The 2007 Trakehner stallion show in Münster-Handorf - Part II -

A guest from Denmark was the lovely bay Kaiser Wilhelm (by EH Lehndorffs - Mahagoni), who is stationed at York Stutteri and was bred by Stefan Schümann. The stallion has an impressive FEI career under saddle and hit it off with his first offspring: Evviva, multiple champion mare in Germany and the Netherlands! Kaiser Wilhelm is a stallion with exceptional work ethics and once more, displayed that beautifully in Handorf this year.

And what would a Trakehner stallion show be without its TB stallions?? The list was quite impressive this year and we were thrilled to notice that all showed up. Betel xx (by Revlon Boy xx - Caspal xx), who is newly stationed at Gestüt Webelsgrund and recently was approved for the breed, is an already 17year old FEI show jumper who once more impressed everybody with his enthusiasm and scope over jumps. He is also approved in Holstein. He was accompanied by Ostermond xx (by Tempeltanz xx - Königsstuhl xx), who is a State Stud stallion in Bavaria. He is much younger, and showed the style and will of a typical event horse of the future. Both are great additions to the breed so far!

The two TB stallions Zöllner xx (by Dashing Blade xx - Acatenango xx) and Esteban xx (by Prince Mab xx - Tumble Wind xx) were presented at liberty, which is always spectacular. Imagine the huge arena and then one free stallion in it ... there is no better way to analyze the quality of a true galop! Both stallions have great riding horse points with excellent top lines, very good saddle positions and great long lines in their bodies. And both have been successful with their first Trakehner foal crops on the ground. Esteban xx is also approved in Holstein, where he already has approved sons in the breed!

Another TB was shown under saddle: Faberger xx (by Dashing Blade xx - Caerleon xx) is a privately owned stallion and only now entering the Trakehner breed in this second season at stud. The stallion showed very high rideability and carried himself with ease in this new environment.

And now back to the young stars of the 2006 approvals in Neumünster. A horse that showed glimpses of genius is the dark bay Krokant (by Lauries Crusador xx - EH Hohenstein), who was a premium in 2006, is the first approved son of the legendary Lauries Crusador xx in the Trakehner breed, and handled his rider rather well, despite him asking way too much in terms of collection and unnatural elevation from the barely 3 year old. The crowd was pretty uniform in condemming this style of riding, and at the same time, had only praise for the stallion.

From the same crop, the young stallions Dorkas (by K2 - EH Partout) and Chardonne (by Stravinsky xx - Tolstoi) were presented under saddle. In both cases, the horses were allowed to move freely without being pressed into a frame, and although both were clearly still very green babies, their quality was quite apparent. Both stallions are owned by the Frankfurt-based top dressage stable gestüt Waldfried.

The last stallion from the 2006 crop was the premium Zauberfürst (by Interconti - EH Caprimond), who was bred at Gestüt Elmarshausen and is owned by the Heise family of Seeon in Bavaria. He too, was ridden by Schwaiganger's head rider Fredericke Schulz-Wallner, and yet again, she did a superb job of showing the horse in a light connection and still getting out the ton of quality that this particular bay stallion posses. His movement is very lofty with a lovely modern knee and excellent impulsion from his hind end, and he already has a pretty amazing self-carriage in his neck and head. The crowds were pretty amazed!

More jumpers came in with the already seasoned and experienced S-level stallions Sky Dancer (by EH Beg xx - Habicht) and Heops (by Herson - Pawitsch). The latter was in the Top 3 of the "busiest" Trakehner stallions in 2006, right there with Grafenstolz TSF and a mare book that exceeded 100! Beginning with the 2007 breeding season, the stallioin will be stationed at the Oldenburg station Böckmann in Lastrup. The quality of Heops' jumping is well know, however, Sky Dancer once again stood out not only becuase of his impeccable breeding (he is an Anglo Trakehner after all), but because of the ease and effortless manner he has while jumping. Certainly a worthy breeding stallion!

Two younger jumpers that have already proven themselves in the show ring and with qualificactions for the Bundeschampionat (show jumping and eventing, respectively) were the chestnut Der Dürer TSF (by Waitaki - Trafaret), a brilliant young talent who can't deny his famous sire. And Camaro (by Le Duc - Elvis), the pinto with the exceptional jump (and very high quality basic gaits, we might add!).

A very interesting showcase was the combination of Connery and Epernay in the ring. Connery (by Buddenbrock - Karo As) and his paternal half brother Epernay (by Buddenbrock - EH Consul) probably couldn't be much different in terms of conformation and layout, yet both are such tremendously talented stallions that is is really hard to make a pick. Connery is by far the more refined of the two with exceptional shoulder freedom in his movement, yes not as much impulsion as his black half brother, who is heavier overall, but also more powerful. Both have proven to be great sires, especially Connery, who can look back at several approved sons from only three crops on the ground, including the reserve champion Imperio and one Hanoverian son. There is really no telling where these two will stop!

From these two older gentlemen we go back to the up-and-coming young stars, this time from the 2005 NMS crop that also left quite a splash at its time in the ring. Apart from the champion Herzensdieb, the stallion with the most symathies on his side is the brilliant bay Canzler (by Amatcho - EH Consul), who always manages to capture the crowds with his impeccable elasticity and suppleness. There is not a stiff muscle in the body of this youngster and with the way he is ridden and trained, he has more than a bright future ahead of him. Canzler is the kind of quality horse that only once in a while makes an appearance. Congratulations to the owners, Gestüt Waldfried! They also own the black premium stallion Union Jack (by EH Louidor - EH Bartholdy), who is a rather heavy stallion at this point and was missing the spark and movement to stand out. However, sincec we are dealing with young horses here, who are we to say what will - or will not - become of him?

Also from that crop in Neumünster was the black Donauzauber (by Distelzar - EH Sokrates), a stallion who is a bit longer in his back but won a lot under saddle and shows the typical dressage talent of his sire line (Distelzar - EH Gribaldi - Kostolany). He is clearly a diamond in the rough. With every appearance, he becomes better and better and it was again testimony to this stallion's character that he endured the rider's exaggerated frame and collection. Another big favorite of this show was Gestüt Tasdorf's outstanding bay Easy Game (by EH Gribaldi - Schwadroneur). Ever since his approval it was obvious that he was a very late bloomer and needed a lot of time, and a lot of patience from his handlers and riders in order to mature into a sound and good horse. And time he got....his movement can only be described as breathtaking and that includes his amazing walk. It is probably hard to find a stallion these days with three gaits at that kind of quality level. Easy Game, who stands close to 17.3h and it still not done, is however not heavy, but light, and still lanky in his build. Here comes one ot watch out for! Donauzauber & Easy Game Photo Gallery