In the belief that blood will tell, sport-horse enthusiasts

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BRED FOR SUCCESS: The pedigree of the Rio dressage individual silver medalist, Weihegold OLD, contains proven bloodline crosses and producers DIANA DE ROSA In the belief that blood will tell,

2 BRED FOR SUCCESS: The pedigree of the Rio dressage individual silver medalist, Weihegold OLD, contains proven bloodline crosses and producers DIANA DE ROSA In the belief that blood will tell, sport-horse enthusiasts like to analyze the pedigrees of top performers. Their goal: identify patterns and trends indicating that certain bloodlines are reliably producing the types of movement, temperament, and physical longevity that make for excellence in dressage. What were the hottest bloodlines at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro? To find out, let s take a closer look at the ancestry of the dressage medalists. Team Gold: Germany Weihegold OLD Leading the German squad was the individual silver medalist, Isabell Werth, on the 2005 Oldenburg mare Weihegold OLD. Contrary to tradition, the mare s name starts with a W instead of the expected D for her sire, Don Schufro, himself an Olympic dressage competitor who won team bronze in Don Schufro s pedigree contains the potent Donnerhall/Pik Bube I cross as well as a dash of Trakehner through Donauwind, and Don Schufro is the sire of such international performers as Diamond Hit and Paragon. Weihegold s dam, Weihevoll, is by Sandro Hit (Sandro Song/Ramino), an international dressage mount and the sire of such notables as Showtime FRH (team gold and individual sixth place in Rio), Sancette, Sir Donnerhall I, Sir Donnerhall II, Show Star, Selten HW, Santana 1111, Jimmie Choo SEQ, Sandro Boy 9, and the international eventer Santano II. Weihevoll also traces to two influential Thoroughbreds: Furioso (originally used in Selle Français breeding and found in nearly all the warmblood registries) and Volkorn (by Neckar and used by several German registries). Desperados FRH Hot on Weihegold s heels in the individual bronze-medal spot was Desperados FRH, a 2001 Hanoverian stallion sired by the international dressage competitor De Niro (by Donnerhall). De Niro also carries the blood of Akzent II (by Absatz), Weisenbaum (a Thoroughbred by Birkhahn), and Ferdinand. Desperados dam, Wie Musik, is by Wolkenstein II, a son of the famous Weltmeyer (Hanoverian dressage influence), who also has Ferdinand in his background. On her dam s side we find Matcho (an Anglo-Arabian of considerable influence) and Pik König (sire of Pik Bube I). Showtime FRH The individual sixth-place finisher in Rio was the 2006 Hanoverian gelding Showtime FRH, a son of Sandro Hit, who comes from the Sacramento Song sire line and is the damsire of Weihegold. Sandro Hit was a top dressage competitor, and he went on to be a leading sire of dressage horses. USDF CONNECTION December 2016/January

3 Showtime s dam is by the international dressage horse Rotspon (Rubinstein I/Argentan I/Pik Bube I) and out of a Donnerhall/Pik Bube I mare. If you recall, we saw the combination of Donnerhall, Pik Bube I, and Sandro Hit in Weihegold s pedigree. In addition, Sandro Hit sired Santana 1111 from a Rubinstein I/Donnerhall mare. Cosmo 59 The youngest member of the German team, Sonke Rothenberger, rode the 2007 KWPN gelding Cosmo 59. Cosmo s sire, Van Gogh, was a jumper from a strong jumping sire line: Numero Uno, Libero H, Landgraf I. Other notables in Van Gogh s lineage include Bernstein (Ramiro Z) and Burggraaf (Landgraf I). Cosmo s dam continues the jumping trend with Landjonker (Landadel by Landgraf I) as a sire. The dressage influence starts with Aktion, the sire of the second dam, and would end with that international dressage horse if not for the presence of Farn. Aktion competed at the upper levels of dressage and began his stud career in the Netherlands before being exported to Hungary. Team Silver: Great Britain Valegro The British team was once again led by the seemingly invincible duo of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, who repeated as the individual gold medalists. One might assume that the 2002 KWPN (Dutch Warmblood) gelding comes from a line of outstanding dressage horses, but does he? Valegro s sire, Negro, was a lovely dressage horse in his younger years, but he did not stay in competition long Bloodlines in Paralympic Dressage The 2016 Rio Paralympic Games mounts are elite dressage horses in their own right. You might have wondered whether para-equestrian dressage horses pedigrees differ from those of their Olympic dressage colleagues, or whether there is more variety in breeds, registries, or bloodlines in para-dressage. So let s take a look. Our sample group for para-dressage bloodlines is the team medalists from Rio. Because each Paralympic team consisted of a mix of para-equestrian grades (classifications of severity of disability), we should get a broad sample by examining the lineage of their mounts. Team Gold: Great Britain Cabral, a Grade II mount, is a Polish Trakehner gelding. His sire, Bujak, was an international eventer; and his grandsire, the Thoroughbred Sir Shostakovich, was a jumper. Cabral was sold to the UK as a jumper and was evented prior to converting to dressage in The Danish Warmblood mare Athene Lindebjerg is a Grade Ia mount. Her sire, Gribaldi, is also the sire of the 2016 British Olympic team silver medalist Orthilia. Her dam, a daughter of Diamant, also produced Alina, a Grand Prix dressage mount for the USA s Arlene Tuny Page. At first glance the pedigree of the Grade Ia mount LJT Lucas Normark appears to be that of a Danish Warmblood, as both of his parents are so registered. But a look at the actual horse and his leopard markings make it obvious that there is Appaloosa in his background. It comes through his sire, Ravaldi, who has two Appaloosa grandparents. SURPRISE: The 2016 British Paralympic team gold medalist and Grade Ia individual and freestyle silver medalist, LJT Lucas Normark, is a registered Danish Warmblood with a couple of Appaloosas in the woodpile His damsire, Pallex Af Ulstrup, was solid black in color and competed at the lower levels in dressage. Valerius, a Grade IV horse, is a KWPN by Flemmingh and out of a daughter of Rex Magna (Thoroughbred). Flemmingh, a Holsteiner, is a noted sire of dressage horses for the KWPN, with the likes of Lingh and Krack C to his credit. He is also the damsire of Glock s Johnson, who finished ninth individually at the 2016 Olympics under Hans-Peter Minderhoud of the Netherlands. Team Silver: Germany Regaliz, a Grade Ia mount, is a KWPN mare by Jazz, an international dressage competitor and the sire of Glock s Johnson. Jazz is not noted for passing on a FEI PHOTO 24 December 2016/January 2017 USDF CONNECTION

enough to wow the judges at the Grand Prix level season after season as his son has done. Negro also sired the 2013 US Dressage Finals Grand Prix Freestyle champion, Unico G.

4 enough to wow the judges at the Grand Prix level season after season as his son has done. Negro also sired the 2013 US Dressage Finals Grand Prix Freestyle champion, Unico G. Negro s sire, Ferro, was a consistent dressage performer on the international stage and, as a sire, boasts descendants in all three Olympic disciplines. His best dressage performers include US rider Courtney Dye s 2008 Olympic partner, Mythilus (dam by Purioso from the Furioso sire line); and Dutchman Edward Gal s international mount Glock s Undercover (dam by Donnerhall). Ferro s heritage shows such major influences in KWPN breeding as Ulft, Le Mexico, and Farn. Any likely surprise in Negro s lineage comes in the form of his granddam, Mewrie, a national-level jumper sired by an international jumper named Gondelier. Valegro s dam is by Gershwin, a Dutch-bred jumper who was exported first to Sweden and then to Italy. Gershwin sired the US dressage horse Goldwing as well as other dressage mounts and jumpers. He carries the influences of the important stallions Voltaire (Furioso sire line) and Nimmerdor (by Farn). Valegro s dam also traces to Ladykiller, a Thoroughbred who factors in the foundations of several warmblood registries. Nip Tuck The 2004 KWPN gelding Nip Tuck, who was seventh individually in Rio under Carl Hester, is by Don Ruto, a Donnerhall grandson who also traces to Graphit, Rubinstein I (ancestor to Showtime FRH), and Matador (by Donauwind). Although Don Ruto is considered KWPN, his ancestry is Oldenburg, Hanoverian, Westfalen, and Trakehner. Nip Tuck s dam is by Amino (by Alme), an international jumper and the sire of numerous jumpers, a few eventers, and a scant number of dressage horses. His dam shows the FEI/LIZ GREGG calm disposition, but Regaliz would contradict that belief. The dam of Regaliz traces to Ramiro Z and Furioso. Nea s Daboun, an Oldenburg and a Grade Ib mount, is by Dressage Royal and out of a mare by Placido. Dressage Royal is a Donnerhall/Rubinstein I cross, and Placido is by Pik Bube I. We saw how potent the combination of these bloodlines was in the Olympic medalists. Del Rusch, a Grade IV mount for his visually impaired rider, is a Hanoverian gelding by Del Piero (Donnerhall/Matcho) and out of a mare by World Cup I (sire of Weltmeyer) who also traces to Ramiro Z. Feel Good 4, a Grade II mount, is a Hanoverian mare by Fürst Heinrich (Florestan I/Donnerhall) and out of a mare by Arogno (Trakehner), who also traces to Argentan I. Team Bronze: Netherlands Wallace, a Grade Ib mount, is a KWPN gelding by Future (Florestan I/Apart) and out of a mare by Rohdiamant (Rubinstein I/Purioso), which makes him related to Olympic dressage medalists from Rio. Alphaville, a Grade IV mount, is a KWPN by Sandreo (Sandro Hit/Flemmingh) and out of a mare by Inglesias (Rubinstein I/Inschallah). Sandreo was also known as True Hit, and Inglesias was also known as Rubinstar. Caraat, a Grade II mount, is a KWPN by Gribaldi, out of a mare by Negro (sire of Valegro) and traces to Aktion. That makes her related to other medalists in both Paralympic and Olympic dressage competition in Rio. Burberry, a Grade II mount, is a KWPN mare by Lord Loxley (Lord Sinclair I/Weltmeyer), who also NO SURPRISE: Most Paralympic dressage horses have similar bloodlines to their Olympic counterparts. The KWPN mare Burberry, who won team bronze for the Netherlands with rider Demi Vermeulen, is by Lord Loxley, also the sire of the 2016 Spanish Olympic sensation Lorenzo. sired Lorenzo (fifth individually for Spain at the 2016 Olympics). Her dam is by Kelvin, a son of Flemmingh. Dressage Is Dressage From the standpoint of bloodlines, a dressage horse is a dressage horse. Nearly all of the team-medal-winning horses at the Rio Paralympic Games have recognizable dressage bloodlines, regardless of whether they compete in the walk-only, walk-trot, or walk-trot-canter categories. The only exceptions would be the British para-dressage horses Cabral and LJT Lucas Normark. Judy Wardrope USDF CONNECTION December 2016/January

5 Team Bronze: United States Verdades Laura Graves and her 2002 KWPN gelding, Verdades, led the way for Team USA, finishing fourth individually. Verdades is by the dressage horse Florett As, a son of Florestan I and from a sire line tracing to Furioso. The dam of Florett As, Unforgettable, actually competed as a jumper, but the rest of her siblings competed in dressage. The pedigree of Verdades dam is quite unusual compared to the ancestry of other medalists from Rio. Liwilarda is listed as KWPN, yet both of her parents were Dutch Harness horses. But that is not the end of the story. Both parents actually descend from Cambridge Cole, a Hackney and that is what sets Verdades apart from a breeding perspective. STANDOUT SIRE: The Trakehner stallion Gribaldi appears in the pedigrees of many top dressage horses, including his daughter Orthilia, who won 2016 Olympic team silver for Great Britain under Fiona Bigwood largest dose of Selle Français influence through Alme and L Espoir of the horses included in this article. Orthilia Fiona Bigwood s 2016 Olympic mount, the 2005 Oldenburg mare Orthilia, is by the Trakehner Gribaldi, who became a superior sire of dressage horses following his competitive career under Edward Gal. Gribaldi s notable dressage offspring include Totilas, Peter Pan, Paragon, Painted Black, Unee BB, and Uniek. In fact, Gribaldi is one of the leading sires of dressage horses at the Grand Prix level by numbers; he ranks behind Donnerhall and De Niro but ahead of such notables as Florestan I, Ferro, Sandro Hit, Weltmeyer, Don Schufro, Rubinstein I, and Rohdiamant. Orthilia s dam is by the German-born Donnerschlag, who later stood in the United States; however, the daughter that produced Orthilia was foaled in Denmark. Donnerschlag was by Donnerhall and out of a full sister to Pik Bube I. Super Nova II Super Nova II, a 2003 Hanoverian gelding ridden by Spencer Wilton, is by the leading dressage sire De Niro (Donnerhall/ Akzent II, by Absatz), the sire of Desperados FRH and a topclass competitor on the world s dressage stage. De Niro has produced a number of noteworthy dressage offspring from Weltmeyer daughters, including Delgado, who finished tenth individually at the 2016 Games with Spain s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat. Super Nova s dam is by Weltmeyer (World Cup I/Absatz), an ancestor to Desperados and a leading sire and broodmare sire in dressage breeding. The second dam s sire, Golfstrom II, was the broodmare sire of the international Grand Prix horse Dow Jones, from the Donnerhall sire line. Legolas 92 Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 finished twelfth individually at the Rio Olympics. Legolas is a 2002 Westfalen gelding by Laomedon, a son of the Thoroughbred Lauries Crusador who also carries the blood of Pik Bube I. Laomedon is also the sire of the eventer Lissy MacWayer, who competed for Brazil in Rio Legolas dam, Furstin, is by Florestan II, who is a full brother to Florestan I, the paternal grandsire of Verdades. Furstin also traces to Pilot, a very strong jumping influence for the Westfalen verband, through her damsire. Rosevelt Rosevelt, a 2002 Hanoverian stallion who placed fifteenth individually with rider Allison Brock, is by Rotspon, a Rubinstein I/Argentan I/Pik Bube I combination and the maternal grandsire of the German team gold medalist Showtime FRH. Rosevelt s dam is by the Thoroughbred stallion Lauries Crusador, the paternal grandsire of Legolas 92; and she also traces to Grande (broodmare sire of the former Olympic mounts Beauvalais and Weyden) and Duft I. Rosevelt s full brother, the gelding Rovell Royal, foaled three years after Rosevelt, is also a Grand Prix dressage horse. Dublet Dublet, ridden by Kasey Perry-Glass, is a 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding by the international dressage sire Diamond Hit, who is by Don Schufro (sire of Weihegold) and also carries the influences of Ramiro Z and Welt As. Diamond Hit, who is listed as a top sire of Grand Prix horses, has produced international dressage mounts the likes of Doktor (the 2016 US Olympic dressage team reserve mount with rider Shelly Francis) and Della Cavalleria. Dublet s dam, La Costa, was by Ferro (Ulft/Farn) and FEI/DIRK CAREMANS, HIPPOFOTO 26 December 2016/January 2017 USDF CONNECTION

out of a mare tracing to Lord (Ladykiller) and Ramiro Z. Ferro is the paternal grandsire of Valegro; however, the balance of the dam s pedigree leans more toward jumpers than dressage stars.

6 out of a mare tracing to Lord (Ladykiller) and Ramiro Z. Ferro is the paternal grandsire of Valegro; however, the balance of the dam s pedigree leans more toward jumpers than dressage stars. Inside and Outside the Traditional Box So far, it should be fairly evident that most of the top performers from the 2016 Olympic Games were more than likely bred to be what they are: dressage horses. For the most part, each is the product of a mare with a predominantly dressageoriented pedigree and a stallion that was competitive in dressage and with a strong dressage pedigree. Consequently, it is not surprising that, among this very elite group, each horse is related to at least one other horse. You likely noticed the prevalence of Donnerhall blood among the medal winners. Two of the three individual medalists are Donnerhall descendants, as are seven of the 12 team medalists and at least four others that contested the individual medals. That has to qualify as an unmistakable influence. You may also have noticed that the Donnerhall influence is predominantly through male descendants, and that the Pik Bube I influence is usually through daughters. No wonder the Donnerhall/Pik Bube I combination is so potent for this level of the sport. It should also be noted that a good number of the sires and broodmare sires of the Rio Olympic dressage horses were competitors themselves, which is a growing trend. It seems that performance has become part of the selection criteria for breeders of the modern dressage horse, rather than bloodlines alone. Any unusual aspects found in the pedigrees of these Olympians are relatively minimal. There s a bit of a surprise regarding the Dutch Harness and Hackney blood in the ancestry of Verdades, but the balance of his pedigree is not that unusual. There s a smattering of jumping influences in some pedigrees another thing we ve seen with more regularity in the last few years. However, the almost purely jumper bloodlines in the lineage of the German mount Cosmo 59 make him outside the norm. Cosmo 59 excepted, the medalists from Rio exhibit dressage pedigrees, most of which would definitely be associated with the top horses in the sport. Based in Canada, Judy Wardrope is a longtime equine journalist with a particular interest in performance-horse breeding, bloodlines, conformation, and function. Her website is jwequine.com. Visit us at World Cup Omaha! (Booths ) E-5000 Natural Source Vitamin E Provides 5,000 IU Natural Source Vitamin E per Ounce (d-alpha Tocopheryl) Made in the USA by HorseTech, Inc. Made with North American Ingredients 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Free Shipping in Contiguous U.S. Made In USA with 100% USA & Canadian Ingredients Charter Member Photo: Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore Awesome Supplements... Amazing Service! Order Online at: Order by Phone at: (800) service@horsetech.com USDF CONNECTION December 2016/January

Picture. Whizz Bang 2012 Chestnut Hannoverian Colt (Wenckstern x Cor D Alme) Autumn Sales Brochure

Picture. Whizz Bang 2012 Chestnut Hannoverian Colt (Wenckstern x Cor D Alme) Autumn Sales Brochure Picture Whizz Bang 2012 Chestnut Hannoverian Colt (Wenckstern x Cor D Alme) Autumn Sales Brochure 2014 Conditions of Sale This is not an auction. Horses will all be purchased subject to vetting to be arranged