ELDHESTAR

When Sigurjón Bjarnason started breeding horses, he decided to base his efforts on thdna–nonni–breedinge programme at Hvoll Farm. He chose Tinna IS1993286650 frá Fellsmúla, whose bloodline can be traced back to Hvoll farm on both the mother’s as well as the father’s side. Additionally, he used the mare Brúnstjarna IS19AA286058, whom he bred himself, as well as her daughters. Brúnstjarna’s descendants were generally big and handsome as well as rather strongly built. They inherited her typical character and were known for their good gaits.

Nowadays, Sigurjón’s breeding work, along with that of his brother Hródmar, also aims at breeding competition and exhibition horses. For this purpose the mares Njála IS2003281797 frá Fellsmúla and Kátína IS2004258626 frá Flugumýri were brought into the breeding group. Both mares come from strong families. Njála is the daughter of Nett IS1983287038 frá Hvoli and Markús IS1993187449 from Langholtsparti. Kátína is the daughter of the honorary-award-winning mare Kolskör IS1986286300 frá Gunnarsholti and Rökkvi IS1997186541 frá Hárlaugsstödum. Kátína’s first offspring, Sónata IS2012287086 was trained in the fall of 2015 and in autumn 2016, it was her younger sister Sinfonía’s IS2013287087 turn.

Thorsteinn Hjartarson mainly used Fluga IS1986288657 frá Staerri-Bae and her daughter Aldinblód IS1998287936 frá Framnesi for breeding. Fluga produced strong-willed horses that were very well-gaited and robust. This made them perfect for Eldhestar’s longest trips. Fluga’s best-known offspring amongst Eldhestar’s guests is without doubt Landaljómi IS1993287894 frá Brautarholti 3. Other descendants worth mentioning are Gaukur IS1994187973 frá Staerri-Bae, Limra IS1994288972 frá Brautarholti 3 and Rauðgrani IS2005187039 frá Völlum. Aldinblód’s foals are both beautiful and show grand movements. Her two oldest offspring, Uggi IS2006181798 frá Fellsmúla and Eitill IS2008181799 frá Fellsmúla, joined Eldhestar’s trips in the summer of 2015. Both were hard workers and good tölters.

Smári Saemundsson focussed his breeding on Gýgja IS1996282190 frá Egilsstöðum in Ölfus, a farm with a long history in horse breeding that is widely known for it’s hard-working and good riding horses. Some of the horses from Egilstaðir have been with Eldhestar for a long time. Gýgja’s sire Amor IS19AB182001, for example, was still working for Eldhestar at the ripe age of 25. Some horses that Gýgja has foaled are Molda IS1999282191 frá Egilsstöðum, Háleggur IS2001187095 frá Núpum, Saga IS2005282197 frá Völlum and Riddari IS2007182079 frá Völlum.

Gýgja’s oldest daughter Molda has started to prove herself as a good breeding mare. Her oldest offspring, the mare Thula IS2008282191 frá Völlum was rated 7.99 (out of 10) in the summer of 2014. Thula’s “aunt” Saga received the same rating (7.99/10) that year. In our opinion, both horses deserved to win first prize for breeding.

Hródmar Bjarnason was the last of Eldhestar’s owners to begin breeding Icelandic horses. His breeding policy is intertwined with Eldhestar’s policy—i.e. to breed both well-behaved family horses as well as exhibition and competition horses. With that in mind, he purchased a share in the mares Njála frá Fellsmúla and Kátína frá Flugumýri along with Sigurjón (see above). In addition, Hródmar invested in the first-prize-winning mares Heidur IS2005257429 frá Hjallalandi and Gremja IS1999286935 frá Árbae, the latter of whom he co-owns with his brother’s wife Halldóra Thorvardardóttir. He also has high hopes for his mares Gunnvör IS1999288260 frá Hvítárholti and Elding IS2000284547 frá Njálsgerdi. They are both expected to produce good and well-behaved riding horses that do well in all gaits, especially the tölt.