I’ve started to scan photos of mom that begin to tell her story. This is one of the few photos I have of her without a horse in it.
Mom died at 72 years of age on December 8th, 2008. It was a sudden death, she died at home, and we did not expect it at all. In fact, she had a customer coming to look at a horse that was for sale that day. I don’t quite know why she died that day. she had been to her cardiologist, Dr Bergen at UVA the week prior and got a good report. Perhaps she had a Cardiac dysrhythmia and died. The death certificate simply said cardiac arrest. As with most things it was a bit more complicated than that.
This is my favorite picture of my mom. She looks so elegant and truly happy. She was beautiful. My Uncle Teddy has his dog Bear on the roof of his Bronco. V-anne is in the middle and I am on the right. We were at Jones Beach in Long Island, I’m not sure who took the picture.
Virginia Ann Klumpp Jan 18th 1936 to Dec 8th 2008
Written by Virginia Ann Klumpp in 2004:
I have been actively breeding horses for 30 years on a small, closely controlled scale. At first, I was a Thoroughbred-cross breeder. Taking into account the best of the Thoroughbred bloodlines in jumpers and sport horses, one sees that certain bloodlines excel in sport horse performance. Dr. P.H. Birdsall, DVM from Canada, wrote about these bloodlines many years ago in a series of three books. I have always believed in the power of genetic influence in breeding horses and believe that genetic influence is the most reliable predictor of what a horse can and will do. Genes also greatly predict the influence of temperament, cooperation with humans and the willingness to work. The most perfect physical specimen of a horse is no good to anyone if he doesn’t have the willingness to do what he is asked. I have always marveled at the willingness of an advanced event horse to jump those huge and dangerous obstacles when asked by a human being. I believe that there is a temperament quality that is innate to their basic being that is bred into them through careful selective breeding. Denny Emerson has been a breeder of Thoroughbred sport horses that I have greatly admired over the years.
The same great qualities have been bred into the best of the warmblood bloodlines whether used for jumping, dressage, hunting or driving. The Europeans were particularly careful to evaluate a quality that they identified as willingness to work. They culled those animals that did not live up to expectations more rigorously than we have in this country. The early stallion imports in the 80’s were mostly bred to Thoroughbred mares off the track and the offspring from these matings, in my opinion, were not particularly good. However, when I took a mostly Thoroughbred mare who looked like a warmblood herself at 16.3 hands, square, short cannon bones, excellent legs and big-bodied, she crossed very well with a Holsteiner stallion, producing a premium daughter in her first breeding. Thus my Holsteiner breeding had begun.
2004 was a busy year for me with some wonderfull recognition for the offspring I have bred.
LegleEagle by Love Affair out of Lisel by Merano. A four year old, 17.2, bay gelding, owned by Old Raptor Farm in Louisa, Va. was awarded a United States Dressage Federation national year-end award. In his first year of competition he had the highest median score of all horses in the nation competing in his division. Winner of 2004 USDF National Materiale high score award for 4 & 5 yr olds, stallions & geldings with a median score of 81.6! In the meteriale division young dressage horses are judged 60% on movement, 30% on conformation and 10% on overall impression. Winner of 2004 Dressage at Devon Born in the USA Award! I have repeated this breeding combination and look forward to a full brother or sister to LegalEagle this spring ’05.
At this years 2004 AHHA Approvals at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington Promised Love, 2000 mare by Love Affair out of Silver Sally was awarded Site Reserve Champion Main Mare Premium.
Nolia, a 1996 mare by Merano out of Silver Celeste. Was awarded 2004 AHHA Approvals Main Mare, Premium.
Please be sure to check out the for sale section of this site and the news page to keep updated on our Spring 05 foals. In 2005 we look forward to the following offspring: Sarafina will have a foal by Mr. Wizard by Merano. Lisel (mother of Legal Eagle) by Merano will have a foal by Love Affair. Nouvelle Rose by Consul, will have a foal by SuperStar. Only in Silver by Caracas will have a foal by Farnley Ballad.
