Destano by Desperados FRH/Brentano II, Yeaur of birth: 2007
Breeder: Heinrich Gießelmann, Barver
Rider: Simone Alexandra Pearce/AUS
Destano left the Verden Niedersachsenhalle in 2009 for Sprehe Stud as a premium stallion. Even then, the black stallion shone with outstanding talent for movement. He passed his predisposition test in Schlieckau with top marks and an overall score of 8.85. At the 70-day test the following year, he was awarded a straight ‘very good’ for character, willingness to perform, constitution and trot on his test certificate. Destano even received a 9.5 for his walk – the best prerequisites for a career in top sport.
In addition to his stallion duties, Destano gained his first merits in tests for young riding and dressage horses with Heiko Klausing and Lukas Fischer. Eyal Zlatin was responsible for his training for two years and took his first advanced (S*) level victory in Höven/GER in 2015, before Sabine Rueben took over the reins for a short time and rode Destano up to Inter I level. Michelle Hagman from Sweden was then the stallion’s fifth rider. Tenth place in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the CHIO Aachen 2019 was a first career highlight for the then twelve-year-old.
Australian Simone Alexandra Pearce, who had been living in Germany for many years, became his dream partner in 2020. Just one year later, they had their ticket to the Olympic Games in Tokyo/JPN in the bag. After returning from Japan, they finished second in the Grand Prix Special at the Soers in Aachen/GER. A short time later, it looked like the end of their journey together, Simone Alexandra Pearce left Sprehe Stud and became head rider at Bonhomme Stud. At the beginning of 2023, the 1991-born dressage rider set up her own business in southern Germany and was able to get back into Destano’s saddle – clearly with her sights set on the Olympics. The pair returned to the big arena at the end of 2023 with a victory in the World Cup Freestyle in Motesice/SVK. ‘What can I say, where do I start? The big boss Destano is back and there’s nothing to say but thank you!!! A thousand thanks to Gestüt Sprehe and Sabine Rueben for this incredible opportunity to once again ride my ‘horse of my heart’ who changed my career. He has taken me to the Olympic Games, stood on the podium at the CHIO Aachen 5*, broken all Australian records and allowed me to realise dreams I never thought possible. This really is a dream come true and I am still overwhelmed by the generosity of you all!’ wrote Simone Alexandra Pearce on her social media channels.
The list of Destano’s breeder’s successes is long, Heinrich Gießelmann is one of the most renowned breeders and stallion raisers far beyond the borders of Hannover. Numerous top horses have grown up on his pastures in Barver. Time and again he discovers first-class foals. This includes the Brentano II/Imperator daughter Bela Novanna (breeder: Sonja Garms, Celle), which he bought from Hans Garms, the last head of the former breeding station Berglage of the Celle State Stud. ‘She was a great filly and could move well,’ recalls Heinrich Gießelmann in his dry manner. He thus brought the dam line of Eckernförde II into the stables, whose figureheads are the stamp stallion Argentan by Absatz/Wohlan (breeder: Jürgen Clasen, Hiddestorf) and the privately owned stallion Lancet by Wenzel/Shogun xx (breeder: Jürgen Clasen, Hiddestorf), who took part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong/CHN with Emma Hindle from Great Britain. In addition, there are the highly successful DLG Champion Mares St.Pr.St. Worms by Wohlan/Lateran, the dam of Argentan, and St.Pr.St. Goldlady by Golfstrom/Absatz (breeder: Heinrich Bolte, Syke-Okel). Bella Nova gave birth to ten foals in 14 years of breeding. Destano’s three years younger full sister Destina proved to be particularly valuable in breeding. She is the dam of the premium stallion Democracy by D’avie FRH (breeder: Mirjam Drenth, Oude Pekela/NED), who moved into a stall at Bonhomme Stud via the stallion sales in 2020. Bella Nova’s daughter Fortaleza by Foundation was born in 2015, who achieved placings up to Inter II with rider Sabine Egbers after beeing awarded at the Herwart von der Decken show.
‘He was just good!’ is the highest praise from Heinrich Gießelmann when he is asked about Destano. His first Olympic appearance three years ago had already made him proud. It’s the same again this year. But something would have been even better: He would have loved to have had a second Hannoveran from his breeding programme at the Olympic Games with Destacado FRH, a Desperados FRH son like Destano. The chestnut stallion had already found his way onto Germany’s longlist for Paris with Matthias-Alexander Rath.
