|
|
New Zealand (by Annie Studholme) NZ Hanoverian breeder Berny Maubach grew up on a farm, Gut Vollrach, in Germany – in Rhineland’s heart of horse country between Düsseldorf and Aachen, but did not get involved with horses himself until he immigrated to New Zealand in 1978, Since establishing Vollrath Hanoverian Stud in 1982, near Wanganui in the North Island, the former detective chief inspector has become one of the country’s most successful breeders.
His breeding centres on his motto: “Thinking in Generations,” as well as his goal to produce a multi-talented horse for all equestrian disciplines.
Initially he used the syndicated Witzbold (Winnetou) and Distelfink (Diskus) and privately owned stallion Genius (Garibaldi I) in New Zealand to establish foundation mares. Even with the onslaught of frozen semen, Berny has gone to great expense to import stallions from Germany, starting with Dynamit, by Dynamo (Don Carlos - Goldmodell x Goldfalk) out of Elfi, by Eger II (Agram - Fechterkind x Fechtmeister), from Germany. He arrived at Vollrath in January 1992, and instantly became a very popular sire. Four years later, Maubach imported Worldwide P.B., by Weltbürger PB (Weltmeyer - Erina x Eisenherz I), out of Bella (Bren-tano II - Palinka x Pandur PB), to complement Dynamit and other Hanoverian stallions. Worldwide P.B. was provisionally licensed in December 1996, ranking 16/40 for rideability in his 100-day test in Adelheidsdorf. Worldwide P.B is registered with the NZ Warmblood Horse Association and began his first season in Spring 1998, the year Dynamit tragically died. Worldwide has since been sold to Australian Grand Prix dressage rider Claire Wickins.Purchased from Hof Heitgress in Germany, Vollrath Lessing, by Londonderry (Laurie’s Crusador xx - Windsor Queen x Warkant), out of Prisca (Prince Thatch xx - Aische x Aircraft) joined the stud line-up in 2004. He stood his first season in 2005.
At a weanling auction in Handorf, Berny recently purchased the Westfalian colt Fürst Patrick (Fürst Piccolo (Fürst Piccolo [Fidermark x Mephistopheles] - Rieke x Red Patrick).
Q - What was your involvement with horses before you left Germany?
I had nothing to do with horses before I came to New Zealand. I was in the German Police, resigning as detective chief inspector. I grew up on a farm but had never ridden. We had draught horses.
Q - Why did you choose the area in which you now live?
I had a family connection to Wanganui through my ex-wife, Debbie Smith.
Q - Did you know you would breed Hanoverians, and what was your plan in terms of starting a stud farm?
It was a natural progression. I bought initially a 10-acre block of land and wondered what I was going to do with it. Gay Carroll, a neighbour of mine at the time, was the press officer for the NZ Hanoverian Society. It was through her that I got involved in the Witzbold syndicate. Once I had a taste for it, I was hooked. I decided what I liked and set myself a goal. I am not a horseman as such, I just have a lucky eye for a horse. It’s a case of knowing bloodlines and how to combine them. Over the years I have successfully imported four stallions from Germany. My great complement is my wife Jutta, the horsewoman. I don’t think I’d be still breeding without her absolute professional support.Q - What are the essential differences between breeding Hanoverians in Germany and breeding them in New Zealand?
You don’t have to be a millionaire or own a large farm. There is also a huge difference in the climate. In New Zealand the horses run all year in paddocks, whereas in Germany they run in paddocks during the summer months until they’re under saddle and then they’re boxed. New Zealand has a real advantage. We produce horses with natural ability and reared in natural environments. It is much more expensive to breed horses in Germany than it is here....
To read the complete imterview subscribe to Breeding News