4 minute read
Gelding of the month
by hqmagazine
LUKAS 911
TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY
After the gelding owner revolt that followed our ‘Stallion of the month’ and ‘Mare of the month’ features, we felt compelled to make all things fair and allow the geldings their chance in the spotlight.
This month’s gelding is a very special horse owned by mother-daughter duo Marilena and Sam Foley, who stable Lukas 911 at Eaton Farm.
ABOUT
– Sam Foley
Photography: Hilary O'Leary
Tall, dark, and handsome, Lukas 911 is the perfect European gentleman. At 17 years old, he is an established Grand Prix horse, having competed successfully as a team member for the German B team with Franziska Steigelmeier. This consummate professional competed in over 300 shows and placed in numerous international 4* competitions in Europe before arriving on South African soil in 2020.
Seeing Sam and Lukas together, one feels they have always been a partnership. Sam is hugely grateful to Lukas for all of the experiences they have shared together, from competing in multiple countries, to training in the same arena as the world-renowned Totilas and even being in a prize-giving with Olympian Grand Prix dressage rider Hans Peter. Lukas, on the other hand, seems to love his South African existence and has settled into life in our sunny climate beautifully!
Sam acknowledges that there were rocky moments for the pair initially due to Lukas being a very different ride to Chevalier, Sam’s retired Grand Prix horse. Lukas 911 is a big horse with a lot of blood and power, but over time the pair have worked together with Lukas 911 showing his quality and Sam her adaptability as a rider to form the perfect partnership. With perseverance, time, and effort, this team has grown in confidence, and their performances get better every time. With the help of coach Andrea Buchmann, Lukas 911 and Sam can achieve and set new goals. Now competing comfortably at Grand Prix level, the pair have set a target of achieving 70% in a Grand Prix. It will be very exciting to see what Lukas has to offer to both Sam and the competition ring in the years to come.
BREEDING
This 17-year-old gelding is sired by the Bavarian Warmblood Lagiator. Looking back in Lagiator’s pedigree, you see familiar names from showjumping such as Landgraf I, Zeus and Chin Chin. And yet, whilst these are not dressage lines per se, one only needs to look at Lukas 911 to see that this combination of top stallions can produce the ultimate dancing horse.
Wenga is the mother of Lukas 911, and the well-known Sammy Davies Jr. Sammy Davies Jr was produced by Olympic Dressage rider Dorothee Schneider. Wenga is sired by Wenckstern. This stallion competed in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen under fellow South African Natalie Hobday. Wenckstern’s father, Weltmeyer is very well known in the sport of dressage. He was a true foundation stallion for dressage breeding, and in 1998, Weltmeyer was awarded ‘Hanoverian Stallion of the Year’. He is often given the sought-after title of ‘legend’.
THE FUTURE
While Lukas 911 may not himself contribute to the breeding of more spectacular dressage horses for South Africa, he and Sam are certainly providing plenty of inspirational footage for dressage riders around the country!
