Homebred FLORETIENNE named Reserve Champion of the Markel 6 y.o. Young Horse Championships!

And now it's official! Floretienne is Reserve Champion in the 6 year old Young Horse Championships!! Also high score Oldenburg Verband.

Heartfelt congratulations to owner,  Leslie Waterman, and giant kudos to Emily Juchser Miles for all her hard work and excellent riding! Floretienne is a Florida homebred of mine by Florestan out of Tamarinde by Jazz. ET earned 7.8 for both his trot and canter, exhibiting clear rhythm and cadence in today's final test for an overall score of 7.836

And he was an absolutely darling baby too!

 I am so impressed with the riding of Emily and the management of Leslie... and her commitment and perseverance. We wouldn't see this horse in the winner circle without that team. As they say, "it takes a village to raise a child". I feel like I did the artistic part, the dreaming, and they have done all the hard work and follow through. Lovely! I hope I have another two or three in the making because I don't believe I'll have anymore Foals. I just love that old song of the Grateful Dead: "What a long, strange trip it's been!"

Perfect timing.... SEZUAN puts in a stellar performance while a shipment of his semen is headed to Florida!

At Verden, Sezuan and his rider Dorothea Schneider score a nice 9.52 in the 6 year old class at Verden. On to the Finals.... hopefully to go all the way to World Champion!