News & Horses:
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News Articles
Grandioso in Wellington: The American Win
When you climb the Tower Giralda, the 340 foot Moorish minaret that is the symbol for the city of Sevilla, you learn a valuable life lesson. That is, that the views on the way up are far better, more rich with detail and lovelier, than the view from the top. Last week, during the CDI-W at the Global Dressage Festival sponsored by USPRE, Daniel Martin Dockx and Grandioso took second in a huge Grand Prix class and then went on to win the Grand Prix Special-- the first Grand Prix victory in America for a PRE horse in an international competition. This past weekend was more than a milestone for us at HGF. It wasn't our biggest show or our biggest win, but it was the fulfillment of a dream--to bring Grandioso back to the US and continue his successful competition career here for the benefit of the American dressage audience. The road with this horse has been long and winding, and like the walk up the stairs of the tower, filled with previews of success as well as long sections of dark, bricked walls. Some memories of the career of Grandioso are: --Discovering him in Spain at the Yeguada Marin Garcia as an unstarted four year old, with Pati and Peter Pierucci. --Inexplicable low scores and puzzled comments by judges at the national levels. --A placing of dead last in a Stallion Under Saddle class of 20 horses, at Dressage at Devon Breed Show, from a respected CA dressage judge. --Martin Schaudt's first ride and our first glimpse of the real potential of the horse. --Kathy Connelly's admonition not to sell him when he was first designated as a sale horse. --Robert Dover's early prediction "This horse could ride for any team!" --Courtney King Dye's first ride. --The first Freestyle, and the first international 74%. --USEF Inter 1 National Championships, finishing Fifth. --The darkest 10 months... --The audition in Wellington with Daniel Martin and Jan Bemelmans. --The tearful good-bye in Jan. 2011, with Courtney King-Dye and Jason. --10 Centerlines in Spain. --4th in Salzburg, Champion of Spain, first 70 at Aachen, London, Treffen, Herning, Champion of Spain again, Bronze in Aachen, Normandy and now Wellington... Grandioso is now 16, and we don't take for granted his continued soundness and willingness to work at the level he is competing. Coming back to Florida is one of the last few goals we had for him. We waited until he had nothing more to prove, but this horse seems to want to keep proving things--not least of all that breed, type and size are irrelevant in this sport. Last weekend's win was his gift to us who have labored so long to see this day. Next weekend's 5* is about fun and pageantry and being a part of it all-- a showcase of the best horses in all of North America plus many top horses from overseas. We are honored to have been invited and to take part in this wonderful event--which will be a brilliant spectacle for the general community, but for us, a hometown celebration of Grandioso's fairy-tale career.
Grandioso Wins the Grand Prix in Estepona, Spain and Martin Schaudt's Icono Tops a Young Horse Class in Germany
At only their fourth time at this level, rider Daniel Martin and Grandioso rode a clean and technically correct test to be first in the Grand Prix at the CDN*** in Estepona, Spain last weekend. A jury of 5 judges awarded a composite score of 68.5% for the pair in the Grand Prix, topping a field of 10. The pair showed more of their abilities in expression and risk-taking in the Kur, and were rewarded for it, receiving a 73.8% and taking first place again. Rider Dani Martin is looking at this first year with Grandioso as a schooling year in the ring, with sites on next year's Olympic qualifiers for Spain. In Stuttgart, Germany, Martin Schaudt's Icono HGF took first in an FEI Five-Year Old Test with an 82%, topping several important Young Horse champions of German breeds in the class of 26 horses. This may be the first time a PRE has won a Young Horse class in Germany, and Martin and his wife Jasmin, who trains and competes Icono, are very excited about his future there. Icono is a 2006 son of Idilio II by Escapada. Photos and full story to follow.
Where Are They Now?: Icono HGF, Genio HGF and Martin and Jasmine Schaudt
We had the pleasure to visit Icono and Genio this summer at Martin and Jasmine Schaudt's barn in Stuttgart, Germany. This has been a big summer for Icono, who has been showing in the FEI Five Year Old Classes with Jasmine and achieving top placings in each showing. In three separate shows from July through September, three panels of judges have placed Jasmine and Icono in First or Second place, with scores up to 8.2% in classes of over 20 horses, including former Four Year Old and Five Year Old champions of the Trakhener and German Young Horse circuits. Jasmine, wife of German Gold Medalist Martin Schaudt, is the rider and trainer of both Icono HGF (Idilio II x Escapada) and Genio HGF (Grandioso III x Ibiza), two five year old PREs purchased by Martin in 2006 in Michigan when both horses were still at their dam's sides. Martin is known for his passion for young horses, and in 2006-7 was riding and training the sires of his horses, Idilio and Grandioso, at Hampton Green Farm. Genio is a full brother to Robert Dover's 2008 Fiero HGF and has not been shown yet. Icono and Genio are Jasmine's first experience with PREs. Jasmine is best known as the former owner and rider of Girasol, Nadine Capellmann's Olympic-hopeful mare and half-sibling to Totilas, with whom she obtained scores to 70% in German national Grand Prix classes. About competing in a Young Horse Class in Germany with a PRE, Jasmine laughs: "When I first enter the ring on Icono, I get a lot of comments like 'how exotic...'. But when he starts to move, the smiles freeze!" After three shows with top results, it looks like their success is becoming a trend. Jasmine and Martin are planning to keep both young horses for the time being, with the goal of training them to Grand Prix.
October News:
Our biggest news this month is the new look of our web site. Web designer Remi Blot has updated our site and added a number of new features: Updated HGF Awards page On-line video from the breeding farm in Michigan A survey of our past ad campaigns and the history of HGF in print A new Sales page with more information and a list of achievements by HGF foals New photos of HGF horses, personnel , and friends throughout the site A News Archive feature at the bottom of every page HGF's website is interactive. We welcome your comments about our new site or any other aspect of the work of HGF. Please feel free to sign our Guestbook and leave your thoughts. In other news, we look forward to a visit this month from German Olympian Martin Schaudt who is coming to Michigan to visit his two PRE colts, Genio HGF and Icono HGF (by stallions Grandioso and Idilio, respectively). Martin will spend several days riding the stallions and instructing our riding staff. Martin has been a devoted fan of the PRE horse for many years and we always look forward to his work with our horses.