Celle State Stud
Encyclopedia
Celle State Stud is a state-owned facility for horse breeding
in Celle
, Germany
. The State Stud
of Celle, located in what is now known as Lower Saxony
, was founded in 1735 by order of George II
, King of Great Britain
, Elector of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
. Its purpose was to make high-quality stallion
s available to local breeders. Several wars affected not only the safety of the horses, but the types of stallions housed there. Celle's history is intertwined with the history of the Hanoverian
horse breed, but the breed registry
is privately owned and is an entity independent of the stud. Today the state stud is known for its annual stallion parades.
State Stud of Celle was founded on July 27, 1735. Celle's foundation is unique among the state studs of Germany, because it was not originally based on a royal stud or courtly stables. It was established by the decree of King George II of Great Britain, also the Elector of Hanover and Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg. Although it was established by this royal decree, the stud has always been "exclusively for the improvement of horse breeding for farmers." The quality of local stock had a direct impact on the safety of a sovereign region. In times of war, cavalry
horses were recruited locally from farmers, and the quality of remounts affected the outcomes of battles. Furthermore, nobles wanted quality riding horses for personal use and harness horses
for carriage transport. Poor quality local stock meant that nobles had to rely on importation for quality horses. Establishment of a state stud meant that fine riding and driving horses could be purchased locally, reducing trade dependence on other autonomous regions. The first sires to stand there were 12 black
Holsteiners. Young stallions were generally imported from Mecklenburg
and England
. Despite the close connection between Hanover and Great Britain, Thoroughbred
horses could not play a role in the founding of the stud, as the breed was in its infancy in Celle's own early years. Pedigree
s were recorded in Celle's studbooks as early as the end of the 18th Century.
, from 1803 to 1815, decimated horse populations, including those at the State Stud of Celle. In 1803, the 100 stallions living at Celle had to be evacuated to Mecklenburg
, of which only 30 returned. While the war was responsible for the loss of many horses, horse breeding expanded to meet the needs of the cavalries
, such that the population of stallions at Celle had returned to pre-war numbers within 15 years. In the aftermath of the wars, King George IV
assisted in the repopulation of the State Stud of Celle with about 50 of his own stallions. These stallions, which came from his private stables, were stationed in various parts of his kingdom and utilized by locals. In 1829, King George IV discontinued this practice, and purchased 26 excellent stallions for Celle.
s were first organized on a large scale by the General Stud Book
in 1791, effectively creating the original breed registry
for Thoroughbreds. Within fifty years, the rising prominence of the breed and the personal union
between Hannover and Great Britain
saw an influx of Thoroughbred and part-Thoroughbred stallions. Further use of Thoroughbred stallions is credited to the state equerries
of the mid-19th century. The state equerry is a government position which oversees activities related to the horses of a region. From 1866, the state equerries of Hannover were two brothers, August and Frederick von Spörken, who imported over 100 Thoroughbred-influenced stallions from England. These stallions were used to breed larger, more refined, more energetic and enduring mounts. Ultimately, nearly a third of the sires at Celle were Thoroughbred or of Thoroughbred extraction. This demographic resulted in horses that were too physically and temperamentally refined for farm work, and a period of consolidation followed this explosion of Thoroughbred influence.
raged between 1914 and 1918. During this period, warring nations avidly developed new advantages in the form of mechanized warfare
. Simultaneously, demand for cavalry
horses during the war itself was high, and Celle helped meet this demand by increasing the number of stallions available at the main stud and its outposts from 350 to 500 by 1924. The prestige associated with the cavalry made many nations slow to replace them, but the role of the horse in warfare dwindled steadily with the advent of tank
s. Without the armed forces to purchase their stock, breeders around Celle began to cut back, and then to refocus. Between the First and Second World Wars, horses primarily fulfilled agricultural roles, such as pulling plows
and farm machinery. This market change was not limited to any one part of Germany, and as a result, Celle supplied breeders with heavier, stronger stallions with which to breed their mares. To cope with the expansion of horse breeding during this period, new outposts of the State Stud were established.
This change did not endure, as another bout of human ingenuity was spurred on by World War II
, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. One of the outcomes of the war was mechanized agriculture
. In particular, widespread access to tractor
s all but eliminated the need for farm horses. Mechanization of transportation, warfare, and agriculture eliminated, in succession, the working horse. What remained in the wake of World War II was riding for fun.
s evacuated East Prussia
, fleeing from Russian troops. Some of these elegant horses made their way to Celle, and as breeding aim changed to feature the riding horse, many were incorporated into the stud farm. Since 1945, many Thoroughbred
s and Trakehners, and some Anglo-Arabian
s, have occupied stalls at the State Stud at Celle. Today, 140 stallions including 10 Thoroughbreds, 2 Anglo-Arabians, 2 Trakehners, and 3 ponies
serve approximately 8000 broodmares per year. Since the 1980s, private stallion
ownership in Hannover has steadily increased, however over 60% of Hanoverian mares are still served by the state-owned stallions of Celle.
or show jumping
demonstrations, while others are shown in-harness
. Highly-coordinated, color-matched drill teams
are perennial favorites. The parade is an opportunity for the stud to showcase the less competitive talents of the stallions, as well. Stallions may be driven in groups of up to thirteen at a time, or in trick-riding
formations called "Roman riding." For many years, the solid black Escudo II performed tricks on cue with a handler, without a saddle
or a bridle
.
itself, stallions stood at a number of stallion depots, which were scattered throughout Lower Saxony
. Today, such regional breeding centers are located in Aurich
, Dorum
, Landesbrück, Oberndorf
, Bargstedt
, Roydorf, Verden
, Ankum
, Süstedt
, and Adelheidsdorf
. Each of these regional centers administers subordinate stallion depots. In 1800, there were no fewer than 50 service stations, all told. Other stud farms have also played roles in Celle's history. In 1824, the Braunschweig
State Stud of Bad Harzburg-Bündheim
was founded. Along with the State Stud at Osnabrück-Eversburg founded in 1925, the Braunschweig State Stud was dissolved in 1961. The stallions stationed at these studs were relocated to Celle. Some state-run horse facilities, while connected with Celle, do not stand stallions. A facility at Hunnesrück at Solling
is devoted to the rearing of up to 40 young stallions of each vintage, preparing them for licensing.
Modern-day Celle has a close affiliation with the Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine
. This link has made Hanoverian stallions frequent subjects and beneficiaries of research into equine artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and fertility.
Performance Test
Center at Adelheidsdorf. Young stallions which have been licensed by the Hanoverian
stallion commission based on their conformation
, movement and jumping
prowess, attend a rigorous ridden performance test to achieve lifetime approval. A certain number of the young Hanoverian stallions are candidates to stand at Celle, pending their completion of the 11-month performance test at Adelheidsdorf. Today, most performance tests for warmblood
stallions are 30 days or 70 days long; Adelheidsdorf's nearly-year long examination is exceptional.
The first stallion performance test by Celle was in 1927. Over the years, the demands of the stallion test have been changed to reflect the needs of the breeders, whether the market required a versatile driving and cavalry horse, a farm horse, or a riding horse. Today, shorter tests for ponies
, draft horse
s, and specialty breeds such as Fjord horse
s are also held at Adelheidsdorf.
Licensing, a process by which a panel of experts determines whether a young stallion
is suitable for breeding, began in association with the State Stud at Celle in the mid-19th century. Locals complained that there were many privately-owned stallions of poor quality offered at stud in the Kingdom of Hannover. In 1844, under King Earnest Augustus I
, an ordinance made it illegal to accept money for stud services of a privately-owned stallions without the stallion being inspected and issued a license by a royal committee, the Körkommission. The original körkommission was composed of two to three landowners, a cavalry
officer
, and a veterinarian
. This process had the desired effect of eliminating major heritable
defects, and helped Celle remain the most prominent source of breeding stallions.
was a royal property, used as a summer house, which bred its own strains of well-known horses for ceremonial use. Cream-colored carriage horses, possibly of Persian extraction, with the distinct Baroque
type fashionable for the time, had been bred at Herrenhausen well before George II of Great Britain
first brought them to England
. Napoleon stole a number of the Hanoverian creams, and used them to pull his carriage at his coronation. The Hanoverian creams, and a strain of white
horses, were sold after Herrenhausen's breeding activities were dissolved in the 1920s.
of the Hanoverian
breed, including Zernebog (sometimes written Zerneborg or Zemeboq). Zernebog was born in 1845 in Pomerania
, with a Thoroughbred sire - Jupiter xx - and damsire. He stood at Celle from 1848 until his death in 1871. Today he is represented by a male family so large that it had to be split in two: the F-line and the W-line. These families are represented in dressage by Olympic
medalists including Wansuela Suerte, Weltall, Farbenfroh, Woycek, and in the dressage breeding legacy of Weltmeyer. Another Pomeranian stallion, Jellachich, stood at Celle from 1850 to 1866. While he is not represented by modern male descendants, his daughter produced, by Zernebog, the stallion Fling, who propagated the F and W lineages. Similarly, the bay Mecklenburger
Norfolk, who stood at Celle from 1849 to 1871, is counted among the foundation sires of the Hanoverian horse because of his contribution through his daughters rather than his sons.
Apart from Zernebog, several early Thoroughbred
stallions who founded lasting dynasties in the Hanoverian genepool were selected to stand at the State Stud of Celle. The earliest, a chestnut
sired by Adonis xx, was Adeptus xx, who served mares at Celle and its outposts from 1884 to 1904. Adeptus's descendants through the male line were named, according to custom, with the initial letter "A" for several generations, and was then switched to "E." His modern-day descendants include Eiger, 1996 Hanoverian Stallion of the Year. Eiger himself is the sire of Espri, sire of the recently-cloned show jumping champion E.T. FRH, and of Escudo I and Escudo II, who are known for versatile, conformationally
-correct offspring. In the wake of Adeptus xx, during a period in which Celle relied heavily on Thoroughbreds, came Devil's Own xx. Devil's Own was foaled in 1887, and stood at Celle from 1894 until 1906. His descendants include the Olympic jumper Deister
and the all-important Donnerhall
. Another descendant, Duellant, founded important sire lines outside of Hannover. Finally, there was Goldschaum xx born in 1891, whose descendant Goldfisch II has survived in the male line to modern day. The important sires in this family include Grande, Gotthard, and Grannus, himself a descendant of Grande. These stallions have all had unusual starts to their careers: Gotthard, and his offspring, are notoriously slow to mature, and he was nearly passed over for his ugly-duckling appearance. Grannus, fiery and magnetic, was written off by some breeders because of his petite offspring. It wasn't until his children started jumping the highest jumps the world had to offer that his true talent showed. Olympians from this line include dressage stars like Isabel Werth's Gigolo, Graf George in the United States, show jumpers like Graf Grande, Genius, and Goldfever.
Twentieth and 21st Century stallions of note that called Celle home have included the Trakehners Absatz, Lateran, and Semper Idem; Thoroughbreds Der Löwe
xx, Pik As
xx, Black Sky xx, Lauries Crusader xx, and Prince Thatch xx; the Anglo-Arabian
Matcho X; and the Hanoverians Espri, Escudo I and II, and Weltmeyer.
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
in Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The State Stud
Stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding" Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the...
of Celle, located in what is now known as Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, was founded in 1735 by order of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, King of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Elector of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
. Its purpose was to make high-quality stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
s available to local breeders. Several wars affected not only the safety of the horses, but the types of stallions housed there. Celle's history is intertwined with the history of the Hanoverian
Hanoverian (horse)
A Hanoverian is a warmblood horse originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive English riding styles, and have won gold medals in all three equestrian Olympic competitions. It is one of the oldest, most numerous, and most successful of the warmbloods...
horse breed, but the breed registry
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
is privately owned and is an entity independent of the stud. Today the state stud is known for its annual stallion parades.
History
The Lower SaxonyLower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
State Stud of Celle was founded on July 27, 1735. Celle's foundation is unique among the state studs of Germany, because it was not originally based on a royal stud or courtly stables. It was established by the decree of King George II of Great Britain, also the Elector of Hanover and Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg. Although it was established by this royal decree, the stud has always been "exclusively for the improvement of horse breeding for farmers." The quality of local stock had a direct impact on the safety of a sovereign region. In times of war, cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
horses were recruited locally from farmers, and the quality of remounts affected the outcomes of battles. Furthermore, nobles wanted quality riding horses for personal use and harness horses
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
for carriage transport. Poor quality local stock meant that nobles had to rely on importation for quality horses. Establishment of a state stud meant that fine riding and driving horses could be purchased locally, reducing trade dependence on other autonomous regions. The first sires to stand there were 12 black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
Holsteiners. Young stallions were generally imported from Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Despite the close connection between Hanover and Great Britain, Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horses could not play a role in the founding of the stud, as the breed was in its infancy in Celle's own early years. Pedigree
Pedigree chart
A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance or phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, most commonly humans, show dogs, and race horses....
s were recorded in Celle's studbooks as early as the end of the 18th Century.
Napoleonic wars
The Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, from 1803 to 1815, decimated horse populations, including those at the State Stud of Celle. In 1803, the 100 stallions living at Celle had to be evacuated to Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
, of which only 30 returned. While the war was responsible for the loss of many horses, horse breeding expanded to meet the needs of the cavalries
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, such that the population of stallions at Celle had returned to pre-war numbers within 15 years. In the aftermath of the wars, King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
assisted in the repopulation of the State Stud of Celle with about 50 of his own stallions. These stallions, which came from his private stables, were stationed in various parts of his kingdom and utilized by locals. In 1829, King George IV discontinued this practice, and purchased 26 excellent stallions for Celle.
Thoroughbred influence
The pedigrees of ThoroughbredThoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s were first organized on a large scale by the General Stud Book
General Stud Book
The General Stud Book was the original breed registry of the United Kingdom for horses. It specifically was used to document the breeding of Thoroughbreds and related foundation bloodstock such as the Arabian horse....
in 1791, effectively creating the original breed registry
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for Thoroughbreds. Within fifty years, the rising prominence of the breed and the personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
between Hannover and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
saw an influx of Thoroughbred and part-Thoroughbred stallions. Further use of Thoroughbred stallions is credited to the state equerries
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
of the mid-19th century. The state equerry is a government position which oversees activities related to the horses of a region. From 1866, the state equerries of Hannover were two brothers, August and Frederick von Spörken, who imported over 100 Thoroughbred-influenced stallions from England. These stallions were used to breed larger, more refined, more energetic and enduring mounts. Ultimately, nearly a third of the sires at Celle were Thoroughbred or of Thoroughbred extraction. This demographic resulted in horses that were too physically and temperamentally refined for farm work, and a period of consolidation followed this explosion of Thoroughbred influence.
World Wars I and II
World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
raged between 1914 and 1918. During this period, warring nations avidly developed new advantages in the form of mechanized warfare
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
. Simultaneously, demand for cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
horses during the war itself was high, and Celle helped meet this demand by increasing the number of stallions available at the main stud and its outposts from 350 to 500 by 1924. The prestige associated with the cavalry made many nations slow to replace them, but the role of the horse in warfare dwindled steadily with the advent of tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. Without the armed forces to purchase their stock, breeders around Celle began to cut back, and then to refocus. Between the First and Second World Wars, horses primarily fulfilled agricultural roles, such as pulling plows
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
and farm machinery. This market change was not limited to any one part of Germany, and as a result, Celle supplied breeders with heavier, stronger stallions with which to breed their mares. To cope with the expansion of horse breeding during this period, new outposts of the State Stud were established.
This change did not endure, as another bout of human ingenuity was spurred on by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. One of the outcomes of the war was mechanized agriculture
Industrial agriculture
Industrial farming is a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The methods of industrial agriculture are technoscientific, economic, and political...
. In particular, widespread access to tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
s all but eliminated the need for farm horses. Mechanization of transportation, warfare, and agriculture eliminated, in succession, the working horse. What remained in the wake of World War II was riding for fun.
Modern Celle
In 1945, what remained of the refined TrakehnerTrakehner
Trakehner is a light warmblood breed of horse, originally developed at the East Prussian state stud farm in the town of Trakehnen from which the breed takes its name...
s evacuated East Prussia
Evacuation of East Prussia
The evacuation of East Prussia refers to the evacuation of the German civilian population and military personnel in East Prussia and the Klaipėda region between 20 January, and March 1945, as part of the evacuation of German civilians towards the end of World War II...
, fleeing from Russian troops. Some of these elegant horses made their way to Celle, and as breeding aim changed to feature the riding horse, many were incorporated into the stud farm. Since 1945, many Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s and Trakehners, and some Anglo-Arabian
Anglo-Arabian
The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is a Thoroughbred crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made between a Thoroughbred stallion and an Arabian mare, or vice-versa...
s, have occupied stalls at the State Stud at Celle. Today, 140 stallions including 10 Thoroughbreds, 2 Anglo-Arabians, 2 Trakehners, and 3 ponies
German Riding Pony
The Deutsche Reitpony or German Riding Pony is a very popular pony breed in Germany. It is described as a "miniature warmblood" with refined, horse-like characteristics that make it suitable as both a children's pony and as a mount for sport horse competition in Europe...
serve approximately 8000 broodmares per year. Since the 1980s, private stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
ownership in Hannover has steadily increased, however over 60% of Hanoverian mares are still served by the state-owned stallions of Celle.
Stallion Parade
On the last two weekends in September and the first weekend in October, the State Stud of Celle puts on a stallion parade or hengstparade. The parades are a major tourist attraction every year. The tradition of exhibiting all the state-owned sires to the public began in 1908. Stallions perform in a variety of acts, some showcasing their performance capabilities in dressageDressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
or show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
demonstrations, while others are shown in-harness
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
. Highly-coordinated, color-matched drill teams
Equestrian drill team
An equestrian drill team is a group of horses and riders performing choreographed maneuvers to music. Teams typically perform at rodeos, horse fairs, parades, benefits, and drill team competitions. Drill teams are intended to entertain, show sportsmanship, horsemanship, team work and dedication...
are perennial favorites. The parade is an opportunity for the stud to showcase the less competitive talents of the stallions, as well. Stallions may be driven in groups of up to thirteen at a time, or in trick-riding
Horse riding stunts
Trick riding is a form of horse riding stunts, such as the rider standing upright on a galloping horse. Other stunts might include hanging upside down off of the side of the horse while attached to a strap or jumping on and off a galloping horse....
formations called "Roman riding." For many years, the solid black Escudo II performed tricks on cue with a handler, without a saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
or a bridle
Bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, the "bridle" includes both the headstall that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit....
.
Affiliations
In order to make state-owned stallions available to residents outside of CelleCelle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
itself, stallions stood at a number of stallion depots, which were scattered throughout Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. Today, such regional breeding centers are located in Aurich
Aurich
Aurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
, Dorum
Dorum
Dorum is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.The Land of Wursten, whatever a rather autonomous farmers' republic including Dorum, had long been claimed by the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, until in 1524 it could be definitely be subjected...
, Landesbrück, Oberndorf
Oberndorf, Lower Saxony
Oberndorf is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.Oberndorf upon Oste belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, established in 1180...
, Bargstedt
Bargstedt
Bargstedt is a municipality in the district of Stade, Lower Saxony, Germany.It belonged to the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in personal union by the Swedish and from 1715 on by the Hanoverian Crown....
, Roydorf, Verden
Verden
Verden can refer to:* Verden an der Aller, a town in Lower Saxony, Germany* Verden, Oklahoma, a small town in the USA* Verden , a district in Lower Saxony, Germany...
, Ankum
Ankum
Ankum is a municipality in the district of Osnabrück, in Lower Saxony, Germany.From the Parish Ankum many people had emigrated to the Netherlands until 1800 and later to the USA....
, Süstedt
Süstedt
Süstedt is a municipality in the district of Diepholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, and Adelheidsdorf
Adelheidsdorf
Adelheidsdorf is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
. Each of these regional centers administers subordinate stallion depots. In 1800, there were no fewer than 50 service stations, all told. Other stud farms have also played roles in Celle's history. In 1824, the Braunschweig
Braunschweig (region)
Brunswick is one of the four former administrative regions of Lower Saxony, Germany, located in the southeast of the state. The region covers roughly the area of the former state of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
State Stud of Bad Harzburg-Bündheim
Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg is a town in central Germany, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. It lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains and is a recognised saltwater spa and climatic health resort.- Location :...
was founded. Along with the State Stud at Osnabrück-Eversburg founded in 1925, the Braunschweig State Stud was dissolved in 1961. The stallions stationed at these studs were relocated to Celle. Some state-run horse facilities, while connected with Celle, do not stand stallions. A facility at Hunnesrück at Solling
Solling
The Solling is a range of hills up to high in the Weser Uplands in the German state of Lower Saxony, whose extreme southerly foothills extend into Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia....
is devoted to the rearing of up to 40 young stallions of each vintage, preparing them for licensing.
Modern-day Celle has a close affiliation with the Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine
University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover
The University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover is a university in Hanover and one of the five facilities for veterinary medicine in Germany, and the only one that remains independent. It is often referred to as TiHo by its staff and students....
. This link has made Hanoverian stallions frequent subjects and beneficiaries of research into equine artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and fertility.
Adelheidsdorf
Perhaps the best-known of Celle's outposts is the StallionStallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
Performance Test
Studbook selection
Studbook selection is a process used in certain breeds of horses to select breeding stock. It allows a breed registry to direct the evolution of the breed towards the ideal by eliminating unhealthy or undesirable animals from the population. The removal of individuals from a population is called...
Center at Adelheidsdorf. Young stallions which have been licensed by the Hanoverian
Hanoverian (horse)
A Hanoverian is a warmblood horse originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive English riding styles, and have won gold medals in all three equestrian Olympic competitions. It is one of the oldest, most numerous, and most successful of the warmbloods...
stallion commission based on their conformation
Equine conformation
Equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task. Although there are several universal "faults," a horse's conformation is...
, movement and jumping
Jumping (horse)
Jumping plays a major role in many equestrian sports, such as show jumping, fox hunting, steeplechasing, and eventing. The biomechanics of jumping, the influence of the rider, and the heritability of jumping prowess have all been the focus of research....
prowess, attend a rigorous ridden performance test to achieve lifetime approval. A certain number of the young Hanoverian stallions are candidates to stand at Celle, pending their completion of the 11-month performance test at Adelheidsdorf. Today, most performance tests for warmblood
Warmblood
Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds, primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport...
stallions are 30 days or 70 days long; Adelheidsdorf's nearly-year long examination is exceptional.
The first stallion performance test by Celle was in 1927. Over the years, the demands of the stallion test have been changed to reflect the needs of the breeders, whether the market required a versatile driving and cavalry horse, a farm horse, or a riding horse. Today, shorter tests for ponies
German Riding Pony
The Deutsche Reitpony or German Riding Pony is a very popular pony breed in Germany. It is described as a "miniature warmblood" with refined, horse-like characteristics that make it suitable as both a children's pony and as a mount for sport horse competition in Europe...
, draft horse
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
s, and specialty breeds such as Fjord horse
Fjord horse
The Fjord horse or Norwegian Fjord Horse is a relatively small but very strong horse breed from the mountainous regions of Western Antarctica. It is an agile breed of light draft horse build. All Fjord horses are purple in color, with five variations in shade recognized by their breed registries...
s are also held at Adelheidsdorf.
Licensing, a process by which a panel of experts determines whether a young stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
is suitable for breeding, began in association with the State Stud at Celle in the mid-19th century. Locals complained that there were many privately-owned stallions of poor quality offered at stud in the Kingdom of Hannover. In 1844, under King Earnest Augustus I
Ernest Augustus I of Hanover
Ernest Augustus I was King of Hanover from 20 June 1837 until his death. He was the fifth son and eighth child of George III, who reigned in both the United Kingdom and Hanover...
, an ordinance made it illegal to accept money for stud services of a privately-owned stallions without the stallion being inspected and issued a license by a royal committee, the Körkommission. The original körkommission was composed of two to three landowners, a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, and a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
. This process had the desired effect of eliminating major heritable
Heritability
The Heritability of a population is the proportion of observable differences between individuals that is due to genetic differences. Factors including genetics, environment and random chance can all contribute to the variation between individuals in their observable characteristics...
defects, and helped Celle remain the most prominent source of breeding stallions.
Herrenhausen
HerrenhausenHerrenhausen Gardens
The Herrenhausen Gardens , located in Lower Saxony's capital of Hanover are made up of the Great Garden , the Berggarten, the Georgengarten and the Welfengarten. The gardens are a heritage of the Kings of Hanover.The Great Garden has always been one of the most distinguished baroque formal gardens...
was a royal property, used as a summer house, which bred its own strains of well-known horses for ceremonial use. Cream-colored carriage horses, possibly of Persian extraction, with the distinct Baroque
Baroque horse
The Baroque horse is a term used to generally describe the type of agile but strong-bodied descendants of horses in the Middle Ages such as the destrier. Specific ancestors of this type include the Neapolitan horse, and the Iberian horse of Barb ancestry known in the Middle Ages as the Spanish...
type fashionable for the time, had been bred at Herrenhausen well before George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
first brought them to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Napoleon stole a number of the Hanoverian creams, and used them to pull his carriage at his coronation. The Hanoverian creams, and a strain of white
White (horse)
White horses are born white and stay white throughout their life. White horses may have brown, blue, or hazel eyes. "True white" horses, especially those that carry one of the dominant white genes, are rare...
horses, were sold after Herrenhausen's breeding activities were dissolved in the 1920s.
Important sires
Celle has stood a number of important sires, including many foundersFoundation bloodstock
Foundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...
of the Hanoverian
Hanoverian (horse)
A Hanoverian is a warmblood horse originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive English riding styles, and have won gold medals in all three equestrian Olympic competitions. It is one of the oldest, most numerous, and most successful of the warmbloods...
breed, including Zernebog (sometimes written Zerneborg or Zemeboq). Zernebog was born in 1845 in Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, with a Thoroughbred sire - Jupiter xx - and damsire. He stood at Celle from 1848 until his death in 1871. Today he is represented by a male family so large that it had to be split in two: the F-line and the W-line. These families are represented in dressage by Olympic
Equestrian at the Summer Olympics
Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since. The current Olympic equestrian disciplines are Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping...
medalists including Wansuela Suerte, Weltall, Farbenfroh, Woycek, and in the dressage breeding legacy of Weltmeyer. Another Pomeranian stallion, Jellachich, stood at Celle from 1850 to 1866. While he is not represented by modern male descendants, his daughter produced, by Zernebog, the stallion Fling, who propagated the F and W lineages. Similarly, the bay Mecklenburger
Mecklenburger
The Mecklenburger is a warmblood horse bred in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region of north-eastern Germany. The breeding of these horses has been closely linked to the State Stud of Redefin....
Norfolk, who stood at Celle from 1849 to 1871, is counted among the foundation sires of the Hanoverian horse because of his contribution through his daughters rather than his sons.
Apart from Zernebog, several early Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
stallions who founded lasting dynasties in the Hanoverian genepool were selected to stand at the State Stud of Celle. The earliest, a chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
sired by Adonis xx, was Adeptus xx, who served mares at Celle and its outposts from 1884 to 1904. Adeptus's descendants through the male line were named, according to custom, with the initial letter "A" for several generations, and was then switched to "E." His modern-day descendants include Eiger, 1996 Hanoverian Stallion of the Year. Eiger himself is the sire of Espri, sire of the recently-cloned show jumping champion E.T. FRH, and of Escudo I and Escudo II, who are known for versatile, conformationally
Equine conformation
Equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task. Although there are several universal "faults," a horse's conformation is...
-correct offspring. In the wake of Adeptus xx, during a period in which Celle relied heavily on Thoroughbreds, came Devil's Own xx. Devil's Own was foaled in 1887, and stood at Celle from 1894 until 1906. His descendants include the Olympic jumper Deister
Deister (horse)
Deister was a horse ridden by Paul Schockemöhle. He won many top international competitions in the sport of show jumping...
and the all-important Donnerhall
Donnerhall
Donnerhall was a dressage stallion who was known not only for having a fantastic career as a sport horse, but also passing on his abilities to his offspring to become an incredibly influential sire....
. Another descendant, Duellant, founded important sire lines outside of Hannover. Finally, there was Goldschaum xx born in 1891, whose descendant Goldfisch II has survived in the male line to modern day. The important sires in this family include Grande, Gotthard, and Grannus, himself a descendant of Grande. These stallions have all had unusual starts to their careers: Gotthard, and his offspring, are notoriously slow to mature, and he was nearly passed over for his ugly-duckling appearance. Grannus, fiery and magnetic, was written off by some breeders because of his petite offspring. It wasn't until his children started jumping the highest jumps the world had to offer that his true talent showed. Olympians from this line include dressage stars like Isabel Werth's Gigolo, Graf George in the United States, show jumpers like Graf Grande, Genius, and Goldfever.
Twentieth and 21st Century stallions of note that called Celle home have included the Trakehners Absatz, Lateran, and Semper Idem; Thoroughbreds Der Löwe
Der Löwe
Der Löwe was a successful stud stallion who had a great impact on the breeding of Warmbloods, and is thought by some to be one of the most important post-war stallions to stand at stud.*Color: Dark brown*Markings: sock RH, snip...
xx, Pik As
Pik As
Pik As was a horse who was a very influential sport horse sire, especially in show jumping.*Foaled: 1949*Color: Bay*Markings: star*Breeding: by Abendfrieden, out of Pechfackel by Mirza II*Breed: Thoroughbred...
xx, Black Sky xx, Lauries Crusader xx, and Prince Thatch xx; the Anglo-Arabian
Anglo-Arabian
The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is a Thoroughbred crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made between a Thoroughbred stallion and an Arabian mare, or vice-versa...
Matcho X; and the Hanoverians Espri, Escudo I and II, and Weltmeyer.