Christine DeHerrera
Iron Spring Farm’s Florianus II received the prestigious Crown predicate from the Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook North America (KWPN-NA). The Crown predicate is awarded to horses based on success in sport. Horses must be within the top 300 (dressage or jumping) in the WBFSH/FEI world rankings. Florinaus II had a long, winning Grand Prix dressage career in both Europe and the United States. In 2007, he achieved a world dressage ranking of 72, out of more than 500 horses.
Before his importation, his notable scores included a 70.450% in the Grand Prix Freestyle at CDI Falsterbo. Once he joined the Iron Spring Farm family, Florianus continued scoring in the 70s in Grand Prix throughout Florida and the East Coast.
Florianus’ athletic ability was recognized from an early age. He finished fourth overall in his Stallion Testing at Münster-Handorf, earning a 9.5 on temperament and 9s for character and willingness. From there, he competed in the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses at Verden, before moving on to the small tour classes and Grand Prix.
While his primary job was as a performance horse, he has sired numerous winners in sport, breed shows and keurings. Rhythm & Blues (formerly Florencia B) earned top ribbons in the CDI3* Grand Prix classes in Europe in 2018. Five additional sons and daughters also compete at FEI in Europe. His daughter Kouture was Top Ten in the national KWPN-NA DG Bar Cup for 3-Year-Old Dressage Horses in 2018. Kouture was also successful as a youngster, winning the foal championship at Dressage at Devon in 2015. Another daughter, Floraya ISF, Star, was Reserve Grand Champion, Champion Young Horse and Champion Filly at Dressage at Devon in 2013. She is now a champion jumper.
Around the barn, Florianus is known as a kind, willing stallion. Under saddle, he had an incredible work ethic. His flexibility and scope, along with an outstanding ability to collect, helped him excel in the most difficult movements of passage, piaffe and pirouette.
Florianus represents the best modern sport horse bloodlines. He is sired by the legendary Florestan I, and is out of a States Premium Hanoverian mare by Damenstolz.
Photo by Terri Miller
