Holsteiner to excel in whatever your chosen discipline is. Tere are Holsteiners performing at the top levels in show-jumping, eventing and even dressage all around the world. Here in the United States Holsteiners also perform beautifully in the hunter ring. Tere are many lines of Holsteiners known for their good rideability and temperament and an attractive, modern type is an emphasis of the Holsteiner breeding goals,” she concludes.
Honoring the Brand
Bart Massucco, a veterinarian and owner of Birch Hollow Holsteiners in Blackstone, Massachusetts, is a devoted Holsteiner owner and promoter. A rider from a young age, Massucco shares his passion with his wife Marissa and their three children. Along with standing several stallions and producing an annual foal crop, he is also a regular competitor on his Holsteiner horses at northeastern showjumping venues. Decades of showing in various disciplines have led him to the certainty that the Holsteiner should be everyone’s sport horse of choice. “Holsteiner horses enjoy a
certain brand recognition and cachet that is different than the other Warmblood breeds,” he says. “Both in the U.S. and abroad, the small size of the registry and high rate of success create a significant brand value for breeders and promoters. Tose who dismiss this either aren’t breeding Holsteiners or aren’t taking advantage of years of international sporting success, particularly recently, and the diligent, high visibility marketing done by the Holsteiner Verband.” Beyond their widely acknowledged skills in jumping,
Massucco states that the breed has also become known among professionals for their physical toughness and their courage. “Holsteiners are not just superior jumping horses and athletes in general. Tey are outstanding competitive athletes. Tey have temperaments that allow the rider to really push and ‘go for it.’ And you will seldom miss a class if you compete on a Holsteiner.
Top left: Te stallion Catiago, during his stallion inspection. Right: Catiago is ridden by his owner Bart Massucco in the jumpers. Bottom left: Magic Fox, a full sister to Catiago, competing in Germany.
36 July/August 2013 SPECIAL HOLSTEINER SECTION
Tey are tough, durable horses, ideally suited to those who love the thrill of competing and trying to win it all.” Attributes of this type are what Holsteiner breeders cherish,
and know that these come from their valuable mare stock. “Our Holsteiner horses have always earned higher prices in the marketplace and have generally outperformed the other breeds that we’ve bred, sold and shown,” he continues. “And keep in mind, we’ve always had nice, successful sporting mares with good pedigrees. Our Holsteiner mares have consistently delivered success in sales and sport at an exceptionally high rate given that we are a fairly small breeder, producing two to four foals a year. Tough breeding is certainly about numbers in most circles, the small breeder needs to have as consistent a breeding product as possible to stay in business. One or two good horses out of ten produced will not afford a small breeder much success. We believe the Holsteiner breed, specifically the Holsteiner mare, offers the most certain assurance of success by any measure to the sport horse breeder. Our results speak for themselves.” A longtime AHHA volunteer, Massucco now
produces the association’s magazine, sharing news of Holsteiner horses around the country. Promoting American Holsteiners comes easily to him. “Top- level horses are absolutely produced here in this country,” he says. “Te last two upper- level show jumpers we purchased were bought from domestic AHHA breeders. When I look through the AHHA breeder list or assemble an AHHA magazine, I see many more domestically
produced horses that will certainly go to the top. And frankly, I can find young jumping talent from our own farm. We started breeding because we got tired of traveling all over Europe and sifting through many ordinary horses to find a few excellent ones. Now
we just look in our back yard or visit one of our fellow breeders. Tere are plenty of good horses right here, right now.” About his stallion Catiago, Massucco points out, “Catiago
himself is a dream horse: beautiful, easy to ride and simple to breed. He does all his breeding live cover and can breed and show in the same day. He is an exceptionally elastic riding and jumping horse, easy to push through to the bridle and able to track well up underneath himself. In jumping this translates to a good deep take off with a great round bascule, super scope, and superior technique. Best of all, Catiago absolutely stamps his progeny. Tey all get his elasticity, superior jumping skill set and lovely exterior.”
Anne Gittins
www.photosbykm.com
American Holsteiner Horse Association
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