Danish and Dutch horse dealers Andreas Helgstrand and Nico Witte have sold the 7-year old KWPN licensed stallion Franklin to an unidentified group of foreign investors. The stallion will remain with Helgstrand in Denmark.
"About seven weeks ago a client came to Andreas and asked him if he didn't have an interesting investement for himself and a group of investors," Dutch co-owner Nico Witte told Eurodressage. "Franklin is a special stallion who is very popular with the breeders, so he covers a large amount of mares. This fit the desires of the investors. As the offer the investors made corresponded with our asking price, Andreas and I agreed to accept it."
Bred by live stock dealer Musterd, The Netherlands, and owned by Dane Andreas Helgstrand in partnership with Nico Witte and Leida & Tim Collins, the bay Franklin (by Ampere x Ferro x Flemmingh) was the 2013 KWPN Stallion Licensing champion (then named Fierce S) and th 2013 KWPN Stallion Performance test winner with 86,5 points.
In 2015 Franklin moved to Denmark and went in training with Spanish Severo Jurado Lopez, who rode him to victory in the 2015 KWPN Stallion Competition. The pair was 14th in the finals at the 2015 World Young Horse Championships in Verden and 6th in the consolation finals at the 2016 World YH Championships in Ermelo.
In 2017 Franklin did not compete at all. He did his last show in Denmark in October 2016, finishing sixth in the 2016 Danish Young Horse Championships.
The dark bay stallion has been a very popular breeding stallion with over 400 coverings this year. In 2017 numerous of his foals sold for top auction prices. Originally the plan was for Franklin to return to Holland in 2018 to become Madeleine Witte-Vrees' ride, but the horse has now been sold to a foreign investors' group, of which the members want to stay anonimous. Their nationality has not been revealed either.
Photos © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Stallion at Stud: Franklin
Franklin, El Capone, Desperado Win 2015 KWPN Stallion Competition
Franklin, Winner of the 2013 KWPN Autumn Stallion Performance Testing
Fierce S, Champion of the 2013 KWPN Stallion Licensing