Training Center Heldenberg

http://www.srs.at/en/training/

Trainingszentrum Heldenberg

http://www.srs.at/de/training/

The Spanish Riding School of Vienna. Part 1/2. - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2DPh9zvSb4&feature=channel&list=UL
Hello All,

A beautiful short documentary film about the SRS from 2001 that I have never seen before.

Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYThblo74hg&feature=channel&list=UL

marisela

Training Center Heldenberg

Since 2010 the summer stables of the Spanish Riding School are developed for a Training Center.
More info soon on the webpage of the Spanish Riding School.

Welcome! Let's get started!

I hope this blog will do the same good job as my Multiply blog "Horses and Dressage"!

Preview Translation (English) on the book Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse by Frank Westerman

http://www.letterenfonds.nl/images/dossier/Westerman-Dier-bovendier-sample.pdf
Hello All,
Amazon (USA) is announcing the kindle (Digital) version to be ready August 2nd, 2012. Unfortunately, at this point, there are no news on the paper version on that site.
The book has already been reviewed by the Sunday Times but I ignore if it has been released to the public in the British Islands.
Regards,
marisela

Karoline Valenta and Fabian at the 2012 European Junior and Young Riders Championships in Berne

After the 2012 CDI Achleiten last weekend as final selection opportunity the Austrian Equestrian Federation announced the teams that will represent Austria at the 2012 European Junior and Young Riders Championships in Berne, Switzerland, on 11 - 15 July 2012.

The Austrian Junior Riders' Team includes:

• Katharina Haas - Wilsberg (by World Magic x Weinberg)
• Lisa Maria Kerbler - Donna Rivera (by Rivero II x Horizon)
• Kristina Sober -  Perfect Illusion SJP (by Pierot x Mytens)
• Oliver Valenta - Rivel (by Rivero II x Polarstern)

The Austrian Young Riders' team is constituted by:

• Franziska Fries - Alassio's Boy (by Alassio x Heraldik xx)
• Lea-Elisabeth Pointinger - Gino (by Gardez x Adlerfarm)
• Tatjana Svehla - Donaublick (by  Don Vino x Brentano II)
• Karoline Valenta - Fabian (by Fabrian x Goldstern)

(Re)new(ed) management in the Spanish Ridingschool

Last week was announced that Director Ernst Bachinger will retire from his duty as "Leiter der Reitbahn" of the Spanish Ridingschool in Vienna this month. After more than 20 years as a rider and trainer, and 6 years as director he will leave Vienna.

This position will not be continued within the SRS.  In stead of this, the duties of Mr.Bachinger will be divided among three well-known senior riders:

Oberbereiter Wolfgang Eder and Oberbereiter Andreas Hausberger will be responsible for the equestrian fulfillment of this old institution for Classical High School Dressage.  Mr. Eder will be granted with the title 1st Oberbereiter (with a renewed job description for this traditional position), Mr. Hausberger will be responsible for the training center in Heldenberg (northwest of Vienna)

Bereiter Herwig Radnetter will be appointed as administrative manager for all matters concerning the riding (which includes the riding schedules and preparation of tours)


Beside this, today the Supervisory Board of the SRS decided to renew the contract for present General Manager Mrs. Elisabeth Gürtler and Operational Manager Mr. Erwin Klissenbauer for another 5 years.


http://www.srs.at/en/breaking-news/mrs-elisabeth-guertler-and-mr-erwin-klissenbauer-re-appointed-as-management-team/

http://www.pferderevue.at/?id=2500%2C5122173%2C%2C

Frank Westerman Dutchman wrote a book about the Lipik Lipizzaners

http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10085/1/Frank-Westerman-Dutchman-wrote-a-book-about-the-Lipik-Lipizzaners.html
While waiting for Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse to make its appearance in English language we can read about it.

Note: the spelling of the name of the breed is different. From Westerman's web page: “When you touch a Lippizaner,” Frank Westerman was told as a child, “you are touching history.”

Are they both accepted as correct?

Regards,

marisela

Another Star: Favory Ravella & Richard Hindrichs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzgwVwxDkqA

marisela

Hannah Zeitlhofer and Christopher Egger promoted to Assistant Rider

Eleve Hannah Zeitlhofer and Eleve Christopher Egger were promoted to Assistant Rider this afternoon.

A remarkable day for both Hannah and Christopher and for the Spanish Riding School!

First time in history of the SRS that a woman was promoted to Assistant Rider.

Austro-Hungarian Portal-historical site.

This site is like a revolving information sight. It shows how one topic is related to other topic of similar interest. When you go to the sight type Lipizzaner into the search box. Then click on to any of the other subject heads for a short history on the topic.

http://de.inforapid.org/index.php?search=Staatspferdezuchtanstalten

Neapolitano Dahes

N. Dahes did his first performance last weekend (March 17th and 18th). We did the Levade in Hand. This weekend (March 24th) he'll do the school quadrille for the first time with Eleve Hannah Zeitlhofer.

Will tell you how it went the following days.

SRS Saddle in EBAY

There is a SRS saddle for sale in EBay USA. I thought some of you might be interested in this. Also the seller offers some history details about the making of these saddles. My ignorance in this respect is complete so I cannot offer any comments on the authenticity of the information.
As a disclaimer I can say that I have no relation with ad or seller. This information is offered as entertainment value only. :)

marisela

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPANISH-RIDING-SCHOOL-SADDLES-RARE-/140715763134?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20c35025be#ht_500wt_1188

Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu Clinic Kentucky USA April 2012

Start:	Apr 26, '12 6:00p
End:	Apr 29, '12

Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu, author, past rider Cadre Noir, Graduate of Saumur. Riding Master. Will be in Louisville, Kentucky area giving lessons and group clinic. Darlene 502-419-7638

Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu Clinic Kentucky, USA March 2012

Start:	Mar 29, '12 6:00p
End:	Apr 1, '12

Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu, French Riding Master, past Cadre Noir. will be in Louisville area on this weekend.
He will be giving private and group lessons. There are a few spots still
available. Contact Darlene 502-419-7638

Odds and Ends -Lipzzaners and other white horse photos... lol

Cool Equine blog......

I found this internet blog about ancient euro-asian horse history. I just want to share it.

http://dariocaballeros.blogspot.com/

Albion Saddles

I thought I had read somewhere that the SRS uses only Spirig saddles at the School, but I've also read that the Spirig are the white saddles and that the "every day" saddles are either made or custom made by Albion.

Does the SRS use Albion saddles? Are they custom made or "off the rack"? If you don't use Albion or Spirig every day, which brand do you use?

Thanks!
Eileen

Das Schicksal der weissen Pferde - Eine andere Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts

‎'Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse': German, English, Italian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian and Spanish rights sold

NEWS: Filmrights sold to Pieter van Huystee Productions, Amsterdam.

Harvill Secker (London) and C. H. Beck Verlag (Munich) have bought the English and German translation rights of this new book of Frank Westerman. Other rights sold: Italian, Iperborea (Milano); Spanish, Siruela (Madrid), Polish, Czarne (Warswa), Slovenian, Studentska Zalozba (Ljubljana), Croatian, Durieux (Zagreb) and Czech (Host).
The tragedies of the 20th century told through the story of a horse - the lipizzan

In 'Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse' (Dier, bovendier), a leading role is reserved for a legendary Lippizaner stallion that played in feature films and Shakespeare productions.
“When you touch a Lippizaner,” Frank Westerman was told as a child, “you are touching history.” 
Now, as writer-narrator, he explores the history of this unique creature. Following the pure bloodlines of the studbook he reconstructs the story of four generations of “imperial steeds” as they survive the fall of the Habsburg Empire, two world wars and the insane breeding experiments under Hitler, Stalin and Ceausescu. 
What begins as a fairy tale ends up as a chronicle of the quest for racial purity. The reader is carried across Europe, from imperial stables and stud farms to the controversial gene labs of our day. If animal breeders are so good at genetic engineering, why do attempts to perfect the human strain always end in tragedy? 'Brother Mendel's Perfect Horse' is a modern fable in which the pureblood horse ineluctably points out man’s own shortcomings.
'Frank Westerman paints a huge impressionistic landscape of Europe, in which the history of the lipizzan horse is described against the background of the great schisms of modern times: communism versus capitalism, nature versus nurture.' 'A masterpiece.' - Manu Tassier, Best Book of 2010, De Standaard.

*****************************************************************************************************

Jetzt in der deutschen Sprache zur Verfügung: Frank Westerman's Bestseller von 2010 "Dier, Bovendier".

Das Schicksal der weissen Pferde - Eine andere Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts

"Ein brillanter, ein magischer Erzähler"(The Sunday Times) - Frank Westerman erzählt die Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts im Spiegel der Geschichte der Lipizzaner-Pferde. Der Leser verfolgt atemlos mit, wie gekrönte Häupter und Diktatoren um die "perfekten Tiere" kämpften - und gewinnt dabei erstaunliche Erkenntnisse über das Selbstverständnis des Menschen und sein Streben nach eigener Perfektion.

"Wenn du einen Lipizzaner berührst, berührst du Geschichte", wurde Frank Westerman als Kind belehrt. Dass diese Geschichte unheimlich und abgründig ist, hat er Jahre später als reisender Journalist und Schriftsteller auf den Spuren der Lipizzaner erfahren. Sie beginnt im heute slowenischen Lipica und in der Spanischen Hofreitschule zu Wien, wo die "lebenden Kronjuwelen" des Habsburgerreiches ausgebildet werden. Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg streiten sich Italiener, Österreicher und Tschechen um die wertvolle Zucht. Hitler begeistert sich für die weißen Pferde und bringt sie unter seine Kontrolle. 1945 evakuieren die Amerikaner die überlebenden Tiere in einer abenteuerlichen Aktion vor den Truppen Stalins und liefern damit den Stoff für einen Hollywood-Film. Schließlich wird in den Nachfolgestaaten Jugoslawiens heftig um die Pferde gestritten. Frank Westerman versteht es meisterhaft, uns am Beispiel der Lipizzaner die Träume von Reinheit und Perfektion vor Augen zu führen, die im 20. Jahrhundert zu unzähligen Katastrophen geführt haben, aber bis heute lebendig sind.

Frank Westerman, geb. 1964, studierte Hydrotechnologie an der Landwirtschaftlichen Universität Wageningen (NL). Er beschäftigte sich mit russischer Literatur und den Thesen Wittfogels über die Ursprünge des orientalischen Despotismus und arbeitete als Entwicklungshelfer bzw. freier Journalist u.a. in Kamerun, Kuba, Mexiko, Sierra Leone und im ehemaligen Jugoslawien. Von 1997 bis 2000 war er als Korrespondent in Moskau für die große niederländische Abendzeitung NRC Handelsblad tätig. Seit 2002 ist er Fulltime Schriftsteller. 


Das Schicksal der weissen Pferde - Eine andere Geschichte des 20. Jahrunderts
Autor: Frank Westerman
A. d. Niederländ. von Gerd Busse und Gregor Seferens
Verlag C. H. Beck: München 2012
287 Seiten, mit drei Karten und einer Stammtafel; 19,95 Euro 
ISBN-10: 340663088X
ISBN-13: 9783406630880 
http://www.chbeck.de/productview.aspx?product=9329191

Links:
http://www.frankwesterman.nl/start.html
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Westerman

http://www.wdr.de/radio/wdr4/panorama/buecher/2012/20120207_schimmel_traeume.html
http://www.ndr.de/kultur/literatur/lipizzaner101.html
http://www.tvthek.orf.at/topics/Kultur/3548249-ZIB-13/segments/3548413-Lipizzaner-Roman