The Holsteiner stallions return to the Holstenhallen – the Neumünster Holsteiner week involving the stallion grading of the colts, auction and Verband stallion parade begins tomorrow, on Thursday, 9 February.
67 three-year-old colts and their breeders, producers and owners travel to the Holstenhalls to apply for the sought-after approval status. Whether or not the grading committee releases a colt as a licensed stallion is decided after three days of rigorous examination: on Thursday, starting 10:30am, they have to leave the first positive impression at the triangle presentation on hard surface. As usual, the Friday revolves around the colts presented at liberty and free jumping, with the beginning of the event at 8:30am, before all candidates are presented once again in the Holstenhall arena from 9:30am on Saturday. This will make not only the hearts of all those directly involved, but also the hearts of the spectators beat faster: Which stallions are licenced for breeding? Which will be awarded premium status as well? And who is to be crowned the 2023 champion stallion? All these questions will be answered by the breeding director, Stephan Haarhoff, and the committee on Saturday, 11 February. “I am curious to see the colts’ development since the pre-selection in late November”, says Haarhoff. “It will be very interesting to see to what extent they can benefit from the grading held at a later time.” The hybrid auction sale on Saturday afternoon will see all licensed and non-licensed stallions for sale knocked down to new owners.
The Holsteiner grading of the colts comes with a varied and diverting programme: jumping classes acting as qualifiers to the VR Classics are held on Friday evening (from 6:00pm) and on Sunday afternoon (from 3:30pm). After the auction sale on Saturday, once-in-a-century-stallion and crowd favourite Casall will make an appearance and from 8:00pm, the breeders’ party will give all friends of the Holsteiner horse reason to revel. The Holsteiner week comes to a close with another highlight, the traditional presentation of the Holsteiner Verband stallions on Sunday, 12 February, as executive director Sebastian Rohde and his team arrive from Elmshorn with about 25 stallions, just in time for the start of the breeding season.
Entry to the presentation on hard surface on Thursday is free, for all other days tickets (from 20,-- euros) are still available directly through the Holstenhalls. Everybody prevented from attending at Neumünster can follow the entire event via live stream on ClipMyHorse.tv. All the stallion candidates are available for online viewing, including pedigrees, photos, and videos on www.holsteiner.auction. For any questions on the auction and the horses, do not hesitate to contact auction manager Felix Flinzer (phone 0162-3493942).
Timetable
Thursday, 09 February 2023
10.30 a.m. stallion prospects inspected on hard surface (part I)
01.00 p.m. stallion prospects inspected on hard surface (part II)
followed by stallion prospects on the ring at a walk
Friday, 10 February 2023
08.30 a.m. stallion prospects at liberty / free jumping
06.00 p.m. Jumping classes of the CdS - Qualifier for the VR-Classics
Saturday, 11 February 2023
09.30 a.m. presentation of all stallions, announcement of the approval status
01.30 p.m. announcement of champion stallion
followed by Auction of the premium stallions
followed by Auction of the licensed / non-licensed stallions
followed by Stallion of the century Casall
8.00 p.m. Breeder's Party at hall 5
Sunday, 12 February 2023
10.30 a.m. Traditional Stallion Show of the Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH
03.30 p.m. Jumping classes of the CdS - Qualifier for the VR-Classics
