THE RECORD

Winterlight is by Weltmeyer, a stallion who needs no introduction. At birth, the bay colt looked as if he would favor the Prince Thatch XX on his dam’s side. As he has developed, however, Winterlight has displayed in his type an interesting mix from both sides of the pedigree. That development has been a long process and it is only as a coming 5-year old that Winterlight is starting to come into his own.

Winterlight went through the late licensing at Verden in November 2000. From there he was sent to Hof Kleemeyer where he was prepared by resident trainer Ingrid Wilkens for the 70-day SPT at Adelheidsdorf.

CLICK HERE FOR THE SPT RESULTS

After completion of the performance test, Winterlight returned to Hof Kleemeyer to continue in training with Ingrid. Hof Kleemeyer was a natural choice for Winterlight’s training since it is what could be called his ancestral home. His dam, SPS Priscilla, is from the Kleemeyer breeding program and many of Winterlights’s relatives are in the breeding and training program at the farm.

Over the following season, the late-maturing 4-year old was campaigned lightly and always placed in both materiale and entry level dressage classes; a good mind and willing character making up for his slow development. Britta Johnston had an opportunity to ride Winterlight while he was at Hof Kleemeyer and she remembered afterwards the good feeling she got from his strong back and easy rideability. In February 2003, Britta and husband Steve entered in partnership with Marefield to become co-owners of Winterlight and imported him to Virginia.

Winterlight has been in training with Britta at Baer Back Farm, Orlean, VA since his release from quarantine and in early June he was entered in his first US competitions, the back-to-back Morven Park and VADA/NOVA breed shows. At the latter, Winterlight earned the reserve stallion, reserve mature horse and reserve grand champion titles.

All Winterlight photos by Susan Sexton unless otherwise indicated.