Report: Neumünster Approvals 2005

2005 marked the first year of our collaborative efforts with the Trakehner Verband and because of that, this was the first year that TI had the entire auction catalogue online, with pedigrees and detailed background information on each single horse. You can access the database for the pedigree information through the "Catalogs" menu item above.

Thorsten Kunst of Trakehneronline, has graciously agreed to allow access to his video database, so that from now on forward we will be able to bring you selected video clips of the approved stallions from Neumünster. Video links are added to each stallion's name, where available.

We would also like to thank PDr. eter Richterich and Jutta Bauernschmitt for their generous supply of photos from Neumünster. Without you guys, our reports would be half as nice!! All other images are copyrighted by the Trakehner Verband. Permission to use images or text has to be given in writing through us.

The champion stallion this year was not a clear call from the beginning, as we had seen in the past years. Not one of the colts seemed to stand out on the hard surface, and it needed the at liberty phase to turn the crowd into a good indicator of who was to stand in front: Herzensdieb (by Tambour x SPS+PS Herzenfreude by EH Tivano), a bay stallion of impeccable beauty, self carriage, manners and front arm movement; a stallion also standing for one of the breed's most popular mare families, and sired by one of today's most popular sires. Herzensdieb, who was enthusiastically celebrated by the commission and the spectators, was spotted by American/Canadian couple Louise and Douglas Leatherdale, the husband/wife team around the Hanoverian top stallion His Highness, and was bought at auction for the highest price any Trakehner colt every achieved in Neumünster. It was soon revealed that Herzensdieb would stand at stud in Dorum, with Jens Meyer, among the top of Hanover's great stallions, and would be placed in training with Klaus Balkenhol. All great news for the Trakehner breed! The dam line is T14O2 Herbstgold (Gestüt Schmoel/Panker), which produced the international dressage star Hirtentraum, as well as the approved stallions EH Herzzauber, Herzfunke, and Herzkristall. The hype around Herzensdieb did not change the fact that the reserve champion in 2005, Imperio (ex Iffezheim; by Connery out of SPS+PS Isar VI by Balfour xx) was probably one of the best stallions we have seen in the past, and standing more for what made this breed great: positive TB attributes in a stallion of perfect conformational harmony, balanced with movement that exceeded the hind end activity of the champion. What a hard pick for the commission between these two top horses!! Imperio was acquired in partnership by the Bavarian State Stud in Schwaiganger and the famous Hörem Stud in Lower-Saxony, who had already prepared this promising youngster. The dam line of Imperio is O305B Isabella (Schlegel-Detmold), which also produced the premium Interconti, the ATA's Inamorato, the FEI dressage horses Ira, Itax and Radom as well as - in the bigger family - the stallions Induc and Inster Graditz. Mon Baron (by EH Münchhausen TSF out of SPS+PS Mon Bijou by EH Herzruf) was awarded a premium after he won from day to day and got better and better. The very substantial chestnut stallion, who lacked somewhat a harmonic top line and lightness in his movement, impressed with the best canter of the group and his excellent nerves. The stallion had a tremendous amount of self-carriage and already has a full brother in the upper levels of dressage. Mon Baron sold at auction to Gestüt Eicke, an upcoming breeding and performance hub for Trakehners in the Rhineland. The dam line of O181B2 Malvenblüte (Gestüt Hunnesrück) also stands for EH Marduc.

Hirtentanz (by Axis out of SPS+PS+ES Herzlani by Kostolany) was the first son of Axis to be presented in Neumünster. The black stallion, who was described as "not the greatest trot horse around", impressed with the best free jumping Neumünster had ever seen, accodring to many. There was no limit to his scope, power, and athleticism, and that, plus his excellent pedigree and his strong foundation, led to a premium title. Hirtentanz was not up for auction, but sold later in early 2006 to David Beattie of Watertown, WI, USA, remaining at stud in Germany for the 2006 season. An interesting note regarding the best jumper prize in Neumünster: with the exception of the Suchard and Abdullah fraction, it is the Habicht-Sixtus line that has produced more "best jumpers" than anybody else. With Sixtus-Axis-Hirtentanz, this is already passed down to the 3rd generation and is an impressive demonstration of that line's prepotency. Hirtentanz' dam line is T14O3 Herbstblüte (v. Schöning-Kl.Sallentin), which also produced EH Herzruf, Hibiskus, Heinrich der Welfe, Heinrich der Löwe and many others. The last premium was awarded to the black Union Jack (by EH Louidor out of Ulla IX by EH Bartholdy), who comes from the successful Dörfler farm in Bavaria and was raised and presented by Gestüt Hämelschenburg. The stallion is clearly more of a substantial type, and probably carried a few kilos too many, but suggested to become a great performance horse for dressage. The commission commented on his type, his good top line, his strength and nerve and the fact that his rhythmic and balanced gaits promised a great career in dressage. Union Jack was acquired at auction by Gestüt Waldfried, one of Germany's better dressage barns in the vicinity of Frankfurt. The dam line of O236 Freia (Schulemann-Hamburg) also produced the FEI dressage stallion Ursprung TSF and the approved Ultra Chic. Canzler (by Amatcho x SPS+PS Cara Armada by EH Consul) won the prize for the colt with the highest amount of TB blood in his pedigree, and displayed the modern Trakehner sporthorse type in an ideal manner. The stallion moves with exceptional suppleness over his back, and was very motivated in his jumping. He needs a lot more time to fill out his large frame and certainly had more of a masculine type, but what a great sporthorse stallion for the breed. Like Union Jack, he sold at auction to Gestüt Waldfried. Both stallions will be leased to the Hessia State Stud in Dillenburg. Canzler comes from the TB mare line of EA13A Cresta Star xx (Maracke-Pohlsee), which also produced the pinto stallions Camaro (Bundeschampionat eventer) and the ATA"s Cosmopolit.

Ocaccio (by Cadeau x Olympiade II by EH Angard) was the tallest stallion of the crop, with 17h clearly at the end of the spectrum for a 2.5 year old colt. A bit long in his frame, he moved with a very active hind end and great impulsion. Ocaccio was the only one of the 5 Cadeau colts presented in Neumünster who was approved. The stallion displayed outstanding type and with the amount of dressage blood in his pedigree there is no doubt he will have a sport career under saddle. Ocaccio sold at auction to Gestüt Krotenbach. Ocaccio's dam line is O395 Optimistin (Knecht-Warringholz), and also produced the approved Oberon, as well as the FEI dressage horses Olivia TSF, Orpheus and Orlando. Elfenfeuer (by Connery x Elfenflocke by Guter Stern) was one of the most interesting stallios of the crop. A horse that one needed to look at tiwce, he had probably the best rhythm and balance in his trot, an always active hind leg in his movement, and an overall comfortable conformation with lovely self-carriage. Out of the same dam as the champion Elfengeist, he had everything for a promising career in dressage and breeding. He was purchased at auction as a riding horse and soon after NMS the news made the round that he had been gelded to be a competition horse. That is a really substantial blow in our opinion, as this was a really good stallion! Out of the O100A Elfe (v. Lenski-Kattenau) family, we also have the champion Elfengeist as well as Elfenglanz (AUS) and Elfenspuk (DK, SWE).

Grande Couleur (by Indian Boy x Grandiose II by Uckermärker) was the second approved pinto Trakehner colt in Neumünster after Cosmopolit in 2004. Grande Couleur had a lrage frame and stood on a very solid foundation, impressing with very good scope over jumps and an active trot, while he was lacking a bit of elasticity in his movement. He sold at auction to the North German Gestüt Floggensee. The dam line of O46A2 Grenzmaid (Gestüt Neustadt/D.) is one of the bigger East German lines and also propduced Greif, Groll, Grenzfall and Graf Lindenau. Hidalgo (by King Arthur TSF x Heimfee III by Matador) left a very strong first impression on the hard surface, but got tired a bit over the weekend. The very beautiful black stallion comes from one of the breed's best sport horse mare families and was one of two sons that were approved from King Arthur's second drop on the ground. His strong features were his correctness, the high quality of his three gaits and his very good top line. Hidalgo sold at auction to the State Stud in Moritzburg. The dam line of S4A Heimkehr (Gestüt Birkhausen) produced the M-level showjumper Hurrican and his full brother Phantom TSF, for many years the Trakehner showjumper with the highest career earnings, as well as Herakles TSF, the eventing champion at CCI*** level, and the S-level showjumpers Heimwind, Hierro, Heimherr (approved), Heimwind 2, and Haigar. Donauzauber (by Distelzar x ES Donauwoge II vom Klosterhof by EH Sokrates) was a very versatile stallion, with a very good free jumping performance and lovely, elevated gaits. He was, however, very long in his frame and his loin connection was thicker than one is used to see in a horse this age. The dam line of A3A3 Donaufürstin (Wahler-Klosterhof Medingen) has produced an armada of highly decorated mares, as well as the approved performance stallions Donaumonarch, Donaukaiser, Donauprints and Donauzar.

With Sir Arthur (ex Schneeball; by King Arthur TSF x SPS+PS Schneeflocke by EH Michelangelo), a son of famous parents was approved. King Arthur TSF is Buddenbrock's best sport horse in Germany right now, with a solid record at FEI levels, while his dam Schneeflocke is the most expensive brood mare ever sold in Neumünster (70,000 Euro). Sir Arthur was a solid stallion in his presentation, with good basic gaits and promising free jumping. He sold at auction to the young and upcoming Gestüt Burg Greifenstein and was immediately leased to Luxemburg for one season. The dam line is the direct O35A1 Schwalbe (Gestüt Rantzau) line, and stands currently for the international top show jumper Schneesturm TSF, but also for a number of approved stallions and sport horses from the branches of Schwarze Schwalbe (Schwadroneur, Shomaster, Schwalbenfreund), Scharade (Sabary, Sky Walker, Sky Dancer) and Sherezad (champion mares Shakira and Scarlett, Grand Prix dressage horse Sothebys). Herzog (by Tambour x PS Herzogin V by Inkognito) was the last approved stallion of this year's crop, and the second one for Tambour. Herzog won from day to day, impressed with the solid movement and a very good jumping demonstration and like Herzensdieb, comes from a proven mare line. He remains at stud at Gestüt Elmarshausen, where he was bred. Herzog came from the same dam line as the champion, Herzensdieb.

A truly troublesome outcome was the stallion line "diversity" of this aproval. Only three major lines made up more than 80% of the colts' backgrounds, and that is simply not enouugh! Arogno, Habicht and Mahagoni were the big three, and the gradual disappearance of our best sport horse lines, e.g. via Consul, Kassius or others, is simply a dramatic development for a small breed like ours. It is time that not only the blame is put on the breed directors of our administrations, but on us, the individual breeders. If we don't start to seek new routes, this development will make sure that some of the best lines will be gone in no time.

The stallion lines split up as follows:

Imperio, Hirtentanz, Elfenfeuer, Hidalgo and Sir Arthur are Burnus AAH-Habicht descendants, all of them via EH Sixtus
Herzensdieb, Mon Baron, Union Jack and Herzog belong to the Flaneur-EH Arogno line, the majority of them via EH Hohenstein
Ocaccio, Donauzauber and Easy Game are from the Pasteur xx-Mahagoni line, both of them from the Kostolany branch
Canzler represents the Matcho AA line, a great development for this performance proven line
Grande Couleur is the only member of a completely new line, tracing back via Pland to the TB Nemrod xx