At the age of 30, Hanoverian Stakkato (by Spartan) has passed away. Under Eva Bitter, the stallion wrote history in show jumping, and he was also of unprecedented value in breeding. With over 100 approved sons and dozens of offspring active at the highest level, Stakkato can be defined as an absolute top sire.
Stakkato was born in 1993 to August Meyer in Süstedt, Lower Saxony. The dark chestnut's jumping talent was noticed early on, with him finishing ninth with over 144 points during the performance test. With Eva Bitter in the saddle, Stakkato made absolute furore in the international sport. The first major highlight of their joint career, the pair won both the entry test, qualification and final of the Bundeschampionat in Warendorf, crowning themselves 1998 champions. The following year, the pair also became vice champions there.
In 2003, Eva Bitter won the German championships in Gera with Stakkato. In 2010, the dream team won the title a second time in Münster. The total prize money the Spartan son jumped during his lifetime comes to almost 2.5 tonnes. The iconic stallion's last competition was in June 2011 at the German championships in Balve, where he bid farewell to the sport with a placing. A few weeks before that, both were still part of the German Nations Cup team in St Gallen.
Unrivalled quality sire
It soon became clear that Stakkato also passed on his qualities to his offspring. As early as 2001, the Hanoverian was ranked first in the German Equestrian Federation's (FN) breeding value estimation for show jumping because of his offspring. Currently, direct Stakkato offspring have won more than 3.3 million euros in the German sport, and 246 of them show sport successes in advanced jumping (class S). Of his 76 sons approved in Germany, 64 are registered in stallion book I. In 2007, he was named stallion of the year in his home breeding region of Hanover. In 2019, Stakkato retired from active breeding.
Best offspring
One of the first approved sons to attract attention at the highest level was Satisfaction, who also has two approved full brothers. Stakkato Gold is one of the leading sons in breeding. Among others, he is the sire of Marcus Ehning's world championship horse Stargold. One of Stakkato's most prominent daughters is Sensation, the dam of the stallion Perigueux. With him, Eva Bitter also became German champion.
Stakkato was cared for and nurtured by Eva Bitter and Marco Kutscher. Yesterday, he was put to sleep at the age of 30. "A grand seigneur of the breed is no longer alive."
Source: St. Georg
Photo: © Press Release / Kutscher & Bitter Sportpferde