THE HANOVERIAN

Breeding
Proven in
Competition
He is successful in the jumper saddle
and in breeding Hanoverians; he knows
exactly what he wants: Frank Johannsen
from Daensen.
By Britta Züngel
St. Pr. aspirant Can Caipy by Canstakko/Cheenook
placed very well
twice in the Free-Jumping Competition,
participated in the Herwart
von der Decken-Show and was a
member of the jumping cadre at the
128 th Elite Auction. Photo: privat
You will not find Frank Johannsen in the barn
during the day. That‘s when the 45-year old is
on the golf course. He is not practicing his drives on
the fairway however. Instead his expertise is in demand.
He is a specialist for golf course maintenance,
renovation and regeneration of the noble
green. Ten employees and highly sophisticated machinery
help him in the family business his father
started in 1985. Walter Johannsen gave up his trucking
company almost 30 years ago when the golf
course was built just a stone-throw away in Buxtehude.
He invested in a new company. His son Frank
is a trained ‘green’ keeper and has managed the
business since 1999 and has expanded the business
to include footing management for riding
rings and maintenance of athletic fields. Playing
golf is still a hobby, “After all one should know
what it is all about!” says Frank Johannsen. He
knows that all too well when talking about the
breeding of jumpers. His ideas are clear and his
goalis, too, “I want to breed an internationally interesting
sport horse with a good attitude!”
Frank Johannsen was eight years old when his father
bought him his first pony that he set out with
together with his three-year older sister and Walter
Johannsen. Walter Johannsen always supported his
children and had ridden jumpers at a young age.
Later on a Thoroughbred mare came to the barn.
Frank competed it at the E- and A-level. It became
really interesting for the talented boy when his cousin
Cord Matthies gave him 14-year old Britta by
Bleep xx/Steinbock (breeder: Heinrich Clüver, Völkersen).
“At the time my dad thought that the mare
was too old. So I paid for her with money I had received
at my confirmation,” Frank Johannsen smiles.
The pair were a perfect match. Britta competed
Maren, Jan-Luca, Frank, Thies, Walter and Renate
Johannsen (from right to left) with a three-year old
filly by Acorado/Stakkato. Photo: Züngel
at the S-level at the age of 18. The family looked for
a good-quality prospect in 1987. Nobody foresaw
that Fürstin by Ferdinand/Don Carlos (breeder:
Leon Melchior, Zangersheide) would turn into a jewel.
“I called her ‘Flotte Deern’. She had just been
broken to saddle but you could already see her ability
in the free-jumping chute. She had great papers,
too! We thought that she would be good for
breeding, too.” The fact that she had already had a
foal was another plus. This foal was no one less
than Esprit FRH by Eiger who became Olympic
team champion with rider Lars Nieberg.
A severe riding accident delayed the career start.
Frank Johannsen had a rotational fall with a young
horse during a training session, broke his femur
and was laid up for a long time. Britta was unsuccessfully
covered by Wendekreis. Flotte Deern had a
year off. The minute Frank Johannsen was back in
the saddle he placed in an M/B-level jumper class
with Flotte Deern. The pair collected more than 20
S-level placements – all in northern Germany. “I
could have sold Flotte Deern many times but wanted
to keep her for my own breeding program.” He
retired the mare from competition after a victory on
the Dobrock in 1994. At that time the legendary For
Pleasure stood at stud in our neighborhood at
Heinrich Platte’s farm in Hollenstedt. “Even as a
young horse For Pleasure had a wonderful attitude
and never made a mistake.” The result of this most
successful combination was For Fantasie. She competed
internationally with Luciana Diniz. Two fullbrothers
by Esprit called Emilio and Esteban follo-
18 The Hanoverian 05|2013