Sport horse breeding BHHS
Woodlander’s breeding programme proves second to none as the two-year-old Wild Love becomes a dual champion
and WBS-UK Stallion Grading
WINNING two championships in two days is a rare feat, but one that was achieved by Lynne Crowden’s young home-bred stallion Wild Love, who claimed the title at both the BHHS and WBS-UK stallion gradings, both held at Home Farm, Hothorpe, on two separate days.
The two-year-old bright chestnut Wild Love is by the Woodlander Stud's homebred stallion Wild Child out of
Words Of Love, who is by For Compliment. He was bred by Lynne, who bred his sire, his dam, his grandsire and two grand-dams.
“He is line-bred to Louisiana [champion mare at the BHHS show] and is certainly the best stallion that we have ever bred,” said Lynne.
Two-year-old Fascinize (For Romance x Don Frederico), a former BHHS foal champion produced by Court Farm Stud, also caught the eye of the judges. He was bought in utero from Germany and is now owned by the Carroll family from Yorkshire. Both stallions are now destined for Germany for performance testing in order to fulfil Hanoverian grading criteria.
“Wild Love is the product of a successful breeding programme and while jumping was not the highlight of his grading, he was spectacularly loose in his movement with powerful elastic paces,” said BHHS Chairman Katy Holder-Vale, who assessed the stallions alongside Ludwig Christmann, Hans Henning von der Decken and Nicole Nelson.
“Fascinize, although still immature, impressed with his movement and athleticism. For a dressage-bred colt, he jumped well and with a supple back.”
Wendy Smith’s 10-year-old advanced dressage stallion
Don Dante (Dancier x Salvano), who competed at the British Dressage national championships and in the Future Elite competition at Horse of the Year Show (see report, p79), also gained his licence.
SILVER POSITION
THE following day, nine stallions came forward for the WBS-UK grading, with six passing the assessment.
Again, Wild Love was the highest-marked stallion and presented with the champion’s sash, with the four-year-old
Silver Don (Silvio I x Der Lord), presented by Richard Selleck, standing reserve. Bred by Northcliff Equine near Bristol, he was acquired by Richard as a foal then sold to Oxfordshire-based Tina Mosvold. In July, with Irish event rider Austin O’Connor in the saddle, Silver Don was the winner of the Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier at Barbury Castle, gaining the top marks of the class for jumping. His sire Silvio I is best known as the sire of former international jumper Shutterfly.
“Silver Don is an elegant, light-footed stallion and showed real talent and style in his jumping,” said Katy, who assessed the stallions with Hans Henning von der Decken of the German Hanoverian Verband.
SIRES OF THE FUTURE
THE others to pass included Romanno Danteno (Dante Weltino x Donnerhall), bred by Jennifer Gilchrist at her Scottish-based Rommano
Stud, and presented by owner Tahley Reeve-Smith. He was described by the judges as “a real dressage prospect”.
Myspires Fider Hit (Fidertanz x Sandro Hit), bred by owner Lianne Verity, was deemed “a good-moving, laid-back” threeyear-old, while Volatis Defiant (Showmaker x Stanhopes Dueka), a nine-year-old skewbald who is competing at advanced dressage, also passed. He was bred and is owned by Sacha Shaw.
The pony stallion Godrics Decoy, bred by Beverley Brown of the Leamside-based Godrics Stud, completed the list. By the stud’s pony stallion Danger out of a mare by the former British dressage team pony Caesar, the two-yearold “showed expressive paces and a supple jump with scope”.