Two dressage stallions -- Santorini and After Midnight -- were licensed at the 2010 Anglo European Studbook Autumn Stallion grading at Addington Equestrian Centre in Great Britain on 10 November 2010.
The licensing was dominated by show jumpers and eventing horses.
Caroline Portnoi’s 3-year-old Hanoverian stallion Santorini stood out as a stallion of the future in the loose dressage section. Carrying the influential bloodlines of Donnerhall and Sandro Hit, Santorini is by San Remo out of Anabella (by Anami). He immediately found favour under the close inspection of assessors Charlie Edwards, Geoff Glazzard and Henk Minderman.
“He came in and made you look at him,” said Geoff Glazzard. “His movement kept you looking. It was as though he was saying – are you watching me?”
Bred in Germany by Heinz Springer, this 16.2hh chestnut, who was acquired at last year’s Brightwells Star of the Future Sales, is being produced by Daniel Sherriff. “He’s backed, broken and is really lovely to ride,” said Daniel. “He’s totally straight forward and extremely trainable. We’re pleased with the way he showed himself off.”
The panel were unanimous in their opinion. “This stallion is correct with presence and movement to match. He is everything to look at and deserves to be licensed,” said Charlie Edwards. Daniel said: “He’ll be campaigned in four-year-old classes next year. He‘s an outstanding character and in all honesty your grandmother could ride him and make him look good! ”
Philip and Katie Johnston travelled from Tandragee, North Ireland, to present their 5-year-old After Midnight for licensing as a ridden dressage stallion. This KWPN son of Special D, out of Leandra (by Fair Play), qualified for the Hickstead Dressage Masters on winning the novice championships at the Cavan Dressage Festival. He is currently competing with Katie at elementary level and has accrued 134 British Dressage points.
“Everything about this stallion is switched on to train,” said Geoff Glazzard. “He’s got a good temperament and is totally trainable in his brain.” Bought from Twan Van Oesel’s yard in Holland via Patrick Schutte, as a newly backed two-year-old, After Midnight is being carefully produced by Katie under the guidance of her trainer Heike Holstein. “I left him with Twan in Holland for six weeks to be finished,” said Katie. “He’s everything I hoped him to be and more. Twan recommended the AES studbook to us and I’ve spent the past few days in the UK working with Gareth Hughes to prepare for the grading. I’m aiming to produce him to prix st georges as a seven-year-old and eventually get him to grand prix.”
Studbook Director Henk Minderman, co-owner and founder of the AES, said: “The Anglo European Studbook is ranked fourth for eventing and tenth for showjumping in the world rankings. We’ve always maintained we would catch up with the Continent.
"These recent statistics confirm we’re beginning to hold our own against the big traditional studbooks and surpassing many of the long established stud books. We are basically a stud book for riders breeding their own future horses who know their horses well enough to make informed choice of mating.
"In contrast, many of the continental farmers tend to follow fashion with marketing their foals a priority rather than studying the inner qualities of their broodmares who often are unproven in the sport.”
Text and Photos by Kathryn Pearn
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Two Dressage Stallions Licensed at 2010 AES Stallion Licensing