The news of Sandro Hit’s death earlier this month rocked the dressage and breeding worlds, but the famous breeding stallion’s impressive legacy is something quite astonishing.
Sandro Hit’s influence on dressage breeding cannot be underestimated – he can be credited as being behind a whole dynasty of modern dressage horses. Among the many Sandro Hit offspring are some well-known breeding stallions, as well as countless horses who have made their mark in sport at top level.
We bring you pictures of just a few of the successful Sandro Hit offspring out there…
Showtime FRH
The 15-year-old gelding (Sandro Hit x Rotspon) has won three gold medals for Germany under Dorothee Schneider, competing at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, as well as winning double individual European silver.
Salvino
A son of Sandro Hit x Donnerhall, this 14-year-old stallion is the top ride of the USA’s Adrienne Lyle. They won team silver together at the World Equestrian Games in 2018, and the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Sir Donnerhall II
Another of the Sandro Hit sons in action in Tokyo, this 15-year-old stallion, out of a Donnerhall II mare, is the championship ride of France’s Morgan Barbançon.
Sintano Van Hof Olympia
The 11-year-old gelding (Sandro Hit x Silvano) is one of the top grand prix horses in Britain at the moment – he and Gareth Hughes were travelling reserves for the Tokyo Olympics and have been selected to compete at the 2021 European Dressage Championships.
Sir Donnerhall
This super Sandro Hit x Donnerhall son was reserve five-year-old world champion at Verden in 2006 with Ulf Möller, and Bundeschampion 2006, and has gone on to become a very successful dressage sire himself, with offspring competing at the highest level.
Stedinger
Born in 2000, Stedinger is a son of Sandro Hit x Landadel, and is another who has become a very popular and successful sire of dressage horses.
Santana
Sweden’s Minna Telde partnered this black stallion (Sandro Hit x Rubinstein I), who famously had only one eye, at two European championships, a WEG and the London Olympics.
San Amour
San Amour, now 17, is currently ranked ninth in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses sire rankings, behind Sandro Hit himself in third.
Samba Hit III
Now 18 years old, this Sandro Hit x Brentano II stallion stands in the UK and has proved popular with breeders, and was competed up to international small tour by Britain’s Gareth Hughes.
Santano II
Sandro Hit has done more than just produce top dressage horses; Santano II was Australian Chris Burton’s eventing ride in Rio – they won team bronze and were also fifth individually.
The recent Tokyo Olympic Games acted as something of a Sandro Hit showcase, as eight of the horses in the grand prix were his direct offspring. Plenty more were Sandro Hit descendants, though, including these three…
Sanceo
The breakout stars of Tokyo were Sabine Schut-Kery and the 15-year-old Sandro Hit grandson Sanceo (by San Remo). They lead the USA to team silver and scored over 81% twice.
Suppenkasper
Completing a trio of Sandro Hit offspring on the silver medal-winning USA team in Tokyo is the 13-year-old Suppenkasper (Spielberg x IPS Krack C), who was the ride of Steffen Peters and finished in the top 10 individually.
Sambuca
Sambuca and Heike Holstein were the sole Irish representatives in Tokyo. The Samarant x Limmerick mare, who is 12, is a home-bred.
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