The 23-year old Hanoverian foundation stallion De Niro is no longer standing at stud. Due to progression age the stallion's health has deteriorated up to a point that owner Burkhard Wahler has decided no longer to offer fresh semen this 2016 breeding season.
"When horses lose a bit of their power and stability due to age, it's is exhausting for them to jump on the phantom," Theresa Wahler told Eurodressage. "We don't want take the risk that he hurts himself so after a very long discussion we decided it will be best for him not to breed anymore."
The stallion is still available to breeders via frozen semen, which Wahler confirms is the same quality as fresh semen. The price for a breeding has dropped, though, to 1500 euro for frozen instead of 2200 euro for fresh.
De Niro is the most successful Donnerhall offspring alive. He is the number one ranked dressage sire on the ranking of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses. Up to this point he has sired 76 licensed sons and has 1195 broodmares registered in Germany of which no less than 185 are state premium.
De Niro's most successful offspring include the world ranked number 2 dressage horse Desperados (Kristina Bröring-Sprehe), as well as Delgado (Beatriz Ferrer-Salat), D'Agostino (Fabienne Lutkemeier), Dablino (Anabel Balkenhol) and Voice (Edward Gal).
The black stallion has stood his entire life at Wahler's Klosterhof Medingen in Bad Bevensen, Germany, and will now enjoy full retirement there.
"Having him on our farm as a living legend and family member means the most to us," Wahler stated.
Photo © LL-photo
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