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This is the mare for whom we will eventually build a spare bedroom on the house. I haven’t quite convinced Carol of this, but she travels enough now that we can probably get the room built while she’s away and move LaVita in without Carol ever knowing! We imported LaVita as a coming two year old. LaVita's breeder also bred the KWPN approved stallion Jeraldo. LaVita's 3/4 sister earned a spot as a finalist in the PAVO cup. In 1996, LaVita was the #1 star mare in the USA and Canada. In 2000, LaVita fulfilled her last requirement for the keur status by successfully completing her IBOP and ranking third in North America for all IBOPs. She has had a colt, Pejuta, by Ichnaz that was sold before he was born. Her second colt by Idocus, Rocco SSF, sold at 7 days old and placed in the top 5 foals of 1998 in the NA/WPN keurings. Gert van der Veen described him as "a perfect foal." Rocco went on to again place in the top ten as a two year old, and, last year, he became the #1 gelding in North America for jumping and the #3 gelding for conformation. Rocco has gone on to win high point repeatedly at both Training and First Level, as well as placing well in the young jumper divisions. LaVita's 2000 foal, her first filly, Thea Vita SSF, by Olympic Vincent, was one of three first premium foals at the New England keuring in 2000 and the first foal we kept for our breeding program. Thea has gone on to her ster status, ranking among the top five for movement in North America. LaVita’s fourth foal, Udo SSF, by Contango, was sold before he was born to Grand Prix Dressage rider, Melinda Johnson. Our fifth LaVita foal, Viva Vita SSF, by Hierarch is a filly that we intended to keep for our breeding program, but, ironically, we were persuaded to send her to a friend, Anna van Sergae, in California. Anna loved this filly and called me nearly daily to tell me what joy she brought to her. Anna died unexpectedly a short time after Viva arrived. I can only be thankful that one of our horses brought such happiness to her, even if it were for such a short time. Viva is now part of Dr. Deborah Harrison’s breeding program. In 2003, for Father’s Day, Carol bought me a breeding to my favorite dressage stallion in the world, Contango! The resulting filly, ZaVita SSF, was first premium and top foal in New England. In 2007, she went on to be the high scoring star mare in New England. LaVita’s 2007 filly is by Freestyle. Cara Vita SSF is a dark, modern, lovely filly who has been sold to Jenn Tousignant. Breeding plans have not worked out so well with Ms. LaVita; she lost both a Jazz and a Donatelli pregnancy in 2007. We’ll start early in 2008, with a planned breeding to Donatelli.
Orchis descends from the highest ranked dressage mareline in Holland. Her dam, Charites, is a ster preferent prestatie mare who has produced the approved stallion, Kroonjuweel, and a number of FEI level dressage horses, the superstar mare, Nadine, who was nominated for KWPN horse of the year in 2007 and is the mare responsible for the Dutch team winning the gold medal at the World Championships ... Charites is currently ranked #1 on the KWPN’s top 250 dressage producing mares. Orchis herself has the highest breeding index of any KWPN mare outside of Holland. Orchis is of an ultra modern type and has the prettiest movement of any of our mares. She received her ster status at the 2000 New England keuring and completed her IBOP to complete her keur status in 2004, with some of the highest movement scores given to any mare in North America, 8, 8.5, and 7.5. Orchis has produced very well for us. Her first colt, by Zeoliet, Uzeo SSF, was purchased by a Dutch native now living in Arizona. Her second colt, by Freestyle, Verito SSF, became the high scoring aux. foal in North America in 2002, as well as being described by the jury as having "exemplary type and fancy movement." At the 2004 keuring, “Guido” again went first premium, completely wowing the crowd and the jury with his spectacular movement. He was asked to return for possible licensing with the NA/WPN. Although not eventually licensed, he went on to win the DG Bar Cup in a highly competitive field at Iron Spring Farm. In 2003, Orchis finally produced a filly to ensure the continuance of this famous mareline at Shooting Star Farm, Werites SSF. This filly radiates elegance and talent. Werites is currently in training with Jim Koford. Unfortunately, Orchis lost her 2004 pregnancy, but did produce three grade A Contango embryos...that never settled in any of the recipient mares...oh, well. We breed horses to dispose of all income, right? In 2007 Orchis produced the Donatelli colt, Cervantes SSF, who went on to become the high scoring foal at the New England keuring, and one of the highest scoring dressage foals in North America! Orchis is again in foal to Donatelli—with a chestnut filly…at any rate, that’s what I’ve ordered! Our planned breeding for Orchis in 2008 is to Merlin/Magic, bred from the heart of Bill Mulholland’s Hanoverian program. Oleander B "ster"
Many thanks to Carlene Blunt and Gary Lane for making the purchase of Oleander B possible. The additon of Oleander brings our breeding program to a wholeness that is difficult to describe. Weigelia, Oleander's granddam, was our first super star mare. Weigelia was bred by Eugenie van Dam. She became the UTV champion mare in 1984. After producing two foals in Holland, a Volkmar and a Ramiro daughter, Weigelia was purchased as part of Argus's foundation broodmare band and exported to California. Through no fault of her own, things eventually fell apart for Weigelia, and she was deemed unbreedable and broken down with two serious suspensory injuries. Well, I fell in love with her. She was the most majestic and kind horse I had ever seen. Carol and I made a huge leap of faith and bought her. Weigelia made the trip from California to New Hampshire. At first, we couldn't get her pregnant either. Again, fate intervened, and our first stallion prospect, Ichnaz, jumped out of his paddock, jumped into hers, and bred her. She took. Nautilus SSF was born and is now the beloved riding gelding of Grand Prix rider, Melinda Johnson. Miraculously enough, Weigelia then took on the first try with frozen semen to the not-yet-Olympic Ferro. She gave us a filly, Oegelia SSF. Two days later, Weigelia became cast in her stall. In her struggle to get up to take care of her filly, she prolapsed her uterus and burst the major artery. I can't tell you how long and how deeply I grieved over her death. Long enough that I sold Oegelia, the Ferro filly, to my friend, Karen Grande--the filly just couldn't replace the mare for me. Fortunately, along came LaVita, and, as you all know, few horses could be as perfect as she...but, I have always wanted this mare line back in my life. The summer that Weigelia died, Oleander was the UTV champion filly and was selected for the Borculo foal auction--we intended to buy her. Little did Carol and I know, that I had picked out the same two fillies as Gert van der Veen--he ended up with Oleander B for Debbie Springborn and we ended up with Oladaula. There are forces at work in our lives over which we have no control. So, now, eight and a half years later, Oleander B is finally joining the SSF mareband. As you can imagine, the mare has my heart already and I haven't even seen her. She fills a mareline void left by her grandmother, she brings the blood of Havidoff and Ramiro to our program, and she comes with her own successful history of not only having been a UTV champion and selected as a Borculo foal, but also having made the list of the top ten mares in North America when she received her ster status. In 2006, Oleander produced an exceptional Diamond Hit filly, Buttercup SSF. Her UB-40 foal is due the middle of this March. Our plans are to either take her back to UB-40 or try another Jazz-bred son, Wynton. Werites SSF
Werites SSF is probably the best horse we have produced to date. She is out of our top mare, Orchis. (Please see Orchis’s description for details about this mareline) Her sire, Freestyle, brings the valuable blood of Florestan, combined with one of Germany’s very top marelines. This mareline traces back to Romadour II. Freestyle’s dam and his aunts were the champion mares of their region in Germany, four years in a row. In Werites, we combine the talents Holland’s top dressage mareline with those of the top German dressage mareline. Werites wowed the jury at the New England keuring in 2006, and became top ster mare and keur eligible. Because we believe that our best offspring should be competing in the real world, not just in keurings, Carol and I have made the decision to keep Werites in training with Grand Prix rider, Jim Koford. But, we also want to have her genetics working for us in the breeding program, so we’re going to try our first ET with her this year…and the lucky stallion is Farrington. ZaVita SSF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ZaVita SSF "ster" |
Contango “pref.” |
Contender |
Calypso II |
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Gofine |
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SPS Adisa III |
Kronprinz |
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Adisa |
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LaVita "keur pref." |
Elcaro |
Zeoliet "keur" |
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Ritacara "keur pref." |
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Goya "keur pref." |
Belisar |
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Capriche “ster pref.” |
ZaVita SSF, aka, Princess, is the farm favorite. You can read the beginning of her story above, in LaVita’s description. Princess’s sire, Contango, is one of my favorite dressage sires of all time. He won both the dressage and jumping portions of his 100 Day Testing, and went on to become a very successful Grand Prix dressage competitor. When Contango’s first foals hit the ground in Holland, breeders were more than a little skeptical—these foals were not necessarily pretty or modern in type. Consequently, and fortunately, our friends at Iron Spring Farm were able to acquire him for American breeders. Once Contango’s first offspring came under saddle, the Dutch breeders were very sorry that he had been left Holland. All of his offspring “wear the bridle”; they’re incredibly ridable. Contango has shot up the KWPN’s dressage index. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a Contango daughter in our breeding program. This young mare was first premium and top foal in New England in 2004. In 2007, she became a ster mare and was the top ster mare at the New England keuring. Ms. ZaVita will be bred to UB-40 this year.
REFERENCE MARES
Oladaula
click on thumbnails below for photos
Oladaula "ster" |
Hierarch | Purioso "keur" | |
| Ulissa "keur pref. prest." | |||
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Dudaula "Ster"
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Amor "pref" | ||
| Udaula "keur pref. prest." | |||
| Just Daula "keur pref" |
Michelangelo "elite" | Pasteur xx | |
| Miami | |||
| Ladaula "keur pref. | Eclatant "keur" | ||
| Daula "kroon pref." |
Although LaVita may be my love, Oladaula is my favorite mare. She sends chills up and down my spine whenever I see her move. Jan Downs-Barrett was at our farm buying her new broodmare. I went into the mare pasture with the lunge whip to move the mares around a bit so Jan could see her mare move. She turned to me and said, “Scot, if you want anyone to look at any one else in the pasture, you should probably put Oladaula in the barn before you start .” We bought this mare at the Borculo foal auction when she was four months old. I didn't even see her; I saw her pedigree and that was enough for me. She and her two full sisters (who are still in Holland) are the only three line bred "Daulas" of which I know. Oladaula is out of my very favorite mare line, and I am convinced that this mare will produce top notch sport horses with a consistent type and consistent athletic ability. Oladaula received her ster rating and high point adult horse at the New England keuring in 2000. Her Zeoliet filly, Tiadaula SSF, was one of three first premium foals at the same keuring. Oladaula’s second foal, also a filly by Zeoliet, died when she was two days old. Our third Zeoliet x Oladaula cross, Veo SSF (or Freddy), was our first foal of his year to be sold (thanks Mike and Heather!); Freddy is just now starting his undersaddle career, and loving it! Oladaula presented us with a top-notch, sport prospect in 2003 from one of my favorite stallions, Rodioso. Willioso SSF. Willy is one of the funniest and most talented foals we’ve bred. In hopes of producing a filly with double Doruto, we crossed Oladaula with Farrington in 2003. Well, we got that for which we hoped! Zola Daula SSF! She is affectionately known as “Pumpkin”, due to her unusual dun coloring. Although injured as a foal, she has that special “Daula” quality, and we’re sure she will go on to be a top producer, as the foundation mare in KC Dunn's breeding program. Oladaula presented us with a super fancy Sir Sinclair colt this year, Americus SSF. He is the most modern in type of any foal she's produced--really elegant and long-legged. For 2006, Oladaula is already in foal to Donatelli. SOLD
Thea Vita SSF "ster"
Thea Vita SSF "ster" |
Vincent | Pretendent "keur" | Le Faquin xx "keur" |
| Leronia "ster" | |||
| Oleprinses "keur pref. prest. |
Duc de Normandie "pref." |
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| Kroonprinses "keur pref." |
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| La Vita "keur" | Elcaro | Zeoliet "keur" | |
| Ritacara "keur pref." | |||
| Goya "keur pref." | Belisar | ||
| Capriche "ster pref." |
Thea Vita SSF is the result of many years' waiting. We first started using Olympic Vincent frozen semen in the early 1990's. To date, there have only been two pregnancies in the USA with this frozen semen, and, since Vincent died a few years ago, there won't be any more. It took us over five years and more vet bills than I will allow myself to calculate to produce this filly. Fortunately, the KWPN jury liked her too, and awarded her one of the very few first premium ribbons of the 2000 keuring tour. Thea is a lovely, supple mare with a super temperament. She began her under saddle training with Nancy Stone as three year old. Nancy reported that she has never worked with such a willing and sweet mare. Thea produced the first foal of the 2004 season for us, a really cool Iroko colt, Ziroko SSF, who is already wowing the Pedone family in Pennsylvainia. After weaning, Thea began conditioning and training with Zaz Putnam for studbook and ster presentation, and went on to not only become a ster mare, but also rank among the top five ster mares in North America for movement. In 2005, Thea presented us with a full sister to Ziroko, Ave Vita SSF. Ave, with her classic "Vita" personality, has quickly become a farm favorite. I had every intention of breeding Ms. Thea to Roemer this year, but my darling wife pulled rank and made her first breeding decision (I think her philosophy is, "If you can't beat him, join him..." Though I'm sure there are times Carol would just as soon simply beat me.)--Carol loves our Contango babies out of the Vita line, so Thea is already in foal to Contango for 2006.
Pioendaula
Pioendaula
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Pion | Abgar "keur" | Abernant xx |
| Karadja xx | |||
| Irma la Douce "keur pref. prest." |
Epigoon "pref" | ||
| Verda " pref. " | |||
| Just Daula "keur pref" |
Michelangelo "elite" | Pasteur xx | |
| Miami | |||
| Ladaula "keur pref. | Eclatant "keur" | ||
| Daula "kroon pref." |
Pioendaula is our third mare from Eugenie van Dam's breeding program. This mare is a half sister to Oladaula, and very similar in conformation. She is, perhaps, a more powerful mover and a little leggier in type, but, most importantly, possesses all of the balance and natural "sit" that I love about these Daula mares. Pioendaula is also a half sister to one of my favorite dressage horses in the world, Aktion; she is the same grey color--let's hope she can perform and produce that same piaffe and passage. Pioendaula was awarded her ster predicate at the Iron Spring Farm keuring in 2002. She missed the high score for movement by one point! To date, she has produced a super Cabochon gelding, Udaulo SSF (Now beginning his new show career in Florida with a win at his first breed show...Congratulations, Sara and "Daulie"!), and a very well balanced, first premium, Jazz filly, Vioendaula SSF, who was purchased by Deb Paxhia in Vashon, Wa. Pioendaula's 2003 foal is a lovely, GRAY filly, Wendy Daula SSF (recently purchased by our very good friend, Jenn Tousignant), by Rafurstinels, the sire of the two time world champion Rubels. Wendy is an incredibly leggy filly with that unbeatable R line temperament. Pioen produced a super Freestyle colt in 2004. “Booger” who just moved to his new home with our former office manager, Julia Slocum. Pioen's 2005 colt, Aztec SSF, by Contango, is a definite standout--fancy, fancy boy. Pioen is already bred back to the Olympic Ferro grandson, Special D. SOLD
Oisther "ster"
Oisther
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Olympic Jazz "keur" | Olympic Cocktail "keur" | Purioso "keur" |
| Ulissa "keur pref prest" | |||
| Charmante "keur pref" | Ulster | ||
| Warmante "keur pref" | |||
| Esther "ster pref" | Amor "pref" | Herrscher | |
| Barba | |||
| Mathilde "pref prest" | Irco Polo | ||
| Dorrie |
Oisther brings to the SSF program a mare line from the family van Helvoirt. The van Helvoirt family has bred a number of top mares and approved stallions, including one of my favorite stalllions, Olympic Jazz. The van Helvoirts also have more mares in the top 250 dressage mares than any other breeder and have produced some of the top-selling foals in the Dutch foal auctions. In addition, Loucky Hagen's newly approved Contango son is out of a mare bred by the van Helvoirts. Oisther's sister, the elite mare Sisther de Jeu, by Gribaldi, was the champion of the keur mares at the National Mare Keuring. She also finished very strongly in the PAVO Cup. The van Helvoirts are also the only Dutch breeders to breed both a five year old and a six year old qualifier for the young horse championships in Verden. To say that we are thrilled to add this double Amor mare to our line-up is an understatment! Once again, thanks to Gary Lane and Carlene Blunt for making this possible. Speaking of Verden, Oisther has just been confirmed in foal to the highest scoring American horse ever to compete in the young horse championships, Hilltop Farm's Royal Prince.
Ombria
Ombria |
Fair Play | Ulft "keur" | Le Mexico "keur" |
| Pia "keur pref" | |||
| Osca "ster" | Fresco "keur" | ||
| Isabelle "pref" | |||
| Jasmijn | Pentagon | Pericles xx "pref" | |
| Orchidee | |||
| Colimbria "keur pref" | Doruto "pref" | ||
| Libria "keur pref" |
Carol and I are delighted to announce the addition of the mare, Ombria, to the Shooting Star Farm mareband. The “Bria” line is responsible for such horses as Olympic Barbria, the KWPN approved stallion, 00 Seven, a huge number of UTV mares and successful dressage horses, the high-scoring adult horse for movement during the 2005 keuring tour, Titus DG, and Valeska DG, the number one NA/WPN foal in 2002. Ombria is a product of Debbie Springborn’s breeding program. Her granddam, Colimbria, is one of three full “Bria” sisters out of the Doruto x Amor niche which is so celebrated in Dutch dressage breeding. Thanks to Carlene Blunt and Gary Lane for the opportunity to lease a member of such an illustrious mare family. Ombria is to be bred to Sandreo. Henk Nijhof, Sr. says, "If you imagine the perfect horse, you look at Sandreo and you see him." I'm excited to have the Sandro Hit and Flemmingh pedigrees crossed on the Bria line. This should be an exciting foal.
Kirona SSF
Kirona |
Volkmar | Abgar xx "keur" | Abernant xx |
| Karadja xx | |||
| Robijn "ster" | Garant "keur" | ||
| Fabiola "keur pref." | |||
| Wirona "keur pref." | Rechter | Pot D'Or xx | |
| Etincelle (Selle Francais) | |||
| Irona "keur" | Boris | ||
| Bireentje |
This picture doesn't do justice to this lovely mare. We bought Kirona from our friends at DG Bar Ranch, in Hanford, California. Her dam, Wirona, was imported as Betty DeGroot's personal riding mare. Wirona, crossed with Volkmar, went on to establish one of the most consistent producing group of daughters in the country. The Junior STV mare, Petra DG, who was grand champion of Devon a few years ago, is out of one of these daughters. Kirona herself has produced two top ten offspring by Ferro. Kirona is a little heavier in type than our other mares, but she is super athletic and sweet, sweet, sweet. She has produced a super Metall filly for us (now owned by Helena Kopczynski), a really athletic and sweet Zeoliet filly, Virona SSF (sold in 2004; congratulations, Jordan!), and a HUGE, impressive Freestyle filly in 2004. This filly, Zirona SSF, has been sold to Elizabeth Hamshaw as her future sport mare and foundation broodmare--she couldn’t find a better choice! Kirona's 2005 Donatelli colt, Adonis SSF, has already found his biggest fan in his new owner, Kathy Palumbo. One of these days, we'll get the opportunity to keep a Kirona filly for our breeding program. She is currently in foal to the dressage champion of the 2005 Hengstkeuring, Johnson--aka Verdi--(Jazz x Flemmingh x Sultan).
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La Liscia xx
La Liscia xx |
Pass the Glass | Buckpasser | Tom Fool |
| Busandra | |||
| Amerigo Lady | Amerigo | ||
| Lady Sybil | |||
| B.Pretentious | Pretense | Endeavor | |
| Imitation | |||
| Obstinate | Bicker | ||
| Fran Fran |
LaLiscia is on loan to SSF from former DBNA member, Trish Smith. I have always believed that, in the Dutch population, there are certain desirable traits found only in the Thoroughbred. We started our program with a lovely, old Thoroughbred mare in the late 1980’s. At the time, I didn’t know how to use this gene pool effectively. A decade and a half later, I had begun looking for the right Thoroughbred genetics to bring back into our program. Viola! Along comes LaLiscia. Now, I don’t pretend to be a Thoroughbred pedigree expert, but I do know what I want from the gene pool: length of skeletal structure, phenomenal shoulder and saddle position, great canter, legginess, and heart. Well, LaLiscia has all this. Plus, she competed successfully as a jumper, and then went on to a career at lower level dressage. She has produced four super foals. And, according to my favorite Thoroughbred pedigree devotee, Mrs. Susan Duncan, “This mare is a once in a lifetime opportunity. She has a better pedigree for producing sport horses than any Thorougbred stallion standing anywhere. You'll never find another one like her." Well, if I needed any more convincing than that, LaLiscia has produced one of the very best foals we've ever bred, an incredible Iroko filly, Aerosmith SSF. "Stevie" is a keeper. In hopes of producing a stallion prospect or another filly for our program, we're breeding LaLiscia to Johnson (see information in Kirona's description).
T. Lente "keur"
New England keuring in 2003.
T. Lente "keur" |
Cabochen "keur" | Olympic Vincent | Pretendent "keur" |
| Oleprinses "keur pref. prest." | |||
| Gonnie "kroon pref." | Commandant | ||
| Bottie "kroon pref." | |||
| Lente "keur pref." | Farrington "keur" | Wellington "keur" | |
| Onetty "ster" x Doruto "pref" | |||
| Deolien "keur pref. prest" | Amor "preferent" | ||
| Olien "kroon pref." |
Now, we don’t actually own this mare, but I have made arrangements to buy her 2005 foal. Our good friend, Alicia Winter, of Winter Warmbloods in Kent, Ct., imported this mare on a buying trip with me four years ago. T.Lente has gone on to be a top ten ster mare, top ten keur mare, and an exceptional beauty. In my ever elusive search of adding Cabochon blood to our program, I couldn’t help myself. So, filly or colt, this Freestyle x Cabochon will be one of the most anticipated SSF 2005 arrival. I’d also like to say that I’m really proud of Alicia. She has presented only four horses at NA/WPN keurings, but two of them have gone top ten. Excellent work!
Facet
Facet |
Zalmeco | H.almez | Ibraham |
| Girondine S.F. | |||
| Judith | Artilleur | ||
| Antoneth | |||
| Onbekend | -- | -- | |
| -- | |||
| -- | -- | ||
| -- |
Facet comes to us after retiring from a successful career as a sport mare. She competed at PSG and I1, with scores that put her in first place against top competition. Normally, we would not add a mare to our program with an "onbekend" (this means "unknown" in Dutch) in the pedigree, but a mare who has competed successfully at FEI level dressage, certainly deserves a shot as a producer of more sport horses. "Bea", as she is known to those who love her, is a strong personality with a never quit attitude. She is a big-bodied mare with lots of substance and strength. Our good friend Kathy Thompson has already spoken for Bea's super Donatelli filly, Anpetu Win SSF. Bea has already been bred back to Donatelli for, hopefully, a duplicate of this year's fancy girl.
After labor Day xx
Photo coming soon
After labor Day xx |
Stacked Back xx | Majestic light xx | Majestic Prince xx |
| Irradiate xx | |||
| Con Game xx | Buckpasser xx | ||
| Broadway xx | |||
| Charming Gold xx | Mountain of Gold xx | Mr. Prospector xx | |
| Well Done xx | |||
| Dynasty Reign xx | Seattle Slew xx | ||
| Princess East xx (x Prince John) |
For years, we "serious" breeders eschewed the use of the TB in the North American mare base and strove to eliminate these mares from our programs. Well, there are certain pedigrees that I want back. This mare may be smaller than I would like, but she is wrought with boldness and athleticism. She is elegant and really well put together. My kids and I have pooled our resources to add this really pretty lady to our mareband. She comes to us in foal to the KWPN stallion, Fairplay. We've got her slated as part of our test crop of Guido dates.