S WEDISH W ARMBLOOD A SSOCIATION
On behalf of the Swedish Warmblood Association, we extend a warm welcome to riders, breeders and others from equestrian communities around the world to Sweden. We are very proud of the historical success of the Swedish Warmblood and are particularly excited about recent achievements. We offer our thanks and congratulations to all those who have helped contribute to that success. Swedish breeding and equestrianism are experiencing explosive development and Sweden has now reached a position as one of the top nations in the equestrian world. Swedish riders on Swedish Warmbloods have received a great deal of recognition for their strong performances in the Olympics, European Championships and World Championships. Their accomplishments have been in all disciplines in both team and individual competitions. The success of the Swedish Warmblood has been largely the result of breeders and sports bodies understanding and capitalising on each other s expertise. This collaboration is the foundation of the Swedish breeding program. Leading sports personalities, such as Eric Lette and Jan-Olof Wannius, together with leading researchers like Professor Jan Philipsson from Sweden s College of Agriculture have been deeply involved with the breeding community. Swedish breeders have been extremely responsive to changing needs of the sporting community, and this has resulted in increased international competitiveness and widespread improvements in breed quality. Breed quality is evaluated and managed through a solid tradition of young horse testing and a series of competitions for 3-6 year olds. Sweden has excellent resources for breeding with large roaming areas and pastures with clean air and fresh water where animal welfare and protection are central to our way of life. There is a fine equestrian tradition in Sweden with opportunities for anyone interested in sports, breeding or horses in general. Through tradition, collaboration, and change, we have achieved quality and results that are among the best in the world and we look forward to continued success in the years to come. The Board Swedish Warmblood Association
Irco Marco 662 e. Irco Polo - Sportman Feliciano 823 e. Irco Marco 662 - Utrillo 432 Lafayette e. Allegretto 693 - Ceylon 454 Cardento 933 e. Capitol I - Lord Irco Mena 763 e. Irco Marco 662 - Menelek xx Jan-Erik Pålsson in action Guiness 888 e. Dolomit 614 - Elizar Karuso e. Krocket 651 - John Splendid xx Many of the most successful horses of the last two decades can be traced back by pedigree to one of these legendary sires: Drabant 315, Gaspari 340, Ceylon 454 and Chagall 455.
Briar 899 e. Magini 695 - Krocket 661 Robin Z 723 e. Ramiro - Almé Butterfly Flip e. Robin Z 723 - Moderne xx WL Corrado 919 e. Cortez 679 - Dragon 465 Stand by Me e. Stanford 687 - Prince Fair xx Irco-Sun e. Irco Mena 763 - Little Boy 756 Sack 907 e. Kaliber 574 - Ceylon 464 Quite Easy 958 e. Quidam de Revel - Landgraf I Cortez 679 e. Co de la Bryère - Ronald Myntha e. Robin Z 723 - Utrillo 432
Swedish Warmblood stallions are tested annually according to standards established by the Swedish Warmblood Association. Only stallions meeting these high standards are permitted for use in commercial breeding. Even after receiving approval, the stallion s offspring are also evaluated and must meet certain standards in order for the stallion to retain its breeding licence. Both stallions and mares are evaluated in various young horse tests and competitions as well. Sweden has formally tested young horses for over 30 years and today over 60 % of all 3-6 year old horses participate in testing. All test results are added to a database that includes over 20,000 horses and is used for extensive research programs as well as computing the breeding index of stallions and mares. Sweden s early evaluation program for Swedish Warmbloods has received tremendous interest among riders and breeders throughout the world. Young horse testing has proven to be very closely related to the long-term success of the horse. Early evaluation ultimately results in a more responsive breeding program and shorter timeframes for achieving desired results. Sweden s premier events that showcase the Swedish Warmblood in various disciplines include the Scandinavian Finals held in Falsterbo each July and the Swedish Sports and Breeding Championships held in Flyinge each autumn. The most coveted award, the Breeders Trophy, is a symbol of Sweden s recognition of the importance of collaboration between the sporting community and breeders. Swedish bred young horses compete for a 1,000,000 SEK prize that is shared between the owner and breeder.
The Swedish Warmblood is one of the oldest warmblood breeds and has for centuries been bred for riding. This tradition dates back to the 17 th century when Sweden was a dominant military power in northern Europe and the primary breeding objective was to provide the cavalry with sturdy horses. Today, the Swedish Warmblood has received international recognition as a top breed in all disciplines. Four Swedish bred horses qualified for the jumping final in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Out of this highly successful team one horse placed in the 2002 World Equestrian Games jumping final and yet another horse received a third place in the 2003 World Cup final. The top ranked dressage stallion in the world 2001 was a Swedish Warmblood. In three-day eventing the bronze medal in the 2002 WEG was awarded to a Swedish bred horse. So how did the Swedish Warmblood successfully evolve from battle on the field of war to battle in the arena? The Swedish Warmblood s combination of power and grace were recognised long ago as serving a variety of purposes. Eventually the focus of breeding was extended to match the demands of farmers as well as the cavalry. This resulted in the creation of standards for each type of use and set the stage for a comprehensive breeding program with multiple objectives. In 1928, the Swedish Warmblood Association (ASVH) was formed by breeders and supported by the army for the purpose of promoting the breed for riding. This was at a time when most other warmblood breeds were still being bred primarily for agricultural uses. Design and production: VGM Productions. Photo: Jan Gyllensten, Krister Lindh and Roland Thunholm. Over time, carefully selected breeding stock from Hannover, Oldenburg, Trakhenen, Holstein and East Prussia was imported to add specific qualities and enhance the gene pool. Thoroughbred stallions have also been used to improve the breed. While the cavalry is long since gone, the results of the long history of breeding and selection of the Swedish Warmblood can still be seen at virtually every major equestrian championship around the world. Swedish Warmblood Association SE-240 32 Flyinge, Sweden Phone: +46 46 646 50 Fax: +46 46 527 24 Email: info@asvh.se Homepage: www.asvh.se