If you read my first blog post, you'll be aware that stallion licensing season is about to kick off in Europe - specifically Verden, Germany. This week, we are full steam ahead with the Hanoverian licensing which has become the de facto opener of sorts to see which young stallions may become the faces of the "next generation." While I have been to the Oldenburg licensing in Vechta a number of times, I still have yet to punch my ticket in Verden. I may have to sooner rather than later with its blend of both breeding and sport: running alongside the licensing is the Hannoveraner Dressage FRH Cup for 7-year-old to 9-year-old horses (PSG and Inter I tests). Hanover presents a high quality group of candidates this year - while no clear front runner emerges, many colts give a convincing first impression based on the preselection videos.
Westphalian Damline Opens the Collection
From the start, we have a familial connection that I think will paint a nice picture in Verden. The supple, elastic moving Nr. 1 Escolar x Asgard's Ibiza that starts us off is from the same damline as the S-level successful and noted breeding stallion Fürst Piccolo.
Nr. 1 Escolar x Asgard's Ibiza
The damline also supplies the Rhineland registered Nr. 42 Vitalis x Apache, for me one of the highlights for this year in Hanover. A very charming colt with good type, again nicely elastic and supple through the body, and good reflexes off of the ground. He was already an auction price highlight as a foal selling for 67k euro. Hopefully this is one we see in sport in the coming years. The dam Han. Pr. St. Ananda is a full sister to the licensed stallion Arango, and has already produced a full brother to this colt that was licensed in Verden last year. She is also the granddam of the Nr. 1 Escolar colt. This is a family line that has been carefully built by breeder Johannes Baumeister, further solidified by Bundeschampion Fürst Fohlenhof and the Grand Prix horse Fürst Fabelhaft. I would keep an eye on both of these colts.
Nr. 42 Vitalis x Apache, a highlight in this year's collection
A Dose of Franklin
It should come as no surprise that I am a big fan of Franklin. He is represented in our own program through overall 8 mare and multiple breed show winner Frida Kahlo QC, as well as the Gold Medal Hanoverian colt Fujita QC. When used the right way, and when those offspring get into the right hands, I think he is making really interesting horses for the top sport. Nr. 11 Franklin x Romanov is a colt that is naturally built in an uphill manner with lots of expression and balance in all three gaits. From this damline comes Isabell Werth's international Grand Prix horses Emilio and Bella Rose. Of note, the breeder Peter Stojanow is represented by the Nr. 84 colt in the jumping collection.
Nr. 11 Franklin x Romanov, a colt that calls back nicely to both sides of his pedigree
Where I see a lot of Romanov type imparted to the colt above, Nr. 12 Franklin x Vitalis looks like a carbon copy of his sire in a darker coat. A really handsome model with good activity, nicely uphill, and my interest is piqued with rideability-maker Vitalis as damsire here. Reader, I will make another note that every colt I have highlighted so far has Fidermark on the dam side's of the pedigree, either 3rd or 4th generation. Maybe I have a type?
Nr. 12 Franklin x Vitalis x Fidermark, love the pedigree
Time for a Revolution
Revolution (Rocky Lee x Rouletto) made a splash in Verden at the 2015 Hanoverian licensing, being named as a Premium stallion and selling for the record price of 1.2 million euro. While he has proven his mettle as a performance horse (World Champion of the 5-year-olds in 2018, now successful to Grand Prix level), for me, the best way to use him in breeding is still a bit of question mark. Last year, I was impressed by the first sons of the Premium stallion Raven (Revolution x Christ), and I will add another to that list with Nr. 29 from a Fürst Wilhelm dam. A very elastic horse with huge scope (I especially appreciate the canter, a nod to Florencio further back in the pedigree) and also not too developed! I am very curious to see if the gaits can maintain balance and how he uses the topline on the lunge. From the damline also comes Premium stallion, Bundeschampion, and now S-level successful Va'Pensiero, as well as Beatriz Ferrer-Salat's European Championship Bronze medal winning and Rio Olympic horse Delgado.
Nr. 29 Raven x Fürst Wilhelm, a movement genius who hopefully can also convince on the lunge
Revolution also appears as the damsire for Nr. 71, a dark chestnut son of stallion test winner Dimaggio Black (Dimaggio x Fürst Heinrich). I actually think this colt is heavily stamped by Revolution - the mechanic of the hindleg is trademark. From the damline also comes the European Championship Team Bronze and World Equestrian Games Team Silver medal winning Half Moon Delphi (also by Dimaggio).
Nr. 71 Dimaggio Black x Revolution, nicely influenced by his damsire
No Longer a Secret
With seven sons (and one grandson) in Verden, Secret (Sezuan x St. Moritz) is the best represented sire for this year's licensing. As his offspring continue to convince in the young horse classes (sire of the Reserve Winner in the 4-year-olds, Bronze medal winner in the 5-year-olds, and Silver medal winner in the 6-year-olds at this year's World Breeding Championships for Young Horses), it is nice to see a selection of quality stallion sons here (even if the type varies quite a bit). For me, the most complete on video is Nr. 35 Secret x Finest, an expressive colt with good stallion type, nice uphill balance, and out of a mother successful to S level herself. He is bred and presented by Pia Sophie Wahlers.
Nr. 35 Secret x Finest, a top model
Wahlers is also the breeder for Nr. 32 Secret x Bon Coeur, a full brother to the licensed stallion So Special. So Special was Hanoverian Champion of the 4-year-old Riding Stallions and also runner-up in the 4-year-olds at the Worlds this year with a 9 on canter. Both 32 and 35 come from the Hanoverian damline of Klaseta which also provided World Championship Team Bronze medal winning Duke of Britain FRH and Bundeschampion Bitcoin OLD.
Nr. 32 Secret x Bon Coeur, full brother to licensed stallion and riding horse champion So Special
Nr. 33 Secret x Fidermark gets added to my list as he makes a convincing impression with nice, off the ground mechanics - this looks like a purposeful riding horse! I'm not surprised to find that he is a full brother to who I think may be the best producing son of Secret: Premium stallion and Bundeschampion Segantini. Currently being produced by German Olympian Dorothee Schneider, Segantini was also 5th in the 6-year-old final this year at the World Young Horse Championships. The dam is a full sister to the Grand Prix horse First Step.
Nr. 33 Secret x Fidermark, full brother to Premium stallion and World Top 5 Segantini
Nr. 37 Secret x Vivaldi is a colt that shows a strong influence from his damsire and granddam sire (Rohdiamant). I include him here as he is from the same mother as Premium stallion and Vice Bundeschampion Bon Courage. Lots 33 and 37, as well as Segantini and Bon Courage, were all bred by Dr. Christine Feichtinger. Noted!
Nr. 37 Secret x Vivaldi, half-brother to the popular breeding stallion Bon Courage
Bon Courage has certainly made a name for himself as a sire. Son Bon Esprit was celebrated as the 2023 Oldenburg Licensing Champion and sold for 1.2 million euro, while the daughter Ballerina was named Champion of the 2023 Hanoverian Elite Mare Show (Herwart von der Decken Show). In Verden he is represented by only one son: the very attractive Nr. 56 from a For Romance I mother, a colt who moves with a lot of technique and an attractive front end.
Nr. 56 Bon Courage x For Romance I, a charmer!
Totilas Light
Famed Grand Prix horse and breeding stallion Totilas has a rather muted presence in this year's collection, but Nr. 39 Total Diamond PS x Asgard's Ibiza is a highly elegant model with super cadence and nice articulation of the joints, even if he moves a bit croup high here. Still, a very charming type and goes onto my list. From the damline comes the breeding stallions Wolkentanz I and II, as well as the Pan-Am Team Gold medal winning horse Rosmarin.
Nr. 39 Total Diamond x Asgard's Ibiza, a strong representative for the Totilas sireline
Rounding it Out
Premium Stallion Federer (Blue Hors Farrell x Livaldon) presents his first crop of sons this year. Nr. 2 from a Dagostini mother shows a lot balance and elasticity in the gaits - it looks like he will passage naturally. Interesting to see how prepotent the Fürstenball type is here, even three generations on. The dam also provided the Premium stallion Flashdancer (by For Dance) in 2021. From the damline: Olympic horses Dante Weltino OLD and Riwera de Hus.
Nr. 2 Federer x Dagostini, typical F-line looks and a sport successful family
Nr. 4 Fire Jazz x Foundation really captivates with a super modern type, lots of suspension, and good reflexes in the trot. The canter is a question mark. Make note of the damline here! The grandmother produced the Grand Prix horse Super Mario, while the great grandmother is none other than Elite Stute Loretta - dam of the important breeding stallions Sandro Hit, Diamond Hit, and Royal Hit. Bluetooth OLD, part of the German Olympic dressage team that won Gold this year in Paris, also stems from this damline.
Nr. 4 Fire Jazz x Foundation, from a royal family
Nr. 6 For Romance I x Christ is an appealing colt with lots of quality to the gaits and perhaps a bit more bone compared to the rest of the collection. Especially in free movement there looks to be good swing through the body front to back and ample ground cover. The mother is a sister to the licensed stallions and Grand Prix horses Cadeau Noir and Nymphenburg's Finest Ampere.
Nr. 6 For Romance I x Christ, the mother has two siblings at Grand Prix level
Nr. 63 Damaschino x San Amour looks a lot like his Bundeschampion sire, who is still something of a heart horse for me after we saw him in person under Hannah Laser at the Balkenhol's back in 2022. The Lemberg damline has enriched our own program through our former broodmare Hanoverian Premium Scantolina (Scolari x Weltmeyer). Scantolina produced two Dressage at Devon Foal Champions for us: Foo Fighter QC (by Fabregas) and Fidelis QC (by Feinrich). Fidelis was also a Gold Medal Hanoverian foal.
Nr. 63 Damaschino I x San Amour I
One last highlight for this year's collection is Nr. 75 Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L. He is quite short in the back, but the type is very appealing and every step he takes is uphill with an abundance of expression. The canter looks good. By pedigree, he could be very interesting for the Hanoverian mare base. He is bred by Stutteri G, also breeders of the two-time World Young Horse Championships Gold medalist Quinn G.
Nr. 75 Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L, pleasing to the eye and a very interesting pedigree
Our Final "Watch List"
Nr. 2 Federer x Dagostini
Nr. 6 For Romance I x Christ
Nr. 11 Franklin x Romanov
Nr. 29 Raven x Fürst Wilhelm
Nr. 33 Secret x Fidermark
Nr. 35 Secret x Finest
Nr. 39 Total Diamond PS x Asgard's Ibiza
Nr. 42 Vitalis x Apache
Nr. 56 Bon Courage x For Romance I
Nr. 75 Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L
Of course, a key component missing from these preselection videos is whether these colts will impress on the lunge - a factor that can really be the difference between licensed or not licensed. Horses that shown brilliance in hand or in free movement can fall apart on the lunging circle, while some seem normal until you have them on the lunge. It is what I find so fascinating about following the licensings. I would expect to strike a couple off of my watch list, while also making room for some additions.
One last video clip for my readers, a sneak peek of sorts from Hesselhoej in Denmark: Nr. 75 Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L on the lunge at home. The colt is co-owned by Hesselhoej and breeder Stutteri G.
Nr. 75 Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L, a rare opportunity to see some of the lunging prior to the actual licensing
The Hanoverian licensing runs from November 21 to 23 and can be viewed live and by archive at ClipMyHorse.com.
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