Riders turned breeders At Miami Beach

By Michael Doherty

In recent times, many top riders have also developed a breeding element to their business. In some instances the breeding branch begins when a top sport mare gets injured, others start when trying retain the genetics of a special mare prior to her changing hands. With the sport of Showjumping growing globally, and the cost of talented young showjumpers ever-increasing, for some riders, developing their own breeding programme has become a vital source of future talents. 

Three riders will contest the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami, mounted on home-bred horses. Germany’s Katrin Eckermann has entered the nine-year-old Chao Lee (Comme Il Faut x Chacco-Blue), bred by her father Otmar Eckermann. After having Chao Lee, her dam, Cobain Z, went on to be an international junior horse for Philip Terhoeven-Urselmans. 

Belgian rider Jordy Van Massenhove brings with him Equine America Verdiamo Z. Bred by Jordy himself, the son of Maikel van der Vleuten’s long-time partner Verdi TN is out of Jordy’s former ride Ufasja (Andiamo Z x Jasper). Verdi TN was himself a former winner of the Madrid Global Champions Tour Grand Prix.

Speaking of Maikel van der Vleuten, the Dutch rider has brought the ten-year-old mare Elwikke to Miami. The daughter of Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN, out of Wikke (Quick Star x Cantus), was bred by Maikel’s father Eric van der Vleuten, in partnerships with Kees van den Oetelaar. Elwikke’s great grand dam is Audi's Jikke, the former Nations Cup horse of Eric van der Vleuten.

Competing against home-breds

A number of other riders at Miami Global Champions Tour will be competing against their home-bred horses. Pieter Devos sees home-bred Kriskras DV (Cooper van de Heffinck x Kashmir van Schuttershof) campaigned by Dutch rider Bart Bles. 

Philippaerts brothers, Nicola and Oliver, will be competing against Canada’s Erynn Ballard on their home-bred Nadale van Dorperheide. Sired by Nicola’s former partner H&M Zilverstar T, who also competed at Miami in 2016, Nadale van Dorperheide is out of the mare Jaimi van Dorperheide – the ride of younger brother Thibault Philippaerts.

USA’s Spencer Smith is riding the eleven-year-old Manhattan for boss Georgina Bloomberg, who will also be competing at Miami. Bred and owned by Georgina’s Gotham Enterprizes LLC, Manhattan is the offspring of Metropolitan and Lumina – two former rides of Georgina Bloomberg. Similarly, Ireland’s Michael Pender has taken HHS Catwalk (Cit Cat x  Clover Echo) to Miami. The ten-year-old mare was bred by the Hughes family, who he is based with in Ireland. 

Most represented breeders

With four home-bred horses entered, Paul Schockemöhle of Gestüt Lewitz is the most represented breeder at Miami Global Champions Tour. The four horses are Ludger Beerbaum’s Mila (Monte Bellini x HH Hilton, Jordan Coyle’s Centriko Volo (Centadel x Chacco-Blue), Margie Goldstein-Engle’s Royce (Café Au Lait x Grandilot), and Chacco Kid (Chacco-Blue x Come On), ridden by Nina Mallevaey.

Elevage Ste Hermelle and Kai Gerken will each see two home-bred horses line out. The former is responsible for Bingo Ste Hermelle (Number One d'Iso Un Prince x Diamant de Semilly) of Daniel Deusser and Chance Ste Hermelle (Calvaro Z x Hemmingway) of Natalie Dean. Kai Gerken is the breeder of Laura Kraut’s Confu (Contact Me x Cambridge) and Nina Mallevaey’s Kino (Lord Z x Chambertin).