Oldenburg Licensed Stallion Zalando Sold to Belgium

Breeding

Oldenburg

Gestut Birkhof's Oldenburg licensed breeding stallion and Grand Prix horse Zalando has been sold to Belgium. Equi-pages reported that he will continue a career in sport as an Under 25 hopeful for young rider Amber Hennes.

Zalando is a 16-year old stallion by Zack out of ERA Wunderschöne (by Sunny-Boy x Donnerhall). He is bred at Stutteri ERA in Denmark.

Licensed Stallion

Equi-pages reported that Thomas Casper of Gestut Birkhof bought Zalando as a foal in the Oldenburg foal auction in Vechta.

Zalando was presented for licensing in January 2013 at the South German / DSP stallion licensing in Munich with Sylvia Zimmer listed as the owner. The colt was named premium and sold at auction for 65,000 euro, but seemingly returned to Casper. He was later approved for Oldenburg in December 2013.

He did his 30-day suitability test in the autumn of 2013 in Neustadt/Dosse and scored 7,96 points with 8.2 for dressage and 7.35 for jumping. In July 2014 he did a saddle test in Nordlingen and got 7.5. The rest of his licensing requirements he did via sport.

He was used much by his breeder ERA and stood up for stud at Birkhof; 236 of his offspring are registered for sport or breeding in Germany. Four of his offspring are licensed in Germany.

Sport Career

Zalando made his show debut in 2014 under Nicola Haug, but in 2015 Nicole Casper took over the ride and rode him to an 8th place at the Bundeschampionate. They returned to Warendorf in 2016 and placed sixth in the first round but did not ride the consolation final.

Casper moved him to S-level in 2017 and won the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier in Donaueschingen in 2018, but did not go to Frankfurt for the finals. In 2020 the horse moved up to Inter II level.

As of 2021 Nicole's daughter Anna took over the ride and presented him at young riders level. They competed in the horse's first and only CDI in his career so far in Kronberg in June 2021. They were 13th at the 2021 German Young Riders Championships.

In 2022 Anna rode the Piaff Forderpreis selection trial in Warendorf with him but did not make the cut. It was the horse's only show that year. In 2023 he did two Inter II classes with Anna, while there were no shows in 2024. He returned in 2025 for one shjow at small tour level, while in 2026 Theresa Rauscher rode him at M level at four local competitions.

Belgium

Amber Hennes on Allegro at the 2026 CDIO Lier

Zalando has now been sold to Belgium as a schoolmaster for team rider Amber Hennes to compete.

"The focus is on further developing the partnership, with trust, harmony and mutual understanding at its heart," Hennes stated officially. "Together, we are looking forward to a bright future in the competition ring."

The pair made its show debut in Belgium on 18 July at the CDN Turnhout, where they retired from the young riders team test. A week later they went to the CDN Loenhout and scored 61,692% in the team test and 63,824% in the individual test.

With Allegro van het Trichelhof Hennes is the reigning Belgian Young Riders Champion. She trains with Kristin Vercammen.