By Liis Ira / eshks
Photography: Liis Ira

At the end of July one of the most important events for Estonian Sport Horse Breeders was held: the Breeding Jumping Championships 2020. The following report is an Association overview of Estonia’s currently active young horse riders, breeders, and the good genetics of the winners and best-placed horses.

For the second year in a row, the championships were held at Perila Equestrian Center near the Estonian capital city, Talinn. The centre has one of the best and largest outdoor arenas in Estonia. By that time, there were no coronavirus restrictions in place, but as many shows were cancelled at the beginning of the season, many of the four-year-old horses struggled with difficulties due to their lack of showing experience.

Four-year-old horses

In Estonia, the young-horse classes start with four-year-olds, in which approximately 30 horses were entered on the Saturday, with around half the field jumping faultlessly at 0m90. In order to increase the level of competition, the Finnish course designer, Tomas Kiviranta, set a much more difficult 1m00 track for the Sunday. This produced eight clear rounds, but reduced the field to one combination in the jump-off: Jaagup Kallas riding the Estonian Sport Horse (ESH) Florian, out of Team Nijhof’s Floris TN (Carry’s Son), whose breeders and owners are Kadi and Ave Kokla. Kallas is, in fact, one of the best Estonian three-day evenging riders who also participated at last year’s World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers, France, where he finished 18th in the six-year-old class.
Catlin Vatsel and ESH mare Heliiny (Hugo V X Bison), bred by Iti Kall claimed second place. Heliiny’s sire, Hugo V was bred by Peeter Viiard, a long-time breeder who is also known for importing the stallion A Pikachu de Muze into Estonia. In 2006, this stallion won the six-year-old age group in the showjumping WBCYH in Lanaken with David McPherson in his saddle.
Third place went to Susan Kaleta and ESH stallion Breezer LT (Bamako de Muze x Lupicot), bred by Andrus Kallaste. Kaleta is also very good at presenting young horses, and last year participated in the Lanaken WBCYH with the six-year-old ESH Herrera, with whom she jumped some nice clear rounds.

More experienced five-year-olds

A total of 18 out of 31 horses jumped faultlessly on the Saturday and qualified for Sunday’s final with the fences at 1m15. In an interview following his victory, Hanno Ellermann said; “there was really something to jump.” The course was technical and with a maximum height, which was overcome by Ellermann jumping two clear rounds as well as a flawless and speedy jump-off with ESH Kristallo (Kontador vd Doorndonkhoeve D’12 x Zambesi), bred the Ellermann family itself. The winner’s sire is by BWP stallion Nabab de Reve (damsire Qerlibet Hero) from the famous mare line Fragance de Chalus. Kristallo’s motherline, S98Z x Palmira, descends from a Russian Trakehner line responsible for some some GP level showjumpers... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber

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