Catherine Haddad-Staller’s Winyamaro Sold to High Fashion Model Olivia Hallman
11 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Catherine Haddad-Staller’s Winyamaro Sold to High Fashion Model Olivia Hallman
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Winyamaro, the eye-catching horse that Catherine Haddad-Staller rode to reserve for the United States team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, has been bought by international high fashion model Olivia Hallman.
The 29-year-old Olivia, raised in the Netherlands, intends to turn her full attention to dressage after she recently retired from a successful career as a runway and photographic model whose images were displayed in the world’s leading glamor magazines.
Olivia lived in New York for several year pursuing her modeling career but now lives in Frenchtown, New Jersey.
“Ms. Hallman engages in equestrian sports,” her official biography states, “and she has received multiple awards for her equine-related activities. She is a sixth-place winner of the World Championship for Icelandic Horses, and she is also a multiple Dutch Champion in many disciplines for Icelandic Horses.
“Ms. Hallman supports the ASPCA, and in her spare time, she takes a great amount of spending time and playing with her beloved dog.
“She has recently rediscovered riding, the equestrian discipline of dressage. She aspires to become a great dressage rider and trainer, as her desire to express her endless love for horses and all animals has always been her ultimate dream and passion.”
The 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Walt Disney x Trapper) was sold by Catherine as she approaches the first anniversarey of returning to the U.S. after 20 years in Germany.
“Winnie was a finished product that I was able to polish as much as I wanted to present him internationally,” Catherine told dressage-news.com of the horse she competed at top shows on both sides of the Atlantic including the 2011 World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany..
“I want to focus on my younger horses with more potential for the future.
“It was not a forced sale it was a fortunate sale.
“I knew the sale of Winyamaro would enable me to develop my up and coming horses over the next several years.”
To see a video of Catherine giving a fund raising exhibition ride on Winyamaro go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhz5eVH5X4Q
The horse will retain the full name of Mane Stream Winyamaro that was recently formally changed by Catherine to support a therapeutic riding program in Tewksbury, New Jersey.
Olivia and Winyamaro will train with Catherine at her new base in Califon, New Jersey,
“Olivia is new to dressage,” Catherine said, “but she is a very balanaced rider with a good feel and the right kind of mental focus to be successful in our sport.”
Olivia began training with Catherine in May this year and recently decided to buy a top competition horse.
“I’m very excited to have a student with her ability,” she said. “She has every intention of showing Winnie internationally.”
She is urging Olivia to become a United States citizen.
