Champions have often been named Holsteiner of the Month, but it is rare for the horses in question to have already won more than one title. We are talking about Cascoblanco by Cascadello I–Sir Shostakovich xx–Corrado I, the former and current National Champion of eventing horses. Ridden by Pia Leuwer, the grey, bred by Manfred Johannsen (Tornesch), galloped to victory in the Warendorf cross-country event in both 2022 and 2023. Cascoblanco was once acquired at the auction for unlicenced stallions in Neumünster by Prof. Dr Bernd Heicke, who has him successfully trained by Pia Leuwer. At the National Championships, the six-year-old confirmed his form from last year: 9.0 in show jumping, 9.0 in dressage! With a clear lead, the pair set off on the cross-country course. There, the Holsteiner proved himself to be cool-headed, courageous, with a superb canter (9.0), high rideability scores (9.0) and consistently positive prospects as a future eventing horse (9.0).
Cascoblanco hails from the Holsteiner line 569. His dam, Lamina, was the daughter of Manfred Johannsen’s mare, Inken Gräfin von Platen-Hallermund, who once competed at four-star level. And in Tornesch, breeding is now already underway with the next generations of this line: Among others, a Cristo daughter of Lamina produced the first reserve champion at the 2013 licensing – the Connor son Coruscant has since made his home at Wild Turkey Farm in Oregon, USA. Cascoblanco and his family are yet another impressive example of just how successful a good line can be.

Photo: Dr Tanja Becker/Equitaris