Asti Spumante

Photo CMS Medien1995 163 cm Brown,

Breeder Irmgard Nienaber, Garrel, Germany

Asti Spumante has emerged as one of the heirs to the great Argentinus. As a young horse at the 1997 Oldenburger stallion selection he impressed Dr Eberhard Senckenberg, who purchased him for the Bavarian state stud, Schwaiganger. 1997 was a strong year for the Oldenburger licensing commission, Asti Spumante was one of eleven premium stallions, including Ronaldo, which was sold to the Netherlands, Conterno Grande, successful with Marco Kutcher, Quando Quando, Olympic contender with Kristy Oatley, Landtinus, Lancado, Forrester, Wolkentanz II as well as Lausejunge and Sterntaler, who went on the compete with Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff and then Klaus Martin Rath.

Asti Spumante finished his performance test with 106.62 points in 1998 in Warendorf, already showing a clear preference for showjumping. Ridden by Thomas Mühlbauer, he won his first events at advanced level when he was only seven. Multiple wins and placings at top level followed over the next years. Some of the pair’s bigger successes include a first in the Grand Prix at the 2004 Munich Indoor Show, first at the 2005 Nations Cup event in Hickstead, member of the Silver medal winning team of the Super League Nations Cups in Hickstead, Dublin and Barcelona, a Silver medal at the 2009 German Championships, team Bronze at the European Championships in Windsor and fifth place in the individual rankings. Asti Spumante was retired in 2011 with 25 wins at advanced level to his record.

Asti Spumante’s dam, state premium and elite mare Edelbild was very successful in the show ring, representing Oldenburg at national mare shows. She is a full sister of the 1991 Oldenburger licensing champion, Lapis Lazuli, and a half-sister of the approved Rosenwelt (Rohdiamant). The dam sire, Holsteiner stallion Landfrieden, was reserve champion of his performance test in 1987 and competed at the 1989 Bundeschampionate. He died early in 1995 and left 122 registered mares.

In the third generation we find Welt As, who produced several top level sport horses such as Bonfire, ridden by Anky van Grunsven, and Leroy Brown 3, successful in international showjumping with Wout Jan van der Schans. The grand dam, state premium and elite mare Edelzyra is by Zeus, a popular producer of showjumping horses.

Asti Spumante derives from the original Oldenburger family of Elekta (Freischütz-Coco-Nabal-Bachus-Ottokar-Darius) and the side branch of Edelgerda (Chronist-Olymp-Freisasse-Godin-Germandus-Gruson-Gidotto-Edelbert-Rudolf-Freischütz). The family of Elektra produced ten approved stallions, including Jazz Rubin, Rohdiamant and Royal Diamond.

Asti Spumante has five licensed sons: Acajou, Arrivederci, Artemis, Asti Cinzano and Asti Frizzante. Born in 2001, Arrivederci (Pilot) was awarded the title of best jumping stallion at the 2004 Bavarian licensing and was competed by Lawrence Green in international Grand Prix for winnings of €23,000. Acajou (Furioso II) was first ridden by Kristian Kniha, and more recently by Max Kühner, for €56,000 in prize money. Asti Cinzano (Ultraschall) earned his breeding approval based on his success at competition, under rider Maximilian Schmid. Asti Frizzante (Raueck I) is also competing at advanced level showjumping, with Philipp Kauer in the saddle.

Of 59 registered daughters by Asti Spumante, eight were awarded premium status. Gazella (Weltmeyer) was the winner of the Bavarian state premium show in 2002 and produced Dalmazio (Denario), licensed in 2012.

Asti Spumante had a 2014 FN breeding value for jumping of 118, and a dressage value of 101.