The deal was done last week but it will not be made official until Tuesday 30 November 2010. Totilas' owner Paul Schockemöhle has reached an agreement with a German team rider who will train and compete the Dutch warmblood stallion in the future.
So far Schockemöhle refuses to disclose the identity of the rider, but as a rumour mill turning at full speed the name of this mystery person has already appeared in the news several times.
On Friday Totilas (by Gribaldi x Glendale) was clipped in preparation of the special media presentation next Tuesday at which the new rider will be seen aboard the black stallion. The press conference takes place at Schockemöhle's stallion station in Mühlen, Germany, at noon.
Totilas will only be available by frozen semen as the horse will move to his new barn in the early spring to focus on his dressage career.
Last week an interview with Edward Gal at the 2010 CDI Stuttgart caused some commotion because it led to an out-of-context interpretation of Gal's words. The short interview was translated into the suggestion that Edward would consider changing nationality in order to secure a ride on his world record breaking horse. Gal only mentioned that he would say "yes" if Schockemohle asked him to ride the stallion, but this offer has never been made and a nationality change would not be feasible. One has to live in Germany for 10 years or marry a German in order to obtain a German passport. The German stallion owner made it no secret that he only wants a German rider aboard Totilas to strengthen the German dressage team.
Even though Schockemohle's stallion station is open to visitors and welcomes fans to see great breeding sires such as Sandro Hit and Sir Donnerhall in the flesh, the new prize sire is kept behind closed doors (in quarantine) and it is forbidden to take photos of him. Facebook users who visited the barn the past few weeks and took an innocent snap shot of Totilas in his stall were ordered to remove the photo from their profile page.
Hopefully the Totilas frenzy will come to a complete stop next Tuesday when the future path of the black stallion will finally be disclosed to the public.
Related Links
Viva Vechta: Four Stallions Stand Out at 2010 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing
Schockemohle and Totilas on Television Tonight