Diego

Our most respected black stallion with an incredible head and great sensations makes him unique. A true King of our stable.

Diëgo is a modern, complete dressage horse with a strong back. He combines three good basic paces with an extremely good action and an extremely good temperament. Everything points to Diëgo, in time, competing at the very highest level. In everything Diëgo has inherited much from his famous father, the preferent top-producer Negro.

Diëgo’s dam is the Oldenburg top mare Ballerina II (s. Don Gregory x Donnerhall).

Ballerina II is a full-sister of Don Ruto (sire of top horses such as Don Jovi, Don Jeroen, Zidhane, Nip Tuck) and is out of the wonderful mare Ballerina I (s. Rubinstein x Matador x Carajan x Hirtensang).

The Hirtensang mare Blitztrot is the granddam of the Dutch top dressage horse producer Doruto and is one of the small, select group of mares responsible for restarting the Trakehner breeding in Germany after WW II. This sensational dam-line goes back to the extremely important and influential Trakehner bloodline 16a, that produced the stallions Doruto, Royal Doruto, Don Ruto, Buddenbrock, Benz and Bernstein, amongst others.

Diëgo completed an extremely good performance test in 2011, in 2012 he was Reserve Champion in the PAVO-Cup final. Since then, Diëgo has made his Intermediar II debut with a score of almost 70%. Diëgo shows a lot of aptitude for the difficult movements.

As stud stallion too Diëgo’s results are very good, despite the fact that his stud opportunities have been limited. In the Spring of 2015 he showed his first crop of four sons at the Stallion Inspection, three of which were sent through to the 3^rdround. Diëgo has an extremely high dressage index of 159 and in Spring 2017 he received a very positive assessment for his four-year-old offspring.

His offspring attract attention under the saddle due to their superb temperament, trainability and 3 good paces. His first crop of foals is already competing at Z2/ZZ-L level. Of particular note is Don Joe (ds. Lord Leatherdale). Don Joe performed extremely well in the Pavo Cup and Stallion Competition, and is KWPN-registered and NRPS approved. Don Joe is a top talented young dressage stallion who seems to have everything required to became a “big star”. He made his international debut in the Grand Prix in the spring of 2022 with very good scores. Don Joe has three good basic gaits, collects superbly, is super to work with, is completely balanced, has the correct amount of sharpness, has the “looks”, in short “ has everything”.

Diëgo and our rider and trainer Joao Sa have achieved remarkable success in their equestrian career, showcasing their talent and dedication in various prestigious competitions.After some international gold medals, At the U25 2022 CDI Beloura, they secured an impressive 1st place on both days, with scores exceeding 68% in the Intermediate II and Grand Prix U25 categories. Their exceptional performances demonstrated their mastery of the intricate movements and their ability to captivate the judges and spectators.

Continuing their success, at the CDI COMPIÈGNE,France  Diëgo and Joao claimed a well-deserved 3rd place in the highly competitive Grand Prix U25 category, with a score surpassing 68%. Additionally, they achieved an impressive 5th place in the Grand Prix freestyle, with a score exceeding 70%. These achievements highlight their consistency and skill in delivering outstanding performances on an international stage.

 Their talent and hard work were further recognized when they represented Portugal at the European Championship in Hungary 2022, .This prestigious event brings together the best riders from across Europe, and Diëgo and Joao proudly represented their country, showcasing their abilities and dedication to the sport.

The achievements of Diëgo and Joao reflect their commitment to excellence and their ability to perform at the highest level of dressage. Their success in these competitions is a testament to their talent, the quality of their training, and their partnership as a rider and horse. They have undoubtedly made their mark in the dressage world and continue to inspire others with their remarkable performances.

It is 2022 ,this time riding into the selection team of the U25 High Performance Program for dressage with the incredible Kyra Kyrklund.