Cum Laude

Apache, Preferent x Weltmeyer

Owner/Farm: Iron Spring Farm, Coatesville, PA

With Distinction

Last year, the 2010 Approved KWPN Stallion Cum Laude joined the Iron Spring Farm family. He quickly made himself right at home in the stallion barn at our Pennsylvania facility, where he wins the hearts of everyone he meets.

“He loves life and has a playful, inquisitive, personable character,” says Quinnten Alston, sales manager at ISF. “He never shows any aggression or bad habits. He’s very confident and sure of himself without being naughty. Even when he’s excited, he doesn't talk or scream.”

To keep fit and healthy, Cum Laude goes on the walker for 30-45 minutes each morning. This is followed by several hours of turnout. He also enjoys daily grooming to keep a shine on his beautiful black coat. During breeding season, he’s collected in the mornings.

“He loves treats and will eat anything you put in front of him,” Quinnten says. “He enjoys watching the guys prepare the grain and usually asks for a treat or two.”


Joining the ISF Family

Adding Cum Laude to the ISF stallion roster last year was an exciting moment. “We have a very rigorous stallion pre-purchase exam process,” says Mary Alice Malone, owner of Iron Spring Farm. “In previous years, several stallions had issues that were unacceptable. We loved Cum Laude the moment we saw him, so we really had our fingers crossed. We were thrilled when he sailed through with flying colors.”

“What caught our eye was his FEI show record and his wonderful character and temperament,” Mary Alice says. “His early offspring are exceptional, with numerous Elite mares and high-quality foals.”

In 2021, four mares by Cum Laude received their provisional Keur status. In North America, Rosa Cum Laude RTH was the 2021 USDF Breeders Championships West Coast Foal Champion, scoring 82.412%. Cum Laude is also the sire of a stallion selected for the second ring at the KWPN Stallion Show, along with the mares Kynona, Elite, who’s competing at Z1 Level (Third Level equivalent) and Nynah Trice KS, Elite who completed the KWPN EPTM Test in Ermelo.


CDI-Winning Show Career

Before he started producing noteworthy offspring, Cum Laude was successful in the show ring as a young horse and up through the levels to CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I.

“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.”

With Brutink, Cum Laude won several national competitions at the ZZ-Zwaar, PSG and I-1 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.”

Cum Laude’s performance career was no surprise. His sire, Apache, Preferent, was a Grand Prix superstar who sired numerous Grand Prix horses, including Gio, team bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics with Charlotte Dujardin. Cum Laude’s motherline is also filled with high performance horses.

These impressive genetics are showing up in Cum Laude’s 2022 foal crop who have their sire’s beautiful dark coat and incredible movement. “We’re so happy to have Cum Laude at Iron Spring Farm,” Mary Alice says. “His name is Latin for ‘with distinction’, which suits him perfectly.”