-3-

After Rubinstein had already achieved a number of wins and placements in dressage horse classes at the elementary level in 1991, his first appearance in front of a large audience was accompanied by great expectations: Rubinstein started at the 1992 federal championship in Verden. Would he be able to leave the strong competition among the six-year olds behind him? In the decisive final test win, which he was ridden by Detlev Nesemann, he only had to give precedence to the Hanoverian Don Juan son Don Johnson with Heiner Schiergen, by whom he was just beaten to become vice-champion.

The first age-class was expected with great suspense in the Weser-Ems Hall in Oldenburg in autumn of 1992. Would the young stallions be able to fulfil the expectations placed in them? Would they be able to verify the run on their sire? They certainly could, in superior style! Four Rubinstein sons received the "approved" seal of quality and two were awarded a premium. Not only that however, Rohdiament, a dark tan with powerful motions carrying a great deal of noble blood was announced as the champion stallion. What's more, the later stallion performance test champion and federal champion belonged to the American Olympic team under Lisa Wilcox during the millennium year in Australia. What an entry!

News of the quality of the stallion quickly spread far beyond the confines of Oldenburg. Interest was expressed in Rohdiamant and the Vorwerk studfarm from all over Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, the USA and almost all over the world. Up to 400 broodmares were inseminated by sperm from Rohdiamant per year. Gudula Vorwerk-Happ thus demonstrated after the death of her unforgotten father Georg Vorwerk, that she had inherited the phenomenal horse sense of her father.

Up to that point in time, Rubinstein had only demonstrated that he could deliver stylish foals and young stallions with powerful motions. But how would his progeny perform under the saddle? The first riding horse was auctioned for DM 41.000 in 1993. Only six moths later, a Rubinstein son cost far in excess of double that sum. The auctioneer's hammer was only dropped at the sum of DM 90.000 for Rod Stewart.

At the age of six, the stallion Rubinstein is without
blemish or blame from a side view too.

In the interim, Rubinstein had had his first wins in advance dressage classes. He won ten starts out of eleven under Martina Hannöver. Rubinstein was an incredible fighter with a hardly envisageable sensibility He had a top character too, one that every rider wishes for but only rarely finds, reminisces Hannöver.

next