His Highness, a son of Hohenstein out of a dam by Donnerhall, was the Hanoverian licensing champion of 2002. He had to be put down at the age of 7 after a tragic accident, which was devastating to owners Louise and Doug Leatherdale, as well as to Jens Meyer’s breeding station in Dorum, Germany, where he had been stationed throughout his life.
His career had begun so strongly, as a stallion as well as a sport horse. Today – seven years after his death – it is certain that this stallion made a very important contribution to sport horse breeding in his mere five years of action.
His Highness’ progeny include 16 licensed stallions and 45 state premium mares, as well as an ever-increasing number of superior performers in upper level dressage. His sons Hampton and Haydn were finalists last year at the Nuremberg Burgpokal in Frankfurt.
His Highness’ offspring achieved a total of €138,165 in winnings by the end of 2013. More than 430 of them, the oldest of which are now 10 years old, are successful sport horses.
For example, Hendrix, a licensed son from a Regazzoni mother, won the Inter I dressage in Redefin this year and achieved an excellent third place finish in the Hamburg Dressage Derby. His Heini, a 10-year-old son of His Highness and Woermann, was, along with his rider Silvia Busch Kuffner, a serial winner in dressage competitions, earning the title of Oldenburg Reserve Champion as well as the Golden Riding Badge.
At the Nuremberg Burgpokal Tour this year, Holly made a name for herself. The daughter of His Highness out of a dam by Walt Disney qualified, along with her rider Bianca Baum, in Mannheim for this popular dressage series for young dressage horses.
Beyond that, we have Harley, Harry Potter, Heartbreaker, Helena, etc. etc. etc. – the list of His Highness’ successful offspring is long. Even in a completely different sporting sector, His Highness’ offspring make a splash: at the CHIO in Aachen, AHA, son of His Highness and Sunlight, was named the most successful vaulting horse this year.
Hannah, the 3-year-old daughter of His Highness out of a mare by Damsey, incidentally the only His Highness offspring of the year 2011, qualified as a state premium candidate for the Herwart von der Decken-Show in early August in Verden.
“His offspring simply have priceless values when it comes to readiness to learn, rideability and character,” reported Jens Meyer a bit nostalgically, and he looks forward to breeding even more.
About Leatherdale Farms
Situated 20 minutes from Minneapolis, MN, Leatherdale Farms is a privately owned farm owned and managed by Louise and Doug Leatherdale and dedicated to Hanoverian, Trakehner and Oldenburg breeding. The Leatherdale family owns several licensed stallions based in Germany at Hengstation Jens Meyer: Hanoverians Dorum, the premium elite, Damsey (Dressage Royal), First Dance (Florestan II), Rob Roy (Rubin Royale), Hampton (His Highness), Beltano (Belissimo M); the premium elite Trakehner, Herzensdieb (Tambour); and the Oldenburg Fairbanks (Flemmingh). Frozen semen is available in North America and Europe.