Dream Street Stallion, Starlight, swept the top honors for a breeding stallion at the United States Dressage Federation's annual awards banquet hosted in Orlando, Florida.
Starlight was awarded the USDF All-Breeds Dressage Sport Horse Breeding 'Horse Of The Year'.
The 7-year-old black Oldenburg stallion is owned and shown by Rick Silvia of Dream Street Stallions. Silvia was also informed that Starlight's score was the highest median score ever recorded. Silvia was awarded both a perpetual trophy and a beautiful bronze statue for the win. Both prizes will be kept on display in the USDF Hall of Fame in Kentucky, along with a photo of Starlight in honor of his accomplishments.
The Horse of the Year honor was one of many prestigious honors that Starlight and Silvia took home form the awards ceremony. Starlight also won the USDF All-Breeds Mature Stallion 'Horse Of The Year', the German Oldenburg Verband Mature Stallion 'Horse of the Year' and the German Oldenburg Verband Dressage Sport Horse Breeding 'Horse of the Year' Honors. And the stunning stallion proved he is also a capable performance horse by winning res. Champion in the Open Prix St. Georges for the German Oldenburg Verband.
Silvia stepped off the stage with his arms full with two Championship coolers, a gift certificate from Dressage Extensions, two gold medals, two picture frames with USDF honors on them, a saddle pad, two plaques, and replica of the bronze that will be displayed in the USDF Hall of Fame. For Silvia it was truly the culmination of a dream.
Three years ago Silvia formed his Dream Street Stallions to offer some of the most sought after European dressage bloodlines in the United States. He imported a few exceptional stallions, including Starlight who offers a unique combination of two highly sought after European lines, Sandro Hit, Corduer and Argentinus. Silvia stands the stallions at his Dream Street Stallions farm in Wellington, Florida, shows them on the East Coast dressage circuit and actively promotes them at expositions and symposiums. The 2007 USDF annual awards ceremony validated without a doubt that Silvia's dream is on track.
"I am proud of Starlight's accomplishments," said Silvia, "I am especially happy for the mare owners who are expecting Starlight foals this Spring and those who have mares booked to him this coming season." Silvia will continue training and competing Starlight with their sights set on the Grand Prix in the 2008 season.
For a limited time, Dream Street Stallions is offering frozen semen from Starlight to interested breeders in Europe. For more information about Starlight visit www.dreamstreetstallions.com. For more information about the United States Dressage Federation awards programs visitwww.usdf.org.
Photos copyrighted: Mary Phelps/Phelpsphotos.com