The Gestüt Sprehe stallion Bernay has died at the age of nine. The stallion had a hoof problem and while he was being treated, developed total system failure and despite the best veterinary care, could not be saved.

Simone Pearce who rode him was convinced that he would go to the top. When I interviewed her last year, she told me:

“Bernay has exceptional piaffe / passage, he’s a like a big boy so it’s taken a little while to put everything together, but now I think I’ll start to compete small tour then we’ll go straight into Inter 2. He’s sport-wise in a really good direction.”

Their competition career was as short as it was successful. He made his Intermediaire II debut at the local show in Vreschen-Bokel in July 2020, where they won and were second in two Inter 2 tests.

Have you ridden any of his progeny?

“I’ve only ridden one Bernay and it was just like him, like Baby Bernay. I rode Bernay as a three-year-old, so I’ve known him for many years. I was his first show rider.”

Bernay is by Boston who was training with Isabell Werth when he too died way too soon, as a six year old following an intestinal illness, in February 2012. Boston was initially based at the Schwaiganger State Stud in Bavaria, but commenced training with Isabell Werth and Matthias Bouten in 2010.

Kira Wulferding and Bonita Springs competing in the Burg-Pokal Final in Frankfurt

Although he died so young, Boston produced over 300 foals, some of which are already proving spectacular competitors like Kira Wulferding’s Bonita Springs, out of a Fidertanz mare, who in June won the Nürberger Burg-Pokal qualifier at Werder with a score of 78.024.

“Boston was not just a wonderful stallion but also a very special horse who had enormous presence and character,” said Isabell Werth. “We miss him being with us.”

The British bred stallion was very Dutch. By Jazz out of a Flemmingh / Purioso / Ulft / Amor mare, and was licensed with the British Warmblood society in 2008, before being subsequently approved for the South German studbooks, Oldenburg and Rhineland / Westfalia.

Lord Sinclair, on the dam line, a Bundeschampion….

Bernay is out of Lady Leatherdale P, who is by Lord Loxley, who is by Lord Sinclair – one of the early stallions to gain fame by winning at the Bundeschampionate – but Lord Loxley’s dam, Weltlady brings an added dimension – stallion keeper and breeding expert, Jens Meyer knows her well…

“I rode this mare, Weltlady by Weltmeyer. I rode the mother, Weinlady by Weingau, and I know her mother, this Domspatz mare. The Weltmeyer mare, Weltlady scored over 8 in her performance test, and she was also a trot horse. She won material classes, and she was sold for big money to Belgium. Weinlady by Weingau, she was also a trot horse, she really could move, then comes Domspatz and then Marcio blood. In the end you have a really big chance, that you produce trot. And we need trot for the future.”

The mother of Lady Leatherdale was Fairless P. Bred by Franz Gehring, she was born in 1997, the daughter of the Westphalian state stud sire Ferragamo.  Fairless P had also five foals which are registered by the FN. One of them was successful in dressage until class S. Fairless P was also the dam for two licensed stallions, Lord Ferragamo born 2005 and Lord Leatherdale born 2003 – both by Lord Loxley I.

In 2014, Bernay passed his 30-day test in Münster-Handorf with above-average results. He completed his performance record by qualifying for the Bundeschampionate of five-year old dressage horses.

From his first crop, numerous foals were awarded a premium in several breeding areas where they were sold for top prices to well-known  young horse rearers abroad and in Germany. In 2016 and 2017 he dominated the elite foal championship in Mecklenburg and presented winners and highly placed offspring in all sections as well as the 2016 and 2018 foal champions of Austria. In 2017 his daughter won the Oldenburg Foal Championship in Southern Germany. In 2017, two sons of his very first crop were approved. Another seven of his sons were approved, the champion stallion of the approval in Redefin Beau Noir (dam sire Salut le Bon) and a €360,000 price highlight in Münster/Handorf (dam sire Dream On) among them.

One of the stars of the Vechta Foal Auction in August 2019, Best Choice by Bernay out of a Sir Donnerhall I / Wolkentanz mare.

Bernay’s blood will live on through his 14 licensed sons, including the 2018 Mecklenburger licensing champion Beau Noir, and six State Premium daughters.

Our sympathy to Simone and all our friends at Sprehe.