Maestoso Gradita is a Lipizzan stallion with a story that stretches back through one of the most important Lipizzan programs in North America. I had the honour of photographing him at our fine art Barn Day at Dressage Solutions in Eagle, Wisconsin, where he is in the care and training of Megan Dischler.
A Lipizzan Stallion from the Tempel Lipizzans
Gradita has a long history with the Tempel Lipizzans, the renowned Lipizzan breeding and performance program at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois. For 65 years, Tempel Farms bred, raised, and trained Lipizzans in the classical tradition, and its stallions performed for audiences across the country.
When the Tempel Lipizzans program came to a close, Esther Buonanno took many of the Tempel Lipizzans and started Good Luck Farm in Colorado, carrying the legacy of the herd forward. Her goal is to share the beauty, athleticism, and personality of the Lipizzan, a rare and endangered breed, and Gradita is a wonderful ambassador for that mission.
A True Gentleman in the Studio
Gradita is seven years old, carries bloodlines that are rare in the United States, and is highly talented. He is also very much a gentlemanly stallion, calm, polite, and a pleasure to be around. What Esther is proudest of is his ability to trust. The foundational work behind that trust took a long time, and it shows in how relaxed and willing he was in front of the camera.
Against the black background, his grey coat, expressive dark eye, and strong, elegant neck stand out beautifully, and his classic Lipizzan form speaks for itself. Today he continues his classical dressage training with Megan at Dressage Solutions. Have a few friends at your barn who would love portraits too? Find out how Barn Day mini sessions work.
More from This Barn Day
Gradita was not the only Lipizzan in the studio that day. Meet Orion and Bana, Paula’s Percheron cross and fellow Tempel Lipizzan stallion Conversano VI Garcia. You can also meet Rafacito, Megan’s young palomino Lusitano, Rafa, Emily’s Lusitano FEI dressage schoolmaster, Indy, Christina’s Friesian, and Queenie, Christina’s Hanoverian. And meet Jed, Megan’s KWPN-NA Dutch Warmblood. And don’t miss Maestoso Batosta, another Tempel Lipizzan stallion.
Esther and Megan, thank you for trusting me with such a special horse. Photographing a stallion with Gradita’s history, and helping share the Lipizzan story, meant a great deal to me.
Not ready to gather a group for a Barn Day? A private equine fine art session gives you the same black background portraits for just your horse.