United States Eventing Association

Kryptic, a yearling Trakehner colt registered with the American Trakehner Association, scored a 77 and placed 3rd in the USEA/EMCO Future Event Horse Yearling colt class at The Ark on February 29, 2008 (for complete results, click here). Kryptic was bred for eventing and is by the approved Trakehner stallion Fandango (by E.H. Sixtus) who himself is competing in dressage and eventing in California and out of the approved Preliminary Stud Book Anglo-Trakehner mare Karoline's Traum by Kartacz. When presented for his voluntary inspection in 2007, Kryptic received a 9/9/9 and was recommended as a stallion prospect by the American Trakehner Association. Kryptic is bred, owned and handled by Karri Henning of Altamont Sport Horses in Birmingham, AL who looks forward to showing him in additional FEH classes this year.

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From Karri Henning, Kryptic's owner:

I bred Kryptic myself. His athleticism always leaves me with a dropped jaw. I'm just tickled at how this breeding turned out. He is a total sweetheart, very friendly, outgoing, and is normally very confident. I say normally because he was a little intimidated by all the happenings at The Ark. I couldn't get him to relax at the walk, he was jigging. And he wouldn't stand still for his conformation evaluation. I'm happy with his score but think he will do even better as he gets more experience in the show environment. For me, it was more about giving him a positive experience in a format that could appreciate him instead of taking him to some local shows full of Quarter Horses. At his Trakehner inspection he was encouraged to run free at his dam's side so we never put him on the lead line until after his inspection was complete. He really impressed the judge and audience with his confidence, in addition to his movement and conformation. He walked quite a distance from his dam, quietly exploring his surroundings without stressing, calling, etc. I could hear the audience speculating about who his sire might be and when I confirmed it was Fandango I heard many "Ah-hah's." It was a very proud moment for me.

I have a smallish breeding operation and typically breed about four foals per year. All my foals are bred for eventing although I do have the occasional family type pleasure horse every few years out of my Appaloosa mare just to keep her happy. I had planned to do more breeding this year but with the market being what it is I will probably keep it at four foals. I breed primarily Trakehners but also a few Irish Draught Sport Horses. In fact, I have a fabulous 2007 filly by Megan Gillenwater's stallion Macha Breeze and out of an Anglo-Trakehner mare by Graditz. I had planned to keep her but she is so athletic that I would never be able to do her justice in the saddle. She is for sale and should be a fabulous horse for the serious eventing competitor. We are expecting another Macha Breeze baby out of a different dam in late May. I also plan to breed Kryptic's dam back to Fandango this year for hopefully an equally nice full sibling.

My riding has been on the back burner for the last few years due to starting my own business. I mostly ride dressage and jumpers for my enjoyment with the occasional local show. Throw in some real world XC we've done around here so you could say that I am an eventer at heart even though I haven't been competing. I plan to get back into the saddle this year provided my riding horse is sound. She was kicked in the hock last year and has had some issues which I suspect may now be only a habit. She had a purebred Trakehner filly in 2007 by the Trakehner Grand Prix jumper Advocate. She will need to get back into shape. After which I hope to begin lightly eventing her. She is a purebred Trakehner named Ala and is by Troy and out of Austria by Flaneur. I plan to show Ala's filly in the next FEH classes we attend. Ala's filly also received high scores at the ATA voluntary inspection so I take that as a barometer that I am definitely on the right track with my breeding decisions. Megan Gillenwater and I are planning to take two trailer loads up to the FEH classes in Lexington this year provided my mare doesn't look like she will foal early (fingers crossed). These will be all Trakehners, Megan's Irish Draught Sport Horse colt and one or two Irish Draught Sport Horses of my own (yearling and two year old). I guess we will be supporting the FEH program well!

Actually, I heard about the FEH program hear and there in passing amongst fellow Trakehner breeders but didn't know much until Megan and I really started talking about it. I think you will find more and more Trakehners entering the eventing world in the coming years (*editor's note* - Yes, we will, Karri - look who won the Spalding Labs USEA Young Event Horse Championships last year - Trakehners!). While they used to focus a little more on dressage horses they are now focusing more on the "total athlete" and looking for the conformation that goes along with that. They have also pulled back from encouraging heavy bone which is not what the original Trakehner had and which did not serve it well in more recent years when they went in that direction. I am not surprised that Trakehners are doing well in the eventing world. They have great endurance with the historical infusion of both TB and Arabian blood with more bone than the typical TB yet not so much that it inhibits them athletically or endurance wise. I also have to say that I have been impressed with the solid Trakehner temperment and willingness to work. I have heard them referred to as "German Arabians or Anglo-Arabs" and being terribly hot but I've not found that to be the case at all. I guess there are always the occasional exceptions with any breed.

Editor's Note: Thank you, Karri, for a fabulous write-up of the event - we look forward to seeing you at more FEH events in the future!