BY JEAN LLEWELLYN / ORIGINAL TEXT IN GERMAN BY MICHAELA WEBER-HERRMANN
PHOTOGRAPHY: BJÖRN SCHROEDER
The highest award bestowed by the DSP is the title of ‘Elite Stallion’. It is not given out lightly; the requirements are strict: a high breeding value, a minimum number of licensed sons, and offspring successful at the advanced level.
Quaterback was the first recipient of the title in 2016, followed by truly illustrious stallion names:
• Don Diamond (2004/Bad-Wü: Diamond Hit - Crazy Horse x Carolus I) breeder – Stefanie Hofmann; dressage GP with Nicole Casper (GER)
• Colestus (2006/Westf: Cornet Obolensky - Spice Girl R x Stakkato) breeder – Hartwig Rellensmann; 1m60 with Christian Kukuk (GER) and Ludger Beerbaum (GER)
• Askari (1997/Holst: Acord II - Elypse I x Lavall I) breeder – Ute Lill-Bonnhoff; 1m60
• Rivero II (1993/Bavar: Rautenstein - Argentina x Argentan II) breeder – Ferdinand Sanladerer; dressage GP
• Millennium (2008/Trak: Easy Game - Merle x Ravel) breeder – Bettina Bieschewski; PSG with Simone Pearce
• Colorit (2003/Bad-Wü: Coriano [Holst] - H-Campina x Capitol I) breeder – Hans-Dieter Weimer; 1m60 with Christian Ahlmann (GER) and David Will (GER)
• Con Spirit (2006/Bavar: Cornet Obolensky - Cantabile x Acorado I) breeder – Anton Schindele Jnr; 1m60 with Daniel Dassler (GER)
• Decurio (2008/Hann: Desperados FRH - Regentin x Rotspon) breeder – Bernhard Tuitjer; PSG dressage
The setting for this year’s awards’ ceremony was once again as fitting as it was atmospheric: the evening gala of the Stallion Days in the sold-out Olympic Riding Hall in Munich-Riem. Accompanied by frenetic applause, one stallion took center stage who can now also call himself a ‘DSP Elite Stallion’: Floricello (2008/Oldbg: Florencio x Dormello x Feingau.
The now 18-year-old, imposing dark-bay stallion from the Wadenspanner stud farm was reserve champion of the Oldenburg licensing in 2010 and reserve champion of the Young Horse Championship in Sweden in 2011. Then, in 2013, he made a spectacular entrance onto the world stage. In Verden, as a five-year-old, he followed in the footsteps of his father, the dressage world champion Florencio, and won silver under Andreas Helgstrand at the dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses. Floricello continued his competitive career in Bavaria: With Walter Wadenspanner in the saddle, becoming a serial winner in the advanced level.
He also set standards as a sire: His breeding career in Sweden has already produced licensed stallions and highly successful dressage horses. His offspring include horses successful at international Grand Prix level as well as those who have excelled at the Bundeschampionate, such as the South German reserve champion Fumée M (out of Umbria [Bavar] x Unee BB [KWPN])...
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