The Oldenburg Elite Mare Show thrilled again in front of the impressive backdrop of the Rasteder Schlosspark in Rastede, Germany, on July 21st. The champion mares come from highly successful dam lines that have been maintained by Oldenburg breeders for generations.
Selection for the Oldenburg Elite Mare Show begins with the annual March inspections. Out of hundreds of 3- and 4-year-old mares that are inspected by the Oldenburg Verband in Germany, only a select group are invited to go on to the Mare Performance Test. Out of those mares, around 100 are awarded the States Premium Candidate title, and out of these approximately 60 are invited to the Mare Show in Rastede. Once in Rastede, the jumping and dressage mares are presented in hand on the triangle to the judging committee, with a select few doing a final presentation before the judges rank them and name the champions.
Benice, born 2019, by Benefit out of Uthinga by Stedinger – De Niro – Figaro, bred by Helmut Kleen, Petersfehn, owned by Jos and Ingrid Blonk, Netherlands, was crowned the celebrated Champion Mare of the Verband der Züchter des Oldenburger Pferdes. Discovered as a foal at the auction in Vechta, from the Uthoba dam line, the mare scored 8.30 in her mare performance test. Also from the Uthoba line come the successful grand prix dressage horse Stand By Me OLD (Lisa Müller), Sandro Boy (Lyndal Oatley, AUS), as well as Olympic star Jimmie Choo (Mads Hendeliowitz, SWE)