Helgstrand Choses German Two-Day Suitability Test Over 10-Day Danish Observation Test

Breeding

Danish Warmblood

As the largest supplier of young breeding stallions to the Danish warmblood breeders' base, Helgstrand Dressage revealed that it will chose the German 2-day system for the mandatory suitability instead of the Danish 10-day observation system.

In an interview with Ridehesten, Esben Møller revealed that no less than 16 of their soon to be licensed colts have been entered for the German testing! Eight of them will do the test in Vechta (6-7 April) and eight in Munster-Handorf (26 - 28 April).

In February Danish Warmblood announced that it will recognize the new German performance test, which has a pilot project in 2022, thereby automatically undermining its own mandatory 10-day observation test, that immediately follows the licensing in Herning this weekend.

"First of all, two days are shorter than 10 or 14 days," Møller told Ridehesten. "Many of our young stallions, which were premium stallions at the German shows, have to stand at our German station in Syke, and the breeding season is now well underway in Germany. As these stallions are already busy, it is difficult to do without them for two weeks."

The two-day stallion testing in Germany will be streamed live and will be a perfect marketing platform for stallions to be showcased to the breeders, while the Danish 10-day test is behind closed doors.

"It is a huge advantage and more gentle for the stallions that you can come with your own rider who knows the stallions really well, and several of the stallions are barely three years old," Esben explained. "The test takes place in such a way that on the first day you show the stallions on solid ground and then with your own rider, and on the second day they are ridden by a test rider."

Source: Ridehesten