The Pedigree Story of Greya by Adriana Van Tilburg

Dokkum, The Netherlands – February 19, 2026 – Under the saddle of Kent Farrington (USA), Greya brought the 2025 season to a truly phenomenal close by winning the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva. Sadly, her breeder, Wilfried Sandmann, passed away unexpectedly earlier this year.

Two years ago, I visited Greya’s breeder after her cousin Contago (by Cornet Obolensky) finished fifth in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen under Eugenio Garza Pérez (MEX). That visit and several phonecalls offered a unique insight into a breeding program whose legacy is now being carried forward at the very highest level of the sport.

The Foundation of the Sandmann Breeding Program

The successful breeding program of Ulrike and Wilfried Sandmann is rooted in Landgräfin (born 1997), by Landkaiser out of Prinzessin by Perser xx – Absurd, breeder: Joh. Sandmann, Hüven. “Landgräfin is the dam of our two foundation mares, Contessa by Contender and Cassandra by Cassini II. In addition to Contessa, who herself competed successfully up to 1.45 m, Landgräfin produced three more S-level show jumpers: Cortina Grande by Conterno Grande, who jumped internationally at 1.60 m with Brazil’s Lucas Martins Brambilla; Calida by Converter, successful up to 1.60 m with Kyle Timm (Canada); and Cassina by Cassini II, winner at S level up to 1.40 m with Fabienne Graefe. We sold Cortina Grande as a foal to Paul Schockemöhle,” Wilfried Sandmann recounts with pride.

Bloodlines Proven in Sport

Landgräfin’s dam Prinzessin (born 1974), by Perser xx out of Angelique by Absurd – Ester II, was a half-blood mare. This blood made handling both Prinzessin and Landgräfin somewhat challenging at times, but it proved extremely valuable in free jumping.

“You could build the jumps as high as you liked—both mares jumped everything you put in front of them without batting an eye. And they definitely passed that on. Cassandra, for example, has incredible movement quality, a fantastic uphill canter and a very dynamic way of going. We still benefit from this blood today and are very glad that we built our breeding program on it,” Sandmann explains, reflecting on the shared breeding vision with his wife Ulrike.

The Choice of Contender

The aim was to introduce more calmness into the horses, which is why Wilfried Sandmann decided to use Contender, known for his rideability and calm, balanced character.

“The offspring of Contender and himself suit our broodmares exceptionally well for that reason.”

Looking critically at his breeding, Sandmann adds: “The only aspect that could possibly be seen as a small weakness is the back. We would like to see it a bit stronger. That may stem further back in the pedigree, possibly from Absurd and Abglanz.”

Contessa – A mare Taken out of Sport Too Early

Due to an injury sustained as a yearling, Contessa was taken out of sport at an early age in order to avoid further risks. “However, we are convinced that, given her ability, she could have gone much further in sport. She had so much power and scope,” Sandmann emphasizes. She competed at 1.45 m under the saddle of Hartwig Rohde.

Among her offspring is the now eleven-year-old Greya (Contina) by Colestus. Last year, Greya, in partnership with American rider Kent Farrington (USA), won seven 1.60 m Grand Prix classes, including the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva. During the COVID-19 period, conscious efforts were made to secure Greya’s genetic legacy for the future through embryo transfer, which has since been carried forward in her approved son Chin Grey by Chinchero. Greya as the embodiment of a breeding philosophy rather than an exception.

Louis 353 (by Levisonn) also comes out of Contessa, he is competing at 1.45 m under the saddle of Felicia Lang.

Cassandra – A Cornerstone of the Breeding Program

After the success with Contender blood, Cassini I was originally intended for Landgräfin. However, due to Holsteiner breeding policy, semen from Cassini I was not available to breeders outside the Holsteiner Verband.

“As non-Holstein breeders, we simply could not access Cassini I semen, so we decided to try Cassini II instead. This cross produced our foundation mare Cassandra. Her potential was evident from an early age—she won the national foal championship in Lienen. After that, we were literally flooded with offers for her, but we decided against selling her. In our opinion, good mares belong in breeding,” Wilfried Sandmann explains.

Cassandra’s Offspring in Top Sport

Cassandra immediately proved her breeding value with her first foal: Quintini (OS, born 2009), by Quintender. Initially sold to Belgian show jumper Jos Lansink (BEL), Quintini later jumped twice clear in Nations Cups for Belgium in Calgary, Canada, under Pieter Clemens (BEL). They also placed third in World Cup qualifiers in La Coruña (Spain) and Amsterdam (Netherlands). Currently, Quintini is competing successfully under Max Wachman (IRL).

The third foal produced by Cassandra was Contago (OS, born 2011), by Cornet Obolensky. “Cornet Obolensky was an excellent choice for our breeding program. I had the opportunity to see Contago competing in Hamburg under the saddle of Eugenio Garza Perez. He even took part in the World Championships in Herning and the Olympic Games in Paris. Contago shows an outstanding attitude. Many people approached me and said that he was one of the best horses in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen in 2023

In addition, Cassandra has produced several other successful offspring, including Conny, by Conthargos, currently competing successfully at 1.50 m in the United States under Kama Godek (USA). Quintara by Quality Time, first sold to the USA and now used for breeding in Ireland, also descends from Cassandra.

Last Words about Greya

“Greya was very much a mare with character. Johannes Ehning (GER) once said that he had a good feeling about her from the start. She had a very good jump, but it was clear that she would need a special kind of rider. She could not be trained in a strictly traditional way; she had her own ideas and needed a certain amount of freedom. Fortunately, she found the perfect match in Kent, who has built a truly strong partnership with her. Where a horse ends up, and with which rider, always plays a crucial role in how its career ultimately develops.” These were Wilfried Sandmann’s final words about Greya. Sadly, he did not live to witness her greatest success.

Source: Press Release from Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

Photos: © Rolex Grand Slam / Ashley Neuhof /Thomas Lovelock

Related