Report: Neumünster Approvals 2007

2007 was another year where it was very hard to pick a champion from the beginning - a group of colts showed tremendous quality, but among these 5-6, who to pick? At least that keeps the excitement going! In the end, it was the Heinen family's lovely Grand Passion (by Oliver Twist o/o SPS Gipsy Rose by Polarion) who was proclaimed as the new Trakehner Champion stallion, and rightly so. The stallion showed excellent type and great overall harmony with an especially notworthy shoulder and croup formation. Grand Passion is bred out of the full sister to the CCI*** eventer Grafenstolz TSF and through his sire, carries two more international Grand Prix dressage winners (EH Monteverdi TSF and EH Partout) as well as the excellent jumper blood of Habicht via Sixtus. As is typical for his sire line, Grand Passion had exceptional elasticity and impulsion and even though he grew tired over the days, always carried himself well and like a true champion.

The reserve champion Editorial (by Connery o/o Eichmedien by EH Benz) was an equally impressive model and had many fans. Always light on his feet with great self-carriage and excellent uphill tendency in all gaits, he also jumped well and also has a very interesting pedigree. For his sire Connery, he is the second reserve champion in Neumünster (after Imperio in 2005) while his dam was the lottery foal in Neumünster a few years ago! Her line descends via Amiego *Ps*E* to the mare family that brought us Enrico Caruso *Ps*E* and his maternal half brother, the approved CCI*** eventer El Greco TSF.

This year, the commission made a clear statement regarding one more reserve champion title: the Ib Reserve was awarded to the great black colt Insterpark, whose pedigree was of outstanding quality with TB blood right where it is needed so much. Insterpark started a bit on the weak side, but contrary to the majority of stallions presented, got better every day and still had plenty of power and athleticism left by sunday. He is another son of the versatile sire Kasparow out of Insterlady by Affido xx from an old mare line that has not been in the spotlight for some time, and with genetic consolidation on the two 3/4 brothers Bergkönig and Berghorst, that shaped much of the breed in the late 60s and early 70s, especially in Denmark.

The bay premium Halimey Go (by Askar AA o/o SPS Hamamelis by Pardon Go) was a clear crowd's favorite from day one. With beautiful Trakehner type, he just did everything very well, including the free jumping part. The stallion is the last (and only) approved son of the Olympic eventing stallion Askar AA and thus is a genetic treasure and very interesting new possibility for the Trakehner breed, especially when considering that his dam is by the good sport horse sire Pardon Go, a son of the FEI show jumper Rittersporn. All of that on the basis of the family of EH Hohenstein and very little is left to wish for.

Premium stallion Herzog von Heidenrod (ex Hage's Best; by Freudenfest o/o Hekate II by Exclusiv) was a stallion with a large frame and a very correct way of moving. He was bred by a Trakehner Verband "Young Breeder", which is a great success not only for that program, but for Fabian Hage to start his career with such a contribution. Another impressive premium was Kronprinz (by EH Hohenstein o/o SPS+PS Keep Cool by EH Sixtus). The stallion was the Foal Auction highlight in 2005 and had been acqired by Burkhard Wahler - his return of investement worked rather well we dare say (see auction results below!). Kronprinz is out of the full sister to the stallion Kasparow, and hence his direct bloodlines red Hohenstein - Sixtus - Kostolany. One may questioon how many more of these pedigrees we need in the breed - but here the argument was clearly won by the horse. Kronprinz is a stallion with breathtaking movement, very correct feet and just this neverending reach of the front arm that our breed is often still lacking.

And EH Hohenstein had another son in the premium ring: the drop dead gorgeous grey Cousteau (o/o Copellia by EH Marduc). His mother, the grey mare Copellia, is an Anglo Trakehner out of a full TB mare and won the German National Mare Show as best Anglo mare (all breeds) in the early 2000s. Very sadly, she passed away in early 2008. Cousteau may well be Hohenstein's best "refinement" son ever. The stallion stood on a correct foundation and had a wonderful frame and top line, along with maybe the best walk of the entire crop. He always carried himself well and one could amost think he knew what he represented.

With Karamell (by Lauries Crusador xx out of ESt. Kadenz IX by EH Hohenstein), the full brother to last year's premium stallion Krokant was approved. The stallion stood 172cm (17h) at this young age and one may wonder where he will end up, size wise, but he was still a higly elegant and modern sport horse type, even if his overall quality was not a match for the full brother. What a success for the Holst family as breeders: Kadenz is now dam of 4 approved stallions, the aforementioned Lauries Crusador xx-brothers and the two brothers Karolinger I (S level dressage) and II. The best jumper of the approval was Hope of Heaven (by Alaskatraum out of Hexe IX by Symbol) as the first son of the Abdullah-son Alaskatraum, who is an FEI level show jumper in Denis Lynch's barn. Hope of Heaven had impeccable manners and a wonderful elegant type, and also moved very well for a horse with a jumper-loaded pedigree like this. The family has produced a number of great performance horses in show jumping and eventing and Hope of Heaven's sale (after NMS) to Canada's Galten Farms will offer a new set of genes and performance proven history for breeders in North America. For now, the stallion remains in Germany.

The newly proclaimed Elite stallion Buddenbrock also had a direct son in the ring that ended up approved: Glenn Grant (out of Gute Zeit by EH Consul) is - at least on paper - a 3/4 brother to E.H. King Arthur TSF and was more impressive every day - a truly versatile talent with his sire's signature movement and from a successful dam line (Guter Stern, Guter Planet etc). With the bay Monseigneur, another Cadeau-son was approved as well. His dam, Maritza IV by EH Herzzauber - Mandant stood for some unusual breeding in her falling family tree and Monseigneur rewarded it by loftly gaits and good stallion expression. Although now French-owned, the stallion also remains at stud in Germany. A very impressive model of a young sire was Donauklang (by Distelzar out of SPS+PS Donaubirke by EH Herzzauber), who was one of the best jumpers of this lot and represented the stronger Trakehner type with a solid top line and uphill build.

Glenn Grant (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)	Monseigneur (ex Midway)	Donauklang

The very harmonious grey Hamilton (by Distelzar out of SPS,PS+ES Habsburg by Fahnenträger II) was the second son of Distelzar that was approved this year and impressed with his excellent hind end engagenment, elasticity and good frame. He sold at auction to a future sport horse home in Luxembourg. Hamilton's dam, a famous mare in Germany, is the current Grand Champion Mare along with her daughters as the best Trakehner Mare Family in Germany. She is a maternal half sister to the outstanding sport horse producer Handryk, and the dressage potential in this line was nicely displayed by its youngest approved member. Also grey, and also very harmonious was Pommard (by Goldschmidt out of Perrier by Induc), who had a somewhat open hock angle but used it well in his movement and had wonderful front arm elevation in his gaits. The stallion is the first approved son of the younger Goldschmidt and hence belongs to this newly founded, still small stallion line of the international Grand Prix dressage stallion EH Biotop. Pommard sold at auction to Gestüt Hohenschmark in Schleswig-Holstein. The dark bay Latin King (ex Le Bai; by Hibiskus out of SPS+PS Lantana by Tycoon) was a highly spirited stallion with a large frame and a very good canter. His dam is also dam of the champion stallion Le Rouge. Latin King sold at auction to Stall Krotenbach in Holstein, where he will be developed as a dressage horse.

Hamilton	Pommard (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)	Latin King (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)

With Karl Lagerfeld (by Hofrat out of PS Kastanie VII by EH Arogno), the breed's first Hofrat son was approved and will be stationed at Gestüt Tasdorf for his under saddle career and his breeding debut. The stallion stood on correct legs, had a very good frame and excellent overtall type. We would have liked to see a bit more impulsion from behind, but there is no doubt that he will appeal as a top future dressage prospect. Nachtruf (by Interconti out of SPS Nadja VI by EH Herzruf) was a pleasant surprise in this group of stallions. Smaller in frame and height, he was one of the overall best movers of this group with a highly engaged hind end and exceptional front arm elevation that he developed with outstanding rhythm and balance. He sold at auction to Reiner Seewald's farm and made his debut in competition in the spring season 2008. Equally impressive was Georgenberg (by King Arthur TSF out of Ginette II by Le Bajar), who was an outstanding all around athlete with good jumping skills and excellent, ground covering and active movement. The stallion, who carries the much admired blood of the Shagya Arabian Bajar SHA, made his breeding debut via Gerard Geling's stud in Holstein.

Karl Lagerfeld	Nachtruf (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)	Georgenberg (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)

The second approved stallion from the Heinen Stud this year, Singolo (ex Scivias; by Oliver Twist out of SPS+PS Shakira by EH Biotop) was possibly the best mover of this event, wich neverending power from his hind end, and great submission through his back into a well-elevated fron. The stallion is very masculine in his expression and could have been a bit lighter overall, but his qualities resulted in the highest price for a non-premium stallion during the auction. Singolo made his breeding debut at Gestüt Hohenschmark as well. The last approved stallion of this 2007 crop was the black Tanzpartner (by Schiffon out of PS Tanzstunde II by EH Hohenstein). The second approved Schiffon son in Germany since Schiffon left the country for the US was a very good jumper - like his half brother Herzglanz in 2006 - and movevd with much engagement. The stallion will be developed as a dressage horse in the future, and comes from one of the breed's most successful dam lines. His mother's maternal half sister is dam of the approved stallions EH Tambour, Thalys and Travell and grand mother Tilist III further produced EH Tivano, EH Tuareg and EH Tenor.

Singolo (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)

Tanzpartner (photos by Peter Richterich & Jutta Bauernschmitt)

The stallion lines split up as follows:

Editorial, Insterpark, Glenn Grant and Georgenberg are Burnus AAH-Habicht descendants, all of them via EH Sixtus - EH Buddenbrock
Grand Passion and Singolo belong to the Flaneur-EH Arogno line, via EH Partout - EH Monteverdi; Cousteau and Kronprinz also come from the Arogno line, but via EH Hohenstein
Latin King is from the Neuquen xx - Saint Cloud line, via EH Latimer
Tanzpartner represents the Halali - EH Marduc line
Herzog v. Heidenroth, Monseigneur, Hamilton, Karl Lagerfeld and Donauklang represent the Pasteur xx line through Kostolany
a new Angloarabian line now is represented by Halimey Go through sire Askar AA
Nachtruf represents the line of Swazi xx - EH Consul
Pommard is a representative of the Russian Hockey line via EH Biotop
Hope of Heaven represents the line of Donauwind via Abdullah
a newer TB line was represented by Karamell (Lauries Crusador xx)