2011 News

EM Wolkendame Offered for Sale in Foal to Rubignon for 2012

Getting her in foal to Rubignon makes it even harder for us to part with her, but we are committed to decreasing our numbers and offer her for sale.  After a several years break from breeding, she conceived easily on the first cycle and is happily pregnant.  This mare loves being in foal and she loves having a baby at her side!  All of her offspring have shown extraordinary rideability, and that is a certainty with the pairing of her and Rubignon with his Rubinstein-Donnerhall bloodlines.

     This Elite Mare has impressive credentials. She scored an overall 8.1 on her Mare Performance Test in Germany, placing second out of 57mares and earning all 8s and 9s for her gaits and rideability.  While in Germnay she won her 1a prize and fulfilled all the requirements for attaing her States Premium Mare title except for having a foal.  Upon importation to the U.S., she wowed the judges at Dressage at Devon and won the Filly Championship and the Bari von Buedingen trophy (awarded to the highest scoring Hanoverian at Dressage at Devon) in 2000.  For more information, go to our Sales Page and scroll down to EM Wolkendame

Elite Mare Wieta in Foal to Escudo I for the Fifth Time

Hunter breeder and rider Rebecca Derwin of Eureka Knoll Farm in Farmville, VA,  has a colt only in utero contract on EM Wieta's 2012 foal.  Here are a couple of full siblings to the pregnancy:

  Emerson     Ellington

Delia Sold and Moved to New Jersey

Congratulations to Erica Sorkin of Pennsville, NJ, on the purchase of Delia, EM Wieta's 2006 filly by Dauphin in May!  These petite ladies are an excellent match, and we wish them the best success in the dressage ring.  Marion will want to kill me for posting it, but this photo of her with Delia as a foal wearing a crown of clover blossoms is one of my favorites. On the right is the elegant three-year-old Delia at her Hanoverian mare inspection.

News from Bermuda!

Emerson's owner called from Bermuda to say the four-year-old stallion  "has so much talent it's not funny!"   If you go to YouTube and type in Emerson in Bermuda, you will see what he means.  Emerson won two trophies at Bermuda's end-of-season show this spring.  Take a look at one of his rounds at: youtube.com/watch?v=yw_uutviAPI&feature=BFa&list=ULRIN8qx4UBWI&index=4.  Emerson is by Escudo I out of EM Wieta who is in foal with a 2012 full sibling.  Here is Emerson relaxing in Bermuda.  Wait until you see him jump!

2011 Schedule Set for Shea Walsh Monthly Dressage Clinic

At last the schedule for 2011 is set!  Go to the Dressage Clinics page under EVENTS for dates for the remainder of the year.  Email Bettie at carrollsbm@aol.com if you'd like to be emailed about any last-minute date changes. 

Greg Eliel Horsemanship Clinic Set for May 21-24

We are holding spots on a first come, first served basis, and the list is filling, so if you are interested don't wait to contact us! Greg offers only 12 spaces each in Horsemanship I and Horsemanship II so that he can give each rider plenty of individual attention. His clinic is a great way to improve how you relate to your horse as well as an excellent way to get your horses softer, more respectful, and more responsive.  A former student of Buck Brannaman, Greg is devoted to helping people improve the harmony in their relationship with their horse.  For more information, email carrollsbm@aol.com or call Susan Hopkins at 919-210-7473. There is unlimited space for auditors for which Greg charges $25 a day.

Daughter Marion Shows on Virginia Tech's Intercollegiate Hunter Team

One of the highlights of Marion's sophomore year was riding on the Hunter Team at Virginia Tech.  She had an excellent spring season winning three firsts and one second in her flat classes.  Accepting first place at the show hosted by Virginia Tech was especially sweet!

Sullivan Farm featured in documentary film BUCK

   When Buck Brannaman was here in 2007 for his biennial four-day horsemanship clinic, Cedar Creek Productions asked if they could come and shoot footage for a documentary about Buck. We said sure!  Now that footage along with film from eight other locations in the United States has been crafted into a documentary created to move people to make changes in how they deal with horses and life's challenges. By telling Buck's story, Cedar Creek hopes to inspire and teach through principles of respect, partnership and trust championed by Buck in his life and his clinics.

     The documentary is visually stunning, and won the Audience Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Documentary Competition.  For more information about the film and to see photos from the Sullivan Farm location, go to www.buckthefilm.com.  To watch the trailer for the film, go to http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/01/18/exclusive_trailer_buck_true_story_of_the_horse_whisperer_premiering_at_sund/

The film has been so well received that a general release in select theaters across the country begins in mid-June!

2010 News

Susan and Winola win Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders Club Mare Performance Test!

A top showing at the fall Mare Performance Test hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders Club (MAHB) is especially sweet since the test is contested by mares bred, raised, and prepared by many of the very top breeders in the country.  In November our trainer Susan Hopkins won the top trophy for the third (!) time on Karen Morris' five-year-old Weltmeyer daughter Winola.  Karen sent Winola to us for preparation in late summer and was rewarded when her mare received an 8.5 on rideability and an overall score that placed her first among 15 mares.  Susan has previously won the MAHB Mare Performance Test on our own EM Wieta and EM Laural, earning 8s for rideability with both mares--further endorsement of her training and riding abilities!  Karen found us through the American Hanoverian Society's Training Identification Program.

Buck Brannaman Clinic October 15-18, 2010
      We are pleased to host internationally renowned horseman and author Buck Brannaman this October.  Buck has an amazing way with horses, and to watch horses respond to him and be transformed by him is enlightening. He will conduct a Colt Starting session each morning and Horsemanship I each afternoon.  Both offerings are filled, but please call and add yourself to our waiting list of riders since there are always last-minute scratches due to rider and/or horse health issues. 

     We have unlimited space for auditors, and Buck's $25-a-day auditing fee is payable upon arrival.  For additional information and/or an application, contact Susan Hopkins at 336-376-8255 or email carrollsbm@aol.com.

Custom Breedings Available in 2011 for 2012 Foals
We are offering custom breedings to several of our mares for 2011.  Here's your chance to use our top bloodlines to produce your next champion.  Call for more information.


EM Wieta
(Wolkenstein II-Lilith/Lauries Crusador xx)

EM Wieta was the fourth-highest scoring mare (7.84) on the 2001 AHS inspection tour, receiving 8s on her gaits, head, neck, frame, foreleg, conformation and overall impression and development. For typiness and femininity she earned a 9. A year later she was Champion of her Mare Performance Test earning an 8 for rideability. She ranked third in the standings for the Hartwig prize awarded by the American Hanoverian Society to “The Best Young Mare Bred in North America” based on inspection and Mare Performance Test scores.

Hillary

(Blue Hors Silver Moon-Herbstnacht III/Lucado)
Our imported Danish Trakehner mare Hillary shares the same sire, Blue Hors Silver Moon, as dressage superstars Blue Hors Matine (whose 2006 World Cup performace is immortalized on YouTube) and Lars Peterson’s Sucess (two-time Dressage at Devon Grand Prix Freestyle Champion). She has produced two very nice black fillies by Hotline and Don Frederico for us.

2009 News

EM Wieta's filly by Benetton Dream, Bottega Veneta SFH, fulfilled our hopes for a very special foal.  Here she is at six days old cantering and practicing her open stance for future breed shows!

At Dressage at Lexington, Bottega Veneta SFH (Benetton Dream-EM Wieta/Wolkenstein II) won the Fillies of 2009 class with a score of 79.3, the highest individual score of the entire breed show!  She went on to be named Filly Champion and Young Horse Reserve Champion!  Bo also won the Hanoverian Individual Breed Class.

  Photo by Pat Limage

Our trainer Susan Hopkins earned her USDF Silver Medal with scores at Prix St. Georges aboard long-time partner Fair Worth.

Rosita (Rotspon-EM Wieta/Wolkenstein II) became an Elite Mare Candidate with the successful completion of her Mare Performance Test (MPT) in July.  To the credit of our trainer Susan Hopkins, who started and trained Rosita and then rode her in the MPT (with an injured ankle no less!), Rosita scored an 8 on rideability.  In fact, Rosita is the fourth of our homebred mares started by Susan to earned an 8 on rideability at the Hanoverian Mare Performance Test.

Bottega Veneta SFH (Benetton Dream-EM Wieta/Wolkenstein II) earned praise for her correct conformation at the Hanoverian inspection in July.

A third daughter of our top-producing EM Wieta also enjoyed success at the Hanoverian inspection hosted by our farm.   Delia (by Dauphin) became Elite Eligible at scoring a 7.33 at inspection.  Here she shows the trot and type that both scored 8s.

Ellington (Escudo I-EM Wieta/WolkensteinII) and Susan were selected as one of two Training Level demonstration combinations for the NCDCTA Kathy Connelly Symposium in October.  Here they are at the symposium.