One of the highest awards a stallion can obtain in Danish Warmblood is the coveted title Stallion of the Year. This year the prestigious title goes to 12-year-old Fürstenball
Spokesman of the breeding committee, Claus Hansen, introduced the Stallion of the Year with these words:
– He is still one of the most used stallions in Europe. He is immensely true to type, has a superior interior and excellent basic gaits which are assetts that he with great certainty passes on to his offspring. He is known worldwide for putting an eye-catching quality mark on all his offspring. There is no doubt that he is one of the stallions that have always had and always will have the breeders’ attention and interest.
– In Denmark alone, he has sired more than 400 offspring and in 2017 he received the Danish Warmblood quality label, Elite Stallion. For several years he has been top placed in both the Danish and the German breeding index values for dressage.
Fürstenball by Fürst Heinrich / Donnerhall (bred by Georg Sieverding) is co-owned by Lone Bøgh Henriksen of HP Horses and Paul Schockemühle of Hengsthaltung Schockemühle. Unfortunately, Fürstenball is not able to be present in Herning this year, but a short video about Fürstenball was shown on the big screen.
As the visible proof of the title as the Stallion of the Year 2018, Danish Warmblood's chairman Jan Pedersen presented the statuette donated by former chairman Peder Hostrup Pedersen, along with a painting of the stallion.
– I hope that everyone associated with Fürstenball will be delighted with the statuette's unconditional symbol for this remarkable achievement, Claus Hansen concluded.