More than 120 foals, of which 59 are colts, 52 are fillies and 11 pony foals, have been entered for the 2016 Lodbergen Foal Championships, which will celebrate its 6th edition at the Dressage Performance Centre Lodbergen on Saturday 18 June 2016.
"We are very happy about this record participation, especially because many foals have pedigrees of absolute top quality," said Lodbergen managing director Urs Schweizer.
Together with his team the DLZ director is preparing for the rush of breeders and dressage lovers to the centre based at Am Jägereck in Löningen/Lodbergen, Germany. "The venue is all set to perfection so that the foals together with their dams can show themselves from their best side," Schweizer added. "Fortunately the German soccer team will not be playing at the European Championships in France that day, so we have plenty of time in the schedule," he joked.
The fillies are the first to appear on the scene at 9h in the morning on Saturday 18 June. After a noon break, the pony foals will follow at 14h15, after which the colts will appear as of 15h20. Judges Paul Baune, Heinrich Behrmann and Antonius Schulze-Averdiek have been invited to inspect the foals.
"Also this year we were able to attract Erhard Schulze to provide his expert commentary on the foals," Schweizer explained. "This means that a helpful analysis will be provided and the last few years this was very well received by the breeders and spectators."
The Lodbergen stallions, which will have sired numerous of the participating foals, will be honoured in a demonstration during which they will be presented under saddle.
The foals that participate in the 6th Lodbergen Foal Championships will not only have the opportunity to qualify for the 2016 German Foal Championship in Lienen in July; the best ones will also receive valuable prizes. The breeders of the three top placing foals per division will get a voucher of 500, 300 and 200 euro to breed to a Lodbergen stallion. The breeder of the best colt and filly sired by a Lodbergen stallion will receive a free breeding to a Lodbergen stallion of their choice. Furthermore there will be more prizes for the top 10 colts and fillies.
In 2014 a Lodbergen stallion, namely the double licensing champion For Romance, was able to sire the 2014 German Foal Champion. Will this happen again this year?
"Of course we hope so," said Schweizer. "But this foal show is not only a talent scouting event. We also want to offer the breeders a special and attractive market place where they can sell their foals. Nothing will draw out buyers more than the sight of quality youngsters."
The 6th Lodbergen Foal Championship will be streamed live on www.ClipMyHorse.de.
Entrance to the foal show is free.
For more information, visit www.dressurleistungszentrum.de