La Paix, Champion of the 2025 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing

Breeding

Oldenburg

- Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion of the licensing. Eurodressage was not present for the hard surface phase, but saw all colts being lunged, move in freedom, and in hand.)

The handsome La Paix (by La Vie x Sir Donnerhall I) was named champion of the 2025 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in Vechta, Germany, on 18 January 2025.

The bright chestnut led a field of nine premium stallions and 16 further licensed colts of a collection of 45 presented stallions. The licensing committee included Peer Eitenmüller, Evelyn Schlotmann, Oliver Oelrich, Ute von Platen and Josef Freese.

This year's collection of colts stood out by the high overall quality but offering quite a variety in types of stallions: from the graceful gazelles to the clunky tanks. There was a little bit of everything for any type of mare, but most colts had good gaits.

Welcome to the New Vechta

After a one-year layover in Ankum, the German Oldenburg Verband (GOV) welcomed dressage breeders, riders, trainers and horse lovers back to its brand new renovated Oldenburg Horse Center where the indoor arena had been totally revamped.

The seating on one long side was dedicated to VIP tables and seat, and the excessive advertisement on one short side was removed from the wall to give a cleaner, more professional look to the venue. The new lighting installed on the ceiling was a hallelujah present as the arena now appeared bright instead of spectators having to gaze into darkness.

The GOV pulled out all the stops to deliver a cosy and familiar atmosphere, yet a professional and calm setting for the young colts to be presented.

La Paix, Stand Out Champion

The stand-out colt of the 2022 born crop was without a doubt La Paix, a chestnut by La Vie out of elite mare Rioja (by Sir Donnerhall x Rubinstein x Democraat). Bred by Katharina Paschertz and owned by Helgstrand Dressage, the colt moved very consistently on all three days of the licensing and presented a complete package.

Both on the lunge, in freedom or in hand, he was calm, collected and moved with great overview and confidence in the arena. He was always well engaged from behind, in good balance, and with an uphill tendency. He is quite long in the back and maybe a bit flat in the topline but had a beautiful face, good neck, and three great basic gaits. The walk had plenty of overtrack but at times lost a bit of the rhythm, so this was probably his weakest points. If he was given the space to march forward he had a very good walk. He was proclaimed champion of the lot.

Breeder Katharina Paschertz told Eurodressage that she named him "La Paix" (The Peace) because he was born just days after the war broke out in Ukraine and she was wishing for immediate peace, something which unfortunately has not happened two and a half years later with Russia continuing its charge. Paschertz sold half ownership of the colt to Johannes Westendarp when La Paix was a foal and he was reared and prepared for the licensing at Hof Westendarp. Right before the pre-selection full ownership sold to Andreas Helgstrand who often collaborates with Westendarp. The stallion was not for sale at the licensing.

La Paix's maternal half brother, Bonds (by Benicio), was the 2015 Oldenburg Licensing Champion.

Kolton, Reserve Champion

The deserved reserve champion was the very sporty, more refined looking Kolton, a black colt by (Blue Hors) Kingston JZ (who is by Toto Jr x Turbo Magic) and out of Revanche (by Don Olymbrio L out of 2007 Oldenburg elite mare champion Rebelle (by Don Schufro x Regazzoni)).

Kolton (by Kingston x Don Olymbrio L)
(Photo © Kiki Beelitz)

The black stallion trotted impressively on the lunge line with much lightfootedness and good engagement from behind. He easily achieved overtrack in walk. Also in canter he remained engaged from behind with a strong hindleg. In freedom his trot showed much cadence and a quick hindleg. On the final day the walk lost a bit of march, but that can be forgiven considering the tiring process of licensing for these young stallions.

Kolton is bred at Blue Hors stud in Denmark and sold in 2024 in the Blue Hors' horse stock clearance sale as a rising 2-year old for 28,000 euro to Ib Berger, who later sold a co-share to stallion keeper Mathieu Beckmann.

Kolton became the price highlight of the auction, selling for 300,000 euro to Polish investor Kamil Iwicki. Together with his wife Alexandra Owerko-Iwicka they are building their own stable near Warsaw and are closely connected to Polish Grand Prix rider Ilona Janas. The couple already bought the 2024 Oldenburg reserve licensing chapion Esquire (by Escolar x Furst Heinrich) for 400,000 euro at last year's licensing and put this bay stallion in training with Eva Möller at Helgstrand Germany. Kolton will be available through Ingo Pape's stallion station.

Total Valencio S Third Premium

The third ranked premium stallion was Total Valencio S, a liver chestnut Total Diamond PS out of Valencia S (by Vitalis x Rosario x Dream of Glory), bred and owned by A. Luder-Senf and Julian Senf.

Total Valencio is a chunky boy with a lot of body mass, big joints and tons of power. He trotted strongly on the lunge line with a powerful hindleg for his age. In canter he got tense in the topline on the lunge. The walk was ground covering. In freedom he continued to impress with much cadence in trot. He easily changed leads in canter and also walking in hand he produced a very good walk. He always displayed a nice temperament throughout the three days. He sold for 160,000 euro to the Swiss owned and German based stallion station Gut Schönweide. His name has been changed to Tresoro.

The offspring of Total Diamond PS probably made the biggest impression this year as he had three colts selected, two were licensed and named premium. The second premium Total Diamond offspring got fourth ranked in the premium ring. He is out of Dakati (by De Niro x Sevillano xx x Andiamo). The bay had much presence and size. He moved with big hindlegs, pulling the hocks high and putting them under, both in trot and canter. He was a big mover, but can he also shorten and carry from behind, or is he more a pusher? The right hind hoof/pastern twisted out to the right in walk. Bred by Gerd Pigge and owned by Swede Johan Ifverson in partnership with stallion rearer Arndt Schwierking, the bay sold for 120,000 euro at auction to Italy.

The third Total Diamond was out of a Vivaldi x Florestan dam, bred by Christiane and Wilhelm Benning and was owned by Sönke Rothenberger. His basic gaits were good but he was a clunky. He wasn't licensed and fetched 17,000 euro at auction.

Big Boy Pants?

The licensing committee forgot to put their big boy's pants on because they refrained from further ranking the other six premium stallions but all proclaimed them "fourth premium," a ridiculous concept in line with "everybody's a winner." No they are not!

This unfortunate trend seems to have have blown over from other studbooks. In Westfalia they name a handful of colts reserve champion (insert eye-roll emoji) purely for marketing reasons and in Hanover they just equally rank all premium stallions (insert face palm emoji).

Fiorissimo (by For Romance x Diamond Hit)

Two further chestnuts stood out in the premium ring: Fiorissimo and It's Me, both foal auction price highlights at the 2022 Oldenburg Elite Foal Auction.

Fiorissimo is by For Romance out of Diamond Lady (by Diamond Hit x Landadel). He is bred by Rolf-Peter Schulze and owned by Canadian entrepreneur and dressage rider Vicky Lavoie, who purchased him for 81,000 euro. The liver chestnut is a very pretty chap with a lot of presence, always observing his surroundings with confidence. He's a bit dropped in the back, but might still grow out of it. He impressed with his very elastic trot in which he always maintained a good cadence and nice expression. He moved with power and in freedom he preferred the trot over the canter. His hind hooves did go a little wide in trot. His walk was good with much overstep and a clear V-moment in the rhythm, always marching through the body. Fiorissimo was not for sale and will continue his dressage training with German based Swede Jessica Lynn Thomas.

It's Me (by Ibiza out of elite mare Elfenperle (by De Niro x Florencio x Sion) is bred by Ewald Grotelueschen and bought at auction by Danish Lone Boegh Henriksen for 154,000 euro, who agreed to share ownership with Paul Schockemöhle and Andreas Helgstrand. The bright chestnut had a lot of people clapping because he trotted with so much presence, rhythm and power, but he mainly pulled his feet hocks and knees up high and showed not that much stretch forward. He also paddled with both frontlegs. The walk was problematic, often losing the rhythm and becoming lateral. In canter there was much power and you heard him pounding the ground with each stride. The stallion did have a lot of expression and self carriage. The licensing committee considered him premium. The stallion has been renamed Independent by the Schockemohle team.

Three further stallions were considered premium of which the best one was the beautiful black Secret out of Bellissima (by Benaggio x De Niro x Rosenkavalier). He is bred by Caterina Schulz-Beelitz and is out of the famous Herbert De Baey damline that produced Rembrandt, Ahlerich and Amon. This elegant horse was very lightfooted with a lovely frontleg and good walk. He appeared a little soft in the hind pasterns and in canter got a bit tense and staccato in the strides, but his walk was very good and overall he was a great mover and delightful horse of the finer type. Owned by Hans Henning Grönwoldt, this stallion shared the highest auction hammer price of 300,000 euro with Kolton and sold to Lovsta Stuteri in Sweden.

The bay colt Rock Art (by Raven out of Henriettenhof's Violetta (by Furstenball x Sunny-Boy x Sion) is a very sympathetic looking stallion, with a long hindleg, active in trot and uphill striding in canter. Overall he could be a bit stronger and engaged from behind but he is a functional mover with a seemingly good temperament/rideability. The walk on the lunge was good, but in freedom he struggled with the rhythm at times, but then was better again on Saturday. Bred by Silvia Zeyn, he is owned by Eugene Reesink and would be interesting to see how Dinja van Liere will develop him for sport. He seems her type.

The ninth premium stallion and the sixth "fourth" placed one, was the beautiful KWPN registered Surprise K (by Fynch Hatton out of Lakita-K (by Charmeur x Voice x Metall)). There were four Fynch Hattons in the collection, one dropped out and only one got licensed, but he made it premium although that was surprising. Surprise K is bred by A & J van de Kraats and owned by Quality Stables in The Netherlands. Typewise he's handsome with a long neck and appealing face, but his hindlegs are more pushing than carrying. He covers much ground in trot, but "skates" more and should move the hindlegs more towards the point of gravity. His canter was quite unbalanced on the lunge line as well as in freedom as he has such big strides. There was much overtrack in walk and good rhythm. He's an impressive mover though. Surprise K sold for 90,000 euro to the state stud Celle. They renamed him Faber-Castell.

The Other 16

Sixteen colts also received a positive verdict and are licensed to breed.

The British bred MSJ Best Secret (by Be Sure x Secret x Totilas x Dicaprio), bred and owned by Emma Blundell at Mount St. John, was lovely. The bay colt is a nice young stallion with good flexion in his joints, nice neck length, but his hindleg could carry a bit more. He's a sporty type and his walk was okay. He sold for 100,000 euro and moves to VDL Stud in The Netherlands after a bidding duel against Ingo Pape.

Having sport in mind, the chestnut Escamillo x Borsalino x Quaterback was a steal. Although he was set in very tight side reins (and he was fighting with the contact) during the lunging phase, he really moved well with lots of elasticity and a nice hindleg. In freedom he moved a bit out behind at times but could really engage and collect well from behind. He has quite some knee action in front and the walk was good. He sold for 78,000 euro to an online bidder from Switzerland. The horse is bred by Tobias Schult and was owned by Andreas Klaassen.

Another eye catcher that certainly made an impression was Flawless, a bay Franklin x Belissimo M x Swarovski colt, bred by Peter Rieckmann and owned by Canadian Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron's Les Ecuries Elegance. After zero presence at German licensings in general, Canada all of a sudden had three stallions approved this year. Flawless' trot was extremely elegant with much lightness in the forehand. He clearly preferred to trot. In canter the hindleg came well under the body but he was a bit croup high. The walk was okay. The owner bought him as a foal through fellow country mate Pia Fortmuller and her partner Lars Busch.

The British bred Newton Feeling Good (by Furst Jazz out of Anna Ross' international Grand Prix mare Habouche (by Ampere x Sydney x Wolfgang) was also a very interesting sport stallion. This very Dutch looking colt had a nice frontquarter and a strong hindleg that should move towards the point of gravity. He moved with much rhythm. In canter he got croup high and could flex the hocks more. The walk was ok. He was owned by Diederik van Silfhout and sold for 86,000 euro to Austrian Alessia Weyler.

Bred by Christine Arns-Krogman and owned by Gestut Schafhof, the dark bay Bernstein SL x Sir Donnerhall x Furst Heinrich was a nice horse with a quick hind leg although the right hind swung out a bit. The canter had a good three-beat rhythm and he walked well. He sold for a bargain price of 35,000 euro to Gunnarlunda in Sweden.

The Danish warmblood bred Strauss (by So Perfect x Temptation x Sandro Hit), bred by Hertzberg & Kristensen in Denmark, was purchased by Canadian Vicky Lavoie at the 2022 Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction for 36,000 euro and she got him licensed in Vechta . The stallion had a very nice trot with a strong hindleg that always reached under. He could be a bit more connected in the back and overall he did have quite a fiesty attitude on all three days. The walk was good.

Yes Or No?

I personally was not so keen on Special Me, a KWPN bred For Ferrero x Ampere x Riverman, whose neck was thin and who needed to flex more in the hocks. He went wide behind in walk but had good overtrack and rhythm. He was also not pleased with the situation he was put in and not so compliant while being handled. He sold for 55,000 euro at auction. Lone Boegh Henriksen's HP Fantastico (by Foundation x Desperado x Sandro Hit) did not really show off his full potential and seems to need a little more time to mature, but the committee licensed him nonetheless. He had a hammer price of 25,000 euro.

I was not such a fan of the Majestic Taonga x Franklin x Davignon II but that's probably personal preference. The black with his heavy neck and head seemed pleasant enough to handle, but he skated with the hindlegs and got wide behind, and the canter was not so balanced. The walk was good. He sold for 92,000 euro to the Celle and Neustadt/Dosse state studs. He is bred by Stefan Tietje and was owned by XT Pferde.

The black Morrison (by Morricone x Sandro Hit) I thought was a gorgeous "pony": very compact, with a good trot on the lunge line, but a rather stiff canter. He is bred by Guenter Lueschen and owned by Helgstrand. He was licensed.

The rather plump and old fashioned Va Bene x Goldberg was also approved. Weird.

Not licensed which I would have considered a great addition to the bloodline was the Danish bred Festival (by Franzé x Solos Carex x Paganini xx x Lavallo). This very interesting bloodline could have been welcome to the Oldenburg "gene pool". Henrik Hansen's black colt was light-footed in trot, appeared a nice sport horse, but the walk was a bit short-long.

Swiss Grand Prix rider Philine Brunner presented Jovelier VB(by Jovian x Lauries Crusador xx x Weltmeyer), who was an interesting horse with good hindleg activity and cadence but he was a bit soft in the loins. In freedom he appeared even stronger moving. He looked like a horse with a great future in sport. He sold for the bargain price of 19,500 euro.

I was underwhelmed by the KWPN bred Sirius SC (by Kjento x Vivaldi x Burggraaf). He moved in a functional way but that was it. Bred by I van Santvoort and owned by Henrik Klatte, he sold for 31,000 euro.

The So Perfect x De Niro, who seemed to have two small bumps on his hind knees, had a nice presence and balance in trot, but his walk was lateral every day. He still got licensed despite the walk. He sold for 26,000 euro to Luxembourg.

Auction

At the auction following the licensing the licensed stallions averaged 95,000 euro, while the non-licensed stallions averaged 27,000 euro.

The licensed Antobello x Gribaldi sold to Gunnarlunda in Sweden for 20,000 euro.

The most expensive non-licensed colt was the KWPN bred Special King R&G (by Vitalis x Everdale x Jazz). Bred by Van de Crommenacker and owned by Julie Good and Steve Wolgemuth (USA), the black is a nice type with a quick hindleg in trot, but he really pushed the back out and had his neck high up when trotting. In canter he was a bit staccato and also in walk he needed to relax more to achieve more overstep. He sold for 61,000 euro to Gunnarlunda in Sweden.

The non-licensed and poorly presented but not so badly moving Ibiza Dream x Floriscount sold for 39,000 euro. The liver chestnut with very short back has good gaits but looked totally flustered and unprepared for the licensing.

Further non licensed colts that sold at auction were the chestnut Valverde x Secret, who moves to the U.K. for 30,000 euro. The Furst Jazz x Armani x Trento B sold to Belgium for 22,500 euron while the Fynch Hatton x Furst Romancier x Lafitte sold to Spain for 16,000 euro. The Jovian x For Romance x General xx had the lowest bid of 10,000 euro. The Quaterback x Dormello sold for 27,000 euro. The Total Diamond x Vivaldi x Florestan went for 17,000 euro.

The Mount St. John bred and German owned bay colt by Vitalis x Totilas x Desperados is a cute sport horse but struggled a bit in canter during the licensing and appeared green and tired. He had a hammer price of 19,000 euro. He just needs more time to develop.

The ponyesque Vivaldos x Sir Donnerhall was rather slow behind and weak in the loins but he certainly had a cute expression and was a pretty horse. He was very playful in the freedom phase but his trot was not inspired. Owned by Hendrik Sosath, he was pulled from the auction.

Complete results licensing - auction