Londonderry vs Londontime. Opinions?

Londonderry vs Londontime. What would make you chose the son over the father?

I’ve been dreaming of a Londonderry foal (read: “filly”) for a long time now :slight_smile: Despite my mind being 99% set on the sire (Londonderry), I was wondering what would make one chose to breed to Londontime, over Londonderry.

Thanks for sharing your toughts!

I like both of them very much, I think maybe Londontime is more talented for the sport but Londonderry is more proven, for sure. I cannot tell you the benefits of one over the other as I don’t have much experience with Londontime other than seeing him under saddle. But I can tell you what I know of Londonderry…

I think with Londonderry you get elegance and type, length of leg and trot. Mine is super personable and a barn fav. But she is a bit tricky under the saddle as she is extremely sensitive and can get a bit worried about pressure though she has a great work ethic. I have heard this is pretty normal with the Londonderrys, that they can be a bit tricky. That being said I LOVE my Londonderry mare, she is a blast to ride and she can give such an amazing feeling to the rider. Not really an amateur’s horse though. Just wayyy too sensitive.

Fwiw mine was presented and performance tested to the Hanoverian verband this last fall at Spruce Meadows and she was named Best Canadian Hanoverian Mare, Best in Show and won a second 1A prize. She also completed her MPT with an overall 8.14 with scores of 8.5, 8, 8, 9, 9 for the dressage portion of her test and won the Fritz Floto prize for the highest MPT in Canada. She also attended dressage shows this year after 8 months under saddle and won everything at 1st level, almost always scores in the 70’s.

http://s306.photobucket.com/user/SpruceViewFarms/media/387037_10151018000561529_2065706931_n.jpg.html?sort=3&o=8

http://s306.photobucket.com/user/SpruceViewFarms/media/538689_10151018000906529_1400900030_n.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6

Gorgeous mare!! What is her damside?

Donella,
Did Roxy breed her dam?

Thanks! Her dam is Rosentau /Arkansas/Akzent II/ Perfekt. Stoicfish, no, Rosilla was bred by Rudiger Dupierry.

Do you ever discus with him his choice of Rosentau? I would like to lean more about that stallion.

During the Hannoveraner Breeders Course Dr. Christmann uses Londonderry as the picture of perfect conformation of a modern, refined sporthorse. He definitely seems to pass on these qualities with a high percentage of SPS mares and a slew of approved stallions sons. I have never bred to him but he is known to pass on this great “type”, very nice trot, active hind end (presumably through the Tb). His dam line is quite versatile through both Warkant and Eiger. There are many of his offspring in the hands of AA riders so I take that as a good sign!

Londontime I love. He is quite an impressive stallion, much larger in size and frame than his sire. Possibly through the Walt Disney/ World Cup damline. He has a lovely canter and quick hind end as well. During the course I asked more about him as I was very impressed with him in hand. I was told he can produce a bit hotter/ sensitive horse so to be careful with the dam. I was also told that he can produce larger bodied offspring. Seeing as he is 11 yrs old now there should be plenty of offspring of his showing now in Europe??

Londontime has Trapper in him and I can tell you from experience (I owned a Trapper gelding), these guys were BIG horses and they could have some Attitude. My guess is the bigness of the Londontimes comes from Trapper. My trainer said Floyd (the trapper gelding) was the most talented horse he ever trained. He was the most balanced at everything. He could do one stride of canter down to a step of walk and then pick up the other lead in canter down to a step of walk etc etc… and you didn’t move in the saddle. He was an amazing horse.

Do you ever discus with him his choice of Rosentau? I would like to lean more about that stallion.

He actually passed away in 2008, much too soon. I never asked him about Rosentau but I have seen the stallion and quite liked him from what I could see. I don’t think his photos do him justice at all, he is really beautiful and very R line. I think Kathy Bruner has a Rosentau mare from Roxy’s breeding program, maybe that is the one you are thinking of?

[QUOTE=Donella;7284146]
Do you ever discus with him his choice of Rosentau? I would like to lean more about that stallion.

He actually passed away in 2008, much too soon. I never asked him about Rosentau but I have seen the stallion and quite liked him from what I could see. I don’t think his photos do him justice at all, he is really beautiful and very R line. I think Kathy Bruner has a Rosentau mare from Roxy’s breeding program, maybe that is the one you are thinking of?[/QUOTE]

I know of Cathie’s mare but I thought of Roxy’s because she brought the semen in. Glad to hear that he is a nice stallion. We miss out on many good stallions here. Thanks for your input.

I would also say:
Londontime produces more frame and size than Londonderry.
One hears a lot of positive information from the professional barns about his offspring (rideability and trainability).
I also like the topline better and the good hindleg.

I have used him and the result is lucky (see in the in my signature). The mare Sandro Hit - Rouletto is pregnant by him again as I was very convinced of this combination. Filly is intelligent and not on the hot side. I rather like her and we have just done some new Video for a person who is interested in her:

http://youtu.be/OOuvIQXjGOg

Typically, what is the leg length like on the Londontimes?

Interesting discussion. I do like your Lucky filly Alexandra!!
And I hear and observe much of what Alexandra and Blume say. I’ve seen Londontimes - he is big! He is wonderful to observe undersaddle. I think you’d not expect the refinement you might get from Londonderry, but certainly the correctness of gaits, rideability and size could be “more”.
At his stallion station, the handlers/muckers say he is good to handle and deal with. Their “favourite” at that station was Lissaro, but they also liked both Londontimes and Furst Nymphenbutg for the tractability.

FWIW, I just read that Londontime was very difficult to insure due to such terrible x-rays. I can’t find much in the way of a successful sport career, I wonder if it is due to a soundness issue. I am only thinking this from the limited bit of research via the internet.

ThistleDew - where did you read this?

Here is the link, again, I do not know this first hand, I am simply putting it out there . I would be interested to see if someone has more information.
http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2013/01/german-breeding-values-what-do-they-mean/

Thanks. Interesting article.

The story about Londontime and bad xrays comes up again and again.

I know people who have seen the x-rays when he was at the riding horse auction.
The way the horses are alreay insured at the auction and for that the x-rays are for sure part of the insurance checks… So I would need to ask these people (vets) what they have seen. I have also heard that he had laminitis prior to the auciton, but no clue if that os true or not.

But for what it is worth I would doubt that a lot of the stallion rearers look into offspring by him, if they would be known as having more xray issues than offspring of other stallions.

Since the same vet who has seen those xrays inseminated this mare and used him on one of her own, i doubt that there was an issue that has an effect on breeding or better to be inherited.

Regarding refinement: I would expect some, but maybe not in the way that some define it.
I would expect a horse with frame and hight but not like a barrel or tank. As one can see in both of the video, the dam has substance, but is pretty and refined.

I can’t find much in the way of a successful sport career, I wonder if it is due to a soundness issue.

I doubt it is a soundness issue, I have seen him under saddle and he looks very capable of doing well in a small tour class. That was two years ago though…

I saw him in 2012 at the Elite Auction Gala Evening (spring). He was outstanding, and showed approx PSG movements