Breedings for 2010

Breedings for 2010.

We are already thinking about and debating breedings for this year. We should have seven mares available, five in foal and two currently open. Final breeding decisions are not made this time of year and actually Martha and I are planning to go to the KWPN Stallion show in February so everything is subject to change based on what we see there.

Some of the basics of our breeding program are: We use almost exclusively frozen semen. Fresh shipment are difficult where we farm as cross border shipment from the USA are unpredictable. We like the choice that is available in frozen. We have a good “repro vet”. The conception rate is good as we select sires based on frozen fertility.

We use a lot of Team Nijhof stallions. Like most breeders who do not own a stallion we have a working relationship with a major stud. This allows more efficient shipping as well as the guidance from experienced breeders. We do not feel that our breeding program is limited in any way by using mostly stallions from this stud.

Our market is primarily talented amateurs. Like all breeders our dream is the FEI horse for the professional but the facts are ridability should be number one to fit well with the market.

These are our current thoughts.

Veganieta (Jazz/Zeiolet) 172cm We have three offspring from her. A Donnatelli, coming four, under saddle. She is a bit bigger than we expected and continues to impress us with her great mind. A Sandreo which is three this year very tall, supple and very easy to work with. Also a weanling by Brentano II. Looks like she will be tall and goes through some weird growth phases but a super mover and we have high expectations of her. Veganieta is currently to Contango. We saw Ravel at the KWPN Annual meeting last year and we wanted one of those ! Also, with the great mix of Jazz and Contango genes in offspring such as Tango made it a mating to try. The plan for next year - Contango again.

Florentina (Floristan/Pilot) We have two from this mare by Sandreo, one by Johnson and one by Sir Oldenburg and she is carrying a Sir Oldenburg foal. We have sold all except a four year old by Sandreo and we like them all. Her offspring tend to be bigger than her and just what you would expect from Floristan. We will probably go back to Johnson with her next breeding just to give us a second look at what this cross produces.

Vuzarma (Hamlet/Purioso) She has had two Concorde foals and one Verdi and is carrying a Verdi pregnancy. We sold the youngest Concorde and the Verdi. This mare is jumping blood and we liked both these crosses but we are currently thinking we try a different stallion next year so no decision until after the stallion show.

Virgina (Welt Hit II/Zeoliet) has had two Donnatelli foals. A filly coming three, sold in Nova Scotia and a weanling colt. Both look like they will be leggier and taller than their dam but are still young. Welt Hit II is now #7 on the list of GP sires so this is exciting. Virgina shows her Weltmyer and Ramaro blood with lots of bone so we must be careful not to use an “Old Style” stallion. She is carrying a Sandreo foal for this spring. We will not decide until we see the foal but the list now looks like another Donnatelli or another Sandreo.

Virtual Rose. (Idocus/Quattro) A smaller mare who is currently not in foal. We have a very nice Sir Oldenburg weanling colt from her. This mare shows a lot of athletic ability and has breeding which should give both dressage and jumping potential with Idocus and Quattro. The Sir Oldenburg should follow this thinking with a dressage stallion who has a good jumping index and lots of jump in his pedigree and he should add some size. At this time breeding back to Sir Oldenburg is on the top of the list.

Zanientha (Tango/Purioso) . This mare is also open this year. She has had two foals by Lord Sinclair. Both have sold and were super foals. She brought the refinement and “go” which we think goes well with Lord Sinclair. She needs a stallion which will bring some size as she is not big. Right now we have not decided for 2010 but we are thinking of trying a new cross. We would like to have a Florencio but are a bit concerned that he can make some smaller offspring. Again we can firm up a plan after the stallion show.

Waltzlina (Jet Set D/Haarlem) This is a big mare with lots of bone. We have a Donnatelli , coming four, under saddle and a Sandreo the next year followed by a Johnson from this mare. The Donnatelli is great to work with, very supple and willing. The Sandreo has a deeper body and probably not be as tall (16.2?). The Johnson weanling at this time looks like a clone of the dam. Three very different looking progeny. At this time we are planning to go back to Sandreo.

There are photos of all these mares on our website under "Broodmares"

So that is the current plan which is a work in progress.