The sire
Lauries Crusador xx is the biggest success story for the thoroughbred influence in the warmblood breeds of our time. No other stallion has had this kind of influence in the dressage breed lately, and his stallion line in both the Hanoverian and Westfalian breeds is strong and represented by high quality sons like Laudabilis, Londonderry and Laurentianer. "Lauries" with his outstanding type, his classical TB frame, the cadence, uphill tendency and elegant way of moving in all three paces and last but not least the high rideability he posesses is the perfect example of how modern breeds can profit from an outside bloodsource without losing identity, movement or athleticism. Lauries sired a number of internationally active Grand Prix dressage horses, and with the exception of Prince Thatch xx, that cannot be said of any other TB stallion of our time. And finally, the influence of Lauries Crusador xx also enters the Trakehner breed, with his first approved son in 2006 (Krokant) and good brood mares, as well as competition horses (e.g. Isengart, NMS 2005, sold at auction to Darren Chiacchia, Independence Farm, USA through Trakehners International, now an under saddle winner in eventing).
The dam
Dam sire Polarpunkt was a premium stallion in NMS and sired several approves sons, among them the 2002 champion Elfengeist, the premium Opernball (M level show jumper), the ATA's Ichi Ban and Glenn Livit F and the Hanoverian Peach Pit with success at Inter I level in dressage. The second dam Grazia is one of the breed's most successful overall sporthorse producers. Her get are late bloomers, and Gornej Lew is no exception, but their athletic ability is quite outstanding: Grazia's daughter Goldika by EH Marduc was an in hand champion mare, M level dressage winner and won a medal at the Bundeschampionat of the German Event Horse with Andreas Dibowski. She had a career at CIC** eventing. Her full sister Goldap competes at M level show jumping and preliminary eventing, winning both. Grazia is also dam of the approved Trakehner Graziello (by Amiego *Ps*E*), who show jumped successfully at M level as well. And Grazia's Mohammed-son Micki was an M level dressage winner, just like his maternal half brother Galileo (by EH Benz).
Video by Thorsten Kunst
