For Romance I, VTV Oldenburg Dressage Stallion of the Year 2019

Breeding

Oldenburg

For Romance I has been honoured as the VTV Oldenburg Dressage Stallion of the Year 2019 at the Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in Vechta, Germany, on Saturday 23 November 2019.

This highly prestigious award is given to a licensed, Oldenburg stallion for his outstanding achievements in sport and breeding. On the occasion of the Stallion Gala, For Romance I OLD and Chap II was decorated with the VTV sash in the Oldenburg Horse Center Vechta.

Heiko Meinen, head of the R+V VTV General Agency, which is specialized in insuring animals, once again took the opportunity this year to reward the breeder, as well as the owner by handing each of them a generous check in the amount of 1,000 euro for their great achievements in breeding.

For Romance I

The splendid career of For Romance I OLD, born in 2009 by Fürst Romancier out of Gesina by Sir Donnerhall I - Don Schufro - Sandro - Gepard, bred by Gestüt Lewitz, and owned by Dressurpferde Leistungszentrum Lodbergen GmbH, was launched in 2011 when the Dressurpferde Leistungszentrum Lodbergen acquired the celebrated champion stallion of Oldenburg licensing on the Oldenburg stallion market.

Carefully schooled by former auction rider Kira Wulferding and successful in dressage horse tests in classes A through M, this gorgeous stallion celebrated his first triumph in 2016 in advanced classes as well as a place in the top ten at the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal finals in the same year. In late 2017, For Romance I OLD’s further athletic development was taken over by Lodbergen’s head trainer, Therese Nilshagen. This year the pair won silver in both the Intermediaire II tests and the Short Grand Prix.

“Romance possesses extremely good rideability and collection. Working together with our trainer Klaus Balkenhol, we now want to concentrate on making him stronger, making optimal use of his excellent hindquarters and work carefully towards Grand Prix sport. Although For Romance I OLD is in great demand as a breeding stallion, he is incredibly sweet and will do almost anything for a lump of sugar. He’s also extremely well-behaved, even when other horses are in the arena.”

The 36-year-old Swedish trainer took bronze at the European Championship in Rotterdam this year with her other Oldenburg ambassador, Dante Weltino OLD. This black beauty is not just thrilling horse fans in sport. He’s also sired about 30 licensed and price-winning stallions, including the champion stallions Fashion in Black and Feuerwerk, the HLP champions Ferrero and Fidelio Royal and numerous premium stallions including For Final OLD, national vice-champion and third-place winner in the state championship, likewise stationed at Lodbergen. For Romance I OLD has also sired more than 80 premium mares and numerous championship winners.

“His offspring inherit his lovely face, his outstanding typical beauty, his elegance, his rideability and his absolute determination to win”, reports Lodbergen’s manager Wolfgang Stagge. “Romance consistently succeeds in producing not just horses for pro riders but for amateurs as well, as his offspring are easy to handle but always come through when it counts.”

For Romance I OLD is a full brother to premium stallion For Romance II, licensed in 2015 in Vechta, For Romance III, licensed in 2019 in Redefin, and champion elite mare and national champion Fasine OLD. He is also half-brother to 2015 Mecklenburg licensing champion Feinrich and to 2017 Oldenburg champion mare Fürstin Gesine by Fürst Heinrich. For Romance I OLD's dam line goes back to the renowned sire Voltaire.