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Altefeld and its history

In 1913, Stablemaster Burchard von Oettingen created Altefeld as a main stud farm, on a high plateau at the edge of the Werratales, between Eschwege and Eisenach. At 400 meters above sea level it has commanding views of the surrounding countryside. Legend has it that Kaiser Friedrich Barbarossa chose these fields for his horses’ grazing land, and the ancient place name, “Horse village” indicates that equine breeding was carried on here from earliest times.

After the Ministry in Berlin had approved plans for the new stud operation, land was purchased from Landgraf Chlodwig von Hessen, and plans were drawn for a complex of stables and riding areas. During World War I progress was made quickly on the most important buildings, created and supervised by Burchard von Oettingen. Altefeld was the first stud farm to be conceived as a complete, comprehensive operation. A stallion barn, covering stalls, barn for broodmares with foaling stalls, paddocks for young colts and fillies, a hotel, training facility, youth hostel, market garden, groundskeepers’ quarters, blacksmith shop, livestock pens and property yard—all these were constructed in an area of about 800 hectares, between 1913 and 1919.

By 1919, Thoroughbred mares came from Graditz and from the Beberbeck stud to Altefeld. Among them were celebrated names such as Antwort and Aversion. Champions like Dark Ronald, Herold, Ard Patrick, and Nuage followed these.

The first standing studs at Altefeld included the champions Aditi, Marduch and Grossinquisator, followed by other great names: Aditja, Antonia, Valladolid, Sichel, Laotse, the Derby-winner Dionys, Viaduct, and Lord Nelson. Among later studs at Altefeld were the great Derby-winner Alchimist, and also Arjaman. During the era between 1919 and 1930, Stablemasters included Count Kalnein, Count Sponeck, Hans Althus and Hermann Grosscurth.

Severe economic hardship during the period of the Weimar government caused a slowing of all activities relating to equine breeding and development. In 1935, Altefeld became primarily a military stud, and in 1940 it became the army’s Thoroughbred stud, under the direction of Dr. Josef Pulte. With a large herd of broodmares, and with the well-known Mirza II, Antonyn, Bubbles, Brantome and Pharis as standing studs, Altefeld quickly regained its excellent reputation, with notable successes on German racetracks. With the end of the Second World War and the dissolution of the army, however, Altefeld’s fate was sealed.

The stud operation became a retirement home, where many horses that had fled eastern Germany now found refuge. With the loss of Germany’s eastern territory to Russia, many Thoroughbred and Trakehner breeders found themselves homeless. Altefeld accommodated the Schlenderhaner evacuated from their homes, and the great Oleander lived out his last years here. The Oppenheimers’ stallion sired the wonderful pair of mares, Asterbluete (winner of the Derby), and Aubergine, both of whom won conformation classes. There was also Aralia, a mare of outstanding rank. In addition, Adolf Schindling developed Thoroughbred lines here, breeding the Derby winner Kaliber and Kilometer, out of Kirschfliege.

During this time, another Derby winner, Birkhahn, was also born at Altefeld. The standing studs at this time included Wirbelwind, Monitor and Fol Ami.

Picture: Birkhahn -

In 1962, with the arrival of the great stallion Waldfried, Altefeld became a new center of Thoroughbred breeding. Until 1981, Alexandra Scherping bred racehorses at Altefeld with great success—we can only mention two names from many, the Derby winner Elviro and the Celler Landbeschaeler Agami.

I acquired Altefeld in 1981. The only horse on the estate at that time was the old, sickly 1968 Derby winner, Elviro, on a deserted property close to what was, in those days, the Iron Curtain. I was spellbound by the beauty of Altefeld, on a high plateau surrounded by sheltering forests. I was also fascinated by its philosophy of equine management. It would be an unusual experiment to continue to breed and nurture horses following the ideas of the original Prussian stud administration. Without stress, but with kindness and respect, and surrounded by all the pleasures of nature, the horses of Altefeld grow and thrive. Their continuing successes make Altefeld, now more than ever, an outstanding center of German equine breeding.

Manfred Graf

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