Whisper carries the bloodlines and characteristics of the most successful dressage horses in the world today. He is undoubtedly the ‘best performed’ dressage stallion to be imported into New Zealand.
Whisper gives breeders here the chance to upgrade the local gene pool with an infusion from the most respected and influential Dressage horses of modern times.
He is a 'purpose bred' dressage horse and has an abundance of the qualities that are prized the world over. His well balanced conformation, with natural uphill carriage and a soft swinging back make him a pleasure to sit on.
9.25 OUT OF 10 FOR RIDEABILITY
He has undertaken many expert assessments as part of being licensed by the Hanoverian Verband in Germany and his paces have been noted as outstanding. His rideability mark was 9.25 out of 10 in his stallion testing. Whisper also received great marks here including a 9 for his walk.
GERMANY - RESERVE CHAMPION AT BUNDESCHAMPIONATE
Whisper was bred by Heinrich Niewoehner in Germany and sold as a three year old to Van den Broeck stables in Holland (www.dressuurstal.nl). Here he was placed with respected professional Suzanne Miesner for his early training. Together they were the Reserve Champions at the 2000 Bundeschampionate.
HOLLAND - STALLION CLASSES WITH HANS PETER MINDERHOUD
Later Whisper was sent to the Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud. He and Whisper took part at the Zwolle International Stallion Show and won the consolation finals (as a german horse he wasn't eligible for the final) in the Young Stallion Class. They also became the ZZ-licht (Fifth level) champions at the 2003 Dutch Dressage Championships and won the Fourth level Stallion Class at the CDI Verden, receiving a perfect 10 for his extended trot!
AUSTRALIA - OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIED WITH BRETT PARBURY
At age 7 he was sold to Dr Kerry Mack in Australia and so Whisper began his life in the Southern Hemisphere. Some of his initial training was undertaken with Mary Hanna and then eventually Brett Parbury took over the ride with great success. Whisper went on to be the winner of the prestigious Prix St George Cup for horses aged between six and ten years, with a score of 70%. Brett went on to win the Australian national Grand Prix title with Whisper and together they qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The black stallion Jody first saw Whisper compete at the Melbourne CDI-W in 2006. He was winning the Prix St Georges class and had the most spell-binding musical freestyle Jody had ever seen. Four years later Jody still couldn't erase the image of the black stallion from her head - and when the chance to purchase Whisper came available, Jody made sure (with the help of her generous supporter Erin Mortimer) that the stallion would at last be hers.
NEW ZEALAND - BURKNER MEDAL, HOY AND BEYOND
Jody has enjoyed a dream run with Whisper in their first season together, winning the Waitemata Championships when the partnership was just one week old. Whisper then went on to win the Burkner Medal for NZ national grand prix champion and two weeks later the coverted Horse of the Year title.
In doing so he qualified for the World Equestrian Games. He was then flown to Sydney where he finished third in the Grand Prix Kur against the best Australian based riders.
Whisper has spent his last winter in sunny California, USA before returning to New Zealand. Sadly Whisper was euthanised in March of 2011 following a debilitating injury. He is still available to breeders via a limited supply of frozen semen.