All US photos on this website by Susan Sexton unless otherwise indicated.

STALLION NEWS

Arrian (Al Capone/Orbis xx/Weiler) continues to be very well managed by Vanessa Carlson at her Woodridge Farm in Claremore, OK., where he is also pursuing his new performance career in the hunter ring. In 2004, yet another Arrian daughter – Avril (out of a Davignon/Ordensglanz dam) owned by Michael Miller – became elite eligible (see "Inspection News" on this page). For more information on Arrian, click his name or visit the Woodridge farm website (www.woodridgefarm.com).

A typey young stallion out of a popular sire and an outstanding mother line was provisionally licensed by the AHS. (See “Constantin” directly below.) Constantin, who is co-owned with Marefield by Bob Orton and Sherra Kosch will be standing at their Buck Branch Farm in Gladys, VA. for the 2005 season.

Dauphin (Donnerhall/SPS Fabia) had his first foal crop – with good reports – and he was licensed to breed by the German Oldenburg Verband.

Rienzi’s (Raphael/SPS Bounty) first foals were in competition and achieved numerous sucesses in various disciplines, showing him to be the “all-round” producer we had hoped he would be.

In the 2005 season Rienzi will be breeding with fresh cooled semen courtesy of Hilton Farm. We are most grateful to Mr. Fuchs for extending this generous offer and we are honored to have Rienzi standing at the same facility as Hilton’s outstanding young stallion Liberty Gold (Londonderry/Weltmeyer/Weltmann), licensing champion at Verden in 2003 and champion of the 2004 11-month Adelheidsdorf SPT with an overall score of 140.93. (To see more on Liberty Gold go to the Hilton Farm website: www.hiltonfarm.com)

Scroll down the page for more information on the Marefield stallions. Stallion pages on this website will be added (for Constantin) or updated soon. Stallion packages with contracts and videos will be available in February. Interested mare owners should contact us to have your names added to our mailing list.

Marefield Meadows
6845 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, VA 20187

540/349-1339 (tel) • 540/347-9764 (fax)
marefield@earthlink.net
or use the contact form on this website

RIENZI (Raphael/Bolero/Lombard/Sudan xx)

Breeding fee, statistics, heritage and background information on Rienzi can be found by clicking his name and going to his pages on this website. Updated information follows.

Fresh Transported Semen Available in 2005!

Rienzi returned to the East Coast a few months after his successful 2003 show season while standing at Judy Hedreen’s Sylvan Farm/North Star Farm complex in Snohomish, WA. Training demands as well as location and limitations of the training facilities made it risky to promise fresh semen last season.

In 2005, however, fresh transported semen will again be available courtesy of Hilton Farm and its generous owner Otto Fuchs. This works perfectly since Rienzi is now in training at Hilton with Erin Sweeney. They are progressing nicely in their work together and Erin is looking forward to the upcoming competition season.

We hope that this new arrangement also will satisfy those who have wished for fresh semen in the past. Frozen semen of proven quality will be available as well and may occasionally be needed as a back-up should there be conflicts with Rienzi’s show schedule.

We are especially pleased that this development which will afford wider availability of Rienzi semen has come at a time when Rienzi’s oldest offspring are competing and proving themselves in numerous arenas, showing their sire to be the “all-rounder” we had hoped he would be.

Good Movement and Modern Types

Even before Rienzi’s offspring were of riding age, a number of them distinguished themselves at breed shows. Most notable of these is Remington ’01, bred by Judy Hedreen out of her Pik Solo mare Pikante, who achieved three Colt Championships and one Reserve Colt Championship in the USDF Dressage Horse Breeding series.

Rienzi’s daughter Raphaea ’99, out of the old-style mare Galatee (Gigant/ Durban/Ferdinand), was Young Horse Champion at the 2002 NCDCTA Breed Show in Raleigh.

In 2002, Rienzi’s foals also made an impression on AHS/VhW judges. Vanessa Carlson’s Roccoca, out of Turteltaubchen (Tin Rocco/Tiro/Vollkorn xx), was champion of the Woodridge Farm Inspection. Two Rienzi foals also distinguished themselves at the 2002 Rolling Stone Farm Inspection in Slatington, PA. Rara Avis out of Windhover (Wenzel/Domingo/Woermann) was named reserve filly champion and Rhadius, bred by Mo Swanson out of Gold Luck daughter Ghloria, was the reserve colt champion.

This is the old news. There is, however, a continuum to 2004. Pikante produced a full brother to Remington and Judy thinks this one, named Ramses, may be even better.

Rienzi daughter Reese ’00, out of December (Donaumonarch [Trak]/Grande/Pik Koenig), went to the 2004 NCDCTA Show in Raleigh where two years earlier Raphaea had made her mark. Reese not only met the challenge of her predecessor, she surpassed it.

Sylvana Smith’s thoroughly researched report in the NCDCTA Newsletter was enthusiastic regarding Reese’s accomplishment at Raleigh:

“...the brightest star of the Marefield Meadows entries that day was the very correct blood-bay mare with the perfect metronomic rhythm and a simple name. Reese ... won the Mare Championship with her expressive, elastic trot–then went on to claim the Mature Horse Championship and overall Grand Championship.

“The beautifully uphill four-year-old mare showed her potential from an early age, (trainer and handler Bob Orton) recalled. ‘At her foal inspection, the judges asked me to keep running with the dam so the audience could see an example of just what we are looking for in movement of these horses. Reese was later called back and named the best mover of the day.’”

In phenotype Reese is not exactly the modern and typey Rienzi offspring we’ve come to expect. Consequently, we had never thought her breed show material. That makes this sweep of championships even more exceptional. Reese’s successes did not stop there. She went on to achieve in an arena for which, we think, she was born.

Performance

Reese proceeded that day in Raleigh to the 4- and 5-Year-Old Mares Materiale Class where she earned the score of 84%. This was remarkable because through the end of June Reese had been standing around in fields and stalls, caught up in the business of being a broodmare. Her first pregnancy aborted. Eager for a foal – both for the quality that we hope the mother will pass on and to confirm Reese’s Elite Mare status – we decided to try again and arranged for an embryo transfer. It worked. Freed from any early maternal duties and general field ornament status, Reese was restarted under saddle in early July.

Reese’s first Materiale Class was at the Fair Hill Breed Show of August 28, a mere seven weeks from the time she started back in training and more than a year after her 2003 MPT. From Fair Hill it was on to the the success at Raleigh and finally to Devon where Reese won the Materiale Class. In the 2004 USDF HOY Year-end Awards for 4- and 5-Year-Old Mares Materiale, Reese ranks third in the nation with a score of 76.60. Reese had always impressed us as quite special because of her outstanding movement; her big heart and eager work ethic have now marked her as extraordinary.

Reese’s full sister Rennes ’01 is a quite different type. She is petite, pretty and feminine. In short, she is more what we expect in Rienzi offspring. To our huge disappointment, as a foal Rennes did not display the breathtaking movement of her older sister. Now that Rennes has started training, however, her gaits are developing daily. Trainer Erin Sweeney is impressed with how well Rennes is going and how quickly she is progressing. After only a month of training, Rennes felt and looked like a much older, much more advanced horse. (See photograph) She’s a quick study and an eager worker just like her big sister. She also has her sister’s big heart... it’s just in a smaller package.

Versatility

Two of Rienzi’s sons are making their mark in the hunter ring. Rimer '99, out of Winterset (Weltmeyer/Don Camillo/Widerhall), started his hunter training with Meg Rhodes in late July 2004. He took to it quickly and soon was going to shows, winning in hack classes and over fences in the baby green division. By October he had earned the reserve championship for the 2004 Oak View Farm Show Series.

Rafferty '99, out of Electra (Eklatant/Argentan/Woermann), started his hunter training with Jeff Bradner in 2003 and started his winning ways one week after he was purchased by Jeff’s brother James. The Bradners report that Rafferty is continuing to do well on the circuit.

The biggest success story of 2004 is that of Rienzi’s daughter Raili ’99 out of Wildling, a Wanderer/Windhuk/Pik Koenig mare. Raili started with the greatest handicap, came the farthest in the shortest amount of time and along the way has demonstrated the biggest heart of all...even if it is in the very smallest package.

The Life of Raili

Raili was a 296-day premie. Against all odds, she was born viable and even fighting. She was, however, given little chance of survival by the veterinarians at the local equine hospital who advised that the dam not accompany her foal to the facility. By the time it became apparent Raili would live, Wildling – a mare who was opinionated at the best of times and definitely let her wishes be known on this occasion – would not take her daughter back. Raili faced the added handicap of being raised as an orphan.

As a foal, Raili’s undeveloped legs were twisty and stubby. They eventually straightened out but did remain short and, as we had been cautioned could happen in such cases, she is “dwarfish.” The biggest problem we faced with Raili, however, was her attitude. Imprinted on her hospital caretakers, rejected by her mother and seeing people as her sole source of food and companionship, Raili never developed a clear sense of what it means to be a horse. For years, we were resigned to the fact that we were stuck with a quirky pasture ornament.

In 2004 when Raili was about to turn 5, Stacy Donnelly, an intrepid jumper trainer, became intrigued by the challenge of the unreliable, bossy little mare. With some misgivings and not a little fear for Stacy’s well-being, we decided to give Raili a chance to prove herself. Perhaps she just needed a job.

As it turned out a job was just what Raili did need. With Stacy’s miraculous guidance, Raili proved to be a quick study, a remarkable talent and an unremitting workaholic, giving 110% every step of the way. From green broke w-t-c in March, Raili went to her first show in early May at Lexington where she earned two blues at Level 2 Jumpers. At Keswick two weeks later Raili was again in the ribbons. At Upperville on June 9, Raili and Stacy earned two blues at Level 2 and a red at Level 3. By July, Raili was jumping at Level 4 in the FEI 5-year old classes at three different Commonwealth Park competitions. She received a 2nd place, a 3rd and a 5th for her efforts.

Not bad for a small horse.

CONSTANTIN (Contucci/Pablo/Saloniki/Akzent I)
16.2 1/2+ H Bay Born 4/28/01
Fee: $1500 (booking included)/LFG

Achievement

Constantin, co-owned with Marefield by Bob Orton and Sherra Kosch of Buck Branch Farm, is the new stallion for 2005.

On August 1, 2004, Constantin was presented by Bob and Sherra to the AHS/VhW Judging Commission at the Hilltop Farm Stallion Licensing where he received the following scores.

For Conformation, his Overall Average of 7 was comprised of: Head-8; Neck-7; Saddle Position-7; Frame-8; Foreleg-8; Hindleg-6.

Other scores were: Typiness-8; Correctness of Gaits-7; Impulsion-8; Walk-8; Canter-8; Overall Development-8.

In Free Jumping, Constantin received a 7 for Technique and an 8 for Ability.

The Overall Final Score of 7.68 earned Constantin a Two-Year Provisional Breeding License with the American Hanoverian Society.

Constantin is just starting under saddle with Bob and Sherra. A late April foal who is rangey, tall and still growthy, Constantin was not considered mature enough for the 100-Day SPT in 2004. He will seek full licensing at a later date.

The licensing wasn’t Constantin’s first public appearance. In 2003, he was Grand Champion of the NCDCTA Breed Show, at Raleigh where his score of 86% also earned him the High Score Hanoverian Award.

In 2004, Constantin was Reserve Grand Champion of the Lexington Breed Show and he was overall Champion Colt at the East Coast Breeders USDF/Cosequin Finals. His final score of 82.650 was the average of the two judging teams’ scores of 80.9 and 84.4. Both teams awarded him 8 for conformation and 8.3 for his walk. He received an 8 and a 9 for his trot.

Background

Constantin’s elegant type and light but ground-covering gaits reflect a pedigree that is heavily influenced by Trakehner blood.

His sire, Hilltop Farm’s outstanding producer Contucci, is out of a Lungau dam and by the popular German Trakehner Caprimond. Constantin’s mother line contains representatives from three Trakehner improvement sires used in Hanoverian breeding: Abglanz, Cyklon and Semper Idem. Marefield owns three dams from this mare line, bred by the Kleemeyer family in Germany.

EM Salvana, full sister to former Celle stallion Sherlock Holmes, has produced consistently rideable offspring, most notably Richmond (by Ramiro’s Bube) who with his rider/owner Robin Breuckmann qualified for the World Dressage Championships for Disabled Riders in 2003. At six years of age, Richmond was by far the youngest horse in the competition. Robin and Richmond also placed third at First Level Freestyle – Open, and second at Second Level Freestyle – Open in the 2004 USDF All Breeds Year-end Awards.

Another mare from this family, SPS Priscilla (by Prince Thatch xx), is mother of the licensed stallion Winterlight (by Weltmeyer), owned by Marefield in partnership with Britta and Steve Johnston. Priscilla daughter Wremy (by Walt Disney) earned her EMC in 2003 and is starting her breeding career.

Marefield’s currently most successful broodmare from this family, Priscilla’s half-sister EM Papagena (by Pablo), is the dam of Constantin. As a yearling, Papagena was Young Horse Champion, DAD 1994. The following year she was Reserve Grand Champion, PVDA. In 1996, Papagena was site champion at her AHS/VhW Inspection with a score of 7.6. She later earned the EMC with an MPT score of 7.28.

In 2003, Papagena’s firstborn, Rhiannon (by Ramiro’s Bube), earned her EM with the second highest MPT score (8.5) in the nation. This multi-talented mare, who had a combined jumping average of 9.5, is successfully competing in dressage with junior rider and owner Crystal Baer (see below).

Papagena’s most outstanding year as a broodmare to date has been 2004. The day before Constantin was licensed, Papagena’s foal Deklan (by Dauphin) was named top colt of his inspection. Also in 2004, daughter Royce (by Ruiz Soler) achieved first place in the Yearling Fillies, USDF Dressage Sport Horse Breeding, Horse of the Year Awards with a score of 80.050.

Papagena is one of Marefield’s most successful broodmares and we have frequently wished we could clone her or, at least, get many more foals out of her than the standard one per year. With her son now licensed to breed, we have come close to having our wish fulfilled. We are excited about what Constantin will put on the ground and intend to match “Papagena’s genes” with a number of our mares this season.

DAUPHIN (Donnerhall/Feiner Stern/Pik Ramiro/Akzent II)

Dauphin remains on lease to Celle but frozen semen of excellent quality (50-75% post thaw motility) and proven fertility is available at $500 per dose through Marefield. Statistics, heritage and background information on Dauphin can be found by clicking his name and going to his pages on this website. Updated information follows.

2004 Update

Dauphin was featured with three other “Stallions in Dressage Training” at the 2004 Celle Stallion Parade. This presentation of 4-, 5- and 6-year-old blacks – Don Crusador, Earl and Hochadel were the other three – made a stunning picture that was a big audience pleaser according those who saw the show. Dauphin also was pressed into service to fill a slot, usually reserved for more mature stallions, in the Grosse Quadrille. Erin Sweeney saw Dauphin in daily work while she was visiting Adelheidsdorf for three weeks in November and reports that Dauphin’s training is progressing nicely under his new rider Gestuetoberwaerter HeikoTietze.

While Erin was in Adelheidsdorf riding and getting acquainted with Hilton Farm’s new stallion Liberty Gold, winner of the 11-month SPT (see www.hiltonfarm.com for more about Liberty Gold), she also engineered a trip to Vechta for both stallions. As a result, Liberty Gold and Dauphin are now licensed by the German Oldenburg Verband. This will be of interest to our readers who inquired about breeding their GOV mares to Dauphin last season.

In the US, Dauphin’s youngest full sister Dauphine was named Champion Filly at the USDF/Cosequin East Coast Finals with a score of 81.450. Dauphine is also ranked second nationally, 3-Year-Old Fillies, in the 2004 USDF DHSB HOY Year-end Awards with a score of 80.350. She follows in the footsteps of full sister Diotima who was second in the nation in 2003. Under the expert guidance of Erin Sweeney, Diotima additionally placed first in Materiale, 3-Year-Old Fillies, last year and she earned the EMC title at her MPT.


The First Foal Crop

With little fanfare or promotion, Dauphin managed a good enough book in 2003 that he placed in the top 10% for number of breedings of all stallions standing at Celle. Reports from Germany that the breeders were generally pleased with their Dauphin foals, were borne out by return and new breedings in 2004. This past season’s book of 135 mares in Germany marked a 22% increase in mares covered from Dauphin’s 2003 season. While the reports are generally good, it has been difficult discovering specifics. We have learned that Dr. Bade purchased a Dauphin/Sherlock Holmes colt to raise at Hunnesrueck. There was some hearsay about an “outstanding” Dauphin/Matcho foal and one breeder reported many enthusiastic visitors to see his Dauphin from a Thoroughbred mare. Perhaps some of this information is mere rumor or possibly some of the reported successes will prove to be consistently good matches with Dauphin.

Marefield’s best Dauphin matches in Germany were to Wintersong (Weltmeyer/Matcho AA/Duft I) and Ranis (Raphael/Bolero/Lombard), the full sister to Rienzi. Both foals were selected by inspectors for the Regional Foal Show at Lohberg. “David,” the colt from Ranis, went further than “Duchesse,” Wintersong’s filly, winning his class and returning to the Championship where he placed 8th overall.

Joerg and Isabel Clasen are pleased with the foal from their Wenzel/Shogun xx/Absatz mare and the Kleemeyer family also send good reports about their Dauphin filly from a Brentano II/Saloniki/Akzent I daughter. Marefield’s former mare Melisande (Matcho AA/Lombard/Duenkel) had her best foal to date and this black filly will be her mother’s replacement in the breeding program.

The reports on the temperament and character of the foals in Germany is consistent. Whatever the mare line, each of the three breeders with whom we have spoken directly could be talking about the same foal. The Dauphin offspring have been described as independent, brave and very active but always extremely people-friendly, leaving their dams and the other foals across the field as they race to greet any humans who might approach. In this, the German reports mirror our experience with the Dauphin foals in the US.

Dauphin’s US Foals

Twelve Dauphin foals were born in the US in 2004. Six of these were presented at the Hilton Farm AHS/VhW Inspection in late July. Dolly Varden, a filly out of Moira (Matcho AA/Duft I/ Adlerschild xx), and Doucette, a filly owned by Chris Rush out of former MFM mare Winterset (Weltmeyer/Don Camillo/Widerhall), were called back to the filly final ring. Deklan, the Dauphin colt from Papagena (Pablo/Saloniki/Akzent I), was also called back by the judges, who named him top colt of the inspection.

We can see certain improvements on the dams in the other Dauphin foals at Marefield.

Dickon out of Lorelei (Lortzing/Wenzel/Shogun xx) is one of the sweetest foals ever produced by this mare. He is a real pocket pet, and he is correct and long-legged. He already has a new home with owner Cynthia Rinker.

Demoiselle D’Avignon (Demi), out of Windham (Wenzel/Grand Garcon//Werther), is the best foal this mare has produced. The improvements on the mother include head, neck set, and shoulder. The filly’s legs are long, sturdy and more correct than the dam’s legs, and her movement is better, with much more lift. Windham was bred right back to Dauphin.

Daisy Buchanan, out of Wiccan (Walt Disney/Trapper/Goldfinger), definitely warrants her name. She is a real heartbreaker – a crowd favorite at the inspection – and she is certainly “care-less.” She is a princess and knows it, but then each of Wiccan’s foals has had a very big sense of self. Daisy, however, is coal black (generally a plus) and the prettiest of Wiccan’s offspring to date. She also is the tallest foal from this mare who usually produces pint-sized wonders.That is not to say she is tall; just “taller” than her siblings. Daisy also can move when she wants but she usually is too busy whiffling around exploring and visiting any people she might spot to pay too much attention to snapping whips and shaking bags. As a young foal, she spent a good deal of her time on a tear, doing laps around her mother, so we know that she is energetic and can be very “forward” when she wants.
.
Dame Agatha, the filly from Salvana (Salvano/Akzent I/Ceylon), is almost a clone of her dam. Tall, dignified and a conservative deep bay, she also lives up to her name. She seems destined to become a grand lady. “Aggie” missed the inspection but we have evaluated her to be an improvement on her dam in one very important category. Her lift at the trot surpasses the mother’s quality of gait. She is a keeper who will replace Salvana in the Marefield breeding program.

Four more Dauphin foals in the US went to other AHS/VhW Inspections. Dauphinae, out of Judy Hedreen’s Rigel (Ramiro’s Bube/Wanderer/Windhuk) was named champion foal at Judy’s inspection.

Vanessa Carlson had two Dauphin foals in 2004. The foal from Lambada (Lemon Park/Cavalier) was colt champion at Vanessa’s inspection. Vanessa’s filly out of Elysia (Eiger/Perfekt) is a little charmer. She sold as a suckling.

Chris Rush’s Dauphin filly out of Electra (Eklatant/Argentan/Woermann) was presented at a late October inspection. She was already weaned from her dam and when the bags started shaking and the whips were cracking, she stood next to her human – Chris. Either she’s very laid back or she really loves her person. In either case (and with the typical Dauphin temperament and character, it could be a bit of both), her gaits could not be judged. It was easy to see, however, that she is a big improvement in type over her heavy, old-style dam whom we know well having had her at Marefield for many years.

The Count

We personally know, or know about, such a relative handful of the total Dauphin foal population that it seems a bit foolish to cite color and sex breakdown. Over the years, however, we frequently have been asked this information by breeders interested in a young stallion’s first crop. For what it is worth, the numbers break out in the following manner. (Please remember that these foals represent less than 20% of Dauphin’s 2004 crop.)

12 US Foals (frozen semen)

4 colts 8 fillies
4 chestnuts 3 blacks 5 bays

10 Foals in Germany that we know (fresh semen)

3 colts 7 fillies
1chestnut 3 blacks 6 bays

From this small sampling, it looks as if the fillies dominate... and the chestnut Donnerhall genes do come through.

After a few more crops in Germany, we’ll have a better idea of what Dauphin tends to produce so breeders can make their plans with more information at hand. That is a decided plus of having a stallion in Germany where he breeds to more mares of various types and bloodlines and has more foals on the ground. In a few years those foals will be of age for formal evaluation and that should tell the bigger story.

INSPECTIONS 2004

Stargate Sport Horses – July 27

Avril (Arrian/Davigna), bred by MFM and owned by Michael Miller of Arlington, TX, received an overall inspection score of 7 from judges Ludwig Christmann and Barbara Richardson. Contributing to the final score were 8s on her head and typiness/femininity. Her pleased owner writes: “Avril is my first warmblood and I am so happy with her. I fell in love with warmbloods when I attended Dressage at Devon in 2002 and I am particularly fond of Hanoverians. Presenting Avril at the inspection was a first for me and it turned out to be a very rewarding and educational experience. Avril becoming elite eligible was the icing on the cake! I’m really looking forward to doing the mare performance test with her next year.”

Congratulations, Michael. We are looking forward to that MPT, too.

CONGRATULATIONS

Crystal Baer and Rhiannon

Peggy and Crystal Baer’s Rhiannon (Ramiro’s Bube/EM Papagena) earned a 2nd and a 1st place, with scores of 63 and 75, at First Level in the Dressage at Lexington show on July 17. The following day Crystal and Rhiannon won another class. The combined scores earned the duo High Point award of the weekend in the Junior Rider Division. Earlier this show season, Crystal and Rhiannon earned a 1st, 2nd and 4th in their First Level debut with scores in the 60s. Crystal plans to bring Rhiannon out at Second Level in September.

Before the show season started, Rhiannon was invited to be a demonstration horse at the MAHB Free-Jumping Clinic given by Scott Hassler at Hilltop Farm in Colora, MD. The multi-talented mare was chosen based on the 9.5 jumping average she received at her 2003 mare performance test at Hilton Farm in Orange, VA. Rhiannon’s overall MPT score of 8.5 earned her the Elite Mare title and placed her 2nd among all mares performance tested in the US on the 2003 AHS/VhW Inspection Tour.