International Acclaim for Saffron Performance Horses of Saffron Stables in Sydney, Australia

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Eurodressage F.O.C.U.S.

Australian dressage enthusiast Andrea Beatty of Saffron Performance Horses (SPH) is the‏ breeder of the 2014 P.S.I. Auction record selling SPH Dante. Beatty has made a name with international acclaim of her breeding and performance farm Saffron Stables. SPH aims to breed world class dressage horses at her yard in Arcadia, on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia. SPH aims for beautiful, modern dressage horses rideable for amateurs and with the quality coveted by professionals.

Founding Saffron Performance Horses (SPH)

Beatty grew up in a non-horsey family and had no family connection to horses at all. However after purchasing champion mare Donner Carina from P.S.I./Hof Kasselmann in 2004 she has gone on to become a successful breeder in Australia. She has two of her horses also stabled in Germany.

“Mum said I saw police horses riding along the beach and from that day on I was just obsessed with horses," Andrea told Eurodressage. “I got my first horse at 12 years of age, rode at pony club, and my family thought horses were a sideline. Once I finished university, all horse expenses were mine to pay.”

Broodmare PSI Oktavia with SPH Bellisa (by Belissimo M) Beatty founded Saffron Stables when she purchased her Arcadia NSW property in 1999. Arcadia is 45 minutes drive from the Sydney Opera House or centre of Sydney. Andrea lives on the farm with two separate flats for the grooms and a separate house for her parents. Due to her full time commitment to her job as a lawyer in the financial world, she also has a house in Sydney's inner city.

Andrea deliberately chose for a boutique horse stud aiming for world class quality over quantity. The resident trainer at the yard is Denise Rogan and the SPH competition trainers are Matthew Dowsley and Rodney Martin. They were the trainers of SPH Dante. The SPH Stable Manager is Emma Storm.

“It's great having a professional rider like Denise around every day on my property. She and her parents are an amazing help and so organised, a fabulous support and Denise's clients are delightful," said Beatty.

The P.S.I. Connection

Saffron Stables started its breeding program by importing German stock acquired at Performance Sales International (P.S.I.)/Hof Kasselmann and adding them to the two Australian bred APH mares already at the yard. The foundation mares are the dam of SPH Dante, Donner Carina (by Dormello x Donnerschwee), her sister Donner Meyer (Dormello x Welt Hit VI), Weekend Feeling (by Welt Hit II x Cagliostro xx), Oktavia (by Clintino x Landadel) and two Australian bred from imported German parents' mares, APH Feuerfest (by Heidelberg) and APH Feuer (by Lubeck).

SPH Dante at the 2014 PSI Auction (Photo © Feldhaus) Saffron Stables' first breeding products were named with the prefix SS, like SS Sonata Hit, but Beatty changed this to SPH (Saffron Performance Horses) to include the sport factor of the business to the horses' names. The sale of SPH Dante for 2.8 million euro at the 2014 P.S.I. Auction last December certainly was a career highlight. She credits the success not in that one of her horses achieved such a stellar sales price, but in the fact that she bred a horse of that quality, sold it to P.S.I., after which it moved into Russian ownership – Elena and Sergei Knyzginichev are the very lucky owners of SPH Dante.

“We have had success in Australia as well, but it's lovely that the breeding of SPH has been recognised in Germany with the sale of SPH Dante. He is a super horse and a special boy, reflective of our SPH breeding," said Beatty. "After he sold at auction, it was a very sad flight home. At least he has gone to a wonderful home and no doubt SPH Dante will have Elena and Sergei "wrapped around his hooves" in no time at all. He is a fabulous guy, just wants to please. I feel good as I know Elena and Sergei are giving Dante a wonderful home and future."

According to Andrea, SPH Dante's sale at the P.S.I. auction was a massive surprise and they didn't realise the talent they had and the quality of their breeding.

"We knew the P.S.I. auction attracts the best buyers. So I knew P.S.I. would use their incredible marketing skills to find SPH Dante a great home. Both SPH Dante and Donner Carina have, as does the whole family, a fabulous "people friendly" character. Let's hope this continues in future breeding," said Beatty.

SPH Dante won the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Australian Young Horse Championships in Werribee SPH Dante (by Welfenadel) was started under saddle in Australia by John and Caroline Twomey and then furthered his education with Rodney Martin and Matthew Dowsley. He won the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Australian Young Horse Championships at P.S.I. Dressage and Jumping With the Stars (DJWTS) and was named Champion of Champions. Rodney Martin was the very proud rider of SPH Dante, and trained by his partner Mathew Dowsley.

"Rodney misses SPH Dante as much as I do," Andrea explained. "They had an incredible connection."

The good news is that Andrea, Mathew and Rodney are training the next generation of "SPH Dantes" and believe they have more magic to come. "The Donner Carina/Donner Meyer family really produce 'magical' offspring – character and quality," said Andrea.

SPH Dante is Donner Carina's first foal and the dam was the 2005 and 2006 Champion of Champions at the P.S.I. DJWTS in Australia. Dante's siblings include a 3-year old filly SPH Sabina (by Sandro Hit) and a colt SPH Amore (by Ampere). Her 4-year old daughter SPH Cara has been sold to Rachelle Wilson and Wendy Halma, who is the partner of Greg Pratt, Equestrian Victoria's CEO.

"After the 2014 P.S.I. Auction we arrived home in Sydney Australia late on a Saturday night and at 9am on Sunday morning Carina had a picture perfect colt, SPH Amore. He certainly is a lovely gift after SPH Dante's sale. SPH Amore has a very similar character to SPH Dante. I hope he can remain a stallion. We will see if he is good enough. SPH is very grateful to P.S.I. and Hof Kasselmann for the results they achieved for SPH Dante. Andrea says they simply could not achieve anything of that measure from Australia. SPH understands a lot of the success is due to the reputation of P.S.I. and their superior client base."

Breeding in Australia

Rodney Martin on SS Sonata Hit (by Sandro Hit x Clintino) The breeding philosophy at Saffron Stables is to combine beauty with a fabulous character and a rideablity that suits not just the elite.

“Easy, trainable, rewarding dressage partners," Beatty stated. "I want movement but rideability. Maybe a Porsche but no need for a Maserati! A horse that I can ride and enjoy myself, and is also good enough for a professional – but they must be easy. First they must be a horse for me to be able to ride and have fun. And if professionals say good, then that's great. However I want horses for people who work to also get out and have a fabulous and rewarding time competing. You don't need a "10 horse a day seat" to be able to ride them. Character is key. My horses must like people and want to be with them.”

For the future of breeding in Australia, Andrea hopes to add quality, as she knows that the country now has a great opportunity with good mares and frozen semen coming in from Germany.

“We have also had some fabulous horses imported. For example, Lesley Ann Taylor imported the sire of SPH Dante, Welfenadel, and trained and competed him Grand Prix. And the biggest challenge is that we need more riders from Europe here to help produce our young horses," Beatty explained. "It's hard if you work full time to have the seat and enough time for riding horses. Riding before work, you have no time for trouble. You need an uncomplicated, easy horse like SPH Dante, but you don't want a dobbin who has no character.”

Future Young Horse Competitors

Rodney Martin is also riding SPH Renaissance (Bella), a rising 5-year old mare. "She is following in the 'hoof steps' of SPH Dante and has already won two Australian young horse Championships. She is a delightful, calm, pretty and easy mare and with super movement – if only I could photocopy her – every home should have a Bella," Andrea stated.

The next generation to appear in young horse competitions are commencing their saddle training. "We also have some super rising 3-year olds to put under saddle, youngsters of Donner Carina and her sister Donner Meyer. That will be exciting," she added.

Andrea will work with John and Caroline Twomey in breaking in the youngsters and then Rodney Martin and Mathew Dowsley for ongoing dressage training.

"I always try and keep one of each age year group for me and Rodney to campaign, but sadly that depends on buyers." Andrea explained. "If someone makes an offer, then I think as a breeder you have to say "yes". That's the thing about breeding, I have to sell."

And finally, SPH's imported in vitro foal (out of Oktavia, by Sandro Hit) – the first of SPH's German breeding – will soon move up to Grand Prix with Rodney Martin.

Andrea's Mare Power

Andrea keeps two mares in Germany, the youngest is the 4-year old sister of Donner Carina, namely Donner Sinclair (by Lord Sinclair x Donnerschwee). Breitley (by Breitling W x Cagliostro xx x Optimistin xx) is out of the dam of Andrea's P.S.I. competition mare, Weekend Feeling, aka Winx. She is training with Ulli Kasselmann and Sina Aringer at Hof Kasselmann.

“Winx is a fabulous performance mare. Finally this year I have two embryos from Winx that have taken in the recipient trotters. Winx is Prix St Georges. She was sold at P.S.I. auction and trained beautifully by Rudolph Zilinger. I bought her at 8 years of age to ride and complete – my school master. I fell in love with her. She has extraordinary energy and is a great horse – so talented," said Beatty.

With another eight foals due this year, Andrea has picked stallions such as Bellisimo M, Sir Donnerhall, Fürst Romancier, San Amour, Ampere, Breitling W and Bordeaux. Her aim is of course to breed another SPH Dante.

“I have frozen straws of his sire Welfenadel and that is my big plan also for when the Australian breeding season starts in September 2015. My future dream is to produce more and more beautiful, trainable horses, that are pleasant and rewarding partners," she said. "We need more riders in Australia to produce young horses and I would love to hear from keen young horse trainers that may like to spend time in Sydney."

For more information about Saffron Performance Horses, visit www.saffronstables.com.auor www.saffronperformancehorses.com.au. A plane ride from Europe and the USA, but an effective option for buying horses when compared to overseas prices.