Chronicle "100 Jahre Pferdezuchtgenossenschaft Sarntal"
On May 10, the Val Sarentina/Sarntal Horse Breeding Association celebrated its 100th anniversary.
To commemorate the occasion, an extensive horse show was organised and a much-anticipated chronicle book, written by Jakob Kofler and Flora Brugger, issued.
The book is a comprehensive documentation of the history of the Haflinger horse in its lands of origin and contains several previously unreleased documents. It offers an ample foray into an entire century and shows how deeply the Haflinger is rooted in the local history of the Val Sarentina/Sarntal valley. The efforts of local Haflinger breeders towards the development of the breed are explained in great detail. Several lists provide an extensive description of the most renowned brood mares and stallions.
The members of the Sarntal Horse Breeding Association with Flora Brugger and Jakob Kofler
Another aspect which has been duly represented in the book is the sports-related history of the Haflinger breed: 50 years ago, the Val Sarentina/Sarntal valley organised the first South Tyrolean sleigh race. It was also there that the first Haflinger Sports Association was founded.
The publishers have successfully compiled an impressive documentation of a piece of history of both the valley and the region South Tyrol and created an enjoyable chronicle filled with facts, figures, historical background information and even some curiosities. And if that was not enough, the book's magnificent photographs alone make it a real gem for any Haflinger breeder and fan. The chronicle was presented on May 8 at the Val Sarentina/Sarntal Horse Breeding Association's 100th anniversary and can be purchased directly from the Provincial Federation of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders (available in German language only).
South Tyrolean carriages win in Viechtwang (Austria)
The new tournament season has had a successful start for Hannes Weitlaner and Angelika Irschara of the Tolderhof breeding farm and equestrian centre in Valdaora/Olang. On the first May weekend, the village of Viechtwang in Upper Austria hosted a national tournament with international participation. Many of the over 80 competing carriage teams came from Italy and Germany.
Angelika Irschara and her Haflinger Silbernacht won all three competitions of the category "Singles Ponies and Haflinger, Class L" and were awarded the overall victory in their category.
Results
Singles Ponies/Haflinger, Class L
dressage
marathon
cones
total
1.
Angelika Irschara - ITA
50,33
1.
22,40
1.
0,00
1.
72,73
2.
Rudolf Pirhofer - AUT
51,67
2.
25,30
3.
3,61
3.
80,48
3.
Irmgard Vondraschek - AUT
54,33
3.
27,60
4.
0,00
2.
81,93
Pairs Ponies/Haflinger, Class S
dressage
marathon
cones
total
1.
Johann Weitlaner
50,05
2.
64,40
2.
0,00
3.
114,45
2.
Rupert Ganhör
51,07
3.
67,40
8.
0,00
2.
118,47
3.
Johann Weitlaner
47,10
1.
66,20
7.
5,49
6.
118,79
For Hannes Weitlaner, the tournament was the first qualification round for the world championship in August. He competed with two carriage teams: Alongside the two studhorses Adler and Anton Südtirol, Weitlaner also took the opportunity to qualify the two young Haflinger horses Feine and Silberstern as reserve horses. After winning the dressage competition with one pair of horses, he was runner-up with the other pair. Having come second and seventh in the marathon, he had accumulated sufficient points to win the whole category "Pairs Ponies and Haflinger, Class S (advanced class)" in the overall evaluation.
Mendy is the new Miss South Tyrol
1 - 3 May 2009: A high class Breeding Register Entry event
The regional breeding register entry event in South Tyrol has a long tradition dating back to the early 1990ies. Every year shows anew that the initiators launched the event with a great deal of foresight - it has already become one of the key elements of breeding in the Haflinger's home lands.
On May 3, the award ceremony concluded the registration of all Haflinger horses born in 2006 in the breeding registers. Of the about 200 initially signed up horses, 183 were presented at the event. 49 were awarded the highest class of breeding value; only 2 did not reach the minimum evaluation result.
Together with the National Selection of Haflinger Colts, the Breeding Register Entry held in Merano/Meran is without doubt the most important Haflinger breeding event in Italy and even Europe, unmatched by any other initiative so far. Its strongest aspect is its informative value, as it clearly demonstrates changes in breeding and trends. It is this aspect which made the Provincial Federation of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders determined to continue the event in its current form, although some breeders have suggested a decentralised registration carried out by the individual breeders' associations. At the Breeding Register Entry in Merano/Meran the entire horse population born in a specific year is presented: not only the highest quality class but all horses.
Breeders, visitors and experts for the Haflinger breed all agreed: this year's horses (born in 2006) convinced through a very balanced, high quality.
Facts and figures
For years, there has been a constant number of new foals in South Tyrol. This year 183 horses were presented (2008: 184), of which 49 were classified IB (44), 97 were graded IIA (93), 34 were rated IIB (31), 1 was deferred (9) and 2 were not accepted (3).
Legend IB - very good IIA - good II B - satisfactory N.A. - not accepted DEF. - deferred
