By Sally Reid
Photography: Courtesy Renai Hart
New Zealand lost a trio of star Hanoverians in 2021: The imported breeding stallion Worldly (Weltmeyer - Boleisa x Brentano II), the showjumping mare, Graffiti MH (Graf Top - Elodie x Earl), and the international eventer, Henton Attorney General (Anamour - Delphi x Distelfink).
Graffiti’s death shocked the competition world here, as she had just turned 12 and was in her prime; a horse with extraordinary charisma and a huge presence in the jumping rings. She competed at the highest levels, with wins and placings at World Cup qualifiers and Grand Prix. She was owned by Angela Miller and Judith Matthews, and ridden by Melody Matheson, who described her as; “One of the best horses New Zealand has ever had… a fierce competitor but a giant softy at home.”
Graffiti was the runner-up and best mare of the Young Event Horse Championships at Taupo in 2014. She also had wins at dressage before switching to full-time jumping, which had become so obviously her forte. In 2017, she won the seven-year-old Horse of the Year title.
‘G’, as she was known, died from complications brought on by a viral infection. She has a young three-quarter sister, Graffiene MH.
The magnificent chestnut Worldly, who died from a severe colic attack in early December, was born in 1997, bred by Rolf Böndel. He finished second in his 100-day stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf in 1999, and was first owned by American Elizabeth Page-Lewis, who leased him to the Celle Stud. In 2007, he was sold to Haras de Hus, and to Renai Hart of River Park Farm in 2011. His value to her far exceeded that of a breeding stallion.
“Worldly was the absolute centre of our farm; it will never quite be the same. I loved him from our first meeting in Germany, right until my last kiss farewell. He took a piece of my heart. I was blessed to have had him; we have beautiful daughters to carry his legacy and do him proud,” she says.
He produced 15 licensed sons in Germany, of which seven are listed in Studbook I, and has 235 mares registered with the Verband: 40 of these are State Premium. There are many good New Zealand progeny, including 2021’s Best Hanoverian Studbook Mare, Stoneylea Windsong (see separate story) and a stallion son, Westerly Inc, who is out of Emiral (Amiral 764, SWB)... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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