By Frederike Schwarck / IYB
Photography: private collection
In 1935, the ‘Horse Breeders' Association in the Kremper Marsch’ joined with the ‘Association of the Schleswig-Holsteiner Geestlandes’ to form the ‘Association of Breeders of the Holstein Horse’.
The Holstein Association has its headquartes in Kiel and Elmshorn, with the organization divided into different regional horse breeding clubs, including the original areas in Schleswig-Holstein, but also elsewhere in Europe and North America.
The horse breeding clubs are the platform for direct contact between the association itself and its breeders. They organise breeding events such as mare shows. In addition, each club has its young breeders.
The first regional club of the Holstein Young Breeders was founded in 1993 in Segeberg. Inken Grafin von Platen-Hallermung was a significant contributor to building up the young breeders both in Holstein and internationally. Since 1993 the work of young breeders within the associations has developed steadily.
Holstein Young Breeders today...
In 2020, Inken handed over her job as Young Breeders' Representative to Frederike Schwarck. Since then, 2021 was of course impacted by Coronavirus, with only a few small competitions and training days taking place, but the three major championships were cancelled. After this long break the young breeders work started again in 2022, when the clubs were once again able to train with their young breeders, and in May the first national championchips since 2019 was hosted. The best participants from the national championship were appointed to the qualifying team.
Overall, 30 young people started an intensive summer with many training sessions from which eight were selected to compete at the World Championships and at the German Championships. The starters at the World Championships were also allowed to practice the in-hand presentation with the stallions of the Holsteiner Verband.
More training preceded the world championships in Ermelo (the Netherlands) 2022, at which the holstein association fielded one junior and one senior team. The two selected teams, the two trainers, and a number of fans travelled to the beautiful location in Ermelo and, following the long covid break, this was the first champioship for many of the young breeders. In summary, all Holstein young breeders can be satisfied with their performance and have gained a lot of experience.
One month after the World Championships, it was time for the Holstein team to pack their air beds again for their trip to the German Championships in Münster where the junior and senior teams had the opportunity to put the freshly gained experience of the World Championships into practice. And they did! The Holstein Young Breeders won the German Championship with a lead of 34.5 points over Rheinland in second. All the team members were well prepared, learned a lot, and showed a cohesion like never before. After this success there was a championship celebration in Elmshorn with all the young breeders, parents, and employees of the association.
In autumn there were two regional championships for the young breeders, which were also a great success.
The Holsteiner Verband is very proud of its young breeders and we are looking forward to 2023.
