V-Power Named Champion of the 2022 Westfalian Stallion Licensing

Breeding

Westfalian

V-Power, a Viva Gold x Fidertanz son, was named the champion of the 2022 Westfalian stallion licensing in Munster-Handorf on 5 November 2022. The bay colt was the favourite from the start and generated the highest price at auction.

Generous

As usual the Westfalian licensing committee was generous approving 37 colts in a collection of 55.

Additionally, the naming of the group of premium stallions has become a commercial, marketing stunt in Munster-Handorf, instead of a proper ranking according to quality to provide assistance to breeders in making choices. Unabashedly the committee selected no less than 13 (!) colts for the premium title: one was the clear champion, but then they named two (?) as reserve champions, and three (?) as third ranked stallions. And then 7 more were also unranked premium stallions.

As the Westfalian studbook is an open studbook it is worth nothing that of the 13 premium stallions, only five were in fact Westfalian registered. All others were Oldenburg, Hanoverian, or Dutch warmblood "branded".

Viva Gold

The 6-year old Oldenburg stallion Viva Gold (by Vivaldi x For Romance), who is out of the Weihegold damline, presented his first crop at this year's Westfalian licensing. Although Viva Gold was the high scorer of the 2019 Schlieckau Stallion Suitability Test, he's done only a handful of regional shows in the past four years and has not truly proven himself in sport. In breeding, however, he's been a hot ticket and at the licensing in Munster he clearly made his mark last weekend with all five of his pre-selected colts approved.

The best one of the lot was without a doubt Bernd Goeke's bay Westfalian registered V-Power (by Viva Gold x For Romance x Show Star), who impressed from start to finish. The bay excelled on the lunge line and never lost any of his energy in the freedom phase nor in the presentation in hand. At the auction following the licensing, Reesink Horses was bidding against Blue Hors, but then Helgstrand Dressage joined in and drove the price up to a 1.2 million final bid to secure the stallion.

The marketing stunt that is enabled by his inflated million euro bidding game is what matters, but it makes everyone wonder if the price is real or fake. While 'real' bidders in the auction often leave with a bitter aftertaste and many questions, the high rollers celebrate as all parties won! The breeder for sure got a good amount for this horse (whether bought beforehand or not), the auction house got its auction commission fee (whether the big stallion keepers pay the same % free as the small minions, who knows?), and the buyer got the publicity he needed to make this colt probably the breeders' most wanted colt of the season for their mares.

One of two reserve champions was Valparaiso, also a Viva Gold, but this time out of a Fidermark x Davignon mare. Bred in Switzerland by Rebekka Aicher Koch and owned by Germans W. Ottmann and H Möhlenkamp, this colt fetched 200,000 euro at auction and moves to the state stud Celle.

The other three Viva Golds that were licensed were the premium Viva Gold x Rock Forever x Florestan, bred and owned by ZG Wallock/Pearse; the Viva Gold x Rosengold x Donnerschwaak (bred by Jurgen de Baey & owned by Isabell Nowak); and a Viva Gold x Sir Donnerhall x Fidermarl (bred by Heinz-Bernd Schumacher & owned by Bernhard Sieverding).

Lord Europe

The second reserve premium stallion was an Oldenburg registered Lodovico (by Lord Europe x Don Frederic x Sir Donnerhall), bred by Wieghaus-Vorwerk and owned by Gestut Schafhof. He sold at auction for the second highest amount for 401,000 euro to Thailand after a bidding duel with Reesink.

Although the identity of the buyer was not made public, a connection can be made with the Thai dressage rider, HRH Princess Sirivannavari Mahidol, who is based at Gestut Schafhof with her horses.

Auction Time

Eight of the 13 premium colts were offered for sale in the licensing. The third best price was achieved by the premium Escamillo x Don Nobless, bred by Willers-Moritzer and owned by Norbert Weiss. He fetched 362,000 euro.

Twenty-six licensed stallions were offered for sale and 22 of them found new owners, the others were bought back. The average price for a licensed stallion was 165.182 euro (a price boosted by the licensing champion). A non-licensed stallion cost 26,357 euro on average.

The most expensive non-licensed stallion was a Danish warmblood by Franklin x Dr. Doolittle. Bred by June and Mogens Worre-Jensen in Denmark and owned by German Olga Pees, he sold for 37,000 euro. A Tesla x Rohjuwel sold for 35,000 euro, while the Le Formidable x Jazz went for 30,000 euro. A Hungarian bought the non licensed Fynch Hatton x De Niro for 20,500 euro.

Licensed stallions

Premium

1. V-Power (by Viva Gold x Fidertanz - WESTF) - Breeder & Owner: Bernd Goeke - 1,200,000 euro (Helgstrand)
2. Lord Europe x Don Frederic (OLD) - Breeder Wieghaus-Vorwerk - Owner: Schafhof: 401.000 euro (Thailand)
2. Valparaiso (by Viva Gold x Fidermark - WESTF) - Breeder: rebekka aicher Koch - Owner: Möhlenkamp - 200.000 euro (Landgestüt Celle)
3. Escamillo x Don Nobless (WESTF) - Breeder Willers-Moritzer - Owner: Norbert Weiss: 362.000 euro
3. Escamillo x Vitalis (HANN) - Breeder & Owner: Lars Nieberg - 160.000 euro
3. Valverdos (by Valverde x Desperados (HANN) - Breeder: Judith & Sonke Schmidt - Owner: Helgstrand - not for sale
Benicio x Likoto xx (HANN) - Breeder: E Malte - Owner: Mathieu Beckmann - 100.000 euro
Fortunio (by For Romance II x Zack - KWPN) - Breeder L. Van Zandwijk - Owner: Andre Koop - not for sale
Global Dancer (by Global Player x Clintino - OLD) - Breeder: Johann Pfleger - Owner Heinrich Ramsbrock - not for sale
Galaxico (by Grand Galaxy Win T. x Samarant - HANN) - Breeder: Wilhelm Klausing - Owner Helgstrand - not for sale
Jovian x Diamond Hit (OLD) - Breeder & Owner: S. Holtwiesche - not for sale
Viva Gold x Rock Forever (WESTF) - Breeder & Owner: Walloch/Pearse - 172.000 euro
Zoom x Sir Heinrich (WESTF) - Breeder: Ernst Behrens-Witteborg - Owner: Mathieu Beckmann - 100,000 euro

Licensed

Daily Diamond / Rock Forever / Amiral - Breeder: J. Wijnveen - Owner: Jan W. Greve - 40,000 euro
Despacito / Benetton Dream / Sandro Hit - Breeder: Josef & Karl-Heinz Rudde - Owner: Mathieu Beckmann - 101,000
Felissimo / Rockwell / Diamantino - Breeder: Marion Nordhoff - Owner: Ohlemeyer-Vondran - 145,000 euro to Helgstrand
First Deal / Sir Donnerhall / Weltmeyer - Breeder: Wilhelm Lambardt - Owner: Arndt Schwierking - 66,000 euro
Franklin / Belissimo M / Dimaggio - Breeder: Christoph Klaus - Owner: Dressurstall Schubert - 55,000 euro
Fürst Romancier / Sandro Hit / Brentano II - Breeder: Frank Gutezeit - Owner: Mathieu Beckmann
Fürst Toto / Stedinger / Don Gregory - Breeder: Kotschofsky - Owner: Reesink & Witte Scholtens - 42,000 euro
Glamourdale / Franklin / Aquilino - Breeder: June u.Mogens Worre-Jensen - Owner: Blue Hors
Global Player / Fidertanz / Sandro Hit - Breeder & Owner: Herbert Werth - 40,500 euro
Jameson RS2 / Jazz / Oscar - Breeder: H.J. Kamphuis - Owner: Beckmann & Zurich - 70,500 euro
Sir Heinrich / Franziskus / Dollman - Breeder: Sabrina Berg - Owner: Frederik Vekens - 32,000 euro
Toto Jr. / Chippendale / Jazz - Breeder: v.d.Crommenacker/v.d.Wijst - Owner: Reesink - 36,000 euro
Vaderland / Diatano / Beltain - Breeder: Franz-Josef Schulze-Elpert - Owner: Mathieu Beckmann - 37,000 euro
Vaderland / Fidertanz / Rubilo - Breeder: ngela u. Uwe Butkus - Owner: Matthias Schlamminger - 55,000 euro
Valdiviani / Swarovski / Laudabilis - Breeder: Herbert Webermann - Owner: Sebastian Horler - 100,000 euro
Valverde / Desperados / Rotspon - Breeder: Judith & Sönke Schmidt - Owner: Helgstrand
Vinvino (by Vitalis / Sir Donnerhall I / Donnerhall) - Breeder: Clemens-August Berding - Owner: Rothenberger Ventures - 60,500 euro to Caro Heinze/T.Schult
Viva Gold / Rosengold / Donnerschwee - Breeder: Jürgen de Baey - Owner: Isabell Nowak - 84,000 euro
Viva Gold / Sir Donnerhall I / Fidermark - Breeder: Heinz-Bernd Schumacher - Owner: Bernhard Sieverding - 93,000 euro
Vivaldi / Dancier / Feinbrand - Breeder: Ulrike Buurman - Owner: Ulrike Buurman & Holger Pfeiffer - 42,500 euro
Vivino / St. Moritz / His Highness - Breeder: Nicole Neuhäusel-Pistner - Owner: Frank Burema & Rhodé van Praat,
Zackerey / Dancier / Conteur - Breeder: Guido Kamphorst - Owner: IB Berger - 70,000 euro
Zackerey / Floriscount / Werther - Breeder: Friedel Cordes - Owner: Blue Hors
Zenon / Chello III / Nimmerdor - Breeder: P. Kamphof - Owner: VDL Stud
Zoom / Carabas / Leubus - Breeder: Linda Meißne - Owner: GFP Service

Complete licensing results here.