Neapolitano Wandosa II
2005 15hh Grey Lipizzan Stallion
Neapolitano Fantasia X Wandosa (Neapolitano Duba)
About
Neapolitano Wandosa II was approved as a breeding stallion in 2018. He is a classic stallion, embodying the noble type and uphill build for which the Lipizzan breed is known. He is 15 hands with a long shoulder and a more refined profile, an asset in the US breeding market. His gaits are clear and correct with a particularly balanced canter. He is a brave stallion with a lot of presence in the show ring. He has scores up to 74% and has attended the Regional Championships the last two years. He was Region 4 Reserve Champion and competed at the US Dressage Finals in 2018.
Breeding
RETIRED - Contact us for information about Neo offspring that are available!
Neo’s greatest asset is his temperament - he is confident, brave and very personable. His four foal crops show his temperament to be a characteristic of his babies. MVF recommends this stallion as a good cross for mares who lack refinement and scope in their gaits, need improvement in their neck and shoulder position, or tend toward a shy or sensitive personality. Available via fresh cooled semen. Semen has been evaluated as very high quality with high motility.
Accomplishments
2018 Reserve Champion: Region 4 First Level Freestyle
2018 Champion: United States Dressage Federation All-Breeds USLF Open First Level Freestyle
2018 Reserve Champion: United States Dressage Federation All-Breeds USLF Open First Level
2017 Champion: United States Dressage Federation All Breeds USLF Open Training Level
2017 8th Place: National Dressage Pony Cup Small Horse Training Level
Neo's Story
Neo's story began in April 2013 at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital, where he was one of four Lipizzans (two geldings and two stallions) who had been confiscated in a case of animal neglect and abuse. Dr. Nicole Eller, of Siete Leguas Veterinary Clinic, and her husband, Dr. Victor Medina, were evaluating the horses' condition on behalf of the State of Minnesota and the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation. The four horses were starving and had been severely neglected. The U's Veterinary Hospital was trying to save their lives. But something about Neo caught Victor's eye. Victor called Kate Phillips, owner of Mississippi View Farm.
“I really think that you should take a look at this little stallion,” Victor said. “He’s really something!” I had severe misgivings about taking in an unbroken eight-year-old stallion, but I reminded myself that intact rescued horses were gelded. The first step for most rescued horses was to geld them, but when Drew Fitzpatrick, head of the MNHARF, contacted Lisa Simmons at the USLF, Lisa told me that this horse had bloodlines that were under-represented in this rare breed, and so was worth evaluating as a breeding stallion. Therefore it would be worth the effort to find him a home as a stallion until he could evaluated. Frankly, as a breeder, I know that everyone thinks their stallion is special, and hoped that this was not more of the “keep every baroque horse a stallion” mentality that dominates the Andalusian and Friesian world. However, Victor knew that we had worked with many stallions in the past, and would be able to handle him until the gelding decision was made.
Well, Victor arrived with this little white stallion,bugling his way in to my busy barn. “Oh, crap!”, I thought. “I am stuck now.” One look at him,and I decided I just couldn’t turn this one away. He was the reincarnation of the white stallions that I first saw as a child when my beloved father took me to a surprise trip to see the Lipizzan stallions perform. So I called Todd Firenz, my barn manager who starts all my young horses, and left it up to him. His reply…”I will start him on Monday.”
Todd began the process of teaching him how to be a civilized horse, and although Neo felt the need to (loudly) tell every one of his whereabouts on the farm, we found we had two key advantages. First, he was good-natured, trainable and enjoyed people. Second, he would do anything for food. In less than two weeks, he was lunging and line-driving, and by June we were on his back. We had reached a critical point, and knew we needed to see how he was going to handle going places or he would need to be gelded for the safety of ourselves and other competitors.
We decided to take him to a dressage show at Otter Creek Farm, a lovely, fairly quiet facility in Wheeler, WI, where we entered him in the introductory walk-trot tests. And true to Todd’s prediction, Neo was a real gentleman, safe in the warm-ups and in the ring, and received great scores and comments from the judges and other competitors. We were truly in love with this horse,and made arrangements for adoption.