The 2011 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing crowd favourite Tomahawk has been pulled from stud duty for the 2012 breeding season. The Swedish bred stallion by Temptation x Sandro Hit will be focused on his dressage training this year.
At the same time with the stallion's withdrawal from his breeding duties, his trainer Markus Gribbe ended his co-operation with stallion station Bockmann in Lastrup in April and moved barns on 1 May. The 48-year old Gribbe is now renting some private boxes in Menslage, Germany, at an equestrian facility leased by stallion station Sprehe. There is no partnership with Sprehe and Gribbe will continue his own business privately.
"When you don't have your own yard/stud farm you are always at the hands and mercy of someone else," Tomahawk's owner Jamie White-Welling told Eurodressage. "For this reason I have decided to take Tomahawk and my horses to a private yard for a few months and out of breeding to focus on him training for the stallion performance test."
While Tomahawk is spared from breeding this year, the bay colt will return to stud in 2013. "We look forward to standing (him) at Markus' yard next season," White-Welling confirmed.
Gribbe is renowned for his gypsy-like lifestyle, having relocated for the 11th time in his career: He started at Hans Biss, then he was an auction rider in Vechta, followed by jobs at Gestüt Wernke, Kathmann's, Stable Meggle, Dr. Bechtolsheimer's, Tony Pidgley's, Dressage Centre Lodbergen, Clemens von Merveldt's Gut Fuchtel, Bockmann and now Gestut Sprehe.
To German equestrian magazine ST. GEORG, Gribbe said, "I know people will say Gribbe is moving again. But I want to have my own property in a very short period of time, where I can train my students in peace. I notice already with my Canadian students how much more focused we can train."
Gribbe is the Canadian Technical Leader of the High Performance Program, or team trainer, until 2016. "I have Canadians training here who want to experience the European competition atmosphere. From here I can visit team members who are up for Olympic team selection or are based at different European barns."
Tomahawk (aka Tight Junction) was the sensation of the 2011 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in Vechta, where he stood out with his three supple basic gaits and modern conformation. The bay colt became the auction price highlight selling for 800,000 euro to American Jamie White-Welling, who trains with Gribbe in Germany.
Photo © LL-foto.de
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