From 21 - 24 July the Trakehner Verband invited riders and horses from across Europe to participate at its annual International Bundesturnier in Hanover, a show quite unique in Germany’s competition circuit. Trakehner horses compete during these four days in dressage, show jumping, eventing and driving, and many classes for young and inexperienced riders open the door for families to participate as well.
Traditionally, this show is a wonderful spot to see a lot of approved stallions “in action”, and under true competitive conditions – quite a difference to your common stallion show. For four days, thousands of guests roam the beautiful Hanoverian Equestrian Stadium and an additional highlight is the Elite Foal Auction on Saturday night – an open air event that has produced some outstanding horses in the past. Finally, this is also the main event where the Trakehner Verband nominates the riding horses (3 and 4yr old mares & geldings, as well as stallions) for the German Bundeschampionat following later in September in Warendorf.
It is not every year that one breeder gets to produce two National Champions. However, in 2011, Gisela Gunia managed just that. Her home-bred bay stallion Herbstkönig, the 2010 Neumünster Reserve Champion (by Interconti x Timber) won the 3yr old National Riding Horse Championships. The stallion is jointly owned by Klosterhof Medingen and the Baden-Württemberg State Stud at Marbach, and was ridden by Marbach’s trainer Elisabeth Wiltafsky. Herbstkönig was also nominated to represent the Trakehner Verband at the Bundeschampionat in Warendorf in September.
And Mrs. Gunia also is the breeder of the new 3yr old Riding Horse Champion in the class for mares and geldings. Her Donauflamme (by Rheinklang – EH Maizauber) and rider Madlen Mager also got their ticket for Warendorf and the Bundeschampionat, but it remains a question whether the mare will be competed or not, after all, she is in foal … to Herbstkönig!
The Champions in the 4yr old riding horse divisions were the approved Herbstbach (by Occacio x Schönbrunn) with Mareike Peckholz and the mare Unna Donna (by Donaufels x E.H. Hohenstein), ridden by newly selected German National Dressage Team member Helen Langehanenberg.
And Helen Langehanenberg also rode a true highlight of this event to a big victory: 7yr old Cote d’Azur, a bay mare by E.H. Cadeau – Patricius xx, who has only been to a handful of upper level shows, won the (70.5%) in the S class. Langehanenberg commented that she really couldn’t find any faults with this mare and that our of the 5 S classes she’s been to so far, she won three with over 70%. She beat the approved Finckenstein (by E.H. Latimer x Kennedy) and his Luxemburg rider Rikke Svane. Third place went to Falvio Go (by E.H. Maizauber x Alpenkönig) and Jürgen Höfler.
The top dressage classes were the Inter I, the Inter I Freestyle, and a Prix St. George, all of which saw good numbers in the start box. The approved Kasimir TSF (by Ivernel x E.H. Charly Chaplin) and young rider Anna-Lena Kracht won the Inter I before Flavio Go and Jürgen Höfler, followed by yet another approved stallion, Ovaro (by E.H. Hohenstein xKostolany) and Karin Winter-Polac in the saddle.
In the Inter I Freestyle, the order was slightly different, with Rikke Svane and Finckenstein winning, followed by Anna-Lena Kracht and Kasimir TSF and third placed Flavio Go and Jürgen Höfler. And just to keep things in this tight group mixed, the Prix St. George was won by Flavio Go and Jürgen Höfler, followed by Rikke Svane and Finckenstein and Clara Baunack with the approved formder show jumper best Before Midnight (by Sir Shostakovich xx – Bajar ShA) in third position.
The new Trakehner Dressage Champion, a title that goes to the best 6yr old out of two L and M level young dressage horse classes, was won by two horses with the same score – that’s new even for Hanover. Luxemburg-based Kristin Möller steered her trusted approved Hamilton (by Distelzar x Fahnenträger II) to a victory alongside Melanie Tewes and the gelding Belsazar (by Hoftänzer x E.H. Caprimond). The list of riding horses that were finally nominated for the Bundeschampionat, apart from those mentioned above, also include Sidney Bay, approved stallion by Axis TSF x Kostolany with Hannes Lütt for Gestüt Tasdorf and the stallion’s owner, Corinna Hellmann as well as Montafon, approved stallion by E.H. Cadeau x E.H. Herzzauber, owned by Dagobert Vester and ridden by Alena Kempkes, and finally Windsor, approved stallion by Ovaro x Schiffon *Ps*, owned by Gestüt Drei Kronen and ridden by Mareike Peckholz.
In the Saturday open air auction, a total of 20 foals were sold, with one going to Spain, and one to Luxemburg. The price highlight was Tudor (by Iskander x E.H. Sixtus), who was acquired by a group of breeders from the Trakehner studs Hämelschenburg and Panker for 15.500 Euro. With that, the former Neumünster Champion Iskander produced the second price highlight in two consecutive years, which also are his first two foal crops on the ground. The second highest seller was the impressive filly Libell, a daughter of the former Bundeschampion Imperio (13.000 Euro), who enjoys a successful FEI season under Hubertus Schmidt in 2011. Once again, the event’s main organizer, Jürgen Hanke, and his team of devoted and ultra hard-working volunteers pulled off a Trakehner extravaganza, and a show with a very unique charm and flair. All things are set in motion for a successful continuation in 2012!
Text by Trakehners International
Photos © Jutta Bauernschmitt and Stephan Bischoff - No Reproduction allowed
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