Lower Saxony State Horse Stud, Celle

The State Horse Stud, Celle – connecting the Traditional and the Modern

On 27 June 1735, the Elector of Hanover, King George II of Great Britain, issued a far-reaching decree to establish a State Stud in Celle. George II wanted to recruit horses for the cavalry and agriculture in his own country and not have to buy from  abroad at greater expense. The enterprise started modestly with 13 young stallions and reached its peak in the first decades of the 20th century with more than 500 stallions.

From the promotion of state horse breeding programmes producing the highest quality stallions, the refinement of riding horses by cross-breeding with English thoroughbreds, the summer amusements, the Christmas market, or the displays of the State sires to the public; or the establishment at Celle of the first stallion testing institute on German soil, the establishment of modern biotechnologies such as artificial insemination or horse embryo transfer – these are some of the many factors through which, the State Stud at Celle combines traditional horse breeding with the latest innovation!

The State Stud Farm is located in the heart of Celle, in the middle of the beautiful half-timbered Old Town. The focus of the stud farm is certainly the parade ground, an oval lawn with a surrounding wood-covered track where the summer fun is held each year - the Celle Stallion Parades.

The current stock of stallions includes around 100 active state-bred stallions, which go to breeding stations from February to July. There are 27 insemination stations and subsidiaries located throughout the whole of Lower Saxony, providing optimal on-site support for the local breeders. Even in modern times, the traditional premise of King George II applies: "For the benefit of the breeders, high-quality stallions are made available for state horse breeding at moderate prices”. This is and remains the core objective of the Lower Saxony State Stud in Celle.