The mare makes the difference: Wisma

There are combinations in breeding that fit better than others. There are a few clear examples in the Holsteiner breeding; Capitol I x Caletto II, a generation younger is Cassini I x Caretino and now Diamant de Semilly x Cassini I (or Capitol I blood like Carthago) is seen as a combination that works. A mare that has contributed a lot to the first combination is the mare Wisma (v. Caletto II u. Prisma v. Mahmud, Stamm 3389, breeder: Johann Hermann Claussen).

Cerena

The success from Holsteiner Stamm 3389 goes back to the mare Cerena (Cobalt). Cerena is born in 1966 bred through Hans Carstens from Aukrug. Cerena was used at the farm to do light work. Johannes Carstens is the son from Hans Carstens and he recalls about the past;

“Cerena’s mother Emiliane (Heideprinz) is born at our farm as well, she is born just after World War II. Emiliane only had two foals, the main job of our horses was to work at the farm. An older man from a village nearby said we should let Emiliane cover from Cobalt. We put her in front of a carriage and made a family happening from it, it took 2 hours to get to the stallion station and two hours back and when I didn’t work out we had to go back the following week. The result from this trip was Cerena. Some breeders kept breeding Holsteiner horses during the difficult period after World War II and during the mechanization in full process, because breeding horses was something were the farmers were familiar with. The mechanization was new.”

Johann Hermann Claussen from Neuenkirchen (Germany) bought Cerena when she was in foal from the stallion Lexius (Ladykiller xx). Claussen about Cerena;

“Cerena was a very sweet mare, she was not so big and she was black.”

The Lexius became the mare Maifee who is born in 1975. Her most known offspring is Oskar (by Othello), he was sold as a seven year old to Lauren O’Connor in the USA. She owned him for twenty years, not many horses stay that long with one owner. He was euthanized this year for infirmities of age. Oskar was well known for his jumping ability and for his flaxen mane and tail that streamed behind him as he powered over grand prix courses.

Capitol I

The second daughter from Cerena was Prisma (Mahmud), Claussen tells about her: “To add size I used Mahmud, this was a big stallion. This had as result Prisma, born in 1978 (the grandmother to Cassini I/II (Capitol) and Clarimo (Clearway)). Prisma had also a good character and had enough size, she was 1.73 m. For Prisma I used several times Caletto II, unfortunately she didn’t bring many foals. I found her dead in the field. The most important Caletto II offspring was Wisma, she is the mother to Cassini I/II and Clarimo. Wisma had her own opinion about everything and was the boss of the herd.

Johann Hermann Claussen says:

“Capitol I was also at stud near me and he was an interesting stallion by pedigree and Wisma also showed a lot of scope as a young mare. Clearway was also close by and so I used it. Because I didn't have much time to travel far for a stallion, I always took stallions that were close by. We are talking about 25 years ago, if not 30 years ago. And with Capitol I it was also true that I was very satisfied with Wisma's first foal and so continued using Capitol I. Cassini I really made this strain known. We are now a few generations later and I have another approved stallion from this line. This two-year-old is truly a "Zuchtvortschritt". A Dinken out of Adriana v. Casall x Esteban xx and then Wisma. He is modern and has blood. I have now also transferred the breeding to my son. Adriana is pregnant again by Dinken and her mother Prisma II is pregnant by Casall. ”

Wisma produced 15 foals. She died because of a broken leg after she had surgery for colic.

”Cassini I was her first foal. First ridden by Bo Kristoffersen and then Franke Sloothaak started to ride Cassini I in 1997.

Sloothaak about Cassini I:

“Cassini I was a very pleasant horse to ride. He had good gaits and specially a good canter. For jumping he had a good technique, unbelievable scope and had a good character.”

In breeding Cassini I needs according to Franke Sloothaak:

“Mares who are sharp and they need to have blood”. 

Donata II is the second foal from Wisma and a full sister to Cassini I, she produced the approved stallion Lovari (Lasino). She also produced Comfilius (Corofino I), he jumped at 1.40 level with several Italian riders. His full sister Monata (Corofino I) is broodmare in Spain, at Yeguada Campos; “Monata is not only a daughter from the full sister to the Cassini’s, she also produced herself an international showjumper, Silverstras (Quantum). Monata her offspring are big framed horses with a lot of personality and who jump really special.” At Yeguado Campos you find several stallions and mares with Cassini I as Sire;

“I think that there is not much doubt about the fact that Cassini I is one of the best stallions in the world. He also comes from a very good motherline.”

Another stallion that fitted well with Wisma is the stallion Lansing they produced together Mira VI and Lambrusco, who jumped at 1.40 level. Mira VI is mother to the approved stallion Cassaro (Coronado), who jumped with Frans Josef Dahlmann at 1.50 level.

Holsteiner Verband

Norbert Boley has been the stallion manager of the Holsteiner Verband since the early 1980s and realized early on that the mare Wisma was a guarantee for quality and bought Cassini I, Cassini II and Clarimo. All three of these stallions have developed into good sires, Cassini I being a foundation stallion. He explains:

“As manager of the Holsteiner Verband I had an arrangement with Johann Hermann Claussen that we had the first purchase on the foals. Johann Hermann Claussen also told during the stallion inspection that we have now produced six approved stallions from this line. That is quite an achievement. Wisma was a very special mare, perhaps the foundation lacked the latter in quality, but before that she had other qualities. I bought Cassini I as a foal and so did all other foals. Unfortunately Cassini II could not prove himself in the sport due to an injury. Clarimo descends from Clearway and this was a very modern son of Capitol I. Clarimo is also much more modern than his half-brother Cassini I. I have always believed in Clarimo because I had faith in the combination between Clearway and Wisma. The stallion Dilaro (Dinken - Adriana x Casall) got recently approved. He also goes directly back to the mare Wisma. He shows a clear change in the generations by being modern through the blood of Casall and the thoroughbred Esteban xx. Wisma has meant a lot to breeding.”

In 2003 Wisma became the mother of the popular stallion Clarimo, he acted at 1m60 under Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. In Germany alone he has six approved sons so far and according to Horsetelex he has 28 approved sons. So far Clarimo has 22 offspring that jump 1m60.