Gestut Ammerland

Applying the core principles of breeding to stallions who were top racehorses while enhancing their own core families, Dietrich and Annabel von Boetticher's Gestut Ammerland has forged a reputation as one of the best owner-breeder operations in Europe.  The results of the Bavarian farm speak for themselves but let us offer a reminder here. At one stage Ammerland was home to around 50 mares, but generally the average number has been closer to 30: not quite boutique but also not behemoth.  Over the last 30 years or so, 60 group...

German Horse of the Year and established sire Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) will move to Gestut Rottgen beginning in 2024, the stud announced on Tuesday. Standing for a partnership of Gestut Ammerland, Gestut Graditz and Mulligan Stable, his fee will be €6,000. A multiple Group 1 winner, the son of Irika (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) has already been represented by Group 3 winner Mr Hollywood (Ire), who was second in the G1 Deutsches Derby, and listed winner and group-placed Drawn To Race (Ger) from his first crop of just five foals...

Wanja Soren Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss's Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}--Margie's Music {Fr}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) provided evidence of above-average ability when streaking to a 16-length triumph, and 'TDN Rising Stardom', in his Apr. 2 debut at Mulheim last time and photobombed the G1 Deutsches Derby picture with a decisive success in Monday's G3 Wettstar.de - Bavarian Classic at Munich. Positioned off the clear leader in fifth until turning for home in this 10-furlong contest, the 2-1 joint-favourite powered forward in the straight to lead approaching the final furlong...

Gestut Ammerland's €820,000 BBAG September graduate Sea The Sky (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a full-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sea The Moon (Ger), earned her black-type stripes with victory in Thursday's Listed Prix Joubert at ParisLongchamp. Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX JOUBERT-Listed, €55,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-8, 3yo, f, 14fT, 3:01.50, sf. 1--SEA THE SKY (GER), 125, f, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire) 1st Dam: Sanwa (Ger), by Monsun (Ger) 2nd Dam: Sacarina (GB), by Old Vic (GB) 3rd Dam: Brave Lass (GB), by Ridan 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€820,000 Ylg...

BADEN-BADEN, Germany--There has been much for German racing and breeding to celebrate since its premier yearling sale of 12 months ago. That same weekend, Torquator Tasso (Ger), a graduate of the 2018 sale, landed the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden just across the road from the auction house before going on to his memorable victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. A reminder, if one were needed, that German bloodlines can mix it with the very best in the world, as also exemplified recently by the GI Beverly...

by Emma Berry, Brian Sheerin & Sue Finley DEAUVILLE, France--A Shamardal colt with rarity value to add to his illustrious family ties was the sole millionaire yearling during the opening session of the Arqana August Sale when selling for €1.6 million from Gestut Ammerland to Godolphin. Bred by one of the most respected studs in Europe, the close relation to dual Classic winner and leading sire Lope De Vega (Ire) was the stand-out on a day which had a strong clearance rate for an elite sale of 84%, with the...

Dietrich von Boetticher's famed Gestut Ammerland is undergoing a reduction in scale but is not, as reported this week in the German press, ceasing business completely. As part of that process, the owner/breeder's neighbouring farm on Lake Starnberg, Gestut Bernried, will close from the end of May. "It's very much an official reduction, he is not stopping breeding," said an Ammerland representative. "He's been selling more yearlings and reducing the stock over a number of years. The idea is to bring the operation down from around 50 to about a...

Graham Smith-Bernal last week bought out partners Gestut Ammerland to purchase the sale-topping Waldlied for 2.2-million gns at Tattersalls, with Ammerland the underbidder. Ammerland would not be defeated for Waldlied's three-quarter sister Wildfeder (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 188) at Arqana on Saturday, however, going to €2.05-million to own the winning 3-year-old outright and dissolve the partnership with Smith-Bernal's Newsells Park Stud. Wildfeder and Waldlied are out of Waldlerche, and therefore Wildfeder is a full-sister to the Arc winner Waldgeist.

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a full-sister to a Classic-winning sire. 14.25 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, 2yo, f, 8f (AWT) Gestut Ammerland's SEA THE SKY (GER) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who hit the heights when knocked down for a record-equalling €820,000 at last year's BBAG September fixture, is a full-sister to runaway...

Al Shira'aa Farms continued the spending spree on well-bred fillies it had begun last week at Goffs Orby when going to 1.25-million at Tattersalls on Thursday for the very first lot through the ring, the Dubawi (Ire) half-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist (Ire). Lot 336 was bred by Newsells Park Stud in partnership with Gestut Ammerland and sold by Newsells.   👑 the first lot into the ring today at #TattsOctober Book 1 sells for 1,250,000gns. Lot 336 is a filly by Dubawi (@DarleyEurope) half-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist. She...

BADEN-BADEN, Germany—The world in 2020 is vastly different to the one we knew 12 months ago but a familiar theme was revisited with one moment of déjà vu in the ring at BBAG on Friday as a daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) out of a Monsun (Ger) mare sold for a sale record-equalling €820,000. In 2019, it was Matt Coleman who signed for the top lot on behalf of Godolphin, this time around the day's prize offering, a full-sister to 11-length Deutsches Derby winner Sea The Moon (Ger), will...

Sea The Sky (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a full-sister to wide-margin G1 Deutsches Derby winner and Lanwades Stud stallion Sea The Moon (Ger), sold for €820,000 at Germany's BBAG Yearling Sale to Dietrich Von Boetticher's Gestut Ammerland. Offered as lot 61 by her breeders Heike Bischoff and Niko Lafrentz of Gestut Gorlsdorf, the February-born filly is out of Sanwa (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), herself a full-sister to the German Classic-winning trio of Samum (Ger), Schiaparelli (Ger) and Salve Regina (Ger). Sea The Sky's price equalled the record for the sale...