Iron Spring Farm’s stallion Uno Don Diego continues to be a sire of note, with numerous offspring making headlines over the last few months. His son Independent Little Me was honored as the 2020 KWPN Gelders Horse of the Year. Daughter UNO Day Sun was named to the Danish team for the World Championships for Young Horses. Killian TF returned to the US Young Horse Championships and also took home a GAIG/USDF Regional Championship. Koa earned five year-end titles, including Dutch Warmblood Horse of the Year from the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society.
Independent Little Me—2020 KWPN Gelders Horse of the Year
Independent Little Me first caught everyone’s attention at the 2016 KWPN Stallion Show, where he was named Champion Gelders Stallion. Since then, he’s finished in the Top 7 at the World Championships for Young Horses (six-year-old division, 2019), and moved confidently up the levels. As part of his 2020 Horse of the Year accomplishments, he claimed the Silver Medal, ZZ-Zwaar Level, at the Dutch National Championships, with scores to nearly 78%. He was also named as an alternate to the Dutch team for the World Championships for Young Horses, seven-year-old division.
“When you enter an arena, he always has a wow factor,” says rider Dinja van Liere, who has her eye on Prix St. Georges with the handsome chestnut stallion. “He loves to shine at competition, so he always gives his best.” She notes that his eye appeal and three good gaits with a lot of flexibility make him a great show horse. Independent Little Me is out of the mare Wendela, by San Remo. He was bred by R. van Steijn and is owned by the van Eeuwen family.
UNO Day Sun—Danish Team Member
Bred at Uno Stutteri like her father, UNO Day Sun is making quite an impression in the dressage ring. In 2020, she was named to the Danish team for the seven-year-old division at the World Championships for Young Horses with rider Kenneth Damgaard. As a three-year-old, UNO Day Sun received the DWB Gold Medal at the DWB Elite Mare Show. She is out of Rosita Sun, a daughter of Blue Hors Rosoff.
Killian TF—GAIG/USDF Regional Champion and Top 6 US National Young Horse Championships
Killian TF continued his success in 2020, finishing in 6th place overall at the US Young Horse National Championships after receiving 4th place in the five-year-old final test. He capped his year with the GAIG/USDF Region 2 Second Level Championship, receiving a 73.393% with owner/rider Rebekah Mingari. Killian TF was bred by Kerrin Dunn. He’s out of the West Point mare, Eerste Zarma.
Koa—Five Horse of the Year Awards
Koa and his amateur owner/rider Meredith Reiff took home five big year-end awards. The pair received Dutch Warmblood Horse of the Year, Training Level AA Horse of the Year, the Lisa Robbins Memorial Trophy for High Score AA rider, High Score Median Rider Overall and High Score Median Rider AA Over 45 from the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society. Koa is out of Britta and was bred by Deborah Harrison.
These latest offspring successes join Uno Don Diego’s numerous dressage and breed show champions, including ERA Dancing Hit, the 2011 Danish Licensing Champion. During his own show career, Uno Don Diego received many accolades. In 2009, he represented Denmark in the Six-Year-Old Final at the World Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany. Before his importation, he competed at advanced level in dressage in Denmark. He continued his winning ways in the United States, earning blue ribbons at Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I with scores above 73% at prestigious shows like the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida.
