By Sally Reid
Photography: Private sources

Bo Eitenmüller of the Hannoveraner Verband has inspected NZ Hanoverian and Rheinland horses before, but it was via video link during the Covid lockdowns. For 2025’s classification tour she travelled the length and breadth of the country in 11 very busy days, inspecting some 88 horses: 59 foals and 29 mares.

According to Bo: “It was my first trip to New Zealand, and I was very excited about the quality of the horses. This is shown by the high number of Premium foals. Very good dressage foals have been bred there for years, and now some showjumpers have been added that are of very high quality and are already well secured not only on the sire’s side by also in the damline.
“Many mares are based on a German damline, but there are also some with a damline from Thoroughbreds. The basic quality is there to build on. I particularly noted that the type of the mares is modern with good expression. Especially when it comes to movement, you can see a clear breeding progress in the foals – they can usually move better than their mothers.”
Her advice to New Zealand breeders is: “… even more attention must be paid to not choosing the most beautiful and best stallion, but to looking specifically at what you want to improve in the mare and what you want as the end product. Take a close look at your mares and consider what you want to improve or keep. Thanks to frozen semen there are many stallions to choose from. And, with many experienced breeders who also have connections in Germany/Europe, it is always an advantage to communicate mating ideas with others and ask for advice.
“I am curious to see how these foals will develop and keep my fingers crossed for all breeders that they continue to develop well.”

Best foal of the tour

The overall champion foal was the gorgeous and well-named Hanoverian filly, KP Glamour Doll (Glamourdale - Wenke x Wolkentanz I) bred at Karamea Park. This boutique Waikato facility is operated by co-owners Darcy Morgan and Hurae White, and is committed to excellence in both competition and breeding. “I have a particular passion for developing top-quality Hanoverians,” says Darcy. “Our breeding programme emphasises producing noble, refined, and correct horses, suitable for both performance and pleasure, aligning with the standards set by the New Zealand Hanoverian Society.” This is a promise that is fully represented by the outstanding KP Glamour Doll.
Her sire, the KWPN keur stallion Glamourdale, is currently number one in the WBFSH dressage rankings, and has wowed the world in the hands of Charlotte Fry. Her dam, Wenke (Wolkentanz I x Fabriano) was bred by Joanne McNicholl, who imported Fabrice, the mare’s own dam, from Germany. Fabrice herself was out of StPrSt Wenke (Wenzel II), from Stamm 2188501, Schridde 491; she had various NZ owners after Joanne Mitchell. Other than Wenke, her progeny include two mares by Anamour: Adriana and Adeleine; and Patrianna (Prestige VDL) who is currently competing with a young rider, but has had wins at Advanced Medium...

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