Meeting a legend: Biotop
First of all, let's start by welcoming our newest TI correspondent to the team. Judith Hoehle will cover a lot of what's going on in the Trakehner and KWPN world in the Netherlands from now on and we would like to thank her for her efforts! Judith was out for a private audience with one of the breed's best performance stallions ever: the late Dr. Reiner Klimke's genius Biotop, a Russian bred dark bay stallion by Blesk out of Plaksa by Hockey-Paks. His stallion line is that of Pilger, tracing back to the main stud Trakehnen, while his dam contributed with a dose of highly regarded Arabian blood via her sire Hockey, a descendant of the Priboy ox-line in Russia. Biotop is inbred to Pythagoras and Termit, carrying some of the most proven lines from the old main stud farm.
Biotop reached the West in his teens and was soon spotted by Dr. Klimke during a clinic in Belgium. The stallion exchanged owners and was soon a common sight at the top German dressage shows, winning several State Championships in Westfalia and placing high at the German Championships. Even though he never made the official Team for Olympics or World Games, he was one of the dominating dressage horses of the 90s, especially feared by opponents when it came to freestyles, where the exceptional mover often took the crowds in a storm. The author remembers two of his appearances at the World Cup Freestyle in Dortmund, winning both in the high 70s, with the crowds dancing on the chairs after the performance. Biotop was known for his frequent "walk between genius and maniac", sometimes causing quite a stir in during warm-up and testing Klimke's saddle skills. While one could argue that Biotop was not always the most "correct", his artistic potential, expression and movement clearly made him an attraction. He was Klimke's second big name horse, after the famous Ahlerich, who was Klimke's most successful partner. Klimke once described the Russian stallion as a true "challenge", but a very rewarding one.
with Dr. Reiner Klimke
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Dr. Klimke was hospitalized with a heart attack in 2000 and asked his daughter Ingrid to show Biotop at a show coming up while he was still in the hospital. Ingrid took the stallion--and won two Grand Prix tests just a few days before a second heart attack proved to be fatal and the most famous dressag rider of all times died. Today, Biotop is still owned by the Klimke family and stands at stud in Westfalia. He has been an excellent cross for Trakehner mares with some degree of TB or Arabian blood, while his purebred offspring tend to be on the rather heavy side. Biotop has one approved son in the breed today (the bay Goldschmidt) and several exceptional daughters, decorated with State and Verband premium titles. Among those is Shakira (out of Shira II by Königspark xx-Marsuk ox), who won the National Mare Championships in Neumünster in 2002, or her full sister Scarlett, who was the most expensive auction mare in Neumünster in 2004 and is now at home in Missouri, New Spring Farm, with the Holekamp family.
Biotop won 125.000 Euro during his active dressage career, making him one of the most successful stallions in international dressage, regardless of the breed. Biotop celebrated his 20th birthday in 2005 and is still as vital and happy as a stallion can possibly be. When Judith visited the grand old man, she reported that "he will play "hoofies" (game where you point to a front leg and he holds it up - same as if for cleaning) with anyone for treats, and the barn manager says a child can walk between his legs and be safe". We salute a great Trakehner---and wish him all the best for the next....at least 20 years!
at the Handorf stallion show in 2006 |
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