The Provincial Federation of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders is the successor of the first officially recognised breeders' cooperative, which after its foundation in 1904 established and maintained the first stud book of the breed.
Today, the Federation represents the interests of breeders in the Haflingers' region of origin. Being the breeding organisation with the largest population of horses, it is a key bench mark in the international breeders' community.
Committed to tradition – and to the future: In its work, the Federation aims to preserve and promote the breed in South Tyrol with a focus on its genotypic and phenotypic diversity.
Careful breeding efforts are put in place to safeguard and boost the horses' health, robustness, fertility and longevity. In doing so, the work is practice-orientated and based on scientific expertise: Great importance is attached to the characteristics and distinctive features of the breed in order to ensure the selection and rearing of horses with an excellent character that can perform at the very highest level.
To achieve that, it is crucial to bring together breeding and equestrian sport. The Federation links and promotes both areas intensively: All breeding and selection is based on each horse's breeding value evaluation as well as data and figures concerning its performance and information on its pedigree and lineage.
The Provincial Federation of South Tyrol Haflinger Horse Breeders currently provides its services and assistance to some 800 members who own approximately 3,500 horses used for breeding (2019). Among its members are the South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association and the South Tyrol Young Haflinger and Noriker Breeders' Association. The Federation has also taken South Tyrolean Noriker breeders under its wing.
Administrative board
Chairman: Erich Messner
Vice-Chairman: Richard Gamper
Board members: Thomas Alfreider, Peter Braun, Josef De Zordo, Georg Höller, Tobias Marth, Richard Raffl, Josef Reiterer, Alexander Rier, Heinrich Unterweger, Peter Zöggeler, Edith Obexer (Noriker breeders' representative), Svenja Ratschiller (Representative of the South Tyrol Young Haflinger and Noriker Breeders' Association), Christoph Zöggeler (Representative of the South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association)
Executive Committee
Erich Messner, Richard Gamper, Edith Obexer, Alexander Rier, Georg Höller, Peter Braun, Thomas Alfreider, Svenja Ratschiller
Breeders' representatives
Erwin Delueg, Georg Oberkofler, Peter Zöggeler, Josef Reiterer (substitute), Helmuth Senn (substitute)
Breeding Advisory Council
Thomas Alfreider, Dr. Alessandro Botte, Peter Braun, Helmuth Breitenberger, Erwin Delueg, Josef De Zordo, Richard Gamper, Georg Höller, Tobias Marth, Erich Messner, Alexander Mittelberger, Katja Müller, Georg Oberkofler, Richard Raffl, Josef Reiterer, Helmuth Senn, Peter Zöggeler
Sports Advisory Council
Kathrin Erschbamer, Richard Gamper, Johann Hafner, Priska Kelderer, Christine Kofler, Lisa Lemayr, Roland Morat, Claudia Pircher, Christoph Zöggeler, Tobias Zöggeler
Marketing Advisory Council
Andrea Aster, Richard Gamper, Georg Höller, Norbert Köck, Jonas Oberhammer, Edith Obexer, Alexander Rier
Noriker Advisory Council
Lukas Gröber, Klaus Lanziner, Erich Messner, Enrico Nagler, Edith Obexer, Edmund Zitturi