Influential jumping sire Balou du Rouet (Baloubet du Rouet x Continue). Image supplied by IHB.
With the 2026 breeding season approaching, International Horse Breeders principal Glenis Dyason highlights leading Hanoverian-ranked stallions available through frozen semen. From proven performers to emerging sires, Australian breeders can access top dressage and jumping genetics.
International Horse Breeders Pty Ltd (IHB) is well known in the performance horse breeding industry for offering Australian breeders access to a premium range of dressage, jumping and eventing sires through frozen semen.
Established in 1989, IHB has sole representation of stallions from the Hanoverian State Stud Celle and Deckstation Paul Schockemöhle in Germany, while also marketing stallions standing at Helgstrand Dressage, Gestüt WM, Klosterhof Medingen and Böckmann Pferde.
IHB principal Glenis Dyason never tires of analysing bloodlines and identifying breeding trends, particularly as the 2026 breeding season approaches.
“Each season new up and coming stallions are made available, which excite breeders because of their amazing pedigrees, top performance test scores and first successes in competitions. Many will become top sires of the future,” explains Glenis. “Others turn to the older stallions that have already achieved in top competitions and whose youngsters are now making their mark in the industry.”
As Glenis explains, stallions with top breeding values are highly prized.
“They have proven their ability to pass on their valuable genetics to their progeny. IHB has many stallions available through frozen semen who are listed in the top 20 sires of the Hannoveraner Verband (Hanoverian breed society) statistics. When evaluating scores, 100 is the mean average score – and the greater a score exceeds 100, the higher the ability of a stallion being able to share his valuable genes to his progeny.”
Glenis has identified several IHB-listed stallions highly rated by the Hannoveraner Verband, all of which are available to Australian breeders for the 2026 breeding season.
BALOU DU ROUET A PERENNIAL STAR
For jumping, Balou du Rouet heads the list with 147 points. Based at Deckstation Paul Schockemöhle, Balou du Rouet (Baloubet du Rouet x Continue) has sired countless quality showjumpers over the years. His latest success story is Baloutinue, who finished 14th among the world’s best at the recent FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen, Germany, with American rider Laura Kraut.
Not only a sire of successful showjumpers, Balou du Rouet has also influenced the eventing world. Australia’s Isabel English was named a reserve for the FEI Eventing World Championship team with the Balou du Rouet-sired Cil Dara Bombay S.
Perigueux is next on the list with 145 points, followed by Stanley (143), Casallco (142), Chacoon Blue (139), Diarado (137), Grey Top (136), Diacontinus (135), Chacfly PS (134), Conthargos (130) and Edward (130).
Chacoon Blue (Chacci-Blue x Cartoon). Image supplied by IHB.
Diarado is another stallion that has significantly influenced eventing. At the FEI Eventing World Championship, fourth-placed Diabolo, originally produced in Australia by Gemma Tinney and now ridden by Will Coleman (USA), is by Diarado. Diabolo has been one of the leading event horses of recent years, also claiming this year’s CCI5*-L Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Other Diarado-sired horses competing at the FEI World Championships included eventing team gold medallist and overall seventh-placed JL Dublin (Tom McEwen, Great Britain), 16th-placed D’Accord FRH (Christoph Wahler, Germany), and 25th-placed Kiarado d’Arville (Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, Belgium). Diarado was also the sire or damsire of two additional eventing competitors and sired two horses in the jumping field.
Diarado (Diamant de Semilly x Corrado 1). Image supplied by IHB.
“Diarado is another stallion
that has significantly
influenced eventing…”
Next up in September is the 2026 FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium. It will once again be interesting to see which stallions feature prominently in the breeding of leading young horse winners and placegetters.
NO SECRET WHO’S LEADING THE DRESSAGE LIST
For dressage, Secret tops the rankings with 146 points. A dominant influence at this year’s FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden, Germany, Secret sired the seven-year-old silver medallist Secret Agent (Charlotte Dujardin, Great Britain) and the six-year-old bronze medallist Sir Gribaldi (Beatrice Arturi, Germany), along with five other finalists across the age divisions.
Next on the Hannoveraner Verband list is Benicio (140), followed by Sir Donnerhall I (138), Foundation (137), Fürstenball (136), Fürst Romancier (136), Floriscount (134), Borsalino (127), Sandro Hit (126), Von und Zu (124) and Fidertanz (121).
The Benicio son Belcanto HB placed fourth in the seven-year-old final in Verden under Portugal’s Mafalda Galiza Mendes. Sir Donnerhall I was the damsire of three finalists; Fürstenball was both the damsire of one finalist and sire of another; and Fidertanz was also represented as a finalist’s damsire.
Secret (Sezuan x St Moritz). Image by Kiki Beelitz/supplied by IHB.
Benicio (Belissimo M x Velten Third). Image by Guido Recki/supplied by IHB.
HIGHEST LEVEL ACHIEVED
The Hannoveraner Verband also provides statistics based on the highest level achieved by progeny in sport. For jumping stallions, Chac Boy stands out with 159 points, while Ogano Sitte has 155 and Continental Blue 124, among many others already mentioned.
Chac Boy (Chacco-Blue x Baloubet du Rouet) stands at Deckstation Paul Schockemöhle and was formerly a highly successful partner for Germany’s Nicola Pohl, competing under the name Exelero 2. Together they won at Grand Prix level and represented Germany in Nations Cup competition. One of his most successful offspring, Chactula PS, has competed at 1.60m level with Dutch rider Gerco Schröder.
Based on the highest level achieved, Vitalis (Vivaldi x D-Day) leads the dressage rankings with a remarkable score of 182.
Vitalis has produced many well-known Grand Prix performers, including Vayron, winner of Olympic team silver in 2024 and European Championship team gold in 2025. The horse has been ridden by Denmark’s Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Germany’s Ingrid Klimke. Another notable offspring is Vamos Amigos, who carried Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour to team gold and two individual silver medals at the 2022 FEI World Championship, Nations Cup victories, and second place in the 2022 FEI World Cup Final. The gelding has since been partnered by Great Britain’s Annabella Pidgley, winning team bronze at the 2025 FEI U25 European Championship.
Vitalis (Vivaldi x D-Day). Image supplied by IHB.
“Vitalis has produced
many well-known Grand
Prix performers…”
Sir Donnerhall I is the next-highest rated with 179 points, followed by Foundation (163), Franklin (162), Fürstenball (161), Totilas (159), Fidertanz (156), Sandro Hit (155), Benicio (146), Quantensprung (141), Secret (136), Floriscount (135), Fürst Romancier (131), Finest (123) and Fürst Belissaro (121).
Sir Donnerhall (Sandro Hit x Donnerhall). Image supplied by IHB.
A son of Totilas, Total Hope OLD recently competed at the FEI Dressage World Championships. Partnered by Norway’s Isabel Freese, the pair made the freestyle final and placed 13th in the world.
STALLIONS THAT LIVE ON
Frozen semen makes it possible to breed from some of the world’s best bloodlines, even after a stallion has passed away.
In July, the breeding world lost the influential sire Fürstenball. Bred by Georg Sieverding from his famous champion dam line, the stallion was by Fürst Heinrich out of the State Premium/Elite Mare Maradonna by Donnerhall x Classiker.
“He was truly something special and can absolutely be considered one of the most influential stallions of all time,” said owners Lone Boegh Henriksen and Paul Schockemöhle following the stallion’s passing. “Not only did he pass on his wonderfully elegant type and his brilliant gaits, but above all, his consistently willing and people-oriented character. He was truly exceptional in every respect. We are incredibly grateful to this icon of modern dressage horse breeding.”
Fürstenball sired nearly 40 Grand Prix-successful offspring, more than 100 licensed sons, and 330 premium mares. Most recently at the FEI Para Dressage World Championships in Aachen, the 11-year-old Fürstenball mare Poesie enjoyed great success with Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing, claiming individual gold and bronze medals as well as team silver.
Fürstenball (Fürst Heinrich x Donnerhall). Image supplied by IHB.
For breeders, retaining access to stallions such as Fürstenball through frozen semen is a significant advantage.
“This fantastic opportunity has helped us to breed foals of international standard, as by now some breeders are able to boast of many generations of foals bred by this method,” explains Glenis. “The foals which this country produces are of top quality and now compare with those born overseas. These foals make our hearts burst with love and pride and give us dreams of success for the future!” EQ
GET IN TOUCH WITH INTERNATIONAL HORSE BREEDERS
To explore the extensive range of frozen semen stallions available through IHB, visit www.ihb.com.au, phone Glenis on 0427 400 357, or email [email protected]. IHB is also on Facebook.
This article was written in conjunction with International Horse Breeders.
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