offspring. “Corland has now produced many jumpers, and VDL Stud also believed in him so gave him chances and time, although he had to prove himself. Only after the European Championships did he start to cover well. That’s the beauty of VDL Stud that they believe in a stallion. Perhaps going against popular beliefs and giving a horse every chance. The most important thing is that Corland’s attitude was not 100% but 200%, and you can see that in his offspring.”

Corland’s offspring Corland has been able to pass on all the qualities he demonstrated as a sport horse, producing around 70 horses that jumped at top level. He spent his first years as a breeding stallion in Denmark, where he also left behind a number of mares with elite status and some very good jumpers, including Nice Device (Corland - Lavina x Lavallo), 1m60 with Christian Schou, and Ballerina (Corland - Majken Kaeroard x Arsenal) 1m60 with Christine Raaholt.

Corland also scored success in the Netherlands with the KWPN-bred stallion Bacardi VDL (Supardi x Kannan), winner of the Dubai World Cup Grand Prix and member of the Swiss team at the 2010 Tryon World Equestrian Games under the saddle of Janika Sprunger before he moved to Edwina Tops-Alexander. Janika Sprunger remembers: “Bacardi VDL was a dream to ride; a horse that has the whole package. A stallion with a fantastic character as well as a top athlete. I was lucky to have had him under saddle for three years with many good results. I am forever grateful that I was able to ride such a fine horse. He was special.” Corland further produced the 1m60 jumpers as both a sire and damsire: • Top Gun (Corland - Joyce x Wellington) 1m60 with Beth Underhill and Kent Farrington • SF Ariantha (Corland - VDL Uriantha de la Luz x Emilion), 1m60 with Andres Rodriguez and Jack Towell • HBC Dancing Queen (Corland - Hauke x Renville), 1m60 with Julia Houtzager-Kayser • Andretti S (Corland - Tabelle S x Animo), 1m60 with Laura Kraut • Sensation (Corland - Jessica x Emilion), 1m60 with Suzanne Tepper • Apardi (full brother to Bacardi VDL), 1m60 with Daniel Bluman • Sir Corland (Corland - Joukje x Derrick), 1m60 with WoutJan van der Schans • Silvana*HDC (Corland - Donate x Widor), 1m60 with Kevin Staut • Fardón (Corland - Canada x Mezcalero), 1m60 with AnnaJulia Kontio • Eurocommerce California (Corland - Jopie x Ramiro), 1m60 with Gerco Schröder, Ali ben Khaled al-Thani, and Bassem Hassan Mohammed. • Hortensia van de Leeuwerk (Corland -. Danora van de Leeuwerk x Argentinus), 1m60 with Manuel González Dufrane • Leone Jei (Baltic VDL - Dara x Corland), 1m60 with Martin Fuchs • Fibonacci (For Feeling - Tarusa x Corland), 1m60 with Lillie Keenan, Cian O'Connor, and Meredith Michaels Beerbaum Fibonacci was bred by Tina Petersson-Lind of Sweden. while his dam, Tarusa, was bred by Arend van Ittsersum, who said: “Corland is very good as a sire of the dam. His dam line, by Professor Hartwig Schmidt, has a lot of quality.” Van Ittsersum has bred several performance mares using Corland as the sire. Corland produced five approved KWPN stallions and is damsire of ten approved KWPN stallions. For KWPN he became an influential stallion and received the keur predicate. Corland died in March 2017 at the age of 28, but lives on in his sons and daughters, with the inheritance power of his dam line exceptionally guaranteeing sport horses. ■

January 2024

Innovation, collaboration, and professionalization for Mariën BY JO DE ROO PHOTOGRAPHY: JO DE ROO AND PRIVATE COLLECTION Part 1 of this article published in our December 2023 issue, related the story of Tom Mariën, the founder of Equitom, the largest and most innovative equine hospital in Europe and, by extension and reference, a renowned global player in veterinary medicine.

his second chapter focuses on the Equine Care Group, founded in 2021 by Tom Mariën, Frederik Bruyninx (sports veterinarian and team vet of the Belgian showjumping team), and the Bencis Capital Partners investment fund. Now, almost three years later, ECG has more than 300 employees, of which 105 are veterinarians, plus 33 companies. Our interview with Tom Mariën continues... ◆ Why the creation of the Equine Care Group? In 2018, people came knocking on my door asking if my horse clinic Equitom was for sale. Today, the sale of veterinary practices and clinics to major national and international financial players is extremely popular. The fact that medicine is dictated by financiers makes me rather afraid, and the consequences can be disastrous in the long term. I am talking about people who have never touched or smelled a horse or, for example, slept with a horse in the stable.

Tom Marriën with his wife Kadidja Essaheli – general manager of Equitom and marketing director of the Equine Care Group 14 January 2024

In veterinary medicine it’s all about love for horses, and a good vet is a vet with a lot of passion for medical care and empathy with the horse owners. You study veterinary medicine because you have a dream and not because you want to become rich. In our world many practices have already been sold to financial people who consider medicine as a cash machine, and that’s not a good thing. So, in 2018 a lot of money was offered for my clinic. I had two options: sell my dream, sell my passion, move to Hawaii with my family, and do nothing for the rest of my life, or not sell. As for the ‘selling’ option; my wife, who is general manager of Equitom, would have been unable to do this, also because of the 80 passionate employees at that time who build this dream with us. At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and say that I did something good for the world; in my case the medical care and welfare of horses and better veterinary medicine. But there is another reason why I didn’t want to sell. In fact, I came up with the idea of bringing veterinarians together. Instead of selling Equitom, I wanted to create a group of veterinarians for veterinarians. I wanted to create our own group with equine vets and equine hospitals working together as one team. ◆ Do I understand correctly that you sought out competitors to collaborate with? Yes, absolutely. One of the members of the Equine Care Group, De Bosdreef, is a very good equine clinic with many competences, innovations, and certain experiences that were complementary to ours. But De Bosdreef and Equitom used to be competitors. We did not collaborate, shared no knowledge, and this was not constructive. The horses did not benefit from this situation and this felt wrong to me. This frustration pushed me to find a solution: I had to involve De Bosdreef in the project and show the outside world that the two largest competitors in Belgium could work together and form one team in order to send a very strong signal that would blow people away. I then started talking to veterinarian Filip Vandenberghe, partner of De Bosdreef. After the first conversation I had the feeling that we had known each other for 20 years. We had the same ideas and passion. De Bosdreef subsequently joined the Equine Care Group.

Aerial view of Equitom in Lummen, Belgium ◆ How does the collaboration work in practical terms? I’ll give you an example: suppose an owner presents his horse to Equitom and we cannot operate on the horse ourselves for one reason or another but Hans Wilderjans from De Bosdreef can. Then Hans will perform the operation at Equitom. The opposite also happens: an Equitom surgeon operates in De Bosdreef. That is the essence of the matter. ◆ To what extent can medical reports be shared between clinics? If this is necessary and useful, then it’s possible. Suppose a horse is injured during a showjumping competition near Equitom and is brought to us for initial care. If the owner lives in the De Bosdreef neighbourhood it’s quite possible for De Bosdreef to provide ongoing treatment for the horse. In that case, the medical file of that horse will simply be exchanged. It’s also possible for us to propose a horse ransfer to an owner from clinic A to clinic B if the horse can receive the best care at clinic B. We always look for the best solution for the horse. For example, De Bosdreef has a ‘rhino’ isolation clinic, to my knowledge the only such clinic in Europe. Suppose a horse with rhino pneumonia is presented to Equitom, we will refer it to the rhino clinic. After all, rhino is highly contagious and very dangerous. Having various veterinarians and equine clinics working together impacts our profession, and making it more attractive to young people. That’s the greatest achievement

in my professional life. All specialists are in a WhatsApp group, just like the internists, etc. When a horse with a very complex condition is delivered to Equitom, this is discussed between all the specialists in the group; advice is exchanged and discussed. This is unprecedented and unique in the world and, therefore, raises the level of care. The people who join the ECG, experience their second youth, so to speak because they now sit around a table with people who used to be their competitors.’ ◆ Is the Equine Care Group limited to a collaboration between exclusively Belgian equine clinics and vets? No. Although we started the collaboration in Belgium, we very recently partnered with Clinica San Biago in Italy, and they are now a member of the Group. In October 2023 we did the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour (MET) in Oliva, a Tour in which some 1,500 sport horses participate for six months. There was a small clinic, but the infrastructure and the level of medical care were insufficient. There was a lack of professionalism. ◆ So what does ECG do with MET in Oliva? We took over the equine clinic and completely renovated it, including a mobile laboratory. The ECG team is now responsible for the medical care of the participating horses, and we strive for the best possible medical care, which is what these horses deserve. From January 2024, we will provide ECG medical services to the Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera January 2024

◆ Why? Now I only do cases the most complex cases, or when someone insists that I perform the operation. The routine surgeries are now performed by other highly skilled surgeons that I’ve trained myself. There are no disadvantages to the patients with this system. By doing fewer operations myself I free up more time for other important matters relating to our profession in caring for all the horses in Europe. I want to modernize and professionalize the industry. Now there are many young veterinarians who are encouraged to apply for a job at ECG, so we receive applications every day from all over the world, even from countries that we do not immediately associate with horses. There are good reasons for that. We provide a gymnasium for our personnel as we attach great importance to the social aspects of work-life balance. We regularly evaluate young veterinarians, allowing salaries to evolve, pay what is correct, and offering them the opportunity to acquire shares over time in the Group. We don’t make false promises. They can specialize in a specific domain. We even offer opportunities to those who work at ECG in Belgium to work in other countries where the Group is active. The Equine Care Group is transparent, is managed like a modern company, and has a vision and structure.’ The Equine Care Group now has more than 300 employees, of which 90 are veterinarians, and we only started two-and-a-half years ago. Last year we were nominated by the ◆ Do you still have time to do surgical procedures yourself? Flemish government as one of the three fastest growing Being the founder of ECG has indeed seriously changed young companies. That is the merit of the entire Group. I’m my life. I used to be a surgeon in Equitom from morning till just the captain. Without a strong team we are nowhere. night, and although I still operate it’s not as much as before. That’s why we should never forget to thank the team In the past I operated on five to 10 horses per day, on average... members regularly. Now a maximum of five per week, and it’s better this way. I am also very grateful to my wife Kadidja Essaheli. Without her Equitom would likely never have become the largest clinic in Europe, and the Equine Care Group would never have existed. I’m lucky to have her in my life because next to every great man is a strong woman, and her we are the living proof. She supports our company 100 percent, and might be crazier than me, in the positive sense of the word. Initially she had no affinity with horses as she’d studied law and taught, but if she makes an important decision, she goes for it completely. She is the general manager of Equitom and marketing director of the Equine Care Group. She’s obsessed with it, and complements me very well as she excels in areas in which I’m not so good. If I can’t see a point of view, she brings clarity. We Horse under general anaesthesia being prepared for surgery have a very extreme life. (Spain). The largest equestrian tour in Europe, in which around 3,600 horses will participate. Juan Turrero, the wellknown sports vet who is in charge of medical care during the Sunshine Tour, joined the Equine Care Group so we will support him during the season. Talking about advanced innovation, we will even locate a mobile MRI unit at the show. This is typically ECG’s mission: collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.’ What do we imagine when there is a problem? A top rider like Jérôme Guery has his showjumpers in his stable in Belgium. In this country he can rely on the best medical care for his horses. If he participates in the MET Tour in Oliva with a series of showjumpers for a month and one of those horses has colic, for example, then he has a major problem. Thanks to our presence in Spain, he can participate in the Tour with a clear conscience. There is of course a difference in competences in veterinary medicine between countries. Belgium is among the best in the world so ECG wants to help local veterinarians and clinics in other countries to also increase their own level of medicine. We are fully expanding, partnering with existing clinics that share or vision, and also building new clinics in areas where veterinary care is currently insufficient; what we call a medical desert. We have concrete plans to create several greenfields in Europe. Our aim: bringing equine medicine to the highest level everywhere.

16 January 2024

Lothar Vanslambrouck (left), head of the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, doing a flexion text To give you an idea: last Thursday I spent the whole day in Madrid for meetings, Monday in Milan, Friday in France. That extreme also applies to my wife. She sometimes gets up at 1:00 a.m. to work on an idea for two hours and then goes back to sleep. If she had not entered my life, I could never have realized all of this. Everyone has good and weak moments. If there is a weak moment or a moment of doubt, she gives her opinion and is always by my side to give me the support I need. She is very competent and driven, and supplemented by a strong team gives us wings. What we are all undertaking is extraordinary. ◆ The Equine Care Group now has 33 companies... Within ECG we have different divisions, such as the equine clinics (entering into partnerships with existing highquality clinics or even building new ones), and veterinarians who drive from one customer to another. (ECG takes over their administration so they have more time for continuing education and specialized training on the one hand, as well as more quality time with their families.) A good work-life balance is key to sustainability in our profession. This ensures a stable physical and mental situation, which is what’s needed in order to remain dynamic and ambitious right to the end of your career. Too many vets are exhausted by the age of 65, with all its consequences, and that’s exactly what we don’t want within ECG. A lot has changed in medicine in the past 10 years, and anyone who doesn’t take additional training from time to time will, after a while, no longer be up-to-date. We share the knowledge that is present and collected within ECG. Several surgeons from our group are currently attending a major conference in the United States. One of them will give a lecture about a new surgical technique we have developed. They will return with a lot of information that will then be distributed to all surgeons and veterinarians in our group.

Every day, dozens of horses are unnecessarily euthanized around the world. Why? Because the vet in the field is often not aware that there is a solution to the problem. It is often not their fault, but it remains unacceptable. The only way to solve this is to share knowledge and experience with veterinarians around the world. The veterinarians who are members of ECG, are constantly informed of new developments. We have established a division within ECG under the name ECG Research and Education. Research refers to the research we conduct ourselves; education to training courses, organizing and attending conferences, organizing web labs (for example about dental care in horses). Beyond that, we put a lot of effort into sharing our knowledge and expertise with the whole world through social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, etc). Horse owners and veterinarians from all around the world follow our posts and learn a lot in the process, which ultimately benefits the horse. A fairly new division is called ECG Nutrition and Supplements. Why create such a division? Good health starts with good nutrition. Those who eat a healthy meal every day and do not smoke or drink alcohol are statistically more likely to live longer than someone who lives an unhealthy life. Nutrition is a huge problem. Today it is quite a challenge to eat healthily. Why? Because commercial foods contain a lot of sugars. Just try to find something that is free of sugar. Sugar is harmful, also for humans by the way. Bad for developing cancer or diabetes and many other diseases because cancer cells are fuelled by sugars. We as people can look for sugar-free food as a horse needs to eat what we provide. Our generation was lucky that our parents ate healthily, and that we were babies in our mother’s womb. They had a vegetable garden and lived and ate in harmony with nature. If you want a healthy diet it’s best not to eat processed foods. Healthy food still has the earth attached to it, so to speak. Genetically modified and processed foods are not what our bodies need. When it comes to horses, sugar and healthy food in general is a different story. We could write a separate chapter about horse nutrition. We feed our horses with brands that have the most beautiful banners and publicity, because horse-feed sales are driven by marketing. The combination of good marketing and low prices makes successful sales, but people don’t always give enough thought to quality. Horse feed is only a very small part of the total maintenance cost of a horse and isn’t necessarily proportional. So, for God’s sake, let’s spend a little more and make sure the horse gets a scientifically based, quality diet. Do not forget, you become what you eat. ◆ Is the problem limited to sugars? No. To give you an example: many horse feeds do not use whole grains but by-products of the grain industry. Much cheaper but inferior in quality. That’s a major problem. For example, food X might state that it has a certain protein percentage, but that says nothing about either the source or the quality of the protein. January 2024

Mathieu Foucaud, orthopedic surgeon at Equitom doing an arthroscopy The Equine Care Group’s vets are committed to providing the best care for the horse, and we see that very broadly. As veterinarians we must also provide good nutriutional advice. I have a good basic knowledge of horse nutrition, but I can’t talk to equine nutritionists on the same level. They are the experts in their field and provide advice, so for this reason we have several equine nutrition specialists with ECG. Many diseases can be prevented or even cured by simply adjusting the diet. That is why we are strongly committed to healthy food and high-quality minerals, vitamins, and supplements, so ECG collaborates with a company in France and one in the Netherlands. https://www.equinecaregroup.com/en/members/#ecg-nutrition-andsupplements ◆ Are there no good horse-feed manufacturers in Belgium? I don’t like to talk about other people because everyone does their best in their own way, and everyone has a place, so ECG enters into partnerships with the feed manufacturers that our nutritionists believe are the best. The major animal feed manufacturers have become extremely wealthy with food for pigs, cows, and poultry. At some point they expanded their range to include horse feed. For them this was a side issue, but for people like us, horses are our life. We focus day and night on the health of horses. That is our passion. There is no room

18 January 2024

for a manufacturer who says ‘we make something for horses’. We are looking for manufacturers who breathe horses and have the necessary knowledge. According to our nutritionists our partners are producing high quality feed, and one has been exclusively producing horse feed for more than two decades. The founder is a purist. He had racehorses, and a racehorse needs high-quality nutrition and professional management to become a champion. He therefore developed quality feeds in collaboration with nutritionists and using the best category of grains that are of a quality suitable for human consumption. They don’t import soy from abroad, so only work with homegrown produce in order to achieve consistency in quality and taste. In fact, before a truck is given the green light to enter their company compound, samples are taken and examined. Nothing is left to chance. Both the French and Dutch feeds do not contain added sugars and, admittedly, the horses may eat a little less of it in the beginning, but it is at least healthy food and promotes character. What happens if you give sugar to children? They get excited and start doing stupid things. Horses that eat healthily are more concentrated and calmer. Fortunately, people are starting to ask more and more questions. The young generation of horse owners in particular are more interested in the health of their horses and, consequently, in their nutrition. Horses fed the highest quality can eat 30 to even 40 percent less to receive the same nutritional effect. We have also recently partnered with an Irish company that is a world leader in developing vitamins and supplements for horses. We visited their production facilities and consulted with their scientists and can only show great respect for the quality and innovations they bring to the market. As veterinarians, we need quality supplements every day to support the health of the horse. (Tom, and by extension the Equine Care Group, is always looking for sustainable partnerships, which is also the case with a laboratory: https://www.equinecaregroup.com/ en/members/#ecg-labs) ◆ Why a lab? Most analyses of samples are undertaken by large, human laboratories. They accept animal samples without being veterinarians and without investing in specific equipment. An analysis is more than a sample. We started talking to the largest veterinary laboratory in Belgium which is operated by two veterinarians. They focus exclusively on animals and strive for excellence within all aspects of their lab. If such a laboratory joins our group and there are direct lines with our veterinarians, specialists, and surgeons, we can develop new lab tests, higher quality results, and not being underestimated is also about getting the results faster. This can be life-saving and that lab can become the best in the world. Why? Because of the collaboration with veterinarians and surgeons. The knowledge goes from the lab to our people, but also from our people to the lab. Who will benefit from this in the end? The horse and that’s why we do it.

◆ What is the overall concept of the Equine Care Group? I believe that collaboration is the future. I’m not saying it’s always easy to achieve because of the competition between the different actors, but ECG proves that it’s possible. If we want to remain on top in the horse sector in Europe, the various actors within our sector will have to work together and we need to further professionalize. Belgium should take the lead in this because Belgium is pretty much the mecca of the horse trade, breeding, and sport in Europe, and even worldwide in the field of showjumpers. The sector is much larger than just equine medicine. The other actors, such as the breeders, the traders, the sport stables, they should all strive for innovation, collaboration, and ongoing professionalization. The Equine Care Group proves that it’s possible and that one-plus-one can sometimes become three. With an open mind much is possible. ◆ When a horse is being sold, x-rays are usually taken. I regularly hear during interviews that x-rays are a source of discussion between veterinarians of buyer and seller. What is your opinion about that? We will work on that in the future. We are going to get this started ourselves, not only within ECG, but also by sitting around the table with traders. The disparity in advice given by veterinarians at prepurchase examinations not only has a negative impact on the horse’s sporting career, but in many cases ruins the sale of the horse with dire consequences for the trade. It is high time that veterinarians speak the same language and have scientifically based views and judgments based on objective parameters. This will not be an easy task and it can only be done by working together and making decisions about what we will approve or disapprove. When having a horse examined or inspected in the context of a possible sale, for example, it’s about whether or not that horse is good for the coming years in an activity for which it’s being purchased. Nowadays, it’s sometimes more about x-rays rather than the horse. For example, a top showjumper may have performed very well and regularly at a high level over the past five years without dropping out. It’s quite possible that there are comments when taking the x-rays, but so what? If the horse performs well, this will probably not be a problem in the future. Most top horses would never pass an inspection. The intention must be that the buyer is informed about the health of the horse and the possible risks should be estimated as well as possible. That’s it! ◆ What plans do you still want to realize? There are three phases in life. The first stage is to prove yourself; fight for it and go for it. Working day and night to build something. That phase is behind me. The second phase is now doing what I’ve done as an individual together with other people. Sharing my knowledge, training young surgeons, and building a strong international team. I want to change our profession and create an attractive future for the new generation of veterinarians. A future of innovation and collaboration. A veterinary medicine adapted

to modern society, an Equine Care Group where ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) is key. I am very busy with that. In any case, I will spend several years working on this to fully develop this pan-European network. Then comes the third phase. This is the stage where I want to do things as a volunteer. In my case that could be for horses, but it could also be for humans or animals in general. I would like to commit myself to doing something good, together with some of the people around me. For example, there are still many neglected, abused animals in the world. There are already organizations that take care of the fate of such animals. They are doing their best, but I think with my medical experience I can make an important contribution. With my acquired knowledge and skills and the available techniques, I would like to deal with the animals that would never reach our clinics. I would like to work again as a surgeon for such animals, not only in Belgium but also in other countries. That would be a new challenge and an ultimate dream for me. I can realize that later. For example, I highly appreciate what Brigitte Bardot (89) is doing with The Brigitte Bardot Foundation. They advocate for abused and neglected animals in more than 70 countries, which is impressive. She often sends patients to our clinic to patch them up, including the donkey Hope, adopted by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, who, among other things, had a gaping wound in the muzzle from gunshots. A while ago Brigitte Bardot called me to thank me. It’s incredible how she still fights for animal rights politically at her age. Animal abuse is something that is no longer acceptable. Anyone who owns an animal must take good care of it. There is still a lot of work to be done, and I can’t improve the whole world, but I could improve many things within the horse world. ◆ Or publish a book with all your experiences and knowledge?’ Yes, I could write a lengthy book. ■

Equitom – one of the most beautiful equine hospitals in the world January 2024

Best stallions during the 2023 Nations’ Cup season BY JOSÉ LUIS FC PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSÉ LUIS FC The 2023 Nations’ Cup season recorded a great many results for historical analysis, and the leading stallion with the most offspring participating in Nations’ Cup classes throughout the year was Chacco-Blue. Meanwhile, the studbook with the most representative sires was KWPN. Throughout the 2023 season, 35 Nations’ Cups were contested, ranging from the CSIO5* in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in January to the CSIO3* in Vilamoura, Portugal, in the first half of November. The largest number by FEI star rating – each category in chronological order by country: • 11 x five-star Abu Dhabi (UAE); San Miguel de Allende (MEX); San Juan Capistrano (CA/USA); VancouverLangley (BC/CAN); St. Gallen (SUI); Sopot (POL); Rotterdam (NED); Falsterbo (SWE); Hickstead (GBR); Dublin (IRL); Barcelona (ESP) • 7 x four-star: Sharjah (UAE); Millstreet (IRL); Strzegom (POL); Avenches (SUI); Arville (BEL); Sarsaw Sluzewiec (POL); Rabat (MAR) • 11 x three-star: Gorla Minore (ITA); Mannheim (GER); Kronenberg (NED); Uggerhalne (DEN); Drammen (NOR); Athens (GRE); Bratislava (SVK); Deauville (FRA); Ebreichsdorf (AUT); Vejer de la Frontera (ESP); Vilamoura (POR) A total of 26 stallions had a minimum of five offspring, with two that have been dominating the sire rankings published every year by the WBFSH – Chacco-Blue and Diamant de Semilly. With the greatest number of offspring, Chacco-Blue had 28 representatives competing in jumping Nations Cups in 2023, including four that contested a minimum of three such classes: Casqoo Blue (Harry Charles); Chaccossini (Rikke Anderses); Mezohegyes

Steve Guerdat riding Venard de Cerisy Chabala (Gabor Szabo); and Stardus (Sienna Charles). The first two horses have Capitol I as their maternal grandsire. The most outstanding of Chacco-Blue’s offspring, Casquo Blue, competed in St. Gallen, Falsterbo, and Hickstead – all in the five-star category, making a kill over all six rounds. The second most-represented stallion was Diamant de Semilly, with 20. His list also includes three stallion sons, each with offspring that have themselves participated in 2023 Nations Cups: Emerald van’t Ruytershof, Diarado, and Elvis Ter Putte.

Clocking the most clear rounds

STUDBOOK NATIONS CUP PARTICIPATIONS KWPN SF Zangersheide BWP Holsteiner OS Hanoverian Westfalian DWB ISH Oldenburg SWB 20 January 2024

Horses 108 97 82 77 67 59 33 31 11 15 10 9

Nations Cup rounds 198 162 125 143 114 102 56 66 21 30 18 15

Throughout the 2023 Nations Cup season, the one horse that achieved the most clear rounds was Cuma 5, registered with the Westfalian Studbook, and a son of Comme il faut – Aillen x Ars Vivendi. Ridden by Austrian Katharina Rhomberg, the pair recorded double clears in the CSIO5* Abu Dhabi, the CSIO3* Abreichsdorf, and the CSIO4* Nations Cup Series Final in Warsaw. Also recording three double clears , Steve Guerdat’s Venard de Cerisy for Switzerland, who very recently won the IJRC Top-10 Fial in Geneva. The pair’s double clears in Nations Cup came in St. Gallen, Aachen, and Dublin. Enjoy de la Mure, a son of Vigo Cece, under the saddle of Spain’s Eduardo Álvarez Aznar also reached three double clears as late as September. ■

STALLIONS WITH NATIONS’ CUP SONS, NC STARTS, AND CLEAR ROUNDS Stallion

Pedigree

Sons

Clear rounds

Chacco-Blue Diamant de Semilly Mylord Carthago Kannan Casall Eldorado vd Zeshoek TN Zirocco Blue VDL Cardento Comme Il Faut Emerald van’t Ruytershof Balou du Rouet Berlin Toulon Diarado Baloubet du Rouet Cornet Obolesnky Clinton Nabab de Reve Elvis Ter Putte Bubalu VDL Calvaro Z Action Breaker Conthargos Messenger

Chambertin - Contara x Contender 28 Le Tot de Semilly - Venise des Cresles x Elf III 20 Carthago - Fragance de Chalus x Jalisco B 18 Voltaire - Cemeta x Nimmerdor 16 Caretino - Kira XVII x Lavall I 13 Clinton - Bijou Orai x Toulon 12 Mr. Blue - Licorne des Forets x Voltaire 11 Capitol I - B-Estelle x Lord 11 Cornet Obolensky - Ratina Z x Ramiro Z 9 Diamant de Semilly - Carthina Z x Carthago 9 Baloubet du Rouet - Georgia x Continue 9 Cassini I - Estia x Caretino 9 Heartbreaker - Nikita x Jokinal de Bornival 8 Diamant de Semilly - Roxette I x Corrado I 8 Galoubet A - Mesange du Rouet x Starter 8 Clinton - Rabanna van Costersveld x Heartbreaker 7 Corrado I - Urte x Masetto 7 Quidam de Revel - Melodie En Fa x Artichaut 7 Diamant de Semilly - Ukase Ter Putte x Darco 6 Baloubet du Rouet - Zancara x Nimmerdor 5 Caletto I - Rixa x Capitol I 5 Heartbreaker - Jarme van’t Steentje x Lys de Darmen 5 Converter - Cajandra Z x Carthago 5 Montender - Barbie Girl del Chirone x 5 Baloubet du Rouet Quantum - H-Cortonne x Cantus 5 Quidam de Revel - Clarissa x Landgraf I 5

48 28 22 30 25 23 21 24 15 17 11 13 18 13 10 13 11 11 13 8 7 6 9 7

24 11 15 19 16 17 18 14 13 8 11 5 12 9 5 8 5 5 5 5 2 2 2 3

10 6

4 1

Quality Time TN Verdi TN

HORSES WITH THE MOST CLEAR NATIONS CUP ROUNDS Horse

StudBook

Pedigree

1 x clear 2 x clear

Cuma 5 Venard de Cerisy

Westfalian SF

5 4

8 7

3 3

Enjoy de la Mure Aldo du Manoir

SF SF

3 4

6 7

3 3

Casquo Blue Cicci BJN Cinca 3 Elysium

OS SWB Holsteiner Holsteiner

3 4 4 4

5 5 5 5

2 1 1 1

For Killy

KWPN

Comme Il Faut - Aillen x Ars Vivendi Open up Semilly - Rosee de Cerisy x Djalisco du Guet Vigo Cece - Carmen x Calvados Iowa 960 - Natte du Manoir x Arpege Pierreville Chacco-Blue - Whizz Kid x Carthago) Ci Ci Senjor ASK - Tittut x Tornesch) Casall - L-Cinderella x Carthago) Zirocco Blue VDL - Eiquada x Coronado I Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve - Beaukilly Sow x For Pleasure Spartacus TN - Zakhira x Indorado Eldorado vd Zeshoek TN - Zelana V x Chellano Z Quasimodo vd Molendreef - Otaime x Indorado Vagabond de la Pomme - Uphdim de Puitvoet x Heartbreaker

4 4

5 5

1 1

Gakhir KWPN Highway TN NOP KWPN Iglesias DV

KWPN

Major Tom

BWP

January 2024

Young talents showcased at NZ national SJ championships BY SALLY REID PHOTOGRAPHY: CORNEGE PHOTOGRAPHY The National Young Horse Jumping Championships is almost certainly the most important showcase of up-and-coming equine talent in New Zealand. It’s held each December in Hastings, with competitions for four- to seven-year-olds over three tough days.

here is serious international blood in the pedigrees of these youngsters, and many of the past winners have gone on to big careers. They include the international fivestar jumpers Casebrooke Lomond, Delphi (who finished sixth at the 2011 World Cup Final in Leipzig), and Popeye who is showing super form in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment. This year’s rising stars were as impressive as ever, and three of the four titles were won by mares.

Matai Zarité: a 7yo stand-out The very stylish and beautiful mare, Matai Zarité (Euro Sport Centavos - Matai Perigee Moon x Corofino II), was the show’s champion seven-year-old, living up to her terrific international jumping pedigree. Matai Zarité was bred by Carin de Groot of Matai Warmbloods, and is owned and ridden by Tristan Thomas. She has the blood of two of New Zealand’s most influential jumping stallions, both imported from Germany. Her sire, the Hanoverian ES Centavos (Escudo I x Argentinus x Bariton), was the show’s leading stallion (details below) this year, for the third time. Her damsire, the Holsteiner Corofino II (Corrado I - St.Pr.St. Valeska IV x Fernando I), who died in 2022, won the ESNZ leading stallion title several times; both stallions have sired a huge list of winners. Corofino II was bred in Germany by –Hobe Bernhard. His StPrSt dam, Valeska IV (Fernando -

Matai Zarité (Euro Sport Centavos), 7yo champion ridden by Tristan Thomas 22 January 2024

St.Pr.St. Option x Lord), is from the renowned Stamm 318d2 with its many licensed stallions. “I am super-proud of Matai Zarité,” says Carin de Groot. “The Thomas family bought her as a yearling and have done such a great job with her. She couldn’t have ended up with a nicer family. I bred Zarité’s mum, Matai Perigee Moon, as well; she was out of my foundation Ngamatea mare ‘Lill’/aka Fleur de Lis (Wondaree - Lindy x Like a Stag).” The Ngamatea horses were bred by the late Margaret Apatu on a famous sheep station of the same name in Hawke’s Bay. “Moon was injured as a two-year-old; a serious injury which destined her to be a broodmare. She is sound but has horrible scars. She did get broken in as a five-year-old but hasn’t done any more than just hacking. Zarité was her first foal. Her second is only two years old now: a gelding by Ballineen Blue Mountain, a purebred Irish Draught stallion. “I love the stallion Centavos, and bred two foals by him that year. The other one is Matai Renate Remedios, from my mare Matai Fleur de L’Age by Lindeberg des Hayettes, who is also a daughter of Lill’s. She is jumping very well too with Sarah Parkes-Seufert, under the name Windermere Centarosa.” Windermere Centarosa – another typically goodlooking and scopey Centavos daughter – is based in the South Island. She has had several age-group wins down there and is a mare to keep an eye on. Another of her stud’s progeny, born in 2010, is Sandros Salute MW (Salutation OLD - Vera’s Star xx x Housebuster xx) who is eventing in Australia with Kenya Wilson. “He has just qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics, so that’s really exciting as well,” says de Groot. Her stud is based in the remote King Country of the North Island. “I am a very smallscale breeder, with less than one foal per year on average. At the moment I have some youngsters that are quarter Clydesdale and three-quarters Thoroughbred, plus the gelding out of Moon, and that’s it. I don’t breed much anymore as I find selling my foals so hard. It really feels like selling your children.” Matai Zarité is the sole competition horse of owner/rider, Tristan Thomas, and herself is the mother of a young mare, Zamirah (2020) by another Euro Sport Horse stallion, the imported Hanoverian ES Diamant B (Diacontinus x Calido I x Calypso II). “I broke ‘Zari’ in as a three-year-old and established all the basics before we got

her in foal,” says Tristan Thomas on Facebook. “She had a beautiful filly (Zamirah). Zari was then brought back into work and her show life soon started. She had very successful five- and six-year-old seasons, jumping double clear in the majority of her starts. I can’t believe how incredibly she has stepped up into the seven-year-old and Pro-Am classes; she has placed in all her starts this season. “This was such a special title to win, being my first agegroup championship and having produced her myself. She is a special mare with so much scope and heart.” The runner-up by just one fault was WSJ Cartalusa (Cartell GNZ - Calusa x Euro Sport Centavos) who was bred and is owned and ridden by Daniel Webb. This handsome chestnut gelding has been having a very good seven-year-old season, with several wins and placings. He is a son of Goldengrove’s exciting young sire, Cartell NZ (Casall x Jadalco BWP x Corrado). Two geldings shared third: Hugo Boss NZPH (Untouchable M - Haupouri du Jour NZPH x Kannan) who was bred by New Zealand Performance Horses and is owned and ridden by Georgina Dormer; and Riverhills Legend (Euro Sport Centavos - Destiny x Ranfurly), who was bred by Sue Gower and is owned and ridden by Tara Gower. This horse has been in really great form lately and has just won a Two-Fence Challenge at the big Taupo Christmas Classic Show, clearing 1m62. He has Cleveland Bay blood from his dam sire, Ranfurly. The seven-year-old Style Prize was won by Levi Xtreme (Corofino II - Lanzstar GNZ x Lansing), bred by Sharlene Workman at Xtreme Sport Horses and owned by his rider, Isabelle Jameson. Levi Xtreme’s dam is from Hann Stamm 2191206, Schridde 254.

Stylish Inca NZPH: 6yo champion The gorgeous mare Inca NZPH (Up to You - Cinnamon NZPH x Pezetas du Rouet), bred by New Zealand Performance Horses and owned by her rider Brooke Edgecombe, took the six-year-old title with the only tripleclear in the three-day battle. Inca also won the Style Prize, and this isn’t surprising; she is very impressive over the fences. Inca NZPH was the reserve champion five-year-old last year, just beaten by Icarus NZPH (see below), a gelding from the same stud, with the same Selle Français sire. She finished fourth in her four-year-old championship in 2021. Inca’s dam, Cinnamon NZPH, is out of a Cabdulla du Tillard mare, Martini NZPH, and has two other offspring, both geldings: Morocco NZPH (Eden du Rouet) born in 2021, and Gallipoli NZPH (Orlando) who is now eight and starting to accumulate wins at the lower levels. A mare and gelding shared second place in this hardfought championship. The mare, Parisian Affair (Euro Sport Centavos - Total Eclipse x Unknown) is a New Zealand Warmblood bred, owned and ridden by Paula Brocklehurst. This mare is showing her considerable talents in two fields: she was the 2022 reserve champion young eventing horse, best mare, and best four-year-old. “She’s a real sweetheart,” says

Brocklehurst. “I don’t know her dam’s breeding as she was a rescued foal. I was told she was a Thoroughbred-Warmblood, but this is totally unconfirmed.” Parisian Affair has had a superb career to date, with a growing number of wins. Sharing second place with her was the gelding Gladiator ECPH (Grand Slam VDL - Phoebe Nimmerdor ISH x Ephebe For Ever), who was bred by East Coast Performance horses and is owned and ridden by ECPH’s Nicki Booth. Gladiator has brilliant blood on both sides of his pedigree. His Irish-bred dam, Phoebe Nimmerdor (Ephebe For Ever Idle Dice KWPN x Nimmerdor) brings Galoubet A, Almé and Ramiro to the mix. His super sire, Grand Slam VDL (Cardento) also has Nimmerdor on the dam side, as well as the blood of Heartbreaker and Mr Blue. Fourth place went to last year’s five-year-old champion Icarus NZPH (Up To You - Vibe Blue NZPH x Mr Blue) – another with the blood of Mr Blue. He was bred by New Zealand Performance Horses and is owned by his rider Jesse Linton in partnership with Belinda Buchanan. Two horses shared fifth: the black mare Double J Saga (Euro Sport Centavos - Double J Barmaid x Double J Repicharge) bred by Double J Stud, owned by Wendy Jacobs and ridden by Kimberley Carrington, and the NZWA gelding Takapoto Darius (Cassiano - Claire x Chasseur I) bred and owned by Takapoto Equestrian, ridden by Jake Lambert. T. Darius’s dam Claire is Hanoverian-bred in Germany by Fenna Schulte-Landwehr, and jumped Grand Prix with Sam McIntosh.

Peak performance from 5yo Everest MH Everest MH (Euro Sport Centavos - SPM Roulette MH x River Dance OLD), a New Zealand Hanoverian gelding with a grand pedigree, was the winner of this title after a threehorse jump off. He was the only five-year-old to remain faultfree in his four rounds of jumping, and also won the Style Prize. Everest MH was bred by Angela Miller, and is ridden by the very experienced Jesse Linton, who has had great success at these championships over the past few years. This was his eighth title. Everest MH’s dam, Roulette MH (Riverdance -Greenside xx x Balls Out xx) was a Level 2 dressage champion when Angela Miller purchased her from her breeder, Judith Matthews of Matthews Hanoverian. But the pretty chestnut had also shown a flair for jumping, and this talent blossomed when Grand Prix showjumper Melody Matheson began riding her for Miller. By her seven-year-old year Roulette had switched codes. She and Matheson finished fifth in the Lady Rider of the Year at HOY in 2015 – one of the show’s most competitive classes. It’s the second time Angela Miller has won the five-yearold championship as an owner: Giulia MH (Graf Top x Grosvenor xx), bred by Matthews Hanoverians, won in 2020. However, it’s her first win as a breeder – with a horse who is the result of her first attempt at breeding, making it more special still. He was bred in conjunction with Judith January 2024

Matthews of Matthews Hanoverians, says Angela. “It’s not just a child that it takes a village to raise. Producing a horse is all that, and more. Special thanks to Judith, whose guidance and support I and many others in the community could not do without. She rated Centavos long before most other people started to notice him. He certainly stamps his offspring – what a wonderful horse. “I have a three-year-old half-brother of Everest’s waiting in the wings; he’s by Euro Sport Diamant B and I’m very happy with him. I have a few prospects for next season, too, including two full siblings to Enya MH.” Enya MH (Edward 28 - Grandessa MH x Gymnastik Star) is currently jumping at three-star level in Europe with Melody Matheson. “I appreciate the increasing acknowledgment and focus on our breeders, and I also feel we are starting to get somewhere with studbook verification,” says Angela. Note: With the exception of the NZ Hanoverian Society, the NZ Warmblood Association and its offshoot, the Sport and Performance Horse Association of New Zealand (SPHANZ), and the NZ Thoroughbred Studbook, horse registration has been far from ideal in this country. The NZWA, ESNZ and events website Evo are working to rectify matters. The reserve five-year-old champion was Waitangi Neon (VDL Zirocco Blue - Waitangi Wiki x Lansing). This gelding was bred by his owner Joss Bayly of Waitangi Sport Horses in Northland, and is ridden by Kylee McCambridge, who describes him as ‘fearless, with a wonderful brain.’ His damsire, the Holsteiner Lansing (Landgraf I - Monoline x Roman) was bred in Germany by Walter Frers; he was from Holst Stamm 8777 and sired 1m60 jumpers on both sides of the world. He stood at Goldengrove Stud in New Zealand from 2003 until his death 2015. The mare LT Holst Elle’s Star (Big Star - LT Holst Carla x Calato) was third; she is yet another super young horse bred by Ewen Mackintosh at his stud, Lake Taupo Holsteiners. She is owned by Kokako Farms and ridden by Julie Davey. Fourth place was shared by five horses. One was a Stationbred mare, Awanui’s Tennessee Honey (Storm Junior - Sue x Mr Bob) who was bred by Trevor and Natasha Chambers, and is owned and ridden by Fraser Babbington, rider of the top two four-year-olds. The other four are geldings: Java NZPH (Cicave du Talus - Sparkles NZPH x Fetiche du Pas) has Selle Français bloodlines, was bred by New Zealand Performance Horses, and is owned and ridden by Tanya Hansen. Let’s Go (Cornet Obolensky - Senna x Senator VDL) bred by Aliesha Dean and owned/ridden by Jackie Jermyn, is a horse with wonderful jumping blood. Tobruk xx (The Bold One xx - Taatledoya x Faltaat xx) is a handsome NZ Thoroughbred bred by P.F. Baker, A.J. Castles, D.A. McKenzie, G.D. Milne, and S.A. Sharrock, and owned by his rider Karen Patrick. Galaxy Jack Daniels (Galaxy Spring Fever x Naigo/Dame Ngaio xx x Deputy Governor xx) is owned by Helen Knappett, Chloe Hourigan and Julie Scott, and ridden by Jaime Campbell.

24 January 2024

Airborne mare claims 4yo champion’s title Two mares, both ridden by Fraser Babbington, took the top spots in this group. The winner was Aerial’s Airline Alley (Chacco Silver - Moscato x Ngahiwi One Eye) who was bred by Warwick and Fraser Tombleson, and is owned by her rider. She was the only one of her group with a faultless scorecard over all three days. Aerial’s Airline Alley has very good jumping blood right through her pedigree, the obvious being that of ChaccoBlue, sire of her sire Chacco Silver (out of Cherowa x Cellestial). Chacco Silver also sired one of the third-equal placegetters in this class, the mare Silver Bambino (see below). He was born in Germany in 2008; his progeny here are young and limited in number, but they are now turning plenty of heads. The interest is justified, as he has some of the world’s best jumping blood. He was the winner of the NZWA’s 2018 Stallion Classifications, scoring over 86% from German assessor Gerd Küst, who considered him ‘outstanding’. His dam is an Oldenburg mare who jumped at 1m50; she is from Mecklenburger Stutenstamm 92. Through her, Chacco Silver has the blood of Cellestial, Cantus and the influential Thoroughbred Wendisi xx. Chacco Silver is owned by Matawhio Sport Horses, and licensed with the New Zealand Warmblood Association. Aerial’s Airline Alley’s dam Moscato has not been a competition horse, and neither has her sire Ngahiwi One Eye (Corlando - Ngahiwi Alchemist x Panikau). However, he is becoming something of a legend in New Zealand thanks to his jumping progeny. These include a very good daughter Mea I (Ngahiwi One Eye - Mia x Knock Wood SF) who was outstanding in her age group series, winning the six-year-old championship and finishing second as a seven-year-old. She is now jumping at World Cup level. The reserve four-year-old championship went to Midweek Martini (Blitz - Kiwi Deneuve x Kiwi King), a mare bred by Daniel and Caroline Coop and, like the class winner, ridden by Fraser Babbington. Fraser must surely have one of the most secure seats in the business, as he is a former professional bull rider, once ranked in the world’s top 35. The lovely Midweek Martini was sired by the Coops’ homebred stallion Blitz (Centrico - Best Bet x Black Nib) who was born in 2012. He is a son of the German-bred Grand Prix jumper Centrico (Cassini I), who was imported by Maurice Beatson. “In the past couple of years, three horses by Blitz have been successful in the four-year-olds,” says Caroline Coop. “Zola (Blitz - Ursula x Bismark) won the show hunter [equitation] championship last year and was sixth equal in the jumping championship, and Moritz (Blitz – Huia x Red) was second in the four-year-show hunter in 2019, and sixth in the jumping.” Blitz himself has four siblings, Eye Wonder (Ngahiwi One Eye), Budgie (Corofino II), Nero Bello (Finetto) and Central City (Central Park) all proving to be very capable jumpers and bred by the Coops. “We are just farm people trying to breed a nice horse,” says Caroline Coop. There’s no

The three geldings who shared third place with these mares are all very nicely bred for the job of jumping. Double J Blizzard (Double J Typhoon - Double J Breeze x Voltaire II) is yet another star from Wendy and Robyn Jacobs’ Double J Stud. He is owned by Robyn Jacobs and ridden by Sam Carrington. His sire, Double J Typhoon (Euro Sport Centavos), who is now eight, was the seven-year-old champion at this show last season – a fantastic young horse. Kiwi Brightside (Capatino GNZ - Kiwi Bright x Kiwi King) is from Graham and Ashley Hart’s very successful jumping stud, Fernhill, and was ridden at the show by Ashley Hart. Brightside’s sire, Capatino GNZ (Casall - Countess x Calato) was bred by Goldengrove Stud and is from Holst Stamm 42B. He is jumping (and winning) at Grand Prix level. Last, but not least of the third-placed four-year-olds is BMW Totaranui Spellbound (Bravado Ego Z - Magical Millie x Castledale) who was bred by Amy Gravatt of Totaranui Stud, is owned by Bruce and Michelle Wakeling, and ridden by Michelle. His sire, Bravado Ego Z, has been the Equibreed Leading Stallion for the past three years, and is competing at the top level here with Logan Massie. BMW Totaranui Spellbound is showing plenty of scope over his fences, and was third in the style championship. The four-year-old style champion was Double J Loki (Double J Typhoon x Barbarian) bred by Double J Stud and ridden by Kimberley Carrington.

Euro Sport Centavos (Escudo I) ridde by Claudia Hay (NZL) doubt that they are succeeding. There was a seven-way tie for third – and four of these talented youngsters are mares. They are (in no particular order): the New Zealand Warmblood FF Laboni (Lisandro FF Falenciaga x Dolany) bred by Janelle van Roon of Fanfaire Equestrian, owned by Sarah Milne and ridden by Kate Fleming. FF Laboni’s potential was spotted during the NZWA’s foal classifications of 2020, in which she was given an ‘excellence’ score of 81.25% from assessor Matthias Werner. Ulanda (Ulhan du Temple - La Di Da x Littorio), bred by Dirk Waldin and Kate Wood, and owned/ridden by Dirk. Her dam La Di Da’s own dam, Good Girl, is by the racing sire Omnicorp xx – who also appears in the pedigree of another of these third-placed four-year-olds, the gelding Double J Blizzard (see below). Cumulus ECPH (Carrera VDL - Delage ECPH x Dallas VDL), bred and owned by Nicki and Jenny Booth of East Coast Performance Horses, and ridden by Logan Massie. Cumulus ECPH’s dam is out of an Indoctro VDL mare. She is also the dam of 2020 filly, Pingo ECPH (Pommerol de Muze) who looks very promising. The pretty roan Silver Bambino (Chacco Silver Bambino NZPH x Quool du Bois Margot), bred by the Hicks family, owned by Jo Hicks and ridden by Rachel Nelson. For more about her sire, see the class winner above. Her dam, Bambino NZPH (Quool du Bois Margot - Jillaroo NZPH x Bey des Sevres SF) won a six-year-old class in 2018.

Simply the best: Euro Sport Centavos The leading stallion title is awarded based on performance of progeny at the show and was won for the third time by the imported Hanoverian Euro Sport Centavos (Escudo I - Anabell StPrSt x Argentinus), a horse who has proved categorically to be Europe’s loss and New Zealand’s gain. He was born in 2004, bred by Heinz Schütte and imported to New Zealand as a three-year-old by Claudia Hay and her parents for their then fledgling stallion stud, Euro Sport Horses. That stud now has seven very well-bred imported stallions, but the big black ‘Centi’ is the undisputed king. He is licenced and performance-tested for the Hanoverian, Oldenburg, SBS and New Zealand Warmblood studbooks. He has the NZWA’s highest possible rating, four-star – the only NZ-based stallion with that honour. His competition triumphs are too numerous to list, but he was 2015’s NZ Horse of the Year, and has been a five-star international competitor, representing New Zealand at the Nations’ Cup in Ocala in 2016. The competitor/placegetter ratio of his eight progeny at this year’s championships is impressive: • Matai Zarite (7yo champion) • Everest MH (5yo champion) • Parisian Affair (6yo reserve champion) • Riverhills Legend (=3, 7yo championship) • Double J Saga (=5, 6yo championship) • Double J Blizzard (=3, 4yo championship). He was also the damsire of the seven-year-old reserve champion, WSJ Cartalusa. ■ January 2024

Breeding highlights from 41st Flanders Christmas Jumping BY JO DE ROO “As we prepare for days of excitement and top-level performance, we also want to honour the unique bond that connects us all: the bond between man and horse. It is this relationship that comes to life here at showjumping Mechelen in its most remarkable forms.’, says Gunter Van Lent, chairman of showjumping Mechelen.

s far as relationships are concerned, we can go even deeper, especially the bond between sport and breeding. During showjumping Mechelen, an entire day is dedicated to this relationship, including the final of free jumping for two-year-old horses, showjumping classes for sixand seven-year-old stallions, and the famous Open Sires of the World Prix Léon Melchior showjumping class.

Free jumping win for BWP Vitchi de Regor A total of 41 two-year-olds were selected for the free jumping final in Mechelen, where the showjumping qualities were assessed by Niels Bruynseels and Carlos Pinto. Vitchi de Regor, registered with BWP as a son of Chacco-Blue out of Centa de Muze, achieved a monster score of 87.50/100, although it was a close race, with one horse and just one point separating first and third-placed: Pipette du Vert Pignon. The latter was bred by Mathilde van Quickelberghe by crossing Kavango Sitte with Iokohama Sitte (Marius Claudius - Fukushima Sitte x Mylord Carthago). Both Pipette’s parents trace their dam line back to Gute Sitte (BWP dam line 36), the mare with whom Eric Wauters won team bronze at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games and who founded a dynasty of excellent showjumpers. Pipette received 86.50/100 from the jury, resulting in third place, which she also achieved earlier this year during the free jumping for two-year-olds in Ghlin. Etoile du PG Z, inscribed in Studbook Zangersheide as a son of El Barone 111 Z and Concordia La Silla (with whom Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Alberto Michan jumped at international five-star level) created additional excitement. Bred by Osprey Universal Capital, Etoile scored 87/100 to finish second in the final ranking. A few months ago, Etoile claimed fourth place in the Flanders Free Jump contest in Waregem. After the award ceremony we had a conversation with the brothers Johan and Luc Veldeman, who, together with their brother-in-law Bert Verbist and Dagmar Veldeman (Johan’s daughter), are the driving forces behind Stable De Regor and as the Veldeman family are known are known as the breeders of champion Vitchi de Regor. “Vitchi is a largeframed horse. We assumed that this would not be an

26 January 2024

advantage for a young horse, so we started slowly with Vitchi. We lunged him a few times and let him free jump. At first he was somewhat thin, so we adjusted his diet without being extreme and saw it moving in the right direction. I knew he has a lot of potential as he is very well behaved in everyday interactions. This morning my wife braided his mane while he was laying down in his stable. He’s so good. Some people ask the question ‘why still breed with Chacco-Blue?’. I assume that these people fear that Chacco-Blue does not pass on enough blood. Vitchi has the right blood, and has a special urge for each obstacle.” ◆ How did you prepare Vitchi for the final? We made him jump a few times. Definitely not much. The duration itself is not important. It is more important to work on it regularly and we did that with Vitchi. Apart from that, the horse must have certain qualities. You can improve a less good horse by working on it, but you cannot make it a top performer. Quality is paramount. It is fun to continue with a high-quality horse. ◆ As Vitchi jumped more in the final, he showed his showjumping qualities more and more. Johan: Yes, he started very quietly. Especially from the moment that the obstacles were built at the highest level, he showed his qualities even more. Vitchi did a great job today, although I feared that Etoile du PG would win. We once experienced that during a free jumping final in Mechelen, when we participated with Ohaj de Regor. Ohaj then ranked second after Orak d’Hamwyck. When I saw Etoile jump, I thought to myself that he might be the winner, as Etoile and Vitchi are both very good, but have a different way of jumping. Luc: Vitchi has his canter and appearance as additional assets. He’s very sporty. Johan: He is large and handy at the same time. There are large horses that do not know how to use their bodies at the age of two. Vitchi, on the other hand, has quite good use of his body. He is big and at the same time has suppleness in his body. That is a plus for the future. That type of horse will later be able to easily jump a treble obstacle. ◆ What are the future plans for Vitchi?

We will give him some rest now, and we’re considering not letting him participate in free jumping competitions next year. We have eight young, upcoming talents, so plenty of choice. ◆ Is he still in your possession? Yes, even though there is a lot of demand for him. (Vitchi has been castrated.) He has several full brothers, including Toemme de Regor who was approved as a breeding stallion by Zangersheide. We can’t leave all the male products as stallions. His peer Veini de Regor (Conthargos - Omani de Regor x Hunter’s Scendro) is still a stallion. “He was also selected for the free jumping final in Mechelen, but since we will present him at the BWP stallion inspection in January 2024, we decided not to let him participate in the final.” Vitchi de Regor’s dam is Centa de Muze a daughter of Cento who three consecutive 1m60 showjumping dams in her dam line, namely Walloon de Muze, Qerly Chin, and Kerly (BWP dam line 34). Centa produced international 1m60 showjumpers herself, including Freestyle de Muze and Horizon de Regor, respectively sired by Lord Z and Obourg. From the 1m50 circuit she also produced Inri de Regor, Kerly de Regor, Melia de Regor, and Ohaj de Regor. Ohaj (2014), by Kannan, currently jumps at 1m50 level in partnership with Pieter Kenis and produced the approved stallions Mr. Cornet de Regor and Simply de Regor, both by Cornet Obolensky (ex-Windows van het Costersveld). Centa also produced several approved stallions, such as the BWPapproved Don Julio de Regor T40 Z (Diamant de Semilly) and the Z-approved Toemme de Regor. According to Johan, Centa de Muze came across the Veldeman family’s path by chance: “A few years after the death of our father Roger in January 2001, we were looking for a mare from a good dam line and that’s how we ended up with Centa de Muze. We bought her at the age of three from Joris de Brabander. She was injured and was unable to pursue a career in sports, but belongs to a breeding family that produced many excellent showjumpers.” ◆ How many foals do you expect in 2024? If everything goes according to plan, nine. We have never had such a large number. Seven of these come from the Centa branch, two from the lineage of Nueva Epoca de Regor. We expect two foals from Centa de Muze – one by For Pleasure and one by Balou du Reventon. It’s only since 2019 that we have used Centa on a larger scale in our breeding via ICSI. Previously, Centa had one or a maximum of two descendants a year. That was a conscious choice. After all, we wanted to know how Centa breeds. It takes time before people find out. ◆ What does Centa de Muze pass on to her descendants? She usually produces beautiful, sporty horses with length in their bodies, while you still recognize many of the qualities of the sires in her foals. Centa’s offspring are also usually

intelligent, willing horses. They are also very affectionate. Centa was born in 2002 and is still going strong. We also note that Centa’s offspring who jump well as young horses also jump well later in life. I am thinking, for example, of Kerly de Regor (Darco), Melia de Regor (Elvis ter Putte) and Ohaj de Regor (Kannan). In the final of the free jumping for two-year-olds in Mechelen, Kerly de Regor won in 2012, Melia de Regor in 2014, and Ohaj de Regor came second in 2016. Kerly and Melia subsequently jumped at 1m50 level and Ohaj is currently performing at 1m50. We also mustn’t forget to mention Tell Me de Regor. This full sister to Vitchi won the semi-finals of the free jumping contest for two-year-old fillies in Liege in 2021. Since showjumping Mechelen was cancelled due to Corona, the semi-final immediately became the final and Tell Me de Regor was therefore crowned the winner of the free jumping. Her full brother, Toyboy de Regor, also born in 2019, was laurelled as the winner of the free jumping for twoyear-old colts in the same semi-final. In 2021, Tell Me and Toyboy not only performed this stunt in Liege, but also in Broechem during the BWP National Breeding Day where both were declared champions. Tell Me won with 85/100 for free jumping, 83/100 on the smooth surface and 81/100 on the hard surface, whereas Toyboy scored 90/100 for his free jumping performance. Not only the first, but also the second generation of Centa is doing well. I’m thinking, for example, of Que Passa and Qadira de Regor, both born in 2016, ridden by Andres Vereecke and owned by Patrick d’Eer. Que Passa de Regor, a daughter of Hunter’s Scendro out of Kerly de Regor, jumps at 1m45 level. Qadira de Regor (Bamako de Muze - Melia de Regor x Elvis ter Putte) also performs at the same level.’

Ansingh de Lis Z win class for 6yo stallions Eleven of the 25 participating stallions qualified for the jump-off in the 1m30 showjumping class for six-year-old stallions, where Christian Ahlmann and Ansingh de Lis Z set the fastest time and remained clear. Ansingh de Lis Z is a son of Aganix du Seigneur who joined the Zangersheide stables in 2022. Ansingh’s dam, Isabella de Lis (Kannan), belongs to the famous Dutch Loma lineage. Isabella’s dam, Lorraine (Landsieger I), produced the international performers Uppie de Lis (1m60 level), five-star Grand Prix Gijon winner Willink (Henk van de Pol) and Coladelis Z (1m45 level). In 2022, Ansingh de Lis Z finished fourth in the final of the World Championship for five-year-old showjumpers in Lanaken, and subsequently participated in a series of international competitions for youngsters. He remained clear in almost every showjumping class in which he performed, which undoubtedly underlines his showjumping qualities. In the Nekkerhal in Mechelen, this long-legged, blood-bred stallion showed his brilliant showjumping technique, coupled with caution, speed, and scope, during the showjumping class for stallions. January 2024

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Silver medal WCYH Lanaken 2022 with Olivier Vandervaart KARAN VD HEFFINCK Stallion by Kannan

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In this same class Robin Van Thillo (riding Leonardo van de Kapel, by Mithras de Regor) and Jan Vermeiren (riding Rhythm-K van’t Kattenheye, by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve) finished second and third, respectively. Christian Ahlmann and Dacantos Boy, Angelique Rüsen and Dominator 2000 Z’s half-brother Allroad 2000 Z, Ive Tonet and Gancio van’t Smisveld Z (a grandson of the five-star Grand Prix mare Gancia de Muze), as well as Tina Lund and Han Solo de Hus also left the jump-off clear.

Best 7yo stallion: Constantino van’t Ravennest In total 18 stallions participated at the 1m35 showjumping class for seven-year-old stallions, which included a jump-off for which half qualified. Jumping clear in the fastest time was Constantino van’t Ravennest, bred by Steven Dewulf and sired by Cornet Obolensky/ex Windows van het Costersveld. His dam is none other than Calleryana, a daughter by Casall out of Wonne S (Contender), from Holstein family 6879. Under the saddle of Belgian champion Gilles Thomas, Calleryana has an impressive sport record. In 2022, for instance, she won team gold in the Nations’ Cup final in Barcelona, won a five-star 1m50 class in Madrid, ranked fourth in the five-star Geneva Grand Prix, and fifth in the five-star World Cup class in Mechelen. In partnership with Wim Vinckx, Constantino is a great performer. In 2022 he realised a long series of clear rounds in heats of the stallion competition and the cycle, in international showjumping classes for young horses (for instance in Riesenbeck), and he was also a finalist in the World Championship for six-year-old showjumpers. In 2023, he was double clear in the three heats and the final of the stallion competition for seven-year-olds, remained six times double clear in the heats of the cycle, and was a finalist at the Belgian championship in Gesves. In partnership with Karel Cox, Double Fun Marienshof Z (Don’t Touch Tiji Hero) ranked second. Under the saddle of the Swedish Sofia Westborg, Double Fun Marienshof jumped dozens of times clear during international competitions for young horses in 2021 and 2022. Since June 2023, Double Fun has participated in international showjumping classes for youngsters, CSI1* and CSI2*, also with Karel Cox. We are once again struck by how often the stallion jumps faultlessly, which has been the common thread throughout his sporting career so far. Nathan Budd finished third, riding Coldplay des Rosiers Z (Cornet Obolensky) who was a finalist at the 2022 World Championship for six-year-old showjumpers in Lanaken... Another stallion with a record of jumping clear rounds.

Obama de la Linière wins CSI5* ‘Open Sires’

Caretino, Holstein dam line 628b, breeder: Hugo Versnick), with Daniel Deusser in the saddle. This duo remained clear in 37.08 seconds and ranked fourth overall. Next to start was Thibault Philippaerts (2001), one of Ludo’s sons riding Obama de la Linière (Marius Claudius Eefke van’t Zoggehof x Golden Hawk/ex Figo de Muze), BWP dam line 37.1), bred by Jeroen Lissens. Eefke’s granddam is the famous Fragance de Chalus, the exceptionally valuable Jalisco B daughter who we know as the dam of, among others, BWP ambassador Bamako de Muze and the Olympic stallion Mylord Carthago. Thibault and Obama realized a clear round in 33.87 seconds. Who would do better: • Jens Vandenberk riding the 2005 born Faldiano (Heartbreaker), bred by Benny Helsen? • Matthew Sampson with Daniel, bred by the Bosch brothers, and also a son of Heartbreaker? • Jos Verlooy riding Nixon van’t Meulenhof (Denzel van’t Meulenhof - Carthina Z x Carthago, BWP dam line 69), bred by Mariette Van Lombergen? • Christian Ahlman and Dourkhan Hero Z (Don’t Touch Tiji Hero - Zinka de Kalvarie Z x Zandor Z, BWP dam line 100, breeder: Stud Hero), the winner of the silver medal during the 2022 World Championship for seven-year-olds? • Kevin Jochems and Casillas van de Helle? • Thibeau Spits and Foncetti vd Heffinck? • Belgian champion Ermitage Kalone, in partnership with Gilles Thomas? The answer! No one managed to dethrone Obama de la Linière. After the award ceremony Thibault ad this to say about Obama: “He is only nine years old. My dad rode him when he was seven years old and basically prepared him for me. So, now all I have to do is get on him and ride him away. I am very delighted about that.” ◆ Why did your dad choose you to ride Obama... After all, he has several riders available? We never talked about that. I came to the show, needed a horse, and my dad said ‘get Obama.’ ◆ What are your future plans with Obama? That’s a difficult question and I haven’t thought about it yet. During the past few weeks I became very motivated to jump in Mechelen. We have worked very hard with our sport horses, so we’ll see what the future will bring. ◆ Is the emphasis now on sport, not on breeding? I think so, but I don’t decide on that. I am very happy that we have Obama in our stable to ride. He is owned by Joris de Brabander and Jeroen Lissens and we are very happy with this partnership. ■

A total of 31 competitors participated in the CSI5* Open Sires of the World, Prix Léon Melchior, a 1m45 table A with jump-off. Of the nine qualified for the jump-off, the first to start was Otello de Guldenboom (Tobago Z - Caretina x January 2024

Kill Bill du Mesnil scores 3yo win for Jean-Luc Lebourgeois BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: STUDBOOK SELLE FRANÇAIS The final licensing to approve the 2023 Selle Français stallions, was held mid December at the Pôle Hippique de Saint-Lô, and heralded a splendid victory for breeder Jean-Luc Lebourgeois from the Manche department, of which Saint-Lô is the capital.

or 10 days, some 40 three-year-old males were assigned to the testing workshops that support the stallions approvals. There, under the saddles of riders unknown to the horses, and following the same working program on the flat and over obstacles, the youngsters were put through their paces by Serge Cornut, Julien Mesnil, and Manuel Godin. The homogeneous conditions and neutral environment makes it possible to distinguish their natural or particularly interesting abilities for a future in equestrian sport. On the final day, witnessed by a Selle Français team of judges, the horses’ reins were taken over by expert riders, including François-Xavier Boudant, Thomas Carlile, Marc Dmilasser, Pénélope Leprevost, and Nicolas Touzaint. Similarly, a large and well-informed audience attended in large numbers to ultimately see Kill Bill du Mesnil awarded as the victor of the 2023 testing. He is a son of Emerald van’t Ruytershof (Diamant de Semilly) and Vinca Major V Vlieringen (Dominard), bred by Jean-Luc Lebourgeois (50). There follows the list of ‘K’ generation approved horses together with breeder names and relevant classification: • Winner: Kill Bill du Mesnil (Emeralt van’t Ruytershof Vinca Major V Vlieringen x Dominard) Jean-Luc Lebourgeois – approved • 2nd: Katoki de Riverland (Catoki - Dirka de Riverland [SF] x Action Breaker) SCEA de Riverland – confirmed his 2yo approval • 3rd: Kado de Felines (Conthargos - JA Barones x Vigo d’Arsouilles) Haras de Felines – confirmed his 2yo approval • Kabri du Marais (Mylord Carthago [SF] - Galaxie du Marais [SF] x Kannan) Yannick Fardin – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kahann du Mondragon (Balou du Rouet - Ekanne du Mondragon [SF] x Kannan) Eve Caillet – approved ‘very promising’ • Kamet de Talma (Conthargos - Fame de Talma [SF] x Baloubet du Rouet [SF]) Michel Guiot – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kansas des Joanin (Eldorado van de Zeshoek - Quick and Steady des Joan x Quickly de Kreisker [SF]) SARL Olivier Perreau – approved ‘very promising’ • Karuzzo de Kreisker (Arezzo VDL - Cafeine de Carva [SF] x Cornet Obolensky) Etude 2K – approved ‘very promising’ • Kasall des Forets (Casall - Eclipse des Forets [SF] x

30 January 2024

Calvaro) SCEA Des Forets – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kashmir DL (Qlassic Bois Margot [SF] - Fluttershy Little Plume) Marion de Luca – approved ‘very promising) • Kastell An Taro DK (Mylord Carthago [SF] - Cassandra d’Ick x Cassini) EARL Ecurie Denis Polge – approved ‘very promising’ • Keep Cool Semilly (Casall - Alizee Semilly [SF] x Diamant de Semilly [SF]) Richard Levallois – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kentucky du Biolay (Cordial - Aphrodite du Biolay [SF] L’Arc de Triomphe) Nancy Cheval – approved ‘very promising’ • Keros Laumaie (Untouchable - Shalimar Fontaine d’O [SF] x Burggraaf) Stephanie Blondin Roulier – approved ‘very promising’ • Kill Bill des Parts (Armitages Boy - Holly Girl [SF] x Padock du Plessis [SF]) Thomas de Corniere – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kollector Riverland (Dollar du Rouet [SF] - Tigresse de Riverland [SF] x Quaprice Boimargot Quincy) SCEA Riverland – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘very promising’ • Kapitol de Mormoulin (Grandorado TN - First Lady de Jennika [SF] x Vigo d’Arsouilles) Ludovic Taugourdeau – approved ‘hopeful’ • Karaganda Semilly (Mylord Carthago [SF] - Banda Semilly [SF] x Diamant de Semilly [SF]) Richard Levallois – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Karlito des Laquais (Balou du Rouet - The Miss Blue St. Just [SF] x Mr. Blue) Bruno Frigiere – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Kasall du Bidou (Casall - Dalberta de Blondel [SF] x Cardero) Haras du Reverdy – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Keep For Pam (Balou du Rouet - For Pam [SF] x Vagabond de la Pomme) Anne Laure Verri – approved ‘hopeful’ • Keep Well (Contendro - Calisca [SF] x Kannan) Haras du Reverdy – approved ‘hopeful’ • Keldorado des Flagues (Eldorado van de Zeshoek - Gaia des Glagues [SF] x Ulhan du Temple [SF]) Frederic Lavoinne – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kentucky de Hus (Comme il faut - Qaresse de Kreisker

Championship for 2yo males

[SF] x Diamant de Semilly [SF]) Xavier Marie – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Kharjo de Scioto (Panama Tame [SF] - Diva de Scioto [SF] x New Look du Thot [SF]) Guillaume Hennequin – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Kidiwi d’Ardelay (Mylord Carthago [SF] - Gediwi d’Ardelay [SF] x Rock’n Roll Semilly [SF]) Aurelia Stas – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kloroking de Hus (Kannan - Miss Coriano x Coriano) Ecurie des Embruns – approved ‘hopeful’ • Klyde de Riverland (Qlassic Bois Margot [SF] - Blistead de Riverland [SF] x Hickstead) SCEA Riverland – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Kocktail de Laume (Vivaldi du Seigneur - Ukraine de Laume [SF] x Pezetas du Rouet [SF]) Denis Morel – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kokt El Pachavert (Apardi - Falanda EB x Flipper d’Elle [SF]) Adrien Bonneau – approved ‘hopeful’ • Konte du Linon (Conte Bellini - Volivia VDL x Robin Z) Arthur Le Vot – approved ‘hopeful’ • Korcovado du Louet (Nouba d’Auzay [SF] - Kimberly x Aquilino) Eleonore Fouque – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kosovo de Hus (Casago - Finale de Hus [SF] x Numero Uno) Ecurie du Herrin – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kouki Grande Lande (Dartagnan de Beliard [SF] - Flicka Grande Lande [SF] x Upsilon [SF]) AG Eventing – approved ‘hopeful’ • Kraquant d’Ivraie AA (Cyann d’Ivraie [SF] - Caouette d’Ivraie AA x Scandale d’Ivraie AA) Stephan Chalier – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’ • Kyo de Bieville (Cornet Obolensky - Andaloe de Bieville [SF] x Kannan) Laurent Praquin – confirmed his 2yo approval ‘hopeful’.

At the Pôle Hippique de Saint-Lô, 57 young two-year-old males presented themselves before the national judging committee for their own age-group championship. The opening free jumping workshop was immediately followed by the presentation of free gaits before finally parading for the model evaluation. This breed characterization system resulted in the decision to award Lincoln – a product of Dollar du Rouet (Chacco-Blue), out of Espera de Thozano (Royal Feu) bred by Jeremy Chaix. The second step of the podium was occupied by Lewis des Caps, ahead of Lamborghini Riverland. A total of 30 young stallions were approved during this championship and thus obtained their one-year approval as well as a direct ticket to the three-year-old testing where their final approval can be confirmed, without having to go through the qualifying tour. The top 10 finished as follows: 1 Lincoln (Dollar du Rouet [SF] - Espera de Thozano [SF] x Royal Feu [SF]) Jeremy Chaix – 17.49 2 Lewis des Caps (Quel Homme de Hus [Holst] - Carla du Morion [SF] x Ogrion des Champs [SF]) Guillaume Foutrier – 17.32 3 Lamborghini Riverland (Catoki [Holst] - Dauphine du Chateau [SF] - Calvaro [Holst]) SCEA Riverland – 17.15 4 Les Isles Courcelle (Putch des Isles [SF] - Chiciolina Courcelle [SF] x Arko [Oldbg]) Yves Chauvin – 16.97 5 Lartiste de Beaufour (Conthargos [Oldbg] - Honey de Beaufour [SF] x Diamant de Semilly [SF]) Eric Levallois – 16.80 6 Lomepal de Kreisker (Chacoon Blue [Meckl] - Shirel de Kreisker [SF] x Diamant de Semilly [SF]) Elevage de Kreisker – 16.73 7 Lion King Batilly (Conte Bellini [Westf] - Honrey Ryder Batilly [SF] x Qlassic Bois Margot [SF]) Jean Claude Viollet – 16.70 8 Lazuli Tame (Armitages Boy [Oldbg] - Taquine Tame [SF] x Helios de la Cour II [SF]) Denis Brohier – 16.69 9 Lyroco de Riverland (Mylord Carthago [SF] - Halbony de Riverland [SF] x Quamikase des Forets [SF]) SCEA Riverland – 16.66 10 Largowinch du Chalet (Cornet Obolensky/Windows vh Costersveld [BWP] - Vanda de Hus Z [Z] x Vivaldi du Seigneur [SBS]) Fabien, Nicolas, and Cedric de Robillard – 16.64 Although this marked the end of the 2023 season of the Selle Français championships, the next event for the SF Stallion Masters to promote young male SF genetics from four- to six-year-olds will take place during during the SaintLô Stallion Show on February 23, 2024. ■

January 2024

Stall Of East aiming to breed top-class horses BY ELLINOR ANDERSSON AND ANETTE SÅNESSON (TRANSLATION HILLEVI BRASCH) / SWB PHOTOGRAPHY: PERNILLA HÄGG Anna Holmgren is the showjumping breeder behind the ‘Of East’ horses. She is a board member of the regional breeding association Ädla Hästen Skaraborg, a member of the SWB board, a member of the SWB breeding committee, and involved in mare and young horse committees.

nna is originally a computer scientist specializing in economics and business management, but she has also been running her own business for a long time. Anna has been a dedicated horse enthusiast since she was very young, and the riding school was a crucial part of her life growing up. At age 13 she got her first horse, a Standardbred trotter, which she rode and trained. Her strong interest in showjumping led her to focus on SWB (Swedish Warmblood) horses. In 2004, Anna and her husband Andreas purchased a farm just south of Mariestad in Västergötland, where they now operate Stall of East. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that Anna started the breeding business. “In 2010, I became seriously ill. I had a stroke and at the same time a major heart issue was discovered so I was prohibited from riding,” she explains. “The surgery to correct my condition didn’t happen until 2012, so I felt the need to replace the joy of riding with something else, and that’s when I turned to breeding horses instead.” Anna purchased the mare Meryl Streep, who was in foal to Nintender. “Meryl Streep was by Quite Easy x Cardento, and those were stallions I was familiar with. Otherwise, I didn’t know much back then, but I became completely fascinated with breeding. Meryl Streep’s offspring have now competed in the Breeders Trophy, which is incredibly exciting. She was a better mare than I thought, a good start, simply put,” Anna happily shares. Since buying the farm, Anna and Andreas have expanded from five to around 20 individual stalls as well as three free range pastures with run-in sheds. They also rent space in a neighboring stable to make room for all the horses. “Breeding started as a side job while we ran our own business. One mare became two, and so on, and eventually we reached a point where we needed to consider if we should fully commit. We had young children then, so there was a lot to consider,” Anna continues. Stall of East has become Anna and Andreas’s life’s work, job, hobby, and passion all rolled into one, and balancing it all has been a challenge. The boundaries between work and passion are harder to define than with a completely ‘regular’ job. “I owe a lot to my background as an entrepreneur with business development and

32 January 2024

leadership skills, which I’m humble and grateful to have had the opportunity to learn. It has helped me make tough decisions where you must think more business-minded than emotionally and to see things from an outside perspective. The finances are fundamentally crucial; if there is no capital to breed for, there is no way to develop the business further. The numbers can’t consistently be in the red; they have to turn around. At Stall of East, we produce our own forage, we take in young horses for pasture/free range keeping and training, as well as mares for foaling, so we have several pillars to stand on.” Anna selectively picks her mares based on performance and soundness. She always takes notes on her thoughts and reasons behind specific mare and stallion combinations, enabling her to reflect, evaluate, and eventually cull. This is also a way for her to learn from her breeding experiences and hopefully make even better choices going forward. Being an analyst at heart has its advantages. “If the mare has no previous offspring, it’s important to know her and her maternal lineage’s traits. Is there a socalled ‘golden cross’ in the lineage? Basically, gather as much information as possible. I often ask myself what the mare brings and what the stallion can enhance and complement. Then the first offspring must be evaluated: what does the mare contribute, and what does the stallion contribute? This

Anna Holmgren with Isobel of East

especially since today’s showjumping courses are extremely technical and the jumping happens at a completely different pace than before. Anna also stresses the importance of seeing the prospective stallion choice ridden. “I find it easier to assess attitude and rideability that way. I love seeing stallions with their ears forward, when everything looks effortless, and they just flow around the course. I love Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve, for example, and in general, I prefer stallions that have a modern approach to their jumping.” Anna with award-winning Candyland of East Anna is driven by way, you have a better chance of making a good choice when raising her minimum standard. Initially, the goal was for the it comes to the fourth or fifth foal.” young horses to receive premiums at the young horse test; For Anna, the week at the World Breeding then the next goal was strategically selling the horses to the Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium, is right riders, which can be both difficult and challenging. She sacred. There, she gains inspiration, she networks, and recommends attending competitions and observing riders. observes a large number of stallions and their offspring. If Training horses is expensive, so think about what set-up you she’s considering using a young stallion, she wants to have want. Humility towards the task is a basic requirement for seen it in person, how it’s ridden, its temperament, as well as her, as well as setting a mutual plan for goals, checkpoints, rideability. SWB Equestrian Weeks with the Breeders Trophy and, most importantly, closure. “You need to choose a rider are also important, as are other young horse competitions depending on the horse as an individual as well as its like Champion of the Youngsters and Falsterbo. “I want to personality; the horse and rider need to complement each see that the stallion has an attitude I appreciate. The stallion other. There are many riders at an amateur level who are should look fun to ride, be relaxed with an on-and-off switch, very skilled, so you don’t always have to look far for talent. A and able to focus on the task. I want the stallion to take the fundamental prerequisite is that both the horse and rider jumps in the same manner.” enjoy each other’s company and that a clear goal is set.” Anna also enjoys watching Clip-My-Horse broadcasts and This year, Stall of East had four horses participating in uses it as a valuable complement. She mentions SWB the Breeders Trophy, which was a significant milestone for Bollplanket – a digital space where breeders meet and discuss Anna. “Reaching that point is truly not a given. I’m so – as a cherished meeting point that has introduced her to new humble that the horses are ready for the task and remain acquaintances and ideas. “I became an SWB member right sound and healthy.” away; I wanted to do it properly and build a network, Anna is proud to be a Swedish breeder with the goal of participate in young horse tests, and so forth. The horse producing sound and healthy horses. “I believe that in industry is tough; there are significant risks and many things Sweden we have a big heart and we prioritize the well-being that can happen. Bringing forth a competition horse is a long of horses. On the continent, farther south, horses are viewed journey for a breeder, so advice and support are crucial.” a bit more as a product. The European breeders have an Anna has been early with many of her stallion choices, entirely different range of competitions, a larger market, which has paid off. She looks towards Europe, but she and it’s easier to access that market if your horses are there. emphasizes that Sweden has exceptionally good stallions as While digital media has facilitated things, they still have an well, although they can be harder to sell as foals. Nowadays, advantage. The fact that our Swedish horses get to grow up she tries to find a mix of different stallion choices and in free-range facilities with run-in stalls and larger pastures is believes it also makes a difference in stallion selection if the a significant advantage for us, something we should cherish offspring will be sold as foals or after they are a bit older. She and take pride in.” ■ believes that breeding must rejuvenate and make progress, January 2024

First Advent weekend sees Trakehner mare power BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: STEFAN LEFRANTZ In the Holstenhallen in Neumünster, everything revolves around the noble Trakehner horses during the first weekend of Advent: stallion licensing, auctions, and selecting the annual champion mare being just some of the highlights.

he best three-year-old mares of the year were invited to present themselves, and from this group the champion mare of the year was selected. This year, 13 young beauties faced the judging trio: Dr. Felix Austermann, head of the Warendorf State Stud, Roland Metz, marketing manager for the Oldenburg Association, and Frank Bangert from the mare registration commission of the Trakehner Association. The judges invited six mares to the final ring and ultimately named the outstanding chestnut mare Rose la France as Princess of the Year. The new title holder is a daughter of the stallion Fellini, out of Rihanna (Connery) and was bred and is owned by Michaela Böhn, from Harsefeld. With a confident appearance, correct conformation, and outstanding, powerful trotting mechanics, she was celebrated with a standing ovation from enthusiastic fans. The first reserve champion was the wonderful Replica (Ivanhoe - Roulette x Summertime) bred and owned by Monica Lindstedt from Stockholm. She won the bronze medal at the Federal Championships in the fall and captured everyone’s hearts that afternoon with her light-footed tact and charm. The judges selected the extremely harmonious Kalahari (Millennium - Kia Ora x Glücksruf) as the second reserve champion. The Millennium daughter, bred by Ilonka

Top-priced Pastorale (Herakles) sold for €61,500

Best three-year-old mare of the year, Rose la France Danowski, Dierstorf, made another appearance in the auction shortly afterwards, where she achieved one of the top prices at €60,000. The auction of mares and riding horses attracted offers for breeding as well as for all disciplines of equestrian sport and offered first-class thrills. The top-priced riding horse was the likeable all-rounder Deinheart (2014: Dürrenmatt Donaufürstin IV x Donaufischer), and the gelding found a new home with an overjoyed Swedish family with two daughters for €65,000. The gelding Baron von Stein, who was already a sought-after offer at the federal tournament foal auction at the time, entered the auction ring again as a riding horse with a sporting perspective and sold fo €38,000. The average price of the riding horses was €26,857. Auctioneer Hendrik Schulze-rückamp was in top form and the mare collection included seductive models for breeding and sport. The top price at €61,500 was the three-year-old premium mare Pastorale (Herakles), followed by the three-year-old Millennium daughter Kalahari, who sold for €60,000. The mares cost an average of €26,000. A total of nine horses will be moving to new homes abroad to bidders from eight different countries. ■ January 2024

Fantastic greys and rewarding dam lines at KWPN test BY CLAARTJE VAN ANDEL PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER LLEWELLYN This particular KWPN stallion performance test brought the curtain down on Bert Rutten’s role as chairman, and was also the last one rewarding stallions with specific notes for components. Greys and dam lines shone all the way.

welve dressagestallions reached the highest standard for approval, the best being the grey Proud James (Jameson RS2 x Johnson x Variant; breeder Y. van Maasacker), who was awarded no fewer than 91 points. It was nines across the boasrd, plus one 10 for his balance and proud posture. This score was even higher than the record score of his sire: “Especially his self-carriage and balance are extraordinary for a three-year-old,” chair Bert Rutten said of the stallion. Proud James is a very modern stallion, convincing with his fantastic conformation and large frame. His movements can be described as 'almost perfect', with maximum shoulder freedom and a constant uphill tendency. Proud James is out of the first crop of foals by the stallion Jameson RS2 and has inherited all his components, Paired with Everdale, his dam Cyraniek prok elite (Johnson) has already delivered the KWPN-approved

Invernessm, successfully shown by Brecht D'Hoore (NED) to intermediate level. Her half-sister keur, pref, prest Niniek STV (Jazz) was Grand Prix-placed and produced the approved stallion Beukenvallei's Iconic B (Bon Bravour), as well as the two Inter I horses Up Seven and Chopard B (both by OO Seven). Cyraniek’s half-brother Omar STV (Gregor) was successfully shown in 1m30 jumping, while his damsire Johnson currently leads the WBFSH ranking of the best dressage sires in the world. Proud James fits completely into the Dressage Breeding Council’s list of focal points, including space of stride, calmness in movement, uphill tendency in movements, rideability, power. A good walk is necessary nowadays and the stallions Proud James, Pina Colada, and Powerbank all excelled in that aspect.

CSIO Masters-Spruce Meadows, CN International Grand Prix, September 2003, Peter Wylde (USA) riding Fein Cera 36 January 2024

Second best was Pinacolada van Seldsum (Dominator Z) recording 86 points. The still youthful, athletic stallion comes from the breeding legacy of the late Minne Hovenga; “I am so happy. This is great and definitely a crowning achievement,” exclaimed his wife Esther Hovenga, She has continued the successful breeding with, among others, this dam I-Nabalia (Namelus R). “Minne has always said, ‘Ina should not be sold, she really is a breeding mare’, and that certainly seems to be the case,” Esther Hovenga stated. Esther herself is a veterinarian, specialising in embryo transfer and breeding and concluded by saying; “With my own mares I do not do embryo transfer. I think removing embryo’s has too much of a psychological impact on the mare.” Also in the pedigree, granddam keur, pref, prest Faniek STV, halfsister to approved Randell STV (Clavecimbel) and two Grand Prix horses: Hermes (Variant) and Arrivederci (United).

Special showjumping dam lines The number of jumping stallions entered from a performance dam line was remarkable. According to chairman Cor Loeffen; “The performance test went very well. I was happy to rely on both several three-year-old stallions and also older ones. This period of testing over 21 days is enough to get a good impression. Among the three-year-olds, some horses showed potential and especially the older stallions left a very good impression. We had some stallions from good Belgian dam lines and from a French and Holstein mare line. The dam line is often decisive. It is very interesting to have the mare line of Opaline des Pins back in breeding. You remember her as the dam of Olympic champion Jus de Pomme.”

Cero Blue TN Cero Blue TN achieved the highest ever score for a jumping-bred stallion, again with a record score of 91 points. The six-year-old Cero Blue TN

(Chacoon Blue - Die Zera x Balou du Rouet, Stamm 3615, breeder: Harm Thormählen) comes from the performance damline of Fein Cera. Harm Thormählen himself was also present and said; “It was a highlight for me to see the stallion I bred pass his performance test with the highest points ever. I have always had faith in this stallion and my confidence was shared by Team Nijhof who have owned the stallion with me and Philipp Baumgart for four years. This dam line has brought me so many great moments with mares that have jumped 1m60. Cero Blue TN’s grandmother won the Hamburg Derby and her half-sister Ornellaia jumped 1m60 with three different riders. Then again we have grandmother Fein Cera being the best jumper in the world in 2002 after the World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera. Her dam, Cera, in turn also jumped 1m60. The will to perform is in them all.” Chair Cor Loeffen added: “Cero Blue TN is just a very complete horse. A horse that is always doing a good job. He has a very good technique of jumping; a very classical way of jumping. He shows a lot of power and he is eager, without losing his mind. He always stays well focused and that is a definite plus for a jumper.”

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Telstar JM TN Another very special stallion was four-year-old Telstar JM TN (Ermitage Kalone - Frauke x Muscaris d'Ariel; breeder: Hengstenhouderij van Dijck). His sire Ermitage Kalone is very current after winning this year’s Belgian championship under the saddle of Gilles Thomas. He was 18 months old when he was discovered by Joris van Dijck. His father Marcel van Dijck also immediately saw the qualities and covered the mare Frauke with Ermitage Kalone when he was five. Telstar JM TN’s dam’s line is very special to Marcel van Dijck. For he knew the line of Opaline des Pins well and so his two favourite mares lines came together in Telstar JM TN. As the 89-year-old Marcel himself said; “This success is very special for me.” ■ January 2024

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Exciting decisions during Hanoverian Jumper Masters BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: HANNOVERANER VERBAND Coreal B, Diarello, Diabolo, and Clinton’s Edelbiene FRH were the winners of the Hannoveraner Show Jumper Masters. At the sporting highlight of the Verden licensing of showjumping stallions, Hannover’s showjumping talents impressed with outstanding performances.

he yellow and white winners’ sashes were awarded in four age groups, with 21 four-year-olds competing in the youngest age group, where someone who knows the Hannoveraner Show Jumping Masters inside out led the field... Roman Duchac, renowned trainer and Verden auction rider, took victory with the Chacfly PS x El Bundy son Coreal B (breeder: Georg Bräuer). The pair had already jumped ahead in the qualifier. Last year, the powerful jumper finished fourth in the free jumping competition of the Hannoveraner Jumper Breeding Programme, and this year the judges awarded him an even 9.0. Second place went to the licensed Rhineland stallion Geoffrey (George Z x Cornado: bred by Heinrich Burmester) with Birgit Gärtner-Döller. The Austrian thus relegated her husband Patrick Döller into third place. He was in the saddle of the privately owned stallion and Stakkato prize winner Argento Conte (Argento Vivo x Contendro: bred by Norbert Bramlage). The 33 five-year-olds decided the Hannoveraner Show Jumping Masters in an 1m25 showjumping class with a jumpoff for victory. Diarello (Diamant de Semilly x Cascadello: bred by Stefan Aust) took victory to the cheers of the crowd with Tim-Uwe Hoffmann. It was the icing on the cake of an extremely successful season for the dark bay. He had won the Geestland Championships in Elmlohe in July and in October he was part of the winning Hannoveraner team at the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy in Valkenswaard (NED). It is under four months since Diarello’s half-sister Hann.Pr.A. Donna Bella (Don VHP Z) was the champion mare at the Herwart von der Decken show in Verden. Tim-Uwe Hoffmann has a very special relationship with Diarello, as he was already successful with his dam Flair Welcome in 1m50 showjumping competitions. After winning the four-year-old class, Roman Duchac sat in the saddle of the runner-up in the five-year-old class, Brandy Jo PJ (Balou du Rouet x Cassus: bred by Dr. Jacobs). The Hannoveraer premium mare, whose granddam is the full sister of the stallions Embassy I and II, is also no stranger to Verden. After finishing fourth in the free jumping competition for fouryear-olds, she come third in the Show Jumping Masters last year. Third place went to Carlantus (Carlo x Adlantus As: bred by Henning Müller-Rulfs) and the breeder’s son Eric, who

improved by one place compared to last year. The sixyear-olds contested a 1m35 class, which saw a exciting jumpoff in which Diabolo (Don Diarado x Grey Top: bred by Eduard Voss) led the 30Diarello – 5yo winner – and Tim-Uwe Hoffmann strong field with Dieter Smitz. The pair had also competed in Valkenswaard having placed fourth in the Bundes-championat. Last year’s winners, Crumble Cheesecake K FRH (Crumble x Chasseur: bred by Martin Klintworth) and Ole Klintworth were frenetically cheered on by the crowd and finished second. Meanwhile, Josch Löhden piloted his Hofsommerkamp’s Cockpit (Cornet Obolensky x Balou du Rouet: bred by Marcell Müller) into third place. The bay stallion’s dam, Baloubeska, can point to two S-successful half-brothers in Qurinus (Quality Time) and Qantas Airways (Quintender). The 17 seven- and eight-year-olds gave a rousing finale in a captivating jump-off. With vociferous support, Clinton’s Edelbiene FRH (Clinton’s Heart x Zacharias: bred by Dietrich Brünjes) and Melissa Fricke won the 1m40 class with an outstanding round. The pair had already been right at the front two years ago, finishing third in the five-year-old class. The last starters staked everything on one card, but ultimately they were some four seconds short of victory. Nevertheless, the Casallco x Chacco Blue daughter Cosima FRH and Harm Wiebusch, who also bred the bay himself, finished second in the high-calibre field. He had also competed at the Masters two years ago and finished second in the six-year-old class. So Gaga by Stakkato x Lord Pezi (breeder: Johannes zur Lage) and Mynou Diederichsmeier finished third. The dark bay Hannoveraner premium mare is none other than the halfsister of Martin Fuchs’ Nations Cup horse Commissar Pezi and Shane Breen’s Cato Boy. ■ January 2024

Polish young horses evaluated during Intercarpathia Show BY AGATA GROSICKS PHOTOGRAPHY: SPOWART/HOLM PHOTOGRAPHY, QUIN SAUNDER, PRIVATE COLLECTION The fourth edition of Intercarpathia Top Horses Show reviewing young showjumping and dressage horses born in 2020 and 2021 and representing all WBFSH studbooks. took place on Saturday December 2, 2023.

osted by the Salio Equestrian center in central Poland, the event gathered 62 talented young horses that were evaluated in free jumping for the showjumpers and free movement for the dressage horses. The quality of presented horses is growing with every edition and the past winners are already proving their skills and potential in sport. Last year’s dressage winner, the mare Orphanima vd Braembeier (KWPN: Glocks Toto Jr. x Ferro) bred by Stal de Braembeier, owned and presented by Tatiana Bieriezniow, has recently begun her sport career with a victory scoring over 70%. The Hanoverian stallion Constable (Contendro I x Diarado), bred and owned by Ilona Turowska and one of the high scorers in the Intercarpathia 2020 edition, was nominated to represent the Hanoverian Association at the inaugural WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy with Jarosław Skrzyczynski in the saddle and helped ensure the team win in the five-year-old category. The potential of the past winners is also reflected in the prices they reach at international auctions. Last year winner

of showjumping horses born in 2019, the stallion Crazy Boy Greenhills (Holst: Cascadello I x Clinton) bred by Marcin Gerke and owned by Kamil Ogorek, has recently been sold to England for €70,000 during the Holsteiner Verband Auction. The stallion also won the Polish Championships for Young Horses 2023 under Mateusz Tyszko in the four-yearold foreign-bred horses category. As Jozef Pekaniec, the Carpathia organizer undelines: “Such events are gaining more public interest in western Europe than traditional sport competitions. Judges are experienced in evaluating young horses and can recognize potential future stars. The high score in such championships is the guarantee of future sport success for a horse.” The jury of Intercarpathia 2023 included Zangersheide’s Bart Goen, Peter Strijbosch of KWPN, and Andrzej Matlawski – an acknowledged Polish breeding expert.

The show started with the evaluation of 15 dressage prospects representing the world’s best bloodlines, and was won by a Westfalian mare, Freixnet (Fürst Smarant x Franziskus FRH), owned by Andrzej Wygldala, bred by Katharina Hadeler. She scored 8.5, ahead of the KWPN stallion Picotee Blue (Painted Black x Opan), owned by Marta Biniek, bred by Agnieszka Sztandar Sztanderska, who scored 8.3 According to Andrzej Wygladala, Freixnet’s owner: “She’s a very good quality mare and I hoped she would end up on the podium. It’s her pedigree, especially the dam by Franziskus FRH that made me buy her. I have two horses representing his bloodline already. I bought that mare because of her fantastic movement which she confirmed today. I am also a huge fan of the stallion Bordeaux. Our best mare Buenos Aires (Bordeaux) is now being trained by Beata Stremler in Germany. My goal is to give my horses a chance to compete in high sport in the future.” Dressage winner, the Westfalian mare Freixnet (Fürst Samarant)

bred by Katharina Hadeler 40 January 2024

the organizer launched for the first time. On the eve of the championships one of the judges, Peter Strijbosch of KWPN, led a seminar on linear scoring and evaluating a horse in both free jumping and free movement. The seminar was open to an audience and the organizers invited not only breeders whose horses entered the show but also any other Polish breeders and breeding enthusiasts. The two-hour lecture was followed by practical exercises where all the participants could evaluate two horses – one dressage and one showjumper – and compare their scores to those of the judges. More than 60 people attended the seminar together with Zangersheide, AES and PZHK representatives. Peter Strijbosch, who’s a very experienced lecturer, admitted that he’d never presented in front of such a big audience. Jumping winner, the Westfalian mare Colipe (2020: Colman x Toulon) bred The Intercarpathia Show was followed by the by Armin Stockem selection of horses for the Intercarpathia Sales Market. This new formula which replaced last year’s auction Another Westfalian mare wins in showjumping takes place online and, as Ula Pekaniec, one of the hosts and organizers of Intercarpathia underlines; “Connects potential In evaluating the showjumpers born in 2020 (18 horses) buyers with the sellers of the horses and helps promote and 2021 (29 horses), the judges awarded victory in the Intercarpathia horses.” former age-group to the Westfalian mare Colipe (Colman x Katarzyna Bartosiewicz, breeder of Dream OJK, Toulon) owned by Jaroslaw Zjezdzalka, bred by Armin confirmed that her stallion is going to be sold through the Stockem (8.4 points). In second place with 8.3, another Intercarpathia Sales Market, and she hopes he will be used mare, Diva RV Z (Ducati van Schuttershof x Vigo both in sport and in breeding. “He has a very good head, d’Arsouilles) owned by Buczek Stable, bred by Buczek he’s well prepared for training, and has already been trained Miroslaw (8.3). using the methods of Dr. Robert M. Miller. At our studfarm Although she only placed fifth, the mare Esmeralda AA, we take care of the foals from the very beginning by bred by the Janow Podlaski Stade Stud which represents imprinting them,” she concluded. ■ genuine Polish bloodlines, was highly evaluated by the judges who appreciated her jumping potential. She proved her natural talent for sport despite the fact that did not represent the top bloodlines. From among the horses born in 2021, the Holsteiner stallion Dream OJK (Dominator Z x Helenenhof’s Catoo), owned and bred by Katarzyna Bartosiewicz, scored 8.6 for the win, and was also awarded as the show’s Super Champion. Second place, with 8.5, was the mare Dolores Z (Diamant de Semilly x Cardento), bred and owned by Andrzej Golas, ahead of third-placed stallion Ascot Z (Aganix du Seigneur Z x Kannan), bred and owned by Andrzej Golas (8.4). This year’s Intercarpathia was Holsteiner stallion Dream OJK (Dominator Z), wins showjumping category for horses born in 2021, and also awarded as Supreme Champion accompanied by two events which January 2024

Holsteiner licensing awards champion and premium sires BY HOLSTEINER VERBAND PHOTOGRAPHY: HOLSTEINER VERBAND/JANNE BUGTRUP After the licensing results were announced in Elmshorn on Friday evening, the tension at the Holstein young stallion licensing continued to grow until Saturday morning because, on the final day, the premium stallions and, above all, the champion stallion was awarded.

red by Hans Otto Krohn from line 104A, from now on, Corroniolo (Corniolo x Cassini I) can claim this title. The dark bay was exhibited by Tjark Witt from Friedrichskoog. “A stallion that impressed us right from the start,” said breeding director Stephan Haarhoff on behalf of the commission, alongside Christian Thoroe, Matthias Wittke, and Horst-Klaus Heleine. An ultra-modern horse with a great side view. He also impressed over the jump with his quick reflexes, overview, and unlimited ability – a worthy champion stallion.” Uluru (Uricas vd Kattevennen x Cormint) became the first reserve champion. Bred by Caroline Kröger from Wakendorf and owned by Manfred von Allwörden: “Uluru is a light, typey, and elastic horse that impresses with outstanding Riding horse Optimus Prime (Ogano Sitte x Connor) sold for €133,000 jumping. Standing in the middle frame, the stallion becomes really big at the jump,” said Haarhoff. station and Thomas Petersen (Sollwittfeld). According to Keystone (Keaton x Quinar), bred by Margit Petersen Haarhoff; “An outstanding athlete with a lot of cadence who from line 3401), received the sash as second reserve has developed especially positively since the pre-selection champion. The stallion’s owners are the Sollwitt stallion and has a highly secure dam line.” The commission awarded coveted prizes to four other representatives of the 2021 vintage: • Chancay (Chinchero x Sir Shutterfly), bred by André Eppinger, Vellahn, owned by Kai Thomsen, Büsumer Deichhausen) • Cornetan (Cornet’s Balou x Kannan), bred by Josef Fischer, Bad Griesbach from bloodline 2554 • Continue Kantato (Keaton x Casall), bred in Switzerland by Manfred Birchler and representing line 104A • United Pleasure (United Way x For Pleasure), bred by Rita Siebke-Baasch, Sarzbüttel, owned by Vitor Frias.

€490,000 for Chinchero son, Chin Gray Champion stallion Corroniolo (Corniolo x Cassini I) 42 January 2024

Although the Holsteiner licensing and auction in Elmshorn 2023 is history, the result

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€490,000 for Chinchero son, Chin Gray will certainly be remembered fondly in the land between the seas and far beyond. The licensed Chin Gray (Chinchero x Colestus) was bred in the USA by Christoph Zimmermann. In a heated bidding duel, the contract for this extremely interesting stallion was ultimately awarded to Kent Farrington, who is currently jumping from success to success with Chin Grey’s mother Greya. He was recently placed with the mare in Geneva (SUI) and Toronto (CAN) at 1m60 level. Chin Gray will be promoted both in sport and in breeding. The champion stallion Corroniolo was sold to the Warendorf State Stud at €180,000, having consistently shown himself to be a complete horse with endless assets, and from whose family athletes like Monaco (Contender) with Christian Ahlmann emerged. Uluro, the reserve winner was worth €107,000 to his new Italian owners. Among others, this athlete comes from a close relative of the stallion Clinton I. Meanwhile, VDL Stud secured Magnus von der Söhr (Manchester van’t Paradijs x Comme il faut) for €78,000. Lexicon II van’t Roosakker and Origi van’t Roosakker (Echo van’t Spieveld) are just two of his many successful relatives. In total, 15 licensed and nonlicensed stallions were auctioned at an average price of around €82,600. “I am particularly pleased to know that the top prices of the licensed stallions are in such supportive hands,” said auction

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director and managing director Felix Flinzer. I am equally thrilled that the champion stallion will remain at the Warendorf State Stud in my old homeland. I wish all buyers only the best and much success with their stallions. I would like to thank all employees and other participants in this mammoth project from the bottom of my heart for their commitment. You have achieved great things in the last few weeks and months.”

Riding horse auction The Holstein auction team also concluded the riding horse auction with great satisfaction, when Optimus Prime (Ogano Sitte x Connor) sold for €133,000. Bred by Hauke Paulsen, and now in Swiss ownership, he is a longlegged athlete who aroused great interest from home and abroad and has already won jumping horse competitions. With a bid of €70,000, auctioneer Hendrik Schulze-rückamp’s hammer fell on Crazy Boy Greenhills (Cascadello I x Clinton I: bred by Marcin Gerke in Polamd). The gey stallion dominated the young horse competitions in his native Poland and will continue his career in Great Britain in the future. On average, the seven riding horses sold for around €50,600. “This result confirms once again that our Holsteiner youngsters are in high demand internationally,” Felix Flinzer concluded. ■

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Highest HSI approval rating for Button Sitte and Carrabis Z BY HORSE SPORT IRELAND / HSI PHOTOGRAPHY: SPORTFOT Horse Sport Ireland, on behalf of the Irish Sport Horse studbook, are delighted to announce the approval of the high-performance stallions Button Sitte (SBS: Ogano Sitte x Parco [Parco]) and Carrabis Z (Zang: Canabis Z [Holst] x Jus de Pomme [BWP]) for breeding in Ireland.

hey were approved or recognized for breeding alongside 11 other stallions, either either through their own performance or that of their progeny. Those stallions are: • Alhebayeb (TB) Dark Angel xx - iss Indigo xx x Indian Ridge xx • Bingo Ste Hermelle (SF) Number One d’Iso un Prince Ujade Ste Hermelle x Diamant de Semilly • Bonmahon Master Blue (ISH) Mr. Blue [KWPN] Z.Sambia 7 x S.Alba 71 • Chacco’s Charlie PS (Meckl) Chacco-Blue - Chakira Z x Charlie Z • Chaclot (OS) Chacco-Blue [Meckl] - Flying P [Hann] x Fly High • Ganesh Hero Z (Zang) Gemini Cl. xx - Hiamant van’t Roosakker [BWP] x Diamant de Semilly [SF] • JSH Ice Man (KWPN) Amaretto I [Zweib] - Perpetua [KWPN] x Lux Z [Hann] • Phil vd Wezelse Heihoeve (BWP) Cornet Obolensky Lablue vd Wezelse Heihoeve x Mr. Blue [KWPN] • Tobago Z (Zang) Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve [BWP] Whoopie C [BWP] x Mr. Blue [KWPN] • Uricas vd Kattevennen (Holst) Uriko [KWPN] - T-Cassina [Holst] x Cassini I • Waldo Van Dungen (KWPN) Tolano van’t Riethof [BWP] Okra [KWPN] x Concorde

Chaclot (OS) ridden by Riccardo Pisani (ITA) 44 January 2024

Phil vd Wezelse Heihoeve (BWP) ridden by David Arcand (CAN) For stallions standing outside of Ireland, ‘recognised’ is the highest award available to them with ‘approved’ being the highest award available to horses physically standing in Ireland. Speaking about their approval, Michael Hutchinson of Ballyquirke Stud in Co. Kilkenny where both of these horses stand at stud said: “We feel very privileged to be able to offer two stallions of this calibre to Irish breeders. Thanks to Equinimity and Richie Moloney for making them available in Ireland. They have jumped at the highest level with top results and their bloodlines are among the best in the world. *Button Sitte comes from the same damline as Aganix du Seigneur. The dams of both stallions are half-sisters, and both stallions are by Ogano Sitte. He’ll be a very interesting sire for Irish breeders, and already has progeny making a name for themselves around the world and also here in Ireland. Notably as recently as last weekend when a six-year-old by Button Sitte won the six- to seven-year-old HSI series in Maryville. “Carrabis Z’s oldest progeny are yearlings now and we’re looking forward to following their development into showjumpers in the years to come.” Commenting on both of these stallions, their rider Richie Moloney said: “Carrabis Z was the best horse I’ve ridden. He had everything you want in a horse. He had blood, was careful, had scope and was a real winner in the ring. “Button Sitte is one of the easiest horses I’ve ridden, very

scopey and light on his feet with a great trot and canter. He is already proving to be a very good sire with 14 of his small number of offspring jumping 1m40 or bigger. I’m looking forward to seeing what they produce in Ireland.” Head of Breeding, Development and Innovation, Sonja Egan PhD., had the following to say on the approvals: “We’re very excited to have stallions the quality of Button Sitte (SBS) and Carrabis Z (Zang) added to the list of approved stallions in the Irish Sport Horse studbook. They have been fantastic servants to the Irish show jumping team over the past number of years and we now look forward to their contribution to the Irish breeding herd. Interesting to note that Richie Moloney’s brother Eddie recently won the six- and seven-year-old showjumping class in the HSI Autumn Development Series in Maryville Stables on Rosamund (BWP), a mare by Button Sitte (SBS). Carrabis Z (Zang) jumping in the 2016 FEI Nations’ Cup during the “Carrabis Z (Zang) has also featured on several Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL Irish Nations’ Cup teams, and his performances which include victories for team Ireland at Spruce Meadows and (Zang), and Uricas vd Kattevennen (Holst) for their Thunderbird Showpark in Canada, have led to him also achievements in sport. These stallions are proving to be being awarded the five-star SJ OP merit. popular with Irish breeders and we’re glad to award them the “The ultimate test of any stallion is that of their progeny highest accolade available to a stallion standing outside and that’s why we’re delighted to award Bonmahon Master Ireland. Blue (ISH) and Waldo Van Dungen (KWPN) the approved “It is important to maintain sight of the importance of classification based on the results of their progeny blood in our sport horses and recognise the contribution of internationally. Thoroughbred stallions. We also have a newly approved “The stallions Chacco’s Charlie PS (Meckl), Ganesh Thoroughbred stallion in Alhebayeb (TB) based on his Hero Z (Zang), JSH Ice Man (KWPN), and Phil vd Wezelse timeform rating. This increases the options available to Heihoeve (BWP) all began their approvals with the Irish breeders seeking to breed traditional Irish Sport Horses Sport Horse studbook as young horses before leaving the (ISH)[TIH] and event horses, where we continue to see the country. Based on their own performance internationally, vital role that the thoroughbred stallion plays.” we’re delighted to upgrade their classification to approved. Commenting on Chaclot (OS) being recognised by the “We’re also delighted to recognise the high-performance Irish Sport Horse Studbook, his rider Riccardo Pisani of stallions Bingo Ste Hermelle (SF), Chaclot (OS), Tobago Z Lozar Stables in Italy said to Horse Sport Ireland; “Chaclot began his extraordinary international career at the age of eight.Over the years, he has been part of the Italian team, demonstrating his abilities in prestigious CSI4*, CSI5*, and CSIO5* Grand Prix events as well as World Cup legs. He represented Italy in Nations’ Cups in Aachen, Hickstead, Gijon, and Barcelona, achieving notable success in the Longines Nations’ Cup Final with a remarkable double clear round in Barcelona in 2018.” Horse Sport Ireland reviews stallion classifications and star rating criteria on an ongoing basis for the Irish Sport Horse and Irish Sports Pony Studbooks. Owners and agents of approved stallions may submit them for star rating review either through their own performance or that of their progeny by contacting stallions@horsesportireland.ie. The 2024 Stallion Selections for classification within the Irish Sport Horse, Irish Draught and Irish Button Sitte (SBS) ridden by Richie Moloney(IRL) during the 2016 FEI Sport Studbook take place on March 21 and 22 at Nations’ Cup at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL Cavan Equestrian Centre. ■ January 2024

Swedish Warmblood records its best dressage WBCYH ever! BY ELISABET ERNBLAD (TRANSLATION HILLEVI BRASC) / SWB PHOTOGRAPHY: PERNILLA HÄGG The prestigious dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses hosted by Ermelo, the Netherlands, in early August this year, showcased fantastic sport amidst rather upredictable weather.

any horses that have gone on to the absolute top of the world rankings began their international careers at the WBCYH. For Swedish Warmblood, this year’s edition marked an historic success, which is incredibly positive and promising for the future. From the very first day, SWB horses showcased exceptional talent where Skyline to B, the handsome and expressive stallion, guided with a broad smile by Carl Hedin, secured an impressive second place in the qualifiers. Also, qualifying straight to the final was Vive la Reinne II VH, ridden by Maria Anita Andersen. Out of the 15 finalists, two were SWB horses, with one in contention for a medal. The pride and joy in the SWB camp was palpable, already suggesting that SWB was having its best championship in a long time, if not ever. Success breeds more success; that is a known fact. It was with this momentum that Jeanna Högberg, on the splendid six-year-old BE Allex, entered the arena on the championship’s second day. The gelding, purchased at SWB’s Elite Auction four years ago by Tobias Hansson and Hennix Horses, delivered a flawless performance rewarded with high scores, resulting in a ride that would lead to victory. A SWB horse winning a qualifier at the WBCYH has never happened before, and here too the expectations for any medal was high – and even for the highest award.

BE Allex ridden by Jeanna Högberg 46 January 2024

Skyline to B under the saddle of Carl Hedin Likewise, hopes were high heading into the seven-yearold qualifier, especially for Moretti Weltino and Ida Kuchenmeistern Nordenberg, previous five- and six-year-old finalists, and for Diploid with Vendela Eriksdotter Rubin. This latter duo also appeared in the 2022 six-year-old finals. Both pairs delivered what was needed, securing their spots in the finals through consistent and harmonious performances. The final round for the five-year-old horses was a nervewracking experience for everyone involved, including SWB riders, leaders, and the entire team. Would Skyline to B secure a medal? Would Vive la Reinne II VH have an extra gear for the finals? The mare was the first of the two to enter the arena and put in a solid performance, particularly showcasing excellent trot work. While slightly lower in points compared to the qualifier, it was undeniably promising for the future. Carl Hedin and Skyline to B, a bonded pair, entered as the third to last duo. They delivered a confident performance, shining brightly in the arena, almost securing a bronze medal. A mere two-tenths of a point separated them from the bronze, and despite the disappointment of finishing fourth, the remarkably strong championship debut of Skyline to B could not go unnoticed. Medal expectations were high for BE Allex and Jeanna Högberg in the six-year-old final, perhaps slightly dampened by the torrential downpour that accompanied the final

WBCYH Facts

Diploid in the hands of Vendela Eriksdotter Rubin round. Jeanna guided the gelding precisely and with harmony from the initial salute to the concluding halt, yet the scores received were somewhat surprising. Everyone recognizes the influence of the horse’s form on the day of competition and the presence of an entirely new judging panel in the final, but as spectators, it was challenging to comprehend, for instance, BE Allex’s canter, which earned a 9.2 in the qualifiers, only receiving a 7.0 in the final. Eventually, the pair landed in sixth place overall; a respectable position despite aiming for a higher result. A trifecta in the finals is a rarity, but Moretti Weltino with Ida Küchenmeistern Nordenberg can proudly list it on their resume. In this year’s final for seven-year-old horses, where they finished in 11th place, there were both highlights and mistakes, but the duo exuded an elegance and ease that promise much for the future. The second SWB pair in the final, the athletic Diploid with Vendela Eriksdotter Rubin, presented a brilliant ride that was powerful and steady. The judges appreciated their performance, resulting in very positive feedback, leading to a seventh-place finish in an extremely competitive field with many renowned names. Summing up the championship, it is evident that SWB had its best overall World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in dressage since its debut in 1999. In the inaugural year, SWB did secure a medal when Minna Telde and Maistic claimed bronze in the five-year-old class, but since then no SWB horse has secured a medal. However, in the championship’s history there had never been a qualifier victory, nor five SWB horses in the final, one of them almost claiming a medal, and placements in the consolation final for both five- and six-year-olds. It is a joyful realization that our breeders have steered in the right direction concerning both stallion and mare selections, and that these young talents, after being trained and matched, naturally contend for top positions and medals. The future looks bright – that is for sure.

The WBCYH, officially known as the FEI-WBFSH World Breeding Championships – Dressage is a competition between the world’s breed associations in dressage, showjumping, and eventing. The dressage WBCYH has been held annually since 1999. The number of horses each association can enter is determined by an association’s size. For SWB, it is 12 slots, distributed as four apiece for the five-, six-, and seven-yearold age groups. The horses can be ridden by either a Swedish or a foreign rider since it is the horse’s affiliation that counts. Additionally, the championship includes a class for fouryear-old horses, but SWB has chosen not to participate with such young talents. The selection for the World Breeding Championships for SWB is managed by national coach Bo Jenå along with Jan-Ove Olsson.

SWB 2023 finalists Five-year-olds: • Skyline To B (SWB/stallion Blue Hors St. Schifro Amazone (F.2) x Ampere – Breeder: Maria Rasmusson; Owner: Eques Management AB • Vive la Reinne II VH (31) (SWB/mare Revolution - De la Reinne (31) x De Niro) – Breeder: Västra Hoby Stuteri AB; Owner: Västra Hoby Stuteri AB Six-year-olds • BE Allex (SWB/gelding Ampere - Alice (71)(SWB) x Dalwhinnie (SWB)) – Breeder: Eva and Bo Pettersson; Owner: Västra Hoby Stuteri AB, Hennix Horses AB and Jeanna Högberg Seven-year-olds • Diploid (SWB/gelding Hesselhøj Donkey Boy - Theca (36)(SWB) x Topaasch) – Breeder: Lena Nyström; Owner: Stockholm Ridsport AB • Moretti Weltino (SWB/gelding Dante Weltino OLD - Red Manoue (SWB) x Master) – Breeder: Kerstin and Lars Svenstrup; Owner: Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard and Dan Nordenberg. ■

Moretti Weltino with Ida Küchenmeistern Nordenberg January 2024

Taking it all the way: From breeding to show ring – Part 2 BY CHRIS GOULD / CWHBA PHOTOGRAPHY: SPOWART/HOLM PHOTOGRAPHY, QUIN SAUNDER, PRIVATE COLLECTION Last month we introduced readers to the Equitation Division in the context of Sorine Winther’s success as a breeder, coach, and mother of two medal-winning daughters, Taylor and Colby. In our conversation she revealed how she managed an active competition schedule with a small scale, but successful breeding program.

inther, a native of Prince George, BC, and a Once on the ground, every foal is watched and handled competitive rider and coach, began her breeding by Winther and her daughters as it grows in order to put it career while in Calgary in 1993 with the acquisition of a on the appropriate career path. It’s a technique that has Trakehner mare at the Spruce Meadows auction. The then fostered jumpers, hunters and, of course, top equitation three-year-old mare Ninemo, by the Trakehner stallion mounts. Nemo, standing at stud in Alberta, ultimately proved to be I asked how she got involved with the Canadian the foundation of a very successful breeding program. Warmblood Horse Breeders Association so early on. “I think From 1996 to 2011, Ninemo had 12 foals sired by a probably the people I was surrounded with at that time were variety of stallions from throughout Canada. Her last foal using Canadian Warmblood and then, for me, I was looking Macey, by the Spruce Meadows stallion Le Premier, was her to breed performance horses, that’s all I wanted to do. I daughter Taylor’s equitation mount that took her through wanted to breed some good horses and I stuck with all the qualifying rounds. Grandson, Big Ticket, this year’s Canadian Warmblood through all the years because it’s been double winner, was out of Ninemo’s daughter Cabarret, by easy for me. Augustine Walsh’s successful hunter sire Cabardino, and “I wanted to have a nice set of papers so the pedigree was sired by Kupido K. Winther’s breeding program is built on registered and to be able to do it in an efficient manner. I do performance. Between one and three foals are produced think that a lot of people buy horses off of pedigree. I’m not every year from matings that are decided by an analysis of one of them and I buy horses off performance, so for me it’s the mare and matching the mare to a stallion that will been easy. The association has been easy for me to work with produce the desired end product. To maximize her and I appreciate that.” Her comment about the new online conception rate she uses only fresh semen from Canadian registration system. “I did mine that way last year. It was so approved stallions. easy” Here is what Winther had to say about her first mare. Sorine Winther concluded our conversation with a very “Her name was Ninemo, she was young, she was barely under interesting insight and advice. ““I’m not a super saddle, but she was nicely put together. The breeding seemed good on her and so I jumped in and bought her and that was the first one. So yeah, I probably was a little lucky with my first one, but she was a nice mare and she caught almost every year. I think it took me a little while to figure out what stallions worked best with her and what didn’t, but you know she gave me a foal every year and almost all of them went to A-circuit show homes. None of them were Grand Prix jumpers, but what they had was really really good minds. They all were just easy to work with, happy to please, just great Junior Amateur horses.” On choosing her stallions “We haven’t had very much success with frozen semen so we tried to stay with Canadian stallions. I really like to know the stallions a little bit and be able to watch them and get a feel for for what they might bring to the Colby Winther Konig and Big Ticket Kupdo K x Cabardino mare.”

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Sorine Winther riding Chaco (Carthago Sun III x Graf Top) in 1m40 to 1m50 classes at Thunderbird Show Park, Langley, BC in 2023 knowledgeable breeder, but I would say that we have run a boutique breeding program that is small in size. Since we don’t have many, each of our foals is special and my girls and I raise each of them here. All of our mares have been performance horses for us so we know them really well. As a family we sit and talk about any stallions we have seen and what are we going to try and achieve from each mare. So we don’t pore over papers we just look at the stallions that are out there and try to improve our mares.

“Then, this is the important piece that I think gets lost sometimes; every foal that lands here is special, we put the time into each and every foal. We have a couple of Grand Prix horses right now but they don’t all turn into that. You need to recognize that early on, and I think that’s something that we’ve been good at doing; recognizing where their best career path might be.” This was clearly the case with Big Ticket, the champion equitation horse; “We looked at him and we said, ‘you know, he is really good at wanting to please. He jumps well enough, but he really wants to please so where can we put him that that’s going to be a real asset.’ I think that’s something that people miss. If they look at their horses and they say it’s either got to be a stunning hunter or a really good jumper, and if it doesn’t fit into those boxes, then what is it? I think we’ve done a really good job at finding what is their best career path.” Good advice from a breeder that has a proven track record in bringing quality horses from the breeding barn to the show ring. ■

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2023 filly by Ubiko out of a Flamenco de Semilly mare January 2024

Young BWP members: Passion and a willingness to learn BY KRIS VAN STEEN / IYB PHOTOGRAPHY: BWP Belgian Warmblood (BWP) is a studbook made great by the horses that excel all over the world, but especially by the breeders who breed these great horses. Within this community are young breeders who have inherited the passion from their family, or became passionate about breeding through equestrian sports.

e spoke to three young Belgian Warmblood-breeders. Each of them already participated in the World Championships for Young Breeders.

“I slept above Diamant de Semilly” Emile Vandorpe inherited the passion and interest for horses and breeding through his genes. He is a more than talented rider and at the World Young Breeders’ Championship in Ermelo (2022), he achieved the highest score in the section for judging conformation, taking the gold and the title of World Champion. In 2015, when he first participated in the World Young Breeders’ Championship in Great Britain, Emile already won silver in the part of judging free jumping. “We have a tree farm at home and I am self-employed in landscaping. But there have always been horses in my life, that of my parents, and my grandparents. My work obviously comes first, but equestrianism and breeding play a leading role in my life.” Knowledge: “I try to gain as much knowledge as possible about breeding. The moments that [young] BWP organizes are ideal and always very pleasant learning moments. I enjoy those breeding visits, and also regularly did so at the weekend during my ‘green management’ traineeship in

Emile Vandorpe 50 January 2024

Julie Van de Voorde Normandy. I had the opportunity to stay at Eric Levallois' stud farm – Le Haras de Beaufour – for three months. I slept there above Diamant de Semilly’s stable [smile], and I was able to talk about breeding with Eric who is obsessed with the genetic background of showjumpers. “During the weekend I went to the stables at Haras de la Pommes, and also visited Penelope Léprèvost and Kevin Staut. I still have very good contacts with all those people. I have also twice visited Brazi and noticed that Belgian horses and mare lines are very popular there. The more I can discover about horses and breeding, the better.” Manageable breeding: “We breed one or two foals a year. Never big numbers; always manageable. I train the horses myself until they are seven years old, and then they are usually sold. Queen de Hurtebise (Kashmir van Schuttershof) is a mare – the full sister of Reveur du Hurtebise – with whom we have already bred several good horses. Querida du Bois (Doree van de Moskifarm), which I am currently riding, is also from that lineage. Rosanna du Bois (Dore van’t Zorgvliet) is a seven-year-old mare who is currently doing well in sport with French rider Jordan Gennaro. Quistria du Bois is also a seven-year-old we bred ourselves, and she is currently jumping under the saddle of Guillaume Batillat. She was second in the Grand Prix for seven-year-old horses in Royon. I rode her dam myself up to

whether the stallions are approved or not enables me to reflect on my thoughts. For now, I watch and learn by watching my parents breed, but later I hope to breed a foal myself one day. I also enjoy listening to the views of other breeders and riders also via podcasts. For now, I can only share that advice to listen and watch ‘real horse people’ as much as possible.”

“New connections and insights are fantastic.”

Katrien Hulsbosch 1m35 level. She was then sold to Pilar Cordon, but is now back for our breeding.”

“I learned to look at a horse critically and objectively.” Julie Van de Voorde (19) was also there at the World Championships in Ermelo, where she finished fifth in the ‘presenting a horse’ section. “Ever since I was a child, we went to BWP activities together with the family. Thus, like my family, I became passionate about breeding.” Friends: “The World Young Breeders’ Championship in 2022 remains a highlight and an unforgettable experience. We are still a close group of friends with our BWP team and we have met people from all over the world with the same passion and interest in horses. During the preparation for the World Championship, thanks to Young BWP, I learned how to look at and judge a horse critically and objectively, both on conformation and in free jumping. And I learned how to present a horse properly... Successfully.” [Laughs] Klothoef: “My parents have been breeding, using the stable name ‘de Klothoef’ for 20 years, with an average of two foals a year. I find it fascinating to learn from my dad in his search for a suitable stallion to go with our mares. We bought a new broodmare this summer (Billy Congo x Kannan) who has a lot of achievements on her track record. We bought this mare to have a different bloodline in our breeding. If the breeding products are not sold when they are young, we train them ourselves, so we almost only have young horses in our stables. From riding and guiding these young horses, I can also learn a lot. Helping with free jumping, lunging, and saddling teaches me to watch and judge the differences in horses. I also enjoy going along to the video day and preparatory activities of the Horseman Auction. There, many different bloodlines come together and it allows you to compare foals.” BWP Stallion Approval: “I also try to see the BWP stallion approval, although that is during school exams, because here too you can make a good comparison of the stallions and their way of jumping. Based on the results and

Katrien Hulsbosch (35) is from Peer in Limburg, and was already a World Champion among young breeders in 2011. Her own ‘van’t Huka’ breeding farm is still young, having seen the birth of a first foal in 2007, a second in 2008, followed by 2012 and 2015, bringing the total to five. “That number has only increased in recent years,” adds the newly qualified veterinarian, who already has an approved stallion and an elite mare on her breeding record. New connections: “My experience with Young BWP has been super positive. It is a nice group and you get to know new people every year. The world championships are great as they are organized in different countries and you meet new people from all over the world. Young people with the same passion for horses and for breeding always gives new connections and insights. Fantastic.” Van ‘t Huka: “My breeding comprises several mares. The foals are given the surname ‘van’t Huka’ (Hulsbosh Katrien). It doesn’t have to be very complicated. [Smile] I am proud of my breeding products such as the stallion Qanthago van’t Huka (Kannan x Carthago), the BWPapproved stallion Sherlock van’t Huka (Catoki x Thunder) and the BWP elite mare Pasadena van’t Huka (Cicero x Calypso III).” Top sport: “Recently, I also started pony breeding. [Smile]. Very exciting and also challenging. I am hugely passionate about breeding and constantly want to learn. My dream and goal is top sport. I therefore hope one day I can follow ‘van’t Hukas’ at the very highest level. That’s what I think we all do it for.” ■

Emile and Katrien to the right of the horse, Julie left of Wiebke Van de Lageweg January 2024

Edward: A true Hannoveraner stallion of the year BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: HANNOVERANER VERBAND AND FEI/RICHARD JUILLIART He is a chestnut stallion who epitomises Hannover’s values like no other: the Celle state stud stallion Edward is Hannoveraner stallion of the year. Beginning his career as a dressage horse sire, he is now also in demand among showjumping breeders.

dward’s showjumping popularity was kindled after his son King Edward won double gold at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark. Pedigree, career, versatility, colour, heredity: there are many attributes that identify the Hannoveraner Stallion of the Year as a true Hannoveraner. The big-framed chestnut was born at Hans-Heinrich Dittmer’s place in Radbruch in 2005 as the third foal of St.Pr.St. Fabienne. Fabienne herself was once the champion mare at the show in Luhmuhlen and also was awarded at the Louis Wiegels show in 2003. Her sire Fabriano is just as versatile as Edward’s sire Embassy. Edward’s path led him straight to the Celle State Stud as a foal. He grew up at the Hunnesruck stallion rearing stud and passed his stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf with 120.72 points in jumping and 142.93 points in dressage. Following his stallion performance test, he was licensed and moved into a stallion box in Adelheidsdorf for the first time as a four-year-old before being stationed in Ankum from 2010. Due to his dual disposition, Edward came into the spotlight right from the start and

gained a fan base that breed him to jumping, predominantly dressage and half-blood mares. Edward's sporting career was launched by Birte Senftleben before the experienced Hans-Peter Klaus took his place in the saddle of the handsome chestnut after the 2011 breeding season and led him to his first successes in advanced (S) level dressage competitions in less than a year. Just 12 months later, the stallion was ridden by CharlottMaria Schurmann, who was able to seamlessly build on the successes of the previous year. In 2013, the pair won silver with the team at the European Dressage Championships for Young Riders in Compiegne, France. Initial results of the breeding value estimation showed high scores in young horse tests for both disciplines. Consequently, Edward was awarded the Grande-Prize in 2018. In the meantime, his offspring have reached top level in all three disciplines. This makes Edward unique in today’s world. To date, ‘only’ just under 500 foals by his sire have been registered, the vast majority of which have been registered as Hannoveraner horses. But the most outstanding of them all represents the Belgian colours of the BWP. Henrik von Eckermann’s King Edward also has a purely Hannoveranerbred dam whose pedigree starts with the foundation mare Hornburg. The chestnut won gold with the Swedish team at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (JPN) in 2021, as well as the World Championships in Herning. He was also crowned individual world champion in Denmark, and won the World Cup Final in Omaha, USA, in Hanoverian Stallion of the Year: Edward, awarded in Verden Above: His son, King Edward, ridden by Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann April this year. ■

52 January 2024

Showjumping quality that hasn’t been seen in a long time BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: HANNOVERANER VERBAND It was agreed that the quality of the Hanoverian horses presented at the showjumping stallion licensing in Verden had not seen for a long time. In total, nine premiums were awarded for the outstanding talents, with 27 out of the 44 young stallions receiving a positive result.

ccording to breeding director Ulrich Hahne; Even the stallion preselection gave us hope for the licensing days. The good impression was confirmed on the first day during the warm-up free jumping and also on the final day. Modern, athletic, and cleverly jumping stallions characterised the collection . The Celle State Stud was also in a buying mood, securing a total of three highly talented showjumping stallions. The first in the top trio was a bay by Aganix du Seigneur Z x Eldorado van de Zeshoek (bred by Antonius SchulzeAverdiek, Rosendahl), who opened the stallion sales, and sold for €175,000. The third dam of the stallion is also the dam of Marcus Ehning’s world-class horse Cornado NRW. The auction continued with a very modern grey stallion by Cornet’s Pleasure VDL x Vagabond de la Pomme (bred and exhibited by Zuchthof Dree Boeken KG, Heidesee). He not only impressed over the fence, but also has three successful generations of international show jumping on his dam’s side. He went to Celle for €108,000. The last stallion for the state stud was an athletic bay by Taloubet Z x Chacco-Blue (bred by Johannes zur Lage, Bersenbruck), who impressed with his power and dynamism. He changed hands for €165,000 in co-operation with a long term Canadian partner of the State Stud Celle.

A regular customer from the Czech Republic secured a typey Chacoon Blue x Vagabond de la Pomme son (bred by ZG Bormann, Harsum) for €72,000, while an Aganix du Seigneur Z x Acorado son (bred and exhibited by Frank Johannsen, Buxtehude), who comes from the dam line of Lars Nieberg’s team Olympic champion Esprit FRH, ended up in sporty hands for €40,000. Last year his full brother was sold to Beerbaum Stables in Verden. A very special offer from one of the world’s best lines for eventing horses was a Grey Top x Heraldik xx son (bred and exhibited by Prof.Dr. Volker Steinkraus, Ollsen), and it was the stamina of a Belgian buyer who secured the beautifully shaped, elastic jumper, for €44,000. The winning bid of €78,000 from Lower Saxony successfully acquired a For Planet x Stakkato Gold son, while the final premium stallion sold was a Cornet’s Edition x Chin Quin son who was worth €46,000 for a Belgian stallion owner. Another stallion receiving a premium, but was not for sale, was the Colman x Check In son (bred by Rüdiger Löer, Weste), who will remain in Italian ownership. He was characterised by his ambition and athleticism during the licensing days. Not only Celle secured one of the rough diamonds on the snowy Saturday in December. A Charthago Blue x Perigueux son (bred and exhibited by Christoph Eits, Wurster Nordseeküste) will be travelling to Moritzburg State Stud. Meanwhile, a 2019-born Aganix du Seigneur x Chin Chin son (bred and exhibited by Gestüt Eichenhain GmbH, Varste) left the Niedersachsenhalle without a premium but with a price tag of €62,000, making him the first Zangersheide-registered horse to be auctioned in Verden following the liberalisation of the stallion licensing. In total, exactly half of the licensed stallions (12) offered for sale will leave Germany. Hannoveraner customers from Belgium secured the largest contingent with four stallions, followed by Finland, France, and the Czech Republic with two purchases each. The average price was €49,916, with the most expensive unlicensed stallion being a three-year-old by Casino Berlin x Silvio An Aganix du Seigneur Z x Eldorado van de Zeshoek son opened the who sold to Bavaria for €25,000. The price for the 12 stallion sales and sold for €175,000 unlicensed stallions averaged €15,917. ■ January 2024

Westfalian stallion son of Total McLaren fetches €700,000 BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / PRESS RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHY: RECKIMEDIA Thirty-seven stallions were presented at the Westfalian Stallion Sale, of which 25 had earlier received a positive licensing approval. Among them were the two first reserve champions as well as both second reserve champions. Nordhausen and Rayber, Suhlendorf) sold for €310,000 to the North Rhine-Westfalian state stud in Warendorf together with the state stud in Moritzburg. A little earlier the bay stallion, bred out of a dam by Sir Donnerhall x Rubin-Royal, had been named second reserve champion of the licensing by the Westfalian commission. He descends from a highly successful dam line, with Don Schufro, bronze medal winner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong with the Danish team, also representing this line. The son of Secret x Christ (bred by Dirk Hoffmann, Wolfsburg) also broke the €300,000 barrier, with the impressive chestnut stallion caused a sensation during the licensing days. Together with the top-priced horse, he became the first reserve champion of this licensing. He descends from the dam line of Weltissimo, who was successful at Grand Prix level with Hubertus Schmidt. This young stallion with strong movements will move into his stable at the Schockemöhle station in Mühlen. Of the 12 non-licensed stallions offered for sale, the price leaderboard was headed by a beautiful dark bay who convinced the audience with his typey appearance. After an exciting bidding duel, the For Romance x Scolari son (bred and exhibited by Christoph Delsmann, Nordkirchen) was knocked down to a Polish buyer for €60,500. A total of 17 of the licensed young sires on offer changed hands that evening at an average price of €142,647. Of the non licensed stallions, 83% were successfully sold at an average price of €25,200. The Westfalian Studbook realized a total turnover of €2,677,000 with the stallion sale for dressage stallions. A total of 14 of the stallions sold will be based outside of Germany in the future. ■ Top priced licensed Westfalian dressage stallion, a son of Total McLaren sold for €700,000

he son of Total McLaren x Florenciano trotted to the phenomenal top price with great performances over both days. The black stallion sold for €700,000 to the Schönweide Stud. Following the first two licensing days at the Westfalian Horse Center, the Westfalian Stallion Sale for dressage stallions took place. Alongside the first and second reserve winners, five premium stallions were on the auction block. However, it was the first reserve winner that caused extreme excitement after the Total McLaren son (bred by Heinz and Elisabeth Schulte, Ahaus) convinced the licensing committee with his sporty appearance and powerful canter. The ensuing bidding duel, both in the auction hall and over the telephone, created a fitting finale, with the Gasser family finally securing the beautiful black stallion for €700,000. He will now begin his career as a sire at their Schönweide stud farm. The second most expensive stallion of the evening will remain in the direct neighborhood of the Westfalian Studbook. The son of Confess Color (bred by ZG Dr.

January 2024

Nine studbook stallions added to KFPS roster for 2024 BY ALICE BOOIJ / KFPS PHOTOGRAPHY: KFPS November 2023 saw nine high-achieving Friesian stallions being awarded their stud certificate in Exloo, the Netherlands, and henceforth added to the KFPS roster, including two sons of Tiede 501 and Tuen 505. The new bloodlines are remarkable for their diversity.

ans van de Gonda, Mayson Jede, Manno fan Burmania, Mr. M. van de Sprong, Melle “‘van de Brink’, Naud T van Sessing, Dedmer fan de Greidpleats, and Jasper all passed their driving and harness exam and were thus promoted and given new names and numbers on becoming new KFPS studbook stallions. Jeroen Poll stersport-elite successfully completed his shortened examination and now goes by the name Jeroen 535.

Diversity in bloodlines The nine new studbook stallions includes two sons of Tiede 501 and Teun 505, plus an Alwin 469, a Fonger 478, an Ulbrân 502, a Nane 492, and an Anders 451 added to the elite corps. For Tiede 501, Teun 505, and Fonger 478 it was their first approved sons. All nine represent different damsires, with maternal bloodlines descending from diverse stallions, with the exception of two stallions from line 50. Eight of the nine stallions are carrier-free.

Jeroen 535 Jeroen 535 was born in 2011 as Jeroen Poll and was bred by Mrs Van Aken-Poll. He is an Anders 451 son out of a Star mare by Folkert 353. Jeroen 535 has a kinship of 17.2%, is from pedigree 65, and he stands 1m69 height at withers. Jeroen is a stallion with satisfactory breed expression,

satisfactory expression of the head, satisfactory feathers, and a long forelock. The long neck has a vertical build. He is a stallion standing in a slightly square model. We would like to see a bit more strength in the topline, croup conformation is good in terms of shape and length. The stallion has goodquality legwork, dry and clean with good size of the feet. He is slightly back in the foreleg knee and has a slightly coarse capped hock. Jeroen 535 was allowed to join the short test at the age of 12 on the basis of his exceptional performances in the sport. He is active at international Grand Prix level in dressage earning scores of 70%, which is a good indication of the stallion’s trainability and zest for work. His daily contact and stable manners show him to be a friendly, albeit slightly tense stallion. During the presentation under the guest rider the stallion is active and displays a lot of forward go, allowing the rider to ride him correctly from the hindquarters to the forehand and into the contact. The stallion has a lot of stamina and demonstrates more than satisfactory willingness to work. He should move with a little more use of the body, suppleness, and self-carriage. Jeroen 535’s legwork shows durability and he has an interesting bloodline. Because of his relatively low kinship of 17.2% and his sport performances he can contribute to the breeding of the Friesian horse. He can be used to add front and sport mentality. The stallion is best used on mares with a roomy, regular walk.

Elger 536

Jeroen 535 56 January 2024

Elger 536 was bred by Mr Bouma in Nes. Elger was born in 2017 and given the name of Dedmer van de Greidpleats. Elger 536 is a Nane 492 son and his dam is a ster-preferent performance mare by Olof 315. Elger 536 has a kinship of 17.8%, he comes from pedigree 30, and his height at withers is 1m68. Elger 536 is a long-lined, imposing stallion with lots of breed expression, partly also thanks to his abundant feathers. The stallion’s head should be a bit more aristocratic but he has a long neck with satisfactory vertical build. Conformation is horizontal with a strong topline and a long, correctly shaped croup. We would like to see a little more

Jeppe 537

Elgar 536 length in the foreleg, but stance is correct. The hindlegs are slightly sickle-hocked. The legwork has satisfactory clean quality but should be a little finer and drier. Elger 536 completed the central examination as a sixyear-old. He is an attentive and friendly stallion with extremely easy contact manners. He is very responsive under saddle and shows good mentality and lots of willingness to work. He produces a beautiful silhouette but needs to develop more natural capacity for self-carriage in trot. The stallion displays a good walk and good use of the body. In canter he also demonstrates lots of self-carriage, balance, and technique. With the in-harness work the stallion needs to develop more scope in the walk, and in trot he relies on speed to achieve self-carriage. He then struggles a bit to maintain the connection. He produces satisfactory posture and also has satisfactory forward reach in the foreleg. Elger 536 can be used for mares with good use of the hind leg and he can improve the canter. The stallion is also expected to improve breed expression and make a positive contribution towards a cooperative character and a good mentality.

Jeppe 537 was born in 2019 with the name of Jasper. His breeder is Mr Loopers from Alteveer. He is an Alwin 469 son out of a Star AA mare by Pier 448. Jeppe 537 has a kinship of 18.2%, comes from pedigree 99, with a height at withers of 1m70. Jeppe 537 is a breed-typical stallion with satisfactory noble quality of the head, abundant feathers, and a long, vertical neck with a little bit of an under-neck. Jeppe is a long-lined stallion with uphill build, a good topline, and a strong loin section. The shoulder is a little steep and the croup is slightly sloping with satisfactory length. Jeppe 537 is a high-legged horse with good length in the foreleg. Stance of both forelegs is, however, a little toed-out. He is sicklehocked in the hind legs and the gaskin is a little long. He slightly lacks dry and clean quality of legwork. Jeppe 537 completed the central examination at the age of four. He is an alert, investigative stallion who can be a little cheeky from time to time. In terms of stable manners he is honest and easy to handle but with a keen eye for his surroundings. He has very good work ethics with a lot of go. The stallion shows a fine posture with three good basic gaits, with his very good trot and canter particularly catching the eye. He offers the rider a lot of his own free will and transitions come very easy to him. In front of the carriage the stallion demonstrates lots of front and forward go. Jeppe 537 has a lot of aptitude for driving as well as show-driving work and his active, carrying hind leg and ample forward reach in the foreleg positively stand out. The stallion displays good use of the body, balance and moment of suspension with the in-harness work. Jeppe 537 can be used for mares with correct stance of legwork and satisfactory scope in the walk. He is expected to add a lot of technique in trot and canter. The stallion is also expected to improve use of the body as well as long-lined, uphill conformation.

Nyk 538

Jeppe 537

Nyk 538 was bred by the Tanck family from Vragender and at his birth in 2020 was given the name of Naud T. van Sessing. He is a Tiede 501 son out of a Model Sport AA mare by Bartele 472. He has a kinship of 18.5%, comes from pedigree 50 and stands 1m66 at withers. He stems from the first crop of offspring by Tiede 501. Nyk 538 is a breed-typical stallion with good front and a satisfactorily noble head. He slightly lacks poll and neck length, but has a vertical neck which rises a little heavy from the chest. Nyk 538 has a bit of a square model with an uphill build and satisfactory length in the foreleg. He has a sloping shoulder and a strong topline with correct croup conformation. The stallion has correct stance in the dry and clean legwork, but his feet should be a bit bigger. Nyk 538 completed the central examination at the age of three. He is a polite and intelligent stallion who enjoys January 2024

Nyk 538 getting attention. He possesses a roomy and regular walk and a trot with good use of the hind leg. He needs to develop more balance in the canter. Nyk 538 moves with a fine contact and responds well to rider aids. He demonstrates lots of zest for work and has a cooperative character. The stallion has aptitude for both driving and showdriving work, showing lots of front and forward go in the harness. He moves with a strong and active hind leg, is good at transitions, and the moment of suspension is satisfactory. With the in-harness work trainability and willingness for work are also good. Nyk 538 stands out with his very good walk which he is expected to improve in breeding. The stallion is best used on mares with satisfactory length of neck without being too heavy in the front. Nyk 538 is expected to contribute to breed expression and to improve work ethics.

Martinus 539 Martinus 539 was bred by the Nooteboom-Scholte family in Vegelinsoord and was born in 2020 with the name of Melle ‘van de Brink’. He is a Tiede 501 son out of a Star mare by Sipke 450. Martinus 539 has a kinship of 17.8%, comes from pedigree 138 and stands 1m66 at withers. He stems

Martinus 539 58 January 2024

from the first crop of offspring by Tiede 501. Martinus 539 is a stallion with satisfactory breed expression and satisfactory noble quality of the head. His head-neck connection is a little heavy and the neck rises somewhat deep from the chest. He is a stallion with a strong topline but we would like to see a slightly stronger connection with the loin section. The croup has satisfactory length and is lightly sloping. Body shape is somewhat downhill and he could have been a little more long-lined. The stallion has satisfactory length in the foreleg with correct stance and dry and clean legwork, including generous feet. Martinus 539 completed the central examination at the age of three. In the stable his behaviour is a little reserved. He demonstrates good natural balance under saddle and nice use of the body. He is good at transitions, showing active use of the hind leg. This stallion is an all-round utility horse with lots of go and is easy to train. Martinus 539 has more than satisfactory aptitude for driving work and satisfactory talent for show driving. In driven work he moves with satisfactory front and easy use of the body as well as good bend in the hock. He displays a long moment of suspension but needs to develop still more forward reach in the foreleg. In show-driving work he needs to show more front and posture. Martinus 539 can be used on well-developed, long-lined mares that don’t have too much slope in the croup. The stallion is expected to add good use of the hind leg and to contribute to work ethics and trainability. The stallion is extra interesting because of the lineage in his dam line.

Murk 540 Murk 540 was bred by Mrs Van Kempen in Rijkevoort and at his birth in 2020 was given the name of Mr M. van de Sprong. Murk 540 is a Teun 505 son out of a Crown AA mare by Loadewyk 431. He has a kinship of 18%, comes from pedigree 115 and stands 1m65 at withers. He stems from the first crop of offspring by Teun 505. Murk 540 possesses satisfactory breed expression. He

Murk 540

Manno 541 has a very noble head and satisfactory feathers but would benefit from slightly more poll and neck length. He is a classy stallion of slender build with a youthful expression and slightly downhill body conformation. The stallion has a strong topline with a wide loin section and correct croup conformation. He has elegant and dry legwork. Stance of the forelegs is correct, the hind legs are slightly sickle-hocked. Murk 540 completed the central examination at the age of three. He is a people-oriented horse and well-behaved, but at the same time noticeably sensitive too. He likes structure and routine. Under saddle he demonstrates a lot of zest for work combined with a good mentality. His movement is of a remarkably light-footed quality with good capacity for transitions. The stallion possesses a strong and active hind leg, showing fine, roomy use of the foreleg, but he needs to develop more suppleness in all gaits. Murk 540 has lots of aptitude for show-driving work and satisfactory aptitude for driving work. He moves with ample forward reach in the foreleg and very good bend in the hind leg, but sometimes still struggles a bit with self-carriage. Murk 540 can be used to add light-footedness and elegance. The stallion is best used on mares with a lot of front. He can also have a positive effect on work ethics and trainability.

length and is lightly sloping. We would like to see a little more length in the foreleg but stance of legwork is correct. The legwork is hard and dry but should be a little finer. The stallion has small feet. Manno 541 completed the central examination as a three-year-old. He stands out with his mentality and trainability. The stallion has lots of go and great work ethics. The stallion is quite alert to his surroundings when under saddle but he has no trouble releasing the tension. Manno 541 has very friendly and well-behaved stable manners and is not easily impressed. He is very confident and can be playful at times. The stallion’s movement shows a good walk and a correct, satisfactorily uphill canter. Manno 541 needs to learn to move with more self-carriage and suppleness in all paces. Manno 541 shows the same picture in front of the carriage: a powerful walk with good mentality and trainability. The stallion has little aptitude for show-driving because he moves slightly downhill in trot and therefore lacks front. Forward reach in the foreleg is satisfactory. Manno 541 can be used to improve work ethics and willingness to work,

Menso 542 Menso 542 was bred by Stal Jede in Vledder and was born under the name of Mayson Jede in 2020. Menso 542 is an Ulbrân 502 son out of a model-sport-performance and AA daughter of Tsjalle 454. He has a kinship of 18.1%, comes from pedigree 50, and is 1m65 at withers. Menso 542 is a stallion with satisfactory breed expression and he radiates youth. He has a noble head but head-neck connection should be a little lighter. Feathers and length of neck are satisfactory. The stallion’s build is slightly downhill but with a strong topline and a wide loin section. The croup is lightly sloping and a bit high in shape but has satisfactory length. The foreleg is a little standing-under and his hind leg is a little sickle-hocked. The legwork is delicate, hard, and dry with slightly small feet.

Manno 541 Manno 541 was born in 2020 as Manno fan Burmania. His breeder is Mr Faber in Sint Nicolaasga. Manno 541 is a Fonger 478 son out of a Star Preferent mare by Andries 415. He has a kinship of 17.7%, comes from pedigree 22 and his height at withers is 1m66. Manno 541 is the first approved son for Studbook stallion Fonger 478. Manno 541 is a stallion with strong conformation and satisfactory breed expression and feathers. Noble expression of his head is satisfactory and his neck is of satisfactory length but rises a little deep from the chest. The stallion’s build is slightly downhill and he has a strong topline with a wide and strong loin section. The croup has satisfactory

Menso 542 January 2024

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Mans 543

Mans 543 Menso 542 completed the central examination at the age of three. He has very friendly and polite stable manners. The stallion has very pleasant contact manners but tends to become insecure in unfamiliar or new situations. Under saddle he demonstrates very good natural balance and mentality. He demonstrates good capacity for transitions with an active hindleg and fine, roomy use of the foreleg. Menso 542 is an all-round utility horse. Menso 542 moves in a light contact and is very responsive to the rider aids. He is always fully concentrated on the job. Menso 542 is very talented for driving work but certainly also for show driving. He moves with a satisfactory front and good bend in the hind leg, showing a long moment of suspension. He easily comes back onto the hind leg and shows good forward reach in the foreleg. Menso 542 can be used to improve work ethics and trainability. Menso 542 is a good match for mares with satisfactory length in the foreleg and a strong topline. He is expected to add balance and bend in the hind leg. Menso 542 can boast a lot of preferent blood in his lineage.

Mans 543 was bred by Mrs Slagers-Karnebeek and was born in 2020 under the name of Mans van de Gonda. Mans 543 is a Teun 505 son out of a Star Preferent Norbert 444 mare. He has a kinship of 18.7%, comes from pedigree 13, and his height at withers is 1m68. He stems from Teun 505’s first crop of offspring. Mans 543 is a stallion with satisfactory breed expression. The stallion’s head could be a bit more aristocratic but he has a long, vertical neck with a light head-neck connection. Mans 543 is a long-lined stallion with an uphill build. He has a strong topline but is somewhat raised in the loin section. The croup has satisfactory length and is lightly sloping. Stance of the foreleg is correct with satisfactory length. Stance of the hind leg is a bit toed-out and sickle-hocked. Hard and dry quality of legwork is satisfactory, the feet are well-developed. Mans 543 completed the central examination at the age of three. He is a friendly and people-oriented stallion with an inquisitive mindset. The stallion is a joy to work with in all disciplines but should move with a bit more go and elasticity in the body. Under saddle the stallion has a strong walk and a satisfactory canter, but he needs to develop more use of the body and suppleness in all paces. He has satisfactory aptitude for driving as well as show driving. In movement he demonstrates satisfactory bend in the hind leg and satisfactory capacity for transitions, placing the foreleg forward with ample reach. He displays very good stature and self-carriage. He gives his driver a good feeling and is easy to train, also making progression. Mans 543 can be used on mares with a powerful trot and is expected to add youthfulness and correct conformation. ■

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE BREEDING NEWS WORLDWIDE SPORT HORSE STALLION DIRECTORY IS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLICATION EARLY 2024 FOR NEW AND RETURNING ADVERTISERS, PAGES ARE NOW OPEN FOR ADVANCE RESERVATIONS, BUT PLEASE EMAIL REQUIREMENTS A.S.A.P. AS SPACE IS LIMITED (DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS JANUARY 31) EDITOR@BREEDINGNEWS.COM

January 2024

WBFSH publishes annual studbook members’ reports BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / WBFSH PRESS RELEASE Each year, member studbooks of the WBFSH are asked to submit statistics and new initiatives introduced from the preceding year (2022), offering valable insights into trends within the breeding sector. The figures provide part of the data used for their State of the Industry Report.

n alphabetical order, the member studbooks new develoments in 2022 appear below (A = Associate member):

• ACE Studbook - Australian Continental Equestrian Group Inc (ACE) – Full member since 2015 There has been a significant increase in the number of registration applications over the past 12 months.

• Asociación Española de Criadores de Caballos Anglo-Árabes (AECCAÁ) – Full member since 2019 We continued helping members to improve the genetic selection by organizing the import of doses from selected stallions, mainly for eventing and endurance.

• American Warmblood Registry & North American Sportpony Registry (AWR) – Full member snce 1999 Mandatory Genetic Testing for FFS. • Breeders Elite Studbook for Irish & European Sports Horses (BE/SIES) – Full member since 2016 Two successful stallion grading shows were held in Spring andAutumn 2022, which had not been possible prior due to Covid. Our passports have been updated/improved and include a loose leaf pedigree page. Our members are kept up to date with a quarterly newsletter. Our

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members/breeders and stallion owners were informed of the new WBFSH show in September 2023 and generated much interest.

• Associacao Brasileira de Criadores do Cavalo de Hipismo (ABCCH) – Full member since 1996 New studbook operation system (T.I.) • Criadores de Caballos Deportivos Mexicanos, A.C. (CCDM) – Full member since 2005 Breeding policy: best bloodlines in records.

• Canadian Sport Horse Association (CSHA) – Full member since 2001 Video option offered for mare inspection will continue. In person inspection still required for stallions.

• Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association (CWHBA) Second year of using video conferences for Stallion Licensing. SPT was modified with discipline specific scoring and shortened to 3 days. • Czech Warmblood Breeders Association/Svaz chovatelů českéhoteplorevníka (SCHČT) – Full member since 2015 New studbook order, performance testing of stallions – sport test for three-. four-, five-, and six-year-old old stallions, beginning of the SNP chip testing.

• Danish Warmblood/Dansk Varmblod (DWB) – Full member since 1994 Development of breeding values for linear profiling.

• Irish Sport Horse (ISH) – Full member since 1995 Completed the reference library for transition to SNP.

• Estonian Sport Horse Breeders Society/Eesti Sporthoubuste Kasvatatjate Selts (ESHB) – Full member since 2010 (2005/A) Performance test support for young horses preparing for world breeding championships for young horses.

• KWPN of North America, Inc. (KWPN-NA) – Full member since 2013 We had KWPN judges attend the North American Stallion Sport Test to determine if the KWPN and the KWPN-NA will start participating in the NASST. The KWPN judges have agreed to begin using the NASST as a venue to carry out the character test for any KWPN-NA licensed stallions to move forward with full approval. Assuming they have met the offspring and performance requirements. We began using the iPads for our KWPN judges that came for our inspections. • Latvian Horse Breeders Association/aka Latvian Warmblood Studbook (LWB) – Full member since 2008 LWB young breeders team participated in World championship Ermelo, The Netherlands for first time. It was good international experience and motivation for future job with a young breeders activities in LWB.

• The Finnish Horse Breeding Association/Suomen Hippos ry (FWB) We have developed a way to self-monitor stables by our organisation. Our goal is to verify equine healthcare to people outside the horse industry in order to maintain social license. We will be auditing stables and we will give the stables a sign of acceptance after auditing. We will also collect data of how the horses are being kept in Finland. At first this is mandatory for licensed trainers that manage horses for harness racing. It is voluntary for any other breeders and stable owners and in time we hope the stables find out how having been audited gives them a better rank in public discussion. In one point we want to have our own Equine national healthcare program, since giving medication to horses in Finland is strickly limited and only veterinarians have the authority to issue medication. One cannot have reserve medication for in case of emergency yet, but it will be possible with the Equine national healthcare program. • Hungarian Sport Horse/Magyar Sportlótenyésztők Országos Egyesülete (MSLT) New portal and online studbook.

• Italian Sport Horse Studbook/Mi.P.A.A.F. (Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali) (MIPAAF) – Full member since 2001 Changes of ownership and foaling declarations are to be sent by pec or online, no more by mail.

• Norwegian Warmblood Association/Norsk Varmblod (NWB) – Full member since 1998 Transfer of registration data from HorsePro to Equis/DeltaHorses started. • New Zealand Hanoverian Society (NZHS) – Full member since 2018 Foal numbers now split between NZHS and RHEIN-NZ; past years included the total amount of both studbooks under NZHS. • New Zealand Warmblood Association (NZWA) – Full member since 2018 New Zealand had a visit from two overseas breeding experts – Michael Doherty and Emma Thoren Hellsten – January 2024

who put pressure on the showjump breeders of NZ to register their horses with a WBFSH member stud book as most showjump horses here have no passports or papers. We hope this will see an influx of registrations. We also had Gerd Kuest from Germany return for a very successful mare and foal inspection tour. It was our first "live" tour in several years due to covid restrictions • Verband der Züchter des Oldenburger Pferdes e.V. (OLDBG) – Full member since 1994 Oldenburg pairing programme offered to breeders at the begining of the breeding season 2022.

• Springpferdezuchtverband Oldenburg- International e.V. (OS) – Full member since 2001 Oldenburg pairing programme offered to breeders at the begining of the breeding season 2022. • Asociacion Nacional De Criadores De Caballos de Pura Raza Espanola - National Purebred Spanish Breeders' Association of Spain (ANCCE/PRE) ANCCE registered 12,607 new PRE Horses in the Birth Register of the PRE Studbook (6,141 males and 6,466 females). Thus, the breed census as of December 31, 2022 was 275,018 horses (138,805 males and 136,213 females), belonging to 46,345 active stud farms in 67 countries, which represents a 2.46% increase of horses and almost 5% of stud farms with respect to the previous year. Of the newly incorporated PRE breeders registered, 46% are from outside Spain – mostly in the USA, Italy and Germany. The other 54% of the stud farms are located in Spain. In terms of the other services offered by the PRE Stud Book office, there have been 5,979 assessments as Basic Breeding Stock and 10,389 changes of ownership. Of these ownership modifications, most were in the United States, Mexico, Italy and Germany. It is noteworthy that authorized veterinarians took 23 trips abroad for Basic Breeding Stock evaluation, including but not limited to the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Sweden, New Zealand and New Caledonia (France). This fact shows that the promotional efforts in

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recent years to make Purebred Spanish Horses known the world over are beginning to pay off. The quality of PRE StudBook services is certified by UNE-EN ISO 9001:2015 standards. Year after year, the indexes for quality, efficiency and reliability increase, which has earned the Stud Book office international recognition, to become a reference for other equine breeds, especially in Europe. The ANCCE Molecular Genetics Laboratory has the latest in equipment and performs genetic parentage analyses on all PRE horses seeking registration, wherever they are located in the world. This laboratory is one of the few in Spain that has Quality Certification based on UNE-EN ISO 9001:2015 Standards, and with ENAC accreditation based on UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. It is noteworthy that this is the first and only laboratory in Spain that is certified to ‘analyze the genetic markers involved in equine coat colors.’ This certification, backed by ENAC, places this analytical laboratory at the forefront of the business to guarantee that all services meet the highest standards. This endorses the excellence of the work carried out, thus resulting in greater efficiency and improvements in the services offered to Purebred Spanish Horse (PRE) breeders the world over, as well as other breeds and species. Moreover, the laboratory is authorized by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as well as being certified by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG), which includes this laboratory in Ranking 1 for accuracy, with 100% of the samples coinciding in the external quality control tests performed. ANCCE is involved in a genomics project that facilitates an increase in the speed and magnitude of the genetic progress in PRE Horses. It also leads to the early detection and verification of inherited traits that entail considerable economic costs, which translates into financial benefits for stud farms. ANCCE will also implement a digital tool for breeders to integrate all of this easy-to-use information when anticipating selection or performance problems and to make rational breeding decisions based on reliable data to avoid losses, reinforce resources, and attain faster and more efficient genetic progress to establish quality PRE standards on national and international markets. From the standpoint of genetic selection, the ANCCE StudBook published the genetic values and indexes for all horses that were genetically assessed throughout 2022. When it comes to confirmation aptitudes for Dressage, the genetic values for 37 different conformation traits and the Global Genetic Index (GGI) were also published. In the case of Dressage, the genetic values for six (6) variables and the GGI for each horse were also published.

• Associação Portuguesa de Criadores de Racas Selectas/ Portuguese Sport Horse Studbook (APCRS/PSH) – Full member since 2002 The Studbook promoted and sponsored the Young Horse National Championships in the three Olympic disciplines.

• Verband der Züchter und Freunde des Ostpreussischen Warmblutpferdes Trakehner Abstammung e.V. (TRAK) – Full member since 1994 SNP typing and genomic services (i.e. PSSM2, colour) can now be ordered online by our members for their horses.

• New Zealand Rhinelander Society (RHEIN-NZ) – Full member since 2018 Foal numbers now split between NZHS and RHEIN-NZ; past years included the total amount of both studbooks under NZHS. • The Slovak Warmblood Studbook (ZCHKS) – Full member since 2013 Registrations now processed under EU Regulation 2015/262.

• Stud Book du Cheval de Selle Français (SBSF/SF) – Full member since 1994 Main developments during 2022: New measures for welfare and health during breeding show: - rhinopneumonia vaccination required - negative viral arteritis test for young male before approval and testing - fences in loose jumping: lower and wider - removal of lunging whip's wicks during every final breeding show - watchfulness's judges about overpreparation or underpreparation during loose jumping with three observable criteria: excessive and persistant worry, exaggeration of movement in crispation, loss of jump trajectory and/or loss of balance on landing Other developments during 2022: New date for the SF Foal Championship – mid-september; genomic project in progress; and foal index in progress.

• Cheval de Dressage Francais (CDF) – 2021 (A) Development of the studbook by organizing information days for breeders, as at EquitaLyon for example.

• Sport Horse Breeding Great Britain (SHBGB) – Full member since 1998 Extensive foal grading programme in addition to existing mare and stallion grading programme. • Studbook La Silla (SLS) – Full member since 2002 More FEI events for young horses in Mexico.

January 2024

WBFSH U WBFSH STUDBOOK RANKINGS 2022-2023 DRESSAGE

■ WBFSH STUDBOOK RANKINGS 2022-2023

■ WBFSH STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT

SHOWJUMPING

WORLD BREEDING FEDERATION FOR SPORT HORSES VILHELMSBORG ALLÉ 1 8320 MAARSLET. DENMARK TEL: +45 (0)87 475400 FAX: +45 (0)87 475410 WWW.WBFSH.COM

EVENTING

66 January 2024

UPDATE

WBFSH STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT 2022-2023 (SECOND EDITION) The eagerly awaited State of the Industry Report 2022-2023 is now officially released, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing WBFSH SIRE RANKINGS 2022-2023 DRESSAGE efforts to enhance the Warmblood breeding sector. Building onFranziska the success of the inaugural report in 2021, this year's edition places a Photo1: spotlight on Welfare and the Social License to Operate (SLO), striving to create a better future for all stakeholders in the industry. The first report, released in 2021, provided a comprehensive snapshot of the scale and activities within Warmblood breeding, contextualized within the broader horse industry. With the release of the second State of the Industry Report, the focus expands beyond data to encompass the critical aspects of Welfare and Social License to Operate. Schwarz, Key objectives of the 2022-2023 edition include: Philipp • Transparency for a Conscious Industry: Emphasizing transparency, the report seeks to bring greater visibility to industry practices, appealing to a more conscious and informed audience. By sharing insights into breeding practices and industry operations, it aspires to create a more accountable and responsible sector. • Constructive Engagement: The 2022-2023 SOI Report encourages constructive and productive engagement among key stakeholders, including the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH), studbooks, breeders, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), National Federations (NFs), and riders. This collaboration aims to foster unity and cooperation for the improvement of the industry. • Identifying Emerging Trends: In addition to providing a current snapshot of the industry, the report aims to identify emerging trends that can shape the future of sport horses breeding. By staying ahead of challenges and opportunities, stakeholders can proactively navigate the evolving landscape. • Relevant Information for Industry Development: The report remains committed to providing relevant and practical information that SHOWJUMPING Photos, clockwise from top leftdevelopment – A great atmosphere on the WBFSH Providing space forinform conversation; Jovian’s breeders, Ten contributes to the continuous of the industry, which stand; includes insightsathat can decision-making, policythe developBosch andplanning. Andreas Helgstrand; Van ment, andfamily strategic Olst, Lottie Fry, Jan PedA few word from the Report's authors: While this second State of the Industry report has allowed us to create an overview of the industry’s current landscape, going forward, with the collection of statistics of subsequent years, it will be possible to gather more data on trends, between studbooks, but also from the industry as a whole. Studbooks can measure their success, and for smaller studbooks, there is the opportunity to make comparisons with their peers, rather than to measure themselves against the bigger players in the industry. But these trends are important not only for our breeders and studbooks. The sectors of breeding and sport are closely connected and interdependent. And we hope to have captured the interest of other stakeholders in the industry – national federations, riders, owners etc. For the next SOI report, to examine further how the health of the breeding industry impacts on sport and vice versa, we hope to expand on how registrations of horses, the number of horses going into the sport, and the worldwide economic state influence the sectors. Covid-19 was not as detrimental to the breeding industry as initially anticipated, with foal numbers having actually continued to rise. But with worldwide pressures we are now facing, with war and an economic decline, we expect to see changes in the years to come. In addition to statistics of the industry we explored the frequency and types of breeding technologies used. This data was difficult to collect, and it is clear that there is a lack of transparency on the frequency of use of various techniques. ET, ICSI, cloning etc are techniques that are changing the landscape of breeding, but it will only be in years to come that we can establish quite how our industry has been shaped by these. Are there implications for inbreeding, for health, and other factors yet to become apparent to us? We hope EVENTING to be able to shed some light on this in the future. Collection of data will remain an important element of future reports. But insights into health and welfare, and the social license to operate will provide building blocks to good breeding practices. Selection for health, not just of performance, is an important consideration for every breeder. Some conditions that have been current in the media have been examined in this report, and future reports will continue to build on exploring other conditions that are note-worthy for our breeders. A separate project of the WBFSH on producing a Welfare Statement that will underpin elements of good breeding practices has kicked off, in collaboration with Hartpury University. Results of this project are anticipated at the end of 2024. There is a strong overlap between the State of the industry report and the Welfare Statement, with topics of mutual importance. Social license to operate and welfare are continuing themes, and therefore will continue to form an important element of following State of the Industry Reports. We have started off with an overview or these two topics, and aim to further explore them, so that we can fulfil our responsibilities to our horses and our industry as a whole. It is the love of the horse that is at the root of all of this, and we want to beHenrik able to von continue Dark Legend, ridden Ecker-and growbyfor years to come, so that our industry is healthy and sustainable . Charlotte Fry mann (SWE) Chacco-Blue/Andreas SandroHenrik Hit with Ulf Katy Holder-Vale riding King Edward Renai Hart Kaasandra Chee

January 2024

CALENDAR OF EVENTS PLEASE, ALWAYS CHECK UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION WITH STUDBOOKS OR EVENT ORGANIZERS AS GLOBAL SITUATIONS MAY CHANGE AND EVOLVE EACH MONTH

2024 JANUARY 10-13 Leeuwarden (NED) Royal Friesian Studbook (KFPS) Stallion Show Tel: +31 (0)900 9000 801 hengstenkeuring@kfps.nl www.kfps.nl 11 Liege (BEL) Belgian Warmblood (BWP) Stallion Selection Show – 2nd phase Tel: +32 (0)16 479 980 info@belgian-warmblood.com www.belgian-warmblood.com 13 Liege (BEL) Belgian Warmblood (BWP) Top Stallion Auction Tel: +32 (0)497 538 982 info@belgian-warmblood.com www.bwp.auction 15-27 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Sport Horse Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com 18-21 Ankum (GER) Oldenburg Stallion Licensing Tel: +49 (0)4441 93550 info@oldenburger-pferde.net www.oldenburger-pferde.net 31-3/2 Den Bosch (NED) KWPN Stallion Show Tel: +31 (0)341 255 555 info@kwpn.nl www.kwpn.org

FEBRUARY 31/1-3/2 Den Bosch (NED) KWPN Stallion Show Tel: +31 (0)341 255 555 info@kwpn.nl www.kwpn.org

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15-17 Sentower Park (BEL) Zangersheide stallion approval and auction selection Tel: +31 (0)89 730 002 info@zangersheide.com www.zangersheide.com

25 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Foal Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com

MAY 16-20 Online (CAN) CWHBA Stallion Service Auction Tel: +1 (306) 373-6620 (CST) office@canadianwarmbloods.com www.canadianwarmbloods.com 25 Münster-Handorf (GER) Trakehner Spring Licensing and Stallion Show info@trakehner-verband.de www.trakehner-verband.de

MARCH 1-3 Gesves (BEL) Belgian Sport Horse (SBS) International Selection Show Tel: +32 (0)81 330 660 sbs@sbsnet.be / www.sbsnet.be 2/3 Deauville (FRA) Zangersheide stallion approval and auction selection Tel: +33 (0)2 31 48 44 55 info@zangersheide.fr www.zangersheide.com 11 Liege (BEL) Belgian Warmblood (BWP) Stallion Selection Show – 3rd phase Tel: +32 (0)16 479 980 info@belgian-warmblood.com www.belgian-warmblood.com

8 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Foal Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com 23 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Foal Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com

JUNE 6 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Foal Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com 27 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Foal Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com

JULY 1-13 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Sport Horse Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com

APRIL 8-20 Verden Online (GER) Hanoverian Sport Horse Auction Tel: +49 (0)4231 6730 hannoveraner@hannoveraner.com www.hannoveraner.com

25 Münster-Handorf (GER) Trakehner 2024 championship info@trakehner-verband.de www.trakehner-verband.de 26-11/8 Paris (FRA) 2024 Olympic Games www.paris2024.org