A rare and exclusive breed, fewer than 5,000 purebred Lipizzan horses existed in the year 2000. Famous for their performances at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, Lipizzans are also used for competition in dressage, driving and pleasure riding. The same characteristics that made these horse favored by the nobility of Europe appeal to the American rider. The Lipizzan is of medium size, intelligent, hardy and kind in temperament.
Every two years since 1995, White Horse Vale Lipizzans in Goldendale, Washington hosts an evaluation of Lipizzan breeding stock. Lipizzan horses from foals to adult stallions and mares are presented for breeding approval in the stud book of the American Lipizzan Breeders Association. With the advice and guidance of Dr. Jaromir Oulehla, retired director of the Spanish Riding School and the Austrian Federal Stud Farm at Piber, White Horse Vale has evolved into an internationally known and respected breeding facility.
Dr. Jaromir Oulehla during the August, 2008 Evaluations at White Horse Vale.
Photo by Sara Stafford.
White Horse Vale Lipizzans are competing in open dressage and combined driving in the Pacific Northwest and all over the United States. The breeding goal of White Horse Vale is to produce classical, baroque Lipizzans with the scope of movement to be competitive in the modern world. We have chosen Imperial Austrian and Lipizza (now in Slovenia) lines to form our breeding base. Lines from Slovakia, Croatia, and Hungary add the diversity required to keep a healthy genetic pool.
