Wednesday, March 2, 2016

2016 Breeding Picks (with some foal options already taken for 2017!)

Can you believe it's March 1st, and I have yet to post my breeding picks for the year?  What an outrage!  Nonetheless, now that the kids and I have been to the Stallion Show and the family has endured my endless texts about stallion selections, I think we're ready to go public. Plus, it looks as if a couple of our 2017 foals already have options on them.  Of course, it's hard to tell how things work out eventually, but we certainly appreciate the trust and enthusiasm people have for our breeding program.

Drum roll, please....

Let's go oldest to youngest

LaVita keur preferent (Elcaro x Belisar)

Our queen bee is 23 this year.  She looks and acts fantastic, and is due with a Florianus II foal in May.  Am I going to breed her again?  I have no idea right now.  We'll have to see how this foaling goes and whether or not she cycles well.  Her mareline is so strong and long-lived there's really no reason to stop breeding if she is healthy and happy.  Plus, she's the grandmother of the 2015 top dressage foal in North America--there's something to be said for the gene pool.

Nemels elite (Samber x Lector)

We're going to start with Chagall and deep horn insemination.  I have a couple of doses left, and since there have been four pregnancies that I know of from the frozen, maybe our luck will change.  If the Chagall doesn't work, then I'll try a dose or two of our experimental stallion. We'd love to get a filly from this mare to keep for our program.

Orchis keur preferent and 2 points from prestatie (Jazz x Roemer)

We had a colic scare with Orchis last week.  After losing as many horses as we have this winter, it's hard to describe how emotional it made me at the thought of losing her, too.  She's been the life blood of our program.  Right now, I'm just crossing all available digits for a healthy foal come June.  If we do breed her back, it will be to our experimental stallion again.

Werites SSF sport/dressage (Freestyle x Orchis)

I think we have access to one dose of Netto.  That's my pick for Werites this year. (I know, Natalie--I keep changing my mind).  Werites has produced three fantastic UB-40s for us, and I'm anticipating an equally exciting Sir Sinclair from her at the end of June, so I can be really happy with a couple of ISF options as well.

ZaVita SSF ster (Contango x LaVita)

If this mare can produce the top dressage foal in North America by crossing her with Governor, I don't see any reason to mess with success.

*filly option is taken on this breeding

BoWendy (Sir Sinclair x Jazz)

Speaking of messing with success, Bo is going right back to UB-40.  We're expecting her fifth UB in June.  Every single one of them is an outrageous mover.

Carpe Diem SSF keur-eligible (Farrington x Pass the Glass xx)

This big, perfect conformation mare is going to Governor this year.  Her Connaisseur foal due in June is already spoken for.

D'Orites SSF keur (Donatelli x Orchis)

Dior is going to Franklin this season.  And, I'm thinking this could be one of our top foals next year. I love what Franklin is producing, and I think the cross on Dior could be super.

Eliscia SSF keur-eligible (UB-40 x Pass the Glass xx)

I continue to be really excited about what Lily can produce for us.  I think this year's Governor foal is going to be awesome, so the plan is to repeat the cross.

Galearites SSF keur (Totilas x Orchis)

After Mazey's top IBOP and international press, we were considering an ET attempt or two--however, with the loss of her full sister, Honorites SSF, this winter, our decision was made for us. The Totilas x Orchis cross is really important to the future of our program, so we'll do what we need to do to get a couple Mazey babies on the ground next year.

*first option on a colt is already taken by a stallion station in Holland--fillies will not be for sale.

Gazania keur and NMK top six (Bon Bravour x Santano)

Michaela has called dibs on this breeding to produce a filly for herself, which I'm delighted about.  Keep your fingers crossed for a Dream Boy filly in 2017

Hyacintia  keur and NMK top five (Charmeur x Santano)

We've decided to leave this special mare in Holland so we have access to stallions we can't get in North America.  Keagan really wants some Apache blood in our program, so, since all three of us loved the Apache x Vivaldi x Cabochon Champion of the Stallion Show, we're going to use Indian Rock to have a foal from his first crop.

That's a lot of foals...a lot of EXCITING foals!