Holsteiner Mares
MARES
Mare Inspection
If you want to breed your 3-year-old or older mare, she must be registered in the Holsteiner Verband stud book.
Holsteiner Verband Studbook and Registration system
If you want to breed your 3-year-old or older mare, she must be entered into the Holsteiner Verband studbook.
Upon inspection for registration mares are presented in hand and at liberty and will receive marks on type, topline, front legs, hind legs, walk, trot, and canter.
Depending on the scores and certain pedigree requirements, mares may be awarded special designations (premium status).
Studbook and Registration System (B6 of the statutes)
Awards for Mares (B21 of the Statutes)
Mare inspection dates
The Schleswig-Holstein mare inspections are held in May. For members in the extended breeding area, shared mare inspections and foal registration and inspection sites are held from June to September.
Please fill in and submit the entry form for mare inspection and studbook registration to enter your mare for an inspection site.
All mares to be inspected for studbook registration must be entered in writing! The closing date for mare registration is 1 April 2025. The Kiel office should have received the application forms by this date to avoid delays in printing the catalogue.
If your mare is not inseminated and has no foal at foot in 2025, this should be stated on the application form. We will then charge no activation fee (35,- Euros) for these mares.
VERBAND MARE SHOW 2025
How to qualify for the 3- and 4-year-old Verband mare show:
- Mare inspection and registration sites in the breeding districts are scheduled from 19 May – 26 May 2025
- All three- and four-year-old mares are selected for the Verband mare show if they fulfil the pedigree requirements for stallion dam status and achieve 52 or more points at registration or achieve 50 or 51 points and have passed a broodmare test with an average score of 8.5. The final score will be determined in Elmshorn.
- Verband premium mares will receive the title State Premium mare upon successful completion of a mare performance test with a minimum overall score of 7.0.
- The Verband mare show is held on Sunday, 15 June 2025, at the Elmshorn facility.
Qualifiers for members outside Schleswig-Holstein: 3- and 4-year-old mares aiming to qualify for the Verband mare show and State premium awards held on 15 June 2025 at Elmshorn must be presented at the qualifying inspection site in Elmshorn (26 May 2025). This should be stated on the application form as well!
MARE INSPECTION DATES 2025
Attention: We will start with the presentation of the 5-year old and older mares at all entry sites, followed by the 3- and 4-year old mares.
Breeding districts Ostholstein, Segeberg and Stormarn-Lauenburg
Monday, 19.05.2025
10.00 Uhr Kayhude (Fam. Ellerbrock)
5-year-old and older mares
followed by 3 + 4 year old mares
Breeding districts Nordfriesland and Schleswig-Flensburg
Wednesday, 21.05.2025
10.00 Uhr Behrendorf (Reithalle)
5-year-old and older mares
followed by 3 + 4 year old mares
Breeding districts Bordesholm, Plön and Rendsburg-Eckernförde
Thursday, 22.05.2025
14.00 Uhr Tasdorf (Gestüt Tasdorf)
5-year-old and older mares
followed by 3 + 4 year old mares
Breeding districts Dithmarschen, Pinneberg and Steinburg
Monday, 26.05.2025
09.00 Uhr Elmshorn (Reit- u. Fahrschule)
5-year-old and older mares
followed by 3 + 4 year old mares
Breeding district Europe and North America
Monday, 26.05.2025
14.00 Uhr Elmshorn (Reit- u. Fahrschule)
5-year-old and older mares
followed by 3 + 4 year old mares
Please note: In all breeding districts, judging of 5-year-old and older mares will take place prior to the entry of 3- and 4-year-old mares.
Non-registered mares and mares from other breeding districts will be presented at the end of their age class.
The equine passport of the mare must be handed in at the show!
MARE REGISTRATION FOR FOREIGN MEMBERS (BREEDING DISTRICTS EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA IN ELMSHORN)
On Monday, 26.05.2025 the registration of the mares for members of the breeding districts Europe and North America will take place in Elmshorn. We kindly ask all breeders to register their mares by telephone in advance to ensure a smooth running of the event by a fixed order.
Please notify the readiness of your mare to start on Friday, 23.05.2025 between 10 and 12 am by telephone at the Kiel office (Dr. Stefanie Bergmann, +49 431-30599651) or by fax (+49 431-336142).
Timing:
2.00 pm: 5-year-old and older mares
2.30 pm: 3- and4-year-old mares, followed immediately by the final ring.
Mares not registered in advance will start after their age group.
MARE AND FOAL INSPECTION AND REGISTRATION SITES IN GERMANY AND ABROAD
In Germany, the tour with the well-known foal shows/championships and mare inspections will take place from mid-June to September at the known venues.
The opportunity to register foals at the same time and present them for selection for the foal auction on 5 September 2025 in Warendorf is only possible on the dates on 29.06.2025 and from 16.07 to 19.07.2025. Immediate photo and video recordings will be made during the slots from 16.07. to 19.07.2025.
The schedule is updated and, if necessary, extended on a monthly basis. Other inspection and registration sites outside Germany may be arranged as the need arises until late May. To do so, please call Mrs. Dr. Stefanie Bergmann at the Holsteiner Verband office (0049-431-305996-51) or send an email to: bergmann@holsteiner-verband.de
Here some basics on main registration tour protocol in Germany:
Any short-term re-scheduling will be published in time. Thank you for your understanding and for arriving at the site in good time. In case you have missed or forgotten to confirm your intent to attend, you are welcome to present your foal at one of the listed sites all the same. Don’t forget to bring all the required paperwork, registration card (Prämierungskarte) and completed horse identification diagram and remember that the foal must be microchipped in advance of registration! For all questions, please contact the site host or the Holsteiner Verband breeding department in Kiel, Dr. Stefanie Bergmann (phone: +49-431-305996-51, email: bergmann@holsteiner-verband.de).
IMPORTANT: Post the Foal/no Foal Report to the Holsteiner Verband Kiel office (Steenbeker Weg 151, 24106 Kiel) as soon as your foal is born. We will then send you the registration documents required for your foal’s registration.
The following dates have been fixed so far, changes may still be possible:
26. June 2025:
6520 Toftlund (DK), Ryttergaarden, Hölleskovvej 4, (Egon Jessen, Tel.: 0045-40459556)
29. June 2025:
28876 Oyten, Moorstr. 45, Zuchthof Hollen (Dr. Günther und Bettina Friemel, Tel.: 0172-4208235)
16. July 2025:
18273 Güstrow, Am Gewerbegrund 4 (Cavallo-Arena, Reitsport Manski, Frauke Naumann, Tel.: 0172-7065469)
16321 Bernau, OT Ladeburg, Reitanlage Ladeburg, Rüdnitzer Str. (Udo Verworner, 0172-6917421)
17. July 2025:
64-300 Nowy Tomysl (PL), Glinno 65 (Wojciech Kasperski, Tel.: 0048-504123502)
18. July 2025:
93149 Nittenau, Tiefenhof 10 (Stefan Rödl, Tel.: 09436-300044)
73479 Ellwangen, Hornbergstr. 89 (Klaus-Philipp Eichert, Tel.: 0170-9043978)
19. July 2025:
32760 Detmold, Reit- u. Fahrverein Cherusker e.V., Hornsche Str. 280, (Anke Wortmann, Tel.: 0151-20441110)
46282 Dorsten-Hardt, Bestener Str. 70/145 (Markus Hoffrogge, Tel.: 0173-4874425)
30. July 2025:
29227 Celle, Burger Landstr. 54 (Darius Zand, Tel.: 0173-3074429)
30855 Langenhagen, Maaßweg 33 (Fritz Engelke, Tel.: 0172-5160456)
37574 Einbeck, Bentieröder Born 4 (Wolfgang Harjes, Tel.: 0171-7701271)
31. July 2025:
64372 Ober-Ramstadt/Rohrbach, Nieder-Modauer Str. 16, Waldenserhof (Horst K. Heleine, Tel.: 0172-6019005)
34516 Vöhl, Reit- und Fahrverein Vöhl e. V. (Heinrich Goebeler, Tel.: 0172-5665119)
06. August 2025:
7954 GG Rouven (NL), Oude Rijksweg 506 (Peter Huisman, Tel.: 0031-654795825)
07. August 2025:
49624 Löningen-Benstrup, Neuekamp 1 (Martina Biermann, Tel.: 0173-3886620)
Verband mare show 2025 - qualifiers for members outside Schleswig-Holstein: 3- and 4-year-old mares aiming to qualify for the Verband mare show and State premium awards held on 15 June 2025 at Elmshorn must be presented at the qualifying inspection site in Elmshorn (26 May 2025). This should be stated on the application form as well!
Here you will find information on foal registration
Links
How can a mare be registered?
MARES
Verband Mare Show
Three- and four-year-olds that meet the criteria in terms of breeding and have received a minimum score of 52 points at the breeding districts’ mare inspections qualify for the Verband mare show held at Elmshorn in June.
Results of the final rings in the breeding districts 2024:
- Bordesholm (30.05.2024)
- Plön (30.05.2024)
- Europe (27.05.2024)
- Pinneberg (27.05.2024)
- Steinburg (27.05.2024)
- Schleswig-Flensburg (22.05.2024)
- Nordfriesland (22.05.2024)
- Ostholstein (21.05.2024)
- Rendsburg-Eckernförde (16.05.2024)
- Dithmarschen (16.05.2024)
- Segeberg (15.05.2024)
- Stormarn-Lauenburg (15.05.2024)
Results-Archive 2023:
MARES
Mare Performance Test
The mare test can be taken as a field test or via the show sport.
The basic gaits, rideability and free jumping are evaluated. The successfully passed mare test is, among other things, the basis for the award of the state premium.
Information about the mare performance test
Mares may undergo performance testing on station or in the field.
The basic gaits, rideability and free jumping are judged. When undergoing on-station testing, the mares’ willingness to perform will be judged, as well. Successful mare performance testing is one of the requirement to be eligible for the State Premium designation.
Station Test
After a break of several years, the station tests for mares were offered at the association's facility in Elmshorn until 2024.
The station test involves 14-day training and a final test. In addition to evaluating basic gaits, rideability and free jumping, it also encompasses interior traits, subsumed under the mark for “willingness to perform and handling”.
The station test’s advantage is that the mares are trained and tested under standardized conditions over a two week period.
Field Test
The one-day field tests are held on the association's ground in Elmshorn.
The one-day field test is organized and conducted by the respective breeding associations (Holsteiner Verband and Pferdestammbuch Schleswig-Holstein).
The field test starts with the free jumping in a jump chute (indoor arena), followed by a presentation under the own rider in groups up to four mares to evaluate basic gaits and rideability. Finally, the mare’s rideability is judged yet again by a test rider.
Holsteiner mares performance tested in Schleswig-Holstein (station or field test) sired by a young stallion (1st or 2nd covering season) or a Thoroughbred stallion will receive about 500 euros in financial support. Mare owners with a Holsteiner Verband membership will be contacted by the breeding department after the last field test.
Registration and dates
The registration for the field test are done at the Holsteiner Verband in Kiel.
Field Test
Dates:
14.05.2025 Elmshorn
25.06.2025 Elmshorn
Registration:
Only at the Elmshorn (14. May) field tests, the performance tested mares can also be registered into the Holsteiner studbook on the same day. Please state your intention to have your mare studbook-registered when entering your mare for performance testing.
The conformation evaluation required for studbook registration takes place at the outside arena prior to the free jumping. The height at withers is measured prior to the in-hand presentation. The mare’s equine passport is also required at this stage.
Submitting the Holsteiner Verband studbook registration is mandatory also for mares intended for studbook registration during the Elmshorn (14. May) field test.
Online - Entry Form for Mare Performance Test 2025
Entry Form for Mare Performance Test (for Printing) 2025
Guideline for the preparation of young mares for participation in mare performance tests
Adjustments in weighting the mare performance test criteria
To promote the breeding of Holsteiner dressage horses, and for a more performance-related assessment of dressage oriented mares, the dressage committee suggested adjusting the way the evaluated mare performance test criteria are weighted.
These suggestions have been implemented, so that the final test score is now calculated by weighting the criteria differently for jumping and dressage oriented mares.
Weighting the mare performance test criteria
Please state the mare’s orientation (jumping or dressage) on the field test entry form. The final test score will be calculated accordingly.
In case no information is provided, the mare will be considered as jumping oriented.
