The New Zealand Hanoverian Society is jumping into the future with an exciting new breeding programme. Taking the lead from Germany, the New Zealand Society, like its German parent, is broadening the base of its breeding programme to include a limited number of other top breeds to promote the breeding of high quality Hanoverian jumpers.
So far, although Hanoverians are the world’s top versatile sport horses, they are best known in New Zealand for their outstanding performance in the dressage arena. Now, with the introduction of new blood, the goal is to enhance this perception and produce a greater number of exceptional Hanoverian horses in show jumping and eventing as well as dressage.
Mares are chosen for the programme based on their pedigrees and their talent as measured by successful competition in show jumping or mare performance tests.
The New Zealand Hanoverian Society organises mare performance tests which include free jumping as well as riding tests. An expert judges’ panel scores each horse on its scope, technique and overall impression ( which accounts for canter and type etc.). The mare needs a score of at least 8.0 out of the maximum of 10 points in free jumping.
A Hanoverian mare can also be considered for the programme if she has offspring or close relatives with successful jumping records. And New Zealand Studbook Thoroughbred mares with show jumping or eventing success can also be looked at for entry into the Hanoverian Jumper Programme. Owners are then encouraged to breed these mares to stallions that have met the high standards required for the programme. Mares from other Hanoverian approved studbooks – Holsteiner, Oldenberg, Westphalian, Selle Francais, KWPN (Dutch Warmblood) can also be considered for inclusion into the programme.
The criterion used for selecting stallions for the breeding programme is similar to that required for the mares. They must have an appropriate jumping pedigree as well as one or more of the following: a score of at least 125 in the jumping index of the stallion performance test, a jumping score of 8.5 in the stallion performance test, a successful competition record and/or offspring with successful competition results in jumping. Performance in hunter competitions, however, will not be considered for mares or stallions.
In New Zealand we have four stallions that qualify for breeding foals that can be entered in the Hanoverian Jumper Programme. These foals will then have the Hanoverian Jumper logo on their pink registration papers.
The German Hanoverian Society created their jumper breeding programme in 1993 to recognise, promote and market the breeding of Hanoverian show jumpers. Early in this century America and Canada began work on their Hanoverian Jumper Programme.
» Read about The New Zealand Jumper Programme
