On 1 October, Andreas H. Künnemann will be joining the team at Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH. As a trainer at the stud farm, he will play a key role in the training of young horses. At the same time, Künnemann will provide professional guidance to the young, motivated team of riders and support them in their further development.
He brings decades of experience in sport and training to this role. The 67-year-old equine manager has over 250 victories in young horse competitions to his name, as well as the Golden Riding Badge and a track record of training numerous successful riders. Among other achievements, he has guided his pupils all the way to European Championships.
His approach to training is not shaped solely by sport. In Denmark, Künnemann held various roles over many years – as a coach, organiser of national tournaments and ringmaster at national and international events. For two years, as chairman of the show jumping committee of the Danish FN, he was one of those responsible for the sporting development of show jumping in Denmark. In 2024, he was voted ‘Trainer of the Year’ by the Danish Professional Riders’ Association.
“It’s about laying a solid foundation and developing both horse and rider step by step. With young horses in particular, it’s important to give them time, whilst at the same time teaching them the correct basics right from the start,” explains Felix Flinzer, Managing Director of Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH.
The Holsteiner Verband as a training centre
This expansion of staff is part of a wider strategic development. The Holsteiner Verband aims to establish the Elmshorn site more firmly as a training centre in future. This will no longer focus exclusively on the training of the association’s stallions and the training horses from the marketing stables. “In future, we want to view training even more strongly as a central component of what we offer,” explains Felix Flinzer. “For us, this includes both the training of our horses and the development of our team of riders. At the same time, we also want to offer our customers an even more comprehensive service covering all aspects of auctions and sales.” A key element of this is the expansion of the after-auction and after-sales services. Buyers of Holsteiner horses should be able to find expert contacts even after their purchase and receive support with the further training and development of their horses.
Furthermore, the range of training courses on offer at the Elmshorn site is also set to be expanded in the long term. Further training programmes for riders and horses are planned. This is intended to make Elmshorn an even stronger hub for training, sport and breeding in the future.
