Grosso Z

Grosso Z 168 cm born 1983
From the beginning, this stallion created a great deal of interest, in that he has not only produced an international jumping star in Goldfever - but has also produced the international quality dressage stallion, Goethe.
As his name indicates, Grosso Z is not only a descendent of the famed Hanoverian 'G' line, but also a product of perhaps the most famous private jumping stud of them all, Léon Melchior's Zangersheide, in Lanaken, Belgium.
Grosso Z is by Goliath II Z who was himself an international showjumper with Willy van der Ham. Goliath II Z is by Graf Gotthard by Gotthard, and out of the foundation mare of the Zangersheide breeding program - Heureka by Ganeff. Heureka was actually ridden by Zangersheide founder, Léon Melchior, but with Hermann Schridde in the saddle, she was a star, winning the Grand Prix of Aachen. Heureka is the grand-dam of Ratina Z and her three stallion full-brothers, Rebel I, II and III. Grosso Z's dam, Füchsin is by Furioso II out of a Lugano I mare. Füchsin was the dam of expensive auction horses as well as the licensed stallon son, Cadence Z, who competed successfully in the open jumper division.
After he won the title, Champion Stallion of Belgium, Grosso Z moved to Germany and the St Ludwig stud. One year later, Grosso Z was the Champion Stallion of the Stallion Performance test at Warendorf, scoring a sensational 148.85 - thanks to his wonderful basic gaits, rideability and jumping ability.
Accepted as a breeding stallion in Westfalia, Oldenburg, Belgium and the KWPN - and soon after that for Hannover and all the German studbooks except Holstein, Grosso Z was also used as a breeding stallion in France and Italy.
He spent four seasons at the breeding farm Wiechenhof in the centre of the Hannoverian breeding area. He was greatly sought after, and produced numerous valuable mares and several stallions. With 717competitors in Germany by the year 2007, Grosso Z's offspring had won Euro 3,074,006 - giving Grosso Z an FN dressage rating of 120 and a jumping rating of 121. His most successful dressage horse was Goethe, winner of Euro 39,833, while his top jumping earner was Goldfever with Euro 1,772,708.
In 1994, Grosso Z returned to the Rhineland area, where he continued to compete up to M level jumping, then under Jan Nivelle switched to the dressage arena, competing up to Intermediaire I level.
He has produced a number of licensed sons including Galippo (out of an Absatz mare) who with the new name, Gambinus, competed for Britain in the European Championships, ridden by Peter Storr.
Undoubtedly his most famous offspring is Goldfever. The handsome chestnut stallion is out of Gundula (Galvano/Damhirsch) and he was bred by Sigurd Hochmuth.
Approved at Verden in 1993, Goldfever finished eighth in his performance test the following year at Adelheidsdorf, with the good jumping index of 122.63. He started competing with Claudia Freise and caught the eye of Ludger Beerbaum's sponsors, Dieter and Madeleine Winter-Schulze, who bought him, Initially ridden by Ludger's bereiter, Dirk Dahlmann, Goldfever made his sensational debut at the Bundeschampionate in 1997.
A string of good performances at Berlin, Munster and Bremen followed. In 1999 they were second in the Audi-Championship and in the Grand Prix of Donauueschingen, won at Valkenswaard, Berlin, and the took out the Championship at the German Classics in Bremen, beating World Champion, Rodrigo Pessoa.
Selection in the Olympic team for Sydney followed, although the Games are not a happy memory for Ludger - back in Europe they hit their stride again ......
His other star son for Grosso Z is Goethe, born in 1992 and out of Madonna by Maat I and by the Arab Gazal VII.
Goethe sold at the 1995 Verden Auction for DM60,000, and was sent to Heiner Schiergen for training. Soon he was winning riding horse classes. In 1997, Goethe finished in fourth place at his performance test, with an overall score of 127 and the very high dressage index of 133.15. He went on to place third in the Five Year old Class in 1997, and sixth in the six year old division the following year at the Bundeschampionate.
In 1999, Goethe won the freestyle for young horses at Hannover, and went on to win several Prix St Georges classes, with good scores.