WBFSH Dressage Breeder 2025 - Stephan Kurz
(MSJ Freestyle HANN)
Stephan Kurz is named WBFSH Dressage Breeder of the Year 2025
German breeder Stephan Kurz has been named WBFSH Dressage Breeder of the Year 2025, an honour that recognises his exceptional contribution to international sport horse breeding and, in particular, his creation of the remarkable mare Mount St John Freestyle.
Based in Zöbingen, Baden-Württemberg, Kurz has quietly built a reputation for producing horses of talent, temperament, and rideability within the Hanoverian breeding programme. His most celebrated success story is Freestyle, the 2009 Hanoverian mare by Fidermark out of Donna Gracia (Donnerhall – Atatürk – Freiherr). Bought as a foal by Emma Blundell for her Mount St John Stud in the UK, Freestyle first rose to global fame under Charlotte Dujardin, earning medals at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.
In 2023, Freestyle began a new chapter with Danish star Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, and the pair have since become one of the world’s top combinations—scoring over 90 percent in freestyle and capturing major wins in Herning, Stockholm, and Gothenburg. Their success propelled both rider and breeder to the top of the 2025 WBFSH rankings, sealing Kurz’s first-ever world breeding title.
Donna Gracia, Freestyle’s dam, has produced a string of quality offspring for Kurz, confirming the depth of this valuable mare line. Yet it is Freestyle’s extraordinary blend of power, grace, and heart that has carried her breeder’s name to the pinnacle of the sport.
This award marks the first WBFSH title for Stephan Kurz—a quiet craftsman whose passion and precision have now earned him global recognition.
WBFSH Jumping Breeder 2025 - Susana Épaillard García Cereceda
(Donatello d'Auge SF)
About Donatello d’Auge and His Breeder, Susana Épaillard García Cereceda
Donatello d’Auge, a Selle Français gelding, has become one of the most celebrated show jumping horses of his generation. Born and raised at Haras de La Bosquetterie in Normandy, France, he was carefully bred and nurtured by Susana Épaillard García Cereceda, a breeder renowned for her meticulous approach to producing top-level jumping horses. Donatello’s sire, Jarnac, and dam, Tequila d’Auge, provided the perfect combination of talent, temperament, and athleticism, qualities that Susana recognized and cultivated from his earliest days.
Under Susana’s guidance, Donatello developed not only his physical ability but also a remarkable mental resilience. Known for his careful technique, exceptional scope, and calm confidence in high-pressure arenas, he has consistently excelled at the highest levels of the sport. His partnership with rider Julien Épaillard—Susana’s husband—has yielded multiple Grand Prix victories, including 5* events in St. Tropez, Monaco, and Amsterdam, as well as a triumph at the FEI World Cup Final in Basel in 2025.
Susana’s dedication to breeding excellence has been recognized internationally. In 2023, she received the prestigious WBFSH Jumping Breeder Award, an accolade reflecting both the performance of her horses and her commitment to long-term development. Donatello d’Auge stands as a testament to her philosophy: that world-class talent emerges from patience, careful planning, and a deep understanding of each horse’s unique potential. Together, breeder and horse exemplify the pinnacle of modern show jumping.
WBFSH Eventing Breeder 2025 - Ocke Riewerts
(London 52 HOLST)
London 52 and His Breeder, Ocke Riewerts
London 52 is one of the most celebrated event horses of the modern era—a horse whose elegance, athleticism, and courage have captivated fans around the world. Bred by Ocke Riewerts on the small North Sea island of Föhr, Germany, the bay Holsteiner gelding (by Landos out of Vernante by Quinar Z) represents the very best of thoughtful, traditional breeding. Though Riewerts’ operation is modest—just a few mares and foals each year—his meticulous attention to character and conformation produced a horse who would go on to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Under British rider Laura Collett, London 52 has achieved extraordinary success: team gold and individual bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, victory at multiple CCI5* events, and most recently European Championship gold in 2025. His exceptional dressage ability, brave yet intelligent cross-country performances, and faultless showjumping rounds have made him a benchmark for modern eventing.
For breeder Ocke Riewerts, London 52’s rise is a triumph not just of skill but of belief. Breeding on a windswept island far from the sport’s main centers, Riewerts focused on producing horses with genuine heart and versatility—qualities that have defined London 52’s career. His success has earned Riewerts the title of WBFSH Eventing Breeder of the Year 2025, remarkably for the second time, a testament to sustained excellence in producing athletes capable of excelling on the world stage.
London 52’s story is a reminder that greatness can come from small beginnings—a single foal, bred with care and conviction, who went on to inspire a generation and place his breeder’s name firmly among the legends of equestrian sport.
FINAL STUDBOOK RANKINGS 2025:
The Studbook leading the WBFSH rankings in dressage this year is the KWPN studbook, who maintains the winning spot, having kept this position since 2017, with 12.783 points gathered over the year.
- Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale) – 2469 points
- Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino OLD) – 2366 points
- Fame (Bordeaux 28) – 2159
- Flambeau (Ampere) – 1975 points
- Gotilas du Feuillard (Totilas) – 1911
- Hartsuijker (Johnson TN) – 1903
The Winning Jumping Studbook is Selle Français, for the third year in a row, with 9.046 points.
- Donatello d'Auge (Jarnac) – 1911 points
- Bond Jamesbond de Hay (Diamant de Semilly) – 1662 points
- Dexter de Kerglenn (Mylord Carthago TN) – 1444 points
- Ermitage Kalone (Catoki) – 1386 points
- Dynastie de Beaufour (Diamant de Semilly) – 1353 points
- Vitalhorse Fleur d'Oz (Olimbos Merze) – 1290 points
The Winning Eventing Studbook is yet again the Holsteiner Verband with 1.450 points.
- London 52 (Landos) – 331 points
- JL Dublin (Diarado) – 262 points
- Carlitos Quidditch K (Quiwi Dream) – 251 points
- Vitali (Contender) – 207 points
- Commando 3 (Connor 48) – 203 points
- Dacapo (Diarado) – 196 points
