By Britt Carlsen / DWB
Photography: ridehesten.com

After five days of stallion licensing, international dressage, and jumping, with a total of 62,169 spectators and 1,000 horses and stallions – the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show in Herning was proclaimed a huge success.

The enthusiastic crowd at the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show created a fantastic atmosphere during the event at MCH Exhibitions Centre Herning from March 6-10.
Every exhibition hall and stables on the impressive grounds of MCH Exhibition Center Herning are in use when the Danish Warmblood breeding federation hosts its annual stallion licensing, international jumping and dressage competitions, a gala show, plus the equipment fair ‘Horse & Rider’ with more than 225 exhibitors. This year was the 44th time that the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show was held in Herning, and it has developed into a well-oiled event supported by 350 indispensable volunteers.
The president of the Danish Warmblood Federation, Jan Pedersen, was very impressed by the organization and execution of the event and the positive atmosphere surrounding it. “Personally, I really appreciate seeing so many people enjoying their time in Herning. On Saturday alone, 20,000 were present in the stands in the three arenas and the five exhibition halls for the fair. Both the Stutteri Ask Grand Prix in memory of Bo Bak Andersen (CDI3* jumping) and ECCO Five Star Dressage offered an extraordinary atmosphere in the Boxen.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have much opportunity to follow the stallion licensing closely because I have other tasks, but I got to see the stallions at the final presentation on Sunday, and I have to say I thought there were a lot of really nice horses among them. Our federation has around 3,000 members, and the budget for the Stallion Show is DK22.5 million, so it’s a huge undertaking.

Twenty-six 3-yo colts approved

Danish Warmblood breeding is divided into dressage and jumping, and this year a total of 24 dressage-bred three-year-old stallions were presented to the licensing committee, with 14 receiving a one-year breeding permit. Of the 14 jumping-bred stallions presented, 12 were approved, with one receiving a one-year breeding permit.
The majority of the stallions were already shown under saddle at the voluntary one-day test on the Wednesday with a 100% pass rate for those presented. This is why all the approved stallions – although one has not yet participated – were awarded one-year breeding permits. The dressage stallions will enter a 35-day performance test in autumn.

Performance testing system in jumping

Last year, the testing system for the young jumping stallions was changed, so the 12 newly approved stallions have been granted a one-year covering permit, as they were shown under saddle. Next year, when the stallions are four years old, they must participate in two observation classes under saddle during the Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing in March. If they perform satisfactorily, they will be granted an additional one-year covering permit. After this, they must participate in a 20-day performance test (a shortened version of the current 35-day performance test), and the following year, at the age of five, the stallions will have the opportunity to obtain a final licensing at the 2025 Stallion Licensing in Herning.

Premium stallions

The licensing committee for dressage, comprising Jens Søgård, Karsten Petersen, Rune Willum, Vicky Nortvig, and Johnny Sørensen, named three stallions premium:
• Plus Horses Redemption (Revolution x Florencio), bred by Plus Horses’ Laila Meyer, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Sarai L (Secret x For Romance), bred by L Horses, owned by L Horses and Stal Van de Sande
• Select Me (Secret x Fantastic), bred by Aloys Ewers (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage
The licensing committee for jumping included Johnny Hansen, Signe Wiese, Bo K. Møller, and Allan Blomgreen, and named two stallions premium:
• Alberto Ask (Action Man Ask x Canstakko) bred and owned by Stutteri Ask
• Convalmore (Conthargos x Stakkato Gold) bred and owned by Linus Camizt

Further approved dressage stallions

• Bernie (Bernay x Livaldon), bred by Bernhard Gärtner (GER), owned by Ib Kirk and Per Thybo
• Dynamic Dancer (Dynamic Dream x Dresemann), bred by Simon Kohlenbrenner (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Dynamic In Black (Dynamic Dream x De Niro), bred by Axel Baumgartner (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage and Kleppenhus Invest
• First Magic (For Romance I x Desperado), bred and owned by HP Horses
• Nordentoft’s Jerome (Jovian x Revolution), bred and owned by Nordentoft Equestrian
• Åtoften's Jabari (Jovian x Revolution), bred by Stutteri Åtoften, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Magic Mckee L (Total Mclaren x Negro), bred by L Horses, owned by L Horses and Stal Van de Sande
• Veniro (Va Bene x De Niro), bred by Gabriele Eder (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Chicago Majlund (Vivino x Tailormade Temptation), bred and owned by Majlund Dressage’s Annika Pagård
• Dalero (Danciero x Londontime), bred by Arndt Schwierking (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Spectacular (Sezuan x Fürst Romancier), bred by Wilfried Fleming (GER), owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Further approved jumping stallions:

• SJ In Action (Action Man Ask Z x Check In), bred by Knut-Erik Halvorsen and Hanne Benrud, owned by Lasse Berglund and the breeders
• Avalon Lox (Action Man Ask Z x Ci Ci Senjor Ask), bred by Stutteri Lox, Joan Arler, and Peter Børsen, owned by Frandsbjerg Agro A/S
• Mosgaards Chucky (Casall Sem x Quinar), bred by Martin Mosgaard, owned by Hello Nordic/Claus Skytte
• Jouet Belle Epoque (Jewel Ask Z x Celano), bred and owned by Helle Malmberg Hansen
• Jupiter DWB (Jewel Ask Z x Clearwater S), bred by Hans Jørgen Juhl, owned by Stutteri Volstrup, Maigaard Horses and Stald RayPawers
• Jeopardy WN (Jewel Ask Z x Glasgow-W vh Merelsnest), bred by Alexandra Wibholm Nobel, owned by Alexandra Nobel and Dennis Lüth
• Luchetto-H (Luigi d’Eclipse x Concetto), bred by Andreas Wilhelm Høiås, owned by Hello Nordic/Claus Skytte
• Uripax JS (Uriko x Colman), bred and owned by Jesper Meyenburg and Sabine Korfitz Christensen
• 5-year-old: Tütchen (Toys x Corrington), bred by ZG Kroeger Rita and Claudia Kroeger, owned by Dennis Lüth.

Approved for testing

• Bøgegårdens Halligo Z (Halifax van het Kluizebos x Comilfo Plus Z), bred by Van Montfort H, owned by Bøgegården/Stina og Jørgen Schmidt.

A big group with lots of quality

In the Danish Warmblood breeding system, four-year-old and older stallions for licensing are presented under saddle. Two stallions were presented in the group of five-year-olds or older jumper stallions, and both did well enough to be fully approved for breeding. The stallions in question were:
• 5-year-old Dolympic Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Cassini I), bred and owned by Eva and Lars Kramer
• 15-year-old Take a Chance On Me (Taloubet x Aldatus), presented by Danish showjumper Frederik Fensholt. “It is a pleasure to see a stallion that has performed at this level for many years and is still presented in such great shape”, was one of the comments from the judges.
A total of 17 four-year-old and older dressage stallions were shown under rider as part of the licensing. Vicky Nortvig from the breeding committee explained that “it was a big group with a lot of quality, which we could see already last year when we saw the stallions as three-year-olds. They have also done some very good performance tests.” The stallions were fully approved, except for Bueno SL, who has been given a two-year covering permission and will then be presented again.

Breeder’s Trophy and Champion

It was not difficult to decide which of the stallions in the group should receive the Aage Ravn Breeder’s Trophy, which is presented to the best Danish Warmblood-bred four- or five-year-old stallion. This year, the recipient was Straight Horse Leonardo (Lord Europe x De Niro), a stallion out of the gold medal mare Straight Horse De Milla and bred by Straight Horse ApS. The stallion completed a convincing performance test in the fall and, in addition, presents himself with a very correct confirmation.
The title of Champion Stallion was awarded to Viva Vegas (Viva Gold x Rock Forever), a stallion bred in Germany and owned by Helgstrand Dressage. He was the winner of the Danish Warmblood performance test with an impressive score of 892 points.

Receiving lifetime approval

• Søbakkehus First Mover (Blue Hors Fifty Cent), bred by Agnete Holmsted, owned by Hesselhoej
• Atterupgaards Bernachi (Bon Courage), bred and owned by Atterupgaard
• Globall (Global Player x Fürstenball), bred by Arnold Wegbuender, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Parero (Toto Jr. x Negro), bred by T. Bergmans, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Galaxico (Grand Galaxy Win x Samarant), bred by Willem Klausing, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Proud James (Jameson RS2 x Johnson), bred by Y. Van Maasacker, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Straight Horse Leonardo (Lord Europe c De Niro), bred by Straight Horse, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Sénégal De Fontaine (Springbank II VH x Sezuan), bred by Chateau de Fontaine, owned by the breeder and Helgstrand Dressage
• Viva Vegas (Viva Gold/Rock Forever I), bred by Bürgers, Anette and Silmon, owned by Helgstrand Dressage
• Blue Hors Purple Rain (Desperado x Negro), bred by A. Van Os, owned by Blue Hors
• Solution Unik (Revolution), bred by Stutteri Unik, owned by Fisker Dressage
• Opoque (All at Once x Davino V.O.D.), bred by Stal 104 BV, owned by the breeder and Helgstrand Dressage
• Escaneno (Escamillo x Veneno), bred by Tobias Schult, owned by Klosterhof Medingen
• Hesselhoej Double Up (Hesselhøj Donkey Boy x Tailormade Lancelot), bred and owned by Hesselhoej
• Gørklintgårds Million (Millennium x Sunny-Boy), bred and owned by Jørgen Ravn
• St. Emilion (Suarez x Dante Weltino), bred by Nina Sixtensson, owned by Klosterhof Medingen
• One to Remember (Secret x Vivaldi), bred by B. Lichtendahl and Peper, owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Two-year licence

• Bueno Sl (Bonds x Foundation), bred by Stefanie Loehmann, owned by Andresen Dressage

Stallion of the Year

Stallion of the Year Ci Ci Senjor Ask comes from a particularly strong performance lineage and has shown great achievements in breeding. A significant breeding stallion, although perhaps not the most used, he has nevertheless managed to produce 10 medal-awarded mares, three elite mares, and 13 horses that have participated in the world championships for young horses, as well as two graded stallions Cyrano Ask and Casper Ask. In 2023, Ci Ci Senjor Ask’s offspring had a particularly good year with participants in several championships, and at the Europeans he was represented by two offspring: one for Slovakia and one for Sweden, who were on the Swedish gold team. n

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