On June 3rd 2008, the Elite Trakehner licensed stallion Michelangelo has been humanely put down. The 23-year old dark bay stallion suffered from laminitis and his condition was deteriorating.
The owners, Burgi and Harald Ersdiek of Gestut Webelsgrund made the difficult decision to have Michelangelo euthanized.
EH Michelangelo was the last living licensed son of the legendary TB stallion Pasteur xx in the Trakehner breed and lived at various stations throughout Europe. He was bred by Gestut Heinen and comes out of a superior dame line. His dam Miami was a State, Verband and Elite mare by Matador - Kosmos. She also produced the approved Miami Vice (by Iglesias) and the international Grand Prix stallion EH Monteverdi TSF.
Michelangelo began his career as the 100-day test winner in Warendorf (his cross country time is still unbeaten to this day!), and stood in the Netherlands for his early career. He had tremendous success as a sire in the Netherlands
Michelangelo's first crop in Neumünster saw two sons in the spotlight: the premium stallion Guy Laroche (today ATA) and the stunning champion Kennedy, who only lived another 2 years, but is one of the breed's most outstanding mare sires overall (e.g. dam sire to KWPN stallions UB40, Winston, Westpoint, Danish warmblood stallion Gagarin). Michelangelo has approved sons in the Netherlands and Denmark, and especially his Grand Prix dressage son Michellino is a sought after dressage sire of international reputation. More than 13 approved sons make Michelangelo world-wide one of the most sought after Trakehner hereditors. He sired, for instance, Hölderlin in Hungary in 1999 and premium stallion Summertime in 2000. In 2001 the Oldenburg premium stallion Mon Dieux by Michelangelo was approved.
Michelangelo's heritage was the overwhelming quality and stamp he put on his offspring. Good top lines, wonderful types and harmonious bodies, excellent feet and especially great basic gaits are hallmarks of his life as a sire and his daughters have been the best in Europe for many years now. His get impressed all over the world (the two consecutive American Trakehner Grand Champion mares PS Kolomba (2005) and Sixtine *M* (2006) were both sired by EH Michelangelo!).
Among Michelangelo's talented children the late Swedish Grand Prix team horse Just Mickey could be counted. Under Tinne Vilhelmson he was sixth in the Athens Olympic Games and won team bronze at the 2005 European Championships in Hagen.
Source: Trakehners International
Related Links
Michelangelo, Trakehner Stallion of the Year 2006
Gribaldi and Michelangelo Proclaimed Elite Sires at 2003 Trakehner Licensing