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China Blue Farm – Living Up To Its Namesake

Rendezvous, a Ragtime progeny by Misty View, is show here competing in at the International Hunter Futurity West Coast Championships and the Sallie B. Wheeler Championship at the Show Park Summer Show.

By Lauren R. Giannini Ragtime at The Oaks in In 1986 in Santa Ynez, California, Priscilla Tamkin established the Regular China Blue Farm, naming it for her : “He was your Conformation classic amateur . He was perfect everywhere. On the trails, Hunters with in the show ring and at the barn.” A gelding of unknown breeding, Carol Wright Tamkin’s horse of a lifetime more than 25 years ago remains the in the irons. standard for what she wants to breed. “We are dedicated to producing high quality animals that can be enjoyed and ridden by juniors and amateurs,” said Nancy Frost, breeding manager and trainer at China Blue. “Through the stallions we stand, our goal is to breed which will improve and further the sport.” The farm’s program shifted its emphasis from breeding a small band of mares to outside stallions to standing several of their under . She also runs Sapphire Ridge, her hunter-jumper- own. In 2000 Priscilla bought the stallion Baccarat, son of Quidam program based at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. de Revel, whose show genes endowed 10 offspring Her own list of mentors reads like an equestrian Who’s Who. competing at the 2002 World Equestrian Games. Rounding “I grew up riding with Jimmy Williams, Bert de Nemethy and out the current sire roster alongside Baccarat are Ragtime and Gordon Wright,” Nancy said. “The best advice I got from Jimmy is Samoan Chief. ‘think like a horse so you can work with them effectively.’ It’s true “A primary focus has been to stand a top quality hunter stallion, – you have to understand their psychology to train them.” Ragtime, on the West Coast,” Nancy said. “Ragtime’s offspring Nancy gets along very well with Priscilla’s vision of China Blue have had great success across the country, both in hand and in Farm. The mares aren’t bred every year: they get rested from the the performance ring, creating a top quality line for the junior and rigors of producing foals. They do not sell the foals out of China amateur hunter.” Blue mares: they keep them and compete them or lease them Ragtime, the pre-potent star at China Blue, is a 1996 bay to qualified riders. They compete out of Nancy’s Sapphire Ridge. Hanoverian by Raggazzoni (grandsire is Rosenkavalier) out of They know where all their foals are and where they will end up: Griseldis by Grande. As a three-year-old, he received the highest at China Blue Farm. Their horses can look forward to a marks for rideability and top scores overall in the 100 day test. pleasant retirement. A consistent champion in regular working hunter and regular “We want to stand quality stallions and ship semen to the conformation working hunter, he also recorded wins in the jumpers breeders in the USA and Canada,” said Nancy. “Part of our goal and equitation. Ragtime was the 2010 and 2011 USEF Hunter is to help mare owners and breeders to produce outstanding Breeding Sire of the Year. He was again at the top of the Hunter animals that are conformationally correct, athletic and have good Breeding Sires in mid-November (when Sidelines went to press). minds. Through this, we hope to improve the sport. We try to make Nancy has been with China Blue Farm for 10 years. She does matches that will be successful for juniors or amateurs to ride. But most of the training and puts a foundation on the young stock, really, what we do at China Blue, it’s all for the love of the horses.” which is key to their success in the show ring, both in hand and All photos by Capture the Moment 76 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 77 78 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 79 Angela’s Garden eHigh Point Hanoverians -- a garden built in memorial of the woman whose High Point dream started it all. Hanoverians: A Dream Come True

By Dani Moritz High Point stallion Coeur d’ Amour, with his Champion t all started with a dream -- a dream to produce Ribbon at modern fit to compete in all English at Devon disciplines. 2012. IThe dream was that of the late Angela Barilar’s. And through years of passion and dedication, her dream has endured the hardest of times and has transpired into a hallmark of American After meeting a trainer by the name of Klaus Schengber, breeding -- High Point Hanoverians in Chestertown, Maryland. Angela and her new business partner set out to found High Point High Point Hanoverians is home to four world-class stallions Hanoverians, which quickly became a success. Among their many -- Rosenthal, Sinatra Song, Furst Impression and Coeur d’ Amour achievements, Angela was named the Third USEF Dressage -- and a quality band of broodmares. They offer breeding, training, Breeder of the Year for 2010. young horse raising, lessons and services to help people find or But while 2010 marked a triumph for High Point Hanoverians, it sell their horse. also marked a tragedy. Some of their stallions’ successes include: Sinatra Song Angela was suddenly diagnosed with stage four brain cancer being the highest scoring three year-old Hanoverian stallion and passed away July 31, 2010 -- leaving her dream to her at the Bundeschampionate; Furst Impression finishing his 100- business partner, Klaus, her husband and her daughter, Larissa, day stallion testing at Paxton with a notable score of 122 points; who was 18 at the time. “We put every effort into continuing my Rosenthal being selected as the USEF Number One Dressage Mom’s dream,” said Larissa. “The death of my mother has changed Breeding Stallion in 2007 and being the top producer of premium our lives forever, but we have adjusted to our new normal life.” GOV foals for North America; and Coeur d’ Amour being named At Angela’s request, her family hosted a celebration of life a the Champion Stallion at Dressage at Devon 2012. year after her death. According to Larissa, Angela was a very But despite Angela’s success, she wasn’t raised in the saddle. positive and upbeat person and didn’t want any tears. They held it In fact, her parents knew little about horses. Nonetheless, she during the Oldenburg inspection because that was one of Angela’s bought her first horse when was she was 12 and began riding favorite time of year. Western. While attending Washington State, she switched gears The celebration was held at Angela’s Garden -- a garden to and competed through the preliminary level before planted and built in memorial of the woman whose dream started purchasing her first stallion, Duellglanz, when he was three days it all. During the celebration, Klaus gave a speech while holding old. Wishful, one of Angela’s two foundation mares, and Larissa Angela then purchased one imported filly named Gretchen released 50 butterflies to say goodbye to her mom’s gentle soul. and, shortly after, Angela married her husband, John, and they “The celebration was all we could have ever hoped for,” said received their second Hanoverian yearling filly, Wishful, as a Larissa. “People had a great time. They told stories, they laughed, wedding present from Angela’s parents. Both of these fillies later they cried and stayed up well into the night. It was so fitting for became her foundation mares and began making her dream a her.” reality. Continued on page 82 80 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 81 Wishful passed away early this fall at the age of 27. “It felt like the end of an era because the horses that my mom had started with are gone now,” said Larissa. Only 20 years old, Larissa has planted her feet firmly on the ground at the farm and has partnered with Klaus to keep the dream going. She works alongside Klaus training, breeding and marketing for the farm, as well as with her dad, John, who handles the books for the farm and a young man named Joe who began working there after Angela’s passing. “The farm is run as a family business and even though we are not all blood-related it seems like we are,” said Klaus. Larissa has learned so much more about the farm -- and about her mom’s duties -- since Angela’s passing. “I was 18 when she passed away so I just got out of school and still had a lot to learn,” said Larissa. “Part of my job now is semen processing, shipping and foal watch. In case of a problem, Klaus and I always foal the mares out together”. Along with keeping up with the farm, Larissa hopes to advance her riding career. Like her mom, her passion is eventing but she also hopes to learn more dressage and aspires to win a recently added class at Dressage at Devon. The class, which is a three- year old class that is judged under saddle and in hand, was created in memorial of her mom. “We had a trophy made for her called the Angela Barilar Memorial Trophy and I’d love to win that one day,” said Larissa. While Larissa is no ordinary 20 year-old, she wouldn’t trade it for anything. Getting up at 6 in the morning on a daily basis, late nights during the foaling season and basically being on call 24/7 is just a part of her life. “Honestly, I have had to grow up a lot in the past couple of years,” said Larissa. “It’s definitely a change of pace for me but it’s something I had to grow up into. At this point I enjoy every minute of it because every day brings change and new challenges.” Together, the High Point Hanoverian family keeps Angela’s legacy going and, each day, more of Angela’s dream comes true. High Point stallion Rosenthal, a 1998 16.3 hand Black “That was her plan for us, her dream [was] to have her daughter Hanoverian (Rubinstein/Karon / Woermann). In 2007 he was the follow in her footsteps,” Larissa said. #1 USEF Dressage Breeding Stallion. All photos by Larissa Barilar, unless noted Photo by Angela Barilar

Presenting the Angela Barilar Memorial Trophy at Dressage at Devon 2012. John Barilar holds the trophy while Larissa, Angela’s daughter holds her mother’s dog Puckie, while Angela’s business partner Klaus Schengber stands next to her. Photo by Nancy Miller 82 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE The future of High Point: Three pregnant broodmares enjoy their time in the pasture. From left to right: Rubentanz (by Rosenthal/ Wokentanz II); (by Feindbrand/Matcho xx); and Rachel (by Rubinstein/Parabol).

Klaus Schengber and Fuerstin, a two- year-old mare by Furst Impression, at Dressage at Devon 2012 where she won the Oldenburg class.

Cleopatra under the flowers at High Point. Keeping up with Coeur Dashian By Dani Moritz Although Coeur Dashian wasn’t specifically named after the reality TV star Kim Kardashian, she might as well have been. The jet black Oldenburg filly, born April 26 at High Point Hanoverian in Maryland, knows she’s got it and is ready to flaunt it. Owner Larissa Barilar says she would fit right in with the famously loved (and hated) Kardashian sisters. “If she was a person she would definitely be high maintenance and in the headlines, as she already is,” said Larissa. Larissa says she is inquisitive and brave and notes that, “if she was a person, she wouldn’t be very well liked because she would know everything about everybody.” Coeur Dashian became the “Foal to Follow” at Dressage at Devon this year after Klaus Schengber, Larissa’s business partner of High Point Hanoverians where the filly was bred, was invited to an Olympic going away party for . Klaus ran into Lori Kaminski, who was looking for a foal to do a story on. And Coeur Dashian was a perfect fit. Coeur Dashian also placed fourth out of 19 foals in the 2012 Dressage at Devon Filly Class. Her father, Coeur d’Amour, won the Stallion Championship at the same show. Apparently, fame is in her blood. As of now, Larissa thinks Coeur Dashian’s future is wide open and Larissa and Klaus will decide what disciplines she will most likely excel in when she comes of age. For now, this little star is enjoying life as a filly -- soaking up the sun and loving the Keeping up with Coeur Dashian! The attention. young filly shows off her star power as Photos by Larissa Barilar she jumps a hedge.

FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 83 84 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 85 86 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 87 88 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 89 Morgan Measey 90 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 91 e

Leatherdale Farms By Lauren R. Giannini

Marriage made in horse heaven pretty much describes Louise and Doug Leatherdale’s partnership, both personal and professional. Their shared passion for horses has evolved into a Leatherdaleblossoming international program to breed andFarms compete first class – Life With Horses dressage horses. Leatherdale Farms’ equine progeny has been making its mark in the international horse world for several years. The Leatherdales’ West Coast rider Sue Blinks and Robin Hood made it to the finals of the United States dressage team selection trials for the London Olympics. Diane Creech, from Canada, partnered with Devon L to take the first reserve spot on the Canadian dressage team for London. “We owe a lot of our success to His Highness – his offspring are all over the world,” said Louise. “In his first year Highness bred over 600 mares, some of the best around the world. He was exceptional. We have a mostly female (rider) market in the US and around the world. Some may only ride on weekends. We hear from women in England and , telling us how much they love their horse. His Highness stamped his get with temperament and rideability. His offspring are dressage horses and quite a few become hunters.” His Highness earned the distinction of being the “horse of a lifetime” for the Leatherdales. Highness (2000) was the Hanoverian licensing grand champion in 2002, champion of the stallion test at Prussendorf at three, and champion of the four- year-old dressage stallions at the Danish licensing at five. With Klaus Balkenhol overseeing his training, the colt’s rideability first manifested itself at age two and a half when he was started under The late His Highness. The stallion stamped his get with saddle by Susanne Meyer. temperament and rideability. His offspring have become “We bought and named His Highness in 2002 at Verden: he dressage horses and hunters. was the most magnificent stallion we’d ever seen,” said Louise. Photo courtesy of Leatherdale Farms “We felt like we had a rock-star son – his pictures were all over Germany.” have a limited supply of His Highness’s frozen semen, which is About five years ago His Highness suffered a tragic accident and available only to select mares. had to be euthanized, but his legacy lives on with many illustrious outcroppings. In February 2012 His Highness’s daughter SPS Labor of Love Helena gave birth to a colt sired by . The Leatherdales Leatherdale Farms consists of several entities. Louise and Doug make their home at their picturesque and beautifully appointed farm about 20 minutes west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sue Blinks, an Olympian and one of the top grand prix competitors in the USA, is their rider at Leatherdale West in Santa Cruz, California. Diane Creech was born in the USA but grew up in Germany where she embarked on her dressage career: she visited Canada on a “see the world” trip and opted to stay. Diane’s training business is based in Ontario. Then, there is their European operation in the heart of the Hanoverian hub. The Leatherdales stand seven rated stallions, including Damsey, First Dance and Rob Roy, in northern Germany at Hengststation with Jens and Susanne Meyer. Damsey (2002, Dressage Royal out of Ria Grande) who boasts genetic legacies from , Rubinstein, Ramiro and Grande, has been proving himself a top performance horse in his outings on the European circuit with Steffen Frahm. Damsey was one of 15 young horses selected for the short grand prix at the year-end finals in the Louisdor-Preises in Frankfurt last month

Leatherdale stallion Damsey with his daughter Diana, who won Love Story the Championship Mare Show in Verden Germany at the World Leatherdale Farms started with Doug who owned broodmares Breeding Championships. Photo by Kiki Beelitz Continued on page 94 92 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 93 and was breeding jumpers. “I’m a farm kid from Canada and I youngsters are doing well. Fairbanks was champion Oldenburg don’t remember a day in my life when I didn’t own a horse,” he stallion at his licensing in 2009 and Herzensdieb, which means said. “Louise was a city girl who loved animals. She was a quick heart thief, was the licensing champion in 2005. Beltano learner – how to deliver foals, genetics, Hanoverian bloodlines, (2009) is headed for his 30-day testing in December (Sidelines shipping the frozen semen – she’s pretty knowledgeable. We do went to press before the testing). It’s a big trust element to hand it together.” these horses over for the 30-day test and the 70-day test. We just On one of their first dates, after dinner, Doug asked Louise if go over for the final part. Our partner checks on them during the she minded running back to the farm: he wanted to check on a testing.” mare in foal. “I had never been around horses until we married 25 The 30-day test includes free jumping, under saddle and cross- years ago,” stated Louise. “I had always wanted to be a vet, but country. “They must be all-around sport horses,” stated Louise. “If I was never going to get through the organic chemistry. I was in you’re going to be a breeding stallion in Europe, you have to have health management and after we met, I just wanted to deal with it all. The testing starts with about 5,000 young stallions and gets the horses. I love it. I tried riding, but my strength is with the mares them down to about 100 for licensing.” and the foals.” The Leatherdales have established themselves as reputable Shortly after Doug and Louise were hitched, their breeding breeders, especially in Europe, but their commitment to excellence aspirations went through some major changes. They began is making their name better known in the United States. In the importing mares from Germany, because, as a breed, Hanoverians course of a year, they expect that their stallions will sire 800-1000 were proving to be the most versatile and successful sport horses foals around the world. Not all of them will be aimed at international on the world stage. competition: they may be endowed with great dressage potential, “We decided we needed to move on,” explained Louise. “Our but quite a few will fulfill their destinies as superb riding horses in heart was in dressage and every horse can use some dressage whatever discipline their owners embrace. training. We decided to breed quality, but not quantity. The mares For the Leatherdales, however, the focus is on producing we keep at home produce only three or four foals a year. We gorgeous foals with great minds, incredible athleticism, rideability don’t like to breed every mare every year. We like to give them a and spectacular gaits. “If you’re going to stand stallions and sell chance to recuperate.” semen, the horses have to compete and become top performance horses,” said Doug. “Our next objective is the Pan Ams in three Leatherdale Farms’ Equine Progeny In Europe years, then the Olympics in 2016. We have several horses we’ll “We feel strongly that a horse shouldn’t be an ornament and that be qualifying, including our top German stallion, Damsey. We a stallion should show,” said Louise. “Hampton (by His Highness), hope that our horses can make another Olympic team.” First Dance, and Rob Roy are all doing Prix St. Georges. Our

Doug, Louise and Sue Blinks Canadian rider Diane Creech at the opening party of competing Hallmark, a son of Leatherdale Farms West in His Highness. Rancho Santa Fe, California. Photo courtesy of Leatherdale Farms

His Highness’s daughter SPS Helena gave birth to a colt sired by Totilas. The 2012 colt’s name is Tobias L (Totilas/SPS Helena/His Highness) Photo by Kiki Beelitz

Leatherdale horses enjoying life on the farm. Photo by Susan Sexton 94 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 95 e

AFoal Showcase Photo Contest of Fabulous Foals The Sidelines Magazine “Who’s Your Daddy” Foal We want to thank everyone who entered the contest and Photo contest brought out hundreds of the cutest foals also thank our sponsors for great prizes: A helmet camera we’ve ever seen. We received photos from all across the from HedCamz; a Custom Pencil Portrait from Canadian county of funny, sweet, cuddly and downright adorable Equestrian Artist Agatha Kacprzak; the complete DVD foals. Enjoy this great showcase of sweet little equines and series of “Lessons on Horseback” by Buck Brannaman; congratulations to our top four winners and our runner-ups. and an electric warmer from Bit Blanket. “Zatrina” Jeanette Smith, of Shadow Hills, California This is a picture of Zatrina. She is a Grant’s . We fed her mother that morning and as we were our cart back down to the hay barn, we found little Zatrina laying on the ground, 5 minutes old. We took this photo just after she stood up. She is located at the Hearts N Hands Animal Rescue in Ramona, California. Winner of the Buck Brannaman “Lessons on Horseback” DVDs - http:// brannaman.com/

“Aut of the “Ralphie” Balou” Heather Cooke of Alachua, Florida: Allie Armento, of Dancing in the Rain! Hedgerow’s Graham, North Carolina Fireworks aka Ralphie sired by Sparks Will Taking a minute to lie Fly (Welsh/TB) out of Hi Hopes (Welsh/ back, relax and enjoy TB). This is Ralphie enjoying the rain after one of life’s biggest weeks of a dry spell. blessings. This is Aut of Winner of the Helmet Cam by the Balou by the Dutch HedCamz - www.hedcamz.com. stallion Amazing owned by Cornerstone Equestrian and out of our TB mare DoUThinkUCanDance. Bred by Worth A Shot Farm and now owned by Amanda S. Winner of the electric bit warmer from Bit Blanket - www.bitblanket.com

“Castellano” Jennifer Pesnell of Choudrant, Louisiana I call this photo “weaning sucks.” It was taken the morning I separated Castellano, my 2012 Hanoverian colt by Cabalito, from his dam Rheamorka. Winner of the Custom Pencil Portrait from Equestrian Artist Agatha Kacprzak - www.facebook.com/ horsesseenthroughmyeyes

Continued on page 98 96 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 97 “Annie” P. Wynn Norman of Archer, Florida

“Maggie May” Lauren Steiner of Germantown, Tennessee “Garota De Ipanema” Michelle Foley of Keene, Kentucky

“Moon Cricket” Louisa Davidson of Snowmass, Colorado

A filly out of Spikes, by Desert Party Continued on page 110 Andi Davenport of Bandera, Texas 98 SIDELINES JANUARY 2013 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE