It is one of the highlights of the Holsteiner Horse Days and attracted an expert audience to Elmshorn: the traditional Holsteiner Verband mare show. 35 mares, who had qualified as part of the registration tour, presented themselves in five rings on the Herbert-Blöcker-Platz.
The committee, consisting of Stephan Haarhoff (breeding director), Deike Ahsbahs, Hermann Blohm and external reporter Ulrich Hahne, proclaimed Pippi-Lotta by Cascadello I-Ibisco xx (cover photo), bred and owned by Kirsten Roll (Struvenhütten), as the jumping-focussed champion mare. The three-year-old presented herself as ‘ultra-modern and with three outstanding basic gaits’. Stephan Haarhoff also emphasised her perfect posture, her very good hooves and her correct foundation. Pippi-Lotta represents the Holsteiner line 223B. Her dam Carlotta, herself a former reserve champion mare in Elmshorn, is a half-sister to the internationally successful eventing horses Easy Turn (Shane Rose/USA) and fischerIncantas (Michael Jung/GER).
The first reserve victory went to Papagena by Chinchero-Unlimited, bred and owned by Avora Pferde GmbH & Co. GmbH from Welmbüttel. The three-year-old mare from the 8755 line was convincing right from the start. She was already a winner at her entry, and Papagena finished the mare test with a score of 8.93. Stephan Haarhoff described the first reserve winner as an ‘uphill horse in a marvellous presentation’.
An Peaches I by Cascadello I-Aljano, bred and owned by Ina Schmaußer from Amberg, took the second reserve victory. The representative of line 242 impressed the commission in particular with a lot of power and a large frame. ‘A real Holsteiner horse,’ was Stephan Haarhoff's verdict. Roland Metzler, who is also responsible for the preparation of the three top-placed mares, is also to be congratulated.
Pia-Lotta becomes dressage-orientated champion mare
‘What a horse,’ said Stephan Haarhoff about the new dressage-orientated champion mare Pia-Lotta by Va Bene-Ampère (photo in text) bred by Thomas Horns from Bredenbekshorst. The performance-tested three-year-old from line 4847 travelled to Elmshorn with a very high mare test score (9.1) in her luggage. ‘A mare with the typical Holsteiner knee action and a lot of body harmony,’ said the breeding director, describing the winning mare, who, like the jumping-orientated winner, comes from the Segeberg district.
Pioretta by For Romance-Krack C, bred by Gerd Ohlsen (Oevenum/Föhr), is the dressage-orientated reserve winner. The mare, who has also been performance-tested, is said to have great dynamics and a good basic swing. Lorenz Momsen from Emmelsbüll is the owner of the representative of line 104A.
"We saw twelve outstanding mares in the final ring today. The quality at the top was absolutely convincing," concluded breeding director Stephan Haarhoff. Ulrich Hahne, Breeding Director of the Hanoverian Verband, shared this opinion: "Even though we saw many different horses today, a certain loyalty to type was recognisable. All the mares have one or more Holsteiner type elements. I can imagine that they will all go their way in breeding or sport". As a point of criticism, Dr Hahne noted that he had missed the jumping of the mares in a show jumping association. ‘That would have been the icing on the cake.’
