Amid the cheers of the audience, a Von Und Zu/For Romance daughter won the first yellow-and-white winner’s sash of the Hanoverian Foal Championship. With her powerful movement, the young chestnut filly won over not only the audience but also the judges Johannes Westendarp and Jan Crome-Sperling. The Pelzer family in Steinhorst is on a fantastic run; just one day earlier, two foals from the same dam line were among the top foals at the 52nd Elite Foal and Broodmare Auction.
Only about three-tenths of a point separated the winner of the dressage-oriented foal class from the runner-up, a Dynamic Pur/Sir Donnerhall filly bred and owned by Anna-Lena Poort of Sittensen. Flawless in conformation, she also impressed with the quality of her movement. Signorina Felice H by Segantini Due/Danzador danced her way to third place; Barbara Huber from Worpswede had entered her in the Verden foal ring, and she was hardly inferior to the winner in terms of movement.
The victory in the jumping foal class went to a Nairobi de Muze/Quintender son, who was born at Marlies and Dirk Visscher’s place in Leer. The bay left nothing to be desired in terms of type, conformation, and quality of movement, particularly at the canter. His dam, St.Pr.St. Quaitlin, has already produced two successful S-level show jumpers, has been awarded three stars in the Hanoverian Show Jumping Breeding Program, and, with Hann.Pr.A. Unica by Untouchable, produced last year’s Herwart von der Decken champion mare in show jumping. Karl-Heinz Auffarth and Jan Crome-Sperling recognized the outstanding quality with top marks.
The runner-up, Oscar S by Obano/Diacontinus (breeder and exhibitor: Peter Stahlberg, Buseck), also received a rating above the “very good” quality seal with an impressive presentation. Born just a few kilometers from the Verden racetrack grounds at Marc Hahne’s place in Kirchlinteln, the third-place finisher was a chestnut colt by Caramant de Semilly/Szenario (bred by BG Hahne and Rödl, Nittenau). He received the highest score for his movement.
The eventing foals took it up a notch. Leading the way was Diacada JS by Diacontinus/Embassy, who celebrated a victory as the favorite. The dam of this spectacular filly, bred and owned by Johanna Friederike Stuhtmann from Bahlburg, is none other than Ingrid Klimke’s European Vice-Champion, Escada JS FRH. In Verden, she was presented alongside her ET dam. Flawless in conformation and type, and endowed with exquisite basic gaits, the brown filly was crowned Champion Foal.
The Reserve Champion was Caspyan’s Choice by Chipmunk’s Erbe/Davignon (bred and presented by Dr. Jenny Wrede, Berlin). He, too, possesses internationally proven genetics: his sire’s dam is the full sister of Michael Jung’s Olympic champion fischerChipmunk FRH. The bronze medal in the highly endowed Foal Championship went to a Duplexx/Goldfever son, bred and exhibited by Imke von Loh from Adelebsen, who scored particularly high marks for his movement.
Johannes Westendarp and Jan Crome-Sperling awarded the perfect score of 10 to the winner of the dressage-oriented colt class. It doesn’t get any better than this: Endowed with stunning movements, an exceptionally typey Vitalamour/San Remo son, bred and owned by Thomas Heuer from Bienenbüttel, won his class. This success is no coincidence. His granddam, St.Pr.St. Louisiana, is the half-sister of the highly agile stallions Cadeau Noir, Finest Ampere, and Influencer. The following foals were nearly on par with him.
Two foals tied for second place. A Franco Nero/Dancier son from the breeding farm of Nicolas Kathmann in Winsen not only possessed outstanding movement but also very sound conformation. Tied for points was the slightly younger Secret/Stedinger son bred by Mike Habermann from Hänigsen. Thomas Ehrengut from Bad Oldesloe recognized the quality of this stunning black foal early on and brought him to Verden as an exhibitor.