SONSET'S SIEGER

SONSET'S SIEGER is a purebred Trakehner stallion standing 16.1 hands.

True to his name, which means "Sonset's Winner," he is a proven competitor. He evented through Preliminary with many championships to his credit, and also enjoyed a successful career in the jumpers. He is now turned toward the hunter ring under his current ownership.

True to his breeding, his success in performance reflects his impeccable bloodlines. His sire is the legendary Abdullah—1984 Olympic Gold Medallist and one of the greatest jumping horses of all time—who earned the titles of Elite Stallion and ATA Performance Gold, as well as the rare honor of breeding approval from the German Trakehner Verband, despite having been foaled in the United States.

Sonset's Sieger's dam, Sonset, is by the heralded stallion Habicht. Habicht enjoyed his own eventing career in Europe under Martin Plewa and has established a dynasty of performance talents. His best-known son in the spotlight is Windfall, Pan-Am Games Gold and Olympic Bronze medal winner in eventing. Habicht has left a mark upon the Trakehner breed and the sport horse world as a whole, very notably through his son, Sixtus, whose multiple approved sons and performing offspring have earned him the "Elite" designation from the German Trakehner Verband.

We have been enchanted by Sonset's Sieger since watching him perform at the 1997 American Trakehner Association Annual Meeting. He competed in a jump-off against the larger stallion Hennessey, which was eventually called a draw as the jump could not be raised high enough to force a rail for either horse. Sonset's Sieger was distinguished by his eager, pleasant, and workmanlike performance that matched his jumping prowess.

But the really exciting thing about this stallion is that in addition to an incredible jump, he displayed the beautiful movement of an accomplished dressage horse, something seldom seen in the truly great jumping horses. All of this talent, combined with a gentleman's disposition . . . he was never seen to lay back an ear or even swish his tail.

We jumped on the chance to breed to Sonset's Sieger when he returned to public stud, and chose our mare, Tarika, for our first cross. A daughter of our foundation mare Tara vom Castell and the late imported stallion Kaspareit (who was himself competed through the FEI levels and evented through Preliminary), Tarika showed early aptitude for cross-disciplinary performance. Her movement is strong yet elegant (her great potential drawing comments from U.S.D.F. judges Libby Anderson and Sally O'Connor). And she demonstrated her own natural jumping ability as a foal, easily popping back and forth over her pasture fence.

Our 2006 foal will be a true competition prospect. We anticipate a multi-talented Trakehner capable of excelling in any of the Olympic disciplines.

The Sonset's Sieger-Tarika foal is offered for sale in utero. Send us an email if you would like to explore the purchase of a superb performace prospect!