Mares

Fabriano

Dr. Wilkins, managing director of the German Verband, calls Fabriano "one of the best performance horse producers of Hannover's breeding program today." (The Hanoverian - December 1999). Fabriano was winner of the 1990 Stallion Performance Test, placing first in jumping and fourth in dressage, Fabriano demonstrated his versatility which was confirmed in his offspring. Fabriano has the charm and good looks of his Absatz heritage, a particularly good wither and croup. His movements are rhythmical and flowing with excellent engagement of the hind quarters, a very free shoulder and an uncomplicated mind. Fabriano's daughters showed excellent scores in all categories of the Hanoverian Mare Inspections and Mare Performance Tests. His performance offspring have also performed well in both dressage and jumping, up to grand prix level in both, giving Fabriano excellent breeding scores in all areas. Video of Fabriano.

Wendekreis

Wendekreis is by Ferdinand. Of the Ferdinand sons, Wendekreis had the biggest influence, producing many stallions: Wagner, Wendelin, Wendenburg, Wendland II, Wendulan, Wildfang, and Werther. Conformation-wise, his offspring are very correct. Wendekreis is well known as a producer of riding horses with excellent trainability.

Wendekreis is also the grandsire of Fabriano.

Gotthard

Gotthard is truly one of the greats. For seven years he was the leading sire of showjumpers in Germany - and his influence continues to the present day. During his time he sired over 34 licensed stallion sons - the most highly rated of which was Goldberg who was based in Westfalia alas for only four seasons. In Hanover, Gardestern I was the most important, while the private stallions, Goldpilz, Goldstern and Godehard were all influential.
Gotthard was also influential as a mare sire and he was responsible for 26 States Premium mares.
He was the sire of international showjumpers, Goya, Goldika, Gonzales, Galipolis, Queensway Big Q, Goldfink, Golden Gate, Graf Sieno and Graf 2. Gotthard’s son, Genever sired Genius, the World Cup Showjumping Champion of 1992. Another son, Goldpilz is the sire of John Whitaker’s Gamon. Gotthard has also been influential as a broodmare sire, another World Cup winner, The Natural (by Diskus) is out of a Gotthard mare, and Voltaire, the hugely influential Dutch based Hanoverian jumping sire, is similarly out of a Gotthard dam.

Gotthard was by Goldfisch II who was the sire of nine licensed stallion sons and who is the grandsire of another great, Grande. Goldfisch II descends from the nineteenth century Thoroughbred sire, Goldschaum. Goldfisch II had a reputation for producing beautiful horses and good movers, yet neither of his most famous sons had exceptional conformation - Graf was a small chestnut, like his son Grande, while Gotthard was not the most elegant of horses.

The great breeding expert, Werner Schockemöhle described Gotthard as ‘lucky’ to be accepted into the stallion ranks at Celle. "At the time he was not really ready. He looked weak and lacking in his expression - he was not developed sufficiently in the shoulder and in the formation of his neck. No-one at this time could guess at the time how lovely and expressive the horse would be ten years later. The fully matured Gotthard impressed through his perfect shoulder and his perfect neck, and even his head could be classed as nice - even though he had a few too strong cheek bones from his Arabian ancestry, otherwise the head was clear and dry with a wide forehead and a lovely big eye. His croup could have been a little longer and a little bit more sloped in the top line. His hind legs were quite good but you have to admit that his hocks could have been better."
On his dam’s sire, Gotthard descends for the Shagya Arab line of Amurath - also influential on the dam line of another influential sire of jumpers, Ramzes.
When he was approved in 1951, Gotthard seemed short framed, insignificant and stocky and it is not surprising that he was not particularly popular (indeed he was put over all sorts of mares, including cold bloods and Norwegians) - from 1956 to 1960 he was not used at all. It was not until his daughter, Goldika (out of a Mecklenburg mare with no papers) started her sensational jumping career with Gert Wiltfang that the breeders found him attractive. Eventually he was to produce over fifty horses to compete internationally and when in 1975, a list of top stallions was published, Gotthard was number one in terms of prize money won. Eventually his competing progeny numbered 398, with earnings of almost two million deutschmarks.

Poet xx

Poet xx is most well known for being the sire of Marco Polo. Marco Polo is considered to be the most influential Dutch stallion in breeding and jumping and has sired several keur stallions. Marco Polo, a Trakehner bred in Germany in mid 1960's, was an outstanding show jumping sire despite his short stature. His progeny have been successful all over the world and include Vivaldi, Marius, and the famous Whitaker Olympic mount, Milton. His best sons to stand at stud are Legaat, sire of Adios and Cosmos, Recruit, and Irco Polo, sire of Irco Marco and Marcio.

Poet was only 162 cm but gave a larger impression due to his long front legs and spectacular movement. His sire, Janitor xx also produced the Celle stallion, Monitor xx, and was the dam sire of Steinpilz xx.