Athlet Z

Grey, Born 1979 - Died 2005, 168 cms

Stood at: 1982 - Elmshorn; 1983 - Did not stand; 1984-89 – Wöhden, 1990-95 – Marne; 1996-2003 - Zangersheide; 2004 - Klein Offenseth.

Licensed sons: Abdulkarim, Acobat I, Acobat II, Acobat III, Adelfos, Aldan, Aletto. Alido, Arturo, Athletic Lord, Athletico, Atlantus Z, Attikos, Avero, Azzaro Z,
Bavaria Blue

The grey stallion Athlet Z was the first Hanoverian to be used in Holstein breeding for many years – although while he wore the Hanoverian brand, his bloodlines were a heady continental cocktail. His sire Almé was one of the treasures of French breeding, spirited away by Belgian breeder, Leon Melchior to stand at his Zangersheide stud, before returning triumphantly to France to end his days on Bernard le Courtois’ Brullemail Stud in Normandy.
However on his dam’s side, Athlet Z descends from that pillar of Hanoverian breeding, Gotthard, and on the dam line, to an even earlier pillar – Feiner Kerl.

Athlet Z confirms the view, that a poor stallion performance test does not necessarily prevent a horse becoming a great stallion. You only have to look at the stallions, Grannus, Capitol I and Grandeur, for further proof of this.
The number of points that had to be attained in Holstein in those days to pass the performance test amounted to 70. After Athlet Z’s first covering year in Elmshorn he took part in the Adelheidsdorf stallion performance test, but failed with the score of 66 points (his owner Maas-J. Hell was in the final year of his position of manager of the Holstein Verband at that time). This resulted in him not being utilized for breeding in 1983.
He nevertheless had a few placings in showjumping competitions with the stable rider at the Mass-J Hell Stud Farm, Thomas Mohr, before completing in his second stallion performance test that same autumn.
This time, Athlet Z just barely managed to pass the test, which was held in Medingen, with the minimum score of 70 points. The Holstein breeders however put their trust in the enormous jumping potential of this grey stallion and strongly utilized him for breeding. Athlet Z repaid their faith, by producing performance horses with exceptional frequency. His first crop produced the world-class horse Athletico with Ludger Beerbaum and many more were to follow, including Argentinus (Otto Becker), Athlet (Willi Melliger), Amadeus (Lars Nieberg), Avion (Werner Peters &. Ludger Beerbaum), Andolph (Claudia Vasall), Montreal (Wim Schröder) and Valeska (Dr. Michael Rüping).
Athlet Z, like so many Almé Z progeny, was highly intelligent. He was the darling of his owner Maas-J. Hell, who trained him to do tricks, like retrieving canisters and whips. He spent the autumn of his life in Belgium but returned home to Holstein in 2004, where he passed away in his 26th year at the beginning of 2005.