American-Bred Santiago HGF Leaves Ocala for First Euro Tour

Santiago HGF, a 2021 PRE Stallion by Grandioso III, is making the long journey from his home in Ocala to Segovia, Spain, just outside of Madrid. Santi is currently qualified in the FEI 5 Year Old division for Spain for the Selection Trials for the World Championship of Young Horses. 

As a member of the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses, ANCCE, the PRE Studbook, establishes the qualifications for their representation at the World Championships, held later in the summer in Germany. Young horses across Spain, as in other European countries, have been vying since January for the minimum scores to qualify for the team. Final selection will be made following the CDI in Segovia, June 16-18, and upon health and soundness verifications. 

Hampton Green Farm rider Antonio Crespin Lopez and Santi debuted this Spring in Ocala and Terranova at the international FEI 5 Year Old level, achieving high scores over 80% at both shows, which made Santi now the second US-bred horse to ever qualify for Young Horse team selection trials in Spain--the first being Santi's half-brother Mejorano HGF (also by Grandioso III) who competed for Spain in the FEI 7 Year Old Division at Ermelo in 2018 with Jose Daniel Martin Dockx. 

Santi will now compete alongside top 5 year old representatives from the most prestigious breeding farms in Spain. Santiago HGF was born in Michigan and is a son of two-time Olympic mount Grandioso. He is out of a daughter of Joyero XXIV, an Elite stallion from of the Ganaderia Francisco Santiago in Malaga. Hampton Green Farm's owner Kimberly Van Kampen named the horse in remembrance of the generosity of the mare's breeder to her during her visit to his farm. 

Prior to starting his dressage career, Santi was Champion Stallion at Fiesta Ocala at Ibericon 2025, and Stallion of the Year for USPRE in 2025.