Photo credit: Ridehesten.com
Part of Danish Warmblood press release
Danish Warmblood's breeding goals are: A refined, tall and supple riding horse with good rideability and health. It has the performance ability in either jumping or dressage and can perform internationally.
In recent years, stallions that may not quite meet the studbook's breeding goal in terms of refinement have been approved for breeding. However, a large part of the Danish Warmblood mares meet the requirements of refinement and expression entirely. Therefore, it makes sense to broaden the supply of stallions by including stallions possessing a high degree of functionality and a strong performance-pedigree, even though they do not fully meet the standards to type. This is precisely what is often made very clear at the licensing of the older stallions.
In 1987, the Danish Warmblood's first Breeding Plan came in a series of five preliminary plans that have since been used as work and management tools for the breeding committee and a guide for breeders. These plans have set the direction for horse breeding in Denmark, and now, a new Breeding Plan that extends until 2030 has just been launched.
The breeding plan is one of the studbook’s most important tools in the competition with the other studbooks. Every studbook is working to improve their product, and Danish Warmblood does not aim to just keep up with the standard, but preferably go above. The Breeding Plan should be considered as a template for which breeding measures are to focus on in the coming years. It is neither set in stone nor inflexible but can be adapted to changes. Being adaptable for change is a key competitive parameter.
Spokesperson Claus Hansen says: – The breeding is constantly evolving, and even though our studbook has a breeding goal, this needs to be adjusted continuously because new breeding knowledge and breeding tools, such as linear scoring and genomic selection, can optimize the breeding. In addition, new reproduction methods become available such as embryo transfer, ICSI, etc., which will place greater demands on the management of inbreeding.
– As a studbook, one must also consider that the sport is changing, and the horses we breed today are the horses that should reach the top level in 10 years. Thus, the breeding plan is the best bet for the necessary initiatives at this time, but a ten-year period is a long time, also in the horse breeding, where new initiatives can come and others go, he continues.
The overall breeding goal is still horses that can perform at international level, but the breeding goal can be adjusted, and the breeding committee is working towards a differentiated weighting of which features are most important. – When judging the walk of a horse we assess rhythm, ground-cover, suppleness and energy. Obviously, we would like to have all the qualities, but we attach more importance to rhythm and energy than ground-cover, because the horse can cover so much ground that the execution becomes slow and the walk loses its rhythm which is inappropriate if the goal is transition to piaffe and passage, says breeding adviser Karina Christiansen, and she continues:
– We want to avoid extreme breeding, and we will be at the forefront of our breeding work. We are beginning to see a tendency for horses that are very long-legged which can have a negative influence on their balance and the durability/longevity of the horse. Neither dressage nor jumping horses should be too raised in the neck and too short in the back, which can make them inflexible in the top line. We also appreciate horses with a small, noble and expressive head, but on the other hand the mouth should not become so small that there is no room for the double bridle.
Danish Warmblood is known for making an efficient selection, for being open to the supply of new blood and for being quick to readjust as well as provide knowledge and information to the breeders so that the greatest possible breeding progress is achieved.
Dressage stallions:
4-year old:
115 Atterupgaards Barcelo by Bon Coeur/Caprimond E.H., udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Atterupgaard, Vodskov, opdr.: Kristine Munch Nielsen, Jystrup Midtsj. – fully licensed (bay at the top photo)
116 Danciero by Dancier/Floriscount, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Paul Schockemöhle, Vodskov, opdr.: Z G Broers + Weber H. Broers og Joh. Weber, Tyskland – fully licensed
117 Duke by Dimaggio/Sir Donnerhall I, udstiller: Kristin Andresen og Equi Stallion, Boeslunde, opdr.: Dieter Hilz, Tyskland – fully licensed
118 Hesselhøj Downtown by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy/Blue Hors Zack, udstiller og opdr.: Dorthe og Hans Jørgen Hoeck, Nørre Aaby – fully licensed
119 Ambjergs Delgadino by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy/Blue Hors Don Romantic, udstiller: Ahlberg-Ringkær og Lynge Lorenzen, Vestbjerg, opdr.: Malene Clausen, Hadsund – fully licensed
120 Tophøjs Falchetto by Floriscount/Solos Landtinus, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage og Stutteri Tophøj, Vodskov, opdr.: Anette Nilausen og Niels-Jørgen Johansen, Hobro – fully licensed
121 Fynch Hatton by Formel Eins/Sir Donnerhall I, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS, Vodskov, opdr.: Bernd og Ursula Ilting-Reuke, Tyskland – fully licensed
122 Fürst Highlight by Fürstenball/His Highness, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Søren Grønborg, Vodskov, opdr.: Thorsten Lang, Tyskland – fully licensed
123 Global Player by Grand Galaxy Win/Blue Hors Don Schufro, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS, HH Horses og Paul Schockemöhle, Vodskov, opdr.: HH Horses v/Henrik Hansen, Solrød Strand – fully licensed
124 Giovanni – Bell by Grand Galaxy Win/Blue Hors Don Romantic, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Sølyst Heste, Vodskov, opdr.: Tina og Nicolai Jepsen, Regstrup – fully licensed
125 Lord Europe by Lord Leatherdale/Boston, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS, Joop van Uytert og Paul Schockemöhle, Vodskov, opdr.: ZG Pleines Werner og Heike Pleines, Tyskland – fully licensed
126 Monterey by Morricone/Sir Donnerhall I, udstiller: HP Horses ApS og Paul Schockemöhle, Hillerød, opdr.: Gestüet Lewitz, Tyskland – fully licensed
127 Bøgegårdens Santiago Bernabéu by Bøgegårdens Santiago/Bøgegårdens Laurino, udstiller og opdr.: Stina og Jørgen Schmidt, Bolderslev – fully licensed
128 Vendóme by Veneno/Fidertanz, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Stutteri EVO, Vodskov, opdr.: Paul Paessens, Tyskland – fully licensed
129 Vivino by Vivaldi/Dancier, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS og Paul Schockemöhle, Vodskov, opdr.: Ulrike Buurman, Tyskland – fully licensed
130 Blue Hors Zackorado by Blue Hors Zack/Florencion I, udstiller: Blue Hors Aps, Randbøl, opdr.: Paul Rode, Tyskland – approved for testing and one year breeding approval
5-year and older
150 Knock-Out by Expression/Ferro, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS, Vodskov, opdr.: SMC Bloem, Holland – fully licensed
152 Total Hope by Totilas/Blue Hors Don Schufro, udstiller: HP Horses og Paul Schockemöhle, Hillerød, opdr.: Christine Arns-Krogmann, Tyskland – fully licensed (black horse at top photo)
153 Vivaldi by Krack C/Jazz, udstiller: Blue Hors Aps, Randbøl, opdr.: A. Versantvoort, Holland – fully licensed
68 Special Blend by Sezuan/Blue Hors Hotline, udstiller: Helgstrand Dressage ApS, Vodskov, opdr.: Hannelore Weber – approved for testing
The Danish Warmblood Stallion Show on 5 - 8 March 2020 in MCH Messecenter Herning
Behind the DWB 5-star Dressage is a group of eight sponsors who, together with the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show, have made a supreme effort to get 5-star dressage in Herning.
The eight sponsors are: Blue Hors, ECCO, Helgstrand Dressage, Nathalie Horse Care, Stutteri EVO, Trolle, Vodskov Bolighus og Zibrasport Equest.
Visually, as well as in other aspects, the organisers of DWB 5-star Dressage will go the extra mile for the audience to experience that an exceptional frame is created around the world-class dressage.
5-star dressage is the highest level in international dressage sport. It is equal to the level that is ridden at the Olympics, World Equestrian Games, European Championships and World Cup qualifications. This means that riders can earn valuable points for the world rankings – ranking points – which are crucial for a good seeding at the Summer Olympics.
DWB 5-star Dressage consists of three tests: Friday there is the Grand Prix with 20 riders participating, after which the riders are divided into two groups of 10 riders who ride either the Grand Prix Special on Saturday or the Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday.
CDI3 * – Danish Warmblood is focused on supporting talent development, and therefore there will also be dressage classes at a lower level, the 3-star where the young stars can show their talents in either small tour (Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I) or in big tour (Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle).
Behind the great event in Herning is the studbook Danish Warmblood (DWB) which for the 41st time is hosting their stallion show and much more in MCH Messecenter Herning. Arround 900 horses are arrived at the event, riders from more than 20 nations, more than 300 exhibitors at the fair, which is the most visited fair at MCH Messecenter Herning, and more than 350 volunteers in action during the event.