Nestled in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Glenhill Sporthorses have made a name for themselves in recent years – not only with their impressive crops of Warmblood and German Riding Pony (GRP) foals each season, but also their successful team of competition horses.
Founded and run by Christan Trainor, and with Riley Alexander in the saddle, Glenhill’s Warmblood mares have been very successful from young horse classes through to Small Tour – as have their GRPs competing under pony extraordinaire Alison Gill.
Bred by embryo transfer, the Glenhill mares are all proven performers, and Christan spends countless hours studying bloodlines in order to match them with the ideal stallions. She has a keen eye for new blood and has often used some of the upcoming and exciting European stallions that are now starting to make waves in the breeding world.
This season, Glenhill has welcomed 19 foals. For those in search of their next dressage superstar, these are the ones currently offered for sale:
Black filly – Opoque x New Star LP
“We have a beautiful black filly by Opoque (All At Once x Davino V.O.D.) out of New Star (Negro x Dimaggio). Opoque was the 2023 World Young Horse 4 Year Old Champion and was qualified to represent The Netherlands at the 2024 World Young Horse Championships before being sold to the Oatleys, for Rose Oatley to ride. He is so rideable and talented,’’ says Christan.
“Our mare New Star is ridden by Riley and is currently at Small Tour and not far off her Grand Prix debut, which is very exciting.”
Bay colt – About You II x New Star
“We’ve also got a bay colt out of New Star, by the stallion About You II (AC-DC 4 x Estobar NRW) who did very well at the 2023 World Young Horse Championships. About You II was sold to Yara Reichert, and he’s now out winning at Medium level in Germany,” explains Christan, adding, “He should go all the way; he is just super rideable, and super lovely tempered. He’s by AC-DC 4, so an A-line stallion, which is not a line that we have a lot of here in Australia. It’s nice to have a little bit of new blood.”
Black filly – For Real x New Star
“We then have a beautiful black filly by For Real (Farrell x Lord Loxley 1) out of New Star. For Real was the really lovely young stallion at Helgstrands that Emma Weel has just recently purchased. He’s been gelded and he’s in Australia now; again, great rideability and a super-tempered horse.” He will be campaigned by young rider Abby Weel.
Black colt – Springbank x Glenhill Totil Star
“This black colt is by Springbank out of New Star’s daughter, Totil Star (by Totilas). I think there may have only been a few Springbank offspring ever born in Australia, because his frozen semen is really tricky. Springbank is chestnut; we got a black colt and he is just outstanding.” Competing at Grand Prix level, Springbank is proving to be quite successful – recently winning the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix freestyle at Gut Ising in Germany.
“This one is almost a once-in-a-lifetime kind of foal, as we won’t be able to get too many Springbank offspring here…and being out of a Totilas dam who in turn is out of New Star, a mare who is about to go Grand Prix… it’s pretty special.”
Palomino GRP filly – Golden Daim F x Glenhill Divine Classic
“We have a GRP palomino filly out of Glenhill Divine Classic,” notes Christan. Glenhill Divine Classic has of course been hugely successful this year. She was named 4YO Pony Champion at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea – also beating the horses – and was the 4YO Champion and Young Pony Champion of Champions at both Dressage & Jumping with the Stars (DJWTS) and Sydney CDI.
“She’s fully qualified now for the 5YO Championship at 2025 DJWTS; she had the highest score at her qualifier recently and beat all the horses again. She’s pretty amazing,” adds Christan.
“This filly of hers is by stallion Golden Daim F, who is by Golden West – a multi Bundeschampionate (German national young horse and pony championship) winner and out of a Coco Jambo mare.’’
Palomino GRP colt – FS Next Diamond x Glenhill Matinee (SOLD)
“Last season, we had an amazing buckskin colt by FS Next Diamond out of Glenhill Matinee (by Movie Star). He was one of the best pony foals I’ve ever seen, so I repeated the breeding and this year we’ve got the most beautiful palomino colt with lots of white,” enthuses Christan.
Glenhill Matinee is a beautiful GRP mare who Christan herself rides. With very little time for riding – especially during a busy breeding season – Christan explains that Matinee is the perfect pony for her as she can pull her out of the paddock to ride and she simply picks up where they left off. Her temperament is exemplary.
Black colt – Skyline to B x De Niro/Negro
“We then have a black colt by Skyline to B (Blue Horse St. Schufro x Ampere) out of our Negro mare, New Beginnings,” says Christan, introducing the final foal of the season. New Beginnings is a black Hanoverian mare by Negro and with both Worldly and Rotspon in her pedigree.
The colt’s sire, Skyline to B, was highly placed in the five-year-old class at the 2023 World Young Horse Championships and is a promising horse for the future.
You can find out more about Glenhill Sporthorses via their website. If you’re interested in any of the available foals this season, you can reach Christan via 0459210581 or glenhillsporthorses@gmail.com
