Trakehner Gestüt Webelsgrund

The stallions of the past

Impuls certainly has to be named first, it was due to him that Webelsgrund became a world famous stud, not only for Trakehner enthusiasts. He lived there his entire life, sired 15 approved sons, 9 of them were born in Webelsgrund. Over 100 daughters are registered with the Trakehner Verband and 14 times his children won the most prestigious young horse competition of the world, the German National Championships. Also from that time, Kurfürst by Pregel always stood in the shadow of Impuls. Both the stallions Arminius and Schönfelder and several important bood mares like the famous Heublume (dam of EH Heuriger, Holunder, Husar) or the stallion dams Schatztruhe (Shannon), Altessa (Arrak) and Indiana (Illuster) were sired by him.

As a successor to Impuls, the Gunnar-son Herzbube came. He influenced the breed to quite an extent. His daughter Tilsit III produced the full brothers and elite stallions Tenor and Tivano (both by Tümmler) and the elite stallion Tuareg (by Radom), whose daughter Renaissance Fleur TSF was heading straight for Athens 2004 when a tragic accident left her crippled and her career over. Tuareg's sons Königsmarck and Kancun are now active in the breed, as is his grand son Kougar von C (ATA). Herzbub eis also the second dam sire of the important stallion EH Caprimond. Herzbube's most successful son in competition, EH Heuriger, was bred in Webelsgrund as well. Out of Heublume by Kurfürst, the stallion participated at the 1994 World Equestrian Games in Holland and won a Team Silver medal, finishing 5th individually with Dutch Ellen Bontje. In 1994, Heuriger was the world's most successful dressage stallion (according to WBFSH, in front of Donnerhall!).

In 1979, the only son of a pure Arabian stallion was bought: Polargeist by Dämon ox. Besides his approved son, the champion Holunder, three stallions come out of Polargeist-daughters: Amarant, Wolfsprinz, and Solero TSF , who is one of the breed's current international dressage stars! With EH Tenor, a true "major" stallion was stationed at Webelsgrund in 1980. Reserve champion in Neumünster in 1980, Tenor produced 7 approved sons, among them the already mentioned champion Itaxerxes, the reserve champion Shannon, and the premium stallion Iglesias. He is also known as a great sport horse sire, with his offspring successful in dressage, show jumping and eventing up to advanced level. From 1988 to 1992, the elite stallion Maizauber was stationed at Webelsgrund. This son of the elite stallion Bartholdy out of Maiglöckchen by Tannenburg had wins and placings in advanced level dressage and is equally successful in producing stallions and good riding horses, among them the international show jumper and approved Humanus (bred at Webelsgrund out of Heublume II by EH Tenor!).

Other famous stallions that were stationed in Webelsgrund were the former reserve champion St. Cloud, sire of several approved sons including the 2000 National champion EH Latimer. Also stationed at Webelsgrund was Donaufeuer (by Shannon), a stallion with great talent for the show jumper circuits, as well as the 1994 champion Glanzlicht (by Ordensglanz), who at age 9 is winning at Grand Prix dressage level. Up until 2005, Webelsgrund was also home of one of the last great sons of Anduc: the FEI stallion Le Duc (out of Liga III by Pregel). Le Duc, who sired many exceptional daughters and the CIC** eventer and approved stallion Camaro was sold to England where his career really picked up very successfully. It was with great sadness that we learned of his untimely death in 2007.

The stallions of the present

When in 1994 the family of Harald and Walburga Erdsiek bought Webelsgrund, they were again looking for a stallion that could fill the gigantic footsteps Impuls and Tenor left behind. In Holland they found the horse of their dreams: the dark brown Michelangelo, son of Pasteur xx out of the elite mare Miami by Matador. Michelangelo came to Webelsgrund with little schooling in dressage, he was a heavily-frequented stallion in the Dutch warmblood breed and mainly used as an "action trotter". He very rapidly climbed the ladder of success, and at age 15 was placed at advanced level dressage.

"Michel, as everybody calls him, impresses with his great personality and character, a trait he consistently passes on to his get. Besides that, he is just outstandingly beautiful and is Germany's leading "mare sire" since 6 consecutive years (based on scores of his daughters at Trakehner mare inspections). Every year, we see another great son of Michelangelo, in 1992 it was the outstanding champion Kennedy, who sold for the highest price ever and died only 2 years later of a viral infection with Borna. And in the same year the premium stallion Guy Laroche, now sold to Connie Kempert's Rappenhof stud in Canada. Michel also sired the reserve champion in 1998, the bay Hirtenruf as well as the CCI*** eventer Höderlin. Again, in 2000, the Michelangelo-son Summertime impressed the crowds in Neumünster with his brilliant movement and was awarded a premium title. Michelangelo also sired the most expensive Trakehner mare ever, the bay Schneeflocke, who is, after a great and promising dressage career, now a brood mare in Tadorf, where last year's champion King Arthur is at home. She already produced the approved Sir Arthur. In 2006, Michelangelo was named "Stallion of the Year" in Neumünster.

A very important change took place in Webelsgrund in 1999. The French riding master and former head of the world famous riding academy Kadre Noir in Saumur, Phillipe Karl, started as trainer in Webelsgrund. He held clinics on a regular basis in Webelsgrund and was instrumental in schooling Michelangelo in piaffe and passage. Phillipe Karl is a magician on a horse. Whoever had the chance to see him dance with his old Lusitano Odin, really felt chills down the spine and could get a glimpse of what dressage riding is really about. It was a great opportunity for Webelsgrund to have such a trainer-and for many dressage riders to change old habits in riding horses.

In 2002, new stud master Ralf Hartmann, a Grand Prix rider from Austria, took over. He contoinued the successful performance careers of Michel and Le Duc. And in 2004, Ekkehard Rönnefarth became the new stud manager at Webelsgrund. With him, the stallion station grew in size. In 2006, the Erdsiek family announced a new partnership with Gestüt Heinen in Issum, where Michelangelo was bred. And so, many new stallions are now at home in Webelsgrund: besides Michelangelo and Le Duc (frozen), the premium stallion Checkpoint (by Polarpunkt), the international Grand Prix dressage stallion Polarion TSF (by EH Van Deyk), the impressive show jumper Betel xx (by Revlon Boy xx), the FEI dressage stallion In Petto (by Buddenbrock), the youngsters Oliver Twist (by EH Monteverdi TSF) and United Kingdom (by Gipsy King) and the US-bred Lord Luciano (by Enrico Caruso *Ps*E*) stand at stud in 2007.

Webelsgrund is a modern stud farm in an old setting, with revolutionary ideas and the will to contribute to improving the situation of the Trakehner horse. The Erdsiek family have a long history of famous horses and world class breeding to live up to and it seems they are doing a great job. After 49 years of Webelsgrund, one thing is certain---there will always be Trakehner horses that make history.