New Kids on the Block!

Southern Cross Stud is a relatively new creation but we are aiming high, and our focus is on producing horses capable of competing at the very top levels in dressage. We are a family business and have spent the last few years carefully selecting our breeding stock as well as assessing both what we have and what we are producing. This is just starting to pay off as our mares have been producing some exceptional stock and the first crop of youngsters to be started under saddle have been enjoying successes at both competitions and performance tests. This is an exciting time for British breeding with initiatives from organisations such as the BEF being introduced to support breeders and raise standards along with British bred horses such as the stallions Woodlander Rockstar and Boston enjoying success both here and on the continent. We are excited to be part of this, and have great hopes for our own horses such as our stallion Baron de Ley (photo above: in training with Wolfram and Brigitte Wittig) who is based with the international Grand Prix rider and trainer Wolfram Wittig.

One of the great things we have found in the breeding world is that people are keen to share their experiences, both good and bad. We are in the fortunate position of having excellent contacts both here and on the continent and are always keen to listen to advice and opinions from riders, trainers and other breeders. Our dear friend Christian Heinrich the renowned horse finder, has played a key role in helping us build our breeding program and has been able to source horses who would otherwise not be available on the open market such as our most recent acquisition, an exquisite State Premium mare by the Grand Prix stallion Royal Diamond out of a Ramino mare who is a full sister to the legendary Sandro Hit. Christian has bred many successful horses including his own premium licensed stallion Benvenuto, State Premium mares and horses who are now competing successfully all around the world. He also works closely with the Grand Prix rider Wolfram Wittig, trainer of Isabell Werth, who runs his own highly successful breeding program and is involved with Oldenburg studbook.

Christian first took us to the Wittig’s farm to meet their stallions. We were hugely impressed by not only the quality of the horses but their easy going temperaments and willingness to work. Wolfram was keen to share with us his experiences and his reasons for selecting the bloodlines he had to produce his stallions whom he had also bred. We were convinced and decided to use two of his stallions on our mares. The first of these foals to be born was Barossa, a fabulous colt by Breitling W out of our lovely Dimaggio mare Delightful. We were so thrilled with him that the cross was quickly repeated and his sister Blissful arrived the following year!

Quality is absolutely critical to our breeding program: when selecting both the stallions or potential broodmares, we like to go for horses with proven successes, choosing high achievers in both performance and the passing on successful qualities through breeding.

Above: Barossa
Below: Blissful both by Breitling W

As well as spending time visiting stallion shows and licensings and so on, we take notice of horses out competing or on visits to other studs and do a little homework on the pedigrees. We try to find out whether the traits we found attractive in that horse are typical of that line and then work out whether they would complement one of our mares or whether we would like a mare of our own with those qualities and then the tricky part begins - hunting one down!

On one of our trips to the Wittig’s farm we were sitting in their school watching one fabulous horse after another be trained. Wolfram is very generous with his expertise and was happy not only to show us his stallions and talk us through them, but also to show us their progeny at various ages and stages of training out of a variety of mares. Just when our heads were beginning to spin from all Bundeschampionship, World Breeding Championship and Grand Prix competitors we noticed a young horse in the process of being backed. Upon chatting with Wolfram we discovered that he was a young stallion by Breitling out of his hugely successful Diego broodmare and was named Baron de Ley after one of Wolfram’s favourite wines! Wolfram had bred Breitling as well as competing him up to Grand Prix and has watched him reach number one in the German Breeding Index thanks to his own achievements and the success of his progeny: he knows his horse inside out and went for the unconventional cross of a mare by the thoroughbred stallion Diego. This cross has so far produced 3 licensed sons, 3 Grand Prix horses, and several Bundeschampionship and World Breeding Championship finalists. We absolutely loved Baron and were convinced that he would be a real asset to our stud so decided to put our money where our mouth was and persuade Wolfram to sell him. A few years on and we are just as happy with our decision; Baron remains in training with the Wittigs and we are sure that he is headed for big things.

Above: Baron de Ley

As well as focusing on the bloodlines, we are very aware that the proof is in the pudding and carefully train and compete our own horses. This gives us a real understanding what we are producing and the competing gives us the opportunity to have our horses independently assessed by outside parties. Our first two Breitling babies to go under saddle both qualified first time out for the prestigious Shearwater Young Dressage Horse final. This affirmed our decision to use successful proven bloodlines such as Donnerhall, Weltmeyer and more modern champions like Breitling and the Federal Champion Imperio. We know we have a long way to go and like everyone involved in breeding still have a lot to learn, but we completely focused on producing top class horses so watch this space!