Last weekend was Hanoverian Verband immersion weekend. We began with a tour of the grounds of the Hanoverian Verband, the go-to place for Hanoverian breeders. We listened to a talk by Dr. Ludwig Christmann, the North American liaison, on the history of Hanoverian breeding and then toured the facilities developed for training, riding, showing and selling Hanoverians. It is a very organized society which culminates with the stallion approvals and auction next weekend.
The next night we attended the Hanoverian Gala, a popular local event which showcases the super stars of the breed, riders and horses alike. The show began with about a million ponies pouring into the arena amidst a cloud of smoke. We saw a jumping demonstration, a dressage kur and much more. The highlights of the auction, to be held the next day, were exhibited and there were many tributes to the best horses and oldest promoters of the breed. The highlight of the evening for me was to at last be part of the audience clapping in unison as their favorite stars left the arena in extended trots. The Germans are so attuned to horses that they immediately stop clapping and making noise at the slightest indication that the horse is frightened or confused by the furor. They really are a horse culture in every sense of the word.
Another highlight of the evening was when one of our tour members was high bidder on a gorgeous Fuerst Romancier colt, making us all vicarious bidders. Dr. Christmann very kindly assisted her with every aspect of her purchase, from pre purchase exam to actual bidding, when he sat right next to her and advised her. This is the kind of service visitors from the US can expect when attending a Hanoverian auction.
The prices of the Elite Auction overall were low compared to past years. In my opinion, they are slightly behind us in the global recession. They are just now hitting bottom, whereas North America has already hit bottom and seems to be slightly on the upswing in the horse business.