In June the European state studs’ directors met at the Principal and Federal Stud Neustadt/Dosse (Germany) for their annual general assembly.
Due to an alteration of the statutes it is now possible to join ESSA as supporting member and to make a contribution to the preservation of European stud culture.
Dr. Tomi Rumpf, director of the Slovenian national stud Lipica, was elected for the ESSA board where he replaced his precursor Matjaž Pust and joined Bernard Maurel (Les Haras Nationaux), Dr. Astrid von Velsen-Zerweck (Principal and Federal Stud Marbach), Dr. Dominik Burger (National Stud Avenches) und Lenka Gotthardová (Hippological Museum Slati?any).
In the evening the stud directors’ assembly was followed by the „Reception of the European State Studs“. Representatives of politics, equestrian organisations and media came to Neustadt, such as the Hungarian Attaché for Agriculture Péter Dull, Peter Stier, member of the German parliament and the breeding referees of different states. The German Equestrian Federation (FN) was represented by its secretary general Soenke Lauterbach and Dr. Klaus Miesner, head of the breeding department.
The welcome words of host Dr. Jürgen Müller and ESSA-president Bernard Maurel were followed by greetings of State Secretary Rainer Bretschneider, Ministery for Infrastructure and Agriculture in Brandenburg. Dr. Astrid von Velsen-Zerweck gave a presentation about the cultural significance of the European state studs and the cooperation of the ESSA-network.
After the theoretical part the Neustadt studs entertained the guests with a varied show programme, before the evening ended in the historic atmosphere of the freshly renovated sire stable.
For the next general assembly in April 2011 director Franck Le Mestre invited the ESSA-members to the French National Stud Le Pin. Until then the association plans different activities. The network will be present at the French horse fair „Cheval Passion“(Avignon, January) and at the German „Equitana“ (Essen, March). People who are interested in the work of ESSA have the chance to get in touch personally and to join the association as supporting members.
For the coming years an exhibition with selected pieces of European stud culture is in preparation which will travel across Europe. Starting point is Brussels in November 2010. For three weeks a collection of objects from museums and archives of the ESSA-partner studs will be shown at the seat of Baden-Wuerttemberg, accompanied by different events such as the “Day of European Stud Culture”. With the events in Brussels, ESSA hopes to raise awareness of the European politicians for the historic studs, their difficulties and their needs.
The central office of ESSA is located at Marbach stud in Germany. Currently, a new website is under construction. From August on „www.europeanstatestuds.org“ will provide information for everyone interested in the network and its activities. On facebook ESSA is already present.
ESSA aims for the preservation of the cultural values of the European national and traditional studs. More than 20 partner studs are located in 12 countries, making the network a truly European initiative. Four studs are based in Germany and Hungary, two in the Czech Republic, France and Poland. Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland are represented by one stud each. For Romania the National Forest Administration Romsilva, managing the 17 state studs of the country, joined ESSA.
Related Link: The Founding of the ESSA