CUM LAUDE

Cum Laude, Stallion. He’s everything you could want in a stallion: exceptional movement, great character and striking beauty. Cum Laude was successful in the show ring as a young horse, up through the levels to CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I. He’s also a popular sire, with several elite mares to his credit.

“Cum Laude came in training with us when he was five years old,” recalls his former rider and owner Vai Bruntink. “I immediately fell in love with him. He was so pretty and sweet.” Bruntink continued to develop the stallion and took him to the young horse classes as a six-year-old. He scored an 82 in the first round of the Pavo Cup and finished in 5th place. He was also a high scoring crowd favorite at national shows during this time.

Cum Laude continued up the levels, winning several national competitions at the ZZ-Zwaar and PSG levels, including freestyles with scores to 78%. He made his CDI small tour debut in 2018 at the World Championships for Young Horses, where he won the CDI1* Prix St. Georges class with a 71.618%. In 2019, Cum Laude advanced to the CDI3* level. Bruntink said, “He loved to do prize givings. I never had to worry if the arena or loud music would distract him because he just felt so confident everywhere.”

Due to his show career, Cum Laude was bred on a limited basis, but his first offspring were so outstanding he quickly became a popular choice. Bruntink said, “Everybody loved his appearance, his flashy way of moving, and above all, his fantastic temperament. When we took him to training or shows, he could travel with a mare on the lorry next to him. He was so smart, with the breeding. He knew his job, and once it was over, he acted like a gelding. He’s a really special horse to us.”

In June 2021, Cum Laude’s daughter Next-A-Daisy, Star (x Gribaldi) received her provisional Keur predicate, scoring 80 points on movement and 80 points on conformation at the KWPN Studbook/Star inspection. The jury reported, “This is a well-modeled mare with an appealing forequarters. She is well developed. The walk is broad and pure, and the trot is very supple and light-footed.”

Another Cum Laude daughter, Kalista, Elite, won the IBOP in 2019, receiving an 82.5 and these comments from the jury, “This mare shows a very fine image in trot, where she has a lot of tact and can switch easily. In canter her good balance stands out, and she can be ridden and handled very well. A talented horse that was well presented.” Kalista, Elite received 9, on her trot and rideability, 8.5 on dressage talent and 8 on her canter, elasticity and posture and balance.

Cum Laude’s daughter, Nynah Trice KS, Elite, completed the KWPN mare test and training for three weeks in Ermelo, receiving 75.5/80.

Other notable Cum Laude offspring include No Worries SL, who was selected for the second ring at the KWPN Stallion Show, and Kynona, Elite.

Cum Laude is by the Grand Prix sensation Apache, Preferent, who competed at some of the biggest venues in the world, including Aachen, Rotterdam and the World Equestrian Games with Emmelie Scholtens. The pair finished 8th at the World Cup Finals in Göteborg with an 80.782% in the Freestyle. Apache was recognized for his superior movement, particularly the use of his hind leg.

Apache is equally well known as a tremendous sire. He is the sire of six Approved stallions: Cum Laude, Grand Galaxy Win, Hometown, Indian Rock, Improver VDT and Intro K. He’s also the grandsire of three Approved stallions. Apache’s daughters are equally spectacular, with 71% receiving a Star predicate or higher. Apache has numerous Grand Prix offspring, including Gio ridden by Charlotte Dujardin. The duo won five CDI3* and above Grand Prix classes with an 84.04% average in the Grand Prix Freestyle and 81.426% in the Grand Prix Special.

Cum Laude’s dam is the Preferent/Prestatie mare Pacharel T. She’s by legendary Weltmeyer out of the Rubinstein I Keur/Prestatie mare Kacharel T. This damline is highly recognized for performance success. Pacharel T had seven foals who competed in dressage, including two at the Prix St. Georges level and above.

In 2019, Cum Laude was Approved by the KWPN based on his record in sport, offspring inspection and a five-day character test at Ermelo. He was imported by Iron Spring Farm, USA, in June 2021.

Cum Laude Performance Achievements

• 1st place, 78.60%, Small Tour MFS, Subtop Abcoude, NL, 2019

• 2nd place, 72.98%, CDI3* Intermediate I MFS,  Exloo, NL, 2019

• 4th place, 68.61%, CDI3* Intermediate I, Exloo, NL, 2019

• 3rd place, 70.09%, CDI3* Prix St. Georges, Exloo, NL, 2019

• 1st place, 73.24%, Prix St. Georges, Hippisch Geesteren Subtop, NL, 2019

• 6th place, 68.25%, CDI 1* Intermediate I, Ermelo, NL, 2018

• 1st place, 71.68%, CDI 1* Prix St. Georges, Ermelo, NL, 2018

• 1st place, 77.70%, Intermediate I MFS, Freestyle Festival, Wezep, NL, 2018

• 4th place tie, 74.80%, National Seven-Year-Old Division, Dutch Semi-Finals for Young Dressage Horse Championships, NL, 2017

• 5th place, 82-79-161, National Six-Year-Old Division, Pavo Cup Finals, NL, 2016

• 1st place, 81.80%, Six-Year-Old Division, 2nd Selection Trials for Young Dressage Horse Championships, NL, 2016