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Haflinger Breed History

Haflingers are a small breed of horse (not pony) that originated in the Tyrolian mountains of Austria. Contrary to some sources, the purebred Haflinger has no draft blood, but descends from a half-Arabian stallion and a refined Tyrolean mountain mare that resembled a small Warmblood. Their calm, gentle temperament, beautiful coloring, athleticism, and “easy-keeper” quality make them a great horse for people of all ages and disciplines.

These horses excel in all sport horse disciplines throughout the United States, Austria, Germany, Holland, and elsewhere in the world, including dressage and jumping, as well as in combined driving. To learn about the history of the Haflinger, click here for more information.

THe World Haflinger Federation (WHF) was reformed in 2013 and is now known as the Haflinger World Breeding and Sport Association (HWBSA). This entity sets the standards for Haflinger horses world-wide.

The epitome of the modern, sport horse Haflinger is liz Abendstern (pictured right), who stands at the Fohlenhoff in Ebbs, Austria, the center for Haflinger breeding in the world. Abendstern is a three-time World Champion Stallion (2010, 2005, 2000), two-time European Champion (2008, 2003), and multiple times Tyrolean dressage champion under saddle. Born in 1995, Abenstern stands 155cm (@15.1H).

Contrary to what some believe, Haflingers can also jump. The Austrian stallion, Nordtirol (pictured left), holds the world record for Haflingers for jumping at five and a half feet! Nordtirol stood at the Fohlenhoff in Ebbs, Austria for most of his life and was sold to a breeder in the United States. Sadly, Nobelius is now deceased. He was born in 1994 and stands 146cm (@14.2H).
The World Champion stallion, Amadeus, sire of Abenstern and numerous other licensed stallions, holds the record for the highest score in the world ever received at inspection at 85 points. Born in 1989, Amadeus stood 152 cm (@15H), and is sadly, now deceased.
The stallion PrH Atlantic from Austria is an outstanding mover and excelling in dressage.
In the United States, Haflingers are also making their mark in the sport horse world. Brenner IK (Barolo x Luette) is a German stallion imported by Ingrid Krauss and now owned by Laura Drahota Kochar. Brenner is the first Haflinger stallion in the U.S. to show at Grand Prix. Brenner was also the 2019 National Dressage Pony Cup year-end Champion at Intermediare B.
Also in the United States, Maximotion WSF, a German imported Haflinger stallion formerly owned by Wingspann Farm, is pictured in 2013 winning at fourth level with a score of 67.5%!

Making History

In 2013, our Austrian imported stallion, Stellar TVR, made history as the first Haflinger stallion to attend the North American Stallion Testing and be awarded his lifetime license and approval for breeding with Weser Ems, RPSI and Westfalen! In 2011, Stellar was the first Haflinger stallion in North America to be inspected, licensed and provisionally approved for breeding by the Weser-Ems Verband (sport pony and small horse division of the German Oldenburg Verband), into their main Stud Book I, and Westfalen N.A., another German sport horse registry, into Main Stud Book I, starting their Haflinger Stud Book in the United States! In 2018 Stellar made history yet again as the first stallion of any breed—at one point out of over 250 plus stallions—to achieve all five stars in the American Warmblood Society Sporthorse Registry Five-Star Program based on his accomplishments and the accomplishments of his offspring! As of early 2023 Stellar was still the only stallion to have achieved this accomplishment! The Five-Star program documents outstanding achievements of horses in both athletic and reproductive areas. And, as of the end of 2023, Stellar is still the first and only stallion to achieve this status out of 238 stallions of all breeds! The stars are added to the horse’s registered name.

/*/ / / / / (First Star) = A superior inspection score 75% or better
/ /*/ / / / (Second Star) = Superior performance in the upper levels of sport: FEI dressage, showjumping, eventing (including North American Stallion Testing)
/ / /*/ / / (Third Star) = 3-5 offspring inspection scores of 75% or better
/ / / /*/ / (Fourth Star) = Placing in a National Championship
/ / / / /*/ (Fifth Star) = Offspring placing in a National Championship

To read the article on Haflinger Sport Horses that appeared in the 2012 September/October issue of Warmbloods Today magazine, click here
Stellar’s foals presented to RPSI have all received Gold Premium or high Silver Premium status, with two Inspection Site Champion Foals–one over nine Warmblood and Sport Pony foals, with another Stellar foal coming in Reserve! His first breeding age daughter place in the main mare book mare at her RPSI inspection, and awarded high silver (77 points) at her AHR inspection in 2015. She went on to win Reserve Champion at First Level in the USDF All-Breeds Awards Program in 2019, and was the Alaska Dressage Society Champion at Training Level for 2017. Another daughter out of a different mare was Champion and Premium mare at her Westfalen inspection in 2018 with an overall score of 80 and a 9 for her walk in a large group of quality mares, as well as being Gold classified at her AHR inspection! Her full sister was also awarded Premium at the same Westfalen inspection with an 8.5 on trot and was the third highest scoring horse, and a Stellar son was approved for breeding through Westfalen in 2019 pending performance result, which he completed in 2021 as Champion Pony Stallion and the first stallion of any breed to attend the North American Stallion Sport Test—the new format of the North American Stallion Performance Test. And, Stellar’s offspring continue to take high honors at Westfalen inspections across the country year after year, with all of the mares inspected thus far being placed in the main mare book and many of them achieving Premium status, and many of his foals achieving Premium status and awarded Premium at their inspections.

Many people have the misconception that breeders of sport horse type Haflingers are changing the breed, but the original Haflinger was a tall, versatile, athletic horse that resembled the sport horse Haflingers of today. The World Haflinger Federation is the governing body of the Haflinger breed, and as such, sets the standard. Today, one can find several breeders throughout the United States who are now breeding the same high quality horses with the type and movement found in Austria and elsewhere in Europe. Some of these horses can be found at our farm, located in Central Michigan.