The enthusiastic crowd at the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show created a fantastic atmosphere during the event at MCH Exhibitions Centre Herning from 6. – 10. March.

Every exhibition hall and stables on the impressive grounds of MCH Exhibition Center Herning are in use when the breeding federation Danish Warmblood hosts stallion licensing, international jumping and dressage competitions, a gala show, and the equipment fair Horse & Rider with more than 225 exhibitors. This year was the 44th time that the Danish Warmblood Stallion Show was held in Herning, and it has developed into a well-oiled event supported by 350 indispensable volunteers. 

The president of the Danish Warmblood Federation, Jan Pedersen, was very impressed by the organization and execution of the event and the positive atmosphere surrounding it. 

- Personally, I really appreciate seeing so many people enjoying their time in Herning. On Saturday alone, 20.000 were present in the stands in the three arenas and the five exhibition halls for the fair. Both Stutteri Ask Grand Prix in memory of Bo Bak Andersen (CSI3* jumping) and ECCO Five Star Dressage offered an extraordinary atmosphere in the Boxen. Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to follow the stallion licensing closely because I have other tasks. I got to see the stallions at the final presentation on Sunday, and I have to say I thought there were a lot of really nice horses among them. Our federation has around 3.000 members, and the budget for the Stallion Show is 22, 5 million Danish kroner, so it's a huge undertaking.

Twenty-six 3-year-old colts were approved

Danish Warmblood breeding is divided into dressage and jumping. A total of 24 dressage-bred 3-year-old stallions were presented to the licensing committee, and 14 stallions received 1-year breeding permit.

14 jumping-bred 3-year-old stallions were presented to the licensing committee; 12 were approved, and eleven received a one-year breeding permit.

The majority of the stallions were already shown under saddle at the voluntary one-day test on Wednesday, and everyone presented passed the test. That is why all the approved stallions—but one that has not participated yet —got a one-year breeding permit. The dressage stallions will then enter a 35-day performance test in autumn.

Performance testing system in jumping

Last year, the testing system for the young jumping stallions was changed. The 12 newly approved stallions have been granted a 1-year covering permit, as they were shown under saddle. Next year, when the stallions are 4 years old, they must participate in two observation classes under saddle during the Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing in March. If they perform satisfactorily, they will be granted an additional 1-year covering permit. After this, they must participate in a 20-day performance test (a shortened version of the current 35-day performance test), and the following year, when the stallions are 5 years old, they have the opportunity to obtain a final licensing at the Stallion Licensing in Herning.

Premium stallions

The licensing committee for dressage, consisting of Jens Søgård, Karsten Petersen, Rune Willum, Vicky Nortvig and Johnny Sørensen, named three stallions premium:

Plus Horses Redemption (by Revolution/ Florencio), bred by Plus Horses' Laila Meyer and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Sarai L (by Secret/ For Romance), bred by L Horses and owned by L Horses & Stal Van de Sande

Select Me (by Secret/ Fantastic), bred by Aloys Ewers (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

The licensing committee for jumping, consisting of Johnny Hansen, Signe Wiese, Bo K. Møller, and Allan Blomgreen, named two stallions premium:

Alberto Ask (by Action Man Ask / Canstakko) bred and owned by Stutteri Ask

Convalmore (by Conthargos / Stakkato Gold bred and owned by Linus Camizt

Further approved dressage stallions:

Bernie (by Bernay/ Livaldon), bred by Bernhard Gärtner (GER) and owned by Ib Kirk & Per Thybo

Dynamic Dancer (by Dynamic Dream/ Dresemann), bred by Simon Kohlenbrenner (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Dynamic In Black (by Dynamic Dream/ De Niro), bred by Axel Baumgartner (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage & Kleppenhus Invest

First Magic (by For Romance I/ Desperado), bred and owned by HP Horses

Nordentoft's Jerome (by Jovian/ Revolution), bred and owned by Nordentoft Equestrian 

Åtoften's Jabari (by Jovian/ Revolution), bred by Stutteri Åtoften and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Magic Mckee L (by Total Mclaren/ Negro), bred by L Horses and owned by L Horses & Stal Van de Sande

Veniro (by Va Bene/ De Niro), bred by Gabriele Eder (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Chicago Majlund (by Vivino/ Tailormade Temptation), bred and owned by Majlund Dressage's Annika Pagård

Dalero (by Danciero/ Londontime), bred by Arndt Schwierking (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Spectacular (by Sezuan/ Fürst Romancier), bred by Wilfried Fleming (GER) and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Further approved jumping stallions:

SJ In Action (by Action Man Ask Z/ Check In), bred by Knut-Erik Halvorsen and Hanne Benrud, owned by Lasse Berglund and breeder

Avalon Lox (by Action Man Ask Z/ Ci Ci Senjor Ask), bred by Stutteri Lox v/ Joan Arler og Peter Børsen and owned by Frandsbjerg Agro A/S

Mosgaards Chucky (by Casall Sem/ Quinar), bred by Martin Mosgaard and owned by Hello Nordic v. Claus Skytte

Jouet Belle Epoque (by Jewel Ask Z/ Celano), bred and owned by Helle Malmberg Hansen 

Jupiter DWB (by Jewel Ask Z/ Clearwater S), bred by Hans Jørgen Juhl and owned by Stutteri Volstrup, Maigaard Horses and Stald RayPawers

Jeopardy WN (by Jewel Ask Z/ Glasgow-W vh Merelsnest), bred by Alexandra Wibholm Nobel and owned by Alexandra Nobel & Dennis Lüth.

Luchetto-H (by Luigi D'eclipse/ Concetto), bred by Andreas Wilhelm Høiås and owned by Hello Nordic v. Claus Skytte

Uripax JS (by Uriko/ Colman), bred and owned by Jesper Meyenburg & Sabine Korfitz Christensen

5-year-old: Tütchen (by Toys/ Corrington), bred by ZG Kroeger Rita & Claudia Kroeger and owned by Dennis Lüth

Approved for testing

Bøgegårdens Halligo Z (by Halifax Van Het Kluizebos/ Comilfo Plus Z), bred by Van Montfort H and owned by Bøgegården v/Stina og Jørgen Schmidt

A big group with lots of quality

In the Danish Warmblood breeding system, 4-year-old and older stallions for licensing are presented under saddle. 

Two stallions were presented in the group of 5-year-olds or older jumper stallions, and both did well enough to be fully approved for breeding. The stallions in question were:

5-year-old Dolympic Z by Dominator 2000 Z / Cassini I, bred and owned by Eva & Lars Kramer.

Danish show jumper Frederik Fensholt presented the 15-year-old Belgian-bred Take a Chance On Me Z by Taloubet / Aldatus. 

 - It is a pleasure to see a stallion that has performed at this level for many years and still is presented in such a great shape, was one of the comments from the judges. 

17 4-year-old and older dressage stallions were shown under rider as part of the licensing.

Vicky Nortvig from the breeding committee explained that it was a big group with a lot of quality, which we could see already last year when we saw the stallions as 3-year-olds. They have also done some very good performance tests. The stallions were fully approved, except for Bueno SL, which has been given a 2-year covering permission and will then be presented again.

Breeder's Trophy and Champion

It was not difficult to decide which of the stallions in the group should receive the Aage Ravn Breeder's Trophy. The trophy is presented each year to the best Danish Warmblood-bred 4 - or 5-year-old stallion, and this year, the recipient was Straight Horse Leonardo by Lord Europe / De Niro. The stallion is out of the gold medal mare Straight Horse De Milla and bred by Straight Horse ApS. The stallion did a convincing performance test in the fall and, in addition, presents himself with a very correct confirmation.

The title of Champion Stallion was awarded the stallion Viva Vegas by Viva Gold / Rock Forever. The stallion is bred in Germany and owned by Helgstrand Dressage. He was the winner of the Danish Warmblood performance test with an impressive score of 892 points.

Having received their lifetime licence are:

Søbakkehus First Mover (by Blue Hors Fifty Cent), breed by Agnete Holmsted and owned by Hesselhoej

Atterupgaards Bernachi (by Bon Courage), breed and owned by Atterupgaard

Globall (by Global Player/Fürstenball), breed by Arnold Wegbuender and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Parero (by Toto Jr./Negro), breed by T. Bergmans and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Galaxico (by Grand Galaxy Win/Samarant), breed by Willem Klausing and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Proud James (by Jameson RS2/Johnson), breed by Y Van Maasacker and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Straight Horse Leonardo (by Lord Europe/De Niro), breed by Straight Horse and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Sénégal De Fontaine (by Springbank II VH/Sezuan), breed by Chateau de Fontaine and owned by Helgstrand Dressage & Chateau De Fontaine

Viva Vegas (by Viva Gold/Rock Forever I), breed by Bürgers, Anette & Silmon and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Blue Hors Purple Rain (by Desperado/Negro), breed by A. Van Os and owned by Blue Hors

Solution Unik (by Revolution), breed by Stutteri Unik and owned by Fisker Dressage

Opoque (by All at Once/Davino V.O.D.), breed by Stal 104 BV and owned by Helgstrand Dressage & Stal 104 BV

Escaneno (by Escamillo/Veneno), breed by Tobias Schult and owned by Klosterhof Medingen

Hesselhoej Double Up (by Hesselhøj Donkey Boy/Tailormade Lancelot), breed and owned by Hesselhoej

Gørklintgårds Million (by Millennium/Sunny-Boy), breed and owned by Jørgen Ravn

St. Emilion (by Suarez/Dante Weltino), breed by Nina Sixtensson and owned by Klosterhof Medingen

One to Remember (by Secret/Vivaldi), breed by B. Lichtendahl & Peper and owned by Helgstrand Dressage

Two-year licence:

Bueno Sl (by Bonds/Foundation), breed by Stefanie Loehmann and owned by Andresen Dressage

Stallion of the Year

"Stallion of the Year" Ci Ci Senjor Ask comes from a particularly strong performance lineage, and he has shown great achievements in breeding. 

Ci Ci Senjor Ask is a significant breeding stallion, perhaps not the most used, but he has nevertheless managed to produce 10 breeders medal-awarded mares, three elite mares, and 13 horses that have participated in the world championships for young horses, as well as two graded stallions Cyrano Ask and Casper Ask. In 2023, Ci Ci Senjor Ask's offspring had a particularly good year with participants in several championships, and at the EC he was represented by two offspring - one for Slovakia and one for Sweden, who were on the Swedish gold team.

Learn more on www.varmblod.dk