International Trakehner Stallion Market Neumünster 2009

The Gala Show

Probably one of the most interesting show cases of the recent years was devoted to the importance of a good mare in your breeding program, and featured the amazing elite mare Insterfee by Kennedy and her offspring. Insterfee was shown in hand. A 12yr old bay mare, who was a little unspectacular, but then you could tell she had given birth to many foals. And there they were: In Petto and In Flagranti – two super stallions, full brothers by Buddenbrock – a lot in common and yet so different. Seeing In Petto, in the trendy black color, with a slightly strong head but long lines and legs ridden by Canadian Olympian Leonie Bramall, was eyecandy – elastic – stepping under himself with his huge leverage and doing his job in an obviously satisfied mood. On the other hand, In Flagranti with Dorothee Schneider, the tall chestnut, slightly more compact and with maybe a finer head, but exactly the same leg formation. When you see them together you can tell: these are the same engines in the back. Just that Dorothee Schneider seems to be asking a little more from In Flagranti. He appears to have more “push” and impulsion at first sight, which might put In Petto out of focus on a first glance.  However, if you look closer you will notice that In Petto lacks nothing in potential – just delivers his performance a lot more “natural” and with clearly less pressure from the saddle. In terms of gaits, both stand out with super walks (despite the audience’s applause) and well set canters making good room and displaying nice front leg mechanics, good leverage lifting themselves in an uphill position and the audience couldn't take eyes off of their phenomenal natural trots. It was now time to bring in the sisters....In Zukunft, In Vita and In Farbe, all by Buddenbock! All three decoraded with multiple titles, and In Zukunft already an accomplished performance horse with wins and placings in young horse classes in dressage, show jumping and driving (!). It was a privilege to see these horses in the arena, and it certainly set the old saying of “start with a good mare” into a new light.

Impressions of a super mare: Insterfee (left) with her daughters In Farbe and In Vita

Next, three stallions from the 1985 stallion crop were presented, all of them from the same approval back in 1987: EH Charly Chaplin, EH Caprimond and Kostolany (EH Michelangelo was missing due to an injury) – and the grand man of horsemanship, Otto Langels did his magic again with Kostolany: He had him lie down in front of the audience and than sat on him and rode the horse in his gala pants with no saddle. Classical dressage including levade and passage lessons were amazing – two grand old men of Trakehnerdom – doing great and hopefully still so for a long time…. Interesting to hear that of all of them, Kostolany had been bred to nearly 1200 mares during his life so far – Caprimond came in second with some 800. A total shock were the mere 107 mares the best dressage sire of our time had bred: no othere stallion comes close in the ratio of breedings to Grand Prix horses competing as EH Charly Chaplin!

Another rare show was the performance of the "Stallion of the Year", EH Van Deyk and his sons Kaiserkult and Handryk. This was first time Handryk was back in the spotlight after way too many years hidden in East Germany. The success of his offspring should put him on the front rows of Trakehner breeding stallions, but his color and the fact that he, until most recently, only stood via live cover, kept him as a hidden secret. It was announced during the Gala that he would be leased to Graditz Stud for the 2006 season, much to the delight of many! He is an eye-catching horse with wonderful mechanics in all three gaites, maybe lacking a certain nobless in comparison to Kaiserkult, who comes along so much more long-legged and “modern”, however, comparing both to old Van Deyk himself clearly proved the similarity of these two exceptional stallions.

During the Gala: Handryk

The moderator claimed what a pity it was that an elite stallion like Van Deyk, having sired two Bundeschampions in a row (Kaiserdom TSF and Kaiserkult TSF) is getting less than ten mares per year. What a point he had!

… and than there was a blind rider, Marion Koch. She was blinded by one of her younger horses 4 years ago when it spooked and kicked her right into the face. Marion rode her grey home-bred Trakehner gelding Skandor by EH Marduc in a dressage class – 4 “vocal pointers” were placed along the arena calling out at her while she was approaching – and she rode her horse through it and there were more than a few heartfelt tears in the audience.... what a prove of blind trust in the deepest meaning of the word and what a wonderful demonstration of reaching beyond natural borders- she just did it. She received tremendous applause and when the moderator was suggesting that this was the perfect example for the Trakehner TSF (the sport horse promotion arm of the Verband) to entitle this horse with the TSF logo, everybody there agreed immediately.

Another highlight was when 23year old TB stallion Beg xx from Hörstein, who was named elite this year as the first TB stallion to achieve this, came into the arena. Shown at liberty, you could sure tell his age from his soft topline, but his legs were simply flawless, as was his movement. 23 years of age and not a single sign of lameness or any issues.  Beg xx showed clearest gaites, rhythm, and great canter mechanics. Beg xx ist the living demonstration, why the TB is said to be the necessary "refreshment input" any warmblood breed needs in order to provide for soundness and strength. What a great demo, and congratulations to Hörstein for keeping the stallion in such great shape!

This year, four Trakehner stallions were awarded "elite" status, and while there was no discussion about the worthyness of Beg xx for this title, the other three had us scratching our heads about the recent inflation in giving this title out: EH Latimer, EH Münchhausen TSF and EH Monteverdi TSF, while all stallions of high quality and performance records in international dressage, have only young offspring on the ground competiting in merely the 3rd level ranges. And how else could they? All of them are way too young to do more, which is why we think the Verband should wait with the elite title until a stallion's offspring is clearly proven at advanced levels in competition.