The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!
The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!
The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!
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In memoriam<br />
20 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> <strong>08|2012</strong><br />
News Sport<br />
Fritz Floto passed away<br />
Fritz Floto passed away on his farm in Canada<br />
at <strong>the</strong> age of 88. “<strong>The</strong> term <strong>Hanoverian</strong><br />
and <strong>the</strong> name Fritz Floto are synonyms in<br />
North America,” That is how <strong>the</strong> Canadian<br />
magazine Horse Sport so appropriately describes<br />
<strong>the</strong> importance of this horseman from<br />
<strong>the</strong> old school. Fritz Floto was <strong>the</strong> pioneer for<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> breed in Canada and had a<br />
great influence on <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Hanoverian</strong> horse in <strong>the</strong> United States, too.<br />
He received <strong>the</strong> golden Honorary Pin of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Hanoverian</strong> Verband in 1980 for his services.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Department of Agriculture in Hanover<br />
awarded him <strong>the</strong> Golden Prize Medal for his<br />
services in building up and spreading <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong><br />
breed in North America. <strong>The</strong> German<br />
Equestrian Association awarded him <strong>the</strong><br />
Gustav-Rau-Plaque in 1990. Fritz Floto was<br />
born in 1924 on Gaedebehn Farm in <strong>the</strong> district<br />
Malchin that is in Mecklenburg. He experienced<br />
<strong>the</strong> terrors of WWII as a member of<br />
a cavalry regiment and in <strong>the</strong> artillery in Russia.<br />
He emigrated to Canada in 1952. He<br />
settled down with his wife Erica in <strong>the</strong> vicinity<br />
of Guelph, Ontario, where <strong>the</strong>y started a<br />
dairy farm. Fritz and Erica had two sons. He<br />
sold his cattle in 1968 and accepted a position<br />
with <strong>the</strong> Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph.<br />
In 1961 he was able to purchase two<br />
<strong>Hanoverian</strong> mares called Windrose by Weiler<br />
and Fernanda by Fernjäger as well as <strong>the</strong> sire<br />
Weimar by Firnis. <strong>The</strong>y had all just recently<br />
been imported to Calgary at that time. He<br />
laid <strong>the</strong> foundation for <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> Breed<br />
in Canada with <strong>the</strong>se acquisitions. He imported<br />
several stallions in <strong>the</strong> following years in<br />
close cooperation with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> Verband<br />
and <strong>the</strong> State Stud Celle. For instance<br />
Denar by Duft, Waidmann by Waidmannsdank<br />
xx, Ansturm by Adlerfarn II, Equuleus by<br />
Eindruck II, Sandsturm by Sendbote, Lepanto<br />
by Leibwächter and, at last, Welfenschatz by<br />
Walhall. He has distributed <strong>Hanoverian</strong> horses<br />
all over North America. Fritz Floto served<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> Verband as branding representative<br />
in Eastern Canada for decades. He<br />
was an honorary member of <strong>the</strong> <strong>American</strong><br />
Dr. Ludwig Christmann presents <strong>the</strong> document<br />
with <strong>the</strong> honorary membership to Fritz Floto.<br />
<strong>Hanoverian</strong> <strong>Society</strong> and a member of <strong>the</strong><br />
mare and stallion committee of <strong>the</strong> AHS. His<br />
opinion was always highly valued with respect<br />
to mares and stallions. Fritz Floto openly<br />
voiced his opinion in accordance with his<br />
Mecklenburg nature. You always knew where<br />
you stood with him and you could count on<br />
his word 100 percent. He was helpful, sincere<br />
and honest which many new <strong>Hanoverian</strong><br />
breeders in North America quickly realized,<br />
respected and valued. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> Verband<br />
in Germany and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> breeders<br />
all over North America mourn <strong>the</strong> death<br />
of a great horseman who always had an<br />
open ear for every breeder’s concerns. n<br />
Breed Orientation Course<br />
From all over <strong>the</strong> world<br />
Thirteen <strong>Hanoverian</strong> breeders from Finland,<br />
France, Great Britain, Spain and <strong>the</strong> United<br />
States visited <strong>the</strong> breeding area <strong>the</strong> end of<br />
June to participate in <strong>the</strong> so-called breed orientation<br />
course. Participants visited several<br />
mare shows and stallion stations, <strong>the</strong> State<br />
Stud Celle and Adelheidsdorf. Visits to <strong>Hanoverian</strong><br />
breeders as well as lectures on <strong>the</strong><br />
breeding program and stallion lines complemented<br />
<strong>the</strong> one-week program. “<strong>The</strong> lectures<br />
on horse evaluation and - not to forget - all<br />
<strong>the</strong> visits with breeders, stallion stations and<br />
mare shows meant we saw and learned something<br />
new everywhere. <strong>The</strong> grand hospitality<br />
and <strong>the</strong> efforts from all sides to make us<br />
feel comfortable and welcome! It was phenomenal!<br />
We want to extent a warm thank<br />
you to all,” Kerstin Bomke from Great Britain<br />
summarizes <strong>the</strong> group’s consensus. n