‘A horse that gives you goosebumps’: young sport horse sells for €2m

A dressage-bred colt by the young sire Donkey Boss sold for €2m (£1,669,470) to headline the Verden stallion licensing and sale on Saturday (23 November).

The two-year-old chestnut Hanoverian was bred at Helene Geervliet’s Danish stud Stutteri G, and bought by Helgstrand Dressage in partnership with Schockemöhle.

“[He is] a horse that gives you goosebumps,” said the licensing committee, headed by breeding director Ulrich Hahne.

The colt’s sire, Donkey Boss, is by Dancing Hit. Donkey Boss’s dam, Boogie Woogie, is a daughter of Blue Hors Zack, a world team gold medallist and familiar face on Danish championship teams.

On the maternal side of the colt’s family tree is his dam, De Vie G, is by grand prix stallion Don Olymbrio L – better known as Blue Hors Don Olymbrio – who finished second in the World Cup final with Nanna Skodborg Merrald this year.

“We are super excited about this young stallion. He has shown excellent potential both at the pre-selection and here at the licensing, and we are confident he has a bright future ahead,” said Esben Møller, Helgstrand Dressage’s head buyer.

In a post on social media, Schockemöhle stud said the horse “has what it takes to take dressage horse breeding to a whole new dimension”.

“In his pedigree, the strongest stallion lines ever flow together,” the post said.

The post added that from the colt’s first appearance to his final trot laps, the “eyecatcher from the Jadeluft [line] always showed himself at the highest level”.

“Licensing commissioner Heike Kemmer aptly described him as a pronounced complete horse with three absolutely outstanding basic gaits, always elastic yet powerful and equipped with a mental superiority, as if he was aware of his uniqueness,” it stated.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows such as London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in: