Caretino ♂ †

About Caretino

Caretino is a (died 2011) bay Holsteiner showjumping stallion foaled in 1983, by Caletto II out of a Metellus dam.

Caretino was a Holsteiner stallion born on 13th February 1983 in Germany. Bred by Lothar Völz in Woehrden, he was part of the Hol826 maternal line. He was the last surviving licensed offspring of Caletto II, tying him to influential equine lines through both his sire, Caletto II, and his grandsire, Cor de la Bryère. His dam, Isidor, linked to significant progenitors like Metellus, Aldato, and Gambrinus. Caretino's competition career began with rider Thomas Schönig, achieving success in German championships at ages 5 and 6. By age 7, he gained his first S-level victories, amassing 64 placings in severe classes and impressive lifetime earnings. His international career included over 40 top S-level placings with Bo Kristoffersen on the Danish team, featuring in Nations Cup and Grand Prix events. A brief collaboration with Ludger Beerbaum in 1994 was cut short by injury, leading to his retirement. Caretino retired to breeding at Holsteiner Verband Hengsthaltungs GmbH in Elmshorn, becoming a leading sire in show jumping genetics. He ranked as the fourth best show jumping sire according to the WBFSH, with 60 of his sons licensed.

Caretino's legacy as a sire is profound: by 2007, he had sired over 650 competition-registered offspring, accumulating more than €3.6 million in Germany alone. Among his most celebrated progeny is Casall la Silla, ridden by Rolf-Göran Bengtsson to victories in major competitions, including the Grand Prix in Rotterdam in 2010. Casall continued to uphold Caretino’s esteemed lineage with victories in 2011 at the Global Champions Tour stage in Hamburg. Another notable offspring is Cristallo, with triumphant performances in the 2010 Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Monaco under Richard Spooner’s guidance. These remarkable show jumpers underline Caretino's impact on the sport, highlighting his genetic influence on modern jumping horses.

Caretino died in 2011 (Humane euthanasia after a brief illness with fever and blood in urine). Breeding may continue via frozen semen — confirm availability with the stud.

Researched by the EquiWiki editorial desk · Publisher: Harriet Smith · Editor: Lee Smith · cross-checked by two independent AI models.

Watch Caretino jump — 4 clips