Donnerhall dominates the dressage sport

At a time with a strong international focus on Dutch bloodlines and breeding it was remarkable to note that the classic German dressage lines were so dominating at the prestigeous show in Aachen this year.
During the award ceremony of the CDIO Grand Prix freestyle the three top placed horses, Damon Hill by Donnerhall, Desperados by the Donnerhall son De Niro and Diva Royal by the Donnerhall son Don Frederico, demonstrated that a true Donnerhall horse just stands proud and still as a statue when the loud applause from the grand stand hits the arena. They might as well have been a little tired after several days of competition, but their quietness elevated these three mounts above all the fuss.

Take a look at the Danish Olympic team: The two highest placed horses are Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein’s Digby by Donnerhall and Anna Kasprzak’s Donnperignon by Donnerhall. The German team consists of Helen Langehanenberg with Damon Hill by Donnerhall, Kristina Sprehe with Desperados by De Niro, Dorothee Schneider with Diva Royal by Don Frederico as well as the individual rider Anabel Balkenhol with Dablino by De Niro!

Yet a third top horse by De Niro was to be seen in Aachen; the Spanish Olympic team horse Delgado ridden by Beatriz Ferrer-Salat. This is not the end to the Donnerhall influence at CHIO Aachen as the Grand Prix Freestyle of the CDI tour was won by German Isabell Werth with Don Johnson by Don Frederico. In the small tour Swedish Patrik Kittel and UNO Donna Unique by the Donnerhall son Don Schufro won the Prix St. Georges, whilst Intermediaire I was won by Austrian Victoria Max-Theurer aboard Della Cavalleria by the Don Schufro son Diamond Hit. Don Schufro’s daughter Dorina will be competing at the Olympics for Norway and his son Paragon is the Olympic reserve horse for the USA.

At the end of every FEI competition year (October 1st) WBFSH produces a sire ranking for each of the three equestrian diciplins jumping, dressage and eventing. The actual results in Verden indicate that Donnerhall and his sons may well be climbing the dressage sire ranking again. Donnerhall used to be the invincible No. 1, but has been overtaken by Jazz three years ago. Will Jazz be able to keep his leading position, or will Donnerhall and his sons further climb the rankings?