Gold Breeder Status, Breeding Season Recap, Sales, Huge Success in Holland and North America, and One-handed Typing

Let's start at the end of the title:  One-handed typing. What with my decades of weight lifting, stall cleaning, restaurant work (knife work, carrying trays, bartending), grading essays, etc., I deserve, and have rightfully earned, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It has gotten to the point at which my hands would fall asleep multiple times per day and frequently at night. Since it would have been a little awkward at best to palpate, scan, and inseminate the dozen or more mares I was working with this season, I scheduled my first surgery for the first available slot after our keuring. Six weeks later, we do my left hand. Essentially, this puts me out of lifting and gripping commission until mid-December.  Plenty of time for researching next year's breeding picks!

Gazania (Bon Bravour x Santano) surpassed all of our expectations and made the final cut in Ermelo at the National Mare Show.  She ended up in sixth place!  We're super excited.  Thanks to Gerard Vervoorn for breeding her and Wim Cazemier for preparing for the keuring season.  Gazania is now under saddle and being prepped for her IBOP in November. We're also excitedly awaiting her Eye Catcher foal in April!

Our North American keuring season couldn't have gone much better:

Godot SSF (UB-40 x Sir Sinclair) became ster, high point adult dressage horse at the Clarion Farm keuring, number one gelding in North America, and high point adult dressage horse of all North America.  Sammy is now with Lilly Joseph, getting back under saddle.

Galearites SSF (Totilas x Jazz) became the top ster mare at the Clarion Farm keuring, keur eligible, and made the top five ster mares in North America.  Mazey just moved to Littleton, MA, to start her under saddle career with Jane Hannigan. Look for her in the show ring as SSF Glory.

Jubilation SSF (UB-40 x Vincent) became first premium, first in the ringing order, and Champion young dressage horse at the Clarion Farm keuring.  We're especially excited about this because he started his life undergoing major umbilical surgery and the rehabbing for an extended period of time.  Jubes will be moving to his new home at Rhodes Farm after weaning.

Jelisco SSF (Florianus II x UB-40) became first premium and second in the ringing order.  Beebs is joining the dressage horse ranks at Larkspur Farm at the next Grand Prix prospect for Jenn Raffi.

J'Orites SSF (Florianus II x Donatelli) became first premium and fourth in the ringing order. Jia is moving South!  Long-time friend and Donatelli groupie, Maria Di Fazio wasn't about to let this filly belong to anyone else.

Jubilantes SSF (UB-40 x Freestyle) became first premium and fifth in the ringing order...that's right!  Out of the nine or ten dressage foals at the Clarion Farm keuring, the SSF brood placed first, second, fourth, and fifth. Pretty impressive showing! Much to Michaela's dismay and disappointment, Button is joining Jan Downs-Barrett's successful breeding program at Riverstone Farm, in Pennsylvania.

A special thanks to all our friends and family who came out to support SSF at the keuring.  We couldn't have done it with out you.  Mark Choper, you're the best. We ended up taking four mares and babies and two three-year-olds.  We had to leave one of the best foals at home because we just couldn't fit everyone on the truck.  Since Orchis really owes us nothing and really doesn't need to be traveling anymore, when it came time to make the final decision about who was staying home, I opted for Orchis and JaBam SSF. It's too bad, because then we would have had five out of the top six foals.  Bammers is definitely the strongest of our foals in development and conformation this year. But, he'll get his own little trip before too long.  Bammers is moving to Canada as future prospect for Grand Prix rider and trainer, Eiren Crawford.

So, as you can tell from reading this so far, all five babies have sold into top riding or breeding programs this year.  We couldn't be more pleased and proud. It is completely our pleasure and our mission to help people find and be able to afford absolute top quality dressage prospects.  With that being said, we already have to first options taken for next year's foals and one for a 2016 foal.  We're not offering in utero sales, at this point in time, but we are happy to give you first option if there's a cross in which you're interested.  Of course, we have to keep a couple fillies next year to replace some older mares, so, depending on the genetic lottery, our breeding program needs may take precedence over options.

Confirmed pregnancies for 2015:

Eye Catcher x Gazania (Bon Bravour x Santano)  RESERVED

UB-40 x BoWendy (Sir Sinclair x Jazz)  FIRST OPTION TAKEN

Fairytale x D'Orites SSF (Donatelli x Jazz) FIRST OPTION TAKEN

Governor x Nemels (Samber x Lector)

Governor x ZaVita SSF (Contango x Elcaro)

UB-40 x Werites SSF (Freestyle x Jazz)

UB-40 x Mistral (Vincent x El Corona)


Mares we are breeding for 2016 foals:

Mistral (Vincent x El Corona)
Nemels (Samber x Lector)
Orchis (Jazz x Roemer)
Werites SSF (Freestyle x Jazz)
ZaVita SSF (Contango x Elcaro)
BoWendy (Sir Sinclair x Jazz)
D'Orites SSF (Donatelli x Jazz)
Eliscia SSF (UB-40 x Pass the Glass xx) FIRST OPTION TAKEN
Gazania (Bon Bravour x Santano)
Honorites SSF (Totilas x Jazz)
Hyacintia (Charmeur x Santano)

And, to go back to the beginning of the title of this post:  Gold Breeder Status!  You know, I breed KWPN horses because I love my horses.  As many of you now, there's nothing I think about more during my day than my breeding program.  It's a passion and an obsession.  To reach Gold Status and be recognized for being among the top few breeders in North America is really satisfying and validating, I have to admit. Now Carol and I just need those grandchildren to start popping out so there's a guarantee of this program lasting for the long haul!