Hanno Ellermann and 5 – year- old winner Kristallo, photos Liis Ira
At the end of July one of the most important events for Estonian Sport Horse Breeders was held: the Breeding Jumping Championships 2020.
Four-year-old horses
For the second year in a row The Championships were held at Perila Equestrian Center near our capital Tallinn. The centre has one of the best and largest outdoor arenas is Estonia. By that time there was no coronavirus restrictions anymore, but since beginning of the season shows were mainly cancelled, lots of 4 year old horses struggled with difficulties since lacking some show experience.
In Estonia, the young-horse classes start with four-year-olds, in which approximately 30 horses were entered on the Saturday, with around half the field jumping faultlessly at 0m90. In order to increase the level of competition, the Finnish course designer Tomas Kiviranta set a much more difficult 1m00 track for the Sunday. This produced eight clear rounds, but reduced the field to one combination in the jump-off: Jaagup Kallas riding the Estonian Sport Horse (ESH) Florian, out of Team Nijhof’s Floris TN (Carry’s Son), whose breeders and owners are Kadi and Ave Kokla. Kallas is, in fact, one of the best Estonian three-day evenging riders who also participated at last year’s World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Le Lion d’Angers, France, where he finished 18th in the six-year-old class.
Catlin Vatsel and ESH mare Heliiny (Hugo V X Bison), bred by Iti Kall claimed second place. Heliiny’s sire, Hugo V was bred by Peeter Viiard, a long-time breeder who is also known for importing the stallion A Pikachu de Muze into Estonia. In 2006, this stallion won the six-year-old age group in the showjumping WBCYH in Lanaken with David McPherson in his saddle.
Third place went to Susan Kaleta and ESH stallion Breezer LT (Bamako de Muze x Lupicot), bred by Andrus Kallaste. Kaleta is also very good at presenting young horses, and last year participated in the Lanaken WBCYH with the six-year-old ESH Herrera, with whom she jumped some nice clear rounds.
More experienced five-year-olds
A total of 18 out of 31 horses jumped faultlessly on the Saturday and qualified for Sunday’s final with the fences at 1m15. In an interview following his victory, Hanno Ellermann said; “there was really something to jump.” The course was technical and with a maximum height, which was overcome by Ellermann jumping two clear rounds as well as a flawless and speedy jump-off with ESH Kristallo (Kontador vd Doorndonkhoeve D’12 x Zambesi), bred the Ellermann family itself. The winner’s sire is by BWP stallion Nabab de Reve (damsire Qerlibet Hero) from the famous mare line Fragance de Chalus. Kristallo’s motherline, S98Z x Palmira, descends from a Russian Trakehner line responsible for some some GP level showjumpers.
Second place by a few seconds went to Paul Argus and ESH mare Dark Jewel N (Diatendro x Zidane Velvet). She was bred by Peeter Raid, a long-time breeder who was recently awarded a special prize from the Estonian Sport Horse Breeders Society as the ‘best breeder’ of the past 20 years by the competition results of his own-bred horses.
Dark Jewel is out of the line of elite mare Thisbe, which has produced many magnificient jumpers, including Herold N, ridden internationally by Luca Moneta. Rider Paul Argus – fresh from becoming Estonian showjumping champion 2020 –will be remembered by Estonian breeders as the rider who partnered the six-year-old Ping Pong V into sixth place at the 2017 WBCYH in Lanaken.
Third place went to Tiit Kivisild and Clara II JP (Contatour P x Landfriese I). This mare is a second generation product of breeder Joel Jürisson who was recently elected as the new chairman of the board of ESHBS. Clara II JP’s sire, Contatour JP (Clinton) is the first and, so far, the only stallion born is Estonia who was licensed by Zangersheide studbook. The stallion descends from one of the best damlines in the Netherlands, that of Moujke, who has produced many international showjumpers and stallions, such as rising team Nijhof star Jamboree TN.
Testing 1m20-1m25 level for 6yo
The top of the six-year-old class saw three horses who travelled to Estonia from Germany and the Netherlands, with the championship title going to Renek Rosenberg riding the grey Holsteiner Ciorana TT (Cassini I x Acord II), bred by Karl-Heinz Markussen, owned by Tsura Talu Oü. Finishing second was Hanno Ellermann’s Jolly Jewel JS (Embassy II x Up To Date) whose breeder and owner is the Jacoba Stud, ahead of Heiki Vatsel riding Jabalou, a KWPN gelding by Balou du Rouet x Carthago, who was bred by W.C. van Dam, and is owned by P.Geerink and H.Vatsel.
He was followed by Linda Randpere with the ESH Zuriso (Zento x Cade Z), bred by Piret Kuriosoo and Andres Udeküll, who posted the fastest time in the jump-off but at the expense of one rail. In fifth place we find ESH mare Jacqueline, bred and owned by Talliteenuste Oü, under the saddle of GP-level rider and former Estonian champion, Urmas Raag. Jacqueline finished last year’s competition as the five-year-old champion.
