Priviledged to know these geniuses

Trausti frá Þóroddsstöðum

f. Þröstur frá Hvammi Sigurrós frá Stuðlum

“Trausti is a genius. I showed him four-years-old and he already had open gaits and ready for anything. The tölt was naturally good but the pace always clear. Glódís Rún Sigurðardóttir competed on Trausti for Iceland at the WC in Berlin 2019.” Photo: Óðinn Örn Jóhannsson “Sigurrós is a natural gæðingur with great speed in all gaits, high leg action, large steps, and a big and strong mare. The plan was to show her again in the spring of 2020, but due to Covid-19 that didn’t happen. Photo: Nicki Pfau

f. Dynur frá Dísarstöðum

Father CS RAS TS

Draupnir Stuðlum Elja frá Sauðholti 2 Jarl frá Árbæjarhjáleigu II Katla frá Hemlu II Kolka frá Breiðholti í Flóa Kiljan frá Steinnesi 8.74 8.97 8.88 Brimnir frá Ketilsstöðum 8.56 8.88 8.76 Stáli frá Kjarri Skýr frá Skálakoti 8.50 8.96 8.78 8.48 8.89 8.72 Grunur frá Oddhóli 8.16 9.10 8.73

Sigurrós frá Stuðlum

Dynur frá Dísarstöðum 8.36 8.70 8.56 Spaði frá Stuðlum Barði frá Laugarbökkum 8.53 8.87 8.73 Trausti frá Þóroddsstöðum Þröstur frá Hvammi 8.34 8.87 8.66

The National Breeding show

A future event?

The National Breeding show took place in Hella on June 27th in excellent weather conditions. The event was a collaboration of The Horse Breeders association, The Icelandic Agricultural Advisory Centre, The Horses of Iceland Project and Rangárbakkar. The event draw over 1200 guests to Hella and a great number of subscribers also watched online on www.eidfaxi.is, where one could choose from Icelandic, English or German. Þorvaldur Kristjánsson former breeding director, and Jón Vilmundarson horse breeder, were speakers in charge in Hella. Photos by Louisa Hackl

Álfaklettur frá Syðri-Gegnishólum, the highest judged 7 year and older stallion, received the Faxabikar trophy. From left: Sigríkur Jónsson, Sveinn Steinarsson, Sólveig Stefánsdóttir, Bergur Jónsson, Olil Amble and Álfaklettur, Magnús Einarsson, Daníel Jónsson and Rauðskeggur frá Kjarnholtum, Kolbrún Jónsdóttir and Þór frá Stóra-Hofi.

The right to take part in the show were the ten highest judged breeding horses in all age classes, that is 4, 5, 6 and 7 years old stallions and mares. Most of them were able to come to Hella to be presented by their riders and to receive rewards for their achievements, since there was no Landsmót this year like planned. Stallions with first prize for offspring were also presented, as well as honorary prize stallions. Four stallions received first prize for offspring: Skaginn frá Skipaskaga, Ölnir frá Akranesi, Konsert frá Hofi and Stormur frá Herríðarhóli. Honorary prize for offspring reiceived three stallions: Skýr frá Skálakoti, Óskasteinn frá Íbishóli and Loki frá Selfossi. Þorvaldur Kristjánsson breeding director in horse breeding at the time, claimed that this show was very important since Landsmót was cancelled, so the top breeding horses this year would get their rigtfully earned prizes, both for their individual performances as well as for offspring. Eiðfaxi contacted a few commentators to have their opinion on the event.

The owners of Fold frá Flagbjarnarholti received the Þorkelsskjöldur trophy, which is given to the highest judged mare of the event. From left: Sveinn Steinarsson, Eyvör Sveinbjörnsdóttir, Bragi Guðmundsson and Sveinbjörn Bragason.

Haraldur Sveinsson and Jóhanna Bríet Ingólfsdóttir horse breeders in Hrafnkelsstaðir 1 What did you think of the event?

We thought it was a good event and enjoyed watching it from our car. We would have liked to have met more people and be able to walk around the area, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we stayed in the car.

Do you think this event will be annual from now on?

Yes, why not? We could very much picture it develop into an annual event.

Do you think this arrangement, where the breeding horses are only presented and not judged, would suit an event like Landsmót in the future?

Yes definitely, mostly due to the freshness we noticed in the younger horses. They were not coming to Landsmót after maybe a few breeding shows and then had to perform again at Landsmót, instead they came only to be presented on their own terms. Even if the young horses are extremely good, we must remember not to compare them to older horses and demand too much of them, and this arrangement can surely be of help there. The only question is if Landssýning in the years between Landsmót, should take place later in the summer, so more horses get the chance to take part in it. But it is also understandable that we have to draw the line somewhere.

Helga Una Björnsdóttir horse breeder and rider What did you think of the event?

I thought it was a great event and I liked the arrangement, and the horses got a good presentation. The weather was also nice, so that helped too. It does not replace Landsmót, but definitely fun and necessary in times like these.

Do you think this event will be annual from now on?

Perhaps it will, but only in the years between Landsmót. I really believe though, that prizes like honorary prize and 1. Prize for offspring only belongs to Landsmót, but of course it was understandable to hand out these prizes this year at Landssýning, because of the times we live now.

Do you think this arrangement, where the breeding horses are only presented and not judged, would suit an event like Landsmót in the future?

As a rider, I feel that is quite special to show the horses again at Landsmót. The atmosphere is unique, and we prepare differently for it. I don’t think I would like to give that up. Stormur frá Herríðarhóli received 1. Prize for offspring. From left: Jelena Ohm, Sveinn Steinarsson, Ólafur Arnar Jónsson and Renate Hannemann in Herríðarhóll, Árni Björn Pálsson on Stormur.

Árni Björn and Stormur frá Herríðarhóli showed why they were hard to beat in T1 on the competition track for years.