The Flanders Embryo Auctions have previously taken place in the Emirates, Ireland, Slovakia, Norway, the United States, Italy and Belgium. The Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Spain is the new venue. “It’s a show with an enormous number of horses and riders at various levels. The VIP area has the same luxurious look as in Abu Dhabi and the atmosphere is fantastic. Everything is perfectly organized. Many riders are already familiar with the concept of auctioning embryos and the entire process afterwards, from rearing to training,” Lenaerts and Van Puymbroeck explain.
To impress the professional audience, a strong collection has been assembled. The 25 embryos are sired by 14 different stallions. United Touch S leads the way with four embryos, followed by Comme il Faut, Heartbreaker and Ermitage Kalone (three each), and Chacco Blue and Emerald (two each).
Ten out of sport mares
“We have ten embryos out of mares that competed at 1.45m up to 1.70m level!”A highlight is the Darry Lou embryo out of the 1.70m Grand Prix mare HH Azur (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve), now retired but still the highest-earning mare in the world. With McLain Ward, she won team silver at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. This embryo was produced via ET rather than ICSI, as is the case for several embryos in this collection.
Bred from 1.60m Grand Prix mares are the Comme Il Faut out of Dizzy Lizzy (also the dam of Roelof Bril’s 1.60m Grand Prix horse Iberico), the Ermitage Kalone out of Atlanta 541 (half-sister to two other 1.60m Grand Prix horses) with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, and the Cornet Obolensky out of L’Espoir d’Opaline van de Caatshoeve (from the line of Jus de Pomme) with Stijn Van Gorp. Four embryos are bred out of 1.50m Grand Prix mares. Six granddams performed at 1.50m to 1.65m level, including top horses Dubai du Cedre and Gotha FRH.
“Gotha is the granddam of the Diarado x Colestus embryo. Very interesting, she has won everything: team gold at the European Championships in Madrid, team bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Herning and numerous Grands Prix. First with Ludger Beerbaum and later with Henrik von Eckermann,” says Gerald Lenaerts.
The Flanders team is also enthusiastic about the full brother or sister to the pinto 1.65m Grand Prix horse Ping Pong van de Lentamel (Emerald x Toulon), who is successful with Gerrit Nieberg. “A crack of a horse. The best pinto ever! And this line has already produced several international showjumping horses.”
Reserve your free seat
The auction will take place in the VIP area of the show in Oliva. Entrance is free, but reserving a seat or table is recommended via WhatsApp to Sigrid Gielen at +32 476 25 86 47.
View the full collection at www.flandersfoalauction.be.
Embryo facts:
- 10 dams competed in sport
(1x 1.70m, 3x 1.60m, 4x 1.50m and 2x 1.45m level) - 6 granddams competed in sport
(2x 1.65m, 3x 1.60m and 1x 1.50m level) - 12 dams already gave sport horses at 1.45m level and higher
(1x 1.70m, 3x 1.65m, 3x 1.60m, 2x 1.50m and 3x 1.45m level) - 19 granddams already gave sport horses at 1.50m–1.70m level
(4x 1.70m – United Touch, Messi van ’t Ruytershof, HH Azur and Mumbai –, 1x 1.65m, 11x 1.60m and 3x 1.50m level) - 5 great-granddams jumped at 1.60m Grand Prix level
- 13 great-granddams already gave one or more 1.60m Grand Prix horses