Natalie Cwik has competed Beaujolais successfully
through third level, winning numerous USDF All Breeds awards along the way. Now they’re schooling fourth level and Prix St. Georges and enjoying every moment together. He’s also been a standout as a breeding stallion. In 2008 the Beaujolais colt Brio, out of a Hanoverian mare by the Weltmeyer son Wonderful, scored an impressive 9.2 on conformation and 8.8 on movement, finishing as the high scoring foal out of both horses and ponies of the entire Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International (RPSI) inspection tour. “I loved my big horses. I rode them for 30 years and was
never a pony person until I got one,” Cwik continues. “Then I ended up gelding my horse stallion, and I’m never going back. I never would have imagined a 14 hand pony would be my end all!” While in Germany the standard for the German Riding
Pony limits their size to 148 cm, or 14.2 hands, some ponies inevitably overgrow. American breeders prize these overgrown ponies, claiming the biggest market exists for a “pony” standing 15 to 15.3 hands – the perfect size for the average adult amateur lady dressage rider.
Meet MAKUBA Makuba, a 14.1 and 1/2 hand German Riding Pony owned by Klaus Biesenthal of Bell Oaks Farm in Freeport, Illinois, has the honor of being the first imported German Riding
“Makuba had done his
stallion testing in Germany, and then he wasn’t ridden for several years while just breeding mares,” Biesanthal continues. “When I brought him over in October, he wasn’t broke to drive. On December 8th we drove him in a Christmas parade hitched to a mare!” “Makuba is just like that—special. In three years under
two junior riders, Makuba went from training level to Intermediare 1, always ranking in the top two or three horses or ponies ridden by a junior in this country. Then I drove him, and made it all the way to Advanced in combined driving.” Biesenthal reports. Makuba’s offspring have excelled in a variety of disciplines. Montgomery, a 6-year-old German Riding Pony by Makuba out of a Holsteiner mare by Ratibor, earned 2009 USDF First Level Horse of the Year with an average score of 75.56%. This German Riding Pony is no half-pint either—at 16.3 hands, Montgomery exceeded his breeder’s expectations in more ways than one! Most Makuba babies out of small Warmblood mares finish in the 14.2–16 hand range, but genetics is never simple or predictable. “Montgomery’s dam obviously had some pretty big genes,” Biesenthal says, laughing. “That’s one big pony!”
Meet POPEYE Natalie DiBerardinis is breeding and general manager of Hilltop Farm in Colora, Maryland, where the imported Westfalen pony stallion Popeye, owned by Summit Sport- horses, stands and books roughly 10–15 horse and pony mares per year. Popeye is sired by FS Pour l’Amour, champion of both his licensing and performance test, and sire of multiple Bundeschampionat winners. “We’re lucky to have Popeye. He’s a fantastic pony and is a little bit of a Napoleon! He can do anything; just ask him,” DiBerardinis says.
Pony stallion to stand in the United States. Sired by the Trakehner stallion Major Domus, Makuba’s 100 day test scores previewed successes to come. He scored 10 for temperament and 9 for rideability, 10 for walk and 9’s for trot, canter and free jumping. Makuba truly set the bar for German Riding Ponies in sport in this country. “Makuba was bred by my father, who with a friend helped start this GRP thing in Germany,” Biesenthal explains. “I wanted a pair, so in 1998 I decided to bring six of these ponies over, thinking to sell some and keep a pair. Well, within six weeks they were all gone! So then I talked Dad into letting me have Makuba. I imported him along with one mare.”
Left & top right: Makuba from Bell Oaks Farm (Driving photo by Kirsten Barry). Bottom right: Popeye standing at Hilltop Farm, owned by Summit Sporthorses.
Warmbloods Today 33
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