The 2011 Trakehner Stallion Show in Münster-Handorf - Part II -

We would like to thank Jutta Bauernschmitt for the photos that you get to see in this report. And Video links were kindly provided by Trakehnervideos.

VHS and DVD material of this event is available through Trakehners International. Please contact us for details!

Team World Champion Ingrid Klimke presented two young Trakehner stallions. Delikat (by Herzfunke - Black Magic Boy), from close maternal relation to Dajan FH is the former 2nd Reserve Champion in Neumünster 2008 is owned by Oldenburg's Gestüt Sprehe and was presented by Mrs. Klimke for the first time in public. A partnership that has been going on for some time is that of Mrs. Klimke and the bay Glenn Grant (by E.H. Buddenbrock - E.H. Consul), owned by Gestüt Wiesenhof. The pair qualified for the Bundeschampionat in eventing and Glenn Grant very impressively showed off his talent, scope and willing attitude over jumps. Hopefully these two will stay together - there is a lot of promise in this combination.

Another set of very closley related stallions was represented by Der Dürer TSF (by Waitaki - Trafaret) under Eventing World Champion Michael Jung, and Der Dante (by Stravinsky xx - E.H. Hohenstein) from the same breeder, Dr. Mechthild Strümpfel, and the very same mare family. Der Dürer TSF has been with Michael Jung for one full season now and can look back at a most successful year with wins and placings at S**/*** levels, including the win of the Speed Derby at the Stuttgart Masters 2010, where he beat the current World Champion Show jumping, Philipe Le Jeune of Belgium.

It is always nice to see long-forgotten stallions back in the limelight. No exception is E.H. Distelzar (by E.H. Gribaldi - E.H. Arogno), who came from Switzerland with his owner and rider Andrea Wicki-Mäder. He had made a first appearance after years of absence in Neumünster in 2010, but Handorf was probably even better. Despite his age, the stallion has excellent elasticity overall and is a willing partner. The quality of his sons is obvious, and there is little doubt that right now, Diestelzar is Gribaldi's best offspring in the breeding shed.

The chestnut Donaudichter (by Excalibur - E.H. Maizauber) can look back at a long and successful FEI career, first under then young rider Franziska Rosin, and later under Nils Bezhold. The stallion was retired officially at the Gala in Neumünster last fall - a most emotional event for all involved. In Handorf, he came back under saddle and displayed once again his extravagant shoulder freedom and outstanding work ethic. He stands at stud in Kiel with Gestüt Drei Kronen.

Donauzar (by E.H. Distelzar - E.H. Caprimond) came from the same 2004 approvals that also saw C'est Bon in Neumünster, and both stallions finally emerge again after their respective Sommerlade - years. At his approval, Donauzar (like so many Distelzar-offspring) showed special talent over jumps and one might hope he will go back to compete over hurdles. Donauzar stands at stud at Hof Braun in Iserlohn.

Gestüt Wiesenhof's Düsterberg (by E.H. Distelzar - E.H. Herzzauber), a premium from Neumünster, is continually growing into a formidable dressage mount. It is evident that the team at Wiesenhof gives him time to mature and develop, and the stallion is looking better with each appearance.

Another Gribaldi-dressage star in the making is Easy Game (by E.H. Gribaldi - Schwadroneur), who is co-owned by the Dutch Van Uytert station and Gestüt Tasdorf. The very tall, leggy stallion has reached S level now under Theo Hanzon and resembles his famous sire in many ways. With his suspension at a maximum he could carry more weight on his haunches and step under himself amore. His first approved son, NMS 2nd Reserve Champion Millenium, was the most expensive 2yr old stallion in all German warmblood books in 2010, but was sadly not presented do to a recent injury.

A truly exciting younger stallion is Gestüt Tasdorf's Elfado (by Kostolany - Roncalli xx). Exciting, because he comes from a family of international competitors (especially in eventing) and carries very valuable blood through his excellent dam. His career path, despite his good jumping potential, seems to be dressage, and under Verband president Petra Wilm, he qualified for the Bundeschampionat in 2010 in a most convincing way. All the more a suprise to see him in the abstract double bridle/flash nose band combination in Handorf. Is this really necessary?