By Dr. Ludwig Christmann
November 22, 2019
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Fellini CF
Allie Conrad photo |
For the third time three-day sport tests for stallions according to the German model were carried out in the US from October 29 until November 4, 2019. The organizer is the North American Stallion Sport Test LLC, which was founded by the Oldenburg Verband and the American Hanoverian Society and is supported by the German Hannoveraner Verband. The tests took place in close coordination with the German Equestrian Federation, because this stallion test is fully recognized by the German FN. The judges and the discipline experts travelled from Germany especially for the tests, and experienced riders who are active in the USA and Canada were on hand as test riders.
The two farms on which the test had already been successfully carried out in previous years were available as locations. These were the renowned Hilltop Farm in Maryland on the east coast and Pollyrich Farm in the west, located between the Californian metropolises of San Francisco and Los Angeles.
A total of fifteen stallions competed: seven dressage stallions and eight jumping stallions.
The highest graded dressage stallion with a final score of 8.95 was shown at Pollyrich Farm in California. This was the 4-year-old KWPN stallion Koning DG by Bordeaux/Jazz, bred and owned by DG Bar Ranch, Hanford, California. In addition to three very good basic gaits - of which the canter with a score of 9 especially stood out - the long-legged bay impressed with high rideability values. The test rider dressage Jessica Wisdom was also enthusiastic: "I have never sat on a horse that is so balanced." The reward: a score of 9.5 for rideability.
Runner-up was the 4-year-old Oldenburg black stallion Fellini CF by Finest out of a dam by Rubinstein, who was tested at Hilltop Fam, with an overall score of 8.3. CF stands for the Crosiadore Farm of Nancy Holowesko in Trappe, Maryland, where the dressage talent was bred and where he still stands. With a height of 162 cm, he was a rather small stallion, but he impressed with his three very rhythmic, practical and nevertheless expressive basic gaits. "He was presented here in great harmony with his rider and became better from day to day," said the FN judge Gerd Sickinger. Josef Freese, the dressage discipline expert from Visbek, added, "he reminds me very much of his grandfather Rubinstein."
The two other dressage stallions who passed the test were presented at Hilltop Farm. These were the Hanoverian stallions Dionysus MF (final score 7.85) and Frisantos (final score 7.7). The 4-year-old Dionysus MF, by Doctor Wendell MF/Rotspon, was bred and is owned by Maryanna Haymon, who runs a very successful dressage horse breeding program at Marydell Farm in North Carolina and has already produced several licensed stallions. Frisantos is already five years old and was bred in Germany by Eibe Johanns and is owned by Lisa Smith, Alabama. He is by Franziskus, who is successful up to Grand Prix, out of a mother by Espri. He also passed the test in 2018, so with this second passed test he received his final breeding license.
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Calisto
Allie Conrad photo |
In the group of jumping stallions there was a duel between two stallions who were almost equal at a high level. The highest overall score, 8.38, was awarded to the 5-year-old Westphalian stallion Calisto, a son of the Holsteiner stallion Cancara out of an Argentinian sport mare, which goes back to a Hanoverian mare line. Calisto is a big, sporty grey stallion, who convinced with a very good attitude and rideability, but of course also with a high quality at the jump. "He is super rideable and always focused on his rider," is how Marion Ostmeyer, the test rider of the jumping stallions, characterized him. With a score of 8.28, the 4-year-old Hanoverian Beau Balou, by Bon Balou (who unfortunately had to be put down a few years ago), was only just behind. The colorful chestnut stallion was bred in Ontario, Canada, by Louise Masek out of a sport successful Selle Français mare by Calypso de Moyon. He is a very powerful stallion with a lot of ability, who mastered the demands very calmly and confidently.
Another Bon Balou son bred in Canada passed the test at Hilltop Farm with a final score of 7.88. The 5-year-old Hanoverian Baloujoie, Tara Lambie, Alberta, bred out of a mare by Wonderland. He is owned by Stephanie Hill, Missouri, who also rode him in the test. Like his half-brother, he also impressed with his ability and a super interior. With this result he also received the unlimited breeding license.
The same final mark was awarded in California to the 6-year-old Holsteiner Rip Tide, bred by Hope Goodwin and owned by Max and Jessica Wilcox, Lakeside, California. He impressed with great confidence in the course and willingness to perform and was the highest graded jumper stallion on the West Coast. This was the second time he passed the performance test.
He was followed at Pollyrich Farm by the 4-year-old Hanoverian half-bred Escher DFEN by Escudo II out of the thoroughbred mare Apt to Please xx by Pleasant Tap xx bred and owned by Sarah Mc Carthy, Nevada City, California. His final score was 7.70.
The grey Trakehner stallion Nitro, a 4-year-old son of the legendary Abdullah, made a precision landing with a final score of 7.5, the minimum score necessary to pass. Breeder and owner is Parvin Work from Wisconsin.
Five stallions did not pass the test: two jumpers and three dressage stallions. Two of these dressage stallions had already taken part in the test last year and passed it. Now, one year later, the two stallions were to be further trained in accordance with their age and show a positive development. This was unfortunately not the case in both cases. The two jumping stallions, on the other hand, took part in this test for the first time. Unfortunately, deficits in rideability prevented them from proving their talent over the jump in the desired way.
Over all the results are based on two main factors – the basic quality of a stallion and the training and preparation a stallion gets to make the best from his talents. Both factors are necessary for a stallion to pass.
A big “Thank You" goes to Hilltop and Pollyrich Farms. You could not wish for better hosts than these two places. It is all about people. and the teams at both farms were very dedicated, well-organized and were a big part of why this test was a success again. Buffy and Rick Oas from Pollyrich not only surprised us with a jump designed for the North American Stallion Sport Test (NASST), the NASST logo on the jump was also Buffy’s idea.
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| Anna Goebel with the Warmblood Stallions of North America banner, at the Pollyrich Farm location. Proud to support the North American Stallion Sport Test. |
Relevant links:
North American Stallion Sport Test
Hilltop Farm, Inc.
Pollyrich Farms
We would like to thank Allie Conrad for kindly allowing us to illustrate this article with her beautiful photos! Allie was the official photographer again this year at the Hilltop Farms location. Her website:
Allie Conrad Photography
