Stakkato

Stakkato born 1993, 163 cm (16 hh)

breeder - August Meyer

Stakkato created a sensation at his first appearance at the Bundeschampionate back in 1998. So wonderful was his jumping style that the judges wanted to give him a 10 - until one pointed out that one tiny part of the young stallion's tongue was visible on one side of his mouth!!! So they had to settle for a 9.9.
Stakkato comes from an illustrious jumping family - although his sire, Spartan was almost lost to the German breeding industry, having been sold to the United States!
Spartan was discovered by Hans-Joachim Köhler and he was sold as a yearling to Mr and Mrs Himmelmayer on Viriginia, USA.
Spartan returned to Germany and passed his performance test with the impressive jumping index of 130.26 (dressage index - 111.41) and an overall score of 122.31. From 1985 until 1991, Spartan stood in Canada and the US, and competed in jumping classes to Grand Prix level with Sasha Himmelmayer. He then returned to Germany to stand at Andreas Mundt's farm in Petershagen, where he is a licensed stallion with the Hannoverian, Oldenburg and Westfalien studbooks.
According to Siefried Putscher: "His children inherited elastic movement, with an energetic push from their hindquarters, excellent rideability, performance willingness as well as a lot of jumping talent and great intelligence. 'The Spartans learn quickly', that is what you hear in rider circles."
Spartan is by Servus (Sesam I/Dominus/Goldfisch II) of the Trakehner Semper Idem line. Servus produced a number of successful jumpers as well as the international dressage competitor, Slivowitz. Spartan's dam is Gottilde, by the jumping foundation sire, Gotthard, and out of a truly great mare, Steingilde (by the Thoroughbred, Steinpilz xx out of S26287, a heavier mare by Elsass, a grandson of Abendsport.) Spartan died of a heart attack in March 2000 at the age of 18.
Stakkato is out of Pia by Pygmalion (Patras/Absatz). Pygmalion stood at the Köhler stud in Verden. His sire, Patras was a very noble and strong Trakehner, clearly influenced by Arabian and English Thoroughbred blood.
Stakkato showed his wonderful jumping ability at his Performance Test, recording a jumping index of 144.39, before going to the Bundeschampionate, where his exceptional style produced the 9.9 result under the guidance of Eva-Maria Bitter.
The Stud Director at Celle, Dr Bade is no fan of the policy of taking breeding stallions out into competition. "You will not change a stallion in his heritability by putting him into competiton... If you take semen on the Monday and look at the microscope, you can see by the quality of the semen if the horse has been competing at the weekend." But in Stakkato's case, Dr Bade was forced to make an exception: "He is such a type that I think the breeders would say 'You can talk of his jumping ability but he is not our type' but after Eva-Maria Bitter competes with him, then the breeders want to use him."

In 2002 and 2003 Stakkato headed the German jumping index, a situation which provoked heated comment from Henk Bouwman in Z Magazine (February / March editiion - info from www.zangersheide.com )who suggested "it demonstrates what is the archilles heel of the estimaated breeding value. Stakkato will be a 10 year old next April 4 and because 1997 was his first breeding season, his eldest offspring will be 5 year olds this spring. Nevertheless he already has a breeding value for showjumping of 169, well above proven runner-up Carthago Z (born 1987) with 156 and six sires with a breeding value of 154: Caretino (1983), Contender (1987), Cassini I (1988), Perpignon (1991) and Acorado (1994). The birth years show, as a matter of fact, that Stakkato is not the only one in the top of the breeding value list whose eldest offspring were 4 year olds in the season 2002, therefore not allowed to start in the cycle for young horses. In Germany only 5 and 6 year old horses may start for this event. The same goes for Acorado. Conclusion: the breeding values of Stakkato and Acorado are not derived from the performance of their offspring."

However since then even Z Magazine has softened its outlook and is now prepared to concede that Stakkato may have something to offer, since his progeny look very good indeed.

It must have given Dr Ludwig Christmann of the Hanoverian Verband great satisfaction to record in his 2007 summation of the 'hot' stallions in Hanover, that:
"Nationwide the highest valued jumper horse producer is the Hanoverian Stakkato by Spartan. He received 169 points in the integrated breed value estimation of the National Federation (FN) and 165 points in the
breed value estimation of the Hanoverian Association, which reflects a great conformity. For the fifth time Stakkato holds the leading position of all jumper horse producers.
In the beginning there was undoubtedly scepticism, whether his offspring would be able to fulfil the high expectations set by Stakkato's high breed values. In the
meantime good quality in his progeny is the proof. 1997 was his first year of breeding. During last year's show season his oldest descendants were only eight years old. 188 of his offspring are registered as competition horses, 136 successfully competed in jumper riding horse classes and in open jumper classes. Twenty-one of his foals were successful at the most difficult level, which is quite an impressive quota at such a young age. Many of his youngsters are stabled with international competitors, as for instance the mare Rueckenwind, who has a considerable show record in international classes for young horses under her rider Holger Wulschner."

In the 2007 Hanoverian Stallion yearbook, Stakkaato's progeny achieve the very high rating of 165 for their jumping ability and 97 for their dressage.. In keeping with Dr Bade's worries about type, his offspring have a poor raiting of 78 for their conformation - although it should be noted that Dr Ludwig Christmann has found a negative correlation between jumping ability and scores for type.

In 2007 Stakkato is the sire of 188 competition horses with winnings of Euro 158,750 - with 21 competing at 'S' level. He is the sire of 26 states premium mares and 17 licensed sons.

As a performer himself, Stakkato has been quite successful with winnings to date of 209,080 Euro with 6 wins at 'S' level including a 1st in the 1.50 m at Balve CSI*** and 3rd in the 1.55 m at Aquisgrana CSIO****.