Trakehner Premium and Elite Stallion Tambour Has Died

In 1996, the State Premium mare Tänzerin by Consul-Herzensdieb—from the Trakehner main stud line of Tapete at Gestüt Panker—gave birth to a colt sired by the popular Hohenstein. He was named Tambour and grew into a typey young stallion, visually following entirely in the tradition of his sire and his grandsire, Caprimond.

At the 1998 Trakehner licensing, he was named a premium stallion, and Tambour lived up to the promise he showed in hand in the years that followed, even under saddle. He was trained in dressage up to Class S. However, as a four-year-old, he was also the Trakehner show jumping champion.

Above all, though, he was a true personality.

“Cheffe” has died …

Dr. Elke Söchtig’s Gut Elmershausen announced Tambour’s death today and shared some moving words of farewell:

“There are moments you know are coming. Yet they still catch you completely off guard and hit you with full force.

We were still able to celebrate Tambour’s 30th birthday this year. The black stallion was bred by the Hessian State Foundation at the Panker Stud and had been in our possession since 1998. He was a very special horse. Always the alpha, always the leader, with the kind of impressive charisma and aura that Trakehner stud stallions possess.

He never made any compromises. But Tambour taught us so much: discipline, humility, patience, and the realization that stallions cannot be handled with force. Tambour worked best when he believed that what was happening or had just been done was his own idea.

It wasn’t until the last two years that he started to mellow a bit with age. Brushing and petting were suddenly okay—he used to hate that.

We miss him very much. After all, our first stop in the morning was always to see him, at his stall, and our last stop in the evening as well. Tambour—Tambourchen—Head of the House—Tommy—Cheffe—he was and always will be very closely connected to Elmarshausen. Of course, he’s an indispensable part of the history of the stud farm and Trakehner breeding!”

Breeding Legacy

What Tambour has left behind for Trakehner breeding are, above all, outstanding daughters. More than 70 are registered as broodmares, and 29 of them are premium mares. In addition, there are two licensed sons: Herzensdieb and Herzog TSF. The FN lists 139 of his offspring who have achieved success in sport.