Contendro I the origins

Contendro I the origins : from 1893 to the present day

In the vast world of equestrianism, some names resonate with a power and reverence that transcend the confines of stables and race tracks. One such name is Contendro I, a stallion whose pedigree not only embodies the tradition and excellence of the Holsteiner breed, but also tells a story of passion, commitment and extraordinary success in show jumping. Born in 1997, Contendro I is the son of Contender, a stallion who left an important mark in equestrian history.

Genealogy

Mother

His mother, Bravo, represents one of the most historic and successful mares in the Holsteiner line. Coming from the esteemed stamm 104a, Bravo has sired several outstanding sons, including Caretano Z who, under Jos Lansink’s guidance, has won prestigious titles, such as the seven-year-old World Championship. Bravo’s ability to produce exceptional horses is not limited only to Caretano Z: Contendro II full brother, N-Caretana and Cassito are just some of the illustrious names that can be traced back to this incredible broodmare. Bravo also produced a filly, full sister to Contendro I, named O-Contendra B, born in 1999 from the Holsteiner studbook, which in turn produced Cosimo M, U-Contendra, Chaka Chaka, Chijioke.

Father

Contendro I Contender’s sire was born in 1984 and has lived 30 years between Haseldorf and Haselau, between Hamburg and Denmark, the latter a typical Elbe marsh village in Haseldorf’s Marlude, where there is an air of rurality from the old rural farms to the Pinnau and Elbe dams, with sweeping views of fertile fields and orchards, pastures and bright rape fields, and where Schleswig-Holstein’s oldest stud station, active since 1893 and where Contender spent many years of his life, still stands.

Contender was a stallion with well-balanced gaits and good rhythm, with great jumping ability, style and technique.
Contender was approved in the Holsteiner studbook at the age of two and then passed the Oldenburg 100-day test at Adelheidsdorf with flying colors. He has not been saddled since that time. Contender remains one of the few stallions of his generation who did not compete. He was a great stallion on a par with Grannus at Oldenburg, and at the time he was licensed for 350 broodmares per year and received well over 700 applications each year; his Holstein foals were not as good as Oldenburg foals, so it became apparent that he needed to use broodmares with a high proportion of bloodlines and light model, as opposed to the classic models of the time.

In 1906, Heinrich Lienau, grandfather of Otto Lienau, set up a stallion station in the so-called “passage” of the pub next to the church. In the past, carriages were stopped here, horses were harnessed, watered and groomed. In June 2006, the 100th anniversary of the station was celebrated with a big party. For the 100th anniversary of the Haselau Stallion Station, there was a traditional horse demonstration and stallion presentation as in the old days, much to the delight of the audience. http://www.hengststation-haselau.de/

Grandmother

Her mother Gonfine ( grandmother of Contendro I )(Holst, Ramiro x Ladykiller XX) was bought at the age of three by Niko Detlef who fell in love with her as soon as he saw her; she exuded grace and class. Her magnificent movements and golden temperament influenced not only her direct offspring but also other generations of foals in order to perpetuate excellence in show jumping.

He had 17 foals including Contender. Gofine’s daughters have also been excellent breeders. We can also mention Fine Kiss (Caletto I), who participated in the World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera in 2002 and in two European Championships with Austrian Tatiana Freytag von Loringhoven ; another daughter of Gofine, she produced Cassandro I (Caletto I).
In 1988 Niko Detlef crossed Gofine and Caletto I to produce the stallion Cornetto, which achieved great success on the international scene with the Danish Lars Pedersen. Despite this superb production, it is Contender that has made this family so famous.

Bloodline and ratings

Contendro I combines pattern, gait, rideability, natural and mental abilities; he was a stallion with a modern pattern, sensitive and gentle character.
In his pedigree we find closer names such as Cor del Bryere, Ramiro Z, Rasputin and more distant names such as Rantzau XX, Ladykiller XX, Landgraf I, Gondolier (Trak), Ramzes X (AA), so he had a strong influence of Anglo-Arab and English blood.

At two years old he was approved Premium in Holstein, at three years old in the 100-day trial he got the best marks among the participants, at four years old he placed in the Holstein regional championships and for the Bundeschampionat in Warendorf.
His breeding career took off so quickly that he became primarily a breeding stallion.
He was a stallion who produced in both show jumping and dressage, although he had much higher scores in show jumping than in dressage.
He proved suitable for old-fashioned broodmares, helping to lengthen the model and adding elegance, short back, uphill gaits and elastic movement. Contendro belongs to the five percent of jumping horse producers.
On the FN 2021 values he achieved a Hanoverian dressage value of 91, his jumping value, 154.

Contendro I quality

Contendro I was a perfect example of what it means to breed an elite horse. His presence in the saddle was characterized by a powerful gallop and agile movements. He was able to pass on to his descendants not only strong and athletic genetics, but also a gentle and sensitive temperament. Many horsemen and riding enthusiasts described him as a charismatic stallion, capable of creating a special bond with those who cared for and mounted him.

Contendro I in France

He was bought in France in 2012 by Groupe France élevage (GFE). Arnaud Évain, president of GFE loved the sire Contender, who not only passed on a beautiful model and true jumping skills, but also a certain character that makes his offspring perform better than average. Unfortunately, at that time, his frozen semen was not good enough to produce foals in France. So they decided to focus on his son Contendro I who embodied the same characteristics.
“Contendro I was an extremely endearing stallion, endowed with a rare kindness and sensitivity that left its mark on the people who pampered him every day.”

Goodbye

Contendro I continued to produce successful horses around the world until his death on October 7, 2024. The news of his passing touched the hearts of breeders and fans deeply.
One day like so many others while eating grass in his paddock, he suffered a cardiac arrest “he went as he had lived : elegantly.”

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