Our Horse of a Lifetime

“He is not for sale”, were the first words that I ever heard about Herzzauber.  We had travelled to Germany for the second time in 1994, still trying to buy a replacement stallion for our trakehner stallion, Nemo,  who had been lost in an accident.  During the first trip that year, we had travelled 4500 Kilometres, three countries, and had looked at over 300 horses in 12 days.  Although we had been fortunate to see some very good stallions, none had that charisma that we were looking for.  Then, a chance meeting with Jean Brinkman at the ATA convention that year had led us to meet a lady who has become a lifelong friend, Mrs. Cristel Langman.  Jean encouraged us to phone Mrs Langman and ask her if she knew of any good stallions for sale in Germany.  Mrs Langman graciously invited us to Germany, and promised us that she would make sure that we would see “the best”.  She fulfilled her promise, and we were lucky to see some exceptional stallions.  One of the stallions that she had selected for us to see was residing at Klosterhof Medingen, the home of Burkhard and Ingrid Wahler.  We travelled there with Mr Christian Plege, a well-known dressage rider and trainer in Germany.

We were standing in the large, spacious sales arena at Klosterhof Medingen, watching the stallion that we had come to buy, or so we thought!  My husband Wally is a patient man, but he had almost exceeded his level of tolerance with “this horse buying stuff”.  He was hoping that that this would be the one.  At that moment, the doors of the arena opened and a vision appeared.  I was absolutely taken with the sight of the horse that trotted through the entrance, and it was as though the horse glowed from within. He was a beautiful grey colour, with the air of a king.  I was totally infatuated, and I did not even know the horse or the rider.  I was to learn that the horse was a young stallion named Herzzauber, and his rider was the owner of the farm, Burkhard Wahler. I knew of the bloodlines of the horse, and the fact that he had been Grand Champion of his kuering.  In addition, I knew that he was the horse of my dreams.   Unfortunately, he was “not for sale”.

Canadians are known for being  a friendly calm people, but we are also persistent.  It took us two weeks to buy that horse.  Wally used all of his negotiation skills and finally it happened, Herzzauber was ours.  The Wahlers were very gracious and helpful, and we enjoyed dealing with them. The purchase of Herzzauber is  a decision that we have never regretted.

Within the next few months of our purchase, two unfortunate deaths occurred in Germany.  Both Marduc, Herzzauber’s sire, and Anduc, also by Marduc, died untimely deaths.  We had the opportunity to sell Herzzauber back to Germany, but we just could not part with him.  He was nominated as an “Candidate of Excellence” by the Verband in 1995, which is the first step towards obtaining his “elite” status.  In 1998, he was rated by the German Riding FN as the #1trakehner stallion (in the young stallions group) for dressage producing ability.  Then, in  September of 2000, we received the news that he had been granted his elite status based on the success of his offspring.  We were so very proud!  He is now referred to as “EH Herzzauber” ( EH For Elite Hengst), and is the only elite trakehner stallion in North America.

There are three approved sons by Herzzauber.  Two are in Germany, Adamello and Guzzi, who are both very successful in sport as well as in breeding.  The third  one is in North America, Zulu MV, who was approved at the ATA convention in St Louis in 2000.  Zulu MV is going well under saddle, and has the same calm, aristocratic air as his father.  A gelding by Herzzauber, Patriot MV (out of Pandora), is moving up the eventing ranks with his rider, Jim Moore, of Denver, Colorado.  His daughters have also done very well.  In 1995 and 1996 respectively, Herzzauber daughters were champion and reserve champions of the trakehner mare show in Germany.  A Herzzauber daughter, Zaire MV (out of Zarika) was Grand Champion of the mare show in St Louis in 2000.  Many of his children have sold for very high prices at elite auctions in Germany. Although we limit his breeding (we breed only 15 outside mares each year), he now has children all over North America as well as in Germany.  

Herzzauber is the most kind, gentle horse I have known.  He displays the air of a statesman, and when other horses are being boisterous or silly, he assumes the expression of “being above it all”.  He has a quiet distain for the other stallions in the barn, much to their chagrin!  He is my riding horse, and I show him proudly.  Wally and I know that, had we sent him away for a professional to ride and show, his dressage career would be much advanced.  The truth is we could not part with him for that length of time, so we chose that I would be his rider.  I am an amateur rider, trying to learn faster than him, which is a real trial.  He is the ultimate showman and athlete, and definitely much smarter than me!  However, we are showing successfully at the PSG and  Intermediate 1 level, and we are having a wonderful time!   Although he suffered an injury at the Canadian Championships in 2000, he is back under saddle and ready to take on the show ring next year again.  He stands at Meadowview, which is located in Alberta, Canada.  His stable mates include Zeus MV (an approved  trakehner stallion by Nemo), Zulu MV, and Zodiak (a Grand PrixDressage Dutch Warmblood Stallion by Ramiro).

Every time I walk into our barn, I look first at the beautiful head and eyes of  Herzzauber and ,you know, he still glows from within! He is truly a horse of a lifetime who has exceeded our every dream!  

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