July 6, 2004 – Stratford, Ontario – Canadian breeder W. Charlot Farms is currently leading the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Hunter Breeder Rankings as of June 30, 2004.

The USEF rankings, which awards points based on performance, has W. Charlot Farms in the number one position with a total of 3266 points at the half-way point of the 2004 competition season.

Owned and operated by Augustin Walch of Stratford, ON, all of the W. Charlot Farms-owned horses that are currently earning points in the rankings can trace their bloodlines to its flagship stallion, Rio Grande. A 1986 registered Hannoverian stallion, Rio Grande is by Raphael, a registered Westphalian by the infamous Ramiro Z, while his dam is the Hannoverian mare, Wandra. Purchased over the phone as a three-year-old from the Verden auction, Rio Grande enjoyed a successful international show jumping career under Eric Lamaze, contesting the 1996 World Cup Final and also qualifying for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, before being retired to stud in 2001.

W. Charlot Farms leads the 2004 Hunter Breeder Rankings with points gained from six horses it bred. Rio Bravo, a Canadian Sport Horse by Rio Grande that currently competes under Daisy Johnson in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, led the charge, picking up an incredible 955 points for W. Charlot Farms.

Allegiance, a Canadian Sport Horse by Skorpio and out of a Rio Grande mare, earned 600 points in the Amateur Owner Hunter 35 and Over and the Adult Amateur Hunter 35 and Over divisions.

Rio’s Tasha, by the Rio Grande son, Rio Bronco, the 2002 USEF (formerly AHSA) Horse of the Year, earned a total of 646 points. The Canadian Sport Horse mare whose sire also appears on the USEF Breeder Rankings list, earned 418 points in California in the First Year Green Working Hunter division under Mark Purcell and 228 points in the Children’s Hunter Horse division with one of his clients.

Rave, also a registered Canadian Sport Horse by Rio Grande, has earned a total of 533 points to date. The 2004 Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Reserve Champion in the Adult Amateur Hunter 3’3” division under Kathy Mailloux, Rave is currently leased to a junior rider who is showing in the Small Junior Hunter division.

Of special note is another Rio Grande son, the Hannoverian gelding Eye Remember Rio (formerly Rio’s Rex), who is shown by his legally blind owner, Victoria Watters. In the Adult Amateur Hunter 35 and over division, the pair has accumulated 325 points, helped by a 2004 Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Reserve Championship title in the Adult Amateur Hunter 35-50 division.

With a herd of approximately 150 horses, including 40 broodmares and 31 foals born in 2004, W. Charlot Farms breeds specifically for the horse sport market.

“We try to breed attractive athletes that have wonderful minds, good movement and scope over fences, and that will excel in any discipline their owners choose,” notes Walch who founded W. Charlot Farms in 1980 when he moved from Germany to Canada with 15 stallions and mares. “The highest level a breeder can ever achieve is when you match your mare with one of your stallions and you see the results in the ring.”

Rio Grande is approved by the Hannoverian, American Hannoverian Society, International Horse Sport Registry, Oldenburg, Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, and the Canadian Sport Horse Association, and covers approximately 100 mares a year through fresh or frozen semen.

In addition to Rio Grande, W. Charlot Farms also stands four other top breeding stallions. Two Hannoverian stallions, Esprit D’Amour and Futurist, are now both enjoying great success in their first year of grand prix competition under short listed Canadian Show Jumping Team member Erynn Ballard. Rio’s Ricardo, a registered Canadian Warmblood stallion, won the 2003 Ontario Four-Year-Old Young Horse Jumper Championship, again under Ballard, while the eight-year-old Hannoverian stallion, Viva Voltaire (Voltaire – Grannus – Argentinus), boasts stellar show jumping bloodlines and is producing promising hunter types.

For more information on Rio Grande and W. Charlot Farms, please visit www.charlotfarm.com or call tel: (519) 271-5322.