After it was announced that German dressage rider Hubertus Schmidt was ending his sporting career due to health reasons, many fans raised the question of what was going to happen to his Grand Prix stallion Escolar (Estobar NRW). The stud station Gut Neuenhof has now given an answer. "We cannot imagine anyone else in the saddle of our Escolar," it sounded. The stallion will therefore follow his rider into sporting retirement, and be used entirely for breeding.
The now 14-year-old Westphalia stallion together with Hubertus formed "a dream team" said Sandra Schürner, the head of stud station Gut Neuenhof. For many years the stud station had been "professionally and amicably linked" with Hubertus Schmidt, and that will not change. Although interest was shown in Escolar more than once, the former member of the German Olympic selection will not go to another rider. "One can understand that [the interest]. But those who know us know that we cannot imagine anyone else in the saddle of our Escolar at a show. Escolar belongs to us, to the stud station Gut Neuenhof, but of course he is also somehow 'Hubertus' stallion'."
The stallion is still full of energy and thus will continue to be in training, although his focus is now entirely on his duties as a stud through the Gut Neuenhof. With 43 licensed sons, Escolar made a mark on the German dressage breed, and the revival of the Westphalian "E-line" is partly due to him. This makes the handsome stallion a highly sought-after sire.
Source: St. Georg