Wonderful
was purchased in 1995 for sport and was imported to the
US
in 1997. In 2000, German FN ranked Wonderful
the “#1 dressage sire” in the younger stallion
category, based on his offspring's show records in
Germany
. Wonderful achieved the impressive dressage
breed index of 156.
In 1991, Wonderful
was named Reserve champion at the stallion licensing at
Verden
,
Germany
out of 100 stallions. The Hanoverian State Stud Stallion
Book described him “excellent conformation, striking
nobility, a very good type and expression”. Wonderful
is bred out of an exceptional dam line and passes on his
unlimited dressage talent.
Performance
Wonderful
started competing at M level (3rd - 4th level) dressage in
1996. He has
been winning with scores of 80 - 85%. At age 7, Wonderful
began schooling all Grand Prix movements. Wonderful’s
video was taken when he was only 8.
Progeny
Wonderful
served at the State Stud for three years. Many of his
foals won at breed shows throughout
Germany
. In 1996, a 2-year-old filly was the champion of her
class and the Grand
Champion at Bargstedt Mare Show. Again, in 1997 the
Bargstedt mare show champion was a mare by Wonderful.
During 1997, three
3-year-old fillies by Wonderful were awarded
State Premiums at the Bargstedt mare show. Also in the
United States, the inspection overall champion mare, and
one of the only three Hanoverian mares that scored 8 or
above at the 1997 AHS inspection tour was a black filly
named Wondergirl,
by Wonderful. In 1999, Wondergirl went on to
win her mare performance test with an overall score of
8.33 and an incredible ridability score of 9!
Wonderful’s
first
US
foal crop arrived in 1999. Wonderful’s
foals span from
Rhode Island
,
Virginia
,
Florida
,
Canada
, all the way to
Hawaii
. Among his
US
foals, we have inspection and breed show champions, and
impressive stallion candidates, Several
of Wonderful’s foals were sold
prior to weaning with prices as high as $12,000. Wonderful's
other imported offspring have been successfully marketed
and sold in the $40,000 to $50,000 range.
Wonderful
has been a sire or grandsire to several horses
participating in the prestigious Elite auctions in
Verden
,
Germany
. At the 1998 Fall Elite auction, Winwood,
a 3-year-old gelding by Wonderful, was
selected and imported by Pan Am and World Equestrian Game
Gold Medalist, Debbie McDonald. This youngster went on to
represent the
US
in 2000 for the World Breeding Championships in
Holland
with owner/trainer Heather Bender. Winwood also finished
2000 with many wins in CDS and USDF championships with
scores as high as 80+%. Winwood was the champion of USDF
All-Breeds award at First Level in 2000, and Reserve
Champion of USDF All-Breeds award at 3rd level in 2001.
In 2003, at the age of 8, Winwood has started his winning
way at Prix St. George and I-1. He was 4th in the
nation to qualify for the USEF Intermediaire-1
Championship held with 2004 Olympic Selection Trial in
San Juan Capistrano
. Olympian Debbie McDonald selected Wonderful
to breed for her sponsor River Grove Farm.
Wonderful's
US
crops are still young, but already have started to shine
in the USDF Breeding in-hand classes and lower level
dressage. He has foals ranked highly in the USDF
Sporthorse in-hand Year-End Awards while their amateur
breeders only showed a few times for fun.
Wonderful
is a proven sire with a very high prepotency of passing
down his athleticism and gentle temperament. His older
German-born offspring have demonstrated that they are not
only exceptional as foals, but also as future performance
horses. The statistical Breed Index of 156 says it all!
