Ark reserve Holle

How everything began:

My family and me we had hardly acquired in 1983 a single-family dwelling in Elsfleth, district Wesermarch, and had covered, I noticed an approx. 5000 square meters meadow which bordered almost on our property and was used evidently by nobody. Quickly I had found out that it belonged to the city administration Elsfleth and was to rent for a symbolic price.

And the lease was not completely concluded yet, there the first Shetlandpony-mare also already held in our new domicile. I could have written here now quietly " in our house ", because at night "stable- technical" was accommodated her first in the spacious underground parking present under our house.

I bought the coach which had pulled "Ferry" with her previous owners, immediately with, and once with it my "children's dream" was fulfilled first.

Shetlandpony-Mare Ferry

Unfortunately, Ferry had no papers, and quickly I discovered that my real passion was founded in the breeding by ponies. And so Ferry was already exchanged next year for Mary, a Shetty-breeding mare with papers and colt foal with foot - and this was the real beginning of a hobby which should turn upside down our whole previous life.

The first selfpulled foal received Mary in 1985 still from a stallion who was not ours. And naturally she should immediately be supplied again to a stallion. I had selected this time to me a veteran: Golddollar, the meanwhile 22-year-old son of the legendary Goldfax should be absolute. But instead of me after inspection of this stallion Mary to him brought, I got "Goldy" to myself. Not possibly only to the unique blanket, no! I had bought him and was unexpected with it completely suddenly and not only owner of a mare but also "stallion's holder"!

Shetlandpony-stallion Golddollar

A mare, a stallion: to every authority will be clear that this is a clear disproportion, and our Shetty-herd grew very quickly on the magnificent number of 15 ponies.

The successive changement from Shetland on the breeding of Welsh B - ponies began with the acquisition of the mare 12-year-old Coed Coch Olga in 1986.

Olga was 2-year-old, i.e. in 1976, from her birthplace, the legendary Coed Coch stud in Wales, to Germany been imported. Her career as a breeding mare began with Mr Horst Kayser from Elsfleth-Burwinkel with which she gave the life in the time from 1980 to 1984 filly and three colt foals. With last these four foals with foot I provided her first to a friend who could keep Olga, however, only well during 1 year. And so she held in spring, 1986 as the first Welsh-mare in our breeding stable which was recruited till there, how at the top implemented, from Shetlandpony-mares and a stallion.

In the high age of 26 years Olga bore in 2000 last from altogether 15 foals. Today three her children put out the trunk of our Welsh B-breeding, these are this the Royal-Blueberry-daughters Equus Olga and Equus Priciau and the son of the Hondsrug Puccini Equus Portos from which we expect this year (2004) first foals.

In spring, 2001 we had to let meanwhile 27-year-old Olga put to sleep difficult heart, after she did not come finally any more on her legs.

How it went on:

Coed Coch Olga was pregnant by the Welsh B-stallion Alvaro as us her acquired and the first foal did not keep waiting long for itself. Equus Odessa we named the first Welshfoal born by us which we presented together with the mother in August, 1986 on the show of the Welsh-regional group IG Weser-Ems to the judge of that time, Mr Hans Georg Bönninger, for the judgement. Olga achieved on the Klosterkielhof of the family Winkler, Hude, a considerable Ic-price, and Odessa gained even the victory in the class the Welsh B-foals.

South End Caruso, geb. 1981,
v. Whatton Copper Beech
a.d. Mynach Coral v. Brockwell Cobweb

Already in spring, 1986 we had Olga of Weser-Ems sitting one day winner's stallion South End Caruso, named Compass, by Whatton Copper Beach, allow to cover. Following year from this coat falling colt foal Equus Korsar, we sold as an yearling to Mrs Petra Roolfs (today Mrs Bigeschke, Apero-stud). Korsar got in autumn, 1989 from the Pferdestammbuch Weser-Ems the German serving license. Unfortunately, this hopeful stallion already died after the end of his second serving season.

In September, 1987 we met on the 12th federal show the IG Welsh in the Aachen Soers a stallion who should affect our Welsh B-breeding up to current day lastingly:

Bengad Blueberry in 1990
on the International Welsh show in Roskilde / Denmark

Marie Freifrau of Redwitz from Rennertshofen presented her 13-year-old Welsh B- stallion Bengad Blueberry by Springbourne Blueberry out of Rhyd-Y-Felin Daisy Chain by Coed Coch Berwynfa and as a Supreme champion of the sections A and B he entered upon at the end of the show the journey home to Bavaria.

My decision stood firmly: even if the way was to him still so far, our Coed Coch Olga should be covered next year by Blueberry! The fact that in the beginning of 1988 we went not to him, but Blueberry came to us and also should remain for the next three years as a lending stallion with us, I would never have to hope half a year before ventured.

In the second serving season Mr Bodo Spieker from Stadland led his Welsh B-mare Angel by Silbermond out of Coed Coch Adnod by Coed Coch Tysilio to "our" Blueberry, and from this coat fell on the 14th of May, 1990 the colt foal Royal Blueberry.

Royal Blueberry I could acquire as an Yearling. He should give to us after his serving licence in autumn, 1992 by the Pferdestammbuch Weser-Ems up to his sales in 1999 to Mrs Sabine Kossack (stud Berkatal/Hessen) the basis for our other Welsh B-breeding: three his daughters, the full sisters Equus Olga and Equus Priciau out of Coed Coch Olga, and Equus Clara out of Lintelo Clair belong to our mare's trunk.

Blue is a classic "Welshman": Classically pulled (his Pedigree combines a lot of Tan Y Bwlch Berwyn / Coed Coch Berwynfa with the best A-blood and a shot Downland), classically in the Exterieur (type, foundation, quality and really movement) and classically in the interior (extreme performance readiness, capacity, hardness and a strangely balanced temperament).

With the Coed Coch Berwynfa-granddaughter Coed Coch Olga and the Coed Coch Berwynfa / Criban Victor greatgranddaughter Lintelo Clair as mating partners were manifested the classic blood lines with our offspring mares up to current day.

Besides, Royal Blueberry in a mating with the Welsh B-mare Moorkieker Hazel by Warmwell Sirocco left to us the born in 1998 son Equus Blueberry, which we sold in autumn, 1999 to Mr Franz Brocks from Ostbevern (Frankenbach stud).

Equus Blueberry became in 2001 from the Westfälischen Pferdestammbuch e.V. the German serving certification and stands in this season (2004) on the Linebrok stud of the family Suhr in Oldenbrok in the serving application. Currently we let cover our mares Lintelo Clair, Equus Olga and Equus Priciau - latter are half sisters of Blueberry.

Equus Blueberry on the 29th of May, 2004
on the day of the open door of the family Suhr
(photo: E. Holin)

In search of Solway Master Bronze:

In 1987 I became on the occasion of the Dutch Stallion Show in Ermelo on a Welsh B-stallion attentive which led the blood of another classical author who was absent in the Pedigrees our Welsh Bs to date completely and after which I had already kept a lookout since some time: because of his oversizing (143 cm) he competed in Ermelo with the section Pb, and he was about his father Lechlade Scarlet Pimpernel a grandson of the blood-moderated Solway Master Bronze searched by me:

Tetworth Crimson-Lake in 1988
on the stallion's performance test in Münster-Handorf

Tetworth Crimson-Lake led not only the blood searched by me, in addition, he was also a movement artist and disposed of an enormous jump property. In the Netherlands he had won four years old a M-jumping against big horses. When I found out that he would stand in the next season with Mr Bart van Oene in stolzenau/Germany on serving station, I allowed to cover ours only 126 cm big Coed Coch Olga of him, also in the hope to reach thereby a little bit more size in the breed.

Equus Orinda in 1991 (3-year-old) winner the Welsh B - mare's class
on the regional show IG Welsh in Wetzlar / Hessen

Now, the latter hope did not rise first: Equus Orinda reached only briefly the size of her mother. And, nevertheless, I was convinced as Tetworth Crimson-Lake so that I bought him still in the year of Orinda’s birth (1988) and imported him to Germany.  

But I allowed to sire Olga in 1988 first from Bengad Blueberry, however, then Crimson-Lake was during the following years the renewed mating partner. Certainly, the both next foals were substantially taller, Equus Ophelia (born in 1990) and Equus Charly Brown (born in 1991) than Orinda, Charly Brown - in 1993 from the Ponyverband of Hannover for the pony breeding allowed to serve - grew even about the highest breeding size of 137 cm out and reached almost the size of his father, but the fourth descendant, Equus Crimson and Clover (born in 1993) underbade even the size of his mother.

„Equus Charly Brown“, now 16-years-old
and since 5 years owned by Silke and Lisa Stark

Because Tetworth Crimson-Lake had proved his real breeding potential in the Welsh Partbred breeding also in the Netherlands and had grown up for ourselves, meanwhile, Royal Blueberry as a stallion, I decided to separate from Crimson-Lake and sold him in 1993 to the breeding community Mey/Löwenstein from Grossbodungen/Thuringia which had begun since the turn to be based with gradually shifting main point to the pony breeding a stallion attitude entreprise.

The Hondsrug stud:

For the breeding with our stallion Royal Blueberry I searched near Coed Coch Olga long time another classically pulled Welsh B mare. Coed Coch Nye and Coed Coch Adrian were in the beginning of the 90s still in the Dutch deck application, and so I decided to stretch my feelers in direction of Holland. What was more likely at that time to contact late Mr Manfred Müller from Westerstede as which, unfortunately, meanwhile, too early which was in the Dutch Welsh scene more at home than in ourselves.

I did not find this what I searched, actually initially. Instead I might accompany Manfred Müller in 1995 by one of his visits of the Hondsrug stud of the men Rudolph Drenthe and Cornelis (named Cord) Strijker. I knew about the both to this moment only that they bred for years Welsh As and Welsh Bs. Certainly, name like Hondsrug Raspoetin, Hondsrug Flamingo (a son of the Tetworth Crimson-Lake) or Hondsrug Don Gregory had already belonged I, but I had never met their growers previously.

The first pony which they showed to me was a grey mare already 29-year-old to this moment whom they fed the mercy bread on a meadow directly behind their house. And when this old Lady sat down for me in trot movement, I did not believe my eyes in trusting: How from wings carried she took off and the green hardly seemed to touch under her hoofs. Llwynygog Magic called this Welsh B mare. She had 87.5% Welsh A blood and went back in the third generation immediately 3x to the legendary Coed Coch Madog.

First I found out only that Magic was among other things the mother of Hondsrug Raspoetin which had produced also the son very much known in Germany Rakt's Rocky again. Among other things Rakt's Rocky is the father of the stamp stallion Hondsrug Don Gregory in Schleswig Holstein.

Then by the car it was to the meadows of the Combinatie Drenthe and Strijker, and there expected me between 30 and 40 Welsh A- and Welsh B mares 6 Welsh B-foals, latter all descendants of the Welsh of B stallion Blethni Puck by Carolina's Purple Emperor. However, in their spell, first of all, single two Welsh B-mould mares of this herd pulled me. According to movement they followed to the previously seen Llwynygog Magic in nothing, and so it did not surprise me naturally that it was with these mares about Magics daughter and granddaughter.

The daughter was 10 years old, called Hondsrug Briall, and had calculated the stallion to the father from whom I had separated only 2 years previously: Tetworth Crimson-Lake!!!

Naturally I would have gone really on the spot home to get our supporter and to take Briall with after Holle. But Rudolph and Cord had something in the sense with me, unfortunately, just completely does not determine to sell to me this mare. Since it was then, finally, so far, 8 long years passed! Only in 2003 she held entry in our stable, the Queen of Hondsrug how I named Briall for a long time lovingly.

But how at the top already mentions, I held one day for a long time look out after a mare accordinge to age already capabl of breeding, and because I had had no success with the search for blood connection for our Coed Coch lines till there, I could resist to the temptation to try it with an out cross, in view of a lot of beautiful Hondsrug ponies not. Certainly, it required of tough negotiations, but, finally, I had the 2-year-old at that time Hondsrug Marilyn by Rakt's Rocky out of Hondsrug Patrona by Cawdor Sir Horace can buy.

Briall introduced to our first visit on the Hondsrug stud - at that time unsalable - Stutfohlen of Blethni Puck with foot and had been covered again by him. In the hope that she would have received, meanwhile, again a fillyfoal I drove in 1996 the second time to Rudolph Drenthe and Cord Strijker. If already not the mother, so I would gladly have had a daughter of her. Therefore, big was the disappointment when I found out that it had become this time a coltfoal. I wanted to buy such under no circumstances.

But firstly it comes in a different way, and secondly thinks as one: Hardly I had seen the small shoot, there nothing was left from said intention, but also nothing at all more. Hondsrug Puccini called small something, and with it he only did not have to grow up, I bought a 3 quarter brother of the same age immediately in addition.

Puccini became in February, 1999 of the horse family album Schleswig Holstein / Hamburg the serving certification. Since 2001 he belongs to the family Lassel from Pöttmes/Bavaria (acacia court). The last year (2003) he covered there among other things Hondsrug Marilyn who is already since 1999 on the acacia court at home. On the regional show IG Welsh Bavaria of this year on the 27th June, 2004, the fillyfoal Akazienhof's Mariah fallen from this coat was chosen to the whole foaling winner.

Hondsrug Puccini left ourselves in 2000 our current stallion Equus Portos which has become for the first time itself a father (Equus Athos, Equus Aramis and Equus D'Artagnan) this year.

This year we have supplied Portos to ser his grandmother Hondsrug Briall.

What lasts long, at last, becomes well …

With the purchase of Hondsrug Marilyn my search for one was not given up to our Coed Coch lines fitting mare naturally. And Marilyn had held just entry in our stable, there the meanwhile world-wide recognized Dutch Welsh pony judge, Mr. Ad Beekman announced itself to me and offered to me a at that time (1995) 5-year-old daughter of Coed Coch Adrian. Lintelo Clair had been sold shortly before by him for riding purposes, but it soon turned out that Clair liked no saddles (saddle constraint), and so Mr. Beekman had taken back her again.

Lintelo Clair with her filly foal Equus Candy born in 2000,
today in the possession of Mrs Claudia Anker, Austria

From the blood lines she corresponded exactly to him what I had looked so long for: Paternal she went back in the third generation to both line founders Coed Coch Berwynfa and Criban Victor, Clair's mother was the Welsh A mare Roman Cleopatra, a daughter of stamp stallion's Revel Tobias.

Meanwhile, Lintelo Clair has brought us altogether 5 children of our (former) stallions Royal Blueberry and Hondsrug Puccini, and we believe that Clair belongs to our best breeding mares. This year she is covered by us Equus Blueberry (Royal Blueberry x Moorkieker Hazel by Warmwell Sirocco).

The generation change is introduced

The 20th year of the breeding of Equus Welsh B ponies walks towards to his completion. My main concept was and is to retain the blood lines of the legendary Coed Coch of stud. Today all our ponies on several short go back with the exception of Hondsrug Briall to Coed Coch Berwynfa, Briall for it on mother's side like three times on Coed Coch Madog. Now about Tetworth Crimson-Lake (Lechlade Scarlet Pimpernel), Hondsrug Puccini (Blethni puck - Carolina's Purple Emperor), Shamrock Mr. Oliver (Arkelshof’s Sunstar – Arkelshof’s Sunlight x Greenlinks Miss Muffet) and Moorkieker Hazel (Belvoir Harebell - Lechlade Scarlet Pimpernel) the blood of Solway Master Bronze also flows in the veins of our breeding.

Continuously to hold an existence between 15 and 20 Welsh B ponies, to supply and to study, has been possible to me only with the support of my family. Our now 21-year-old son Reemt has got ready for a long time to start my breeding succession. He has bought from his first apprentice's relations to himself as the first breeding mare Lintelo Clair of me. Meanwhile, we two have created a fair breeding community, the futher breeding design lies more and more in his hands.

His almost 16-year-old sister Jobje has taken over the riding education of our ponies. By the creation of a riding place on our court the conditions have improved on it essentially.

Gjalt becomes 18 years old shortly and is to us a faithful companion, helper and projectionist on the Welsh shows visited by us at home and abroad. And Tjalf, almost 23 years old and already since some years not any more on our court living, does support us with his skilled as a machine-builder with the stable development and investment development.

In 2005 the stud Equus goes to the 3rd decade. We intend, then to pass our 20-year-old breeding history with the presentations of Welsh the B ponies which they have stamped, within the framework of a multicoloured afternoon to revue. Besides, we hope for the support of all that Welsh friends in whose possession they are today.