German Grand Prix rider Bernadette Brune, who is based in Monaco and runs Domaine Equestre des Grands Pins in Vidauban, France, has aqcuired the French A-team dressage horse Lights of Londonderry.
The 11-year old Hanoverian stallion Lights of Londonderry is bred by Inge Bulle and sired by Londonderry out of Wie Warina (by Weltmeyer).
Under French Alexandre Ayache the horse was trained and competed at international Grand Prix level. The duo recently won the CDI-W Brno with a 69.440% Grand Prix score, as well as the CDI-W Lipica and CDI Nice. They represented France at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen.
Jean François Vesin and Ayache co-owned the stallion and both decided to put him up for sale after the chestnut stallion was not selected to represent France at the 2015 CDIO Rotterdam two weeks ago.
"I read in an article of a French equestrian magazine that Lights of Londonderry was for sale and immediately reacted," Brune told Eurodressage. "I've loved this horse for a long time and have known him since he was a 5-year old. I believe this is a horse with German team potential."
The German B2-squad rider Bernadette Brune tried out Lights of Londonderry last week and had the stallion at her barn for a three-day try-out session where she got to know him better.
"He fits like a glove," said an ecstatic Brune. "I really fell in love with him. He always wants to please the rider and asks what he can do for you in every single movement. He really tries his heart out and has a super character. In many ways he reminds me of my top horse Spirit of the Age OLD."
Brune added that she will take her time to get to know "Light" and she is not in a hurry to compete him. Bernadette acquired the stallion to strengthen her team of FEI level horses.
"We need to be a combination first before I show him. In the future he will be able to share the competition load with Spirit. Spirit is now reliable enough and has done his miles. Lights as well as Spirit arestill young. I think that both have much more potential. To attend all the big shows you need two horses."
The sale of Lights of Londonderry does not leave Alexandre Ayache without a Grand Prix horse. He has acquired Brune's rising Grand Prix horse Grand Passion, a former Trakehner licensing champion who is schooling the GP movements. Ayache and his life partner Grete Puvi, a Grand Prix rider from Estonia, are based near Nice, France, and are virtually neighbours of Brune.
"It is with a heavy heart that we sell Light," Ayache told Eurodressage. "Grete and I are expecting our first baby, who should be born in the beginning of November. We are also building a house. We couldn't have hoped for a better home for this wonderful horse then Bernadette's. She is such a lovely rider and offers the best care for her horses. The connection between Light and Bernadette was made immediately from the first try, they are a perfect match!"
Photos © Rui Pedro Godinho
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Photo Report: Krinke-Susmelj Earns World Cup Points at 2015 CDI-W Lipica
Puvi, Ayache, Truppa Win Big Tour Classes at 2015 CDI Nice
Ayache and Lights of Londonderry Submitted to French A-Dressage Team