POINT OF VIEW R
eviewing the pedigrees of the horses at top competitions such as this year’s World Equestri- an Games is a habit of mine. I find it interesting
because they often show emerging patterns beyond the popularity contests or marketing blitzes of a de- cade or so ago. They can also demonstrate longevity in the sport.
Dressage Once again, the Donnerhall influence at a major com- petition was substantial. His sons, grandsons and great-grandsons are still leaving their marks, and usu- ally high marks. De Niro was the most prolific at this competition siring seven of the 77 starters. In addition, his daughters are proving Donnerhall was not just a sire-line influence. Mount St John Freestyle, Charlotte Dujardin’s current mount, is out of a Donnerhall mare, as are Salvino (U.S. team silver), Cennin (Netherlands team) and West Side Story (Swiss team). The Donner- hall sons are also becoming important broodmare sires based on the results at the WEG 2018.
By Judy Wardrope Standout Bloodlines from the WEG The well-known sires Weltmeyer, Sandro Hit and
Rubinstein I are still present, as are Krack C, Jazz and Ferro to a slightly lesser degree. Interestingly, this group seems to do well when crossed with the Don- nerhall lines, making for some powerhouse pedigrees. To the fans of the Lusitano, I apologize, but I do
not follow those bloodlines. Four Lusitanos repre- sented teams from Portugal (12th), one represented Spain (6th) and one represented Brazil (15th). Coroa- do (Portugal) and Alcaide (Spain) were the only ones to make it to the Grand Prix Special, and Alcaide (tied 13th) made the subsequent Top 15 (for the Freestyle qualification). Bucking the bloodline trends were Bella Rose, Cos-
mo and TSF Dalera BB, all contributors to Germany’s team gold. TSF Dalera BB (Easy Game/Handryk) was one of
three Trakehners to make it to the Grand Prix Special, but she did not make the Top 15. Likewise, the other two, Mister X (Egejus/Blank xx) and Finckenstein TSF TSF (Latimer/Kennedy), had the same fate. Cosmo (Van Gogh/Fruhling) or Cosmo 59, fourth individually, does not have what one would call a dressage pedigree. His sire represented Germany in Nations’ Cups at the 1.60-meter level in jumping. And even his broodmare sire Fruhling (aka Landjonker) competed internationally as a jumper. One has to go back to the sire of his second dam to find Aktion, a grand prix dressage horse.
De Niro (Donnerhall / Akzent II) competing with Dolf-Dietram Keller. He started competing De Niro at the Grand Prix at the young age of seven. De Niro is the sire of seven dressage horses that com- peted at the WEG 2018.
54 November/December 2018
Cosmo (Van Gogh / Fruhling) placed fourth individually after the GP Special with Sönke Rothenberger from Germany. The dressage gelding’s pedigree is unique because it’s dominated by jumper bloodlines.
Jen Emig/MacMillan Photography
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