BY SISSY WICKES
Edgar Schutte is a respected name in the world of Hanoverian breeding from the United States to the heart of Germany, the birthplace of the breed. Hanoverians are a breed known for their heart, temperament, and athleticism in all equestrian competition disciplines. Schutte learned both the history and the craft of breeding these great athletes from his long relationship with the experts at the Hanoverian Verband. His twenty years on the board and eight as President of the American Hanoverian Society cemented his relationship with Hanoverian breeders worldwide and garnered the respect of fellow sporthorse breeders.
Currently, Schutte stands nine stallions at his Eurequine facility in Yuba City, California, and several nearby at Woodland Stallion Station, a full service facility that has allowed him to expand to offer more stallions and breeding services. Each stallion has a pedigree that traces to generations of careful, select breeding designed to maximize performance potential. Schutte is vigilant about staying current and conversant in all disciplines as reflected in the versatile, talented roster of stallions at Eurequine. “Improvement happens over generations,” he explains. “Desirable traits, sizes and types change. Hanoverian Premium mares of 20 years ago are now average mares as we improve the breed. The boundaries for achievable performance are always evolving and breeders must, too,” he stresses. “International jumping courses get more technical, poles get lighter, and dressage judges have escalating expectations. Breeding thinking and practices need to keep pace. Too much old stuff is not necessarily good.”
Horses for Courses
The list of stallions standing at Eurequine offers something for every ring: dressage, eventing, showjumping, and show hunters. The dressage ring is well represented in the stallions Donarweiss, by De Niro, Rubignon, by Rubenstein I, Wild Dance, by Wolkenstein II, Don Roncalli, by Donnerhall, and Dubarry, by Don Frederico. Drawing from decades of experience, Schutte is available for breeding consultation. With his usual sense of humor, he explains, “We all love mares with strong pedigrees, they are the most reliable in passing on excellence. Some stronger producing stallions can offer improvement despite a mare’s different genetic background. We have seen some excellent results with nontraditional crosses. No matter what you breed, don’t cross a Shetland with a Haflinger as nobody wants a Shetflinger.”
Using a detailed mare matching form, Schutte will discuss a breeder’s goals and expectations. Working collaboratively, he will make suggestions as to the best mating for a client’s mare and his stallions. Once a decision is made, Schutte and his staff at Eurequine ensure the easiest and most productive breeding process possible. He is hands on and collects every shipment himself, assuring that mares get bred, sometimes on very short notice. Same day orders and airline shipments are common to get the semen to the mare in time. With an experienced, expert staff, the exchange between client and stallion station runs smoothly. Fresh semen carries a thirty day live foal guarantee and discounts for a second mare are offered as well as a 50% discount on breeding fees to mares sired by a select list of stallions. See the website eurequine.com/breedingoverview for details. Clearly, Schutte stands behind his stallions and his breeding practices.
Hunter/Jumper Stallions
Breeding for the hunter ring has been an opaque landscape. Which stallions produce good hunters is a question often heard at the hunter ring. Eurequine can help to solve the hunter breeder’s quest with four of its current stallions. The newly acquired Escher DFEN is a beautiful, refined young stallion with great promise as a hunter sire. At16.2hh, he epitomizes the modern type of sport horse – smooth, correct, and very balanced. Escher is by the legendary stallion Escudo II, a sire that maintained the highest riding type breed value of Hanoverians worldwide for eight consecutive years. Escher’s genetics combine the talent, strong top line, and beauty of Escudo II in addition to lightness from the dam side. The dam of Escher DFEN is a Thoroughbred by Pleasant Tap, a stallion line known for producing superior racing and jumping blood. Escher is a source of Thoroughbred blood for breeders looking to add that increasingly important element to their breeding programs. In 2018, he was the only 3 year old North American stallion licensed by the American Hanoverian Society (AHS).
Donarweiss, already a producer of Grand Prix show horses, is an exciting addition to the Eurequine stallion barn. By renowned stallion De
Niro, Donarweiss had a stellar career as a dressage horse demonstrating both international performance quality and easy character and trainability. Donarweiss was purchased by Starr Vaughn Equestrian in late 2011, and under Genay Vaughn qualified just a few months later for the U.S. National Championships where they placed third in the Young Rider Division. Later that season, they won the team Silver Medal at NAYRC. In 2013, the pair was Reserve National Champions in the Under 25 Grand Prix Division. Donarweiss’ temperament and athleticism has already translated into success in the hunter ring. He is the sire of Donnybrook, a beautiful bay who competes with owner Nellee Fine in the Amateur Owner Hunter division. Donnybrook’s excellent movement, beautiful jumping style, and easy demeanor are exemplary of Donarweiss himself.
Similarly, Lord Adonis has stellar hunter and jumper sire potential. A beautiful horse that received scores of 9 in both jumping and character in the North American Stallion Performance testing, his quiet temperament and refined appearance are perfectly mixed with outstanding athleticism. His modern type, confident yet quiet demeanor, and versatile talents have fully licensed him with multiple breed organizations and studbooks. Lord Adonis is by Lordanos, who has produced famous horses in the jumper and hunter rings. Lordan, owned and ridden by Nyel Nassar, has won multiple Grand Prix’s and World Cup classes, including the AIG $1million Grand Prix at HITS Coachella. Undeniable, also sired by Lordanos, is a highly prolific winner in the hunter rider Jenny Karazissis, including a victory in the HITS Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix.
16.3hh Black/Bay Hanoverian Relevantus by Rabino, who goes by show name “Zorro” has an extensive international record that includes the 2008 Hong Kong Olympics, the 2010 WEG in Kentucky, and a Mexican National Championship with Federico Fernandez as well as multiple Grand Prix wins with Federico and Peter Wylde. Wylde calls the gorgeous, almost black stallion “the most rideable” Grand Prix horse he has ever competed. Watch the videos of Zorro jumping around a 1.60 course as if he is competing in an International Hunter Derby. Kind, easy, with immeasurable scope, Zorro is a unique horse and a great choice for all disciplines.
Eurequine: Advice from the Expert
Having spent a lifetime studying conformation, pedigree, and performance, Edgar Schutte is one to seek for advice on breeding sport horses. From the center line in the dressage ring to the start timers in the jumper ring to the courtesy circle in the hunter ring, Schutte understands the necessity for quality and temperament. Contact Edgar to discuss your best options in breeding the next great sport horse at (916) 203-2247 and visit Eurequine.com to see detailed descriptions of these exciting stallions.
Photos © Tamara, Patty Wilding
About the Author: Sissy is a Princeton University graduate, a lifelong rider and trainer, a USEF R rated judge, a freelance journalist and an autism advocate. Her illustrious resume includes extensive show hunter and jumper experience. She lives with her family in Unionville, PA and Wellington, FL.
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