DECEMBER 2010 THE RIDER /43 Blazing Colours - Customizing Your Horse By Mallory Hendry.


These days, riders have more choice for their horses than ever before. Walking around the Royal Winter Fair, you can buy everything from tie dyed halters to pink sparkly crops to crazy coloured plaid blankets. But why only customize what goes on your horse? Why not customize the colours of the horse itself?


But make no mistake; colour does not come at the cost of quality.


“These horses are bred for their athletic abili- ty, conformation and movement,” Wayenberg says. “The unique colour is an added bonus.”


This is the idea behind Blazing Colours Farm, a breeding and train- ing operation run by April Wayenberg. Along with members of her staff, Wayenberg was at the Royal to educate people about what they do.


April has been an equine enthusiast her entire life, beginning at the age of three. Her love of horses lasted through her child- hood and saw her off to equine college, where she graduated after four years with a diploma in repro- duction and another in equine husbandry. Her vision was to establish a breeding program special- izing in coloured Warm-


bloods for competition in English disciplines, but she couldn’t find anything in North America to suit her needs. It was in Europe that April discovered Mirabeau, who would become her first stallion. Following that, she purchased Arts Aero in Virginia. Finally the step to coloured Thor- oughbreds was made when she brought home Sato. Now, her dream is realized. Rare coloured Thoroughbreds and Warm- bloods roam the 50 acres of her Wellandport, Ontario farm. The hides of these custom coloured sport horses come in colours that just sound fancy, including cremello, perlino, palomi-


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no, buckskin, and – for even more choice - with and without the pinto pat- terns of sabino, dominate white and tobiano.


“We are the largest breeding farm in North America that breeds these fabulous coloured ath- letes,” Wayenberg says. “Clients come from all across North America seek- ing out unique coloured hunter, jumper and dres- sage prospects.”


ing her, Blazing Colours Farm produced four more and purchased two others. Although typical horses in every regard, these light coloured beauties do have one extra consideration. “The pink skin on their eyes and nose can be sensitive to the sun,” Wayenberg says. “During the summer they wear masks to protect them from sun burns!”


April is passionate both about the horses them- selves, and educating oth- ers about their unique colours and abilities. To share her work with those who came to the Royal, April brought White Beau- ty to meet the crowds. White Beauty, a five year old cremello Thor- oughbred mare, was one of the horses featured in the Spirit of the Horse at the Royal Winter Fair. The horse is assuredly 100% Thoroughbred despite her flashy coat, and has been DNA tested to prove it. There are only about 25 of these kinds of horses in the world, a fact that April illustrates well by calling attention to the fact that there are nearly 2.5 million Thoroughbreds registered since the first volume of The American Stud Book in 1873. Adding to White Beauty’s distinction is the fact that she was the first cremello Thoroughbred foaled in Canada. Follow-


April explains that their creamy, pearly looking coats are the result of two dilution genes on a chest- nut base. If only one dilu- tion gene was present, White Beauty would have been a palomino. If she were to be bred to a bay, chestnut or black stallion another dilution gene is added. What this means, April explains, it that you are 100 per cent guaranteed


shade if you breed a cremello to a buckskin or palomino; two dilution genes are needed for a blue eyed, pink skinned cremel- lo foal. Because of their dilution genes, cremello mares and stallions are valuable in producing the colours many people covet. Besides dilution genes from palominos and buck- skins, Blazing Colour Farms also incorporates the pinto patterns sabino, dom- inate white and tobiano. How is Ontario receiving this influx of crazy new patterns and colours? Well, apparently.


“Of the five to ten foals born per year, most are sold before they hit four years old,” April says. For those who wish to cus- tomize their own foals, Blazing Colours Farm stands a cremello Thor- oughbred stallion – along with six other uniquely coloured Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods – to the public. But you don’t have to be in the market to breed or buy to learn more about these special horses.


April Wayenberg, Lindsay Baum, Blazing Colours Farm.


Cremellos are often mistaken for Albinos because of their light colouring, blue eyes and pink skin, but this is not the case – Albino horses do not exist. Giving the audience a crash course on genetics,


to get a palomino, buck- skin, or smoky black foal. Another consideration when choosing which hors- es to breed is whether or not you want your foal to have blue eyes. You can get the beautiful sky blue


“Blazing Colours Farm is proud of the horses we breed and would love to discuss them,” April says. “E-mail us at postmas- ter@blazingcoloursfarm.co m, call us at 905 386 0815, or visit our website at www.blazingcoloursfarm.c om.”


Dressage Canada and Robert Dover Regretfully Unable to Renew Contract


Ottawa, ON—Dressage Canada regrets to inform the dressage community that it has been unsuc- cessful in its bid to retain the services of Team Technical Coach/Advisor Robert Dover beyond


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the one-year contract that expired October 15, 2010. While efforts have been made over the past several months to extend this contract, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement for this position due to financial constraints and time commitments.


Dover has done a formidable job as Techni- cal Coach/Advisor, working tirelessly in sup- port of the Canadian Dressage Team. He was instrumental in their success on the European Tour, and best ever placing at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. In addition to this, Dover conducted clinics for Dressage Canada for listed riders nation- wide.


There are currently efforts underway to maintain Dover on a consultant basis, which is welcomed by riders given the forthcoming 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympics. Canada’s athletes are welcome to contact Robert privately for any help or coaching in the future.


About Dressage Canada


Dressage Canada, as a committee of Equine Canada, is the national governing body for dressage in Canada. Dressage Canada’s objective is to foster the growth of dressage and the pursuit of excellence in the sport at the local, national and international levels. Dressage Canada provides support and guid- ance to both amateur and professional through the following programs: coaching education and programs, officials’ education and programs, rules and qualifying criteria, sport development, and publications and awards. For more information about Dres- sage Canada, please visit the Dressage sec- tion of the Equine Canada site or connect with us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dres- sagecanada or Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/lp8cnd.


About Equine Canada


For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.


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