Hanoverian Horses
Celebrating Over Three Centuries of Excellence By Diane Nauman
for all aspects of daily life, so the German royal family and gov- ernment have taken an active role in horse breeding since that time. Landgestüt Celle, the Hanoverian National State Stud, was
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founded and built near Celle Castle in 1735. Tis was 41 years before the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and declared the formation of a new, independent nation: the United States of America. Te construction of Landgestüt Celle began the centralization of Hanoverian horse breeding in Germany. Celle Castle, built in 1292, is one of the most beautiful
castles of the Royal House of Hanover. It was the place of exile of the Danish queen Caroline Mathilde, served as the summer residence of the kings of Hanover in the nineteenth century and is still a popular tourist destination. During the 1800s, Toroughbred and English half-bred
stallions were used to refine the “Hannöversches Pferd” breed to produce elegant coach and military horses. Te Hanoverian studbook was founded during this time in 1888, the predeces- sor of the German Hanoverian verband or registry we know today. In 1922, the German breeders teamed up and founded the Verband Hannoverscher Warmblutzüchter (VhW). While breeding horses for agricultural use took priority in
the years between the two world wars, the Hanoverian breed was reorganized and restructured after World War II with a new emphasis on producing noble, big-framed horses for jump- ing, dressage, eventing, driving and pleasure riding. Te Hanoverian horse is now bred around the world, overseen by German-affiliated registries and societies. In the U.S., this affili- ate is the American Hanoverian Society (AHS). Te Hanove- rian horse is now the world's leading breed in dressage, ranked second in the world in eventing and fifth in show jumping, based on aggregate global 2016 FEI show results published annually by World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH). Becoming a world leader in equestrian sport is only achieved
through years of very focused breeding goals and intensive selection criteria. Strict selection guidelines and performance testing by AHS and the German Hanoverian Verband ensure
anoverian horses have been bred and raised in the Niedersachen region of northern Germany since the sixteenth century. Tall, athletic horses were essential
only the best stallions and mares are used for breeding. Con- tinual performance improvement via inspections, the Hanove- rian Jumper Breeding Program and year-round educational and training programs for riders and breeders all play a key role in guaranteeing excellence. Approval and inclusion of the best horses from other breeding regions (Hessen, Rhineland, etc.) ensure the Hanoverian horse will continue to evolve and maintain its prominence in sports for years to come. Striving to produce the world’s best sport horse, while keeping with time- honored traditions, is the hallmark of Hanoverian horse breed- ers around the world.
Global Success in Dressage In 2016, all eyes were on Rio de Janeiro, where the best horses
and riders from around the world gathered to compete in the Olympic Games. Hanoverians played a major role in winning medals for many countries. Allison “Ali” Brock and Roos- evelt (aka Rosevelt), a 14-year-old bay Hanoverian stallion (Rotspon–Lore/Laurie’s Crusador xx), made an outstanding Olympic debut on the U.S. dressage team, helping them win the bronze medal. Roosevelt is owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun, who had front row seats to Olympic glory in 2000 when their horse, Flim Flam, helped the U.S. Olympic dressage team win a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics. Tey are also the own- ers of the well-known KWPN stallion, Am- pere, who has recently been imported to the U.S. Fritz Kundrun also received global news attention in 2016 for running the London Marathon at the age of 80! Staunch supporters of U.S. dressage, the Kundruns pledged $500,000 in 2015 to the U.S. Equestrian Team for dressage programs. Teir long term planning and generosity paid off in Rio.
At top: Landgestüt Celle’s main stallion barn built in 1735. Above: Roosevelt (aka Rosevelt) and Ali Brock represented the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics, helping our team earn the bronze medal in dressage.
SPECIAL HANOVERIAN SECTION Warmbloods Today 65
American Hanoverian Society Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography Diane Nauman
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