The Oldenburg licensed Grand Prix stallion Starlight will be up for auction at the 2009 Oldenburg Autumn Elite Auction in Vechta, Germany, on October 3, 2009. This is only the second time in recent history that the Vechta Auction is including such a high level trained dressage horse in its collection and it is the first time that they are presenting for sale such a highly decorated breeding stallion.
The 9-year old Starlight is bred by Gunther Bunge in Wagenfeld, Germany and owned by American Rick Rockefeller-Silvia. The black stallion is by Sandro Hit out of Elite mare Giora (by Cordeur x Argentinus x Goldstern). He was licensed in 2002 and sold to the United States in 2005. There his triumphant march as a breeding and dressage stallion took off.
In 2007 the 17-hands high stallion made his debut in the show ring competing at Prix St Georges level. He placed in the top three 15 times in the Prix St. Georges with scores through 70% and was Grand Champion of the MSDA Breed Show. The German Oldenburg Verband decorated Starlight as the Reserve Champion "Horse of the Year" at Prix St Georges level and he became Dressage Sport Horse "Horse of the Year" with an average of 86%.
Under Rockefeller-Silvia Starlight continued his string of success in 2008 becoming the champion of the White Fences Dressage series at PSG level with 69,5% and winning numerous championships throughout the summer in the small tour all over the East coast, from Wellington to Virginia.
When American young rider Ryan Eskridge's horse became unfit due to an injury, Starlight's owner Rockefeller-Silvia offered the ride on his stallion. The petite Eskridge qualified Starlight straight away for the 2008 U.S. Developing Young Horse Championships in Kentucky with scores over 65%.
" It was really a testament to this stallion's rideability," Rockefeller-Silvia confirmed. "Later, she borrowed him again to ride with Steffan Peters in the annual Young Rider Symposium in Wellington.
Starlight not only excelled in the dressage ring, but he also made his mark as a breeding stallion. At the 2008 Devon Breed Show, the biggest breeding championships in the United States, Starlight became Stallion Champion, Mature Horse Champion and Grand Champion of the show. All foals (!) presented for inspection to the German Oldenburg Verband received the premium label and that year Starlight booked more than 100 breedings, which is a phenomenally high number in the U.S.A.
In 2009 Starlight was shipped to Europe to fine-tune his training at Grand Prix level under legendary rider Karin Rehbein at Gestut Gronwöhldhof. The stallion booked over 60 breedings this year with frozen semen offered only. He had another amazing crop of foals with multiple stallion prospects and foals already winning championship titles in breed shows.
"He really is such an incredible horse," Rockefeller-Silvia said. "He knows the entire Grand Prix and was scoring solid 69 - 70% in the small tour in the Dressage in Florida circuit. He is extremely rideable and has won everything in the States. He is one of the most popular breedings stallions here by far and produces gorgeous foals."
This is an amazing opportunity to buy a ready to go Grand Prix horse. Starlight would also make a fantastic international Young Riders horse.
Starlight is auction catalogue number 1. For more info or to try out Starlight, contact Thomas Rhinow at the German Oldenburg Verband at +49 44 41 93 55 15
Photo credits: Susan J Stickle - Ariel Perry