Portrait of a Breeder: Stutteri G

The lovely sons and daughters by Farrell

Filomena G. is one of several offspring by Blue Hors Farrell bred at Helene Geervliet’s Stutteri G located near Lynge in Denmark. But even though Filomena has got three, soon to be 4, younger offspring by Farrell to be compared to back home, the 3-year-old mare who has got Wynton for dam sire and Belissimo M as dams-dam sire has still managed to make an impeccable impression.

One thing is that she is a true beauty. Helene remarks that Filomena’s gorgeous red colour with striking white markings make her resemble another famous Farrell-daughter, dam of the year; Grevens Fakina. Another thing about Filomena is that just like the rest of the Farrell-offspring at Stutteri G she is an uncomplicated horse with great manners and a good attitude. Besides this, Filomena recently got graded and awarded with the title of being a ”Statspremiert” mare as well as with a spot in the Hannoveraner Verband’s Hauptstutbuch. A result, as well as title, that got her and Stutteri G an invitation to the elite mare show; Herwart von der Decken Schau in Verden, Germany.

Filomena underlined her spectacular qualities in Verden where she went into the best half of her group. She was exemplarily shown by Stutteri G’s rider and examined trainer Carsten Vesterskov. The stud expects a promising future with their lovely Farrell-daughter, who is now on maternity leave in foal with Blue Hors Monte Carlo b. Dream Boy/United. Helene Geervliet cheerfully mentions that this is a maternity leave that has not been received with one-sided joy by Carsten, who loves working with the mare:

“Her good attitude and work ethic is sublime – and she could for sure be a very exciting broodmare! But we want her to function mainly as a riding horse. She has already been thriving and showing her huge capacity under rider, so our goal for her is to develop her gifts even further and turn her into the talented dressage horse we believe she will become to the sport!”  

Three generations of mares at the Herwart von der Decken Schau

Stutteri G consists of nine broodmares. This year two are having a year “off”. Four of the seven pregnant mares are in foal with stallions from Blue Hors, Filomena being one of two who are in foal with Monte Carlo. Besides Filomena, bronzemedal-mare De Vie G. b. Blue Hors Don Olymbrio/Blue Hors Don Schufro is also in foal with Monte Carlo. Just like Shanti G. b. Sezuan/Salomon/Don Schufro is in foal with the stallion-favourite; Farrell. A fourth mare who is expecting an offspring by a Blue Hors stallion at Stutteri G is De Vie’s mother; silver medal-mare; Duffy b. Don Schufro. Duffy was bought at Blue Hors by Stutteri G back in 2016, and is now happily in foal with Blue Hors Zack b. Rousseau/Jazz – a match that the stud expects a lot from! Besides being a stallion match, that has proven itself as extremely strong with horses like Sezuan, Straight Horse Ascenzione, Skovens Tzarina and more, it is also a match of genes which showed itself as being extremely fruitful as Duffy was successfully inseminated with only one insemination in her foal heat at Stutteri G.

If you dive a little bit deeper down in the bloodlines of the Stutteri G-mares, you will sense a tendency in the use of the golden mix of the loose shoulders from the electric KWPN-blood with the powerful hind legs and strong mechanicsfrom the German stallions. Something you see in Filomena’s mother; Wynona G., who is a mix based on the Dutch Jazz-son; Wynton and the German Belissimo M. Two bloodlines which gives you the best of two worlds when combined, allowing a strengthening of the next generation of offspring. This focus on mindful breeding shows its worth especially with Filomena participating in the Hewart van der Decken Schau.

”Filomena’s invitation to Verden is a pattern that she mimics from her mother Wynona G. as well as her damsdam Bella Donna. Both Filomena’s dam and damsdam were invited and participated in the prestigious Herwart von der Decken Schau. We were there for both Filomena and her mother Wynona, who are both bred at our stud, but it was the speaker during the presentation of Filomena, who made us aware of the fact that also Wynonas dam, Bella Donna, had participated at the same show. This making Filomena the third mare in her family tree to be invited to the Herwart von der Decken Schau”

– Helene Geervliet

This means that whenever Helene, her rider and niece, Michelle Geervliet and trainer Carsten Vesterskov plans out what stallions has made enough of an impression on them at the inspections, try-outs and open house-events to be matched up with one of their mares during the breeding season, it is always with the bloodlines of their mares in mind. These are bloodlines that excites the stud every day, while also proving themselves to be successful, especially now when it is time to take a breather with the riding horses doing well, the mares being integrated and pregnant, the foals socialising with each other in the fields and the weather still treating everyone nicely.

The future does seem bright at Stutteri G with promising foals and exciting riding horses.

Stallion crushes and thoughtful breeding

”My offspring by Farrell have already at a young age shown themselves to be positive developers. The difference when seeing them as foals, as 1-year-olds and then again as riding horses, only confirms the huge ridability, the good temper, the sublime gaits – and the beautiful looks! So it is no wonder I’ve chosen to make several of them” Helene explains. At the stud both the use of Farrell and Don Olymbrio has repeated itself more than once, bringing along great results and good horses.

This year, Farrell is once again meant to be the father for one of Stutteri G’s 2021-foals. At the same time, two new studs have arrived to the town that is the breeding plan of Stutteri G; Monte Carlo and Zack. These stallions were chosen due to the feeling they brought forth in Helene’s gut when experiencing the two of them. Just like Farrell their bloodlines matches those of her mares, but the offspring and the overall results produced by the stallions are equally important.

To Stutteri G the falling in love when choosing a stallion is one of more important factors of the process. A stallion can be a superstar who fits one’s mare to perfection, but he might not be the one to give the breeder the feeling of having an old school crush with big dreams of Grand Prix and the Young Horse Championships. The perfect match is meant to fit both mare, breeder and stallion, allowing all implied to gain exactly what fits into one’s hopes and expectations. For Helene and Stutteri G, this happened with Monte Carlo. Helene mentions that his bloodlines including stallions like Dream Boy, United and Jazz speaks loud and clear for itself. In 2021 the 16. offspring with a direct Blue Hors-link will be born a Stutteri G, making the mixing of the blood of Zack, Farrell and Monte Carlo with that of her mares even more filled with expectations of something really great – hopefully it will be the best year of offspring yet for the stud. Something Helene gleefully pinpoints as her claim for each year’s new foals: “Each new generation of foals that are born here are even better than the last!”

Besides having crushes, falling in love and dreaming, the stallions are of course also chosen with more practical aspects in mind. The stud appreciates the possibility to use the good quality-semen from local top-stallions, available throughout the season at the exact time that the mares need it. The semen-transport works flawlessly and the whole journey from stallion to pregnant mare is thoroughly effective and functional. Something that is very important to all breeders, and especially to Helene, an examined inseminator who has a lot of broodmares at stud, demanding and appreciating the successful and correct semen, transport and inseminations during the breeding season.

Breeding goals

The whole team behind Stutteri G acknowledges a certain amount of humbling and thankfulness for receiving healthy and functional offspring who only shows themselves to become even better for each year to come. A development that has slow and steadily begun to bring results with it, hopefully able to fulfil some of the stud’s long term breeding goals.

To Stutteri G and Helene the goal is to breed the Grand Prix-horses, breeding stallions and medal-receiving mares of tomorrow – as well as coming WBCYH-participants. A goal the team of the stud would like to be a part of during each horse’s individual journey. Stutteri G offers top-facilities for both foals, mares and riding horses, and therefore they mostly like to keep their youngsters until they turn 3-4 and are ready to be sold as riding horses ready for competition or breeding. But, as Helene mentions, she does also sell around 3 foals per year, when the ’foal-volume’ is at its’ max: ”so that we can avoid having to build our stables in upper and lower levels”

The mindful breeding and the appreciation of good bloodlines, like the one of silver medal-mare Duffy and Filomena’s mother; Wynonas are what counts at Stutteri G. A sharp focus on continuously breeding the good horses for both future stud and riding, creates a solid ground for the exciting generations of horses and foals at the stud, making the hard work done at Stutteri G worth it – both for the G-horses of now and those coming in the future.