Ludendorf (imp)

The Oldenburg stallion, Ludendorf was imported in 1984, and thanks to Heath’s promotion, and the use of the relatively new technique of transported chilled semen, bred to an astonishing number of mares. Heath rode the horse at Advanced level One Day Events, and competed in a Dressage Grand Prix locally before he was retired at the age of nine with soundness problems. Ludendorf stems from the German 'L' line through Lukas, Lugano I and Der Löwe (Wahnfried x Herold xx x Fervor xx). Before exportation from Germany, his first and only German foal crop had two licensed sons.

The most successful of the Ludendorf progeny was the dressage horse, Londoner, who was a Prix St Georges star with Heath, and went Grand Prix with Mary Hanna, before he went unsound. The stallion son, Stirling Liberty competed at World Cup showjumping level but was not very tidy, and became better known for his party trick of jumping motor vehicles.

Ludendorf's son, Stirling Liberty (Stirling Luther's full brother) bought over $40,000.00 AUD at auction. Luftakrobat (Ludendorf x ?) was a Columbian jumping sensation whilst Lehndorff (Ludendorf x Furioso II x Miracolo) stood at Lynncrest Farm in Lillooet, Canada, until his death in 2007. Stirling Lombard (Ludendorf x ?) was exported to Indonesia where he competed and stood at stud. Luzifer (Ludendorf x ?) was Champion Hack at major agricultural shows whilst Stirling Leonard (Ludendorf x ?) was a dressage phenomenon previously in training with Clemens and Judy Dierks.

Ludendorf's sire, the Hanoverian stallion Luciano was was known for producing highly talented performance horses in both dressage and show jumping. In 1975, Warrick Cozens of Clifton Court Stables imported a Luciano son from Gestüt Vorwerk in Germany, the classified 1A Oldenburg stallion Lucano (Imp). Luciano is a full brother to the dressage derby winner Marshall 55 (Lukas x Eindruck II x Feldmarschall). Luciano has a number of approved sons such as Lord Nelson (Luciano x Furioso II x Makuba xx), Lincoln (Luciano x Furioso II x ?), Lundberg (Luciano x Furioso II x ?), Lurioso (Luciano x ?), Lysant (Luciano x Magister x Fredo), including Ludendorf.

 Luciano also presented the successful international competition sports horse Lorenzo 40, who won the English show jumping derby in 1985 under Paul Schockemöhle at Hickstead. Luciano's blood is highly sought after and is proven to produce top performance horses. Luciano is found in many good stallion pedigrees, including the stallions Depardieu (De Niro x Luciano x Efendi), Diamond Hit (Don Schufro x Ramino x Welt As), Royal Hit (Imp) (Royal Dance x Ramino x Welt As) and Smash Hit (Imp) (Sandro Hit x Rosenkavalier x Angelo xx).