Happy Thanksgiving! I never thought I would be writing a third blogpost in as many weeks, but here we are. It is just my luck that the Hanoverian and Westphalian licensings run so closely together. I am thankful that I didn't have to prepare anything for the Holiday (a benefit to Thanksgiving spent out) and instead had some free time today to button up my thoughts regarding this collection. I have said it many times in the past and I will echo it again here: among the different licensings, Westphalian always has the best video presentations, full stop. I tip my cap to their video editors! Some of the conformation shots don't do the colts justice this year - it will be important to take a closer look during the hardground. From a group of 55 colts there is one true standout, a couple that could be fascinating future sporthorses, but in general many that have at least one evident weakness that keeps them from being "complete" for my eye. But I am also always more than happy to be proven wrong.
Debutants for Debutant PS
Debutant PS (Deparon x Zonik x Sir Donnerhall I) presents his first crop of stallion sons for licensing this year, with two ready for Münster-Handorf. He is a stallion that has flown a bit under the radar after making a convincing first impression in the young horse classes and presenting a promising debut foal crop. As a three-year-old, he was Oldenburg Champion in Rastede with 9s on trot, canter, and training, and 8s on walk and conformation. He was also 4th at the Bundeschampionate. The highlight for me is the mother Zantana RS2 who herself sold for 955k euro in the 2019 PSI Auction, is now successful to Grand Prix, and is also the dam of licensing champion and M level confirmed Fürst Zonik PS. Others from the damline include Edward Gal's Tokyo Olympic ride Glock's Total U.S., the Grand Prix horses Swagman and Dante U.S., the stallion test winner and Pavo Cup champion Extreme U.S., and a slew of other competition and breeding horses. Debutant PS finished in the Top 10 of the 6-year-old final at the Bundes this year with a solid, self-confident test.
Oldenburg Champion Debutant PS, shown here as a 4-year-old
Nr. 9 from a Diatano x Champus mother could maybe be more modern in type but is an easy, well-balanced mover with an intelligent look. The mother has already produced a licensed stallion, and from the damline comes the important Trakhener stallion Kostolany. From the breeder Heike Pleines/ZG Pleines we are already thankful for the contributions of the stallions Lord Leatherdale, Lord Europe, Bernay, Maracaná, as well as this year's Reserve World Champion of the 5-year-olds Glamdale WP.
Nr. 9 by Debutant PS x Diatano
Nr. 10 from a Feinrich x Welt Hit II mother is really quite dynamic in the gaits with wonderful uphill balance in the trot and canter, a supple, carrying hindleg, and a decent walk. The frame is rather compact, but he looks quite useful.
Nr. 9 by Debutant PS x Feinrich stands out in the canter
Franco Nero with Another Highlight
Franco Nero (Franziskus x Sorento) already presented a Premium son in Verden last week at the Hanoverian Stallion Licensing, and is represented again in this collection by the charming Nr. 21 from a Dante Weltino x Stedinger mother. The Stedinger grandmother has produced numerous horses successful in sport, including the PSG horse Federleicht HR and the Bundeschampionate finalist Emiliana HR.
Nr. 21 by Franco Nero x Dante Weltino
Compare this with his foal video below - you can see there were already glimpses of the expression, elasticity, and nice cadence of the trot even as a foal. The basic body angles were also quite similar. The mother leaves a good impression, and I love to see Dante Weltino as damsire.
Nr. 21 by Franco Nero x Dante Weltino at dam's side as a foal
Half-brother of Bundeschampion Fynch Hatton OLD
Nr. 22 by Franz Joseph Junior x Sir Donnerhall I x Weltmeyer presents with good stallion type, a harmonious topline with the back nicely swinging, and good uphill mechanics in the trot and canter. The walk reminds me of half-brother Fynch Hatton OLD, former Oldenburg Saddle Licensing champion and Bundeschampion of the 4-year-olds. The mother has also produced the S-level successful horses Fürst Magic and Fürst Donnerhall. Fynch Hatton happens to be the most-represented sire for the upcoming Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in January 2025.
Nr. 22 by Franz Joseph Junior x Sir Donnerhall I, a half-brother to Fynch Hatton OLD
Strength in Sezuan
Triple World Young Horse Champion and Elite Danish Sire Sezuan (Zack x Don Schufro x Lionell) continues to leave his mark on modern dressage breeding, even if he is now unfortunately gelded. Olympic Team Gold and Individual Silver medal winning mare Wendy de Fontaine (Sezuan x Soprano) already shows that Sezuan over S line seems to be a good combination, and Nr. 28 from a Sir Donnerhall I x Uckermärker/T. mother further supports that notion. Wow power off the ground (insert rocketship emoji here) with a super engaged and under the body hind leg, this looks like a very interesting horse for future sport. The dam has already produced three other licensed stallions and another sibling confirmed to M level.
Nr. 28 by Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall I - an athlete!
The Sezuan son Secret had 7 sons presented in Verden last week, but only 3 were licensed - 1 was Premium. In Westphalia there are 3 relatives, with the most interesting being Nr. 15 by Dynamic Dream x Secret x Fürst Heinrich. An appealing type with good reflexes off of the ground, the topline is a question mark for me - we will have to see how this one fares on the lunge.
Nr. 15 by Dynamic Dream x Secret, super expression!
The mother is a half-sister to the licensed stallions Santo Domingo I, Santo Domingo II. Also from the damline comes the Premium stallion Fineline, as well as Dorothee Schneider's international Grand Prix horse Pathétique.
The dam of Nr. 15 is a half-sister to the licensed stallion Santo Domingo I
Back to Totilas
For anyone looking for their Totilas fix, this collection answers the call with no less than 7 licensing candidates from the direct sireline. Especially convincing is Nr. 37 by Toto Gold x Floriscount x Santino, a colt with a really good type, supple mechanics, and a natural uphill balance. He is presented by Yara Reichert who has been making waves not just by buying impressive young stallions, but also by campaigning them quite successfully in sport. See Springbank II, Valverde, About You II, and most recently Carl Hedin's Skyline to B.
Nr. 37 by Toto Gold x Floriscount, presented by Yara Reichert
Compare this with his foal video below - sold for 15k euro in the July 2022 Westphalian Dressage Foal Auction. Again, educational to look at the development from foal to young horse. The balance is for sure more naturally uphill in this colt when comparing to the mother.
Nr. 37 by Toto Gold x Floriscount as a foal
I have already written at length about the impressive Nr. 47 by Viva Gold x Fidertanz. A total standout colt with Premium qualities - you can read more about him in my blog entry "An Ignition Switch for Licensing Season."
Nr. 47 by Viva Gold x Fidertanz
Zoom, Zoom
The stallion Zoom (Zack x Don Schufro) was himself named Reserve Licensing Champion in Münster-Handorf back in 2016 and has made a steady contribution to both breeding and sport in the years that have followed. His Grand Prix debut came this year under Olympian Helen Langehanenberg and he has qualified for the Louisdor Prize finals in Frankfurt next month. While he has regularly supplied sons for the German licensings over the years, in general they could have longer lines in the body and lack some stallion presence for my taste.
Zoom presents 3 direct sons in this collection (and 2 grandsons by way of Premium son Zanetti), with 2 of them going a bit against my viewpoint - they are long-lined and look like stallions. I'm not surprised to see they both also have S line close up on the damside. I will highlight Nr. 52 out of De Niro x Sir Donnerhall I mother here, a handsome colt with uphill trot mechanics, active hind legs in the canter, and a good walk.
Nr. 52 by Zoom x De Niro
Of note, this colt is out the same dam as last year's Westphalian Licensing Champion Dark Dynamic, by Dream Boy. Also from the damline comes the Grand Prix stallion Lord of Loxley.
2023 Westphalian Licensing Champion Dark Dynamic shares the same dam as Nr. 52
Ending on a High Note
Westphalian closes their collection with a supermodel in Nr. 55 by Zuperman x Royal Classic x De Niro. The colt has a very pleasing type (gorgeous) with supple off the ground reflexes and good elasticity through the body. The croup is quite angled. We were in Vechta when his sire Zuperman OLD (Vincent Maranello x Destano) was named as a Premium stallion for Oldenburg. In 2023, he won Bronze in the 6-year-olds at the World Young Horse Championships with 9s on canter and perspective.
Nr. 55 by Zuperman x Royal Classic, super in type
The dam of this colt is a half-sister to the licensed stallion and international Grand Prix horse Dettori (by Desperado). I especially appreciate the Royal Classic blood here and we have used it with good success in our own program.
The dam of Nr. 55 is a half-sister to Grand Prix stallion Dettori
More Foal Videos
For fun, here are a few additional foal video links I could uncover for other licensing candidates in this collection. Thanks to the advent of social media, more and more we are able to follow the development of the next generation of sporthorses from foal to young horse to competition horse.
Nr. 25 by Morricone I x Fantastic x San Amour I is very typical to the Millennium type and shows some good moments of elasticity.
Nr. 25 by Morricone I x Fantastic
Shown below as a foal. Licensed stallion and internationally successful PSG/I1 horse Stormy River also comes from this damline.
Nr. 25 by Morricone I x Fantastic as a foal
Nr. 34 by Total Diamond PS x For Dance x Sorento is one of two representatives for the Totilas son in Münster-Handorf next week. A Total Diamond PS x Asgard's Ibiza colt was Premium last week in Verden and sold for 245k euro to Celle.
Nr. 34 Total Diamond PS x For Dance
Shown below as a foal. The dam is a full-sister to the mare For Joy, Westphalian Vice Champion as a 3-year-old.
Nr. 34 Total Diamond PS x For Dance as a foal
Nr. 53 by Zoom x Franziskus x Florestan I has the qualities his pedigree would suggest - good mechanics, an active hindleg, and looks like a riding horse.
Nr. 53 by Zoom x Franziskus
Shown below as a foal. The damline has provided several sporthorses: Endever DJ (GP), Danielo (int. PSG/I1), Descando (PSG), and Fräulein Dodt (S level).
Nr. 53 by Zoom x Franziskus as a foal
The 2024 Westphalian Main Licensing runs from December 1 to 3 and can be viewed live and by archive at ClipMyHorse.com.
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