More about Habicht

The most famous son of Burnusis Habicht, a jet black 16.2hh stallion, who made sure that the Lapis line will never be forgotten, and will go on into the next millenium. Habicht proved himself in breed and sport like no other Trakehner stallion before him.

Habicht's dam, the black Hallo, resembled  her mother Handschelle, the strongest and tallest of the 20 mares saved from the National Stud Trakehnen in 1945 through a passport issued by England's General Bolton. For her breeder, Prince Moritz of Hesse, Panker-Schmoel Stud, Hallo produced several foals, including the international show jumper, Halys, a black gelding ridden by multiple World Cup Champion and Olympic silver medallist Hugo Simon, of Austria.

Hallo’s daughter Halma (by Carajan) produced the approved Hagedorn (by Loretto). Halali II by Gondolier out of Hallo became dam of the approved Lombarde (by Loretto) and Koko (by Komet), dam of Handschwinge (by Sleipnir) who is dam of the elite mare and FEI show jumper Holy Pasadena (by Primo). Koko also produced Handchen by Flaneur, dam of the ATA approved Hurrikhan by Ginster. Apart from the very important branch via Hallo, Handschelle left her mark on the breed through her daughter Handfeste, dam of the great Harnisch.

Habicht was acquired by the Trakehner Verband to stand at Rantzau. From his first breeding season, Habicht produced  three influential horses: approval champion Seeadler, whose son Bellevue was a leading Trakehner showjumper of the 80s in Germany and whose granddaughter Renaissance Fleur TSF was one of Germany’s most successful Grand Prix horses until her tragic accident in February 2003, which left her with a broken front pastern, ending her competition career. Then premium stallion Coktail, maternal grandsire of Olympic bronze medalist Peron and finally Arwetta, one of Germany's best broodmares, multiple show winner at national level and dam of four approved stallions, Arsenal, Aron, Argument and Argonaut. Argument's son Anthony FRH out of a Hanoverian dam belongs to the top dressage horses in the world and won the team Gold medal at the European Championships in 1998 with rider Isabelle Werth.

At the age of seven, Habicht  started a sports career and would later return to breeding duties. Following in the footsteps of his father Burnus, Habicht was offered to the German Olympic Committee, where a competition ensued between the disciplines. Dr. Klimke wanted him as a dressage horse, and German team rider and Olympic medallist Lutz Goessing asked to have him as a show jumper. The event team won out, and Martin Plewa was chosen to be his rider. After six years in the sport, Habicht retired as one of the most successful three-day event horses competing. His international career was, however, hampered by tragedy. Habicht was the top qualifier for the '76 Montreal Olympics, as well as the World Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1978, but was not able to start at either venue. Prior to the '76 Olympics, Plewa was seriously injured in a fall from another horse, and prior to the World Championships, he was involved in a car accident. Plewa credits Habicht with giving him the confidence to compete again after his fall. Together the pair won the acclaimed international three-day event at Achselschwang '77 in the tough mountainous terrain near Munich, and Habicht was the best German horse at the CCI**** in Burghley '76, England. Late in 1980, Habicht returned to Rantzau to his stud duties. Habicht moved to his final destination, Gestüt Hörstein in Northern Bavaria, where he was used as well for other warmblood breeds. In 1991, Habicht finished as the first place Trakehner in his age group in the Equestrian Federation Yearbook, with 55 offspring winning money in all disciplines at German shows. In 1991, he also covered one of his last mares, the bay TB Wundermädel xx, the resulting foal Windfall, premium in NMS in 1994, would write history as the world’s most successful eventing stallion later in life. Shortly after his 25th birthday, tragedy ended Habicht's life when he had to be put down following an accident. It had been his most impressive son, EH Sixtus, who ended his life with a fatal blow to his hock, which left Habicht with a broken leg that despite all efforts ended the life of this magnificent animal.

But the Habicht legacy lives on. Sixtus became one of the youngest German Elite stallions, based largely on his own performance as an international show jumper and his impact on the breeding scene. His first approved son, EH Buddenbrock  was a successful event horse and sire to many outstanding sons, among them the two champion stallions EH King Arthur TSF and In Flagranti, and international performance horses in eventing and dressage.

In total eleven Habicht sons were approved, in addition to the above mentioned: Mauritius, Effekt, EH Parforce, Kolumbus, Empire, Markant, Balzflug and Vivus, of which Balzflug and EH Parforce are the most widely known. Balzflug -  was  also approved by the BWP (Belgian Warmbloed Paard) and was  used by the KWPN in the Netherlands, where three of his sons are approved and where he is regarded as a top dressage producer with offspring shining at the Dutch Championships. EH Parforce made his mark mainly in the jumper ring: he himself was successful up to S level; the most noted among his get is Phantom TSF, in 1998 for the third year in a row number one Trakehner show jumper in Germany (Sixtus was listed # 4). His two daughters ES Banteer TSF and SPS,PS+ES Bunbury TSF (both out of Bachkantate xx by Pasteur xx) were successful CCI*** event horses for Germany and now also succedeas brood mares.

Other 'Habichts' whose fame was based 'only' on a sports career: Livius, international show jumper with Anne Kursinki (USA), Dakapo, Pandur, Kyra and Korofino all at highest level jumping, Risiko, Halifax and Aaron at FEI level dressage, Konrad, Avalon and Foray (at CCI**) at advanced eventing.