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Breeding News brings you information from every aspect of the equine breeding industry.
Below are some excerpts from news items in the May 2008 issue
To read the full reports subscribe to Breeding News for Sport Horses
Choice of three home-bred Grand Prix horses for OG
Denmark (by Helga Eppler) Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Danish dressage rider and breeder, has a remarkable choice of three home-bred Danish Warmblood horses for the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games in Hong Kong (August 13-19 for dressage): Rigoletto (Rubinstein - Rosienne x May Sheriff), Digby (Donnerhall - Oxenholm Pamina x Sandro), and Digby’s maternal half brother, Mastermind (Master) Three riders from Denmark are qualified, and Sayn-Wittgenstein is a member of the national squad.
The daughter of the WBFSH patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark, breeds horses at the family's Berleburg Castle in Germany, and all home-bred horses carry the Danish Warmblood brand. “It is a family affair, but I decide which stallion to take for which mare as I have to ride the offspring,” the rider/breeder explained.
The family started with two broodmares: Rosienne (May Sheriff x Rossi xx) and Oxenhom Pamina (Sandro x Deadly Nightshade xx). Deadly Nightshade was a Danish thoroughbred who raced with some success and is a paternal grandson of the legendary Nasrullah (Nearco).
Out of Rosienne, sired by Rubinstein came Rigoletto, with whom Nathalie, as she is simply called in equestrian sport, competed with the Danish team at the European Championships in 2005 in Hagen, Germany, and in 2007 at La Mandria, Italy, finishing sixth in the Grand Prix and 15th in the Grand Prix Special on the latter occasion.
This combination were also runners-up in the Grand Prix Special at the renowned Aachen CHIO, as well as at Wiesbaden. “Rigoletto has a very good interior and is good in his head, which is the reason why he learned quickly, but he is an introvert,” explained the 33-year-old rider about Rigoletto...
Danseur Royale
Germany (by Jean Llewellyn/press release) At the recent Oldenburg 44th Summer Mixed Sale in Vechta, Danseur Royale sold to Switzerland for €87,000 ($134,919). "I am so happy! I just had to have Danseur Royal because I was fascinated by his fantastic rideability and movement capacity", said Hans Voser.
With this bid, the Swiss dressage trainer won the duel against an interested customer from the US. Danseur Royal is from the first crop of the seven-year-old Oldenburg champion stallion, Don Kennedy (Donnerhall - Kilkenny x Kennedy), who was bred by Klaus Wulferding from Wildeshausen.
Auctioneer, Uwe Heckmann, was able to welcome buyer groups from more than 24 nations as guests to the Vechta Horse Centre: from Australia to two new countries, Moldavia and Chile. The results of the auction are just as interesting.
Thirty-six riding horses were auctioned for a total of €630,000/$977,003 (an average price €17,500/ $27,139), and almost half of were sold abroad. The six broodmares were knocked-down for a total of €101,000/$156,631 (average price €16,833/$26,105) and four of them were purchased by foreign customers. The 18 Elite foals sold for €3,589/$5,563 on average, and four of these youngsters will be exported...
Irish round-up
Ireland (by Sally Parkyn) Since 2005, the Irish Horse Board have run a yearly series of show jumping classes for young horses, with the aim of promoting the Irish Sport Horse and show casing it’s talent. The series is confined to horses registered in the Irish Horse Register, who are by a stallion approved in the Main Studbook of the IHR and with both sire and dam documented on their passport.
Run as a league, with eight different venues around Ireland, competitors initially take part in a qualifier with a further 20 horses going forward to a final. It is split into two age groups – five-year-olds and six/seven-year-olds, who compete for significant prize money donated by the Irish Horse Board. Most importantly breeders also benefit, with a prize awarded to the winning breeder of the final at each venue. At the end of the year, those combinations that have received points in the series are invited to attend the Grand Final. An added importance to the series is that the classes are used as part of the selection process for the FEI World Breeding Championships held at Lanaken in September.
Now half way through the season, a clear pattern is emerging, as the really consistent horses feature prominently at each venue. Following the recent fixture at Galway County Show, John Floody holds a commanding lead in the league rankings for five-year-olds. Riding the mare, Coppindell (VDL Arkansas (KWPN) – Bansha Buttercup (ISH) x Renkum Englishman (KWPN)) he has a clear lead over his other ride, Moonlone Prince (Ricardo Z (Zang) – Cappincur Colleen (ISH) x Corran Ginger (RID)). Another VDL Arkansas sired gelding fills the third spot: Ballyshan Arkansas, ridden by Ross Mulholland is out Ballyshan Lady (ISH) x Cavalier Royale (Holst).
Mixed origins for GB Olympic eventers
Great Britain (by Imogen Wood) The announcement of the eventing team to represent Great Britain – arguably the best-performing country in this discipline – at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Hong Kong has been viewed with considerable interest by those trying to detect a pattern to the way in which the introduction of the four-star short course has affected the breeding of top event horses chosen by British riders.
Only two of the original eight horses chosen – William Fox-Pitt’s part-bred Arab Tamarillo (Tarnik [Polish Warmblood] - Melita (AA) x Master Spiritus xx), and Lucy Wiegersma’s SHBGB-registered Shaabrak (Shaab xx - Pollandras Lady [SHBGB] x Zipperdi-do-dah) are British-bred. (The latter pair were runners-up to Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint and Hildago de l’Isle at the 2008 Badminton Horse Trials in May.) It would appear, therefore, that the eventing riders are following their dressage and showjumping compatriots in finding foreign-bred horses more attractive at the moment. And, as Tamarillo may be sidelined in favour of one of William Fox-Pitt’s two Irish Sport Horses, especially after the bay’s willful run out at Badminton this year, the only British-bed horse assured of a place (unforeseen circumstances notwithstanding) is Shaa-brak, whose sire Shaab has produced many top-class event horses over the years including Mr. Smiffy and the skewbald stallion Upton’s Deli Circus (Shaab - Cavalla x The Bran Scottish Horse) – the only coloured advanced stallion registered with British eventing and the only elite graded eventing stallion registered with CHAPS.