The last days allowed to review what we have achieved, where we missed targets and what could be improved to gain better results. Our aim always was and is to be realistic, keep a positive approach and not to be downturned by the negative.

However, 40 wins and more than €920.000 in prizemoney worldwide won by horses either bred or raised/prepped at SCHLOSSGUT ITLINGEN mean a new record. It is very satisfying that last years record was easily passed again.

First winner of the year was GWENDOLYN on the 12th of December in England. In between were victories in England, France, Germany and the USA, as well as in Norway, Sweden and Czechia. Top of the list were the Group- respectively Stakeswinners FEARLESS HUNTER, LUCKY SPEED. Adding up were the Group or Stakes placed runners as LYCIDAS and IRVING or the french Stakeswinner MUKHAYYAM and the afore mentioned Stakeswinner ROCKAWAY VALLEY Gr.2 placed and SHAHBAR winners.

STAUFFENBERG BLOODSTOCK has established itself as as one of the leading pinhhookers and consignors in Europe, returning some good results for his investors and delivering some above average or promising winners for the clients who purchased out of the consignments. However, in a more and more selective market there is reason to be even more cautious, as the prizes for the top foals have risen a lot and the numbers of clients buying at the high end is a pretty small group. However the syndicate has now a a bigger number of people investing in and so lowers the risks for every shareholder. As there is always room for improvement, some facilities at SCHLOSSGUT ITLINGEN have been improved to help STAUFFENBERG BLOODSTOCK to continue to succeed in the coming years.

There is reason for an increasing concern about the situation of thoroughbred racing and breeding in Germany. In the past years, the number of horses in training has gone down dramatically. Especially with the sale of the best horses abroad, the chances to keep the current pattern races at the same level, is very much unlikely. The sale of the best fillies in training will have a long term impact on the breed as well, as reproducing regularly high quality horses

from these smaller numbers and lower quality mares looks to be an impossible target.