The Hanoverian Society bestowed no less than five (!) dressage bred stallions with the Weltmeyer Prize for 2026.
The award is named after the influential foundation sire Weltmeyer and is a distinction bestowed on dressage stallions at the very beginning of their breeding careers following their performance test. The prize givers were named at the show of privately owned stallions on 7 February 2026 in Verden.
Daan G caused a sensation at his licensing in Verden, when he topped the stallion sales with a record price of € 2,000,000. “A horse that gives you goosebumps,” commented licensing commissioner Heike Kemmer at the time. The Donkey Boss x Don Olymbrio L son (breeder: Stutteri G., Lynge/DEN; owner: Helgstrand Dressage, Vodskov/DEN) went on to become the reserve champion at the 2026 Hanoverian Young Horse Championships for three-year-old stallions, and in November he won the 35-day test in Denmark with a total score of 912.00 points.
At the 2026 Hanoverian Young Horse Championships Daan G was beaten by DC-10 by Dynamic Dream/Escolar (breeder: ZG Rütten-Janßen, Mönchengladbach, owner Joop van Uytert, Helgstrand), who won champion’s sash. As a foal, he had already made headlines when he was auctioned off to a Dutch stallion owner as the champion foal of the Wickrath Foal Championship and was first AES approved before he got licensed with the Hanoverian society. At the Danish performance test, DC-10 followed closely behind his stablemate with 885.50 points.
The third Weltmeyer prize went to Lindenberg by Libertad/Destano (breeder: ZG Maak, Hamburg; owner: Tobias Schult, Hünxe), the 2024 Bundeschampion of four-year-old stallions. The striking black stallion from the renowned dam line of Simse had already demonstrated his exceptional quality in part I of the sport test, achieving an excellent score of 9.07.
The Secret/All Inclusive son Sir Gribaldi (breeder: ZG Aronis and Janßen, Oederquart) achieved the best result of his age group three times in a row at Münster-Handorf. He completed the 3-day-test with 8.59, part I of the sport test dressage with 8.84 and part II with 9.01. Last year, the dark bay stallion, who traces back to the foundation mare Dodica, also competed at the Bundeschampionate for five-year-old dressage horses. He was discovered by Gestüt Sprehe at the Verden stallion sales.
The successful cooperation between the Celle State Stud and stallion station Hoffrogge was rewarded with another Weltmeyer Award: together they bought the premium stallion Venturo by Valdiviani out of a Belissimo M dam (breeder: Ulla Katzorke, Essen) at the stallion sales in Verden. Dressage talent is deeply rooted in his pedigree. His dam, St.Pr./performance mare dressage Bohemian Rhapsodie, was herself successful up to Intermediaire I level, while his granddam Rhapsodie Queen produced two further offspring competing at the highest levels of dressage sport. Venturo impressed in part I of the dressage sport test in Münster-Handorf with an outstanding final score of 9.19.
Related Links
Daan G, High Scorer of the 2025 Danish Warmblood Stallion Performance Test
DC-10, Price Highlight of the 2025 Excellent Dressage Sales
Previous Recipients
Escaneno and Global Hope, Recipients of the 2025 Weltmeyer Prize
San to Alati Honoured with Weltmeyer Prize 2024
Fifty-Fifty, Freigeist, Ibiza Dream, Va Pensiero Win 2023 Weltmeyer Prize
Dancier Gold, Escamillo, Shu Fu Receive 2021 Weltmeyer Prize
Zoom, Bailador, Damaschino, Danciero Receive 2020 Weltmeyer Prize
Despacito, Destacado, Dostojewski, Finnigan and So Unique Get 2019 Weltmeyer Prize
Don Martillo, Bon Coeur, Falihandro Win 2018 Weltmeyer Prize
Libertad and Emilio Sanchez Receive 2017 Weltmeyer Prize
Frisco and Lasogga S Receive 2016 Weltmeyer Prize
Donatus, Furstenhof, Dantano Win 2014 Weltmeyer Prize
Del Magico, Sporcken, Quasar de Charry Receive Inaugural Weltmeyer Prize
Dancier, Best Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2002
Royal Blend, Best Hanoverian Stallion Born in 2001
Re Primeur, Best Hanoverian Stallion Born in 2000
Earl, Best Hanoverian Stallion Born in 1999