Since 1995 the elite title has been part of the Trakehner breeding program for the purpose of acknowledging those sires and mares which have proved, with their own performance as well as with their offspring, to be above average. The elite title is a quality seal which is also put down in the horse passport.
Further information
For stallions there are the titles ‘elite sire candidate’ and ‘elite sire’; respectively for the mares there is the title ‘elite mare’. The requirements that have to be satisfied by the stallions and mares are stipulated in the statutes or in the ‘guideline for preserving the titles ‘elite sire candidate’ and ‘elite sire’ in the Trakehner breeding program’ and will be partly described in the following:
Elite mares in the Trakehner breeding program
Mares which are entered into studbook I receive the title ‘elite mare’ upon application if they got a 7.0 in their conformation, if they had at least two foals and
either
1. . have at least three placings in medium tests or in elementary tests in eventing competitions
or
2. have a heredity performance of at least three offspring which are either licensed or approved of by the Trakehner Association or are awarded with the association’s premium or the elite title, or which have at least 3 placings in medium tests or elementary tests in eventing competitions.
Elite candidates and elite sires in the Trakehner breeding program
Elite sire candidates need:
1. A conformation breeding value of at least 120 on the basis of foal evaluation.
2. An above-average performance in e.g. the 70 days test, 30 days test with placing at the national championships, GAG or advanced test placings.
The title ‘elite sire candidate’ is especially made for young stallions, which, with regard to their stallion performance test and their foals, raise greater expectations. That is why the elite sire candidates should not be older than six years at proclamation, which should be enough time to deliver enough foals to make a safe assessment of the offspring with a statistic, mathematical technique.
Elite sires:
– There are two ways to the title of ‘elite sire’:
1. A clearly positive, statistically sufficiently verified and by several Trakehner horses rendered performance of the offspring under the saddle, which has to be attested by means of the yearbook of breeding and the FN, according to the ascertained breeding values. The recommended level is 120 points in all individual breeding value categories over a period of at least two years in a row, with a dependability of at least 85%.
or
2. An athletic performance with placings including advanced level tests and an overall breeding value on the basis of the conformation evaluation of the registered daughters of at least 120 (with at least 10 daughters).
The total board decides in its role as breeding committee annually about the proclamation of the elite title according to the proposal of the head of the breeding board.
The chosen sires have to be mentioned in the HVP of the respective year. The new elite candidates and elite sires are announced publically.