Hofdame is inspected in Germany with 8,8,7/8,8,7/8 and passed a good mare performance test, which makes her a Verband Premium mare. In 2007, she produced a most lovely black filly by the Trakehner Reserve Champion and Riding Horse Champion Hibiskus. That filly accompanied Hofdame to America and was sold to Sherri Mellskog of Mellwood Farm Trakehners in Knoxville, TN. Hofdame was a brood mare at Gestüt Sommerlade, the largest Trakehner breeding operation in the World, which went out of business earlier this year. She was love at first sight, even though that sight "only" included photos and a short video clip. At this point, we'd like to thank Kim and Maren of Trakehners International for their tremendous help and continued support with this endeavor!

Hofdame at her inspection:

Hofdame's sire EH Hohenstein was "Stallion of the Year" in Germany and is one of the most popular and dominant dressage sires of our time, and that includes the breeds in Hanover and Oldenburg as well. Hohenstein's many excellent approved sons include the champion and international Grand prix winner EH Münchhausen TSF, the Hanoverian champion His Highness, the Celle State Stud stallion Hochadel, the Trakehner elite stallion Tambour (sire of the champion Herzensdieb) and the two youngest additions (both premium stallions in NMS 2007): Kronprinz and Cousteau. That list can easily be extended into the dressage world, where Hohenstein's offspring win at FEI levels, like the charming black premium stallion Insterburg TSF, one of Germany's most exciting younger upcoming Grand Prix horses (with rider Carola Koppelmann). Hohenstein's sire is no less prepotent and important: EH Caprimond, a stallion the German breed director called "the modern day Tempelhüter", who has stamped the breeds in Hanover, Oldenburg, and the Trakehners to quite an extend. Caprimond is an epitope in rideability and the potential to pass it on. He competed through Grand Prix with Dolf Keller, Nicole Uphoff and later Theresa Wahler, who was only 14 years old when she took over the reins of this major sire. Before she turned 18, the two had won numerous FEI shows, placed at Grand Prix, and were chosen for the prestigious German Piaff Förderpreis. Caprimond (front) and Hohenstein are pictured below during a Grand Prix Pas de Deux at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen. Caprimond is 21 years old here!

The elite stallion Hohenstein and Hohenstein & Caprimond in Aachen:

On the dame side of this predigree that so prominently features the letter "H", we find the stunning grey 1992 NMS champion stallion EH Herzzauber, who today resides at Meadowview Farm in Canada. Herzzauber is a top producer in Europe and hence was given the elite title even though he no longer lives in Germany. He is a EH Marduc son out of a very strong and successful mare family which traces back tot he original main stud Trakehnen mare Herbstzeit (by Bussard) and her exceptional daughter Herbstgold (by Totilas). Out of this family, stallions like Herbststurm, Herzbube, Herzlönig and Hertilas (sire of Ibikus!) have left a huge impact on the breed, and the family further stands for such competition horses like the Team World and European Champion Hirtentraum (by Traumgeist xx, ridden by Uwe Sauer for Germany). Modern stallions from this line include premium Herzkristall, Herzfunke, Herzglanz and the champion Herzensdieb. The already strong dressage potential through Hofdame's sire line is here further enhanced by the impeccable EH Marduc, a dressage sire of tremendous influence who also sired EH Anduc, Induc, EH Lehndorffs and many others. Marduc was a paternal halfr brother to the elite stallion Hyllos, who sired the international Grand Prix winner and approved Solero TSF! And also the third sire, the bay Hemmingway by Flaneur, had an outstanding reputation as a sport horse producer. Besides many excellent dressage horses, he is also dam sire of the two times Olymic eventing mare and CCI**** successful Larissa *Pg*! A full sister to Hoffnung, the mare Hortensie, is 3rd dam of the ATA approved Hadrian

The family: E.H. Herzzauber and Hemmingway

The mare line descends into one of the most performance proven lines of the entire breed, the Heimkehr family that was bred at the South German Birkhausen stud and was used a lot in combination woth the great Arabian Gazal ShA and the show jumper producer Carajan. The line produced such outstanding competitors/stallions like Haydn, Heimherr, Heidedorn, Honeur or the ATA's younger Hilton GS and Heinzelmann. Heimchen III is also dam of the show jumpers Hurrican (by Parforce) and his full brother Phantom TSF, the breed's most successful show jumper for several years. The family further produced the international CCI*** eventer Herakles TSF (by Ghazzir ShA), and the S level show jumpers Hierro and Haigar. Most recently, the younger Hidalgo was approved from this line (by King Arthur TSF) and is now a State Stud stallion in Moritzburg/East Germany. He recently passed an excellent 70 day test.

Besides the interesting accumulation of highly proven sport horse producers, it is the inbreeding to the exceptional foundation stallin Flaneur and the good produer Grimsel that make Hofdame's pedigree stand out. While we plan for a riding career first, she has already produced a stunning filly in 2007 (Hide and Seek, who was sold alongside her and is now owned by Sherri Mellskog in Tennesse!) and we can't wait to start thinking about the next good cross. Hofdame is a superior mover with great feel for rhythm and balance and her suppleness make her a joy to work with. Her personality fits right in here at the farm, and we are very thankful that destiny placecd her into our hands!

More photos of Hofdame and her 2007 filly "Hide and Seek" by Hibiskus: