Spotlight: FVF Figaro (B.C., Canada) of Gervantus II

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As we enter 2018 we're excited to share our first Spotlight of the year. 

Welcome Kasey and FVF Figaro and THANK YOU for sharing your story with us. 

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Almost 1 year ago, I met the love of my life, Figgy. As soon as I saw him, I knew he was the horse for me. He was friendly and sweet, and yawned twice before I put his bit in (which he still does today), which we took as a good sign. Sure enough, after the first ride, I fell in love.

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My name is Kasey Lathangue, I am 16 years old, and I live in BC, Canada. I have been riding for five years now, and have leased a few horses, but I have never made quite a connection like I have with Figgy. 

FVF Figaro, or Figgy, is a 15’3hh black Canadian WB gelding out of Gervantus II. He has had a successful past in the hunter ring, showing up and down British Columbia. and Thermal, California, USA,  winning Champion and Reserve all over.

When we got him, we started out as hunter jumpers, but lately we have noticed his huge potential in the dressage ring, so we made the switch. He has gorgeous movement and catches everyones eyes in the show ring. Figgy looks just like a smaller, daintier version of his dad. 

Not only is he an awesome athlete, but he is my best friend on the ground, always nickering when I come to fetch him from the field, or following me around just because. He has stolen my heart and many others with his loving temperament, and he’s received lots of pears for it, they’re his favourite :)

Figgy and I will be showing first level dressage at local shows, and possibly Thunderbird this coming season, and I couldn’t be more excited to get started.

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If you want to keep up with Figgy and Kasey’s daily life, you can follow them on Instagram at @kaseylat.eq

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Photos courtesy of Kasey Lathangue.

To be feature please email Web Admin at sigmawarmbloods@gmail.com 

Spotlight: Don Royal (Skellefteå, Sweden) of Royal Blend

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Earlier this week we touched based with the lovely Johanna Larsson and who lives in northern Sweden in a small town called Skellefteå.  

Johanna generously shared her story and some recentphotographs with us. 

To follow their journey together make sure to follow Johanna + Don Royal on Instagram @larssonlarsson

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Don Royal   e: Royal Blend    ue: Don Gregory Born 2008, but only ridden properly for 1.5 years and began competing May 2017.  

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I bought Don Royal in August 2016 from a lovely family, where the mother unfortunately broke her back a few years ago falling off of a horse. They purchased Don Royal when he was 4 years old from the breeders Lena och Ulrik Kristensen in Denmark. They bought him as an promising dressage prospect, but they really never got the chance to do something with him because of her accident. 

When they tried to sell him, he bucked everyone off! My friend and I were a few of the only ones that stayed on and they really thought that he chose me! He had the nicest eyes you could imagine, and I fell in love at first sight!

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A few weeks later the work began. He suffered from "cold back" (he got panic when the saddle got on his back and he usually bucked away). I fell off a few times and got really scared, because it's a long way down from a horse that's 1.75m tall! But I never gave up. I got the best trainer who helped and believed in me!

My plan was to practice all year and compete in dressage in the  2018 season, but I got really brave and so the competing began! 

After a summer and autumn of competing, we placed in almost every competition.  We won and beat out riders and horses with lots and lots of experience. And the best part was that I accomplished this with a horse where I (with help of my trainer) did all the work. 

If it wasn't for his lovely personality I may not have overcome my fear. He is like a big dog, as kind as he is tall. I really love him and would not ever change this horse for anything!

Photos courtesy of Johanna Larsson.

To be feature please email Web Admin at sigmawarmbloods@gmail.com 

Royal Blend Sire Rotspon is Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2017

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Excited to announced that Rotspon, sire of our Royal Blend, is the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2017. 

The Rubinstein/Argentan-son Rotspon was nominated “Hanoverian Stallion of the Year”. Breeder Christiane Müller from Stade was overjoyed when she accepted the award for her deceased husband Hans-Heinrich while the Celle state stud stallion went for his victory lap, much to the delight of the enthusiastic audience. The black stallion occupies a kind of background position in breeding, particularly on the maternal side. Apart from above-average basic gaits, he passes on his super rideability to his progeny – qualities that riders all over the world appreciate. 

Rotspon was born on February 22, 1995 at Hans-Heinrich Müller’s in Stade. The passionate breeder believed in the black colt and presented him at the 1997 stallion licensing in Verden. The State Stud Celle purchased the youngster at the Stallion Market and gave him the name: Rotspon – a tradition-rich North German expression for high-quality red wines. The pedigree of the stallion reads as amazing as the names of French wines. His pedigree features Hanover’s trademark stallions Rubinstein, Argentan, Pik Bube and Wendekreis, turning Rotspon into one of the most important representatives of the dam line of Noreja. The Olympic eventing horse Amadeus is a successful and well-known progeny out of this line. The dam, state premium mare Antalia, already confirmed her rideability and quality of movement when she won the prestigious Hanoverian Riding Horse Championships at the age of three.

Rotspon convinced at his stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf. He was the best of his age-group, scoring 148.72 points in the dressage evaluation and 145.67 points overall. He prevailed against Londonderry, the former winner of the stallion licensing and nominated “Hanoverian Stallion of the Year” in 2013. Rotspon’s victory at the stallion performance test in 1999 brought his breeder Hand-Heinrich Müller the Freiherr von Stenglin-Award.  

His breeding career led Rotspon to the North German region called “Land Wursten” between Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven to the Oberndorf insemination station, less than 50 km from Stade, his place of birth. The mares there perfectly matched his hereditary qualities, and he is still popular with the breeders in Dorum today, 18 years later. State premium mare Romanze is one of his first progeny, winner of the 2002 Ratje Niebuhr-Show in Verden. His sons Rascalino and Royal Blend moved to stalls at the State Stud Celle. Almost 100 of his sons and daughters are successfully competing at the advanced dressage level, and he has been siring 277 auction horses until today. Rotspon established an excellent reputation as dam’s sire. His genes can be frequently found in the pedigrees of successful dressage horses such as Olympic Champion Showtime FRH, member of the German gold squad with Dorothee Schneider in Rio de Janeiro.

His breeder Hans-Heinrich Müller unfortunately did not live to see this success. His wife Christiane was completely overwhelmed when she accepted the award on his behalf, an oil painting of the artist Manfred Busemann and a well-remunerated cheque. The Hannoveraner Verband has been honouring a particularly valuable Hanoverian stallion since 1992 in co-operation with the insurance company R+V/Vereinigte Tierversicherung. (Courtesy of http://en.hannoveraner.com/)

Original Post here: http://ow.ly/9bRh30gcee1

Spotlight: Genesee of Gervantus II

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As Sigma Warmbloods continues to build its online community we'd love to hear your stories! We'll be posting little Spotlight's here to check in on some of our offspring.

We're kicking it off with Krysta Denboer and her beautiful mare Genesee from Gervantus II.

Krysta: I purchased her back in April when I was moving up from my old horse. I got her from Brittany McCully, whom I understand got her from Slip Stream Farms (where her dam Echo Logic is).

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Genesee (or Jenny as I call her) and I have been working together to build up our skills and relationship. We work on a lot of transitions, and flat work. We also jump a couple times a week in lessons. 

I am a hunter/jumper and at home we have been schooling 2'3-2'6 fences and courses. We went to our first show this summer together showing in the 2' classes. Jenny took home ribbons from every class we entered. I was extremely proud of her. She was the same horse off property that she is at home, if not better. I can't wait for the next show season where we will go to more shows and hopefully show at a higher level.

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Jenny loves carrots and treats. She enjoys getting groomed and will lean into you when you are brushing her. We go for walks together and she often will follow me around. She has a great personality and the softest eye. I have never once had any attitude from her, even when you know she is annoyed or frustrated with me. 

People say that when you find your "heart" horse you know, and I have defiantly found that in Jenny

Photos courtesy of Krysta Denboer.

To be feature please email Web Admin at sigmawarmbloods@gmail.com 

Remembering Gervantus II

Sigma Warmbloods and Family Wüthrich are sad to announce the passing of Oldenburg stallion, Gervantus II. Born in 1987, this 30 year old stallion has sired successful show jumpers, Olympic contenders, award champions and premium mares. 

Passing peacefully in August 2017, Gervantus II will always be a remembered and be a part of the Sigma Warmbloods family. 

GERVANTUS II
1987 - 2017

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