Heike Strunk, the breeder of Bella Rose and several other international dressage horses, has passed away on Saturday 13 February 2021. She was 61 years old.
ZG Strunk
Heike and her husband Wilhelm Strunk together with her brother-in-law Heinrich form the "Breeders Group Strunk".
The founding mare of the Strunk brothers’ successful line is Pik Dame (by Pilatus out of Astrid (by Allerhand)). They bought the mare as a three-year-old in the early 1970s from Heinrich Schulte from Dortmund. She was awarded the State Premium title. She stayed with the Strunks for 25 years before she died at age 28 in 1999.
She produced the Frühlingsball son Feiner Kerl, who became an international top-class showjumper with both Austrian Thomas Frühmann and Britain’s Nick Skelton.
Heike Joins ZG Strunk
Heike joined the breeder brothers 30 years ago when she married Wilhelm.
Their most celebrated breeding product is the world number one Bella Rose (by Belissimo M out of Cedra II (by Cacir AA x Fruhlingsball)..
They also bred Isabell Werth's international Grand Prix horse Emilio (by Ehrenpreis out of Cedra II), small tour horse Jazz Dance (by Jazz Rubin x Lord Sinclair - Niklaas Feilzer/ Meike Lang), licensed stallions Belamour (by Belissimo M x Lord Sinclair - Alexandre Andresen), Bravissimo (by Belissimo M x Lord Sinclair), Fiderglanz (by Fidermark x Cacir AA), and many more.
In 2019 the ZG Strunk received the Ramzes Prize for their lifetime breeding achievements from the Westfalian equestrian federation.
Photo © Thoms Lehmann
Related Links
Bella Rose's Breeder, ZG Strunk, Honoured at 2019 WBFSH Breeders Awards
Dresden Mann and Bella Rose Win 2013 Otto Lorke Prize
Horse Magazine: Meet the Strunks
Belamour Passed Away
Alexandra Andresen's Belamour Sustains Career Ending Injury