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With Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson in the saddle, the now 12-year-old stallion Zuccero HV (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caretino 2, bred by Hanno Köhncke and owned by Holsteiner Verband) impressed in his championship debut at the 2023 FEI Jumping European Championship in Milan, Italy, last summer. Contributing to the Swedish team gold, the two also finished 11th individually – exceeding expectations. “We were hoping to help the team but I had no real ambitions towards the individual competition,” Bengtsson tells WoSJ. “Therefore, we were very happy to reach the individual final. We felt like there was nothing to lose there; it was a great experience for him. A championship debut is always an exciting moment because then you really see where you stand as a combination.” 

With the 2024 Olympic Games drawing closer, Zuccero is surely on the radar for the Swedish team that has a title to defend in Paris. To learn more about the talented stallion’s road to the top of the sport, WoSJ spoke with Zuccero’s breeder Hanno Köhncke, his rider Rolf-Göran Bentgsson and Holsteiner Verband’s Sebastian Rohde. 

25 years ago, Hanno Köhncke took over a successful breeding operation from his father Hans Jürgen, who in turn had inherited Stud Köhncke from his father Hans. “My father was a very successful breeder, and bred Chin Chin,” Köhncke tells. “Chin Chin is from the same family as Zuccero, as well as Colin – the winner of the German Derby in Hamburg. I am lucky to have these brilliant mares from my father. Starting with such a good stock of horses has made it easier for me. Currently, we have about 20 mares, most of them are our own and a few are from clients. This year, we are expecting thirteen foals. The first one of the season was a nice colt by Million Dollar out of Zuccero’s sister.”

For Rolf, it's not just about winning a Grand Prix or two; he plans a lifelong career for his horses

“Thirteen years ago, I saw Zirocco Blue live at the stallion approval in Elmshorn and thought that he might be a good fit to our mares,” Köhncke tells about Zuccero’s origin. “That year, we inseminated three mares with Zirocco Blue, including Zaresa – the mother of Zuccero. Zaresa is one of my best mares. There are not so many Caretino-mares anymore and I'm very lucky to have two. I also have the grandmother of Zuccero, the 22-year-old Sarese.” 

“Zuccero was Zaresa’s second foal,” Köhncke continues. “He was a nice colt and I sold him to Holsteiner Verband. The next time I saw him was at the stallion approval in Neumünster when he was two-and-a-half. I sell my foals as early as possible, because there will always be another ten the year after. Many of the foals we sell, we don't see again, which is also why I enjoy working with the Holsteiner Verband. I have a good partnership with them and we get to follow the horses closely. I think every breeder knows that horses have a better chance in the sport with a good rider and we are very lucky that Zuccero ended up with Rolf. I am just a normal breeder; I don't have the chance to give a horse to a rider like Rolf. I think he is one of the best riders in the world. He really takes care of his horses and he works with a long-term plan in mind. For Rolf, it's not just about winning a Grand Prix or two; he plans a lifelong career for his horses. An example of this is what he did with Casall and I hope that it will be the same with Zuccero.”

“Zuccero’s mother is already 18 years old, and of course I would want to have some more offspring from her,” Köhncke tells about the damline. “However, we will do what is best for her. In our breeding, we start the natural way; our young mares carry their own foals. We prefer this, also because it is too expensive to do embryo transfers. When our mares are four, we start riding them and make our decision for the next years. If they are good enough, we keep them for breeding. It's important to only breed with the best you have; it makes no sense to breed with normal horses. A good mare has to be correct in the exterior, she has to be athletic and powerful, and she has to jump. And first and foremost, a good mare is sound and healthy.”

It's important to only breed with the best you have; it makes no sense to breed with normal horses

“We have been a little bit unlucky with Zaresa, she has not had so many foals,” Köhncke continues. “When we could not get her pregnant last year, I thought a lot about all the options there are. However, we decided not to do ICSI. I'm not sure whether it's the right way to go and it's very expensive for a normal breeder. Also, what is the advantage of all these full siblings, all these Chacco-Blues out of very good mares? In the end, they are anyway all different horses."

“I don't know whether I will breed another horse of his class again in my life,” Köhncke says about Zuccero. “There was Chin Chin before with my father, but back then, nobody knew that he would have such an impact in the breeding of jumping horses in Europe. He produced such good mares in Belgium and in the Netherlands, but he didn't have that influence in Germany.” 

“He came to us when he was six,” Rolf-Göran Bengtsson begins to explain about his journey with the talented grey. “Bart van der Maat, who worked for me at the time, rode Zuccero first. They jumped the Bundeschampionat in Germany and came third. I took over Zuccero at the end of the season when he was seven.”  

“From the very beginning, we knew that we had a very nice horse in him,” Rolf continues. “How far it's going to go, you never know with horses. However, it was obvious that he was talented. He was nice to ride, he had a good amount of blood, he was active. He was willing to work, he was careful, but still brave. Many factors come into play when I think about his quality. He's sensitive, he has blood and I can feel that he trusts me as his rider. I know that whatever I will put in front of him, he will try to jump clear; and he knows I will not put anything in front of him that he cannot do.”

The whole time, he has answered all the questions asked of him

Zuccero’s natural carefulness was also the reason Rolf took it slowly. “I felt that he was very careful, so I took it easy with him. During our first year together, I more or less only rode the youngster classes and when he turned nine we slowly stepped up. I did not try to reach the bigger classes too early and it was not until he was ten that we started to take the final steps up.” 

With time and patience, Zuccero’s road to the top has been straightforward. During the 2023-season, the stunning grey went from strength to strength, stepping up the levels with confidence. “There have not been any setbacks with him – touch wood,” Rolf says. “The whole time, he has answered all the questions asked of him. His development was always good, we went step by step. There was never a moment where we thought, ‘oh, this was too much.’"

“It is an Olympic year and the main goal is to make the team again,” Bentgsson tells about his plans for the 2024-season. “However, if we don't make the team, it is not the end of the world; there are still many other nice shows to go to. First of all, we're going to join the Swedish team for some of the Nations Cups and we will take it from there.” 

I was able to take him with me and let him grow up nicely and quietly behind the older horses

“It takes time to build up these horses,” Bengtsson explains further. “When Zuccero was young, the other horses I had at the time could do the big classes. I was able to take him with me and let him grow up nicely and quietly behind the older horses.”

“I have a long-time relationship with the Holsteiner Verband,” Bengtsson continues. “They were one of my very first horse owners when I started up on my own. We all know how difficult it is to find the right horses, and Holsteiner Verband always had good horses for me. From Casall to Clarimo, Crunch and Quintero, there have been many great horses and I think we still have the chance to produce another superstar. They give me more or less free hands to educate the horses in my rhythm and with my philosophy. I think this is the best way to do it; with time, without pressure of jumping big classes too early. I am thankful for their trust in me.” 

“If you look into the dam line of Zuccero, you will find many horses that performed well in the sport,” Sebastian Rohde from the Holsteiner Verband points out. “It's a very healthy, tough family with good sports successes. At Holsteiner Verband, we believe in good damlines and this is of great importance to us. Combining a strong damline with a good stallion is a great building block for another great generation of jumpers.” 

Any success in this sport is always about the team, about the partnership between the rider and the horse

“There are not so many offspring by him, because he has been with Rolf since he was six, focusing more on his education and sport career,” Rohde continues. “Now he's in high demand. Breeders have witnessed his success, are really interested in him and he is available with both frozen and fresh semen. Because he is a compact type, we would suggest breeders to use him on lighter, long-legged mares. I think his best quality is definitely his attitude: He is very careful, and this paired with his willingness is a great combination.”

“He is an exciting horse for the future and a big thank you in this regard belongs to Rolf,” Rohde concludes. “His partnership with Holsteiner Verband has lasted for years and we are so happy to have another horse for the top sport. Any success in this sport is always about the team, about the partnership between the rider and the horse. It is only possible to reach higher goals when you have the right combination. During last season, Zuccero stepped up quickly with great success and it is of course a dream for us to have a championship horse. This is another big advantage of having a rider like Rolf; he knows how to set up the best possible plan.” 

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