Vanessa Stensvang, Danish Warmblood Broodmare of the Year 2026

Breeding

Danish Warmblood

Vanessa Stensvang was named "Danish Warmblood Mare of the Year 2026 at the annual DWB elite mare show in Vilhelmsborg on 5 September 2026.

Vanessa Stensvang EGRDH was by Lobster out of Verona Stensvang (by Diamond x Luxemburg x Akcjonariusz.x Colombà), bred by Niels Herman Schmidt. The dam line is based on Polish Trakehner bloodlines.

Vanessa became DWB Mare of the Year in 1999 with a gold medal and achieved elite mare status in 2009. She had her last foal in 2014, but she is the mother of no less than 11 offspring, of which several elite mares can be mentioned: Vika Stensvang, Viktoria Stensvang, Viola Stensvang.

Offspring in Sport

Vanessa Stensvang's breeding imprint is not limited to beautiful medal models and breeding results within her own offspring. She has also greatly left her mark on the reputation of the Danish Warmblood and helped to put the Danish Warmblood on the world map in international sport at the highest level. Through Vika Stensvang ERDH (by Blue Hors Zack), she is the grandmother of the significant gold medal mare Valerie B (by Revolution). She has been a finalist at the UVM twice, where she finished in 4th place together with Anne Mette Strandby Hansen both times. She is the winner of the qualification for the Nürnberger Burgpokal this year, ridden by Dorothee Schneider.

Vanessa Stensvang's most famous great-granddaughter is Queenparks Wendy (by Sezuan/Blue Hors Sporano) bred by Kurt Gosmer. Vanessa Stensvang's daughter Viola Stensvang ERDH is the dam of Skovens Vanilla RDH, who is the dam of (Queenparks) Wendy de Fontaine, who won medals at the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships with Isabell Werth.

Made her Mark

"Vanessa Stensvangs has, through her descendants, helped to highlight the quality of Danish Warmblood breeding at its best in an exemplary manner," Danish warmblood stated. 'She has not only shown herself to possess qualities that have brought her to the forefront and worthy of the gold. She is also a broodmare who has accomplished the difficult feat of also passing on these qualities for generations through her daughters and their offspring. She is a mare who shows that breeding and sport are unmistakably linked. A mare who has created quality, continuity and a breeding line with international impact and performance blood at the highest level."

Vanessa's owners Lene Schmidt Fræhr and Egon Fræhr received the "Matiné statue" in celebration of their breeding achievements through Vanessa Stensvang.

Mares who have previously been awarded the Matinés statue:

2025: ROMANIK EBRDH by Blue Hors Romanov/Blue Hors Don Schufro. Bred by Marianne Helgstrand.
2024: POLKA NEXEN ERDH by Temple Wind/Pilar. Bred by Hans Jul Andersen.
2023: CLARA ERDH by Carano/Resident. Bred by Christine Nørgaard Thomsen.
2022: ATTERUPGAARDS DICTE ERDH by Caprimond EH/Donnerhall. Bred by Atterupgaard.
2021: BØGEGÅRDENS DON ROMINA EGRDH by Blue Hors Don Schufro/Lionell. Bred by Theodor Schmidt.