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."