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"Du hast ja
keine Ahnung wie schön du bist Berlin", Marlène Dietrich once sang, with
her characteristically husky voice. Of course, she meant the city of Berlin that can be lauded anew just as many
other cities of the world can. And why should this song not be about
Eurocommerce Berlin too, the powerful grey stallion who also has, as
well as pure beauty, so much strength and athletiscism in his body. When you
see this big horse jump ridden by that small, lean man Gerco Schröder, then the
giant fences appear to take on the miniature size of the models in Madurodam.
As well as his build, his friendly eye and his imposing neck, his four pillars
of legs under the mighty torso mock the laws of gravity and allow him to float
over jumps, ditches and upright fences. This flegmatic stallion that provided
such an essential contribution to the team gold medal for the Dutch at the
world championships in Aachen and who came sixth in the individual
classifications has no idea how beautiful he is, thus: "Du hast ja keine Ahnung
wie schön du bist Berlin!"
He trots
beautifully, he canters beautifully, he jumps beautifully and he is
heart-meltingly beautiful resting in his loose box after his work is finished.
But he is most beautiful when he tenses his body ready for take-off: the slow
raising of the fore hooves from the ground, the rump coming under the body that
catapults the grey body into the air. Neck forward, ears forward. The fore
limbs are correctly folded as the second pole nears and in a pure mathematical
parabola, the body arches between the place of take-off and landing. As the
hind quarters kick out, the fore limbs stretch below to prepare for landing and
when the hind hooves touch the ground, the body has already righted itself and
is on the way to the next fence. And, yet, still: "You have no idea how
beautiful you are Berlin".
In Barcelona, it was announced that, in 2007, Stal
Eurocommerce’s top horse Berlin is also available for sport and
breeding. This means that first there will be a winter holiday for the grey
stallion and then he may perform stud duty. The resulting sperm will be frozen
and- for your mares- will be thawed at the right moment and inseminated. Top
sport and being a stud don’t go together: but the equestrian sports enthusiasts
and the whole of equestrian Holland can’t do without Berlin quite yet. His body must do its magic at
the EC in Mannheim or at the OS in Hong Kong. His tough hooves shall form the
foundations under Dutch success. Eurocommerce Berlin is a cornerstone of the Dutch team and that
will develop further. Much further, even higher, even faster. With even more
fame that will shine down upon his progeny.
Look at that
foal frolicking in the field; the breeder whispers the name of sire Berlin in awe. Logical- the progeny of
Eurocommerce Berlin have breeding, suppleness, elasticity and how they
can canter! It has been made clear at foal auctions: people have faith in the
genetic value of Berlin because people bid against each other to
be allowed ownership of one of the offspring of this powerful stallion. People
do this because they are convinced that a stallion with such extreme quality in
jumping is bound to hand it down to his progeny. And, too, because Berlin’s qualities aren’t ones of accident but
ones of breeding insight which has been founded on the sport of show jumping.
When you see Berlin’s offspring, you hear the echo of Marlène Dietrich
again: "Du hast ja keine Ahnung wie schön du bist Berlin" because Berlin is a stunning beauty. And the quality of
the pure beauty of the sire is reflected in his progeny. Fortunately
Eurocommerce Berlin is unaware of it: otherwise he might get too big
for his hooves.
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