Defining the Odds- Warmbloods

William Fox-Pitt, renowned English event rider and fan favorite, returns for his fourth consecutive Olympics in 2016 after suffering a traumatic brain injury and subsequent medically-induced coma. Only 10 months after an accident in the World Young Horse Championships, Fox-Pitt defies all odds and carries Great Britain in first place into the cross-country phase after an immaculate dressage round in Rio earlier this week aboard his promising young Brandenburger, Chili Morning.
Brandenburgers are a unique Warmblood breed with Hanoverian roots that have gained immense popularity in the show ring. Warmbloods in particular have contributed more success to the sport of eventing than any other breed.
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Warmbloods are a European derivation of years of precise, pure breeding adhering to certain studbook selection protocols, including conformation and other defining characteristics with the goal of creating the perfect ‘sport horse’. Well-known middle-weight German warmbloods include the Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Oldenburg and the Trakehner, according to Wikipedia. French and Scandinavian countries are also known for breeding high-quality Warmbloods.
Just as the name implies, Warmbloods are a prestigious combination of ‘cold-blood’ draft type horses and ‘hot-blood’ saddle horses. Integrating the most exceptional characteristics of both worlds, Warmbloods dominate the competition ring, especially in the disciplines of show jumping and dressage.
Fox-Pitt’s impressive team of quality mounts over the years has included the popular Trakehner known as Seacookie, who brought him a lot of success in the Rolex Three-Day in 2013 and 2014 as well as other CCI four-star events. Between Seacookie and Chili Morning, Fox-Pitt remains a fierce competitor in the top ranks of eventing. And this trend extends far across the field of upper-level events as Warmbloods continue to monopolize the show ring year after year.
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Watch William Fox-Pitt and Seacookie in the 2013 Rolex Three-Day Event
Resources Wikipedia