American Grand Prix rider Lisa Wilcox has secured the ride on the 8-year old Trakehner licensed stallion Hancock. Wilcox began training the black stallion on 1 January 2017 and is aiming to make his Prix St Georges ready for the summer.
"What a lovely stallion," Wilcox told Eurodressage. "I'm working on the tempi changes for the Prix St. Georges. Ernst (Hoyos) was here recently working with us on the piaffe and passage. Hancock is very talented at this. He's very smart!. I think he's going to be a stunning Grand Prix horse!"
Hancock is a 2009 born Trakehner stallion bred by Kristina Gehrmann-Arp and previously owned by Hubertus Poll. He is by Imperio out of Herzlicht II (by Munchhauen x Sixtus x Radom).
He was licensed at the 2011 Trakehner Stallion Licensing in Neumunster, Germany, and did his 70-day stallion performance testing in Marbach in the autumn of 2012. He scored 8.78 for dressage and 7.34 for show jumping to finish on a total of 8.22 points. He was never competed in sport in Germany!
Hancock sold to Marilyn Handschiegel Black from Illinois for 60,000 euro at the 2014 Top Dressage Talents auction in Luhmuhlen, Germany, and in 2015 the black moved to the United States.
"My husband Dean Black and I are the fortunate owners of Hancock," Marilyn told Eurodressage. "Kareen Heineking-Schutte, my agent in Germany, found Hancock for me. We bought him in November 2014 after I tried him in October and immediately fell in love with him."
The Blacks got personally acquainted with Wilcox through a clinic and allocated the ride on Hancock to the former U.S. team Olympian.
"We were fortunate to have Lisa clinic this past summer in Chicago and it was an easy decision to choose her as his new rider/trainer," said Black. "It is such a gift to have Lisa in the United States as she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from her days at Gestut Vorwerk that is a perfect fit for Hancock, who is very happy in her program!"
Wilcox aims at competing Hancock at Prix St Georges level by the summer.
"My plans are to show him locally in Florida this summer when I feel he's ready to start the Prix St Georges," said Lisa. "This will be in preparation for our winter season in Wellington starting in November of this year."
Photos © Sara Hellner
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