Abglanz

Abglanz was perhaps the most influential stallion of modern times in the Hanoverian breeding district, and his infusion of Trakehner lightness and ‘blood’ can be clearly seen in today’s modern Hanoverian horse. When asked in an interview in 2000, about the most influential stallions in his time at Celle – which stretches 1973 to 1979 as assistant to Dr von Stenglin, and from 1979 to 2007, as the director of the stud – Dr Burchard Bade paid tribute to the refugees from the East: “We must say that there has been a very big influence of the Trakehner horses, that, and the selection of our broodmares. Our brood mares went from 34,000 in 1947, to 1960 when we had 4,000 broodmares, that is a big opportunity for selection, to get rid of the old types, and during that time we had the very good chance to use the Trakehner stallion, Abglanz and his son, Absatz and the grandsons, and great-grandsons. They had a very big influence on the ‘type’ of the Hanoverian horse, and in riding quality as well – although in Hanover, I think we had good quality in riding horses before then, but to better the type, the Trakehner horses were very important. In Celle in 1949, there arrived 39 Trakehnen stallions from eastern Prussia.” Abglanz and his progeny are credited with bringing about great improvement in the head and neck of the Hanoverian horses. As Abglanz spent his entire breeding career in Celle serving the Hanoverian brood mare population, his influence in the Trakehner studbook was limited, and he produced only nine registered Trakehner daughters and three Trakehner sons, Kassio, Morgenglanz and Valentin. Without Abglanz, there would be no Weltmeyer, without a doubt Hanover's most prominent stallion for the past years. Weltmeyer's dam Anka was by Absatz, and he further carries the blood of Semper Idem through his sire World Cup I.