Event Location Verden: The Hanoverian Summer

From March - July selected early born foals complete the offer on every riding horse auction. In addition to that, a dedicated foal and broodmare auction puts all focus on the youngest every first week of August.

In Verden, something is always going on! No matter summer, winter, spring or autumn. The Verden Auctions that take place every other month already make the “Rider-Town” Verden, as the Northern city the Hannoveraner Verband calls its home is commonly called, to a go-to destination for every horse person. The traditional auctions are accompanied by the international shows covering all levels and ages, of horses as well as of riders. Above that, breed shows, vaulting championships and more make the summer in Verden a unique experience no true horse lover can miss!

Verden Auctions
The auctions are the poster child of the event location Verden. And that not only since yesterday. More than 60 years ago – in 1949 – visionary Hans Joachim Köhler brought them to life. The original aim was to provide a marketing platform for the breeder, which the auctions still provide nowadays. In doing so, about 60 to 120 horses get selected for each of the auctions, making it just as convenient for the interested buyer to see many horses in a short amount of time; especially all pre-selected, vetted, and thoroughly tested. The auctions provide a marketing platform for the breeder, not only for the sale itself. To only present a horse within the auction setting means a rigorous selection process has been passed; a quality label for the dam line itself. The buyers value the transparency. Being able to see the horses all in the same location at the same time, under show-like circumstances, enables them to objectively compare each horse against the other and leaves little room for later surprises, especially as the horse can be tried and monitored over the two-week auction period as opposed to only at certain pre-determined times. At the Hannoveraner Verband we value this transparency. The doors are open to the public all day, even outside of the training times surprise visitors are always welcome.

The satisfaction of our customer, the breeder as well as the rider, is what keeps our team going. Like Christine Traurig already said: “As an auction rider, it is your duty to present the breeder’s horse to the best extend possible. That is a huge responsibility. At the same time, you need to provide excellent customer service to the buyer and ensure to pair the right horse with the right rider.” The system that Hans Joachim Köhler established and Christine Traurig already experienced is still in place. Of course there have been changes and enhancements throughout the years, but the fundament is still the same: conscientious selection of the auction candidates, high requirements for quality, ride-ability, character and the appropriate impression throughout the training in Verden itself before the horses get auctioned off. All this has created the auction place Verden – and secures the prime perception worldwide.

Happy customers at the Verden Auction. (Photo: Ernst)

The auction year begins with the Verden Auction in January, followed by auctions in March, May and July. The auctions from March through July are completed by the early-born foals that make a nice addition to the riding horses and thus complete the experience. Furthermore, in July, a dedicated auction is held for foals and broodmares. After that, the highlights of the “Golden Autumn” will follow. Those are the 133rd Elite Auction for riding horses and foals and the stallion licensing with the stallion market, followed by the November Auction.

However, Verden has more to offer. It is not only the perfect spot to find your future champion, but also a prime location for renowned horse shows. 34 international championships have already taken place at the facilities of the Hannoveraner Verband. German and European Championships are held here since 1983 and at the latest since the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses have been established in 1997, Verden is a well-known show ground. “Little Aachen” is what they call it in expert-circles. Guests from all over the world are welcomed in Verden and therefore the offer of events is broad.

Summer Highlights in 2016

Verden Auction in July and Hanoverian Championships HALT

Breeding and sport belong together. Therefore a new concept has been established. For the first time the Hanoverian Championships HALT are held in conjunction with the Verden Auction in July. For our visitors that means top-class sport on one side, premium-quality youngsters in the auction setting on the other. The Hanoverian Championships HALT are one of the most traditional shows in the North of Germany and receive high entries and visitor numbers year after year. Here the Regional Championships for Dressage and Show-Jumping are held alongside with Kids-Games, the Lead-Rope Class for the youngest, Pony Championships and pretty much everything from the Young Horse all the way up to the highest levels. The auction training starts on the 4th of July and leads up to the actual auction on the 16th. The classes of the Hanoverian Championships start the 13th of July and end on Sunday the 17th with the regional finals.

The auction collection itself is made up of 98 riding horses, 68 dressage horses and 30 jumpers, and 57 foals. Amongst those are riding horses that show talents in both disciplines and above that provide the valuable traits as a partner for leisure riding. “Quality and Ride-ability” – that is how auction manager Jörg-Wilhelm Wegener describes the composition of the auction collection as he is very pleased with the variety of the horses that will be offered.

International Dressage and Jumping Festival and Foal and Broodmare Auction

Presentation of the young mares on the triangle. Photo: Ernst

Following from the 3rd to the 7th of August in the rider town Verden the International Dressage and Jumping Festival will take place. Again riders and horses are in the spotlight for dressage and show-jumping. The opening of the festival is made by the so-called “Herwart von der Decken-Schau”, a meeting of the best 3-year old mares of the Hanoverian breed.
The variety of the International Dressage and Jumping Festival itself is unique on its own. The complete range of classes, from Young Horses to Grand Prix is covered. Qualifiers for the “Bundeschampionate”, the German National Young Horse Championships for 3- to 6-year old horses alongside with the Hanoverian Dressage Championships, the Qualifications for the Nuremberg Cup and the Piaff-Foerderpreis (U-25 Grand Prix) all the way up to Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special guarantee excellence. The jumping ring is just as spectacular with international classes on CSI**-level, the Hanoverian Jumping Horse Championships, and the Amateur-Tour Gaudemus Equis.

Another highlight of that weekend is the Foal and Broodmare Auction on the 5th and 6th of August. Offered are 90 foals and 10 broodmares. On Friday the 5th of August foals number 1 – 49 will be presented on the show grounds and from 6pm going forward they will enter the auction ring in the Niedersachsenhalle in the same order. The following day, Saturday the 6th of August, the foals number 51 - 90 will follow. They will also enter the show grounds on the occasion of the foal presentation at 1 pm and thereafter the auction at 6pm. The Saturday Auction will be complemented by an attractive offer of carrying broodmares.

Vaulting

Team Neuss, winner of the German Vaulting Championships in 2015. (Photo: Tilgner)

Also at home in Verden: the vaulting! August 25th to 28th Germany’s best vaulters will meet at the Niedersachsenhalle to compete for the title of German National Vaulting Champion. In the prior year the CVIO took place in Verden and enthused spectators from all over the world. Well-known acrobats like the Brothers Brüsewitz and the success team from Neuss will show their creativity in an esthetic freestyle.

Foals and Broodmares
Next to these three major equestrian events that are marked by variety, the summer time is always also the time of the foals. Throughout the whole breeding area foals come into the world. Many breeders claim this to be the best time of the year as they proudly present their breeding products and hopes for the future on the breed shows.

Winning mare dressage in 2015: Bonita Spring by Boston/Fidertanz. (Photo: Tilgner)

The same focus is on the broodmares. For shows they are neatly prepared and presented on the triangle to prove their qualities. The mares are the display of the breed. “You do not breed a mare, you breed a dam line” is what they say, “that is what brings you the quality into the breed”. To ensure the quality in the breed and increase value of the line, the mares attend these “pret a porter” shows to compete for the desired awards and prizes. They are evaluated for their exterior, gaits, expression, composition and blood lines.

Stallion Selection
The transition from summer to early autumn is initiated by the pre-selections of the stallions for the licensing. They are the precursor of the breeding highlight of the year: The stallion licensing and the stallion market in October. A couple hundred two and a half-year old stallions step in front of the selection committee in the four to six weeks leading up to the licensing – only the best will be invited to take the journey to Verden.

Golden Autumn
The ”Golden Autumn“ itself has much to offer on its own. The kick-off is made by the 133rd Elite-Auction on the 8th of October. Here the crème de la crème enters the auction arena: Championship Horses of today and tomorrow. At times, the success horse Brentina by Brentano/Weltmeyer, one of the USA’s most successful dressage horses, was discovered here. The Elite Auction is initiated by the Gala-Evening, a show program around the horse. Beginning on Friday at 8pm it means: Lights off – spot on! Northern Germany’s most famous show program around the most popular horses in breeding, sport and auction has the stage.