Elite Dressage Stallion Herzensdieb Featured in Presentation at Verden, Germany

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Herzendieb in Verden, Germany 2014. Photo by Kiki Beelitz.

In front of a sold-out crowd at the Niedersachsen Stadium, the impressive stallion Herzensdieb wowed the discerning audience with a dressage presentation showcasing the stallion’s impressive abilities and traits inherited through his impeccable breeding pedigree.                                                                                                      

Helmi in Verden, Germany 2014. Photo by Kiki Beelitz.

Petra Wilm, the president of the German Trakehner Horse Breeding Association, provided commentary to the audience during the event and emphasized Trakehners’ rideability, versatility and competitive ability. She said that Herzensdieb’s descendants feature these desirable qualities, making them excellent modern Warmblood horses.

The powerful and magnificent Herzensdieb, son of Tambour and Herzensfeude, was presented alongside several of his spectacular female offspring, Helmi, Harriet and Hispaniola.

Helmi (Herzensdieb/SPS Lady Lou/Lauries Crusador) is a three-year old State’s Premium Candidate with great presence and high quality dressage movement.  Helmi was presented at the prestigious Herwart von der Decken mare show in Verden prior to her presentation as part of Herzensdieb’s offspring. Owners Louise and Doug Leatherdale were ecstatic about the mare’s performance.

“She has simply wonderful basic gaits and an extraordinary presence. It’s as if she gets ridden every day in front of several thousand spectators,” Doug Leatherdale said after watching Helmi perform. “The Herzensdieb children really steal your heart away- as his name, ‘Heart Thief,’ implies.”

The 5-year-old Harriet, another Herzensdieb-Lauries Crusador XX mare, wowed the audience with her rhythmic gaits and commanding features.

“She’s always willing to work, spirited, uphill and in-time to the beat,” said trainer Johann Hinneman of the exemplary mare.

Another of Herzensdieb’s impressive daughters, Hispaniola (Herzensdieb-White Star) has shown great success in dressage horse trials and displays great promise.

Each of Herzensdieb’s offspring reflects the stallion’s impeccable breeding. In the last year, the German Trakehner Horse Breeding Association named Herzensdieb an Elite Stallion of the Trakehner Breed. The stallion’s breeding and rideability make him an excellent choice for refining warmblood lines.

Herzensdieb’s presentation meant a lot to the proud owners Doug and Louise Leatherdale. “We have always believed in this stallion and are proud that our Herzensdieb has become such an important part of German dressage breeding.”

Diana C and Chrevis Christo Put in Top Showings for Leatherdale Farms at CornerStone Summer Classic

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Diane Creech rode two of Leatherdale Farms’ horses to great success at the CornerStone Summer Classic in Palgrave, Ontario, Aug. 15-17. The two horses garnered high scores from judges for their smooth movements and graceful tests.

Diane Creech and Diana C earlier this year at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Photo by Susan Stickle. 

Diana C, a 7-year-old Hanoverian mare (Damsey-Belinda, Brentano II) received an outstanding score of 70.132 percent in the FEI Test of Choice class and took first place. The mare received excellent scores in the 70s earlier this year at Fourth Level and CornerStone marked her first foray into Prix St. Georges.

“She really showed that she has all the talent to compete at these high levels,” said Diane Creech. “She’s very willing and has a great presence, which the judges really liked.”

Diane Creech and Chrevis Christo at the CornerStone Summer Classic. Photo by Michael Werner Images. 

Creech plans to continue training Diana C in preparation for the Florida season and is very proud of how the young mare responded to the pressure of the show environment.

The up-and-coming Chrevis Christo, an 11-year-old Danish Warmblood (Lavallo-Chrevi’s LaVi, Matador), achieved great results at CornerStone in his Canadian Grand Prix debut after competing just once before at that level in the U.S. His elegant movements and willingness earned the striking gelding a score of 69.233 percent and second place in the class, just a few tenths of a percentage off the first place spot.

“He’s more than willing to do all the movements, and he’s very talented. He shows a lot of expression which is really fantastic,” said Creech. “His pirouettes, passage and piaffe are real highlights of his performances.”

Earlier this year, “Christo” received consistent scores in the upper 60s and often in the 70s for FEI Test of Choice classes at the Intermediaire II level. During his U.S. debut in the Grand Prix at the Kentucky Dressage Association Spring Warm-Up Show in May, he earned a solid 65.5 percent. His improved score at CornerStone shows he’s on an upward trend and hints at an excellent future.

“I want to take my time with him and give him more experience before I take him to a CDI,” said Creech. “I’m certainly hoping that we can declare him for the [Pan-American Games]. Until then, we will work on getting him ready and making him a serious competitor.”

Both horses are learning much from the showing experiences and meeting the challenges of new levels.

“I am very proud of the two horses and the composure they displayed during competition,” said Creech. “They’re getting their feet wet and doing it in style.”