Austrian Warmblood

The Austrian Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Warmblutzucht in Österreich (Association of Warmblood Breeding in Austria (AWÖ)). The rich history of Austrian horse breeding provided a unique genetic foundation for the transition from military and courtly horses to competitive and leisure sport horses.

Foundation

The breed has ancestry in central Europe dating back to the 16th century. The Austro-Hungarian empire was well-known for its horse breeding programs, which over a period of nearly 400 years developed a significant number of horse types and breeds, many of which provided foundation stock for the modern Austrian Warmblood. One of the earliest breeds developed in the was the Lipizzzaner, bred in Eastern Europe since 1580. The Lipizzaner was bred to be a high-quality riding and carriage horse for the nobility and was also used as a military horse. Beginning in 1785, the Imperial Stud of Mezohegyes had been producing "Mezohegyes Halfbreds," general-purpose horses which, through selective breeding were developed into several different strains. Later, outside bloodstock, such as Arabian horses, were imported to the Empire, and bred at Bábolna beginning in 1789 and at Radautz beginning in 1812. Thoroughbred horses and racing came to the empire in the 1830s.

In 1816, an Anglo-Norman stallion named Nonius was the foundation sire for a breed of horses who were developed for agricultural work. Nonius horses were, and are, traditionally dark bay, brown, or black. In the 1850s, two influential Thoroughbred sires - Furioso and North Star - came to Mezohegyes, and were used to breed more refined carriage and riding horses, serving as foundation sires of the Furioso-North Star breed, described as being "medium-heavy" and usually dark bay, brown, or black, though also chestnut. Still more refined than the Furioso-North Star was the Kisbér-Felver, developed around 1900, a breed of saddle and light carriage horses that were more often chestnut or bay.

The Nonius, Furioso-North Star and Kisbér-Felver are all derived from judicious use of Thoroughbred improvement sires, but the Austro-Hungarian empire was perhaps even more famous for its high quality Arabians. In 1818 a chestnut Egyptian-born Arabian, Gidran Senior, was sent to Bábolna Stud. Bábolna was originally a military-oriented branch of Mezohegyes, and in 1816 a law was passed that mandated the use of Arab-bred sires at Bábolna. With his all-purpose and usually part-Thoroughbred mates, Gidran founded a dynasty of elegant chestnut riding and carriage horses. Today's Gidran Arab is not dissimilar from the French Anglo-Arab or the Austro-Hungarian Empire's other Anglo-Arab breed, the Shagya Arab. Just as with Gidran, Shagya Senior - a grey - was used to produce a lively, elegant cavalry and harness horse. The Shagya Arab has a more "Arab" appearance than the Gidran, and is most often grey, though black, bay and chestnut occur.

These were the riding horses that populated Austria prior to World War II. The Nonius, Furioso-North Star, Kisbér-Felver, Gidran Arab, Vernier, Przedswit and Shagya Arab are often referred to the Altösterreichische Pferderassen ("Old-Austrian Horse Breeds").

Registry

Mechanization set in on the heels of World War II, making the use of horses in agriculture and transportation largely obsolete. The notion of transitioning to the breeding of recreational riding horses germinated at the Federal Stud Farm of Piber. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Warmblutzucht in Österreich (AWÖ) or Association for Warmblood Breeding in Austria was founded in 1964. Today it operates under the Zentralen Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer Pferdezüchter (ZAP) or Central Association of Austrian Horse Breeders, and is comprised of regional member associations.

Though the AWÖ is a young registry, their history of amending the criteria for breeding stock suggests a progressive attitude towards producing the best riding horse possible. The AWÖ is a member of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH).

The studbooks comprise about 2,500 mares and 80 stallions.

The brand, which is given to foals upon inscription to the Foalbook, is a stylized "A".

Breeding aim

Translated from the AWÖ written standard:

Desirable is a noble, long-lined, correct and powerful Warmblood horse with good movement and jumping ability, suited to any type of recreational riding. The breeding aim shall be achieved through a comprehensive system of performance tests for mares and stallions, leading to improved selection for dressage or jumping qualities. Of great importance for the Austrian Warmblood breeders are rideability, good character, willingness, and balanced temperament.

These statements continue with a general illustration of the genetic make-up of the Austrian Warmblood: it shall combine the best lines of the old Austrian cavalry horses with modern sporthorse bloodlines, using Thoroughbreds and Trakehners to refine.
The ideal height is 164 to 168 cm tall at the withers (just above 16.0hh to 16.2hh) and the ideal cannon bone circumference is 20 to 22 cm (7.9" to 8.7").

Requirements for Stallions

The first step towards inscription in Stallion Book I (Hengstbuch I) - and breeding allowance - is the Körung. The AWÖ Körung occurs each February at Stadl-Paura. To be eligible, a stallion must be at least 2 years of age and undergo a veterinary evaluation to ensure that he is free from congenital defect such as cryptorchidism or errors in bite. A stallion who has undergone surgery to correct a congenital defect is not eligible for the Körung. His sire and the sire of at least his first five dams must be entered into Stallion Book I in AWÖ or a comprable registry. The recommended genealogical composition of the studbooks includes Warmbloods, the Old-Austrian Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, Trakehners, and Shagya Arabs. Stock breeds, Lipizzaners, Kladrubers, ponies, trotters or gaited horses, and other specialty breeds are not permitted. All breeding stock must exceed 158 cm (15.2hh) at the withers, or 150 cm (14.3hh) for Shagya Arabs. Generally speaking, the mothers of stallions are mares who have completed their performance requirements.

The Körung is an evaluation of the exterior of the stallion. He is graded by an elected panel of judges on:
1. Type, or aesthetic appeal including masculinity (sex type),
2. Quality of Conformation, including the head, neck, body and each of the four legs,
3. Correctness of the Gaits, or whether he is prone to faults such as dishing, cross-firing, etc.,
4. Walk,
5. Trot,
6. Canter, or gallop,
7. Free Jumping.
Each trait can be scored as high as a perfect "10". To pass the Körung and be recommended for the Stallion Performance Test (HLP), a stallion must score an average of 7.5 with no mark below 6. The best stallions at the Körung may be awarded the predicate "Prämienhengst" (Premium Stallion). The names of Premium Stallions are prefixed by "Pr.H." as in Pr.H. Belluno. A Champion and Reserve Champion, called the Sieger and Vice-Sieger, are named. The Körung is customarily followed by an auction of young stallions.

To finalize his place in the Stallion Book I, a stallion must meet his performance requirements. He may do so by a number of routes:
1. 70 Day Station Test. The Hengstleistungsprüfung (HLP) or Stallion Station Test lasts 70 days and is held in Stadl-Paura from June to September. The Austrian HLP is run as it is run in Germany. Stallions are ridden every day and their riders and trainers, as well as guest riders at the end, score them not only on their talent for dressage, jumping and - to a lesser extent - eventing, but also on their interior qualities. The interior qualities are character, temperament, capacity to work, willingness to work, and rideability. The minimum accepted HLP score is an overall index of 100, though an overall index of 90 is allowed if the index for dressage or jumping exceeds 120. The stallion with the highest overall index is named the HLP-Sieger, and recognition is given to the best jumping and dressage stallions, as well.
2. Competition. Three placements in Class S dressage or show jumping, or three placements in Class M or S eventing will also gain a young stallion his place in the Stallion Book.

The AWÖ will also hold the performance requirements fulfilled for stallions who complete the 30 Day Short Test and then qualify for the Bundeschampionat in Germany (Federal Championship Show). Thoroughbred stallions may be approved on the same basis as Warmblood stallions, or by virtue of having a general balance weight of 80 kg (85 kg for steeplechase stallions). Altösterreicher stallions are exempt from performance requirements.

Requirements for Mares

There are several books into which mares may be inscribed. However, mares must also undergo an exterior evaluation. Mare inspections are held regionally throughout the spring, summer and fall. Mares are graded much the same as stallions are for their Körung, though evaluation of the canter and free jumping are not mandatory.

The performance requirements for mares may be met by a number of routes:
1. Field Test. Stutleistungsprüfung (SLP) or Mare Station Test lasts only two weeks, and the Field Test lasts only one day. It is similar to the HLP but has less scope.
2. Achievement in sport or breeding.

A mare is inscribed into the Hauptstutbuch (Main Mare Book) if her mother is in the Hauptstutbuch or Stutbuch (Mare Book), and her father and the fathers of at least her first three dams are Stallion Book sires. She must also have an average score of 6 with no score lower than a 5 in her exterior evaluation. A mare is inscribed into the Stutbuch (Mare Book) if her mother is in the Hauptstutbuch, Stutbuch, or Vorbuch (Forebook), and her father and the fathers of at least her first two dams is a Stallion Book sire. She must also have an average score of 5 with no score lower than a 4 in her exterior evaluation.
The Vorbuch (Forebook) is for mares whose pedigrees do not meet the requirements of the Stutbuch, but who have an average score of 7 and no score lower than a 6 in her exterior evaluation.

A Hauptstutbuch mare may win the predicate "Staatsprämienstute" (States Premium Mare) if her performance requirements are met and she has produced at least one Austrian Warmblood foal. To be satisfactory, her SLP scores must be at least an 8.0 for jumping, 6.0 for basic gaits, and 6.0 for rideability. If she goes the performance route, 3 placements at the M-Level of Jumping may be substituted.

Characteristics

In the past, Austrian horses had little variation in registered names. Most horses had their family's name (Furioso, for example) and a combination of Roman and Arabic letters. Today, an Austrian Warmblood colt has a name beginning with the same letter as his sire's name (Belmondo by Belluno), and a filly has a name beginning with the same letter as her dam's name (Dragona out of Dravida).

While the AWÖ does not disallow any colors or markings, the Old Austrian Warmbloods tended to be of uniform color, allowing them to be matched better in harness configurations. For instance, the Nonius is almost uniformly dark and unmarked, the Gidran is entirely chestnut, the Shagya largely grey, and so on. Therefore, coat colors apart from the usual black, brown, bay, chestnut, and grey would likely need to be introduced from an outside source. While there is a Pinto studbook under the ZAP, none of the stallions presently standing for Austria are of unusual coat colors.

The unique foundation families have likely provided many Austrian Warmbloods with a distinct type. Presently, the Stallion Book is composed of stallions from such families, as well as those of Dutch, French, Belgian, and German breeding. There are handful of Trakehner and Thoroughbred stallions.

Austrian Warmbloods in the public eye

As yet, the AWÖ is unranked in the WBFSH standings for Jumping, Dressage, or Eventing, likely due to the small size of their breeding population. However, the 1995 grey mare Amanita and 1997 bay mare Westminster both compete on the international scene in show jumping (for Poland and Italy, respectively). Laredo, a 1994 chestnut gelding competes under a German rider in dressages' Big Tour.

The best place to see Austrian Warmbloods is in Austria. In addition to the auction of young HLP candidates and gelding prospects that follows the Körung, there are a number of auctions for foals, riding horses, and elite horses throughout the year, usually in Stadl-Paura.

See related

• Dutch Warmblood
• Zangersheide
• Belgian Warmblood
• Holsteiner
• Hanoverian
• Westphalian
• Hessen
• Oldenburg
• Bavarian Warmblood
• Trakehner
• Thoroughbred
• Shagya Arab