The stallions have just finished their 35-day test at Tørring Ridecenter and have got their final test results. A total of 24 stallions have been tested at Tørring Ridecenter with master rider Torben Frandsen in charge of the 35-day test. The stallion's rideability and capacity in dressage were judged by master rider, Jan Møller Christensen. Out of 24 stallions 7 stallions were tested in jumping, 8 in dressage and 9 stallions in both disciplines. Testing in both disciplines is a requirement from the German horse breeding societies.

Springbank II VH

All stallions from Helgstrand showed really good shape, but especially Springbank II VH by Skovens Rafael/De Niro did very well and got the best result of the dressage test. With 10 in both the rideability and capacity from the test rider, he achieved an impressive final score of 954.5 points. Quaterhit by Quatergold/Sandro Hit placed second in the test with total 884 points and Valverde by Vitalis/Ampère finished up third with 876 points.

At this year's Oldenborg Stallion licensing Helgstrand Dressage has got two more approved stallions for breeding:

Catalogue number 73 by Quaterback and damsire Paradiesvogel.
Catalogue number 59 by Fürstenball and damsire Donnerhall.

Both stallions showed great capacity and the judges were very impressed.

Find the results of the licensing here.

Premium stallion bought by partners

After the licensing the auction took place and Helgstrand Dressage managed to buy the very impressive stallion by Don Schufro/Stedinger in coorperation with Paul Schockemöhle and HP Horses.

The stallion showed very well during lounging and a promising potential as a future dressage horse.

He is a high-set and very well-moving young stallion.

He will be located at Paul Schockemöhle and semen will be available through HP Horses.

Watch video of the stallion here.

Today the 2017 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing in Verden took place. At the auction Helgstrand Dressage bought two new exiting stallions for the collection - among others, the auction's most expensive stallion, catalogue number 105 after Sezuan/Donnerhall/Weltmeyer. He was bought for no less than 650,000 euros.

Video of catalogue number 105 after Sezuan/Donnerhall/Weltmeyer. 

Out of a total of 53 stallions 72 were licensed and Helgstrand secured another two top stallions - catalogue number 62 after Finest/De Niro/Weltmeyer, which was purchased for 360,000 euros and the auction's most expensive, catalogue number 105 after Sezuan/Donnerhall/Weltmeyer, purchased for 650,000 euros. The Sezuan colt impressed the crowd and stood out with a very powerful canter and very impressive trot.

In addition, Helgstrand Dressage's catalogue number 104 by Sezuan/Desperados was licensed at the 2017 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing.

Find the entire collection here.

American Catherine Haddad-Staller has been very successful at international shows after she bought Sue by Sir Donnerhall/Welt Hit II at Helgstrand Dressage.

Catherine Haddad-Staller is a well-known name at international shows and, with the purchase of Sue she has achieved great places at Grand Prix level. Sue has meanwhile changed her name to Semper Fidelis and they have recently debuted at Grand Prix level at CDI Darmstadt in September and had great results. However, they have already improved and got placed second in the Grand Prix and in addition, she won the Grand Prix Special at CDI Le Mans.

Catherine has been sponsored by American Rowan O'Riley for the last 2.5 years, who bought the now 11yo mare at Helgstrand Dressage back in 2016, owned by Italian Gloria Colombo at that time. Gloria has educated Sue up to small tour, and then decided to sell her. She got to Helgstrand Dressage to continue her positive development.

- Of course, we are proud to see that our customers achieve such great results at international shows. Catherine is an incredibly skilled rider and it's just wonderful to see that her and Semper Fidelis make up such a great couple. We wish them all the best for the future and really looking forward to follow them at future shows, says Andreas Helgstrand.

Helgstrand Dressage has just bought 5yo Dragon Welt by Dancier/Weltmeyer by Swedish Jan Brink from Tullstorp Dressage Stable who, despite his young age, has already achieved great results - in fact he is Sweden's most winning 5yo dressage horse with an average of 92.80.

- Dragon Welt is in a class of his own - we have followed him alongside his career and have seen how he has developed. He is a fantastic horse - a good combination of extraordinary gaits, good expression and fabulous temperament. Tullstorp Dressage Stable's rider, Ida-Linn Lundholm has done an amazing job training the stallion and we are looking forward to continue his education, but also, we are looking forward to offering another exciting stallion in our collection, says Andreas Helgstrand.

As 3yo, Dragon Welt won the Swedish championships Breeders Trophy with a total score of 92.60%, including 9.3 in trot, 9.2 in walk, 9 in canter, 9.5 in suppleness and 9.3 in overall impression. In 2016, Dragon Welt won again Breeders Trophy for 4yo with 10/10 from the test riders, including from Olympic equestrian rider Charlotte Dujardin. Among other victories in 2017, he also won the Gothenburg Horse Show for 5yo with 93.4% and later in Falsterbo he won the qualification by 89%.

At the performance test this year, he also performed very well, he got 8.5 in walk, 9.5 in trot, 9 in canter and 9.5/10 in reliability - and thus the highest average for both gaits and reliability.

Top marks at WBFSH in Ermelo

At the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses for 5yo in Ermelo, Dragon Welt finished second in the small final with a total score of 9.08 points, including 9.6 in trot, 8 in walk, 9.3 in canter, 9 in rideability and 9.5 in capacity, thus moving on to the final, where he ended up 9th with 8.72 points.

Out of top dressage horses

Dragon Welt is by the top stallion Dancier, who was awarded premium stallion at the Hanoverian Stallion Licensing in 2004 and he won his performance test in 2005 with a dressage index of 158.46. In 2006, he won bronze at the German Bundeschampionship in Warendorf for 4yo and has achieved several places in S-dressage. Weltmeyer also was awarded premium stallion at the Hanoverian Stallion Licensing, this was back in 1986 and won his performance test as well as the title Bundeschampion.

Dragon Welt and Tullstorp Dressage Stable's rider, Ida-Linn Lundholm, at 2017 WBFSH in Ermelo.

Today 7 stallions from Helgstrand are taking part in Danish Warmblood's 35-day performance test at Tørring Ridecenter. On the first day, the stallions are presented on hard surface and vet checked before they will be presented under saddle by their own rider. The final test day will be on Monday 27. November.

From Helgstrand the following stallions are entered:

Quaterhit – dressage and show jumping
Valverde – dressage and show jumping
Florist Enshøj – dressage
Springbank II VH – dressage
Heilines Zanzier – dressage
It's Me – dressage Antheros – dressage

We are looking forward to the end of November to receive the results of the 35-day performance test.

Joao and Springbank II VH, Equitour Aalborg 2017.

This weekend World Cup Herning took place and from Helgstrand several riders participated in U25 Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle. In Saturday's Grand Prix, Victoria and Ludwig der Sonnenkönig took the victory with 72.325% and Beata and Harmony's Florano placed 4th. In Sunday's Grand Prix Freestyle, Victoria and Ludwig delivered another great performance and once again took the victory scoring 75,167%. Beata and Harmony's Florano placed 3rd with 72.5% and Søren and Grafit placed 4th with 71,208%.

On Thursday, Anne-Marie and Diva Unik showed great form and placed 3rd in Prix Sct. Georg achieving 69,184%. In Friday's Intermediare II, Betina and Skovlunds Garmin G also finished 3rd with 69.579%, while both Betina and Schakiro Pilekaer and Anne-Marie and Diva Unik ended just outside placement in Intermediare I.

Victoria and Ludwig der Sonnenkönig.

Friday, Springbank II VH and Severo went to Flyinge in Sweden to participate in the Swedish Championships, which is only for Swedish-born horses and Swedish-licensed stallions from other countries.

Springbank II VH and Severo impressed the judges in the Swedish Breeders Trophy. With a total score of 97.2% they won the 3yo class achieving 9.3 for walk, 9.8 for trot, 9.5 for canter and 10 for suppleness and overall impressions.

Springbank II VH is licensed in Danish Warmblood, was awarded premium stallion and is among the stallions with the most servings this year. The next step for Springbank II VH is the participate at the Danish Warmblood's 35-day performance test starting on October 23, 2017.

Alexander and Jumanji ready for the Ecco Cup final

This weekend, Alexander was in the third and final qualification of the Ecco Cup in Solrød Rideklub competing aginst 11 of the best cat. 2 ponies. 

In the kür Alexander did a great program, which the judges awarded with 75,542%. In total, Alexander and Jumanji achieved 73.60% and were thus able to take the winning position.

The Ecco Cup final is taking place the 1-3 December at Helgstrand Academy.

Helgstrand Dressage has just entered into a partnership with Stud Atterupgaard at Jystrup, Denmark and is now co-owner of the 5-year-old stallion, Atterupgaard's Botticelli, by Benetton Dream/Caprimond.

Stud Atterupgaard has bred many top horses, among others Atterupgaard's Cassidy, who is the brother of Botticelli, and on which Cathrine Dufour has just won team-silver at the European Championship and two times individual bronze medals.

- We are extremely happy to be able to cooperate with some of the best breeders in the world. Stud Atterupgaard has bred many top horses and we have huge expectations for Atterupsgaard's Botticelli, who recently attended the World Championships for Young Horses in Ermelo, showing his incredible movements and amazing expression, says Andreas Helgstrand.

Botticelli is educated by Stud Atterupgaard's rider, Selina Solberg Vittinghus, but is in the future to be found at Helgstrand Dressage, where the talented Spanish rider Severo López will continue his education.

- Atterupgaard's rider, Selina, has done a great job, and now the plan for Botticelli is to attend the Sports and Breeding Championships in Denmark together with Severo, Andreas says.

Video of Atterupgaards Botticelli  

Photo credit: H2R

Traditionally, in the past weekend The Championships of Young German Horses and Ponies in Warendorf took place. The best horses from all Germany participated in dressage, show-jumping, military and carriage-driving.

Helgstrand Dressage owns the 3-year-old Eternity by Escolar/Sir Donnerhall I, and together with the German rider Eva Möller they competed in the qualifying class for 3-year-old mares and geldings, which they won with a total of 8.90 with 10 in canter and 9.5 in trot.

Also in the finals, Eva and Eternity delivered an excellent performance, which they won by total 65.00 with 10 in both trot and canter and a total of 19.50 from the test rider.

View all results here.