Breeding on the Bernhard farm had started with heavy horses, but after the Second World War, the attention turned to horses for the growing market of jumping competitors, but always as part of the overall farm economy.
Hobe has five mares of his own, and takes care of another ten for their owners. He uses frozen semen from stallions like Sandro Boy and For Pleasure, and with the mares that are more difficult to get in foal, fresh semen from the local stallions like Quiran.
Hobe with the famous Valeska IV
“I use stallions that produce horses that if I don’t sell the offspring as foals, they will make nice rideable showjumpers.”
Coriano with Judy Anne Melchior
The most famous horse he has produced is Coriano. The stallion is by Corrado out of Hobe’s Lord / Ramiro mare, and he stood at the Holsteiner Verband Stallion Barn at Elmshorn and at Zangersheide (where he also died). In 1993 Coriano passed his stallion performance test in Marbach with scores of 10.0 for character, performance ability and aptitude for jumping. He was an international star with Denmark’s Bo Kristoffersen and then won the 2003 Belgian Junior Championship with the Belgian Judy Ann Melchior before being ridden by her with success on the international circuit.
Corofino I (by Corrado I) out of Hobe’s mare Valeska IV (Fernando / Lord) jumped at 1.60m level. As dam sire he does excellent work, for example: H-Ekwador (by Heraldik xx) Olympic dressage horse with Katarzyna Milczarek, the eventer CP Qualified (by Quite Capitol) who was selected for WEG with Shane Rose and the international jumping horse Cristallo A LM (by Casall) who is jumping at 1.60m with Julien Epaillard. Another of Hobe’s mares, Kimberly (Contender / Lord) is mother to the approved Holsteiner stallion Crawford (by Corrado) and grandmother to Diarado (by Diamant de Semilly).
Another of the stallions Hobe bred – Crawford
Like many in Holstein, Hobe was a little concerned with the stallions at the 2014 licensing:
“I used to be in the licensing committee and I noticed this year that the quality was not so good. I agreed with the champion, Caracho (by Cassilano) because that was a horse with a complete package. A stallion that I really have high hopes for is the stallion Cobolensky (by Cornet Obolensky). His grandmother Estia/Cathleen W jumped at 1.55m level and before she went in sport she produced two foals as a four and five year old and still managed to be in the final of the Bundeschampionat as a six year old, she used to be at my farm. This mare also produced the world champion for team jumping with Gerco Schröder, Berlin. His great-grandmother was a not so big but beautiful mare with a lot of spirit.Together with the breeder of Berlin, Josef Unkelbach, and Elmar Pollman Schweckhorst we debate every year about what stallions we will use. Joself Unkelbach also used Diamant de Semilly for next year.”
And looking at the new stallions?
“I think that Dinken (by Diarado) and Quiran (by Quirado) are very interesting young stallions from the Verband. I also think that Casalito, Connor, Larcon and Stanfour are interesting stallions but time will tell what their offspring are like. Diarado will find his way back in sport and as a sire. I have seen excellent offspring by him. It is sad that his mother (also bred by Hobe) died after just two foals, she was a beautiful Corrado I mare. By the way Corrado I will celebrate his 30th Birthday on the 21st of February next year.”
Hobe said this with a very big smile, Corrado I had a huge impact on his breeding operation.
This profile was updated by Adriana van Tliburg in November 2014