Second oldest breeding cooperative celebrates anniversary

The winners (from left): Melanie Oberhöller and Rosalinde Pamer with runner-up QUEEN-MARA BZ26366; Thomas Schwarz and Albert Spiess with ULLI BZ28141, the show winner; Andrea Aster with ZWENDY BZ28759 (third place)

On Saturday 04 May, the Val Sarentino/Sarntal Haflinger Horse Breeding Association held a large-scale horse show to celebrate its 110th anniversary. In spite of rather poor weather, more than 80 Haflinger mares – all beautifully groomed and prepared – were paraded in front of a large audience by their breeders clad in traditional local costumes, paying tribute to the long history of the breeding cooperative, which was founded in 1909 – only four years after the Meltina/Mölten First Association of Haflinger Breeders. Today, the traditions of the Val Sarentino/Sarntal valley are still largely regarded to have formed the basis of the breed that is now spread out all over the world.

Five-year-old ULLI BZ28141 (owner: Thomas Schwarz from Prati/Auen) is the winner of the anniversary show, with the reserve victory going to nine-year-old QUEEN-MARA BZ26366 (owner: Robert Oberhöller from San Martino/Reinswald). Three-year-old ZWENDY BZ28759 (owner: Haflinger Queen Andrea Aster from Prati/Auen) was voted the third most beautiful mare.

Results