Dressage un Ltd, Unlimited Dressage, Warendorf Stallion Parade

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Westphalians are bred first for temperament, then for a small head, a good trot, versatility in dressage, driving and jumping, and as international competition and personal riding horses. Asked what the state stud farm would most like Americans to know about Westphalian warmbloods, a spokesman said, "Temperament confirms harmony of horse and rider. Westphalians have a good trot and a great mind." Dr. Reiner Klimke's great Alherich, Nicole Uphoff-Becker's Rembrandt, Klaus Balkenhol's Goldstern, and Christine Stuckelberger's Aquamarin, are just a few of the internationally successful Westphalian dressage horses. Successful Wesphalian jumpers include Nick Skelton's Dollar Girl and Showtime.

Six 3-year-old Westphalian stallions were selected for the state stud farm from 40 colts approved to be stallions out of the 2,500 colts born in 1994. Twenty-five-year-old Polydor was honored on the program cover and presented-in-hand, while three of his sons, also state stud farm stallions, demonstrated their extraordinary jumping ability. Nine stallions with proven superior inheritability were presented, including Florestan I, with 17 approved breeding-stallion sons; Weinberg, the sire of two-time Olympic gold-medal winner Goldstern; and Mon Cheri, a producer of superior broodmares.

The Westphalian stallions at Warendorf breed from 40 to 200 mares each season at the state stud farm and at 28 outlying stallion stations. Through the use of artificial insemination (AI) with cooled or frozen semen, rather than the traditional live cover, the stallions are kept in daily work by full-time staff of professional trainers. We counted 86 full - time staffers on a vacation schedule posted on the stable wall.

An action trotter, noted for his extended trot

In addition to the Westphalian Warmblood, this stud farm stands Rheinlander Coldblood stallions (picture a Haflinger the size of a Clydesdale in blond or dark brown). One handsome blond Rheinlander 3-year-old was selected this year for the state stud farm. Named Horst, he performed an unexpected but perfect capriole in hand as he was being led out of the parade ground. Imagine the energy it took to get that much weight airborne.

Each state stud farm stands different warmbloods -- for instance, Hanoverians at Celle near Hanover, Marbach Arabians and Wurttemburg Warmbloods at Marbach near Stuttgart, and Holsteiners at Elmshorn. A foal is branded based on where he was born. (For example: Donnerhall, producer of numerous Hanoverian as well as Oldenburg sons, is branded Oldenburg, although he is accepted into the Hanoverian and Westphalian studbooks as well.) State stud farms are open to visitors throughout the year. Each state stud farm holds several performance shows (stallion parades, hengst parade) in the fall. They also perform at major equestrian events.

For information on visiting state stud farms and attending the annual stallion parades, contact the German National Equestrian Federation (Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung), known as the FN, at P. O. Box 110 265, 48231 Warendorf, Germany, fax: (011 49) 2581 621 44.

Freelance author Kyra Beth Houston is best known for the online dressage board that she started two years ago with just 50 members. From an inauspicious launch, she developed live online chats and a dressage message board, as well as delivered live reports from Gladstone, Stuttgart, Aachen and the Olympics. Having outgrown the mini-forum, Houston's new online home for the 20,000 dressage board members is Dressage un Ltd. She can be reached at kyrabeth@dressageunltd.com.

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™ Warendorf Stallion Parade "A Showcase for Stallions"© Text & Photos by Kyra Beth Houston
	Westphalian stallions perform a quadrille without a single buck or an ear laid back.