This year the pre-selections have taken place at Vilhelmsborg, in Vallensbæk and for the first time in Norway.
Despite the fact that fewer colts are being presented at the pre-selections, the overall quality suggests that the owners have become more selective which subsequently raises the bar. The outcome of the pre-selections is an initial collection which the breeding committee looks forward to seeing again in March. Out of the 53 selected colts 41 are Danish registered while 12 are registered in Belgium, Holland, Norway or Germany.
From Elite Foal Auction to Stallion Licensing
In this year's collection of colts one will find several sons of highly graded mares, such as ”Tørveslettens Fifty-Fifty” by ”Fürstenball” and out of the gold medal mare and double finalist at the world championships in Verden, ”Tørveslettens Stamina”. There is also a son of ”Blue Hors Zack” and gold medal mare ”Hertza Grønvang”.
The latter is ”Hefeistoz Grønvang” selected at the event in Norway. He is one of five colts in the collection, which were purchased at the Danish Warmblood Elite foal Auction in 2010. This also applies to ”Viva Don Carlos”, ”Ringsbo's Zee Me Blue”, ”Hattrick” and ”Hummels Green Day”, who are all out of strong Danish dam lines. For example, ”Viva Don Carlos'” grand dam is the dam of Olympic dressage horse ”Limbo”, the dam of ”Hattrick” is the silver medal mare ”Diana” who is a full sister of the licensed stallion and Zangersheide contestant ”Diamant de Revel”, and ”Hummels Green Day” is out of a mare who is the sister of several top horses, one of which is Tina Lund’s ”Zamiro”.
At the Elite Show in 2010 ”Hummels Green Day” by ”Sir Shutterfly” took the title as Jumping Colt of the Year. The dressage colt foal final in 2010 will be represented in Herning by the colt ”Florentino” by ”Fürstenball” and the silver medal mare ”Revanche”.
Taking a closer look at the bloodlines
The collection of dressage colts this year is dominated by ”Blue Hors Zack” and ”Fürstenball”, each of which has been champion stallion in their home studbook. Presenting his third crop this year ”Blue Hors Zack” has six sons selected and stands out as the most prominant sire, closely followed by ”Fürstenball” with five sons selected for Herning out of his first crop.
KWPN stallion ”Ampere” follows with three stallions selected for Herning, and here it is interesting to note that all three stallions – ”Blue Hors Zack”, ”Fürstenball” and ”Ampere” – in their direct sire line go back to the thoroughbred foundation stallion ”Furioso xx”. Dressage sires ”Fassbinder”, ”Quaterback”, ”Sandro Hit” and ”Tailormade Temptation” each have two sons selected.
Among the jumping colts we see a much greater variety of sires, as the twenty colts are sired by nineteen different stallions. The only stallion with two sons is ”Carrico” whose sire ”Catoki” also has a son selected. Several other sires such as ”Cachas”, ”Check In”, ”Chellys Z” and ”Cajus” descend from the same stallion line going back to the prominent ”Cor de la Bryère”, just like ”Carrico” and ”Catoki”. The diversity in the stallion lines among the jumping colts is brought on by sires such as ”Balou du Rouet”, ”Bøgegården's Graf's Stakkato”, ”Diarado”, ”Heartbeat”, ”Tailormade Stardust” and ”Up To Date”.
At the pre-selections no halfbred colts were selected, and the judges were not presented with any pure refinement stallions (Thoroughbred or Arabian).
An exciting collection
After his 30th pre-selection tour spokesman of the Danish Warmblood breeding committee, Poul Graugaard, was pleased with the overall impressions.
– We were worried that this year's collection would be small in numbers, or of insufficient quality due to the low enrollment, but so far the collection seems at least as strong as last year's, if not stronger, says Poul Graugaard.
He praised the Danish breeders and horse owners for their realistic selection at home, which means that the judges are presented with only the best individuals. The breeding committee is also very pleased with the proportions between jumping and dressage colts, as well as the diversity of bloodlines.
– It is to the advantage of the breeding that we get new and different blood, stresses Poul Graugaard, and emphasises the impact made by sires ”Blue Hors Zack” and ”Fürstenball”.
Sunday schedule with a new dimension
Sunday is the day of all finals at the stallion licensing where lots of exciting moments build up to the announcement of the champion stallions. Prior to this, challenge trophies will be awarded as well as the Stallion of the Year will be appointed among older stallions which have made a strong positive imprimt in the breeding. The Sunday programme offers both Grand Prix show jumping and Grand Prix dressage placing the level of breeding as well as sport at the very highest.
A completely new approach in the licensing process of the 3-year-old colts is that the inspection for the 10-day test at Vilhelsmsborg, this year will take place during the stallion licensing in Herning. Previously, the newly approved colts have been inspected on Monday morning after the stallion licencing, on which occasion they were shown under saddle at Vilhelmsborg. For the first time, this inspection will take place during the stallion licensing in Herning, which gives the audience the opportunity to view the newly approved colts under saddle.
The presentation of these young stallions under saddle is not part of the assessment of the licensing process, but entirely an inspection of the colts approved for testing.