Farewell to top stallions
The breeding world bids goodbye to several prolific stallions, including sires of British team horses
THE Jazz son Glock’s Tango is among several successful stallions to have died recently. The former grand prix ride of Dutch dressage rider Hans Peter Minderhoud was put down aged 18 due to ongoing health issues (HITN, 8 March).
Despite suffering from incessant shyness as a young horse, the chestnut KWPN stallion accumulated numerous international grand prix wins and top placings with Hans Peter, including winning the Odense World Cup qualifier with 79.3% in 2011. He finished sixth at the World Cup final that year.
“He was a big part of my life and my career. It is a pleasure to be able to experience how a horse can develop from a young, timid and anxious creature into a horse who’s even a little macho, like ‘Tango’ was later on,” said Hans Peter in a statement.
“I can only say ‘thank you’ for many wonderful years and ‘farewell’. We will miss him.”
BRITISH TEAM SIRES
VAN DEYK, the sire of Laura Tomlinson’s former grand prix ride and elite stallion Polarion, has died aged 33. Van Deyk (Patricius x Ibikus) competed successfully at grand prix with Germany’s Dorothee Schneider, having been home-bred by Dorothee’s father, Hans Eberhard. The Trakehner stallion has sired 10 licensed sons and 16 state premium mares.
The prolific Oldenburg stallion Donnerschlag has also died aged 31. The Donnerhall x Pik König offspring includes Gareth Hughes’ former top mare DV Stenkjers Nadonna, with whom Gareth rode to help win team silver for Britain at the 2014 World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy, France. Among Donnerschlag’s licensed sons are Donnerwind and Don Vito.
Another sire of a British team horse has also died: the Westfalian stallion Lanciano, who was 27, sired the 2006 WEG British team horse Lara, who was ridden by Sandy Phillips. The Landino x Pilot son also produced 22 licensed sons, including Lord Sinclair I, II and III.
The Sandro Hit stallion Samba Hit I, full brother to Samba Hit
II, III, IV and V, has also passed away, at the age of 19.