The following information is from Das Oldenburger Sportpferd by Roland Ramsauer, published in 1978. I am indebted to Katrin Burger of the Oldenburg Verband for the translation – Christopher Hector
Adonis xx:
(Magnat xx, M. Aster xx by Oleander xx – Wallenstein xx. Born 1952)
Description: Medium sized, fine stallion with good face, a little weak in the back, regular frame and limbs with a little too much angle in the hind legs, regular gaits.
Career: Stood from 1959 until 1963 in the Oldenburg area at the stallion station of L. Kathmann in Holtrup. First Thoroughbred to begin the change of breeding, sold to State Stud in Dillenburg 1964.
Genetic legacy: Good heredity for breeding horses, fitted best with heavy mares, excellent genetics for sport horses in all disciplines, especially some outstanding horses for eventing.
He produced 10 licensed sons, and 26 premium mares (11 State Premium, 15 Verband Premium).
The offspring of Adonis were amongst the most successful in Germany. His offspring won 175.304,– DM in 12 years (making him the second most successful of all Oldenburg stallions in that time). Adonis was the most successful stallion in the whole of Germany in 1971 on the basis of the number of offspring placed in sport; in 1972 he was in the second place.
Adrian xx:
(by Almeido xx, M: Agraffe xx by Gamsjäger xx – Travertin xx. Born 1963)
Description: Very beautiful, elegant stallion, medium sized with very correct frame, limbs and good gaits.
Career: Retired sound after 76 starts on the race track, GAG 80 kilos. Winner of his class at the show for Thoroughbreds in Köln in 1968 and 1970. In 1970 he was reserve champion of the whole show. He commenced his breeding career in 1971 at the stallion station in Sillenstede.
Genetic legacy: Very good heredity for breeding horses, the first offspring showed good results in sport, several good auction horses
16 premium mares (7 State Premium, 9 Verband Premium)
Bucephalos xx:
(by Agio xx. M: Bella Donna xx by Magnat xx – Ferro xx. Born 1966)
Description: Medium sized, sympathetic Thoroughbred with good limbs, well-muscled and excellent gaits.
Career: Bred in the famous stud of Schlenderhan he had a GAG of 80,5 kilos. Very good pedigree out of the motherline of the mare, Blaue Donau. He was based on the Vorwerk stud from 1971 till 1974, in 1974 he retired.
Genetic legacy: Good heredity for broodmares, but a little narrow in frame. Remarkable, that the colts mostly have a big frame and with good potential for a sport career.
17 premium mares (7 State Premium, 10 Verband Premium)
Kronprinz xx:
(by Nizam xx, M: by Kaiserkrone xx by Nebelwerfer xx – Bubbles xx. Born 1960)
Description: Very beautiful, medium sized stallion with a lot of expression. Good withers and neck, very beautiful head, a little fine but correct frame and limbs, outstanding gaits.
Career: Famous line of the Zoppenbroicher Kaiser family, successful career on the race track with a GAG of 90,5. The stallion stood always at H. Ahlers in Bümmerstede
Genetic legacy: Good heredity especially in making broodmares, some successful sporthorses
As of 1978, 23 premium mares (16 State Premium, 7 Verband Premium), his offspring were successful competition horses.
Manolete xx:
(Asterios xx, M. Malta xx by Allgäu – Oleander xx. Born 1955)
Description: Beautiful stallion with good expression and long lines but a little flat in the croup, good strong frame and limbs with good gaits.
Career: Second Thoroughbred at the Schlenderhan stud after Adonis xx
Genetic legacy: Good success in producing brood mares, excellent offspring in sport with some outstanding products
6 licensed sons: Markant, Mangold, Markus, Manfred, Marinus, Marius
19 premium mares (10 State Premium, 9 Verband Premium). He produced in 1972 and 1973 the most successful Oldenburg sport horse.
Makuba xx:
(Goody xx, M. Mainburg xx by Gundomar xx – Janus xx). Born 1956)
Description: Tall, distinctive stallion with a lot of expression, a fine face, medium sized frame and limbs and good gaits.
Career: GAG 82 kilos, winner of all classes at the Thoroughbred show in Köln 1965. Same motherline as Maigraf and Marcio which were used in Hannoverian breeding. 1966 until 1972 at Ludwig Kathmann’s, then sold to Bavaria.
Genetic legacy: Very good, uniform heredity, mostly with dark coats for breeding horses, outstanding heredity for sport horses with very good rideability and very good characters
4 licensed sons, none of which had much success in breeding
35 premium mares (21 State Premium, 14 Verband Premium)
Miracolo xx:
(Tantieme, M. Malta xx by Allgäu – Oleander xx. Born 1958)
Description: Big framed Thoroughbred with very good expression, excellent withers, good muscling and frame, outstanding gaits.
Career: Third Thoroughbred imported to Oldenburg after the Second World War, also coming from the Schlenderhahn stud. 1963 – 1972 at Vorwerk’s, then sold to Baden-Württemberg. Winner of the Thoroughbred show in Köln 1966 and 1968.
Genetic legacy: Excellent heredity for breeding, big framed offspring with good shoulders and withers, good results in sport
4 licensed sons, 41 premium mares (22 State, 19 Verband)
More Magic xx:
(by Vilmorin xx M: Jules Magic xx by Magic Red xx – His Highness xx. Born 1957)
Description: Medium sized stallion with good muscles and big lines, good fundament with small problems in the front legs, but with outstanding gaits.
Career: GAG 80 kilos, 1965 until 1972 at Vorwerk’s
Genetic legacy: Only grey offspring, very good heredity for breeding horses. Medium frame with good muscles, some excellent broodmares, produced riding horses with very good rideability for all kinds of sport.
5 licensed sons, 46 premium mares (21 State, 25 Verband)
Praefectus xx:
(by Primera xx M: Honey Portion xx by Major Portion xx – Hyperion xx. Born 1967)
Description: Very beautiful stallion with good muscles and frame, good shoulder, excellent croup, good frame, a little weak in the fetlock, very good gaits with good rhythm.
Career: Most expensive horse of the Thoroughbred auction in Ascot 1971. Stood at Vorwerks until 1975, then sold to Rheinland-Pfalz.
Genetic legacy: Good results for breeding, produced a lot of auction horses with good rideability. Good results in sport.
Vollkorn xx:
(by Neckar xx, M. Vogelwarte xx by Ansitz xx – Widerhall xx. Born 1961)
Description: Big framed Thoroughbred stallion with long lines and excellent withers, solid frame and limbs, excellent gaits.
Career: GAG 86,5 kilos, motherline similar to the Thoroughbreds, Vierzehnender and Venator. Breeder: G. Gäting, Esnshammer-Oberdeich.
Genetic legacy: Dominant, outstanding heredity for breeding and sport, produced outstanding broodmares and excellent sporthorses especially for eventing.
7 licensed sons, for example Volturno (winner of the licensing and main premium) 51 premium mares (31 State, 20 Verband)
Postscript – the Thoroughbred in Oldenburg Now
An article in Pferdeforum October 2014 looked at the research of Dr. Hinrich Meyer–Gerbaulet into Bloodline Diversity in the Oldenburg breed.
Dr. Meyer–Gerbaulet is a guest professor at the Trakia University Stara Zagora and personal advisor to the agricultural Minister of Bulgaria.
He analysed the paternal lines of young stallions presented at the Oldenburger licensings between 2006 and 2011. He found that they were influenced by 12 Thoroughbred stallions and a group of Trakehner stallions.
Almost 50% of all young stallions can be traced back to Furioso xx (16.25%), Rantzau xx (17.5%) and Sacramento Song xx (16.3%). These three stallions established three main bloodlines; Furioso xx is represented predominantly by Furioso II and Mexico, Rantzau xx lives on through Cor de la Bryère and Sacramento Song xx carries on through Sandro Hit and Sandro.
They are followed by another trio of Thoroughbred stallions that are represented in about a quarter of pedigrees, Devil’s Own xx (8.32%), Ladykiller xx (8.68%) and Orange Peel xx (8.56%). Devil’s Own can be found in the early lines of Donnerhall’s ancestors. Ladykiller influenced the showjumping breeding through his sons, Landgraf I and Lord, as did Orange Peel through Almé.
Other stallions of importance are Cottage Son xx (5.78%), Rittersporn (3.29%) and Ultimate xx (2.38%), plus the Trakehner stallions that account for a combined 4.95%. Cottage Son is represented by Capitol I, Rittersporn was instrumental for the sport horse breeding through the foundation sires, Rubinstein, Ramiro and Ramzes AA. The French sire Ultimate is very popular in modern jumping horse breeding, via Diamant de Semilly and also as dam sire of Almé.
Black Sky xx (1.67%), Likoto (1.02%) and Lauries Crusador (1.07%) together form about 4% of the Oldenburger bloodline.
It is evident that the English Thoroughbred played a pivotal role in founding the Oldenburger bloodline, even though it is only represented by a few select sons or grand sons and its use dates back many decades, or nine generations as in the case of Devil’s Own and Donnerhall.
Looking at the percentages of the individual lines for each year, the importance of Furioso xx and his sons Furioso II (Georg Vorwerk, Cappeln) and Mexico (Netherlands) has grown, followed by Rantzau xx and Cor de la Bryère (Schleswig-Holstein). Ladykiller xx, Landgraf I and Lord are also on the up, the contribution of Sacramento Song on the other hand is in decline.
Percentage average influence of the foundation line starts on young colts from the years 2006 – 2011 in the OL and OS Verband
OL and OS young colts 2006 – 2011. Percentage average of the foundation line starters:
