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Each month Breeding News features reports from our knowledgeable journalists from breed related shows around the world
Below are some excerpts from shows in the February 2009 issue
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Fans of both sport and breeding flock to Dublin
IRELAND (by Susan Finnerty) A thrilling Nations’ Cup win by an inspired Dutch team that also secured the Netherlands a place in the 2011 Meydan league; Anatares F, McLain Ward’s likely successor to Sapphire, claimed the Longines Grand Prix, and Cruising proving to be the crowd favourite during the Horse Sport Ireland five-star stallion parade – these were just some of the highlights of the 2010 Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show.
Dublin has sometimes sprung surprising Nations’ Cup results such as Italy’s win last year, and while France were assured of topping the Meydan Super League, the Netherlands and Spain were both vying to remain in the top division for 2011.
Nations’ Cup
Friday afternoon, when the Nations’ Cup takes place during the five-day Dublin Horse Show, is traditionally the day that every Irish show- jumping fan, owner and breeder is either part of the electric atmosphere in the packed stands or avidly watching the televised event....
The King’s Medal goes to Baby-Fee
BELGIUM (byJodeRoo)DuringtheweekendofAugust14/15,theplacetobewas Gesves, Belgium, where fans from the worlds of sport and breeding eagerly gathered. Of course, among the various breeding activities, selections for Sunday’s final of the “King’s Medal” for two- and three-year-old horses attracted huge crowds, with an international jury evaluating the very talented young prospects.
The jury – Frenchmen Pierre Henriot and François Fis- chesser, Italians Gian Luigi Merisio and Oscar Bondioli, and Germans Heike Willen- berger and Udo Thiemicke – was tasked with judging con- formation and movement, and free jumping, awarding a maximum of 40 and 60 points, respectively. The two- year-old horses were re-
quired to loose jump a fence of 1m10, then 1m20 and 1m25 on Saturday and Sun- day, respectively, for the three year olds. For young horses it is foreign to present themselves in a strange loca- tion, so following each jump they were caught and led to- wards the fences, so they were better reassured.....
Belgium’s Classic Cycle
BELGIUM (by Jo de Roo) The national cycle for young showjumping horses was spread over 12 competitions, from March until the end of July. Last year the points for each horse were based on the best eight results. In 2010 the organizers changed the regulation, with the points gained during 10 participations being taken into account. Meanwhile, the origins of the top 20 horses did not spotlight any one stallion who really left his mark.
However, in talking about the dam lines, several excel- lent young horses go back to marvellous maternal per- formance bloodlines.
During the weekend of Au- gust 14/15, the finals of the Belgian championships for four-, five- and six-year-old horses took place in Gesves, so the following is a summary of both the Classic Cycle and this recent champonship.
Four-year-old horses
Two four-year-olds shared first place: Asterix Sitte (sBs) and Gadriano “R” (BWP). They both realized nine clear rounds in 10 participa- tions. Bred by Daniel Bou- drenghien, Asterix Sitte is a son of Wandor van de Mis- pelaere whose dam line goes back to foundation mare Gute Sitte, winner of the bronze medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games with Eric Wauters...
Great comeback for Stakkato
GERMANY (by Helga Eppler) Stakkato, the nine times German breeding values leader for showjumping is back in sport after a two-year injury lay-off and colic problems, and for the second time won the German championship for lady riders with Eva Bitter in the saddle at the end of August.
Ironically, his approved son Satisfaction (out of a Ca- lypso II dam) placed sev- enth, also with Bitter, while his daughter Souvenir (by a Lemon xx dam) finished fifth in the mixed (men and ladies) championship with Philipp Weishaupt, the 2009 champions.
The now 17-year-old Stakkato (Spartan - Pia x Pygmalion) was Federal champion in 1998 and vice- champion in 1999, on both occasions with Eva Bitter, and has won several Grand Prix and Nations’ Cups events. Over the past two years, the very popular breeding stallion has had several colic surgeries, and the problem has finally been controlled with fre- quent small meals and ample exercise. In addition, he went lame last year and a complete veterinary exami- nation revealed a shoulder injury. Following treatment, he is now fit again although, as his rider explained, “Stakkato has only com- peted in four shows over the last two years”....
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KWPN Horse Days – 2010 edition
NETHERLANDS (by Claartje van Andel) The KWPN Horse Days running over five week-days with all breeding and sporting championships for young horses gathered in Ermelo was a most interesting edition with great champions. The leading studbook in the world has a lot to present and to protect. Great news, at the same time, was the memorandum of understanding signed between the KWPN and KNHS Boards to definitely create and expand their unified centre in Ermelo. It is also a very promising sign that the Boards of both the sport and breeding organisations feel that KNHS (the Dutch Equestrian Federation) and KWPN (Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook) go hand in hand – not surviving one without the other.
This means that the partly new Dutch equestrian cen- tre in Ermelo in the centre of the country, about one hour drive from Schiphol- Amsterdam Airport, will be completed in 2011.
Shared goals is something that breeders and sports- man with the most striking results in practice already exercise. Therefore, it was no surprise that Stoeterij Roelofs for showjumping and Jacqueline van Anholt and Frank van de Valk for dressage were acclaimed breeders of the year.
Roelofs has been breeding for 35 years already, starting by modernizing and con- verting the best Groningen horses into modern electric warmbloods suitable for showjumping. They studied character and behaviour and their stallions Joost and Abgar xx are nowadays pres- ent in some approved stal- lions. The pride of today, Zazou R, was shown by Ben Schröder, and Arthos R by Chantal Regter. Their ap- proved stallions Sam R, Namelus R and the 24 year old mother of Namelus R, called Eamelusiena, accom- panied by her foal from Tolan R, were presented to honour Mr. Roelofs. “It is great to for once be the cen- tre of attention myself,” he said. “My favourite Arthos R descends from the father- line and the motherline of our own breeding and se- lection. This makes me feel proud and happy.” Strict and systematic pedigree se- lection, show jumping qual- ities, character and health have combined into a suc- cessful recipe for Roelofs.....