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.
Bellatrix WD
Sire: Belissimo M
Dam: Womina WD (Weltmeyer x Sequalo xx)
Bellatrix WD’s sire, Belissimo M, is widely regarded as one of the most influential modern dressage horse sires. He is uniquely credentialed, as he has been both a successful sport horse and an exceptional sire. He was the winner of his 30 day stallion performance test, a Bundeschampion at 4 years old, a finalist in the World Championship for young horses, and a successful Grand Prix competitor. As a sire he has produced over 50 licensed sons, among them Bundeschampions, young horse champions and Grand Prix competitors. In recognition of this, in 2018 he was named the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year.
Bellatrix 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. He produced many successful Grand Prix competitors, as well as 86 licensed sons. However, he is most highly regarded as a prominent dam sire, and to this day horses with Weltmeyer on the dam’s side are highly sought after. Bellatrix WD comes from the highly coveted dam line of Harlequin Fox (Sequalo x Handy Proverb). This is fast becoming our preeminent dam line at Willow Downs, as they are highly praised for their outstanding temperaments, as well as their presence and charisma.
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. He produced many successful Grand Prix competitors, as well as 86 licensed sons. However, he is most highly regarded as a prominent dam sire, and to this day horses with Weltmeyer on the dam’s side are highly sought after. Desiree WD comes from the highly coveted dam line of Harlequin Fox (Sequalo x Handy Proverb). This is fast becoming our preeminent dam line at Willow Downs, as they are highly praised for their outstanding temperaments, as well as their presence and charisma.
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. The Celle State Stud’s iconic stallion has produced an unrivalled legacy in the world of dressage horse breeding. He produced many successful Grand Prix competitors, as well as 86 licensed sons. However, he is most highly regarded as a prominent dam sire, and to this day horses with Weltmeyer on the dam’s side are highly sought after. Sansa WD comes from the highly coveted dam line of Harlequin Fox (Sequalo x Handy Proverb). This is fast becoming our preeminent dam line at Willow Downs, as they are highly praised for their outstanding temperaments, as well as their presence and charisma.
Womina WD
Sire: Weltmeyer
Dam: Harlequin Fox (Sequalo xx / Handy Proverb xx)
Womina WD’s sire, Weltmeyer, single-handedly reshaped the Hanoverian breed. He was without question a legend. A major breed improver, especially for riding horse type, movement and rideability.
Weltmeyer won his 1986 stallion licensing in Verden, won his stallion performance test in 1987 in Adelheisdorf, was champion of the three-year-old riding horses in 1987 at Warendorf, became the DLG champion in 1989 and was named the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year in 1998.
Weltmeyer produced 86 licensed sons, plus hundreds of premium mares and many top sport horses. He is most highly regarded as a prominent dam sire, and to this day horses with Weltmeyer on the dam’s side are highly sought after. This makes Womina WD an extremely valuable asset to the Willow Downs breeding program.
Womina WD comes from the highly coveted dam line of Harlequin Fox (Sequalo x Handy Proverb). This is fast becoming our preeminent dam line at Willow Downs, as they are highly praised for their outstanding temperaments, as well as their presence and charisma.