The Oaks Breeding Program

The Oaks’ stallions and breeding program are producing young horses of outstanding quality, exceptional jumping ability and excellent temperament. They have won and consistently placed in both National and International Hunter and Jumper competitions including U.S. Equestrian Federation, Performance Horse Registry (PHR), International Jumper Futurity (IJF), Pacific Coast Horse Show Association, American Holsteiner Horse Association, and other competitions.

The Oaks' breeding program is considered ideal as it produce exceptional Holsteiner foals, and also combines the stature, temperament, and athletic ability of some of the top jumping blood lines from Europe with the elegance, heart, and stamina of the American Thoroughbred, which according to the legendary horseman Morton W. "Cappy" Smith, produces the perfect combination of size, mind, and muscle in a horse.

In the early 1960s, the German Holsteiner breeders adopted the policy of using Thoroughbred, Anglo Arab and Selle Français stallions to establish their riding and sport horse model. Already a devoted and long time breeder of Thoroughbreds, Joan Irvine Smith's interest was sparked at the 1984 Olympics by the Holsteiners which were being bred to look like Thoroughbreds and to have similar qualities. In 1989 she began buying well bred Holsteiner geldings, stallions, and mares which she found consistently performed well in competition. This vision was the basis for the foundation of The Oaks Farms.

According to the world renowned horseman and teacher, George H. Morris, Co-Chef d'Equipe of the U.S. Olympic Team, "Europeans established some superior blood lines, but they jealously guard them to preserve their own dominance in equestrian sports. The problem has always been how to tap into those blood lines. This is exactly what The Oaks Farms has done!"

Today The Oaks Farms stands its world class Holsteiner stallions at The Oaks Farms – Valley Center, our 42 acre stud farm in California. We also maintain a frozen semen bank from all stallions, including The Oaks' flagship stallion South Pacific. We maintain a lovely selection of Hunter and Jumper prospects in training at our training facility in San Juan Capistrano.

In 2003 Mrs. Joan Irvine Smith received the U.S. Equestrian Federation/PHR Silver Stirrup Leading Hunter Breeder Award. This award is presented to the Performance Horse Registry breeder whose PHR registered and Silver Stirrup nominated progeny earned the greatest number of points during a competition year.

In 2006 and again in 2009 South Pacific by Silvester out of Kamera by Cor de la Bryére won the South Pacific Memorial Award for the top ranked U.S.-based sire of Show Jumpers. The Oaks’ Holsteiner stallion Canaletto Cat by Canaletto out of Izora (Black Cat) by Gibramino was the IJF Western Regional Four Year Old Best Movement/Type Reserve Champion.

We congratulate Southern Pride by South Pacific out of Oaks Holsteiner mare Blanka who has competed, won and placed in seven major Grand Prix events, both nationally and internationally during the 2011 Show Season. He recently won First Place in the Manitoba Cup at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. In 2009 Southern Pride won the $100,000 CSI-W World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix at the Caledon Summer Festival in Ontario, Canada and the $100,000 EnCana Cup at the Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary, Canada.

Oaks’ Holsteiner stallion Solomon’s Pride placed in his first Grand Prix in 2010 and has been showing successfully in the 1.40 Meter Jumpers all year. Other winners from The Oaks' breeding program also include: South Shore, Superman, El Campeon's Shamrock, South Atlantic, Cherokee Chief, Conjure Man, Lunar Flight, Southern Showtime, Shaman, South Bay, South Beach, Tasman Bay, Saveur de Cour, Southern Breeze, , Falcon, Fire Storm, Southern Lights, Sea Spray, Cheer Me On, Crimson Cheer and Cheer's Jubilee.