Lamaze to ride Hunters Sendix

Belgium (by Jo de Roo) Hunters Scendix is a rising star in the international showjumping world. As a youngster the black stallion collected ribbons in national as well as world championship classes. Based on his own performances he was awarded the ‘elite’ showjumping stallion title by the Belgian Warmblood Association in January 2011.

On December 8, 2011, following the loss of Hickstead, his gold-medal-winning partner from Beijing 2008 and star prospect for the London 2012 Olympic Games, defending champion Eric Lamaze signed an agreement that he will start with Scendix in international showjumping in 2012. In fact, this new partnership will make its debut at the end of January at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Breeding News talked with Ludwig Lemenu and Simon Riquière, owners of Hunters Scendix, his former rider Brecht Bille, as well as Stephan Conter, founder and manager of Stephex Stables who facilitated Lamaze’s contract agreement. Hunters Scendix was born on April 3, 2003, and in March 2010 he was approved as a BWP stallion. Hunters Scendix was sired by Stakkato (Spartan - Pia x Pygmalion) who made a furore in international showjump- ing competitions under the saddle of Eva Bitter. In 2003 Stakkato became German showjumping champion and in 2004 he ranked second. Stakkato has 28 licensed sons in Hanover alone. Scendix is out of Dixie (Dinar - Pinie x Pikör).

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Success for Meroni

Switzerland (by Helga Eppler) Again a great day for Eliano Meroni’s breeding prowess as already, last year, two of his stallions were licensed at the Swiss Warmblood licensing, then his mare won the three-year-old Swiss Breed Classic championship title for Swiss-bred sport horses at Avenches at the end of November.

Out of 16 announced stallions, nine were presented and eight approved. The three-year-old Curtis Sitte by Ugano Sitte out of Casta Sitte (Chellano Z) was bred by Horses of Belgium in Pipaix, and owned by Eliano Meroni from Rancate, Switzerland. “The stallion is a modern type with best elasticity and has an excel- lent foreleg technique over the obstacles, always with the best bascule,” was the comment of Paul Schmalz from the breeding committee. Eliano Meroni from Rancate was already successful last year with a stallion li- censed in the same age group.

S.M. Contador CH, also a three-year-old, by Contendro I out of Nacre du Seigneur (Nabab de Rêve) was bred by Eliano Meroni and owned by the family’s Giulia Meroni. According to the committee’s comments, “He has best pronounced withers, a long shoulder and always regular steps in the ground paces.” The stallion has best Holstein and Selle Français jumping origins with Contender, Ramiro Z, Nabab de Rêve, Grand Veneur and Cor de la Bryère.

The third three-year-old is also Swiss bred, Lord Fan- tasy KWG CH (Lord Lennox - Zigeunerin CH x Zeus), bred and owned by Andreas Ott from Rossau/ Mettmenstetten. “He has a well-shaped neck, is always supple and has excellent hindquarters over the obstacles,” was the expert’s comment. The breeder-owner competes successfully with the youngster’s Holstein-bred sire Lord Lennox, who has best jumping blood and Thoroughbred by Ladykiller xx as well as by the dam’s sire, Zeus, by Furioso xx...

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French breeding in crisis! Part 1

Analysis by Christopher Hector: The breeding scene in France was for so long the most regimented and formalized in Europe. A network of National Studs (Haras Nationaux) covered the land, headed by god-like Breeding Directors and supported by a vast bureaucracy to administer the bewildering profusion of regulations and rules. And the French horse was just that – French. A rigid breeding policy shunned outside influences, and French riders were forbidden to compete for their country on ‘foreign’ horses.

In an astonishingly short period of time all that has changed. Where once, stal- lion marketer Arnaud Evain had to sneak Voltaire semen across the border, arguing that it was to improve dressage quality – now the market is wide open....

And those revered Haras Nationaux are in serious danger of disappearing altogether, while the silver medal winning French riders at the recent European Championships rode horses that dramatically under- scored the changes. Of the four, only one, Lord de Theize is a ‘pure’ Selle Français. One team mem- ber, Silvana, is Dutch born and bred, while the other two, though born in France, are both by outsiders – My-lord Carthago, by the great Holsteiner, Carthago, who spent a season in France, and Kellemoi de Pepita, by Voltaire (that frozen semen may not have done much for the dressage scene, but Voltaire’s progeny can cer- tainly jump). The breeding scene in France is also marked by a curious set of contradictions – on the one hand super slick and professional, on the other appealingly amateur. The highlight of the year are the Great Weeks – and the largest and most prestigious is the one at Fontainebleau (Grande Semaine), where jumping horses and riders from all over the country come to- gether to compete in a seemingly never ending se- ries of classes. This was our first step in our journey to try and get a grip on where French breeding is headed....

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Eventing down under

New Zealand (by Annie Studholme) With many of New Zealand’s leading eventers currently campaigning off-shore with their eyes on the 2012 London Olympics, competition at home remains strong with a number of new combinations on the rise. The New Zealand Thoroughbred Tandarra Sweet As ridden by South Islander Christen Hayde has had a dream start to the season, securing both of New Zealand’s Spring season’s major eventing prizes.

The duo landed well-deserved victories at both the New Zealand national one-day evenging championships at Richfields as well as the Puhinui International three-day event near Auckland two weeks later.

At Richfields, Thorough- breds led the way after dres- sage with Clifton Airtight xx (Justice Prevails xx - Melody Tempo xx), an 11-year-old son of Justice Prevails xx, ridden by Kiwi WEG team bronze medalist Clarke Johnstone, leading from defending champion SE Big (Grosvenor xx - Tandarrexx x Danzatore xx) ridden by Brent Jury and NRM Enzo (Monza xx - Holy Spirit xx x Light Spirits xx) for Annabel Wigley, lying second equal. Jury withdrew SE Big before the cross country, however, following a late preparation for the current season due to injury.

Tandarra Sweet As was lying ninth but moved up with a clear cross-country adding just 3.6 time penalties and one showjumping rail to finish overall on 68.8 penalties, while Clifton Airtight held second for Jock Pagent. Interflora of Renton (Internet - Bhellion x Whimsical Notion), a son of the Oldenburg (Inschallah) stallion Internet, was the first Warmblood home in third place for Dannie Loader, while fourth went to the part Kimanawa pony (a New Zealand native breed) Pioneer Makokomiko (Pioneer NZ - Ginger) with the only clear showjumping round for Ashleigh McKinstry in their first season at Advanced level.

Overnight leader after the dressage and showjumping, Simply Mitch (Ebony Grosve xx) had a fall on the cross-country and were instantly eliminated, but Thoroughbreds dominated the final standings with five of the eight finishers all NZ bred....

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CWHBA inspection tour

Canada (by Jean Llewellyn/press release) The 2011 Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association national inspection tour was highlighted by the first mare inspections using the stallion inspection format, including evaluations in jumping and canter. More than 20 mares and 14 stallions were presented to the inspection team at five sites as they travelled across the country.

In the end an excellent score of 7.94 resulted in Championship honours for Gisela W (Oberon - Glory W), bred by Sigma Warmbloods (Markus Wutheriich) in Alberta. This 2003 mare showed tremendous scope and a good gallop during the inspection at Pelmac Stables in Saskatchewan. She is now owned and was presented by Joy McKinnon of Spy Hill, Saskatchewan.

Runner up with 7.56, was Blomke PR owned and bred by Jim and Leny Boersma of Pheasant Ridge Sport Horses. By Justice and out of Rhapsody PR, this five-year-old mare really impressed with her modern type and jumping technique – clearly demonstrating the stamp of her dam sire, Damiro.

Topping the stallions was Bennington, a 2007 son of Bratt Z owned and bred by Gunter and Theresita Krohn of Quebec. This is another positive result for the Baloubet du Rouet son, Champion of the 2008 stallion performance test...

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Graf Top honoured

Gremany by Jean Llewellyn/press release) Graf Top (Graf Grannus x Calypso II) was honoured during the recent Hanoverian stallion licensing as their “2011 Stallio of the Year”. The Celle State stud stallion was presented in a sold-out Niedersachsenhalle and his breeder, Alfred Brönnemann, from Weferlingsen, was delighted to collect a cheque as well as the tradition-rich Wohlklang sculpture.

Graf Top is the 20th Stallion of the Year, following in the footsteps of his legendary sire Graf Grannus who was accorded the honour in 2004. He is a stallion with many top performance ancestors in his pedigree, and he is certainly one of the most popular Hanoverian showjumping stallions. The popular Goldfisch II blood is represented six times in his pedigree, complemented by the positive Thoroughbred influences of Der Löwe xx and Steinpilz xx. Graf Top descends from the compara- tively young performance line of Steingilde, although it has already produced many outstanding competitions horses and stallions such as Alwins Ass, For Keeps (For Pleasure - Graphik x Graphit) and Laptop. His dam, State Premium mare Capries, also produced Graf Top II and the young Stakkato's Highlight (Stakkato x Calypso II) who won his stallion performance test in Neustadt/ Dosse.

chard Bade, purchased the bay youngster, who grew up at the Hunnesrück stallion station in Lower Saxony. He went to the stallion performance testing station in Adelheidsdorf in 1995 where he passed his stallion test with 130.51 points – fourth overall for his age-group and earning equally excellent scores for both, dressage and showjumping. He had to compete against the subsequently successful international jumpers Stakkato and Glenfiddich....

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