1982 – 2010 167 cm. Chestnut

Breeder: Dr Max Schulz

It is no surprise given the success of the ‘B’ line horses, that Brentano II was crowned the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2003. The stallion received a laurel wreath and his breeder, the famed Dr Max Schulz-Stellenfleth received a cheque for €10,000.

Brentano was born in 1983, and is by Bolero out of Glocke, by Grande. His dam line is one of the most important for Hanoverian breeding tracing to the Schumann-mare S449. The stallions Garibaldi I and II, Wolkenstein I and II and Beltain, and the Grand Prix star, Beauvalais are all closely related to Brentano II.

As Britte Zungel put it in her obituary to the stallion:

“The pedigree reads like a poem: Bolero – Grande – Ferdinand – Marcio xx – Duellant. Classic Hanoverian producers with the desired blood connection through Black Sky xx and Marcio xx. Behind it stands the strong producing line of Alferate!”

“Brentano II’s career began at his licensing in Verden in 1985. “Here comes the king,” so said the breeding experts from Kehdingen when Willi Koppelmann entered the licensing ring with Brentano II. The liver chestnut left the Niedersachsenhalle as the celebrated champion. He finished his stallion examination as dressage champion with 141,4 index points in dressage. With a total index score of 130,00 he finished in second place overall. The first indication of his qualities showed when he finished fourth at the Bundeschampionate in Vechta under rider Michael Muller.”

“State stud director Dr. Bade sent the large-framed and powerful moving Brentano II to be stationed in Natbergen and later in Badbergen where he remained at stud during his time. He met a mare base there that he influenced lastingly. 488 daughters are entered into the Hanoverian studbook. 105 received the State’s Premium Award, including St Pr mare Brentina who, together with her two sisters by Weltmeyer, became the Champion Family on the German Mare Show in Warendorf in 1998. St Pr mares Bona Dea I and II were out of the same breeding program. They won the Ratje-Niebuhr-Prize in 2000. In addition Bona Dea II was the champion mare of her class.”

“Brentano II’s daughter Poesie became a sensation. This Brandenburg mare won the Bundeschampionat twice and became the World Champion of young dressage horses in 2003. Brentano II was an exceptional mare producer. Even though twenty-one of his sons have become licensed, so far not one has been able to follow into his sire’s footsteps.”

“Brentano II passes rideability and movement on to his descendants. It is not surprising that his offspring are in high demand on auctions. More than 100 sons and daughters have sold in Verden leading the way the top sellers Brentina, Brasseur, Bandito and Bon Jovi. Brentano II was celebrated in Verden as Hanoverian Sire of the Year 2003.”

“As a member of Celie’s quadrille of chestnuts Brentano II, who was trained to Grand Prix, was always most reliable, a gentleman through and through! “He was ‘our pal Brentana’, never sick and always content either under saddle or in front of a cart,” GHW Ulrich Segers from the insemination station Artland explains. Wherever Celle’s chestnuts were, Brentano II was always a part of the group. He travelled the entire world as an ambassador for Hanoverian virtues.”

The most famous Brentano of them all – American dressage team member, Brentina with Debbie McDonald

Brentano’s daughter Brentina, ridden by Debbie McDonald, won the 2003 World Cup Dressage Final. The pair competed at the Olympic Games in Athens and Hong Kong. Brentina won team silver the WEG in Jerez and bronze in Aachen with the US team.

In his entry in the 2015 Hanoverian Stallion book, Brentano II is credited with 647 competition horses with winnings of €593,992 with 45 advanced dressage horses and two advanced jumpers.

He has a 2014 FN dressage index of 119 (jumping 54). His Hanoverian dressage ranking is 106 against a jumping ranking of 79.

Benneton Dream

Brentano II is the sire of 23 licensed sons, although a successor to him has yet to emerge… although his son, Benetton Dream who is now competing Grand Prix, is proving an above average sire.

In the 2020 Hanoverian Stallion Book (the last in which he appears), Brentano’s competitors  number 722 with winnings of €668,476. 618 dressage horses (57 to S level), 120 jumpers. He has a negative value for type – 95 – but a positive value – 106 – for limbs and conformation. His 2020 Hanoverian value for dressage is a modest 100 against a 78 for jumping.

He sired five horses with winnings of over €10,000, Brentina remains his richest competitor with winnings of €64,633.

On the 2020 German FN young horse values, he scores 107, for open competition, 112, and for highest level achieved, 122.