Donnerhall
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| Donnerhall | |
|---|---|
Donnerhall's bronze statue in Oldenburg | |
| Breed | Oldenburg |
| Sire | Donnerwetter (Hanoverian) |
| Grandsire | Disput (Hanoverian) |
| Dam | Ninette (Oldenburg) |
| Maternal grandsire | Markus (Oldenburg) |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1981 |
| Country | Germany |
| Colour | Dark Chestnut |
| Breeder | Otto Gärtner (sometimes spelled Gaetner) |
Donnerhall (May 31, 1981 – January 14, 2002) was a dressage stallion who was known not only for having a successful career as a sport horse, but also passing on his abilities to his offspring to become an influential sire.
Donnerhall was by Donnerwetter, a stallion who stood at Grönwohldhof and competed at Grand Prix level with Herbert and Karin Rehbin before he was sold to the United States in 1990. His other approved sons include Donnerkiel, Dobrock and Don Wienero L.
Donnerhall's dam, Ninette, also produced the mare Noblesse (by Pik Bube I). Ninette was from the Nagate line of mares. Her sire, Markus, was half-Thoroughbred and his sire Manolete xx is also found in the great eventing horse Volturno, winner of 2 Olympic silver medals and a silver medal at the 1978 World Championships in Lexington.
He was approved for Hanoverian, Westphalian, Holstein, Bavarian, Baden-Wurttemberg, Hessen, KWPN, Danish Warmblood studbooks. He stood 16.3 hands (67 inches, 170 cm).
| Sire Donnerwetter blk. 1977 Hanoverian |
Disput b. 1967 |
Diskant b. 1957 |
Dwinger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altpalme | |||
| Amselmaerchen ch. 1953 |
Amselkönig | ||
| Berta | |||
| Melli b. 1972 |
Matador blk/br. 1966 |
Marconi | |
| Landtanne St. Pr | |||
| Lilli b. 1965 |
Der Lowe xx | ||
| Altferne | |||
| Dam Ninette blk. 1976 Oldenburg |
Markus b. 1963 |
Manolete xx b. 1955 Thoroughbred |
Asterios xx |
| Malta xx | |||
| Harine b. 1956 |
Forscher | ||
| Hartherzige V St. Pr | |||
| Negola blk. 1966 |
Carnot ch. 1962 |
Condor | |
| Schimine | |||
| Negera III blk. 1956 |
Edler | ||
| Negera |
Dressage career
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Equestrian | ||
| World Championships | ||
| 1994 The Hague | Team dressage | |
| 1994 The Hague | Individual dressage | |
| 1998 Rome | Team dressage | |
| European Championships | ||
| 1997 Verden | Team dressage | |
| 1997 Verden | Individual dressage | |
Donnerhall began his career in 1984, placing second out of 70 horses at his Stallion Performance Test held in Adelheidsdorf, with a score of 131.92. According to his rider, he was very easy to train, reaching the Grand Prix level of training in 2 years . He was especially known for his expressive passage, piaffe, and extended trot.
Donnerhall had a stellar career as a dressage horse, winning some of the most prestigious competitions, including over 65 FEI Grand Prix Dressage classes and a life earning of D.M. 640,000. He was 1986 German DLG Champion in Hanover, beating out the very athletic Hanoverian stallion World Cup I. In 1994 German Champion (Mannheim), won the team gold and individual bronze at the Dressage World Championship in 1994 and at the European Dressage Championship in 1997 in Verden. In 1997, he also won the World Cup European League. Donnerhall earned his third team gold while finishing 4th individually at the 1998 Dressage World Championship. He was also named Oldenburg Stallion of the Year in 1998.
The stallion then went on a "farewell tour" that same year, retiring from competitive sport at the age of 17. He died January 2002 of acute intestinal toxicopathy.