Our Horses
The founding mares of Willow Downs pioneered staunch dam lines that now sustain the stud’s broodmare herd as a forward-thinking generation-based breeding program. These mares are the single most important key to the Willow Downs breeding program. The paddocks at Willow Downs are filled with the best performance horse genetics in the world, and we are excited to provide these horses for Australian Equestrian enthusiasts. Below we introduce prominent members of the Willow Downs broodmare band.
Desiree WD
Sire: De Niro
Dam: Womina WD (Weltmeyer / Sequalo xx)
Desiree WD’s sire could be described as one of the greatest dressage horse sires of all time. De Niro, the so-called “Stallion of Superlatives”. The 2008 Hanoverian Stallion of the Year, De Niro was by the age of 7 a highly successful Grand Prix dressage competitor. In 2012, 6 De Niro offspring travelled to London for the Olympic Games. That year, he rocketed to the top of the WBFSH Dressage Sire Ranking, making him the number one ranked dressage sire in the world.
Desiree WD’s dam, Womina WD, is by the Hanoverian Stallion of the Century, Weltmeyer. The Celle State Stud’s iconic stallion has produced an unrivalled legacy in the world of dressage horse breeding. Desiree WD comes from the alluring dam line of Harlequin Fox. This is fast becoming our preeminent dam line at Willow Downs, most noted for their outstanding temperaments as well as their dazzling elegance.
Destiny WD
Sire: De Niro
Dam: Bourhani’s Moonlight Blossom (Contango II (imp) / Koenigsburg (imp))
Destiny WD is a dominant force in the evolution of the Willow Downs breeding program. Her sire, the 2008 Hanoverian Stallion of the Year, De Niro, was by the age of 7 a highly successful Grand Prix dressage competitor. He has since been a prolific sire of top dressage horses. in 2012, 6 De Niro offspring travelled to London for the Olympic Games. That year, he rocketed to the top of the WBFSH Dressage Sire Ranking, where he still remains.
Her Dam is by Contango II, a truly versatile stallion whose bloodlines are rich with both dressage and jumping heritage. Contango II’s sire, Contango, became a highly popular sire of dressage and jumping horses, but is perhaps best known as the sire of Steffan Peters’ double Olympic Games horse, Ravel. Destiny’s dam is out of a Trakehner (Koenigsburg (imp) / Copernicus (imp)) mare. Destiny WD brings a vast depth of genetics to the Willow Downs breeding herd.
Freya WD
Sire: Fisherman’s Friend (imp)
Dam: Harlequin Fox xx (Sequalo xx / Handy Proverb xx)
Described as a noble and big-framed stallion with a well-formed neckline, Freya WD’s sire Fisherman’s Friend stamped his progeny with his type, expression, floating movements and high rideability. While in Germany, he was the leader of the Celle State Stud Stallion Dressage Quadrille (2004-2005). After arriving in Australia, he was a champion at every level from Medium to Prix St George. He competed successfully at Grand Prix level at some of Australia’s largest competitions.
Fisherman’s Friend passed away in 2014, but not before leaving a generation of pre-eminent offspring who reshaped Hanoverian breeding in Australia. Freya WD is the first foal out of Harlequin Fox, who has gone on to produce a dam line highly sought after for type, temperament, trainability and movie-star elegance.
Harlequin Fox
Sire: Sequalo xx
Dam: Handy Heart xx (Handy Proverb xx / Brauner xx)
Harlequin Fox is our matriarch broodmare. She is a tall, elegant, attractive and kind natured mare. Harlequin Fox epitomises the positive contribution that the Australian Thoroughbred can make to modern sporthorse breeding. The infusion of quality Thoroughbred genetics brings the “blood” necessary for the refinement of the modern Warmblood sporthorse.
Not only has Harlequin Fox produced outstanding riding horses, but she has also sparked the most prevalent dam line at Willow Downs. The crucial part she played in the development of the stud’s modern era cannot be overstated. Her daughters and granddaughters are proof of her prominence, each one stamped with her unique beauty.
Lenaya WD
Sire: Lauries As (imp)
Dam: Freya WD (Fisherman’s Friend (imp) / Sequalo xx)
After winning multiple championships in Germany and qualifying twice for the Bundeschampionate, Lenaya WD’s sire Lauries As was imported to Australia where he competed up to Grand Prix dressage. Lauries As is well known for passing on his fabulous temperament, and personality, and Lenaya WD is no exception. Lauries As is by Londonderry, a licensing winner, Bundeschampionate winner and FEI dressage competitor.
Lenaya WD’s dam is by Fisherman’s Friend, another Hanoverian stallion imported from Germany who went on to become a successful Australian Grand Prix competitor. Lenaya WD is from the dam line of Harlequin Fox and carries the alluring grace and elegance characteristic of this line.
Sansa WD
Sire: Sandro Hit
Dam: Womina WD (Weltmeyer / Sequalo xx)
Sansa WD’s sire, Sandro Hit, would have to be one of the most influential sires of dressage horses in modern times. No other stallion has sired more dressage sires in recent history (93 licensed sons at last count). He is consistently ranked among the top dressage horse sires in the world. Sandro Hit defined the type of ultramodern dressage horses with his incredibly elegant, expressive and exceptionally moving offspring. He has produced champion after champion in Grand Prix dressage - simply too many to name. The dam line of Sandro Hit is additionally very powerful, as his dam also produced the stallions Diamond Hit and Royal Hit.
Sansa WD’s dam, Womina WD, is by the Hanoverian Stallion of the Century, Weltmeyer. Within Sansa WD, we have the combination of two of history’s greatest defining dressage horse sires. Sansa WD’s presence and charisma is characteristic also of her dam line, the Harlequin Fox line that has made such a huge impact at Willow Downs.
Wendilyn WD
Sire: Weltmeyer
Dam: Harlequin Fox (Sequalo xx / Handy Proverb xx)
Wendilyn WD is painted in he image of her sire, Weltmeyer, who single-handedly reshaped the Hanoverian breed. The champion of his licensing in Verden, winner of his stallion performance test in Adelheisdorf and 1998 “Hanoverian Stallion of the Year”.
Weltmeyer has produced many successful Grand Prix competitors. Isabell Werth dominated the international scene with Warum Nicht, Martin Schaudt represented Germany at the Sydney Olympics on Weltall, while Emma Hindle represented Britain at the Athens Games on Wie Weltmeyer. Weltmeyer has been a very important sire for Australian dressage riders also. Kristy Oatley rode Rosemount Wallstreet internationally, while Brett Parbery has had two Grand Prix competitors by Weltmeyer, the black stallion Whisper, and more recently DP Weltmeiser.
Weltmeyer produced 86 licensed sons, but is best known as a prominent dam sire. This makes our Weltmeyer daughters, Wendilyn WD and Womina WD, valuable assets to the Willow Downs breeding program.
Womina WD
Sire: Weltmeyer
Dam: Harlequin Fox (Sequalo xx / Handy Proverb xx)
Womina WD’s sire, Weltmeyer, single-handedly reshaped the Hanoverian breed. The champion of his licensing in Verden, winner of his stallion performance test in Adelheisdorf and 1988 “Hanoverian Stallion of the Year”.
Weltmeyer has produced many successful Grand Prix competitors. Isabell Werth dominated the international scene with Warum Nicht, Martin Schaudt represented Germany at the Sydney Olympics on Weltall, while Emma Hindle represented Britain at the Athens Games on Wie Weltmeyer. Weltmeyer has been a very important sire for Australian dressage riders also. Kristy Oatley rode Rosemount Wallstreet internationally, while Brett Parbery has had two Grand Prix competitors by Weltmeyer, the black stallion Whisper, and more recently DP Weltmeiser.
Weltmeyer produced 86 licensed sons, but is best known as a prominent dam sire. This makes our Weltmeyer daughters, Wendilyn WD and Womina WD, valuable assets to the Willow Downs breeding program.