Norbert Boley has been at Elmshorn since 1982. Boley was the protégé of Maas Hell who had been the Managing Director of the Holstein Verband since 1971. Hell noticed Boley, a graduate in architecture, when he proved himself a talented marketer of horses at Zangersheide. Hell supported Boley (who was to become his successor) and provided him with the support and backgrounding that helped him succeed in the job.

According to The Holsteiner Horse: “The stallions have to compete in the equestrian sport that has always been Norbert Boley’s premise. In the nineties he asserted himself to make sure that the Association’s stallions could compete at international level under top riders without the Holsteiner breeders losing them.”

“This resulted for instance in the collaboration with the Italian, Vincenzo Muccioli. He leased the sporting rights for Corrado I by Cor de la Bryère and Cassini I by Capitol I, who were subsequently able to notich up numerous victories in international classes with Franke Sloothaak under the prefix San Patrignano. The same situation was negotiated with Alfonso Romo from Mexico, for whom the Swedish rider, Rof-Göran Bengtsson, competes. Among others he rides the stallions Casall by Caretino and Quintero by Qauntum who both carry the stud’s name La Silla. Even though his passion lies in the jumping sport, Norbert Boley and the Holsteiner Association, also assisted the eventing rider, Herbert Blöcker to purchase such horses as the Championship horse, Roxana by Rapallo.”

According to Mr Boley: “The change before I came was much bigger with the introduction of a great deal of Thoroughbred blood and also, the arrival of Cor de la Bryère. In the last 25 years we have tried to bring in some new blood – like Quidam de Revel and some other French horses. But the main point of our breeding has been to produce the progress out of our own lines.”

With the emphasis always on jumping?

“Yes always jumping, but the direction changes, our horses always have good scope, but a lot has changed around. Now you still need scope, but also good style, you also need a very fast horse to win today, so we had to change our horses.”

“We have to find the right mix of all the different parts. We had the line of Ladykiller, which was very successful, we had the line of Cor de la Bryère, which was very good, Ramiro – little bit more on the mother’s side because he produced much better on the female side than the males. What was coming up, was the line of Capitol. We had to find the right mix.”

You had to refine the Capitol line?

“Yes, when I started in Elmshorn, Capitol was only four years old, so it was interesting to see how we could use this stallion. He gave real scope, simple horses, and that was good for the market, and good for the sport results. So now you see that balance in a stallion like Cassini who is one of the most important stallions this year in our country, and he is well-known all over the world. He had two winners at the WEG in Aachen, with Berlin and Cumano. He is by Capitol, but out of a mare by the Cor de la Bryère son, Caletto – and also with the Thoroughbred blood of Marlon.”

Cor de la Bryère provided a balance to Capitol, a little more careful?

“It’s a very good balance to the horses we had before. If you take a look at Eurocommerce Berlin, he is by Cassini but the mare is by Caretino, that’s Cor de la Bryère’s line – a lot of good horses have Cor de la Bryère on the mother’s side – Caretino, Caletto II, it’s a really good cross with the line of Capitol.”