Stallion of the Year 2019: Skovens Rafael

Herning (DEN), March 10 – 2019 – Danish Warmblood’s 22nd Stallion of the Year title has been appointed to the Grand Prix dressage stallion Skovens Rafael that was honoured and celebrated by an enthusiastic crowd in Herning on 10th 2019 during the 40th Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing. As a foal Skovens Rafael by Blue Hors (Glock’s) Romanov/Blue Hors Don Schufro (bred by Kirsten B. Hansen og Jens Lund Pedersen) was sold at the DWB Elite Foal Auction to foreign investors and he grew up at Blue Hors stud in Danmark. As a 3-year-old he became a premium stallion and at the time the most expensive young stallion ever sold at the Spring Auction in Herning. Rafael is out of a dam line that has produced several top horses, and his breeding line Blue Hors Romanov/Blue Hors Don Schufro/Zorro Z is a string of international Grand Prix stallions.

His new owners, Lotte and Per Skjærbæk & Lotte Lindgreen have developed Rafael into a superb dressage horse. Ridden by Lotte Skjærbæk he won the Danish young dressage horse championship as a 4-year-old and was a finalist at the FEI/WBFSH world championships in Verden at the age of 5 and 6. Lotte and Rafael have developed into a successful pair at international Grand Prix level and became Nordic champions in 2017.

Not only in international sport, but also in breeding Skovens Rafael have placed himself on the world map. In Danish Warmblood he holds one of the highest dressage breeding values because of his many very rideable and talented offspring. Also in Sweden, Skovens Rafael is highly valued as a sire and his most famous young offspring at the moment is the Swedish bred stallion Springbank II VH.

The owners of Skovens Rafael were presented with flowers, a statuette and a painting of their stallion.

Dansk Varmblod Press Release