122 SIDELINES JANUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Popeye –
Great Sire In A
Smaller Package
Popeye started eventing under the tutelage of upper level
rider/trainer Ryan Wood: shown here with rider Chris Talley
completing the show jumping phase at the Training level at Fair
Hill Horse Trial in August 2013.
Photo by Stacy Lynne Wendkof
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By Lauren R. Giannini
An unofficial term has cropped up in the breeding world to
describe purposefully-bred small Warmbloods that fill the gap
between pony and horse for the small-built and/or young rider:
“honies” are the athletic progeny sired by Popeye. No, not Popeye
K, the renowned hunter stallion now retired from the show ring,
and certainly not that squinty-eyed, spinach-munching sailor of
cartoon fame. This Popeye, owned by Ilona English of Summit
Sporthorses, is an imported German Riding Pony, sired by FS
Pour L’Amour out of SPS Night Touch, by Night Star 1.
Popeye is the first pony stallion ever to stand at Hilltop Farm
in Colora, Maryland. He stamps his get consistently with athletic
ability, brilliant movement, hardiness, sensibility and good looks.
He may well prove to be a game-changer when it comes to the
size and appearance of potential champions.
Ilona’s Quest
Ilona began breeding in the late 1980s and credits the three
Thoroughbred mares, which she crossed with Warmbloods,
for producing the foundation bloodlines of her program. Those
mares’ great-granddaughters, along with the infusion of offspring
from select Warmblood mares, will soon play significant roles in
the continuation of Ilona’s quest to breed modern sport horses
suitable for all disciplines and for riders of varying body types.
Visits to Germany introduced Ilona to German Riding Ponies, a
breed evolved to provide small Warmbloods with the movement of
horses without the choppy action for children to ride and compete.
She went to Bockholt’s farm in Steinfert where for generations
they have bred top GRPs and champions. That’s when the horse
gods set up a fateful encounter.
Popeye
Photo by Hilltop Farm
“I fell in love with German Riding Ponies and I knew I wanted to
add them to our breeding program,” Ilona recalled. “At Buckholt’s
I purchased several GRP mares, including two States Premium
mares. Then they brought in a three-year-old pony stallion named
Popeye. I saw the walk – he was like a panther through his body.
Then I saw the canter – I was WOW!”
Popeye came up alongside Ilona and looked at her. They say
the eyes are the mirror to the soul and a large soft eye is eminently
desirable in any equine, but it wasn’t until Ilona and a German
friend were driving away that she asked: “What do you think he
wants for Popeye? He told me and I said, turn around.”
Ilona bought him and left him in Germany to train and complete
his 30-day Stallion Test at Neustedt-Dosse before having him
shipped to the U.S. “Popeye trained at our farm at first and then
joined the very impressive stallion lineup at Hilltop Farm,” Ilona
said.
A Dream Comes True
Ilona might have been joking when she talked about how
much fun it would be to have a pony stallion in the top ribbons at
Dressage at Devon, but that’s exactly what happened. Popeye
stepped up to the plate and showed his winning colors in 2007
when he garnered the reserve championship in the USDF/GAIG
East Coast Stallion Final. That’s a huge accolade for a pony. He
had also won the Westfalen breeding class at Dressage at Devon
with 80%, one of the highest scores of the show.
“When Ilona contacted Hilltop about Popeye, there was
immediate interest. He is a unique fit for our market,” said Natalie
DiBerardinis, general manager and breeding manager. “We have
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