In fact, during this 2019 edition of the dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, Danish Warmblood was the only studbook to win a medal in each of the three age group categories and, despite its small size, the only studbook to win three medals.

With eight world championship titles, plus seven silver and bronze medals at this event, Danish Warmblood horses have put themselves securely on the world map of dressage sport horse breeding.

• 5yo – Bronze: Queenparks Wendy (Sezuan x Blue Hors Soprano)

• 6yo – Bronze: Zhaplin Langholt (Zonik x Stedinger)

• 7yo – Silver: Hesselhøj Donkey Boy (ERA Dancing Hit x Milan)

Not only are the young dressage horses highly competitive at the world championships, but in recent years Danish Warmblood stallions have also gained international recognition, and they made a very strong statement this year in Ermelo, where five of the nine medal winners were sired by a Danish Warmblood stallion: Two by Sezuan, two by Zonik, and one by ERA Dancing Hit.

Moreover, there were Dutch-, German-, and Swedish-bred finalists outside the medals that were also sired by Danish Warmblood stallions Zonik, Skovens Rafael, and UNO Don Diego. The success of Danish Warmblood has been built upon the concept of importing the best blood from abroad, so this is like the dawn of a new era for Danish Warmblood to be producing stallions from which other studbooks can benefit.

At the end of August, the Longines-FEI European championships in dressage were held in Rotterdam, and once again Danish Warmblood horses put their studbook on the map. Out of the five DWB contestants three made it to the Grand Prix Special, with all three scoring above 75% to qualify for the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Individual bronze was won by Atterupgaard Cassidy (Caprimond x Donnerhall) ridden by Cathrine Dufour. This combination has already won double individual bronze at the 2017 Europeans in Gothenburg as well twice previously winning double individual gold at the European championships for young riders.