Casanova

photo: Aline Sagrabelny

Casanova is a grey gelding, foaled in July 2001 in Germany. He was bred by Horst Blutbacher and is one of only three registered foals out of the mare VA Ghala Bint Galinka. Casanova represents a blend of American and Spanish bloodlines.
Before being gelded, Casanova was shown successfully as a young stallion. At the 2004 German National Championships, he competed in the class for three-year-old colts, where he placed first in his class.
Casanova’s sire, Sandstorm JC, is a grey stallion bred in the United States by Emeka and Donna Nchekwube. Foaled in 1989, Sandstorm JC is by Fame VF and out of Sids Marjuri. He earned early recognition as Canadian National Top Ten Futurity Colt in 1992.
Sandstorm JC’s sire, Fame VF+, was a bay stallion regarded as the top-siring son of Bey Shah+, who in turn was the Arabian breed’s leading living sire of halter champions during the 1980s. Fame VF+ earned the Legion of Honor (+) and achieved a successful show career under trainer Dick Adams, who promoted the stallion on the U.S. Arabian show circuit. Fame VF+ became a prolific sire of halter winners, transmitting the refinement, expressive heads, and presence for which this sire-line became renowned worldwide.
In 1998, Sandstorm JC was exported to Germany. Through Sandstorm JC, Casanova is paternal half-brother to BS Specific, French National Champion Stallion, European Champion Stallion and World Bronze Champion Stallion titles in 2007.
Casanova’s dam, VA Ghala Bint Galinka, is a grey mare of Straight Spanish breeding. Her sire, Calero, was bred in Spain and earned major titles as 1984 World Reserve Champion Colt and 1984 European Champion Colt. Calero became a valued sire in the Netherlands after his importation in 1983 and later went to the UK in 1990.
VA Ghala Bint Galinka’s dam, Mel Galinka, produced several notable offspring, including the multi-champion mare Galinka Rougelais. VA Ghala Bint Galinka traced to Arilla by Malvito, an excellent Spanish broodmare of the Sambry dam.line. Arilla produced Finta, Pintor, Uranio and Rastano (sire of the full-brothers Estopasan and Rastano Ibn Estopa)
Casanova was gelded and later used as riding horse without leaving any registered offspring.