"
...these [young horse] classes are only for the gifted horses, a small percentage of the top performers."
that tells you about their rideability.” Thomas Münch, manager of the Southern German
Breeding Association, explains, “The breeder breeds first for sale. They pick the most popular pedigree for foals. So you need to find out if a breeder is for the foal market or for the riding market.” Thomas notes that
those German breeders aiming to sell foals choose the most popular stallions. “Cornet Obolensky at the moment is the most popular in Germany for jumping. Also, in Dutch stallions, Totilas is the most popular.” To perform at the FEI
levels of Prix St. Georges and up, a young horse must show high quality gaits. “If the horse has a ‘normal’ canter and trot, he is not good enough,” explains Dr. Schüle. “So first select the quality of the horse. See the march of the paces.” He touts the success
TALENTED DEMO HORSES The six horses profiled at the forum represent generations of champion dressage horses. Three are bred from winners at the Bundeschampionate (the annual German championships for young horses, three to six years old) and the FEI World Championship for Young Horses. Two are bred from top horses at the Pavo Cup finals, the Dutch competition for four- and five-year-olds. Three are U.S. bred, two in California and one in Texas. RHR Smooth Jazz (Samarant x Rohdiamant) is a
U.S. bred Oldenburg. California breeder Bob DeGour of Red Hawk Ranch imported the dam Royal Dream (Rohdiamant x Weltmeyer) as a weanling. “This mare was the top filly in Southern Germany in 2000. We wanted to breed her to a stallion with some old blood, combined with Sandro Hit, which was Samarant. The goal was to bring a shorter back, maybe quicker hind end, and more uphill (frame),” Bob explains. Samarant’s damsire is Brentano II sired by Bolero.
RHR Smooth Jazz at a rhythmic, ground-covering trot with owner-rider Jo Moran.
of the young horse program in Germany. “Horses start at three, and go from three to four to five. In the finals of the Bundeschampionate, 80 percent of those 15 horses go on to Prix St. Georges. That’s a very good result.” Comparing the U.S. to Germany, Axel Steiner discusses the classes offered at USEF shows. “Our programs for the four-, five-, six-year-olds and Developing Horse are very much in parallel with what you have in Germany. If you look at the wonderful Young Horse Championships we just had in Lamplight, our program is coming along very nicely. We started in 2002 with our championships, and people are beginning to realize that not every horse that’s five years old should go on to these classes—these classes are only for the gifted horses, a small percentage of the top performers. Slowly we are getting [young horse] classes where we have horses of good quality.”
“Jo and Nacho Moran found out about the B line in Samarant, and they offered to buy the foal in utero,” says Bob. These trainers bought the colt at two days old in 2006. Smooth Jazz received a Premium award at his foal inspection. About RHR Smooth Jazz, Gerhard Politz
On Walking on Sunshine, Jo Moran shows use of inside hand and whip to encourage the hind legs to be more active.
comments, “What I like as far as his movement is concerned—if you watch his hind legs, all the movement is forward and underneath him. The hocks are never behind the point of the buttock. That is a big asset in a dressage horse. Not behind, up, and then forward. Here you see the energy directed forward with a good reach of the hind legs. That could have potential to go up the levels.” Dr. Schüle mentions another line known for dressage. “At the Bundes- championate, we have found that the Donnerhall line is easy to handle and easy to ride.” Jo Moran
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