ESTELLA
A 15.3 hh Hanoverian mare by Escapade (by Escudo I) X Zhoya. Estella, who according to USEF records showed under the name Estrelitta, is a gorgeous, kind, and even tempered chestnut warmblood. Her sire is *Escapade, the 16.2 1/2 hh, black Elite Hanoverian stallion imported from the Ludwig Decker farm in Germany in 2002 by Cocolalla Creek Sport Horses. In 2004, Escapade was sold to Barrington Hill in Florida. In 2008, he was the USEF National Leading Pony Hunter Breeding Sire and the National Reserve Leading Hunter Breeding Sire. According to the Barrington Hill blog, Escapade is known for his “flawless conformation and outstanding movement,” both of which he passes on to his offspring, along with his strength, power, grace, and “sincere” temperament. Escapade is a producer of offspring who win in the show ring. In 2012, Escapade had 16 offspring with incredible show records: Ed Venture was 2nd in the yearling class at Devon; Eye Candy was the highest scoring mare in the US for the Oldenberg Inspection; Espri De Lys, Etiole De Leon, and Ed Venture all qualified for the finals at Wellington; Ellie was Grand Reserve Champion at the International Hunter Futurity and she also won the IHF 4 year old Working Hunters Class and was named Overall Reserve Champion.
Escapade is by Escudo I out of Giesa. Born in 1991 in Germany, Escudo I was the Champion at his 1994 Stallion Performance Test. It was during the Jumping portion of the test that this stallion revealed his phenomenal Jumping talent by scoring 144.91 points during that portion of the testing. (He most likely inherited his jumping ability from his sire, Espri, who was the 1995 Hanoverian Stallion of the Year and a producer of many Grand Prix show jumpers, e.g. World Cup winner E. T.) In 1996 Escudo I was the Hanoverian Show Jumping Champion as well as the German National Reserve Champion 5-year-old Jumper. In 2009, he was the Hanovarian Stallion of the Year. Escudo I didn’t just pass his award-winning ways onto his colts; his fillies also reaped the benefit of his genes. Almost 50 % of his inspected daughters became State Premium Mares.
Escapade can certainly credit his sire with part of his jumping ability, but he must also give credit to his dam’s father who happened to be Graf Grannus, a descendant of what many individuals consider to be two of the very best Hanovarian jumper lines: Grannus and Gotthard. Graf Grannus, who placed 3rd in his Performance Testing, is remember for his phenomenal jumping talent, his good movement, and his exceptional willingness to work.
One cannot help being impressed with the genetic makeup Escapade has given to Estella, but he provides only 50% of that makeup. The other 50% comes from Estella’s dam – Zhoya.
Zhoya, born in 1994, is a chestnut Oldenberg mare who, according to her owner, demonstrates “outrageous jumping ability” coupled with “fabulous movement,” both traits she undoubtedly inherited from her parents: Jupiter a 15.3 hh , chestnut Oldenburg stallion and Mirage, a Trakehner mare from the line Tannenberg, who proved herself to be a true dressage competitor. (A Trakehner is a warm-blood horse that originally came from the East Prussian state stud in the town of Trakehnen. This type of horse is often considered to be the lightest and most refined of all warmbloods. They are usually athletic and recognized by their floating trot which is full of suspension and impulsion. Physically the Trakehners have a long sloping shoulder, short cannons, a medium to long crested and well-set neck, a chiseled head which narrows at the muzzle and a broad forehead. They have strong backs, powerful hindquarters, and good endurance. They are easy to train and they excel at dressage.)
Jupiter is recognized as a highly successful hunter and as a highly regarded stallion with an impeccable performance record. He consistently won the top hunter ribbon at major shows: Reserve Champion at Devon, Grand Hunter Champion at Lake Placid in 2005, and Series Championship at Hits on the Hudson. Whether one should breed to Jupiter or another stallion was the focus of a 2009 forum discussion published in The Chronicle. The concern centered around Jupiter’s size. He’s stands at 15.3 hh, which some individuals consider to be too small. Here is what some of the participants had to say: Several commented that he jumped very, very well and that he had “very nice hunter type moves.” One participant said, “I would have another [foal by Jupiter],” a comment that prompted another individual to say, “[Jupiter produces babies that have] very pretty heads and necks and [they jump] very well.” This same participant later said, “I think it is a shame Jupiter was not utilized more. He has a lot to offer.” The highest praise for Jupiter came in the following passage: “I was at Devon a couple of years ago and a friend and I about fell out [of our seats] over a lovely pony in a class, especially its way of moving. The sire? Jupiter. We loved, loved it. The pony won the class, by the way.”
In the midst of this forum discussion a participant uploaded a video of an Escapade/Jupiter filly. The viewers reacted with comments such as, “I love that mare,” and “She is lovely…simply lovely,” and “Wow, lovely jump.” On May 22, 2009, this filly’s new owner wrote, “Estella has arrived in MI and she is quiet and sweet as can be,” a statement to which someone said, “I can’t wait to see how Estella grows up, she is fabulous.”
We cannot disagree with that last commentor’s statement at all. Estella is fabulous! She is a beautiful, big-bodied chestnut mare with a sweet and loving temperament and very strong maternal instincts.