For more than 25 years I have been involved in a very 'hands on' and sometimes ' bods on the ground' part of breeding, starting and marketing high quality horses for the discerning dressage competitor.
I am very excited to report that after a brief hiatus due to importation airfreight costs and market softness in the U.S.A. we are back at it at Willowview Hill Farm International.
Back at some point in the early '90's, when magazines such as Dressage Today sprouted and replaced the venerable Dressage & CT ( Oh, I miss Ivan and his smarts), we were importing our WVH horses from the Elite Hanoverian auction ( not the leftovers at Winter etc. auctions), horses we had purchased in Germany as weanlings, Donnerhall sons we had bred in the U.K. under contract etc., and presenting them at 'site' parties for discerning buyers.
Over the years we made partnerships happen between both new and already Olympic accomplished riders and new mounts.
A brand new Editor at Dressage Today called me at some point wanting the 'guest list,' and contact info., from our now fairly well acknowledged 'offerings' within the world of dressage. In fact we had a huge falling out as we were unwilling to share the data. But the point for us was always to present a horse that was excellent., privately. All WVHI horses we had already vetted to the tune of a 3000-4000 USD per vet back then, for sale to a person who was a good match. We did not broadcast the 'prior' riders/trainers, even when it was our own team and many kudos could be earned, or take away from the new owner however grand and alluring it would be to name drop. Most were young performance prospects and some others 'made' horses. Our clients know that we are a source. One that they come back to repeatedly as we do the groundwork in every sense. Culling the 'not enough' horses for the Big Tour potential, cutting out any unsound issues or performance mentality issues, not back soliciting their affluent clientele, showcasing the horse with honesty and providing a thorough European welcome for all, an honest and heartfelt account for each horse and a fun shopping experience for even the most jaded of international riders/trainers.
Frankly I learned a lot from Vechta and Verden, Stuttgart and Jerez, visits far and wide to Sevilla and the rest. Friends were made, earned, respected and at the end of the day, WVH site parties were born.
Over the past few years as the market softened we have not been 'asleep' in the saddle. Our new retinue of horses of a variety of bloodlines from GOV/HAN/KWPN and Baroque of all sorts are included in our proud new "Elite" Collection at Willowview Hill Farm International. Raised at times from weanlings, bred in our own program in Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, there are some super prospects here for the very serious competitor.
As usual you won't find them broadcast over You Tube, tried out by every "Tom, Dick or Harry," but most carefully handled, trained and presented with a keen eye to the best match possible.
WVH is proud to be able to once again offer a truly "Elite" collection. It takes a village, truly.
I am very excited to report that after a brief hiatus due to importation airfreight costs and market softness in the U.S.A. we are back at it at Willowview Hill Farm International.
Back at some point in the early '90's, when magazines such as Dressage Today sprouted and replaced the venerable Dressage & CT ( Oh, I miss Ivan and his smarts), we were importing our WVH horses from the Elite Hanoverian auction ( not the leftovers at Winter etc. auctions), horses we had purchased in Germany as weanlings, Donnerhall sons we had bred in the U.K. under contract etc., and presenting them at 'site' parties for discerning buyers.
Over the years we made partnerships happen between both new and already Olympic accomplished riders and new mounts.
A brand new Editor at Dressage Today called me at some point wanting the 'guest list,' and contact info., from our now fairly well acknowledged 'offerings' within the world of dressage. In fact we had a huge falling out as we were unwilling to share the data. But the point for us was always to present a horse that was excellent., privately. All WVHI horses we had already vetted to the tune of a 3000-4000 USD per vet back then, for sale to a person who was a good match. We did not broadcast the 'prior' riders/trainers, even when it was our own team and many kudos could be earned, or take away from the new owner however grand and alluring it would be to name drop. Most were young performance prospects and some others 'made' horses. Our clients know that we are a source. One that they come back to repeatedly as we do the groundwork in every sense. Culling the 'not enough' horses for the Big Tour potential, cutting out any unsound issues or performance mentality issues, not back soliciting their affluent clientele, showcasing the horse with honesty and providing a thorough European welcome for all, an honest and heartfelt account for each horse and a fun shopping experience for even the most jaded of international riders/trainers.
Frankly I learned a lot from Vechta and Verden, Stuttgart and Jerez, visits far and wide to Sevilla and the rest. Friends were made, earned, respected and at the end of the day, WVH site parties were born.
As usual you won't find them broadcast over You Tube, tried out by every "Tom, Dick or Harry," but most carefully handled, trained and presented with a keen eye to the best match possible.
WVH is proud to be able to once again offer a truly "Elite" collection. It takes a village, truly.
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