1994 174 cm Grey
Breeder: Josef Unckelbach
Berlin heads the 2021 list of KWPN breeding values for jumping sires. He was bred in Germany, the product of the breeding program of the famous jumping family – Pollman-Schweckhurst. It was Elmar Pollman-Schweckhurst who decided to cover Estia (competition name Cathleen) with Cassini I:
Elmar told Adriana van Tilburg: “I stood up for the decision of using Cassini I for Cathleen. This stallion impressed me as a young horse with his scope and perfect manners. At that time Cassini I was only five years old. I thought Cathleen could be the ideal mare for him to handle his weaknesses. Cathleen had blood, was careful, had hardness, an alert mind and a good topline and knee. On top of that I thought it would be interesting to double up the blood of Caletto II who died too early. The future would show that making the cross of Capitol I and Caletto II would become a perfect match.”
Indeed the Caletto II cross is the very model of line breeding, occurring on the dam line of Cassini, and the top line of Estia.
Berlin was sold to The Netherlands as a six-year-old and has been gratefully absorbed into the breeding program of the KWPN. He heads the latest values with a score of 147.
The Holsteiner bred stallion has an impressive list of international achievements. Winning the Team Gold medal at the WEG in Aachen in 2006 with his rider Gerco Schröder is one of the highlights. Berlin and Gerco finished sixth individually. They were also part of the Gold Medal Team in Mannheim in 2007 at the European Championships.
story continues below the advertisement
Olivier Philippaerts and H & M Extra
As a sire he has been highly successful, hippomundo records 63 of his progeny who have jumped 1.60 or better. H & M Extra (topping the list at 1.70) out of a Heartbreaker mare, has won €400,383 with Olivia Philippaerts.
Caspar 232 (Padarco van ‘t Hertsveld) is graded 1.65, and has won €714,134 with Emanuele Gaudiano, Born to be Picobello (Carthago) has jumped 1.65 and won €25,577 with Scott Keach while Ace (Graf Top) is another 1.65 jumper has won €199,668 with Hailli Grimes.
story continues below the advertisement
Roots in Holstein – an analysis by Adriana van Tilburg
Berlin comes from a famous mare line: Stamm 890, which has split into several branches – aside from the one that produced Berlin, we have another that produced the world famous Casall (by Caretino out of Kira XVII by Lavall I, and also produced yet another 1.60m horse, Capone I (by Contender out of Winja by Ladalco).
The success story of Berlin starts with the mare Bizarre (by Cromwell out of Kamille by Maki I) born in 1965, bred by Wilken Boje from Trennewurth. Mr Boje who sold her to the Jahr family who live in Hodorf.
Bizarre with Ostia (a.k.a Frimella) as a foal. Photo: Isabel Jahr
Isabel, the daughter of Alexander Jahr who purchased Bizarre, recalls: “My father bought Bizarre at advice from our farm manager Friedrich von Soosten and breeding advisor Gerd Prien around 1967. Bizarre was two years old when we bought her, it is interesting to mention that Gerd Prien is the breeder of Bizarre’s sire, Cromwell (by Cottage Son xx out of Fera by Heidelberg). We later used Maximus (by Manometer xx out of Stoer by Heilbutt) for her and he is bred by Friedrich von Soosten, so they not only advised us – they were also actively involved with breeding that shaped Berlin’s motherline. Bizarre had a super character! Her type could handle Thoroughbred really well and that is why we used Freeman xx (by Hard Sauce xx out of Ruffino xx by Como xx) for her – Freeman was imported to Holstein by my grandfather. My first competition horse was Nelke (by Freeman xx) out of Bizarre, that is why Nelke stayed at the Constanzehof to become a broodmare. Her granddaughter Dic Dic (by Cassini I out of Fabella by Corrado I) gave birth to a filly this year by Somersby and she will stay with us. Sadly my father Alexander Jahr passed away nine years ago, since then my husband and I run the farm.”
Nelke is through Fabella (by Corrado I) grandmother to four 1.40m and higher jumpers: Kabella (by Rebel Z II) 1.45m with Frank Plock, Cando 2 (by Candillo) 1.60m with Omer Karaevli, Caliku (by Candillo) 1.40m with Niklas Engemann, Romantika S (by Candillo) 1.45m with Josta van Straaten and Calgary (by Concerto II) 1.50m with Francisco Fleming de Oliveira.
Bizarre is also grandmother to Feodora (by Farnese out of Historie by Marlon xx). Elmar Pollmann-Schweckhorst recalls: “Bizarre’s granddaughter Feodora won with me in the saddle already as a seven year old three 1.40m classes, I sold her to Fritz Fervers and she became with Fritz, German and European champion, with team Gold and individual third place of the junior riders.”
Both Historie and Feodora were bred by Alexander Jahr.
Ostia (Frimella)
The success of this line is also tied up with the success of another famous jumping family: the family Pollman-Schweckhorst. It started with the father Aloysius who took over the farm in 1953 and continued with breeding horses and participated in the jumping sport. His first mare Friedchen became one of the foundation mares, she won S classes and produced 13 foals and was working every day at the field. His son Elmar Pollman Schweckhorst took over the farm in 1990 with his wife Christiane, he wrote the books: Training the modern jumper, Springpferde Ausbildung Heute and Keine Angst für großen Zielen. Philip Pollmann-Schweckhorst is the son of Elmar and one of the new generation of jumping riders. Elmar his brother is very successful in international jumping. Over 40 times he was a member of a German Nation cup team and showed in Europe, USA and Canada, In 2004, he won the title “Champion of professional riders”, he was 4 times qualified for the World Cup finals, In the national German championships he accomplished the silver medal in 2008 and the bronze medal in 2010.
Full sister to Nelke is the mare Ostia, another mare bred by Alexander Jahr. Ostia was purchased by Aloysius Pollmann-Schweckhorst. His son Elmar Pollmann-Schweckhorst recalls: “It was summer 1979, when I could come with my father to Holstein to look for jumping horses. We discovered in a field at the breeding farm, Constanzehof, an expressive black/brown Holsteiner half blood mare with good gaits. She descends from the Thoroughbred stallion Freeman xx out of Bizarre. Freeman xx did not really produce jumping horses, but Bizarre passed her jumping genetics on to her offspring. She is the dam of Modesto (by Marlon xx) with Lene Nissen-Lembke, who was third at the German Championship for female jumping riders in 1976 in Donaueschingen and became approved for the SWB. Bizarre produced also the internationally successful Urioso daughter, Cuba.”
Elmar’s brother Alois remembers Cuba well: “She was a very special mare with a lot of blood. Elmar invested a lot of time in this mare. Elmar took Cuba with him to the armed forces so he could train her. I took over the ride from Elmar to compete with her and together we won the Grand Prix of Verden. In that time, the show in Verden was something special.”
Elmar continues: “My father recommended Bizarre’s two year old daughter immediately to his friend, the salesman Josef Unkelbach from Cologne, who just started to set up a small breeding farm for jumping horses. The mare, Ostia, had presence, was noble, correct in conformation (except for a stronger angle in the hock), strong in her back and long lined. With these qualities you could select for breeding out of a wider range of Holsteiner stallions.”
“We covered Ostia before we took her into sport (this is a practice that the breeding cooperation Unkelbach/Pollmann-Schweckhorst are still using). We used Caletto I in her first year as broodmare, later with Michael Rüping he would become European Champion and German champion. This mare, the resulting foal from Ostia by Caletto I is Tafina. In her second year as broodmare we used the Holsteiner approvals champion (1978) Fernando (by Farnese out of Coconella I by Consul). He was a larger calibre stallion, almost pure bred brown Holsteiner and he had a hunter type. The result was the not very big mare, Vardana.”
“Ostia’s sport name was Frimella. She showed a very good willingness to perform, good scope and she was very brave. She didn’t jump with the best bascule and also not with the best front leg technique, but the use of her hind legs was outstanding. With my brother, Alois, she was internationally successful in Nation Cups, Grand Prix and German Championships and later she competed with Willi Melliger, including at the CHIO Aachen.”
Elmar’s brother, Alois, rode Frimella in international sport, he recalls: “I rode with Frimella my first World Cup qualification in Dortmund, my first Nations Cup at La Baule, and my first German Championship. For me she was the bridge between my time as a young rider and to enter with the senior riders. She had the looks from a Thoroughbred and she was also a bit hot (sensitive), but had at the same time a perfect willingness to perform. She could turn and stretch with a lot of elasticity in her body. I rode her for about five years. We sold her thanks to Paul Schockemöhle, where I started to work, to Willi Melliger who was looking for a good horse. Frimella was for me a very special horse, she never let me down.”
The breeding Unkelbach/Pollmann-Schweckhorst group kept Vardana for breeding and to continue the line.
Ostia’s daughter Lorina II (by Lombard) jumped at 1.60m level with Daniel Etter. Her owner Andrea Etter recalls: “She was Swiss Horse of the year and won the Swiss Show jumping championship with my brother Daniel Etter. Here in Ireland she has 5* broodmare status, the highest possible. Lorina’s daughter by O-Piloth was selected amongst the best 15 broodmares in Ireland. Her son Mr. Nelson B (by Radolin) got just approved with the HSI.
Mr. Nelson B (by Radolin) out of Lorina II (by Lombard) recently approved by the HSI. Photo: Andrea Etter
Ostia’s daughter Tafina, by Caletto I produced four horses that have competed at 1.40m level and higher; Licapo (by Libertino I) at 1.60m with Luciana Diniz, Loriot 265 (by Libertino I) 1.40m with Thorsten Wittenberg, Silvercap (by Silvester) at 1.45m with Axel Fromm and Locarno GZ (by Lord) at 1.40m with Ernst Wettstein. B-Legende (by Lombard) has sport success in Switzerland and her daughter F-Legrundy (by Grundyman xx) jumped at 1.40m and Puissance with Sebastian Otten.
story continues below the advertisement
Vardana
Elmar recalls: “We gave her the nickname ‘Micky Maus’, she needed a lot of time to grow, she had a good topline. Also her type, her basic gaits, jumping manners and ridebility were below average. I remember that I asked my father if you should even breed with such a mare. He answered: “Just wait, she will produce good quality, because she is excellently bred!” And so it happened: with the most different stallions she produced 1.40m and higher jumping horses. Besides her strong topline she also passed on soundness and her fighting spirit.”
Vardana produced the 1.40m and higher jumping horses; TUT Animus (by Altano Z) 1.40m with Stephanie Fleer, Alo’s As (by Alcatraz) 1.40m with Stefanie Fleer, Lancino 13 (by Lavaletto) 1.40m with Sven Goggi.
Fiosa (by Caretino) is a daughter of Vardana. She produced four 1.40m and higher show jumpers; Mykene (by Cassini I) 1.40m with Yuka Watanabe, Cockatoo (by Cassini II) 1.40m with Markus Friedel, Cesar 61 (by Corrado I) 1.40m with Matthias Ketelsen, Lancerto (by Lancer II, is also an approved stallion for Holstein and Oldenburg) 1.50m with Mario Walter. Fiosa’S approved BWP son Confio C (by Con Air) is sold to China.
Vardana’s Columbia (by Columbus) produced the 1.60m jumping horse Taenzerin 5 (by Tanzer) with Khalid Ali Al Junabi.
Ondine is mother to Zostia (a.ka. Formella by For Pleasure) and to Carentan (by Caretino) she is now in the Netherlands. Owned by the combination of Julius – Peter Sinnack, Joop Aaldering and family Sleutels. Photo credit; Keystud.
Ondine (by Contender) is mother to the Holsteiner approved stallion Carentan (by Caretino) who is competing at 1.45m level with Nicolo Patrone. Half sister to Carentan is Zostia (by For Pleasure) jumping at 1.40m level with Philip Pollmann-Schweckhorst, she has an approved grandson: Carleyle (by Connor), he won his stallion performance test in Schlieckau with very good notes and is standing at Neustadt Dosse. Half sister to Carleyle is Qolivia (by Quadros) she just passed her mare performance test with a 9.5 for jumping.
Philip Pollmann-Schweckhorst has ridden several horses from this line, he says: “The horses that I know from this Stamm have all a very good scope, they show quality at the jump and they have an outstanding willingness to perform.”
Estia (a.k.a. Cathleen W) with the full brother from Berlin, Caspar II. Photo: Yeguada Campos
Estia (Cathleen)
Vardana is also the dam of Estia (Cathleen in sport) Elmar recalls: “An outstanding daughter from Vardana is the Caretino mare, Cathleen. She trotted maybe a little bit out from behind and jumped a bit straight, but she had a class you rarely find. She received at her mare performance test a 9.5 for jumping. It was my father’s suggestion to use Caretino (by Caletto II out of Isidor by Metellus, Stamm 826) for Vardana. Caretino impressed Mr Unkelbach and my father with his quick reflexes and that he was so careful during free jumping.”
Estia started to compete after she gave birth to a beautiful colt. Later more about this colt. First more about her competition record. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst recalls: “Cathleen had a lot from her father, Caretino, in jumping a bit straight. I jumped with her at the Bundeschampionat, and Cathleen had this outstanding willingness to perform like every horse from this line that I know.”
Marc Wirths was the rider of Cathleen for a long time, he recalls: “Cathleen was a fantastic horse with a super character. She was very special to me as she brought me into the higher levels from the show jumping sport. I rode with her my first Grand Prix and we were placed at 1.60m level.”
Estia her time in Spain with offspring
In 2006 Estia was sold to Spain, together with the full sister of Berlin and a half sister, Cestia (by Calato). She went to the breeding operation Yeguada Campos, owned by Eduardo Campos.
Eduardo recalls: “I was a while trying to buy Estia until I could finally get her. I was impressed with Berlin since I saw him jumping, always in a spectacular way. To be honest my main hope was to have out of Estia a big grey stallion like Berlin, but when I finally got her again pregnant to Cassini I, we got a black colt! Now I am very happy with him.”
“I also bought a full sister to Berlin, but she arrived very sick from the transport to my place and we could do nothing for her. She died a few days later in a clinic…”
“Out of Estia we have some promising young stallions. Some of them are already approved like Klark Kent C (by Clarence I)”
Clarestia C, mother of Cobolensky and Mont Black C. Photo: Yeguada Campos
“Clarestia C, the mother of Cobolensky and Mont Blanc C is one of the most special horses we have. She is very complete! We were thinking of putting her in the sport as she was a great jumper but we also thought she would be great in breeding and it seems it was a good decision as her two first sons are already approved in Holstein and BWP. These two stallions are extra special because Cobolensky and Mont Blanc C were born out of the same flushing by embryo transfer.”
“I really believe in this motherline. I always thought that Berlin was not an accident as he came out of a very good mother line where all the mares had success in the family. The young horses we have out of the family having success are proving that theory!”
Eduardo and his partner Eva van Eeckhoudt bred already five approved stallions out of the direct line from Estia: Casslin (by Cassini II), Caspar II (by Cassini I), Klark Kent C (by Clarence I), Cobolensky and Mont Blanc C (both by Cornet Obolensky).
Estia is still alive and is enjoying her days in the field.
Berlin
The beautiful colt out of Cathleen would become the famous stallion Berlin.
Elmar recalls: “I stood up for the decision of using Cassini I (by Capitol I out of Wisma by Caletto II) for Cathleen. This stallion impressed me as a young horse with his scope and perfect manners. At that time Cassini I was only five years old. I thought Cathleen could be the ideal mare for him to handle his weaknesses. Cathleen had blood, was careful, had hardness, an alert mind and a good topline and knee. On top of that I thought it would be interesting to double up the blood of Caletto II who died too early. The future would show that making the cross of Capitol I and Caletto II would become a perfect match.”
“To all my information I have to add that the breeder’s alliance Unkelbach – Pollmann-Schweckhorst is already working together for more than 30 years with our friend Hobe Bernhard and receiving his advice for breeding mares. Also most of our foals are born there or raised there. ”
Elmar recalls about Berlin: “His most outstanding characteristic as a foal and yearling wasn’t really his beauty, he was a bit heavy. But he was just a star! He had an unsurpassable aura, if he jumped: over one cavaletti he jumped every time (!) around a meter higher than necessary.”
Berlin – his sports career
Stefanie Fleer rode Berlin as a young stallion and as a six-year-old he caught the attention of Jan Tops and he sold Berlin to Eurocommerce. Wim Schröder had his first show with Berlin in Germany in Neumünster, which is in Holstein. Wim had success with Berlin at international level. In 2002 they won the Grand Prix (1.50m) of Valkenswaard, in 2004 the Grand Prix of Verona. In 2005 Gerco (brother of Wim) took over the reins because Wim broke a leg. They became an important part of the Dutch Show Jumping team. Berlin proved himself to be an excellent championship horse. One of the most special moments in Berlin’s sport career was the 2006 World Championship in Aachen, where Gerco and Berlin were decisive in winning the team Gold medal. Gerco recalls: “I will never forget the last round at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006. He jumped fantastic and made sure we won gold with the team at the WEG! That something you normally only dream about!!”
Gerco says of Berlin’s qualities: “His best qualities are his scope in combination with his super disposition. I have been riding quite a few of his offspring and they all excel in being careful and they’re good characters.”
Berlin Keur (2014)
Berlin has several good offspring in sport and approved sons all over Europe for the AES, BWP, Oldenburg International, SF, ZFDP, Z and the KWPN.
His good results in sport and breeding were a reason for the KWPN to give him the predicate Keur: according to the official website www.kwpn.nl “Berlin was awarded the keur predicate. Under Gerco Schröder, the Cassini I son performed at the Grand Prix level for numerous years. Since then, a number of offspring from his first years at stud have become top competitors in their age groups. Furthermore, Berlin offspring are achieving their first successes in the Grand Prix: consider Zerlin under Jos Lansink. Berlin’s approved son Zurich, another stallion from his first year at stud, was the champion of the KWPN stallion selection. In addition, Berlin is a producer of exceptional mares. He is available at De Radstake.”
Joself Unkelbach puts it very well together; “To breed a stallion like Caspar (Berlin) is a dream from every showjumping horse breeder. A stallion that does not only belong to the top of the world in sport, but who also is helping to develop the international showjumping breed. We, Elmar and I, were there at the WEG in Aachen, where he helped with his crucial ride the Dutch Team winning Gold. That was almost an unreal moment in life, for which I will be thankful for the rest of my life, that I had that moment.”
Berlin’s current star, Caspar (out of a Padarco mare) with Italy’s Emanuele Gaudino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpizCe8h9gI
Want to breed your own jumper? There’s a huge range of jumping sires available via frozen semen at international horse breeders
including the great Balou du Rouet
