By Jean Llewellyn (press release)
Photography: Janne Bugtrup; FEI/Richard Juilliart
Ralf Lütje, a member of the Holsteiner Association for almost 40 years, is at home in Haseldorf, not far from Haselau in the Pinneberg district. The retiree from the Marsch is the second generation of his family to breed Holsteiner horses on a small scale.
Currently it is a very special horse that Ralf Lütje is following very closely in international sport. Because Monaco, Harrie Smolders’ World Championship silver medal partner from Herning in 2022, the Cassini II x Contender son comes from his breeding. Now Lütje has been honored in Elmshorn by first chairman Ulrich Steuber as Holstein Breeder of the Year 2023.
According to Lütje; “Our family has bred several foals over the years, most of them became breeding horses or ended up in better recreational sports. In this respect, it is something very special that one of our horses is so successful in international sport. When I see Monaco on TV, my hands get sweaty,” he says proudly.
The Holsteiner drew international attention for the first time in January 2020 when he finished second in the World Cup stage in Amsterdam. In the years that followed he recorded further excellent top results, including contributing to the Dutch showjumping team win during the prestigious Nations’ Cup final in Barcelona (ESP) 2021. He is also regularly among the top placed in the Global Champions Tour and shone in the World Cup finals in Leipzig (GER) and Omaha (NE, USA). The silver medal in the team ranking at the World Championships in Herning (DEN) crowns the now 15-year-old’s career so far.
A few years ago, when Monaco was still competing in the Youngster Tour, Ralf Lütje had the opportunity to speak to Harrie Smolders during the Hamburg Derby: “He told me back then that he had rarely ridden a horse that is as smart as Monaco. For me as a breeder but also for the horse, it is a huge blessing that such a horseman rides him.”.. To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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