Photo ©Astrid Appels

Rideability, elegance, and international quality gaits are highlights of Royal Prince and of his ancestors. Royal Prince’s sire, Rohdiamant, has been an extremely successful competition horse and with rider Lisa Wilcox was short listed for the US Olympic Team. Rohdiamant’s success continues into the breeding world. He has sired over 40 approved sons and the VhW’s index lists Rohdiamant #10 for the production of dressage horses.

Royal Prince’s dam Piri Piri is by the influential Thoroughbred stallion Prince Thatch xx.  This Celle stallion has been ranked #9 on the VhW’s listing for production of dressage horses – a rare honor for a thoroughbred. Piccolino, by Prince Thatch, was among the top ranked horses on the German Dressage team and in 2003 helped secure the Team Gold for Germany at the European Dressage Championships and placed 6^th individually. 

Piri Piri’s dam Winzerin is by Wenzel I, the 1980 Champion of Hannover and winner of his stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf in 1979.  Wenzel I’s influence lives on in many top dressage horses like his internationally successful sons Walk on Top, Wanninger, and Weldon Surprise.

Royal Prince was approved in the fall of 2001 by the Hanoverian Verband and was a finalist in the 2002 Bundeschampionat. As a 4-year old, Royal Prince was the Reserve Champion of both his 30-Day and 70-Day stallion tests and again was a finalist at the Bundeschampionat. At all these events, Royal Prince consistently earned 10’s for his rideability and walk, and 9’s for his trot, canter, and willingness to work.

Hilltop Farm imported Royal Prince in the fall of 2003 and in the spring Royal Prince made sweeping wins of all his classes at the 2004 East Coast Selection Trials for the FEI World Championships for Young Horses. At the Championships in Verden, Germany, Royal Prince demonstrated his keen focus and lovely gaits and made a bit of American history when he earned an overall score of 8.84 and a final standing of 4^th place in the world! No American entry to date has placed so successfully in this international event. Royal Prince next headed to Lexington, Kentucky for the USEF/Markel National Young Horse Championships. Once again, the judges awarded Royal Prince a 10 for his walk, 9 for his trot, 8.5 for the canter, 9 on submissiveness, and a 9.2 for general impression, giving him an overall score of 9.14 and the 2004 National Championship title.

Photo ©W. Schonrock Dahlenburg

COMPETITIVE HIGHLIGHTS

2007: Reserve Champion, Third Level BLM Finals
2005: US Representative World Championships for Young Horses - FEI Six Year Olds
2004: USEF National Champion - FEI Five Year Olds
2004: US Representative World Championships for Young Horses - FEI Five Year Olds
2003: Reserve Champion of both his 30-day & 70-day Stallion Tests