This is the smallest state stud in terms of the number of active state stallions, a historical perspective however makes apparent that it was once one of the biggest state studs with a very eventful history.
Duke Christian IV is considered to be the actual founder: Following a visit to England, he was thoroughly fascinated by thoroughbreds and under his sponsorship "royal facilities" were established in Birkhausen, at the Eichelschneiderhof, near Kirkel and at the Holzhauserhof between 1752 and 1755. In the foundation year of 1755, he enacted a decree in which the stationing of stallions at covering stations in the duchy of Zweibrücken was regulated. His successor, Duke Karl II August, who had a lot of foresight, instructed that "... good, handsome and useful horses should be bred" wherever practicable in our entire royal domain.
It is noteworthy that the Prussian King purchased 150 stallions from Zweibrücken for his model stud of Trakehnen in the year 1783. As a result of the occupation by French revolutionary troops in 1793, all the stud horses were transferred to Rosieres aux Salines, but already in 1806, Napoleon saw to it that the principal stud of Zweibrücken was re-established. The stud ultimately disposed over more than 260 stallions and far in excess of 100 mares by means of purchases from other German breeding areas, as well as from Spain and Hungary,
The stallions were largely stationed at depots in five departments that belong to France today. In 1814 the director of the stud Strubberg fled to Fontainebleu with a number of stallions and foals as a consequence of the German Wars of Liberation. Two years later, the Palatinate came under Bavarian rule, resulting in the overwhelming application of Anglo-Normans and Arabians. In 1890 the district and state stud changed its status to the Principle Royal Bavarian State Stud. A good ten years later, the stud horses numbered around 260 horses, including 74 stallions.

During the first half of the twentieth century, the cessation of rearing of young 3 to 5 year old stallions, coupled with the intensification of agriculture, led to the increased utilisation of heavy warm-blooded horses including ones from Oldenburg. During the Second World War, all of the horses of the stud were twice evacuated to Bavaria. Following the end of the war, Bavarian sovereignty over the region ended and Zweibrücken was henceforth subjected to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture of the state of Rhineland- Westphalia.
Of the 58 stallions stationed at the stud in the year 1946, there were 18 draught horses, which were however soon replaced by Trakehner stallions such as Apfelkorn, Fantast, Herodes, Reichsfürst and Waldfeuer, who overwhelmingly covered mares owned by the stud itself.

Between 1966 and 1976, half of the stock of stud stallions were recruited from stallions with the Elk antler brand, including Intermezzo, Schöner Abend and Halali.
In 1960 Zweibrücken lost its principal stud status. Following the sale of the herd of broodmares, breeding was also discontinued at the principle stud of Eichelscheiderhof, whilst the subsidiary of Birkhausen was taken over by the Trakehner Association.
The entire stock of sires was replaced by new ones within a relatively short period of time. Hanoverian stallions occupied the loose boxes, among them Diskus, Dörfler, Dewet, Cerberus, Latour and Kurpfalz. Horses that attained particular influence included Mars by Marconi Dukat by Duft II, Duellfürst by Duellant, Einstein by Einglas and Waldjäger by Waldfrieden.
In recent times, the Weingau grandsons Weinberg and Genius by Gotthard caused a stir, whilst Grandus by Graphit, Wörth by Woermann, Garant and Graz by Garibaldi II, as well as Westrich by Werther have proven to be outstanding sires.
Today's stock of sires is characterised by Hanoverian, Westphalian and Holstein stallions, but Trakehners and thoroughbreds are also utilised.
For a number of years now, stallion performance tests have also been carried out on the spacious grounds of the state stud and it is increasingly becoming apparent how the multifarious activities revolving around horses have made their mark on the activities of the city of roses and horses.

Landgestüt Zweibrücken Leitung: Dr. Hans-Dieter Nebe Gutenbergstr. 16 D-66482 Zweibrücken Tel.: 0049-(0)6332-17556 Fax.: 0049-(0)6332-75822 e-mail: umarienfeld.lg-zb@agrarinfo.rlp.de

Dr. Hans-Dieter Nebe