Originally Posted 06/19/2017
May 2017 - We took a short-notice road trip to Kansas (more on why later) and while there, added in a stop to meet one of the exciting up and coming German Riding pony stallions in North America; Fox Creek's Censational. This stallion was bred in Germany and imported in utero to Dianna Orona's Manhattan, Kansas based Fox Creek German Riding pony farm. And he is, sensational! He is likely one of the best kept secrets in North American pony breeding.
Sired by the Bundeschampion stallion Caramel FH and out of the states premium mare Die Oder Keine (by FS Don't Worry), Censational represents some of the absolute best German Riding pony breeding including Constantin, Golden Dancer, Valido, Black Boy and Der Lowe XX. Censational has a full sister in Germany via embryo transfer named Cream della Cream, and she has been very successful at competitions in Germany.
Fox Creek's Censational was born 2013 in the US and was a working 4 year old stallion when we met him. He is in dressage training with Jana (pronounced 'Ya-na') Wagner of Wally Woo Farm where we went to visit him. We arrived later than anticipated so Jana had him in cross ties for grooming. He had a very quiet and level headed demeanor but was observing us intelligently, curiously and politely engaging in our conversations.
His head is of lovely type and shape with adorably cute ears which prick well at top. A deep, dark bay, he stands on the taller side for the ponies, and has a lovely length of leg and substantial body build. This pony could easily carry a grown adult without issue! Jana reports that he is a workman who is very professional about his job and though he notices other horses, never steps out of line when he is 'clocked in'. She loves riding his gaits, saying he has a fantastic uphill feel to his ride and that his canter gives a fantastic feeling.
Jana walked him down to the new indoor to show him at liberty, passing other horses in barns and turnout to which he paid no mind. Once in the bright, sunlit indoor, she turned him loose for some free movement and we were stunned...
With loft, swing and visible athleticism, he covered ground with ease. He has fancy in the front and it is equal in the back. His movement is uphill and it is most apparent as he transitions from one gait to another. His hind leg is active, showing swing and carry. He trots with his nose in the dirt, something Jana told us is a sale closer in Germany. It is not difficult to imagine him exceeding in sport!
This stallion will, no doubt, be a force to contend with in both the show ring and the breeding shed. His dam line is proven time and time again with his sire side not far behind; he has substance in his build as well as the cute pony character coupled with fantastic quality of movement. I expect he will be a very good stallion to cross on a variety of mares. The toughest part for us will be deciding which of our mares would be the best cross for him. He is available via frozen through Fox Creek Farms.