Raphaea is the last foal from Galatee, an old-style mare with a venerable heritage bred from important foundation bloodlines. As the only descendent from this family remaining in the Marefield herd, Raphaea carries into the breeding program valuable genetics, with two generations of state's premium mares on her bottom line.

Her sire, Rienzi, is also a product of Marefield breeding, coming from a mare line established by the Sommerfeld family in Germany. Rienzi's dam, Bounty, has produced performance horses for the US as well as elite mare and state's premium daughters. Rienzi's full sister, SPS Ranis, was class winner of the 1999 Louis-Wiegels-Schau and was nominated to the 2000 Ratje Niebuhr-Schau. Rheia, an elite mare candidate, is in training for a performance career. A Rienzi half sister, EM Regan (by Ravallo), owned by Laura Whitford, was top-scoring Hanoverian on the 1998 AHS/VhW Inspection Tour. Rienzi’s grandam, Lomella, is full sister to Lanthan and is also grandam of the Champion Young Mare, Ratje Niebuhr-Schau 2002.

At the 2002 Raleigh Breed Show, handler/trainer Bob Orton guided Raphaea to the filly and young horse championships. Raphaea received a score of 81.1% from judge Hilda Gurney to win the Hanoverian Young Horse IBC at the same competition.

Raphaea is the first mare to enter the breeding program who carries a Marefield motherline from the sire’s side. Keeping it all in the family, we are breeding her to Dauphin, a young stallion from another Marefield dam line.

Raphaea photo in logo header at top of the page by Terri Miller
Conformation photo in picture column at left by Sherra Kosch