The Celle state stud stallion Graf Grannus is the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year 2004. Heike Oltmanns, Neuengland is the breeder of the black youngster. He was awarded a valuable Wohlklang-sculpture as well as a remunerative cheque. With this reward, the Uelzener insurance company is honouring those breeding stallions that play an important role in the Hanoverian breed. Graf Grannus is the successor of Brentano II. In 1992, the Hanoverian Stallion of the Year was honoured for the first time.
Graf Grannus was born on the farm of Heiko Oltmanns in Neuengland in the West of Lower Saxony on April 8, 1988. His sire Grannus by Graphit/Ozean counts among one of the most important show jumping stallions worldwide. His dam Goldmädel by Goldlöwe/Goya gave birth to this colt only. Following this short breeding session, she successfully competed at show jumping ability competitions up to advanced level. At the age of 2 ½, the breeder sold the black youngster, true to type, to the raiser Alfons Frehe-Siermann, Mettingen. Upon prior agreement with the manager of the national state stud, Dr. Burchard Bade, Graf Grannus passed the eleven month of his stallion performance test in Adelheidsdorf. With 138,04 points, he achieved the second best show jumping result, and with a final result of 130,51 he finished the whole competition as the third best of his age-group.
The young stallion moved into his stallion box in Schillers-lage, and the breeders started to task him frequently right from the start. In the meantime, 308 of his daughters are registered Hanoverian brood mares, 44 of them were awarded state premium mare. His sons are also very popular. 19 of them are licensed for Hanover, six are registered in the premium stallion book. Ginsberg, Goodman and Graf Top enrich the team of the Lower Saxony National State Stud. In 1995, Graf Grannus presented the winner of the stallion licensing, Golden Champ. Unfortunately, this youngster died only shortly after. 13 of his offspring were sold at Verden elite auctions, 34 found new owners at other Verden sales events.
With his extremely talented offspring that are successfully competing worldwide, Graf Grannus enjoys an excellent reputation as a show jumping stallion. When the Program for Breeding Hanoverian Show Jumpers was started up, he already counted among the stallions that were especially recommended for stud purposes. Last year, he achieved a show jumping breeding evaluation of 156 points, his breeding evaluation based on show successes reveals 136 points. The licensed stallions Gem of India with Michael Whitaker and Kasting Horses Gavi with Helena Weinberg belong to the best young show jumping horses. In the United States, Gardenio and Todd Minikus show up on the winner’s list of advanced level competitions.