The new state champion among four-year-old Holsteiners is United Pleasure by United Way-For Pleasure, bred by Rita Siebke-Baasch. The sire, from the stables of Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH, was able to build on his victory in the second qualifying round by winning the final as well. With Lucas Wenz in the saddle, the grey achieved a score of 9.0. “We have seen an impressive four-year-old here who always jumps right towards his rider in front of this audience. Added to this are his excellent rideability and his suppleness,” commented Peter Schmerling, representing the jury.
The silver medal (8.9) was awarded to a horse that had already impressed with a victory in the qualifiers. We are talking about Casallon KA by Casall-Carembar de Muze, bred by the breeding partnership of Astrid and Volker Kaack. Antonia-Selina Brinkop put the chestnut in the spotlight in impressive fashion. “Top potential and energetic drive” was how the judges described the runner-up.
Four years ago, at the Holsteiner Foal Auction at Hof Waterkant, Claas-Philipp Eckardt discovered the bronze medallist Don Diego by Don VHP-Loran, bred by Matthias Wree. Breeder Matthias Wree recalls that it had been clear to Claas-Philipp Eckardt right from the start that Don Diego would one day return to Holstein: “On the very evening of the purchase, the new owners said to me: ‘When the time comes, we’ll take him to the State Championships’.” The Dutchman Bart van der Maat presented the stallion and the judges were delighted: “We were particularly impressed today by his excellent rideability, his jumping drive, his suppleness and his generosity,” the judges praised. The Holstein State Championships were organised by Gestüt Gattermann and Malkoc GmbH.
Photo: Janne Bugtrup (United Pleasure and Lucas Wenz)
