Züchterforum reported that German stallion keeper and breeder Wilhelm Rüscher-Konermann has passed away on 5 January 2026. He was 83 years old.
Born in 1943, Wilhelm grew up on the family's working farm in Greven, where they had four draft horses. He was the only one in the family with an innate love for horses. Wilhelm took over the farm from his mother in 1969 and stood his first leased stallion at stud, Playboy (by Platon I), in 1985. Soon after stallions Löwenmut (by Löwen As) and Babylon (by Barley Hill xx) followed.
His first home-bred stallion that got licensed was Feuerglanz (by Fruhlingsball x Ramiro Z). Dam Rigolette went on to produced three further licensed stallions, Fruhlingsadel (by Fruhlingsball), Floriano (by Foxiland xx), and Primeur's As (by Pavarotti van de Helle).
Wilhelm's daughter Annette became involved in the management of the farm as of 1993 as the trainer of the horses. A large indoor was built on the property. Sister Claudia joined the family business in 1994. Wife Anita manages the insemination center.
From Rüscher-Konermann's breeding programme came successful dressage horses and stallions Pavarotti van de Helle (Jeroen Devroe), Lissaro van de Helle (Claudia Rüscher, Valentina Pistner), Floresco (Patrik Kittel, Yessin Rahmouni), Schumacher (Claudia Ruscher, Ali Brock), and Baccardi (Claudia Rüscher, Maria Klementieva).
In 2015 Wilhelm Rüscher-Konermann received the Ramzes prize from the Westfalian breeding society for his lifetime achievements.
Photo © Thoms Lehmann
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