America's 10 Most Influential Sport Horse Breeders

[DownYonder]

I know Friday is not a good day to start looking for input, but I have been asked to consider writing an article on America’s most influential sport horse breeders.

So, fellow COTHers - how about some names? Who do you feel has made the most impact on U.S. sport horse breeding over the past 10-15 years?

I have 5-6 folks in mind so far but am curious to know what others think.

[vineyridge]

Which sports?

[Equine_Reproduction]

[QUOTE=DownYonder;5058231]
I know Friday is not a good day to start looking for input, but I have been asked to consider writing an article on America’s most influential sport horse breeders.

So, fellow COTHers - how about some names? Who do you feel has made the most impact on U.S. sport horse breeding over the past 10-15 years?

I have 5-6 folks in mind so far but am curious to know what others think. :D[/QUOTE]

Boy, that’s a tough one. There are obvious choices like Hilltop and Iron Springs Farm, but I know of smaller breeders that have fought to get information out there and educate people about some of the processes along the way. Rebecca Pennington (Sonesta) comes to mind on that front in educating people about the 100 (now 70) day tests, trying to get video information out there on the testing so breeders can have a visual of what it’s about and how the stallions actually “look and perform”, etc., as well as trying to educate people about Knabstruppers. And are you looking for just those that are producing the top horses? Or those that are fighting the good fight and have managed to hang in for the long haul? <lol>. Either way…have fun with that one!

[mlcoursin]

Judy Yancey comes immediately to my mind:0) Hilltop Farm…and Mo Swanson…i know there are a few more, but after work today my mind is mush:-(

[Dressage_Art]

Not sure about the the country wide, but those 3 immediately come to mind from my area. Lots of people doing business with them for many years.

http://www.losalamosdressage.com/ Gail Hoff-Carmona

http://www.dgbarranch.com/ DG Bar Ranch and Willy Arts

http://www.rainbowequus.com/ Susan & Edgar Schutte

Also I see lots and lots of quality local Winterprinz babies lately: http://www.yarrayarraranch.com/Stallions%20WP%20and%20Andric.htm

[ahf]

What about Gerd Zuther back when he was running November Hill?

[tempichange]

Watermark Farm
Iron Spring
Hilltop
Judy Yancey
Cannan Ranch
DG Bar
Mystic Gaits Farm

There are a ton of western ones as well.

[talloaks]

Are you looking for stallion owners with large farms and lots of mares? or are you looking for breeders of high scoring foals, and accomplished sport horses??
Which breed or registry? Which performance?

[acottongim]

To add to the list… Jean Brinkman at Valhalla Farm (http://valhallatrakehner.com/) frankly she was the first person that came to mind (and not just because she is a TK breeder).

[Winter_Mill]

Marefield Meadows and High Point Hanoverians.

[MaximumChrome]

If you are reaching back 10 to 15 years - don’t forget one of the first big Hanoverian breeders, Glenwood Farms. Judy Ehlers shared a LOT of information with a LOT of breeders, big and small, for a long, long time. And they brought in several stallions who still influence dressage breeding in the US - how many breeders see Diamont or Kalypso or one of their other stallions names show up in their foundation broodmares?

I also agree, DG Bar, Hilltop, Iron Springs, Rainbow Equus must make that list.

[ahf]

Joan Fox Miller
Phyllis Jones
Joan Dunning

eta:
Marguerite Taylor

[DownYonder]

Which sports?

Good question. I think I will focus on dressage, hunters, jumpers. Not sure there has been enough purpose-breeding of eventers in the U.S., but I am willing to be proven wrong. Same with combined driving. And I am leaving out reining because it has only fairly recently been recognized as a “sport horse” discipline. I would not be able to condense the article enough for publication if I tried to cover all discplines.

Are you looking for stallion owners with large farms and lots of mares? or are you looking for breeders of high scoring foals, and accomplished sport horses??
Which breed or registry? Which performance?

Breed/registry will not come into play, but the breeders must have focused on the three disciplines I mentioned above. Subjects could be stallion owners with large farms/lots of mares or breeders of successful sport horses if they have made a significant impact. Don’t necessarily want to include breeders of top scoring foals as I not sure that could be categorized as “making an impact”.

Mystic Gaits Farm

Tempichange, you got me on this one. Can you elaborate?

…smaller breeders that have fought to get information out there and educate people about some of the processes along the way.

Good point and definitely worthy of consideration.

[Dressagelvr]

Don’t forget the Leatherdales

[PineTreeFarm]

Jumpers
Tatra Farm
Newsprint Farms
Bertram Firestone
Carol Lush
Joan Irvine Smith
The Chapot family

Hunters
High Point Hanoverians
Wah’Kon Tah

Eventers
people like Denny emerson have been breeding Eventers for decades.

[Rita1]

Ken Borden of Little Bit Farm

[Oakstable]

Tish Quirk

[hessy35]

Highpoint Hanoverians, Of course.

[vineyridge]

Hidden Creek does some breeding, doesn’t it?
Bannockburn Farms

[not_again]

Bruce Davidson
Mary Hazzard
Denny Emerson
Al Steiert