Leatherdale Farms Mourns the Loss of Damsey FRH's Grand Prix Daughter Diana C

Wellington, Fla. - July 5, 2019 - It is with the heaviest of hearts that Leatherdale Farms shares the loss of their beloved Diana C (Damsey FRH-Belinda, Brentano II). The 12-year-old Hanoverian mare will forever be in the hearts of everyone at Leatherdale Farms and her many accomplishments over the course of her career will serve as a reminder of the cherished memories she leaves behind.

Doug and Louise Leatherdale first laid eyes on the 2007 mare bred by Charlotte Groenborg at the prestigious Herwart von der Decken Mare Show in Germany, where she was named co-champion dressage mare as a 3-year-old. The couple was immediately drawn to her high-quality gaits, which made her easily distinguishable as the daughter of the current fourth-ranked Grand Prix dressage horse in the world, Damsey FRH. The Leatherdale's purchased Diana C from Christa Morck of Denmark. As Diana C progressed in her training it became clear that she had inherited her sire's talent as an international-quality mount.

Under the tutelage of Canada's Diane Creech, Diana C flourished in her development up through the levels, winning many national wins in the small tour with scores over 74%. In the early weeks of the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival the Leatherdale team stood ring-side, cheering on Diana C as she began her career in the international arena. As she gained more confidence in the ring she collected multiple Intermediate II and Grand Prix national show wins before making her international Grand Prix debut in England at the 2017 Hartpury CDI3*.

2018 was a record year for Diana C and Creech as a combination. In June, Diana C received her CDI-career Grand Prix personal best of 70.809% in the Grand Prix Special at the Cedar Valley CSI3*. They continued to accumulate high placings throughout the summer before the combination was named the traveling reserves for the Canadian Dressage Team at the FEI World Equestrian Games, hosted in Tryon, North Carolina.

In March of 2019, Diana C made her final appearance in the show ring at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival with a harmonious performance that earned a score of 69.170% in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special. The future was looking bright with goals to represent Canada in future international championships, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. However, after a tragic bout of laminitis, Diana C was put down on May 29, 2019.

"We originally had very high hopes that Diana C was recovering after a foundering incident, but her health and comfort rapidly went down hill and we had to make the devastating decision to not allow her to suffer any longer," Leatherdale said.

"We fell in love with her as soon as we saw her in Germany and bought her right away - she arrived at our partner farm, Hengststation Jens Meyer, that very night!" Leatherdale continued. "Doug and I thought she was spectacular and showed so much potential. It was wonderful to have a daughter of Damsey FRH competing and our entire team is heartbroken by the loss of such an affectionate mare who had an immense amount of potential."

Leatherdale, Creech, her daughter Vanessa Creech-Terauds, and everyone else this special horse had touched the lives of will miss her dearly.

"Diana C was a very, very special mare," Creech said. "Everything in her training came so easily to her and she was so eager to do the right thing. She had a larger than life personality who always gave 120%. My heart is so heavy at the tremendous loss we are feeling."

"Diana's soft eyes spoke about her kindness, generosity, and great sense of humour," she continued. "I will always think of her and of the dreams she gave me in my heart. She truly was my heart horse."

Leatherdale Farms Announces Retirement of Grand Prix Powerhouse, Devon L

Wellington, Fla. - May 21, 2019 - Following a stellar career with Canada's Diane Creech and her daughter, Vanessa Creech-Terauds, Leatherdale Farms' 19-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Devon L (De Niro-EM Wibranda, Wolkenstein II), will be retired from high-performance dressage competition.

Bred by Doug and Louise Leatherdale, founders and owners of Leatherdale Farms, Devon L turned heads from the moment he was born at their farm in Minnesota, especially as a shiny chestnut despite his dam and sire both being black. Throughout Devon L's long and illustrious show career he has played an instrumental role for his riders. In 2005 Devon L and Creech dominated the 5-year-old division tests and won the Canadian FEI 5-Year-Old Championship title. The following year, the pair represented Canada at the 2006 World Young Horse Breeding Championships in Verden, Germany. However, his success as a young horse was only the beginning of much more success to come.

As Devon L's sole trainer and rider, Creech formed a strong bond with the gelding and they made their Grand Prix debut in 2009. They enjoyed top placings and many CDI Grand Prix wins around the globe, with the pinnacle of their resume thus far being their selection as the reserve horse-and-rider combination for the 2012 London Olympic Games. A few years later in 2014, Creech and Devon L earned a new career high score of 75.100% in Palgrave, Ontario, during their Grand Prix Freestyle.

"I met Devon when he was just turning 3 and, after some excitement getting him undersaddle, he has continued to fill my life with stories and many, 'Wow,' moments," Creech explained. "He is so talented with a genius mind and training came so easy to him. He taught me so much over the years - carrying me from Training Level youngster moments to being a world-class horse ready to head down centerline at the London Olympic Games as Canada's traveling reserves.

"Retirement are the golden years of our lives and while Devon L is still so young at heart and happy to work, we decided to retire him," Creech continued. "I've always wanted him to feel great as he steps into the next chapter of life happy and full of it. In his mind, he believes he is a 6-year-old and is ready to give 120%. In the meantime, we have to protect his body from his mind and remind him, laughingly, of his age. With one bright and one tearful eye, we decided to make the decision for him and lead him through his next door."

A few years prior to Devon L's retirement, Leatherdale provided the opportunity of a lifetime to Creech-Terauds. Ready to teach a younger rider the ins and outs of the Grand Prix, Devon L and Creech-Terauds began their partnership in May 2017 competing in the U25 Grand Prix division. As Creech-Terauds strengthened her understanding as a U25 rider, Devon L gave her the confidence to further develop her skills, improving their scores each time they stepped in the ring. As a result, they've won over 10 CDI U25 classes together. In 2018, the pair made the trip to Pennsylvania for Dressage at Devon, where they were undefeated in their division.

"These past two years that I have been fortunate enough to ride and learn from Devon have been absolutely priceless," Creech-Terauds. "Moving up from Young Riders to the U25 Grand Prix was a very big step and learning curve, and Devon was the best teacher I could've asked for. Always keeping me on my toes and riding every step, his sharp mind and bold personality really showed me what it takes to be a Grand Prix rider. Being able to share so many memories and accomplishments has been a dream come true and I can't thank Louise enough."

A great teacher, companion and partner, Leatherdale Farms proudly recognizes this exceptional horse and his great achievements.

"A kind horse that always gave so much of himself to his riders, Devon L brought our entire team an immense amount of joy over the years," Leatherdale said. "Devon L's ability to listen and learn from a young age made him wise beyond his years and he carried this wisdom and enthusiasm throughout his adult life."

"We are so lucky that Louise is allowing us to take Devon home to Canada with us for his retirement, where he will still be hacked out and be the big uncle to our young Damsey filly, Davina," Creech said. "Devon has taken me so many places and I will always be grateful to him and to Louise, who has supported us all these years. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to Doug and Louise Leatherdale, and Devon L! Let's celebrate looking forward to many more years together!"

Leatherdale Farms’ Damsey FRH Wins Bronze at FEI Dressage World Cup Final With Helen Langehanenberg

Gothenburg, Sweden – April 15, 2019 – Leatherdale Farms’ Hanoverian stallion, Damsey FRH, won the bronze at the 2019 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final after his performance with German Olympian Helen Langehanenberg. The 17-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Dressage Royal-Ria Grande, Ritual) topped the qualification list for the Western European League this year and their personal best performance of 86.571 percent in Gothenburg, Sweden, solidified their place as one of the world’s top dressage combinations.

“I am absolutely proud – Damsey is a very special horse and I am proud that he did this today,” Langehanenberg said. “He has performed super the whole winter season for me. I am so thankful to Louise [Leatherdale] that I can ride him and that we can do this together and have this experience. It makes me very grateful and proud that I got this horse as a 14-year-old and every year he has felt younger and younger.”

On the first day of competition at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, Langehanenberg and Damsey placed fifth with a 76.957 percent. However, the following day in the Grand Prix Freestyle, Damsey wowed the judges with his expressive freestyle. Their choreography had a 10-point degree of difficulty score and they brought the house down in their final centerline, where Damsey FRH found a new gear in his extended trot heading straight for the judge’s stand. They rounded out the podium with their fellow German Isabell Werth winning the title and Laura Graves from the USA placing second.

have always believed in this horse,” Langehanenberg said. “I have a very strong relationship with him and he is an absolutely special character. I have him on my side and to end up here, third, with a personal best was amazing. He was so energetic. It is great to see that he is so fresh and he loves to do this. I had a little tear in my eye up there already.”

“I went in and I said, ‘Enjoy, just enjoy. Do it for you and for Damsey,'” Langehanenberg said. “We did this for us and we enjoyed it. I think this was the best we can do and it worked!”

Langehanenberg won the 2013 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final title aboard Damon Hill, and in 2016 she secured the ride on Damsey FRH. Currently ranked sixth on the FEI Dressage World Ranking list, the duo has had their eyes set on qualifying for Sweden’s final this year, since Langehanenberg was on maternity leave and unable to compete at the 2018 championship in Paris, France.

Beginning their qualifying season in fall 2018, Langehanenberg and Damsey FRH won the Grand Prix in Herning, Denmark, and placed second in the Grand Prix Freestyle with an 81.40 percent. A few weeks later, they continued racking up qualifying points after their performances in Germany and Belgium. In the final leg of the Western European League in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, Langehanenberg and Damsey FRH earned a 84.875 percent in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

“To be the owner of a fabulous stallion such as Damsey FRH is such a treat!” Louise Leatherdale said. “To have watched he and Helen grow together to become a true team has been remarkable and I was thrilled to cheer them on in person at the Scandinavium!”

Learn more about Leatherdale Farms here.