The foaling season is over, and last summer one stallion caused quite a stir with his daughters and sons at the registration venues: we are talking about Dinken. No fewer than 91 per cent of his offspring were awarded a foal premium by the Holsteiner Verband. What is particularly striking is that the mares bred to him represented a broad genetic spectrum, which highlights his genetic influence all the more. Furthermore, a daughter of Dinken won the R+V Holsteiner State Foal Championship.
Dinken was born in 2010 in Kinrooi, Belgium, at Theo Molenaers’ stud and is based at the Holsteiner Verband’s stallion station in Elmshorn. The son of Diarado hails from one of the most successful mare lines of all time. His dam, Inken by Cassini I, was the champion mare in the North Frisia licensing district and enjoyed international success herself under Peter Wylde (USA). She passed on her characteristics to her son, both in terms of conformation and presentation, as well as his boundless willingness to perform. In addition to Dinken, Inken produced several other internationally successful show jumpers, such as Quinken (Max De Mol/NED), Quinka (Hikari Yoshizawa/JPN), Incaro LS (Frank Schuttert/NED), Dinka (Alicia Bocken/NED) and Cassinka (Hikari Yoshizawa/JPN). Dinken’s half-sister, Ninken by Littorio, is the dam of the licensed stallion Clicksem (Hikari Yoshizawa/JPN), who was successful at heights of up to 1.55 metres. These proven genes are rooted in the Holstein line 2294.
Dinken himself enjoyed great success during his sporting career. At the ages of five and six, the stallion qualified for the National Championships with Jonas Panje in the saddle. His victory at the 2016 State Championships in the six-year-old class is certainly regarded as the highlight of his sporting career. Unfortunately, an injury subsequently brought Dinken’s promising show jumping career to an end.
Dinken by Diarado ridden by Jonas Panje
Nowadays – alongside the numerous premium and championship foals that the premium stallion sires year after year – it is his offspring in sport that are bringing him to the fore as a sire. His foals are particularly impressive in terms of conformation and movement; Dinken’s breeding value of 122 points in the ‘Foal Assessment’ category places him among the very best. Last year, his daughter won the Filly Foal Championship in Lienen. To date, he has sired twelve sons licensed in Germany, including Dubliner, who is also based at the Holsteiner Verband’s stud farm.
Winning filly by Dinken in Lienen 2023
Everyone’s talking
about Dinken’s offspring
The Holsteiner’s offspring are also making an increasing name for themselves in competition; the oldest are now ten years old. In competitions up to 1.55 metres, for example, Dollar-KL, ridden by Freek Vestjens (NED), is enjoying success over the course. With Dax, Dinken produced the 2022 German Champion of six-year-old show jumpers in Warendorf. The chestnut particularly impressed with his almost perfect bascule and his quick reflexes – typical of Dinken and his offspring. Dax now competes for Belgium under Pieter Clemens. And Gleinkerau’s Di Caprio jumps up to 1.50 metres under Thomas Himmelmeyer in Austria. Furthermore, several of Dinken’s offspring attracted attention at this year’s National Championships. For example, Deedark TH (Arne van Heel/NED): he is part of the current line-up for the Holsteiner Elite Auction at the end of October. And Dicardino (MV. Cardino): This Westphalian-approved stallion remained without a single knockdown in the five-year-old class throughout the entire championship week. With three placings, including ninth place in the final, this son of Dinken and his rider Stefanie Englert from Warendorf returned home having qualified for the World Championships for Young Show Jumpers.
Dicardino by Dinken finished in the top ten of the five-year-olds at the National Championships.
A former Holsteiner auction horse is doing his father Dinken proud at the very highest level of international eventing: Denim (MV. Ibisco xx) is a guaranteed prize-winner at four-star level under Philipp Dutton (USA). His full sister, Stine, was sold to the USA this year at the Holsteiner Elite Foal Auction for 13,000 euros. With Dinken, breeders have a sire who passes on conformation, modernity, rideability and willingness to perform to his daughters and sons like hardly any other stallion.
Stine is the full sister of the four-star eventer Denim and was sold to US owners at the 2024 Elite Foal Auction.
Sebastian Rohde’s thoughts on the pairing:
“Ambition and a drive to perform are qualities for which Dinken is particularly renowned, and which he certainly passes on. Many of his offspring are talented and blessed with excellent reflexes. Despite his size, he is capable of siring very large offspring. The successes of his progeny show that he is increasingly establishing himself as a top performance sire.”
Photos: Janne Bugtrup/Stefan Lafrentz/Private collection
