Photos by Erin McCardell, Hilltop Farm Inc.
2008 Oldenburg Gelding
Royal Prince / A Jungle Prince / Renoir
Premium Foal (8.6) and Inspection Site Champion
Multiple Breed Show Championships
Currently standing at 16.1 H
22,000
Raphael defines the word elegance with his gorgeous body lines, exquisite head and beautiful movement. Raphael was lightly started under saddle in July 2011. Although green under saddle, Raphael has proven to be uncomplicated, engaged and confident in his work. He carries tall and petite riders equally well and his gaits are exceptionally comfortable. Raphael is naturally round, forward and light in the hand. He has also shown excellent aptitude and motivation during free-jumping and cavalletti work. Raphael is mannerly for all routine handling procedures, shipping and clipping. He also adapted easily to underwater treadmill conditioning. Raphael would be an outstanding prospect for the professional or experienced amateur dressage or hunter rider, and particularly well suited as a ladies mount.
He made his breed ring debut at the Fair Hill Breed Show, where he turned heads and came home with the Colts of 2008 win and was also named the Reserve Champion Colt. A short time later, at the ISR/Oldenburg Inspection at Hilltop Farm, he earned a Premium Foal award, and was the Champion Colt with a final score of 8.6. Judge Eckhard Brysch praised Raphael for his impeccable beauty, type and movement. In 2008, he was the third highest scoring foal in the nation. In 2009, he was the Dressage at Devon, ISR-Oldenburg N.A. 2 and Under Champion. In 2010 he was the Fair Hill SHBS ISR-Oldenburg N.A. 2 and Under Champion, and took 3rd place in his age group.
BW-Raphael is by the top Hanoverian stallion Royal Prince, who, under rider Susanne Hassler achieved a stellar 4th place finish in Verden, Germany at the World Breeding Federation Championship for Young Dressage Horses in the Five Year Old division. They remain the highest placing American pair to date. 2010 marked Royal Prince’s Prix St. Georges debut under Christopher Hickey, earning scores in the high 60’s and into the 70’s in his first few outings.
BW-Raphael’s dam Ariane -/*/-, has produced one champion after another. Her offspring have won numerous breed show titles and National Championships in dressage sport. To learn more about Raphael’s lineage, please visit our Dams and Sires page.
