Spring in the hills around Gestut Birkhof is similar to an American landscape at that time of the year. ( Except in Florida….:-) The spring stallion shows traditionally are held when the weather slightly warms, and the breeders mares are at home beginning to think about foaling – the new years’ herd of sport horses in Germany. This year was an exceptionally late spring!
Lingh produced over 150 foals last year, so at this years Stallion Extravaganza I was able to meet some of the youngsters that I had been hearing about, and from all the cards and letters I receive from the breeders – I am getting to know the people that have fallen in love with Lingh. The yearling crop is nice. I have been told that the Lingh foals do not get excited enough in the foal shows – they say that the foals are a little calm and need an “excitement”! I agree. I personally like their calmness, so I also encourage the breeders that have really nice Lingh offspring – to get a professional handler – let them show off your Lingh to it’s very best! The second night of the Stallion show, we used the spotlights on the yearlings, a little differently and it made a very nice showing!
In the summertime the farm looks like this and it’s very very beautiful. Lingh lives in an old fashioned stallion barn in the middle of Birkhof. He has a corner quiet stall, right next to the feed area, where he loves to be! 
From the moment it becomes light at Birkhof, the farm becomes electric. There are all ages of horses stabled on the farm, and depending on the time of year and the weather conditions, these horses are being handled. When you bring your mares to Birkhof for breeding, or when you bring the older bloodstock in for Thomas Casper’s review, the family will offer your horses care, handling, showing, and education in jumping, dressage and pleasure riding. In the sales department the future of the foals and youngsters is carefully laid out according to what you want, to make you proud as a breeder. It is the way that Thomas Casper does business.
Headed out to pastures
from their website….www.guestuet-birkhof.com
50 years Gestüt Birkhof – We are looking back on an eventful year.
“We celebrated many interesting jubilee events together. One highlight was certainly the “Festival of the Horse”, celebrated in September with many spectators and fantastic show presentations and blessed with fabulous weather. And the jubilee year was also successful in regard to breeding and sport: The Olympics in London were certainly another highlight with Butts Abraxxas winning the team gold medal and three more successfully competing Heraldik xx-offspring, the double gold medal at the Paralympics for FBW Rainman by Rubicell, a third place for Dave at the Louisdor-Prize in Frankfurt, four national champions, four South German champions, one competitor in the Final of the Federal Championships, one winner of the “Schwarz-Goldenes-Band”-event, five licensed Birkhof-progeny at the Southern German Stallion Days in Munich and the “Master Stallion”-award for Don Diamond.
We thank you for your support and the trust placed in us in the last 50 years. Brimming with new ideas, we are highly motivated to face new challenges and are looking forward to the new breeding year.”
Nicole and Thomas Casper
So the Spring of 2013 brought us new challenges. Celebrations for Lingh’s 20 birthday – not quite 21 yet, but still a great milestone of an amazing horse and competitor. I arrived with a broken finger, so Lingh got the early rides before the stallion shows with Miriam Luft, – outrider! Seen here before a long country walk. Thank you Miriam, Lingh loves you and your rides!
Join us for that walk! On You Tube soon!
In the stable ….
In a stable of stallions, Lingh is very happy to be ready for work.
Lingh is at the top of the hill!
