Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International
Undia – The Old Gray Mare…
MULTIPLEUSDF BREEDER OF THEYEAR Marion Dresel- O’Connor as a young girl in Germany met her first Zweibrücker, a spirited gray mare named Undia. She’s been a fan of the breed ever since. Undia competed as a half-blood racehorse in her youth, in
popular races called ‘Jagdrennen’ hunt races. Tese races were possible thanks to the essentially light, sporty type of Zweibrücker horses [bred] through the years. Undia`s sire was the Toroughbred Der Unhold xx who stood in Zweibruecken for many years. Her dam Diana was by Djebel ox, out of a mare by Verdun/Rotenfels II. After her racing career,
Undia went on to a short career as a polo pony and then as a rental horse. When that didn’t work out she was headed for the slaughterhouse, until young Marion bought her. Te two became a team, winning the 1.10 meter division at their first show together in 1978. Undia helped Marion earn her ‘Reitabzeichen,’ the bronze medal needed in Germany to compete at B and A rated competitions. “Tis is why I breed
Wins in Wellington as well as on the European tour in 2009
clinched the pair’s place as members of the Danish Nations Cup team. In 2010 Leonberg and Mikala won multiple CDIs in the U.S. as well as traveling to Europe to compete for the Danish team at the CHIO Aachen and the Danish Championships. Otto Schalter remembers Leonberg’s sire Lonely Boy from
his long racing career (from age two until twelve!) as a consistent performer over every distance. After retiring from racing he stood at private stud near Kaiserslautern—the same farm where Leonberg himself was raised and brought up in sport. “As some people know, I’m not afraid of Toroughbred
blood in the sport horses,” Otto Schalter explains. “Lonely Boy produced very good rideability and elasticity—and all very willing, cooperative horses. He was able to use the Toroughbred influence to really give size, but also bring in the refining influence we expect. Leonberg is a good example of this.” “Leonberg’s mare line is a strong, old Zweibrücker stem from
Grandus, and back to the super producing TB stallion Chronist,” Otto continues. “It’s no surprise he’s an international calibre horse—he also shares a great, great granddam with Paradox, by Parlando I, a Zweibrücker grand prix jumper here in the U.S. ridden by Teo Genn. Tis is super producing mother line.” “When Leonberg made the trip across the ocean, I was really
looking forward to following his career and foals in America. Let’s just say I haven’t been disappointed!” he says. Leonberg will be standing for the 2012 season at Hassler Dressage in Chesapeake City, Maryland. ■
Top to bottom: Undia during her early racing career. Undia and Marion at a jumper show in Germany. Marion with her Zweibrücken horses. Photos courtesy Marion Dresel-O’Connor
Zweibrücker horses now—all because of one old gray mare!” Marion exclaims. “Undia was a soul mate. I owned her until she was 28 years old. When she passed away I came to America. I probably owned 200 + horses before I met my next soul mate horse, Karat.”
Leonberg – Success on Two Continents
THE EPITOME OF THE MODERN DRESSAGE STALLION, Leonberg combines a solid, old Zweibrücken motherline with the European and American Toroughbred lines of his sire Lonely Boy xx. Owned by Anne Sparks of Horses Unlimited, Leonberg
qualified for the Olympic Games during his 2004 show season as well as finishing second at Dressage at Devon’s Grand Prix Special. After an injury sidelined the stallion he took two years off as a sire before returning to CDI competition with his new rider Mikala Gundersen.
50 November/December 2011 SPECIAL RPSI SECTION
Leonberg and Mikala Gundersen competing at Grand Prix. Photo by Susan J. Stickle
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