Two of the most gifted equine athletes in the world – top-ranked international dressage stallion Lingh, winner of the 2005 FEI World Cup, and Olympic show jumping superstar Hickstead – are the first two Canadian Sport Horse Association breeding approved stallions to be awarded Platinum Performance Premium.
The CSHA National Board of Directors has approved the new Platinum Performance Premium to recognize exceptional achievement in sport at the highest level: a first, second or third placing at the Olympic Games, World Championships or Pan Am Games.
Hickstead, a small stallion (16 hands) with a huge talent, won the hearts of Canadians and equestrian fans worldwide after his electrifying gold medal win at the 2008 Olympics with rider Eric Lamaze. As well as the individual gold, Hickstead and Lamaze helped clinch the Olympic team silver for Canada. The pair has had numerous Grand Prix wins worldwide (including the 2007 $1 million CN International at Spruce Meadows and last year’s the €200,000 Global Champions Tour Final Round in Qatar) and has represented Canada in 10 Nations Cup competitions. Hickstead was ranked the number one show jumping horse in the world for both 2008 and 2009 by the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH).
Hickstead, a 1996 stallion, is by the International Grand Prix jumper Hamlet out of the star Preferent mare Jomara. Jomara is by the well-known and recently deceased stallion, Ekstein. He combines scope, power, technique, intelligence and temperament. “The reason that the breeding programs in Europe are so successful is because they use good quality sires and mares, and often they are able to replicate that quality in the foals,” says Eric Lamaze. “I think it will be interesting to see what he can bring to the Canadian breeding program.
“Being based in Europe now, I have seen a lot of Hickstead babies,” he continues. “ I have first-hand experience watching his offspring, which were products of him being used for breeding before we bought him. They all look really good, and they are all very big!”
Experienced breeder and horseman Francis Berger, who operates South Shore Farm outside of Montreal, is Hickstead’s exclusive North American agent. Limited doses of frozen semen are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at a cost of $5,500 US per dose. (Contact Francis Berger at 514-24-4035.)
Lingh’s international performance career has placed him at the top of the index established by the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses, ranking him the number one dressage stallion and third in the world overall. His breathtaking performances at the 2005 FEI World Cup in Las Vegas, where he claimed the Grand Prix and the Silver Medal overall with rider Edward Gal, thrilled the dressage world. He was purchased by American Karin Reid Offield in 2006, who continued to compete with him at the grand prix level.
“I appreciate all of the interest I have had from Canadian Dressage fans in Lingh and my website (www.lingh.nl),” says Karin. “I have many friends from Canada from my show jumping years and I woke up one morning and decided to become involved with Canada’s breeding programs. It’s going to be years until we know how good Lingh’s foals will turn out to be, but I know that Canada loves great sport horses and I believe very strongly in Lingh and his ability to produce great competition and recreational horses. His foals are easy to handle, intelligent and very, very capable.”
Karin says when she read about the Canadian Sport Horse Association and its mission, “I felt as though it would be a perfect match with Lingh. Every day I receive letters from Lingh breeders and their personal goals are the same as the CSHA. I also have a great interest in Lingh being used as a hunter sire. I rode hunters for many years and I have a feeling he has what it takes to sire a great hunter. His jumping bloodlines are evident and his willingness to work is superior. Put those traits together and since his offspring are so pleasant to work with, I think we have a winner.”
Mares will be selected based on their quality such as the depth of pedigree, quality of conformation and movement, production records to date, and performance history, as well as those who are good frozen semen candidates. Susanne Hassler and Hassler Dressage are handling breeding queries. For information, click on www.hasslerdressage.com or call 410-885-3824.
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