The winners of the free jumping final in Westphalia

Three and four-year-old riding horses and ponies were able to recommend themselves for the 2026 free jumping final at eight qualifying events throughout Westphalia. The prerequisite was a score of 8.0 or better for the horses and 7.5 or better for the ponies. Last Saturday, around 50 young show jumping talents came together to be assessed, evaluated and commented on by judges Carsten Lenz and Carl Hanley.

Three-year-old riding horses

16 three-year-old riding horses had achieved the minimum score in the qualifications and presented themselves to the jury in Münster-Handorf. The best of them all with an overall score (ability/manner) of 9.0 was Olana by Ogano-Casino Grande, bred and exhibited by Herbert Laukötter in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. The Holsteiner dam line 1571 is behind here, which has produced a whole series of licensed sons, including the brothers Chavaros I and II in more recent times. The sire is a Darco grandson via Ogano Sitte.

The second and third-placed horses followed hot on their heels. With a score of 8.9, second place went to DaSilva ST by Diro-Colambo, bred by Frank Steiling, who was also an exhibitor together with his wife Kathrin Uthmann-Steiling. The award-winning sire is internationally successful with Calvin Böckmann. The mare line also produced the Moritzburg state stud stallion Fürst Wettin.

The Heinrich and Philipp Sterthoff stud farm had a very successful weekend with three top three placings in Hamm. In the three-year-old class, they exhibited a still nameless Don VHP Z daughter, who was awarded the third-best score of 8.8. Although the bay is registered in Westphalia, she has Zangersheide parents with mixed ancestors. Behind the Diamant de Semilly son Don VHP Z, once Harrie Smolders’ best horse, the pedigree continues with Cornet Obolensky-Stakkato-Gloster. The Gloster mare is the dam of Ingrid Klimke’s Vayron, who was also bred by the Sterthoff family.

Four-year-old riding horses

The 8.8 winner in the four-year-old class, Oakland TF, also comes from a successful dam line. The “TF” stands for Team Fallenberg, more precisely for Ines and Rainer Fallenberg from Ennigerloh, who are the breeders and exhibitors here. Oakland TF is a direct son of Ogano Sitte and therefore a grandson of Darco. The dam’s side continues with Zinedine-Cornet Obolensky-Bormio xx. The Cornet Obolensky mare named Cosmashiva produced the licensed Catoki’s Cornet, who was successful up to 1.55 meters. The Bormio xx daughter Blueprint is also the dam of Chakira TF NRW by Congress, who took second place with Sönke Fallenberg in the final of Germany’s U25 Jumping Cup 2023, among others.

They were followed by two four-year-old mares from the Sterthoff family that have not yet been officially baptized. The first was a Cornet Obolensky-Diarado-Baloubet du Rouet-Libero H daughter with a score of 8.7, who represents a Westphalian dam line that in the past was mainly cultivated in the Netherlands and produced numerous advanced (S) level show jumpers and dressage horses there.

Third place with a score of 8.6 went to a daughter of For Treasure, who is a half-sister to the Don VHP Z daughter who came third in the three-year-old class, i.e. also a representative of the “Vayron family”.

Riding ponies

There were not only strong performances among the big ones. A total of 14 three-year-old riding ponies made it to Münster. Vina by Viva Vidal, bred at Gut Betzen in Dörentrup and exhibited by Sophia Barth in Dörentrup, put in the best performance on day X. She received a strong 8.9. She received a strong 8.9. Her dam is a large horse mare by Rock Forever-Con Sherry-Kaiserwind-Paradiesvogel. The Paradiesvogel dam is also the dam of the premium stallion Quatergold by Quaterback, who was trained up to Grand Prix level.

The field of four-year-old riding ponies was much more manageable with three candidates, of which Duplo White ND was able to outperform his two competitors with a score of 7.85. “ND” stands for breeder and exhibitor Nicole Dummer in Rietberg. Duplo White ND is a son of Double Cream out of a New Star dam.