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OPINION: best fresh semen GOV Dressage Sire for selling foal

I’m searching for the best fresh semen stallion for a large blk 17.1 hand Str premium imported maiden Oldenburg mare. Her lines are Donnerhall, Pik Bube, Glorieox and Feinbrand. Her weaknesses are long back, thick neck and straighter croup. She went to 4th level dressage. Sire must be cooled semen approved GOV, Oldenburg Verband. I’m looking at Rousseau, Wamberto, Furst Impression, Sinatra Song, Wild Dance… but not sure about them or other sires I’m missing. Who are the sires who’s foals sell best and are most desired? Color and size does not matter. I love Furst Heinrich lines. Please send opinions on best stallions with fresh semen!!! Thanks!.

I would cross post on the breeding forum.

Def. post on the breeding forum. Need more info on the mare. I LOVE Rousseau - but love Negro even more

It’s hard to say without seeing your mare but we have a Negro gelding at my barn and a Rousseau mare that another trainer hauls in for lessons. Both are absolutely stunning horses and from what I know both have lovely temperaments. I will say that the Negro is humungous so if you’re concerned about size that might be a consideration since your mare is also large. I don’t know what Negro throws in that regard but might be something to think about, especially if the foal will be a sale horse. There definitely seems to be a trend toward horses in the 16 - 16.2 range, especially amongst ammies.

It is very hard to say without seeing your mare. Negro is fantastic but is tricky in temperament and can throw tricky in temperament. He’s about 16.1 hh and is only available frozen. Rousseau is less tricky and known to throw less tricky. He’s tall and may create a 17hh plus foal with your 17++ hh mare - some people like that but many don’t want a horse that tall. At the end of the day, What are your mare’s exact lines? Has she been inspected and what are her scores? Is she started undersaddle and what are her strengths and weaknesses? You need to choose a complimentary stallion and HOPE for a sellable foal, yet be prepared for what you get. Are you planning to send the foal to inspection? Picking a sellable stallion means nothing if he doesn’t nick with your mare and create a good foal. The popular stallions are bred to too many nice/suitable mares and produce too many nice foals. Your foal would be competing against these crosses if you pick a stallion because of his popularity rather than his nick with your mare.

[QUOTE=J-Lu;7007286]
It is very hard to say without seeing your mare. Negro is fantastic but is tricky in temperament and can throw tricky in temperament. He’s about 16.1 hh and is only available frozen. Rousseau is less tricky and known to throw less tricky. He’s tall and may create a 17hh plus foal with your 17++ hh mare - some people like that but many don’t want a horse that tall. At the end of the day, What are your mare’s exact lines? Has she been inspected and what are her scores? Is she started undersaddle and what are her strengths and weaknesses? You need to choose a complimentary stallion and HOPE for a sellable foal, yet be prepared for what you get. Are you planning to send the foal to inspection? Picking a sellable stallion means nothing if he doesn’t nick with your mare and create a good foal. The popular stallions are bred to too many nice/suitable mares and produce too many nice foals. Your foal would be competing against these crosses if you pick a stallion because of his popularity rather than his nick with your mare.[/QUOTE]

Is that true? Since he is standing at Hilltop, I assumed he would be available fresh.

[QUOTE=dudleyc;7007464]
Is that true? Since he is standing at Hilltop, I assumed he would be available fresh.[/QUOTE]

Hilltop’s website says: “2013 Breeding Fee: Book is full for 2013”
http://www.hilltopfarminc.com/stallion_negro.html
and, I believe that Hilltop simply offered Negro frozen semen for the US market.

[QUOTE=dudleyc;7007464]
Is that true? Since he is standing at Hilltop, I assumed he would be available fresh.[/QUOTE]

Hilltop just handles frozen semen for Negro - he still resides in Europe. His book is also closed for 2013.

A friend of mine has an imported premium mare by Wolkentanz II out of a Donnerhall / Pik Bube mare. She bred her to Sandro Hit and got a really lovely mare who is now the cornerstone of her breeding program - has had all premium foals from her so far (by Quaterback, Rousseau, and Totilas).

There are a ton of approved Sandro Hit sons in NA (I can think of at least a dozen of them), and the SH line often produces pretty foals with big trots and good canters (traits that tend to attract foal buyers). So in addition to Sinatra Song, look at Soprano, Sagnol, etc. You can see a bunch of them in the current OHBS/GOV roster - http://oldenburghorse.net/upload/ebook/2013_Stallion_Book_gekuerzt.pdf . (It takes a long time to load, though.)

As for stallions “whose foals sell the fastest”, there really aren’t a lot of dressage type stallions in NA whose foals are in such huge demand, they “fly off the shelves”. I think Rousseau is one who tends to have the most name recognition, but I know someone with a really nice 2 y/o Rousseau colt, black with chrome and priced very reasonably, and she hasn’t been able to get him sold (I think part of the problem, though, is she wants the buyer to keep him intact).

But if your main goal is to produce a foal that sells quickly, I would think Rousseau may be the best bet.

Thank you everyone. Actually I’m the mother of the owner and am helping my daughter with research because she is extremely busy at her job. Here is her pedigree: http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/leonesse3 She is st premium imported and I’m not sure of scores. My daughter said she needs a shorter back, quicker rear end with more impulsion. Yes, my daughter is looking to produce premuim foal at inspection. I’m trying to convince her to go frozen semen which will open more doors. Must have first foal by sire approved Oldenburg Verband. Her mare got to 4th level dressage and won at 3rd level.

Everybody wants a premium foal! :wink:

The stallions you are listing are a bit different in type and bloodlines. Some of the stallions are established and some pretty new too. Does it matter to you? On the one hand there is an argument that the newest hot, young stallion is the way to go for a quick sale. I’m thinking more along the lines of an import there, btw. Makes it “exclusive” and frankly, you haven’t been proven wrong in your cross yet, as nothing is under saddle. On the other hand it sounds like this is her first foal and you may want to stick to more proven stallion. The later would be my suggestion, fwiw.

Based on the quick sale comments, I would be wary of breeding with the expectation of actually turning a profit. You (she) can get burned when there is no foal, something goes wrong with the foal after delivery, baby doesn’t sell, etc. But enough about that.

I agree with the SH for foal makers.

Also, I would not discount color if we are talking about foal sale. Sad but true. Also, people like pretty heads on babies. Ugh. I must stop there. Too depressing! :slight_smile:

Make sure she uses an excellent reproduction clinic. That can save a lot of headaches, particularly if this is the first horse she’s bred. Look into the stallion’s fertility. If you know all that, then please disregard.

http://www.dreamscapefarm.com
Sir Gregory is available fresh and he’s 16.2 so not great big.
Dauphin known to be a bit “smaller” but I dont know what he is available in.
Donarweiss GGF is 16h and available through Hilltop but looks like Frozen.

What about Liberty Gold? I liked him a lot when he first arrived. And his pedigree is great. But I haven’t followed how his offspring have done.

Thank you for the feedback. Yes I agree with you on all. Color: I’ve been looking for blacks because I prefer them over bays (blk mare). I kinda laughed when I was asked if I was looking for premium foal. I’m looking for top scoring premium foal for the year. But that is the dream like winning the Kentucky Derby…not likely. My daughter just wanted me to post to get some feedback on sires. Has anybody seen or been around Rousseau’s sons? Fiorano has come on the radar too. Wondering about his temperment. Is he really a score 9.5 in temperment?

I forgot to say this would be my daughter’s fourth foal. She has bred three out of Trakehner mares. One premium (top colt) and one 8.0 overall. The first was not inspected as foal and just missed premium mare in foal inspection. All had fresh semen and she is concerned about the frozen not taking.

Benidetto?

Lots of options. I vote Sagnol. I love Sir Gregory but that would give you a LOT of Donnerhall…

Rubignon or Don de Marco might be ones to look at.

[QUOTE=ewells;7008721]
http://www.dreamscapefarm.com
Sir Gregory is available fresh and he’s 16.2 so not great big.
QUOTE] My friend just foaled a Sir Gregory filly out of her Donates x Lorelei/Lanciano mare. It is a NICE filly!