2004 A Visit at Mathieu Beckmann's

An Open Conversation with Beckmann

Of course, all stallion owners think their stallions are the best in all Germany, but Mathieu Beckmann definitely has two sires at stud he can be proud of. Besides owning Laudabilis, Beckmann also stands Dresemann. The black Dresemann (Daidalos x Wolkenstein II) became "world-famous" in Germany by winning the 2002 German Young Horse Championships (Bundeschampionate) scoring 10 four times on his trot and canter and under both guest judge riders. This was a historic performance no stallion had ever achieved before. But we didn't come to Wettringen to discuss Dresemann, who is by the way owned by Theo Schurf; we were there for Laudabilis.

Beckmann is very proud of his own stallion. "Everyone was so crazy of His Highness at the 2002 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing that they didn't notice the other colts," Beckmann said. "Laudabilis entered the ring to be auctioned right after His Highness and I only had to bid twice and he was mine. I paid 33,000 euro for him." Last year Laudabilis covered 288 mares.

Stallion Station Beckmann is only three years old. "We bought this farm seven years ago and started keeping stallions three years ago," Beckmann said. "Before that I worked 10 years at the courthouse." Thomas and I were treated to coffee and "Kuchen" by Mathieu's mother, while we listened to him reciting the station's history and his ideas on breeding and the different breed societies in Germany.

He was very open and fair in his explanation why Dresemann didn't compete at last year's Bundeschampionate. "He can never do better than in 2002. People should remember him as a winner and not as someone who lost the title a year later."

Naturally Beckmann has high hopes for Laudabilis. Besides being a very noble breeding sire, who definitely seems to work even on normal mares, he is also a wonderful sport horse. "We are going to try to qualify him for the Bundeschampionate this year," Beckmann stated. Thomas and I can't wait to see him in Warendorf in September!

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