Trakehner Gestüt Hämelschenburg

The history

Hämelschenburg is one of Germany's most known and accomplished Trakehner farms, specializing in dressage horses but with a history of also producing excellent show jumpers and occasionally, also eventers. The farm is operated by the Langels family, Otto and Jutta being the parents. Today, the business is run by Beate Langels and her brother Bernhard, who together with his wife Sabine, owns and operates a branch of the original farm in the East German city of Schäplitz, where mostly young stock are raised and several foals are born each year. The reputation of the Langels family for horses is excellent; they pay a lot of attention to impeccable temperaments and outstanding movement, paired with exceptional ridability. Over 45 approved stallions have been "made" by the family over the past 40 years, many of them also influencing the Trakehner breeds in the Netherlands, Denmark, USA and Australia.

Picture a castle from a fairy tale. Right next to it you see the beautiful black and white "Fachwerkhaus", the living house of the Langels family. And in the back, you will find a horse barn, complete with paddocks, a small indoor arena and a dressage arena outdoors. The main barn is reserved for the stallions of Hämelschenburg, and in the past 40 years of its existence, numerous outstanding individuals resided here. The stud was founded in 1962 with the aquisition of the first two mares: Vilja by Julmond and Zauberlied by Lateran.

The mare families

Family of Vilja:

Julmond Julianus Memelländer Jule Pady Padischa mare Vera unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown

Vilja was a smaller chestnut mare by the highly important Julmond. The papers of her dam had been lost during the war, but she carried the moose antler on her hip that identified her as a Trakehner. Vilja's line remained small, but produced outstanding stallions and performance horses, mostly in combination of Vilja's daughters with Ibikus and Impuls. The dressage stallions Valerian and Vincent, both by Ibikus out of Impuls mares, proved to be just as important as the talented show jumper Velasquez (by EH Mackensen out of Vitalis by Ibikus). Also from this line is the Grand Prix winner and sire of numerous approved sons, EH Van Deyk (by Patricius xx out of Vanessa by Ibikus). In addition, the two FEI dressage winners Vitellus (by Ibikus) and Vicomte (by Karon) came from this line and were bred in Hämelschenburg. Today, the V-line mare Vinczenza by Showmaster maintains this family at the farm. In 2002, the line was back in the spotlight when Vilano by EH Consul was on the German Three Day Event team at the Worldchampionships in Jerez/Spain.

Family of Zauberlied:

Zauberlied had 14 foals in her career, 4 of them became major league players in advanced competition. According to the Lateran background in the family, the horses had a special talent for show jumping. Zauberer by Impuls won the German National Show Jumping Championships for Junior riders, Zauberfürst by Impuls and Zauberstern by Ibikus won FEI show jumper classes and Zaunkönig by Impuls placed 3rd at the CCI *** Luhmuehlen and was National Eventing Champion. The "Zauber" family that was founded in Hämelschenburg later was further developed by Veronika von Schöning via the outstanding Zauberspiel by Ibikus and the famous farm Argenhof, who bred the DLG winner and important sire Zauberklang (by Prince Conde), later ATA.

Family of Kaprice II and Kassiopeia:

Kassiopeia was a full sister to Kaprice II and came from the Rhineland farm Marberthof in Krefeld, although bred at Webelsgrund. She produced the approved Kassiber, eventing champion in Australia and sire of the NMS champion Amadeus, and the approved FEI dressage winner Kastilio, who sired the approved and equally successful dressage stallion Katapult. Her most important daughter was the elite mare Kleopatra, dam of the approved Kleostro by Herzbube, Kadre Noir by Upan la Jarthe AA, Klabautermann by Enrico Caruso and Klavigo by Enrico Caruso. Her daughters Kleo's Beste and Kleo's Double, both by Kostolany, are valuable members of the mare herd and their offspring can be found in breeding programs around the globe.


Family of Schwalbenlied:

Impuls Humboldt Hutten Bergamotte Italia Eichendorf Ita ES Schwarze Schwalbe Traumgeist xx Goody xx Traumkind xx ES Schwalbe Totilas Saaleck

Schwalbenlied was the third mare Otto and Jutta Langels bought at Webelsgrund. She won the German National Riding Horse Championships in Hamburg and placed 2nd at the same event in Wiesbaden, ridden by Otto Langels himself. She also proved to be a great producer. Her brown son Santiago by Wie Ibikus was the NMS champion stallion in 1978 and became a major sire for the Bavarian Trakehner Stud Schwaighof and the Bavarian warmblood breed as well. Schwalbenlied's most important offspring however was her daughter, the elite mare Schwalbenburg. She produced 4 approved sons: the Danish champion dressage sire and "Trakehner Stallion of the Year 2003", Schwadroneur by EH Arogno, the Grand Prix dressage stallion Showmaster by Kostolany, the state stud stallion Sans Souci by Kostolany and the show jumper Stradivari by Upan la Jarthe AA, sire of the popular Key West and the 2001 champion K2. In addition, Schwalbenburg's daughter Burgschwalbe by Mozart produced the champion stallion Seigneur by EH Consul, who was sold to the US and did after only one breeding season, and Schwalenburg by Mozart, who is the foundation mare for the young approved Sarasani by EH Partout. Schwalbenburg's last direct daughter at the farm was the champion mare Schwalbenlust by Enrico Caruso, who very sadly passed away at the beginning of 2004. Her daughter Schwalbenspiel by Exclusiv now has the task to live up to the high standard her ancestors set. She started out well by producing the premium-mare Sankt Helena by Alter Fritz and the newly approved, premium stallion Shavalou by Freudenfest.

Family of Hymne:

Hymne also came from Webelsgrund, but didn't meet the expectations of her owners when it came to substance and bone in her offspring. Her line is no longer represented at the farm. However, with another Ibikus match, the mare Hämelschenburg was born and later produced the mare Habiana by the Grand Prix dressage stallion Fabian, a 3/4 brother to Abdullah. Habiana is a well respected mare in the breed and produced the very good dressage sire Handryk by EH Van Deyk, who stands at stud in East Germany and is very successful as a dressage sire with his first offspring debuting at Grand Prix last season. The family very recently came back into the spotlight, winning the National Family Championships at the National Mare Show in Neustadt/Dosse in July 2004.

Family of Thiara:

Falke Grimsel Kassio ES Griseldis Fawiza Maharadscha Feine SPS Thila II Condus Ramzes AA Constanze Themse II Goldgraf Thea

Thiara by Falke came from a family that was especially successful in the dressage ring. Her dam, the state premium mare Thila II by Condus was a full sister to the dressage stallions Temperitter and Tarim, both successful sires in North America. Their full sister Tekoa, the last of the siblings, is the dam of the young ATA approved Tzigane. The family carries the name S9A Sabine today, but really can be referred to as the Toga family. Only one mare represents this line at Haemelschenburg today, but she is like no other: the elite mare Thirza by Karon out of Thiara. She produced 12 foals in 12 breeding years and among several outstanding daughters, sired the 1996 reserve champion in NMS, Trocadero by Enrico Caruso, who today, stands at Sian Read's Bluewood Trakehner Stud in Great Britain.

Family of Gavotte:

Gavotte IV by Karon out of Gurtis by Pregel was a member of the big O326 Gundula family, originally founded by the Polls. Grand dam Guda was a full sister tot he stallion Ginster. Gavotte was a very substantial mare and the caliber and bone she produced is still visible 2-3 generations down the line. Her daughter Gloriette III by Kostolany is the most important carrier of that genetic treasure today and is a brood mare for Bernhard Langels in Schäplitz. She had 4 daughters by Alter Fritz in a row, the first one, Gracia Patricia, was the inspection champion in the 4 year old class in Moritzburg last summer, and at the same inspections, her 3 year old sister Greta Garbo became the grand champion of her class. In 2003, another black daugter of the combination Gloriette-Alter Fritz was born, Grace Note. She is a filly of exceptional quality and will continue this string of success for her maternal line. At the home in Haemelschenburg, Gavotte's line is represented by the mares Gwendolyn by Maestro out of Gloriette, Guendalina by Red Patrick xx out of Gwendolyn by Maestro and Greta Garbo by Alter Fritz.