By Britt Carlsen / DWB
Photography: Ridehesten.com
For Danish Warmblood the summer’s regional evaluations culminate in a festive finale: the KRAFFT DWB Elite Show, where the best mares, geldings, two-year-olds, and foals meet to compete for titles and breeder medals
For the first time in Danish Warmblood history, geldings were officially recognized at what has traditionally been the mares’ Elite Show.
“Geldings have been somewhat overlooked in a breeding context, yet they make up half of our population. We need to have them evaluated because their results provide valuable data for our linear profiling and indices. Moreover, breeders producing stallion offspring should be rewarded for strong breeding results – just as geldings can now contribute points toward their dam’s elite mare status. For that reason, we awarded breeder medals this year to the breeders of geldings designated as medal candidates. It was particularly gratifying that every gelding selected for the Elite Show proved to be of very high quality,” said Danish Warmblood Director Claus Hansen.
At the KRAFFT DWB Elite Show, held August 28–31, the best three-year-old and older mares and geldings from the summer’s saddle gradings gathered – both in dressage and showjumping.
Since the discipline split in 2003, Danish Warmblood has specialized its evaluation and testing of showjumping and dressage horses. In 2023, this was emphasized further by introducing discipline-specific descriptions of rideability.
At the saddle gradings, dressage horses are tested under saddle, receiving marks for walk, trot, canter, rideability, and capacity.
Jumping horses are free-jumped or, at the owner’s choice, jumped under saddle if four years or older. Horses shown in free jumping are also presented under saddle, where they are judged on canter and rideability, while jumping performance – free or under saddle – is assessed for technique and capacity.
Spotlight on the dressage stars
Judges select the best three-year-old and older horses at the regional saddle gradings, who are then invited to the Elite Show. Here, breeder medals in gold, silver, and bronze are awarded, and the judges name the Best Dressage Mare and Gelding and Best Jumping Mare and Gelding of the Year...
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