The Champion: Kennedy by EH Michelangelo out of Kordelia IV by EH Mackensen - Kapitän - Hansakapitän (photo by Beate Langels) Damline: O23E1 Korda (zu Dohna-Schlobitten) Breeder: Gestüt Heinen-Bönnighart, Issum, Germany Last owner: Klosterhof Medingen, Bad Bevensen, Germany

In 1991, the bay Kennedy was the champion in Neumünster, and was frenetically cheered on as a "century stallion", born only a few times during 100 years. We are not making this up! This is a direct quote from Trakehner Hefte back then. Maybe they were right, and maybe not. It's hard to tell, since Kennedy's unusually short life never left room for verification. Kennedy sold at auction for the absolute record breaking sum of 401,000 DM back then, the highest ever paid for an approved stallion at a Verband auction in Germany, any breed. Klosterhof Medingen was the lucky bidder, and Kennedy left his home in Issum for the famous Trakehner farm in Lower-Saxony. His sire, later to be named elite stallion Michelangelo, had sent his first son to Neumünster that year. Michelangelo, who at that time lived in the Netherlands, did not have a lot of impact in Germany at that time. Lost and forgotten would describe his situation. However, the Heinen family never forgot about him. How could they? They bred him! So it was only natural for their mare Kordelia to be bred to "their" Michelangelo, and the resulting colt was then Kennedy. Kordelia was not an unknown. Her sire EH Mackensen had proven himself as a top sire, and she already had the approved show jumper Kir Royal on the ground. Kennedy however, was the icing on the cake. After Neumünster, he passed an exceptional 100 day test in Adelheitsdorf, and moved on to place high in the finals of the Bundeschampionat as a three year old. His first season brought him a full book, as did his second season. And then his life was over.... as a barely 4 year old, Kennedy became seriously ill and was transported to the University Equine Hospital in Hanover, where soon after, he succumbed to a very rare infection with Borna's disease, a prion-related infection that is closely related to Scrapie and Mad Cow Disease. Certainly not a pleasent end for any horse, but for it to strike in the case of this brilliant champion stallion was truly bizzare. Kennedy had two foal crops on the ground, and out of the two crops, at least 8 sons appeared later in Neumünster. None of them were approved. So maybe he wasn't that great a stallion after all? A conclusion too many people were ready to draw all too quickly after the second and last crop of sons appeared. Little did they know ... today we know that Kennedy was an impeccable mare-producer. His daughters are among the finest and best the breed has to offer.

Champion in Neumünster (photo by Werner Ernst)	Under saddle champion (photo by Beate Langels)

Steinburg by Kennedy out of Scala Milano by EH Marduc. Steinburg was approved after his performance test and based on his quality as a riding horse. The stallion came from a very successful dam line and has a performance record at S level in Germany. Today, he is stationed in the US and is listed as an active ATA breeding stallion, standing at Ledgemere Farm in Minnesota. (photo by Louis Stanfield)

Sauvignon by Kennedy out of Schöne Capri by EH Caprimond. Sauvignon was one of those Kennedy-sons initially not approved in Neumünster. He was presented again, and approved. The stallion, like Steinburg, has a performance record at S level in Germany. Up until recently, he was stationed as a breeding stallion at Gestüt Sommerlade. (photo by Janne Bugtrup)

Peu a Peu by Kennedy out of Polarglut by Heimdahl - Schiwago. Peu a Peu was also initially not approved in Neumünster, but appeared the year after as one of the auction highlights at the Medingen Elite auction. He was sold as a dressage horse and subsequently approved for breeding, although to this day, he has never actively stood at stud.

ESt. Insterfee by Kennedy - Onassis (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt) is one of the breed's currently best brood mares. Her production record is quite amazing. Apart from the fact that she is a multiple in hand champion, her daughters In Vita, In Farbe and In Zukunft all received State and Verband premium titles, all won their respective inspections, and all were sired by Hörem's Buddenbrock. In Zukunft and In Vita were also elite auction mares in Neumünster and In Zukunft is a most versatile under saddle winner of dressage and jumping classes (dressage at 3rd level as a 5 yr old!). She is also a successful driving horse! Insterfee is also the dam of the two approved stallions In Petto (premium) and In Flagranti (Champion in Neumünster in 2003). (photo by Jutta Bauernschmitt)

SPS+PS Donausage II by Kennedy - EH Caprimond. Donausage II is the dam of the premium stallion Donaufischer by Sevillano xx (NMS 2001). Donaufischer is pictured here. (photo from gestüt Sommerlade website)