Page 6 - 1976-1

DfM"*b"., of the American Trakehner Association . SChil:ke
attending the association's annual membership meet-

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AT

ilH:ffixu:li: *tri.?Xlx11#ii31il!:itr3'lifi Annual M eetirug

Trakehner Verband, Dr. Fritz Schilke, had graciously
consented to attend the meeting as a guest of the
association. Upon entering the room, Dr. Schilke was
By HELEN K. GIBBLE
given an extended standing ovation and the en-
thusiasm of the ATA members increased with every

word spoken by the famous Trakehner expert.

Dr. Schilke had brought with him a collection of
slides which he showed during the afternoon session.
In his presentation, Dr. Schilke demonstrated the de-
velopment of the Trakehner horse in tune with the

changing requirements from the days when the horses
were bred in East Prussia to supply the Prussian army
with remounts to the present where the prime requis-

ite is a dependable, safe, well balanced riding horse.

Speaking practically without notes, Dr. Schilke
displayed his vast knowledge of the breed by giving

every horse's lineage and often its breeding record and

show accomplishments. Dr. Schilke's thoughts on the general member'
On November 22nd, Dr. Schilke joined the mem- ship meeting

bers on their tour of Trakehner breeding farms in the Since the q.ssociation is uery young,I was surprised
Toronto area. He made brief comments on the pluses
and minuses of each horse before him, always very by the liuely participation in this meeting. I was uery
diplomatically stressing first the finer points of the
horse and then sometimes slipping in a remark about a
fault or two. At one point, Dr. Schilke emphasized how
important in a breeding operation is the care a horse

.ec-eires particularly as a foal but also in its early
training. Dr. Schilke pointed out that in the evalua-

tion of a horse as breeding material the genetic picture

of that particular horse, i.e. its pedigree, counts for
only thirty percent whereas the care with which the
horse is raised and thus its condition at the time of
evaluation, amounts to a hefty seventy percent.

In the evening of November 22nd, Dr. Schilke and much impressed by the precision and determinq.tion
his daughter Gabriele, who was accompanying her
father on his first journey to the "New World", joined with whiih all problems of organization ahd breeding

the ATA members at the Rdl Winter Fair Horse Show were handled.
It was of course impossible during such a short uisit
where to everyone's surpride the announcer welcomed of the Trakehner breed in
the ATA members and particularly Dr. Schilke and to form an opinion. of the state
tShechsihlkoeww, fairssitminprEesnsgelidshw-ithatnhde then States. Knowing what
his daughter to love Canada and the United
in German! Dr. Trakehner horses were exported from the Federal Re-
and enthusiasm radiated by everyone connected with -pthurboluicghofthGeeinrmtearmnyedtoiatrhyeoUf tnhieteTdraSkteahtenseranVderCbaanndadaat

the show. Hamiurg,I know that good quality rnaterial with good

On November 23rd, Dr. Schilke took advantage of bloodlinis has reached that continent. Of course, the

the distinguished membership bestowed upon him by Trahehner horses presently auailable in those countries
cannot offer a sfficiently broad base for dependabl:e
the ATA and actively participated in the general
membership meeting. At the end of the meeting, Dr.
deuelopment in the future. - It seems uery important to
Schilke reiterated that he took his membership seri- me that care bring future pur-
ously and promised to make the interests of the ATA be taken, if possible, to

his and the Verband's- interests and that he would chases ofbreeding stock to those locations where condi-
be he could.
o-f assistance wherever tions are fauorable for optimum breeding operations
and the raising of young horses.
The Trakehner Verband will always be auailable to
A truly charming, humble man with a store of altruistically aduise the American Trakehner Associa'
knowledge and expertise that was but touched on in tion in all questions - including desired purchases.

the few short days at Toronto.

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