Visage jumped out of his two-metre-high day-yard in quarantine at Eastern Creek when we imported him as a 5-year-old. An auspicious start? He has not disappointed us since, although he continued to be a bit of an escape artist for a while.
He was Champion Five-Year-Old as well as Champion of Champions at the DSJWTS 2003. He was Champion Young Event Horse at Sydney Royal 2004. He moved from D Grade into C Grade in just a few months of competition, and continued to make jumping look effortless at A & B Grade.
Visage's latest successes include top placings in the Young Rider classes at Tempo in December 2006, winning the Mini Prix at Tempo earlier in the year, and following that up with winning the A & B Grade as well as the Grand Prix at Maitland Show.
He also held his top position in the leaderboard for the Tri-Series Grand Prix, until changed circumstances meant he did not compete in the final round at Tempo. He still had sufficient points, however, to finish 2nd overall.
His performances have been consistently outstanding, including a breathtaking clear round in his first ever World Cup, at Sydney Royal 2005. In fact he won or placed in every class in Part 2 as well, then went on to make us proud at the Copabella Classic a few weeks later. He also placed 7th in his second World Cup in Queensland in 2006.
Vicki Roycroft found Visage in France in 2003. Born in 1998 and standing at almost 16.2hh, Visage is a wonderful example of the modern sporthorse: great bone, athletic frame, movement and paces that dressage judges are seriously impressed by. He is calm, intelligent, friendly and trainable. And he loves his work.
He is a licensed Belgian Warmblood stallion, with an illustrious pedigree, and very impressive babies already on the ground, both in Europe and Australia. By popular demand, we are now sending his frozen semen back to the land of world champions, as well as to breeders in New Zealand.
Our breeding vets at Agnes Banks give Visage a rave review. Not only are his manners impeccable, but his frozen semen is of excellent quality. His strike rate has been well over 80%. For those interested in colour, the statistics to date seem to be levelling out at about 60% coloured offspring.