Neumünster 2007 - Gala Night

Photos by Jutta Bauernschmitt. THANK YOU!

To bring back Trakehner Flair and remember life at the main stud, a band of dogs and the Krotenbach mare herd - at liberty in the Holsteinhallen - were turned lose and what a sight that was!

Trakehner of the Year: Pitucelli

The black gelding Pitucelli (by EH Hohenstein x EH Argument) and his partner Sissi Jarz from Austria, took home the individual Gold medal at the World Championships in Vaulting and have had one of the strongest seasons of their career in 2007. The Trakehner Verband, each year, honors the most outstanding Trakehner sport horse of one competition season as "Trakehner of the Year", and this was not only the first time that a vaulting horse won these highest honors, but it's probably the first time in German Warmblood Breeding history that a vaulting horse is recognized as the most outstanding athlete of a year. We love it!!

More Gala Highlights:

Trakehner stallions in State Studs througout Germany: 2006 Reserve Champion Donaugold (by Distelzar) in Warendorf, Hidalgo (by King Arthur) in Moritzburg, Canzler (by Amatcho) in Dillenburg, Tabaluga (by Balzflug) in Zweibrücken, Imperio (by Connery) and In Flagranti (by EH Buddenbrock) in Schwaiganger:

Trakehner dressage stars: EH Münchhausen TSF (by EH Hohenstein), Olivia TSF (by EH Angard), Insterburg TSF (by EH Hohenstein), EH Latimer TSF (by Saint Cloud), Kaiser Wilhelm TSF (by EH Lehndorffs), Meraldik (by EH Münchhausen TSF)

A very special show was put on by a group of handicapped riders and their Trakehner horses. And for those who still think that TB and Arab blood is "too hot" to handle - several of these horses were 50% TB, like the below pictured chestnut mare by EH Beg xx, or the black gelding Rastafari (pictured below), a son of Olympic eventing star Windfall *Pg*. The crowds were truly moved by these excellent demonstrations.

Correct Olympic Dressage - Clinic with Hurrican and Ingrid Klimke

The comedic highlight of the night was delieved by Westfalian State Stud stallion Hurrican (indeed, this State Stud still maintains a base of draft horse stallions). This truly impressive stallion was first introduced in a FEI "freestyle" and then had everybody on their feets when Olympic eventer and international Grand Prix dressage rider Ingrid Klimke climbed on board and began her round of "flying changes".

During the Gala, we also saw the awards ceremony for the "Stallion of the Year", EH Lehndorffs (by EH Marduc - Lucado), who has been stationed at Gestüt Hörstein for his entire career and has sired a number of outstanding dressage horses, premium mares and the approved stallions Domhardt, Blitz und Donner and Kaiser Wilhelm TSF.

Another very touching moment was the appearance (in hand) of former international Grand Prix dressage mare renaissance Fleur TSF (by EH Tuareg - Seeadler), who so sadly had broken her leg only a few days after winning the World Cup Qualifier in Neumünster a few years ago. With much luck, her shattered front pastern joint was put back together, and altough her career as a dressage horse of course is over, she now had a few foals for the Trakehner breed - in fact, her 2yr old daughter by Summertime placed second in her class at the Mare Show in Schleswig-Holstein in 2008. Renaissance Fleur TSF remains with her breeders and owners, the von Lingelsheim family in Rondeshagen.

A spectacular in hand performance was put on by the Russian Grand Prix stallion Perechlest by Hockey, who is owned by Kees van de Ree and stands at Gerard Geling's stallion station in Holstein after his international dressage career under Ulla Salzgeber. The stallion, altough retired from active duties and older, was presented in breathtaking passage and piaffe demonstrations.

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