Sarah Hughes the owner of 5yro bay dutch warmblood dressage horse Viraldi was sold to the USA to be trained to do dressage to a high level. Sarah and I have become close via email and she continues to support Vecthom Sporthorses.
I could not ask for a better home for my boy to go to and I hope he continues to do well for the Hughes family. Please read some of the emails she has sent to me about how Viraldi is getting on (most recent emails first to the day she recieved him)
Hi, Jen
Viraldi, incidently, is doing fabulously well. We
recently took him in a dressage clinic and were
offered 80k for him!!!!! We, of course, have not sold
him nor do we intend to.
Verdie is schooling 3rd level dressage movements right
now. He is scheduled to go to Florida this winter to
compete in several Dressage Shows in Wellington, FL (a
HUGE mecca of Olympic riders compete there during the
winter as it is 70 and sunny!).
Pretty soon, our entire herd is going to be from the
UK!! What an amazing venture! I am grateful that you
market such quality horses at reasonable pricing.
-Sarah
I have some photos of Viraldi that we will attempt to
scan and send you this week. He looks fabulous. Did
you know that little bugger grew??? We sticked him
yesterday and he now officially stands at 18.0
hands!!! He is massive and has put on a ton of muscle
and weight. He looks like a grand prix dressage horse
and he has the paces to back-up his appearance. He is
loved by all at the stables and Brad thinks he has the
potential to be an Olympic qualifier. You certainly
were not off in your assessment of the horse! Please
take care and we will chat soon!
-Sarah
Viraldi has gone to 3 shows thus far and has won
nearly every dressage class and has come home all 3
times with championship ribbons. Brad will be taking
him to Lamplight and Devon Dresage in August so I hope
his success continues. The plan is for him to go 3rd
level, but I will be tickled with 2nd level too. -Sarah
-Sarah
I am now at Brad Cutshall's farm (Landmark
Farms)to board and for training. Brad taught him
flying changes and piaffe in one lesson. He is
"incredibly smart", as Brad puts it, and an absolute
joy to ride. -Sarah
Hello! I just had to write to tell you that I took
Viraldi in his first dressage show on Saturday and he
won his class!!! He had a bit of a runny nose and a
cough, so I was debating about whether or not to enter
him. We ended up riding in just the Prix Caprilli
class (one where you perform a dressage test and jump
fences at the same time). He was such a gentleman and
despite feeling under the weather, he performed
beautifully!!!! We have him entered to compete at the
Novice level in an event the first weekend in June.
He is very talented, bold, and level-headed, so I have
my fingers crossed for another win. William is going
to try to send you the video of our dressage test
today. I hope you like it! We are just so pleased
with him....we shower him with hugs and kisses every
day!
Viraldi is doing fabulously well we love him dearly and find
his personality to be positively delightful. He is
such a character! -Sarah
Hello! I rode the BIG MAN for the first time last
night....what a blast! His trot is gorgeous and his
walk should score 9's and 10's. His canter was very
smooth,I popped him over a few jumps and he
was as round as a ball!!! Lots of expression and very
eager to jump! I sensed that he likes to look for the
next jump, even if you are simply attempting a single
jumping effort. I went past another jump in the arena
and he locked on it with his ears, as if to say,
"Okay...I'm ready. Let me at it!".
He is an absolute joy and is catching the looks of
many other borders.
I adore him
and couldn't possibly be happier!!!!
Forever Grateful,
Sarah
Hello! He finally arrived here last night around
8:00. You described him perfectly...big, kind, quiet,
and adorable. He is such a gentleman!!
We let
him loose to play in the indoor arena and WOW does he
have a trot!!!!! His walk would certainly score a
perfect 10 in dressage as well. -Sarah
Now please read a few remarks from Marianne Van Pelt from the USA. (horse is kept in Ireland)
Grannush was brought out of the field unbroken but with the most outstanding paces, jump and breeding ever.
I will continue to keep you posted on him Flash as he progresses.
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Grannush has gone off to Trish Donegan's yard (she's
the Irish event team and not far from our house)
for a couple of weeks, will be back here in August.
everyone loves his paces.
-Marianne
Hi,
He just came back from the Ryan-Donegan yard, and is
doing great. He is coming along, but is still, of
course, very green. Michael Ryan thought he was "very
flash" so we call him Flash now.
Please see below for a quick comment Jane Bryne from Cheshire wrote about her new horse.
I have had Dory (now known as Lucy) for just over a week and she's gorgeous! Took her to Horse Camp last weekend where we parted company over the first jump but then went from strength to strength! Yes, she's green which I expected, but her attitude to work and to learning new things is great! She was trotting through the water jump like a pro in a very short time. We are going to have great fun together - thank you for bringing into my life!
Regards, Jane
I could not ask for a better home for my boy to go to and I hope he continues to do well for the Hughes family. Please read some of the emails she has sent to me about how Viraldi is getting on (most recent emails first to the day she recieved him)
Hi, Jen
Viraldi, incidently, is doing fabulously well. We
recently took him in a dressage clinic and were
offered 80k for him!!!!! We, of course, have not sold
him nor do we intend to.
Verdie is schooling 3rd level dressage movements right
now. He is scheduled to go to Florida this winter to
compete in several Dressage Shows in Wellington, FL (a
HUGE mecca of Olympic riders compete there during the
winter as it is 70 and sunny!).
Pretty soon, our entire herd is going to be from the
UK!! What an amazing venture! I am grateful that you
market such quality horses at reasonable pricing.
-Sarah
I have some photos of Viraldi that we will attempt to
scan and send you this week. He looks fabulous. Did
you know that little bugger grew??? We sticked him
yesterday and he now officially stands at 18.0
hands!!! He is massive and has put on a ton of muscle
and weight. He looks like a grand prix dressage horse
and he has the paces to back-up his appearance. He is
loved by all at the stables and Brad thinks he has the
potential to be an Olympic qualifier. You certainly
were not off in your assessment of the horse! Please
take care and we will chat soon!
-Sarah
Viraldi has gone to 3 shows thus far and has won
nearly every dressage class and has come home all 3
times with championship ribbons. Brad will be taking
him to Lamplight and Devon Dresage in August so I hope
his success continues. The plan is for him to go 3rd
level, but I will be tickled with 2nd level too. -Sarah
-Sarah
I am now at Brad Cutshall's farm (Landmark
Farms)to board and for training. Brad taught him
flying changes and piaffe in one lesson. He is
"incredibly smart", as Brad puts it, and an absolute
joy to ride. -Sarah
Hello! I just had to write to tell you that I took
Viraldi in his first dressage show on Saturday and he
won his class!!! He had a bit of a runny nose and a
cough, so I was debating about whether or not to enter
him. We ended up riding in just the Prix Caprilli
class (one where you perform a dressage test and jump
fences at the same time). He was such a gentleman and
despite feeling under the weather, he performed
beautifully!!!! We have him entered to compete at the
Novice level in an event the first weekend in June.
He is very talented, bold, and level-headed, so I have
my fingers crossed for another win. William is going
to try to send you the video of our dressage test
today. I hope you like it! We are just so pleased
with him....we shower him with hugs and kisses every
day!
Viraldi is doing fabulously well we love him dearly and find
his personality to be positively delightful. He is
such a character! -Sarah
Hello! I rode the BIG MAN for the first time last
night....what a blast! His trot is gorgeous and his
walk should score 9's and 10's. His canter was very
smooth,I popped him over a few jumps and he
was as round as a ball!!! Lots of expression and very
eager to jump! I sensed that he likes to look for the
next jump, even if you are simply attempting a single
jumping effort. I went past another jump in the arena
and he locked on it with his ears, as if to say,
"Okay...I'm ready. Let me at it!".
He is an absolute joy and is catching the looks of
many other borders.
I adore him
and couldn't possibly be happier!!!!
Forever Grateful,
Sarah
Hello! He finally arrived here last night around
8:00. You described him perfectly...big, kind, quiet,
and adorable. He is such a gentleman!!
We let
him loose to play in the indoor arena and WOW does he
have a trot!!!!! His walk would certainly score a
perfect 10 in dressage as well. -Sarah
Now please read a few remarks from Marianne Van Pelt from the USA. (horse is kept in Ireland)
Grannush was brought out of the field unbroken but with the most outstanding paces, jump and breeding ever.
I will continue to keep you posted on him Flash as he progresses.
Grannush has gone off to Trish Donegan's yard (she's
the Irish event team and not far from our house)
for a couple of weeks, will be back here in August.
everyone loves his paces.
-Marianne
Hi,
He just came back from the Ryan-Donegan yard, and is
doing great. He is coming along, but is still, of
course, very green. Michael Ryan thought he was "very
flash" so we call him Flash now.
Please see below for a quick comment Jane Bryne from Cheshire wrote about her new horse.
I have had Dory (now known as Lucy) for just over a week and she's gorgeous! Took her to Horse Camp last weekend where we parted company over the first jump but then went from strength to strength! Yes, she's green which I expected, but her attitude to work and to learning new things is great! She was trotting through the water jump like a pro in a very short time. We are going to have great fun together - thank you for bringing into my life!
Regards, Jane