Standing at stud:
Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit
Reg # [CAN]9539
2008 Champion Stallion - Pacific Canadian Horse Show
Official dressage debut - 2008 Salmon Arm Dressage Show
Won both a first and second place on his first time out!
NEW!
(Feb 2009)
See YouTube videos of Merit competing at his very first
dressage show in the fall of 2008:
Merit -
Training Level Test 1
Merit - Training Level Test
2
Our junior stallion "Merit"
is a son of Fonzie (Henryville line), is out of La Gorgendiere Barreau Nadine,
a mare who was sired by L.G. Barreau, a very rare branch of the the Royal
bloodline. Nadine was born at the government breeding program at Deschambault,
and was one of the highest selling fillies at the final dispersal sale of this
government farm in 1981. Sadly, we lost Nadine to cancer, only 3
months after Merit was foaled.
This mare/sire combination has resulted in Merit having an unusual mixture of
very rare bloodlines, with Merit being the last of his dam's line.
Cherry Creek Fonzie Merit
Reg # [CAN]9539
Sire: # 6860 South Forty Prince Fonzie
Dam: #4493 La Gorgendiere Barreau Nadine
Merit's
Pedigree
Black, no white hairs. 2002 stallion,
15.1 hh
Merit is from the rare Henryville and Barreau Royal bloodlines
Breeding information
Merit not only looks good on paper with his
rare bloodlines. We have been advised by several
different judges and coaches that he is the best horse that we have ever bred,
and that his conformation is exceptional.
Although definitely
masculine looking, he has a truly lovely and very classic looking head.
Merit has done well at both Canadian and
open horse shows. Even though only three at the time, Merit won Reserve
Champion in the Canadian Horse stallion class (against much more mature
stallions than himself) at the 2005 Pacific Canadian Horse Show held in Maple Ridge.
We took a hiatus from
showing Merit in 2006, to allow him to settle into his breeding career.
In 2007, Merit went back to work again, and has had quite a busy year. He
started in his training in January, and went to several different dressage
clinics throughout the spring. He had a couple months off during the
breeding season, and started back to work later in the summer.
Show wise, in 2007 Merit did very well at the
Interior Provincial Exhibition, winning both his stallion class, as well as the
champion Canadian Horse male award.
Merit had a very good year in 2008. He won Champion Stallion at the
Pacific Canadian Horse Show. He also made his "official" dressage debut at
the Salmon Arm Dressage Show where he won a second in his very first dressage
test, and a first place in his second test. To view these tests, click on the
YouTube video links above.
Merit very happily goes out on trail rides with our mares, and not only is
he well behaved around them, he is the most impressively bold and unspooky horse
that we have ridden out. He is forward, brave, well balanced, and most
importantly, absolutely nothing fazes him!
The photo at right was taken at a
conformation clinic held at the 2005 Interior BC Canadian Horse Show, where
Merit was used as a conformation demonstration horse. Despite being in the midst of
many horses and people, with everyone looking at him from every angle, poking
and prodding him, lifting his feet etc, he remained totally unfazed.
Not bad for a three year old stallion surrounded by pretty equine "girls" in all
directions!
Merit's first foals have
hit the ground, and we are very pleased with the outcome (see photo of Cherry
Creek Merit Rocco at left). They have their dad's very friendly, kind and
quiet disposition, as well as good conformation and movement.
Despite his busy role
as an active breeding stallion, Merit remains very polite and attentive
throughout the year, has an excellent work ethic, and truly is a pleasure to work with.
As with our other
stallions, Merit has been trained for AI, and has frozen semen in storage as
well.
