A Filly by Brentano

After spending 16 enjoyable years at Longwarry North, Hollingrove Stud will be moving 15 minutes further down the highway to our new larger property - the beautiful and historic “Figuna Estate” in Copelands Road, Warragul. The park-like property features a 100 year old homestead in a magnificent garden setting, which includes a 100 year old holly hedge. Originally the property raised sheep and mules for export, but in latter years has been used for cattle grazing.

However, it was actually the large, softly undulating paddocks, beautifully sheltered by established treestands and the rich chocolate soil that we fell in love with as we visualised mares and foals contentedly grazing on the lush pastures. We are currently in the process of setting up horse facilities that will compliment the beauty and charm of “Figuna”.
This breeding season we have been fortunate to have 5 super foals -3 frozen semen babies by Brentano 11, Rotspon and Weltmeyer, as well as 2 fillies by the popular imported Hanoverian stallions Prince Noir and Gymnastik Star. Huge interest in the stunning Brentano 11 filly from the famous Faleten’s daughter H.Fallon (x Don Ramiro) has resulted in her sale to Tasmania. Congratulations to Diane Porteous on making us an offer that we really could not refuse! We eagerly await Fallon’s half sister H.Fantine’s (x Flemmingh) first foal by Falsterbo later in the year. Our beautiful black Rotspon colt from our Aachen mare H.Samoa did us proud by winning the Supreme Champion Foal award at the recent ISSA Show with the massive average score of 88%, which resulted in us winning the fabulous prize of a frozen semen service to either Contucci or Parabol, kindly donated by Hilltop Farms. Plans are to breed Samoa back to Rotspon this year, as we would dearly love a filly with Romeo’s looks movement and best of all- outstanding temperament to continue her line. Using the proven cross of Donnerhall/ Weltmeyer has worked well for us, with H.Chandon breeding us a powerful big colt who looks and moves just like his dad! Chandon’s 4 yo half sister H.Winona(x Wunder) is doing exceptionally well for her new owner Julie Smout, winning at both the AWHA and ISSA Shows and will shortly begin her dressage career. It is very rewarding to see horses that you have bred out competing successfully for their new owners, and even more importantly bringing them pleasure and enjoyment in their day to day lives, so that the “word of mouth” recommendation is your greatest sales advertisement.

Gerhard & Galauteus

Gerhard Quast from Holstein Park, together with Ursula Lang have joined their breeding programmes at Paradise Stud to make a big impact on Warmblood breeding in Australia through further development and improvement of bloodlines.

Gerhard, aged 72 and not yet retired, believes in always striving to improve the breeding to achieve the best results: “More modern types with still more movement and better temperament.” He also looks for jumping ability, as he says, ‘if you have a horse that can do both dressage and jumping, you are always in front.’
Gerhard’s breeding programme has included importing four stallions from Germany: Monopol (1975), Falkland (1979), Lander (1983) and Casanova (1998) and ensuring that he found mares with the best breeding characteristics to create the best match. The results have been excellent with 17 Grand Prix dressage horses and a large number of A grade showjumpers. Even last year, one mare bred by Gerhard was sold to America for showjumping.
He says: “In Australia not many showjumping riders will pay big money for a Warmblood, they would rather buy a number of Thoroughbreds. But if you buy one horse that goes to the top, that is what you want – think about it! This is where the Europeans are in front – by breeding and riding the best.”
Gerhard believes that, “we have too many breeders in Australia who are breeding with any mare and/or stallion, not giving due regard to quality, character and improvement – this is wrong.” Gerhard’s advice to others is to choose the best mares, even when using frozen semen. He has seen many disasters with frozen semen. “People are spending lots of money and do not achieve quality, they need to ask the experienced breeders for advice and go for the best – not just any mare.”
Ursula Lang began breeding performance horses in Germany half way between Verden and Celle, strongly influenced by the philosophy and strict selection process of the Hanoverian Verband. She comments: “It took the Germans a couple of hundred years to establish their breeds and to refine them to the standards they have today. There is certainly no way to achieve the same result by taking a dose of frozen semen and artificially inseminating just any mare. If you listen carefully to the established breeders, you will find out there is much more to breeding, like finding the right match of mare and stallion which is still the secret ingredient in successful breeding.”
Ursula’s first broodmare came from one of the highest regarded breeding barns, and she is now breeding from her daughter and grand-daughter. Ursula imported these two mares, plus two other top quality broodmares, when she emigrated from Germany in 1995. Then four and a half years ago, Ursula bought the great stallion, Moselfischer, who came directly from the Celle State Stud when he was imported in 1983. Ursula believes strongly that Moselfischer is still a ‘modern horse’ considering his dam, and the sire of the super-champion, Stakkato, shares the same bloodlines. Moselfischer produces top foals with the imported mares (it is like breeding in Germany…)
Gerhard and Ursula are offering a wide range of opportunities to the equestrian world: breeding and training quality competition horses for the highest expectations, as well as using their knowledge and experience to advise, educate and train riders to the best international standards.

Forsyth

Glenis and Eil at IHB (established 1989) always look forward with great anticipation to the new stallions available through frozen AI each season. The German State Stud Celle is always buying new young stallions that have just completed their performance tests and show great promise. They are also actively preparing other even younger stallions for their on-coming 3 yo tests in Adelheidsdorf.

“So we study the bloodlines each year as these new guys are offered to Australian breeders. There is usually a mixture of bloodlines; horses by proven Celle stallions, perhaps out of mares by Celle stallions, and some by new bloodlines altogether. Breeding never stands still and Celle is constantly using the best of the world’s bloodlines for their own breeding programs. The aim is always to breed better performance horses.”
“For 2004 Celle is offering a really lovely young stallion called Re Primeur. He is by Rotspon out of a Wolkenstein 11mare which means the German State Stud has consolidated two proven bloodlines in this stallion. He came second in his year overall in 2003 but first in the dressage phase where he excels: 9.67 for rideability and 9’s for trot, canter and walk. He was awarded the best Hanoverian in his year. Also, due to the great success of Brentano 11 progeny, Celle have introduced another Bolero son, Bon Bonaparte, out of a Wendekreis mare into their breeding program. This is again a combination of two very successful breeding lines.”
“Wishing Luck is another new boy by the Thoroughbred stallion Windhauch xx out of a Fabriano mare for those wishing to add some ‘blood’ to their Warmblood breeding program. Windhauch is one of the few German TB sires that had success in advanced dressage and has 3 good basic gaits. Another exciting young stallion carrying a new bloodline is For Edition by Forsyth out of a Leggiero mare. Forsyth is by For Pleasure by Furioso 11. For Edition was winner of his performance test in 2003, placing 3rd in dressage and 2nd in jumping, obviously a dual-discipline stallion of the highest quality. He scored 9’s for rideability and walk and 10 for jumping technique, with a score of 147.8 overall.”
“IHB are also anticipating the arrival of Riverside & Baroncelli from the Hengstation Pape stud for 2004. Riverside is by Regazzoni out of a Donnerhall mare and Baroncelli is by Bergamon out of a Matcho mare. Both these young stallions are going excellently under saddle and we foresee some great foals to come. From the Harli Seifert stable comes Rubin Royal (Rohdiamant x Grundstein 11) plus three other very good jumping sires, and from Holland the grey Rubels by Rafurstinels by Rubinstein out of an Amethist mare.”
“Without doubt frozen AI has opened up opportunities we would never have otherwise had here in this country. We firmly believe that within three generations of breeding with frozen AI it is possible to reach the sort of standard in our mares that Europe now produces. That is, provided we choose our mares carefully. The selection system is for a large part geared to the stallion but it is left to the owners of the mares to make the final selection. It is important therefore not only to study the strengths and the weaknesses of the stallion but to recognise that a great percentage of the genes will come from the mare’s side.”
“We in Australia do not have the intense selection of mares and their offspring which are the very base of the breeding index for stallions in Europe. As far as stallions go, through frozen AI we have the opportunity to select the stallions that are the most successful in the world. Most likely the easiest or most efficient way to bring our mares to European standard is to use selected stallion crossings that have proven themselves in the countries where the offspring is put under great scrutiny.”
“The proof of the success of our breeding programs lies in the performance of the youngsters. At Dressage and Jumping With the Stars last December 2003, no less than 22 horses competing were bred from some of our stallions through frozen AI. Many of those horses received high awards and credit is due to the people who have bred them, raised them as youngsters, and those who have put in the necessary hours of basic training to get them to this stage. Well done to you all.”
“IHB continues to supply the Australian market with top sires with high breeding indexes and great fertility. We look forward together with all breeders to improve the quality of each new crop of foals upon the last.”

Jaybee Alabaster
- The Star of 2003

What a year… I thought last year was as good as it got, boy was I wrong! We had a good solid competition year with Jaybee Alabaster probably the star. He performed very creditably at the Sydney CDI, winning the 5 yo Young Horse Champion, and then went on to win and place at both the NSW State Dressage Championships and the National Dressage Championships 2003. Leuwin continued to do his very best for me, achieving some very nice wins, including the Supreme under saddle at the NSW AWHA Gala Day. I felt like Isabel Werth cantering around the indoor at Horsley Park, complete with rug and ribbons.

The Queensland Young Horse Championships were the debut for our two lovely Aachimedes fillies, Jaybee Amelia ridden by Nicole Magoffin, and Jaybee Allegro ridden by Alex Berns. They placed first and second in the 4 yo class, and Jaybee Alfredo was 6 yo champion, very capably presented for his Kiwi owner by Ben Conn.
Then it was the BIG one – Dressage with the Star at Werribee. Jaybee Amelia was again beautifully presented by Nicole. She has been so successful for me, winning 4 yo champion in 2000 on Jaybee Accomplice, 2nd in the 4 yo in 2002 on Jaybee April, and again 4 yo champion on Jaybee Amelia. She was second into the final round, but guest rider Arjen Teeuwissen elevated her to first. His comment on dismounting, ‘Wow’.
In the 5 yo we had our young imported stallion, Jaybee Alabaster being ridden by Tor Van Der Berge. Tor has done a great job on this horse since taking him over about Easter Time 2003. Tor went out and rode him to the max. He led every round, and Arjen’s comment when dismounting was ‘I have one problem with this horse. He is in Australia, and not in my stables.’ Rider’s mark 9.5.
In the 6 yo, and Ben was really getting a tune out of the big bay Alfredo. Reiner Kramer was doing his usual very professional job on Jaybee Amanda trying to improve on his second placing of last year. Neither rider could be disappointed with their placings – Jaybee Alfredo 2nd, Jaybee Amanda, 4th.
Jaybee Alabaster was awarded Champion of Champions. Sit down Beverly and try and get your heart rate down a bit.
Then it hit me. This win comes with an entry for the World Young Horse Championships at Verden. I turn to my husband, ‘we couldn’t do that.’ John said ‘why not?’ Tor said ‘why not?’ So guess what – we are going to give it a go.
Tor and the horse won again at the CDI in Sydney, then the horse will be quarantined for 30 days, making him eligible to fly to Germany early June. The competition is from 8th to 11th July at Verden, and Tor and the horse are to work with Ulf Möller of PSI in Hagen leading up to the competition. Ulf was guest rider at DWTS in 2002, and we had a top three finalist in all three age divisions. He really liked our horses then, and was keen to work with Alabaster and Tor.
So, the magic carpet ride continues. Our horses are exceeding our plans and hopes. You wouldn’t be dead for quids, as my old Dad used to say.

Llanavar Voltaire

At Llanavar, we aim to produce our young horses with your safety and pleasure in mind. Our main markets are the mature and the Junior riders who are looking for a horse ready to go out and enjoy. Each has as least a year under saddle, so that they are through all that baby confusion and their basic buttons firmly in place. They have had their first competitions with focus on their behaviour and attitude. They load and travel well and have been out and are well behaved at both small and large competitions

To supplement our own breeding program, and meet demand, Llanavar has purchased some of the best young horses from the most discerning breeders around Australia. Carefully selected to meet our high standard for correct movement and superb temperament these young horses contain some of the best bloodlines available. These youngsters have been prepared with the same attention to detail as our own home-bred ones. I don’t feel it’s enough to breed horses with good temperaments – I want to establish firm behavioural patterns in that first year. We can’t do it cheaply, but we do it well.

Whisper - Australia's newest sensation!!!!!

Why do we all breed and ride horses? I think it’s because we want to have fun, and it brings meaning to our lives. We enjoy the creative process in choosing the right stallion for our mares and then choosing and training our partner in the sport, shaping and contributing to the horse. This principle of having fun guides our breeding program.
Our bottom line criteria is we all have horses to enjoy, I will not make excuses for a horse. We have stallions I enjoy riding, mares that are a pleasure to have around, and what I enjoy the most is the training and riding at a high level successfully.

Our stallions are both proven to be successful at international competition. Pzazz was really enthusiastically received in Europe and all agreed he is a horse of international calibre. What is more, he has always been produced by an amateur. He has got everything – paces, temperament, trainability and pzazz, that extra star quality. He is a pleasure every day, and we can’t wait for his first foals.
Whisper was Reserve German champion at the Bundeschampionate, Dutch champion, and now Australian champion. He wins friends everywhere for his character, as well as his truly spectacular movement and ability. And I can tell you, I had done nothing that is more fun than riding him. His size and rideability are breathtaking. His first foals in Europe are apparently stunning.
We have frozen semen available all the time, and will make chilled semen available from both stallions for a limited time, depending on competitions, and Whisper’s recovery from an injury to his foot, which occurred at the CDI and will put him out of competition for an extended time.
Meanwhile we are enjoying watching our youngsters by Jet Set D, Carbine, Rotspon and Aachimedes grow up, and waiting waiting for foals by Pzazz and Whisper this spring – and we are having fun training Whisper VI (aka Burrabong Blake) to do the winning Pas de Deux at the Nationals with his friend, Feurst and Sue Ogilvy – I thought you’d like the picture.

Donario

The magic cross of Donnerhall and Pik Bube continues to dominate German dressage breeding, and in Donario we find that magic cross twice. Donario is by Don Primero, arguably the most successful of all of the sons of Donnerhall. His dam sire is less known outside Germany, but Piaster is very well known in the south of Germany where he stands.

Bernd Eylers in his Selected Sires of Germany, has this to say about Piaster: “Seldom before has a stallion transmitted himself in such an exemplary manner in Bavaria. Piaster has to date produced eight approved and much sought after sons¹ plus 27 state premium mares.”

Terry Ann and Stuart Drysdale bought Donario at the famous PSI auction, primarily as a competition horse for Terry Ann, and his amateur owner is happy to admit that she has probably slowed down his competition career however in 2002 at the National Dressage Championships Donario was third overall in the Elementary Championships. He continues to perform well and is now competing Advanced and qualified for the Sydney 2004 CDI.
Terry Ann and Stuart purchased a Sandro Hit mare in 2003, and intend to start their own breeding program later this year. The mare, Schwarze Sonne is by Sandro Hit who has been a sensation in Germany, firstly as a competition horse – winning at both the World Young Horse Championships and at the Bundeschampionate – and is already the sire of Bundeschampionate champions like Show Hit and Poetin. Poetin recently sold at auction for 2.4 million euros! Schwarze Sonne after only two outings has won at Novice with a percentage of 68/69%. The future looks extremely exciting for the Drysdale’s breeding program.

Why do so many riders waste their most valuable asset, their time, training horses with a low probability of success?
It is possible that many years of correct dressage training can turn a poor quality horse into an acceptable dressage competitor. But those who start with good quality unspoilt young horse have a much greater chance of success. With those same years of correct training you can make a quality horse into a champion.

PS Lonarto, by Lontano.
Photo © Peter Gower

Ponderosa Stud stands the AWHA stallion ‘Lontano’. His progeny are showing their true attributes of having a great temperament & athleticism, which has allowed them to perform in a variety of equine disciplines. They are being able to be ridden by FEI competitors and more importantly the amateur riders who aspire to be great riders, which a lot of us fall into this category.

Carlyle Park Magrini
Owned by Kirsten Beard-Adams. Photo Julie Wilson

Suddenly with the success of Briar, the focus is on Swedish Warmblood breeding, and with Magritte 780, we have the very best of Swedish bloodlines – he is by Magini, who is the sire of Briar, who won a silver medal at the 2003 European Dressage Championships beating Relevant into third. Magritte himself qualified for the European Championships with a 3rd place last year in the Australian Dressage championships, becoming my second Swedish stallion to do so.