royal lipizzaner stallions tour 2023

Five Star Ranch

Information for the trail horse enthusiast

World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions On US Tour

By Chris, Five Star Ranch Staff Writer

Most of us are familiar with the famous Lipizzaner stallions – the amazing dancing white horses that perform classical dressage movements. Growing up in a military family I was raised on the story of how George S. Patton, an equestrian and US General helped rescue the Lipizzaners from certain slaughter during World War II by putting them under the protection of the United States.

I have seen the Lipizzaners perform several times in my life and always left the show inspired and in awe of the communication between horse and rider. It doesn’t matter what horse discipline you are into, if you’re into horses, you can’t help but be in awe of these talented animals.

I recently learned that the “World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions” are on their 38th Anniversary Tour this year when my dressage instructor and friend of several years excitedly announced that she was joining the show. My dressage instructor and friend, Joan Myrthue is an accomplished Grand Prix level rider. I’m excited for her getting to ride and work with these amazing animals.

Joan,at left, has been traveling the US with the Lipizzan Show. www.lipizzaner.com . -->

My friend Joan grew up in Denmark and horses were her first love. When my daughter started riding six years ago, Joan was one of her first instructors. Joan would put my daughter on a longe line and have her ride without stirrups, reins, and sometimes even sans saddle. I think it was this early training under Joan that helped my daughter develop the strong seat and balance she has today on a horse.

My daughter told me recently that the thing she remembers most about her lessons with Joan was that at the end of the lesson, Joan would let her kneel and stand on the horses back with her arms stretched out like an angel or acrobat. Joan was definitely not your typical dressage instructor – she made riding fun.

Want to see the Lipizzaner Stallions up close and personal? They may be coming to your town. Check out the official Lipizzaner Stallion web site for their event schedule. More dates are added all the time. -->

Below are a few other pictures and videos that show views of the Lipizzaner stallions. Enjoy. 🙂

Want more on Lipizzaners? Check below for some personal favorites including my all time favorite Lipizzaner movie, Miracle of the White Stallions.

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Royal lipizzaner stallions in florida.

Gabriella Herrmann guides her Royal Lipizzan stallion in a pose known as "the levade," in which the horse rises on its haunches to a 45-degree angle.

A fan of the Royal Lipizzan Stallions makes personal contact with Bella, who gladly accepts a handout of carrots.

horse eating a carrot.

After the Royal Lipizzan Stallions’ rehearsal show, visitors tour the stables where they can pet the horses and feed them carrots.

Hundreds of visitors come to watch the Royal Lipizzan Stallions at their winter home on this 25-acre ranch 22 miles east of Sarasota in Central Florida.

By Saundra Amrhein

Myakka City, Fla. – A few hours after the sun burns morning dew from the grass, Gabriella Herrmann walks through the stables, taking a final look over her stallions to make sure they’re ready. In knee-high black boots and riding pants, she pats the hard muscles of their white shoulders and flanks.

Herrmann, 58, feels their nervous energy and a connection with each animal – a connection her father long held and that took her years to earn.  It’s a connection also sought, at least briefly, by the hundreds of people flocking this way.

What the arriving spectators are about to see, Herrmann tells them moments later under a brilliant blue sky and warm sun, is “living art and poetry in motion.”

By 10 a.m. on this morning, more than 300 visitors from across the state and nation have come to watch the Royal Lipizzan Stallions at their winter home on this 25-acre ranch 22 miles east of Sarasota in Central Florida. In the five decades since moving here from Europe in 1962, the Herrmann family has welcomed a curious public to witness the stallions rehearse in preparation for their summer tour seasons through the Northeast.

For years, thousands were drawn here by word-of-mouth to view the dazzling maneuvers of the rare white stallions. The Lipizzans were bred in the 16th Century by the Hapsburg royal family of Austria. A Herrmann ancestor, a knight, was given a Lipizzan stallion as a gift 300 years ago.

Ever since, Lipizzans have remained in the family. Some were among those saved by Herrmann’s father and grandfather alongside General George Patton’s operation to protect and smuggle horses behind enemy lines during World War II – a dramatic mission depicted in the Disney movie, “Miracle of the White Stallions.”

Today the crowds carry coolers and lawn chairs, which many perch in front of packed bleachers along the fence perimeter of the rehearsal arena, which Herrmann jokingly calls the “splash zone,” for the horses’ tendency to blow through their noses as they pass.

Over the next hour, the stallions gracefully prance, trot and canter in the fenced arena under the direction of a handler – at one point three of them in unison performing a ballet-like Pas de Trois .

Meanwhile, Herrmann explains their history and European classical training. They are part of the family, and when performers are ready to retire, “they let us know,” Herrmann tells the crowd.  “They give us their youth, and it’s our responsibility to take care of them in their golden years.”

The 30 stallions and mares on the ranch include those retired, along with several rescued horses .

In one demonstration, Herrmann enters the arena mounted on Desert Storm while driving Achilles on a long line in a tandem performance. Achilles prances majestically in serpentine figures. As he moves forward, he turns his head to one side, looking out at the crowd while his silky, gray mane floats behind him in the wind. “He’s beautiful,” whispers a woman sitting in the bleachers. “That’s a good man,” Herrmann tells Achilles after dismounting Desert Storm while apprentices give him a sugar-cube treat reserved for show time. Verbal praise in the arena – part of Herrmann’s award system along with apples and carrots – is not allowed in the competitive horse world, she notes. Finally, it’s time for the grand conclusion – the Airs Above the Ground – elaborate and physically harrowing wartime maneuvers that predate Christ and gunpowder, when horses were used to intimidate and strike out at opposing foot soldiers with their hooves. In successive demonstrations, Herrmann guides stallions through elegant poses, including the levade – rising on haunches to a 45-degree angle – and a courbette – jumping off hind legs with forelegs in the air. During the show, she plays the recorded voice of her father – the late Colonel Ottomar Herrmann Jr., who led these horses, feeding them carrots every night before he went to bed, treating them like his children until he died unexpectedly on tour in 2004. It took her more than a year after his death and urging from followers to use the recording in shows again. She didn’t want to upset the horses – who were distressed and grieving Col. Herrmann’s absence. She also wanted to win over their hearts on her own, the way her father had. “They gave themselves to him,” she says after the show in a quiet moment about her father’s connection with the horses. “Even though I road them and worked them, there was a part of them that held back. It took two years after dad passed before I felt them giving themselves to me. I walked in one day and I knew.” After the rehearsal show, the crowd is invited into the stables while the stallions and mares are fed hay. Kenedie Howard, 11, of Ormond Beach, is among the visitors handing carrots to the horses from an outstretched palm, which the horses lick generously in scooping up the treats. “He wants some more,” her grandfather, Jim Howard, tells Kenedie regarding Nicky, who is banging a foreleg against his stall to get her attention. Howard and his wife, Linda, from the St. Petersburg area, drove their granddaughter here for a surprise birthday gift. Kenedie, dressed in a pink cowboy hat, shorts and brown cowboy boots, volunteers at a stables near her home.

Long after the crowd clears out, she is still walking from stall to stall, handing carrots to Nicky and the other stallions.

“She really enjoyed that,” Jim Howard says about the show. “But this is the best part, right here.”

If you go...

The Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Ranch is located at 32755 Singletary Road, Myakka City, Florida, 22 miles east of Sarasota. For more information, call 941.322.1501 or visit  https://www.herrmannsroyallipizzans.com/

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Royal Lipizzaner Stallions Tickets

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You’ll be excited to know that Royal Lipizzaner Stallions is on tour in 2024. If you’ve waited a long time to see Royal Lipizzaner Stallions live, the wait is over. Check Royal Lipizzaner Stallions tour dates to find all tour stops on the upcoming tour & get tickets to see Royal Lipizzaner Stallions live on tour at a show near you.

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Royal Lipizzaner Stallions Tour Schedule

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Royal Lipizzaner Stallions may be stopping at Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Bernardino, San Diego, or San Francisco on their next tour. Be sure to buy tickets right away.

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Lipizzaner Stallions 2023- The Compact Guide

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Where do Lipizzaner stallions come from, why are the foals black, and where can you see the white dancing horses in Austria? Whether you want to watch these horses, buy them or simply know more about them, exploit this short guide below.

Where Do Lipizzaner Stallions Come From?

To begin with, the name Lipizzaner comes from the original stud in Lipica, Slovenia, about half an hour’s drive from the Italian town of Trieste. In fact, the first mention of the name Lipizzaner appears as early as 1786.

Essentially, the Lipizzan breed is the result of a crossing between old Spanish (Andalusian), Arabian and Berber breeds with local Slovenian Karst breeds. Actually, the Lippizzans Andalusian roots are the reason the Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) in Vienna has Spanish in its name.

Following the first successful breedings, local breeders established the race of ‘Spanish Karst’ horses. From their appearance, Lipizzans are athletic yet their fine mane and tail makes them look utterly graceful. 

For the Habsburgs, the Lipizzans were ideal allrounders: Not just were they great for military purposes, but they also excelled in elegant shows, carousels and parades at the Imperial Court in Vienna. All in all, the Lipizzans were fantastic dressage horses. Hence, the Habsburg Monarchs decided to breed them from the 16th century. 

To give you an idea of their origins, here is an enchanting video of the Lipizzaner horses at the Stud in Lipica:

But not only Lipica breeds Lipizzans. Lipizzaner stallions are bred across Europe, mostly in Austria and the old crownlands of the Habsburg Empire: for example Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Romania Serbia, Slovenia, and Slovakia. On top of that, you can find major private breeding studs in Denmark, France, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa and the United States (Illinois).

Why Are Lipizzan Foals Black?

Since Lipizzaners belong to the family of gray horses, they have a dark colour when they are foals. Due to a gene mutation, their coat gradually turns into pure white with each change. This happens when they are between four and nine years old. However, about 1 in 200 foals actually remains dark for its entire life.

In general, there are six main breeding lines of Lipizzaner stallions, which carry their names from their male progenitors: Conversano, Favore, Maestoso, Neapolitano, Pluto, Siglavy. More specifically, the name of each horse derives from combining the name of its father and its mother.

Where The Spanish Riding School Sources Its Lipizzans

During their first years, the young Lipizzans spend their summers on the lush green pastures of Stubalm in the Styrian mountains. As they move around the partly steep and rocky slopes they train their joints and tendons. This is vital for their later career.

At the age of three and a half years the Lipizzans usually arrive at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna to start their training. At that time in their lives, they are still dark coloured. As for total life expectancy, a Lipizzaner can reach until about 40 years of age. In the past years, the Federal Stud Piber has been making a real effort to breed more Lipizzaner stallions in order to secure sufficient supply to the Spanish Riding School. Today, the Lipizzans actually count as an endangered domestic animal breed.

Training At The Hofreitschule

The young Lipizzaner stallions are trained at the Spanish Riding School as well as at Heldenberg . In fact, the public can watch their daily Morning Exercises to classical music in the large Winter Riding Hall. It takes approximately six years of training for a Lipizzaner to graduate to a school stallion.

As a result of the careful breeding and extensive training procedure the Spanish Riding School values each horse at around EUR 100,000.

Where To See The Lipizzaner Stallions

Almost throughout the year you can see the Lipizzaner Stallions in action at the elegant Spanish Riding School .

At the annual  open air Lipizzaner Gala show at Heldenberg you can watch the Lipizzans in the green hilly surroundings of Vienna. This is the Lippizzaner’s training center but also summer retreat to recover from their work at the Spanish Riding School.

A trip to Heldenberg makes a good day out off the beaten track, and is just a 30 minutes drive from Vienna. The show includes all elements of the High School of Classical Horse Riding, the school quadrilles, pas de deux and the  Schools Above Ground .

Date: 1st July 2023, 6.30 pm Time:  6.30pm Location:  Wimpffen-Gasse 5, 3704 Kleinwetzdorf Tickets: EUR 59.50 (25 percent discount for children between 6 and 15 years; children between 3 and 6 years go free) How to get there : The best way to go there is by car. If you’d like to rent a car, go to car rental Vienna for best tips.

In addition, the Federal Stud Piber, with historic Piber Castle at the centre, offers guided tours through the stud and visits to their alpine pastures on a regular basis.

explore more Vienna Attractions find out more of What To Do In Vienna back to Vienna Unwrapped homepage

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Lipizzaner Stallions Tour Florida: Experience Equestrian Craftsmanship

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Get ready to be dazzled and transported back in time as the magnificent Lipizzaner Stallions gallop their way through the Sunshine State! Brace yourself, Florida, because these graceful equine performers are embarking on a thrilling tour that will leave you breathless.

From the enchanting beauty of their perfectly synchronized movements to their regal presence, these horses are about to take center stage in a show that promises an unforgettable experience for all.

Forget everything you thought you knew about horse shows – this is no ordinary equestrian event. The Lipizzaner Stallions Tour is a spectacle like no other, blending artistry, athleticism, and history into one mesmerizing performance.

The Lipizzaner Stallions tour is a great option for a Florida equestrian experience.   The stunning show showcases the graceful, athletic white horses that are known for their incredible performances and grace.

The rich history of the Lipizzaner stallions dates back to the 16th century. Their modern-day show is a tribute to that heritage.

This blog post will provide a detailed look into the history and current status of the Lipizzaner Stallions. We’ll also discuss where they can be seen performing in Florida, their touring schedules, and the cost of owning one of these majestic horses.

Lipizzaner Stallions History

The Lipizzaner Stallion is a world-famous breed of horse known for its elegance, grace, and beauty. The Lipizzaner breed, which was originally developed in 16th-century Slovenian, was used by the Habsburg Monarchy as a warhorse breed. 

These horses were originally bred to serve the Habsburg court. Their unique combination of strength and agility made them popular with royalty and aristocrats.

The Spanish Riding School, a school dedicated to classical dressage preservation and promotion, became synonymous with the Spanish Riding School.

 The Habsburgs were well-known for their military might and recognized the importance of having a strong, versatile, and highly trained breed of horse for battle.

The beauty, strength, and agility of the Lipizzaner stallion have been highly valued over the centuries.   This breed was prized because of its ability to execute complex maneuvers such as the courbette, levade, and capriole.

These movements were created for battle and required both horse and rider to be skilled and strong.

The Lipizzaner stallion, a horse of elegance, grace, and beauty, is highly valued today.   This breed is used often in classical dressage, as well as other forms of equestrian competition. It is also used frequently in shows and exhibitions.

The Lipizzaner stallion is a symbol of both the Habsburg Monarchy’s rich history and heritage and the art of classical horsemanship.

The breed has been facing some difficulties in recent years due to declining numbers and changing attitudes about the use of horses for war.

There are dedicated enthusiasts and breeders around the globe who want to preserve and promote the Lipizzaner Stallion.   This magnificent breed will continue its appeal to generations of people through their tireless efforts.

Haute Ecole was a method of riding that emphasized the natural movements of the horses and the ability of the rider to communicate with them through subtle cues.   The horses that this training method produced were not only physically powerful but also intelligent and responsive.

Throughout its history, the breed has faced many difficulties, including inbreeding, war, and disease.   The Lipizzaner stallions are one of the most famous breeds in the world, thanks to dedicated trainers and breeders.

Where can you see the Lipizzaner stallions?

You’re in luck if you’re visiting Florida and want to see the Lipizzaner Stallions in action.   Regularly, the Lipizzaner Stallions tour visits various cities in Florida, including Sarasota and St. Petersburg.

You can expect to see impressive equestrian feats during the show including high jumps and dressage movements as well as some tricks.

The Historic Spanish Point in Sarasota is a popular spot to view the Lipizzaner Stallions.   This venue is home to many equestrian events and shows, including the Lipizzaner Stallions.

The show is held in an outdoor arena that’s surrounded by beautiful scenery and offers plenty of space for spectators.

Are the Lipizzaner stallions still touring?

Yes, Lipizzaner Stallions still tour today.   Although their popularity has fluctuated over the years, they are still one of the most loved and iconic breeds in the entire world.

People can see these majestic animals up close, and witness their dedication to training.

The Lipizzaner Stallions have been a part of equestrian history for many years. Their continued touring is a testament to their popularity.   The Lipizzaner Stallions tour should not be missed by any equestrian, regardless of their experience level.

Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions Florida

Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions, a well-known equestrian troupe, performs all over the United States.   They are known for their performances in Florida where they showcase the beauty , grace, and skill of the Lipizzaner Stallion breed.

Since the Habsburg Monarchy, the Herrmann family has been raising and training Lipizzaner Stallions for eight generations.

These horses are a family passion that has been passed down through generations. They have made it their mission since then to protect and promote the unique qualities and talents of the breed.

The Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe is located in Myakka City (Florida), where they have a 100-acre farm that serves as a training and breeding facility for their horses.

The farm is open to visitors who can view the stallions and watch training sessions. They also have the opportunity to learn about the history of the Lipizzaner breed.

Florida’s troupe’s performances are spectacular. They showcase a range of classical dressage movements including the courbette, levade, and capriole.

These maneuvers require precision, coordination, and skill between horse and rider. They are a testimony to the exceptional abilities of the Lipizzaner breed.

The Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe offers educational programs and special performances in addition to regular performances.   These programs allow audiences to learn about the history, traditions, and care of these majestic horses.

The Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe is an excellent example of the beauty, grace, and elegance that the Lipizzaner breed can offer.

Unveiling the Secrets Behind Preserving this Unique Breed

They are helping to preserve the breed’s unique qualities and to ensure it continues to inspire and fascinate audiences for many generations through their educational programs and performances.

Watching a performance by the Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe in Florida offers a number of benefits, both in terms of entertainment value and educational opportunities.

First and foremost, seeing the Lipizzaner stallions in action is a truly awe-inspiring experience.

These horses are incredibly graceful, agile, and powerful, and watching them perform classical dressage maneuvers is a true testament to their skill and training.

Audiences of all ages can appreciate the beauty and majesty of these animals and the skill of the riders who guide them.

In addition to the entertainment value of the performances, attending a Lipizzaner stallion show is also an opportunity to learn more about the history and traditions of this unique breed.

The Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Lipizzaner breed, and they are passionate about educating audiences about the horses’ history and the care and training that goes into maintaining their unique abilities.

For those interested in equestrian sports or horse training, watching the Lipizzaner stallions perform can be an especially valuable experience.

The classical dressage movements performed by the horses and their riders require an incredible level of skill and precision, and watching them in action can offer insights into the training and conditioning necessary to achieve such high levels of performance.

Finally, attending a Lipizzaner stallion show is a great way to support the preservation and promotion of the breed.

By attending a performance by the Herrmanns’ Royal Lipizzan Stallions troupe, audiences are contributing to the ongoing care and training of these magnificent horses and helping to ensure that they continue to inspire and captivate audiences for generations to come.

How much does a Lipizzan stallion cost?

You might be curious about the cost of owning one of these magnificent horses if you are a horse lover.   The answer isn’t straightforward.   A variety of factors can affect the cost of a Lipizzan Stallion, such as age, breeding, and training.

A purebred Lipizzan Stallion can run anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000.   If you are looking for a horse with extensive training and ready to go,

The dress code is another important aspect to remember when attending a Lipizzaner show.   Although it is not required to dress up, many people prefer to wear semi-formal and dressy attire.

This adds to the experience and shows respect for the elegance and tradition of the Lipizzaner breed.

How much does a Lipizzan horse cost?   It’s not an easy question to answer as prices can vary depending on bloodline, training level, and temperament.   It is safe to say that a trained, well-bred Lipizzaner stallion will cost you anywhere from $20,000 to well above $100,000.

However, purchasing a Lipizzaner horse is not for the weak of the heart.   These magnificent creatures need expert care and training.

It’s essential to have the resources and experience necessary before you take on this responsibility.   A show or tour of the Lipizzaner Stallions is a great way to see these beautiful creatures.

From the rolling green pastures of Ocala to the sandy shores of Miami, these magnificent creatures will leave an indelible hoofprint on every city they grace.

The Lipizzaner Stallions Tour is a must-see event for all those who love classical horsemanship and the beauty of it.   A Lipizzaner show will be a memorable experience for anyone, whether you are a veteran equestrian or just a lover of animals.

Lipizzaner Stallions Tour Florida is a spectacle to behold, from the rich history and heritage to the impressive displays of horsemanship.   If you’re able, make sure you catch a performance. It’s a rare opportunity that you won’t want to miss!

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Visiting Vienna

The Lipizzaner Stallions

The famous Spanish Riding School features the Lipizzaner horses (often called Lipizzan in North America), who trace their lineage back to the 1500s. The school only uses the stallions for performances.

Here’s how to see the horses in Vienna, together with a brief history of the breed’s association with the riding school, Austria and the Habsburg court.

• Book a Spanish Riding School experience *
• Spanish Riding School ticket tips
• What happens at a public training?
• What happens on a riding school tour?

How to see the Lipizzaners

(A Lipizzaner stallion in Vienna; photo taken with the kind permission of the SRS during a press tour)

Once in Vienna, you have a couple of options for actually viewing the stallions…

Ticketed options

The most frequent opportunity is the one-hour public training with commentary that takes place most weekdays in the same winter arena used for actual performances.

The riding school also offers guided tours through the stables, including an architectural special tour . Both alternatives get you right up close to the stallions.

And, of course, you have the (gala) performances themselves. ( More info on paid options)

Outdoor options

Chance (and rare) encounters with the Lipizzaners are possible in Vienna outside the stables or arena.

Either wait near the entrance to the stables or see if they’re using the paddocks in the Burggarten. Both locations are extremely central. ( More info on outdoor options)

The story of the horses

(Karl II Franz, founder of the original Lipizzaner stud farm, in an anonymous and less than flattering early 18th-century painting, Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. W 2690, excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)

So how did the white horses come to be associated with Vienna?

Cast your mind back to the occupation of Spain by the Moors, which began in the early 8th century and ended in full with the fall of Grenada in 1492.

One of the consequences of this long exposure to Moorish influence was cross-breeding of Arabic and Iberian horses.

The resultant “Spanish” horses proved particularly well suited to the needs of the classical horse rider’s art, combining elegance and strength with a noted ability to pick up the moves required.

Karl II Franz (1540-1590), a Habsburg Archduke and ruler of a collection of lands known as Inner Austria, must have been an admirer, since he decided to establish a stud farm in the late 16th century for breeding his own Spanish horses.

The chosen location was near Lipizza (aha!), the Italian name for Lipica (now in modern-day Slovenia).

Doors opened to the first influx of mares and stallions in the 1580s, and so began the long history of the Lipizzaner horse breed and its close association with the Habsburgs.

The Lipizza stud farm remained the breeding home of the horses for well over 300 years and a supplier of Lipizzaner horses to the court (and court riding school) in Vienna. But not without a few breaks; the authorities evacuated the animals to other Habsburg lands on occasion to avoid foreign armies and occupiers.

Then, in 1915, Italy joined the other side in WWI. This left the Lipizza farm perilously close to enemy territory.

As a result, the horses moved to Laxenburg in Austria and Kladrub in what is now Czechia. They never returned, since the land on which the Lipizza stud farm lay passed to Italy through the post-WWI Treaty of Versailles.

Austria (now a republic ) gave back some of the evacuated horses to the Italians, but used the rest to open a new stud farm at Piber: about 220km outside Vienna in the west of the Austrian province of Styria.

The Lipizzaners remained in Piber until WWII, when they relocated to Hostau in Czechoslovakia for safety reasons.

(Young stallions at Piber. Each year, they spend the summer on a mountain pasture with the staff staying in an adjoining mountain cabin; image courtesy of and © the SRS; photo by Harry Schiffer)

In April 1945, the fate of the horses hung somewhat in the balance when Hostau came under threat from the advancing Red Army.

Fortunately for the Lipizzaners (and us), some American units got wind of the situation. They staged a relatively daring advance into the area and transferred the entire stock to safer territory.

The horses returned to Austria and eventually Piber, where they still have their home today (which you can visit).

Disney even made a film of the rescue incident in 1963…The Miracle of the White Stallions starring Robert Taylor.

The Wiener Kurier newspaper described the mission in their edition of November 3rd, 1945 (my translation):

The area around Pilsen is still being fought over so the area remains unsafe. A US unit received the order to save 250 mares with the aid of tanks […] The horses started their journey protected by the tanks. Their route took them through turbulent bandit territory into Bavaria and then on to Upper Austria.

(Photo licensed from and © iStock.com/bririemoments)

The Piber stud still provides the stallions that live, train and perform as part of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna (the two institutions are part of the same organisation). The stables in Austria’s capital are right in the centre, just a trot across the road from the arena that hosts the training sessions and performances.

You also find the horses in Heldenberg in Lower Austria, which serves, for example, as a training centre, holiday location, and retirement home for the Spanish Riding School’s stallions. As with Piber, you can also visit Heldenberg.

The original stud at Lipica still breeds its own Lipizzaners and a few thousand can be found worldwide: North America has a Lipizzan association , for example. You can even buy a Lipizzaner from the Piber Stud farm, but it’ll typically cost you several thousand Euro.

P.S. The Lipizzaner stallions are not born with the famous white coat, but turn that colour after six to nine years. Only a very few retain a dark coat.

The Lipizzaner Stallions

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List of events at the BJCC Coliseum

This is a List of events at the BJCC Coliseum ( Legacy Arena ). The list includes annually-recurring programs, but not regular season sporting events.

• September 28 : John Denver
• September 28 - October 4 : Holiday on Ice
• October 16 : NBA basketball exhibition, Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
• November 5 : Seals & Crofts concert
• November 11 : Bluegrass & the Blues concert
• November 19 : John Denver and Starlight Vocal Band concert
• December 29 : Elvis Presley concert
• January 3 : Earth Wind & Fire concert
• January 7 : Bob Hope performance
• January 9 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• January 12 - 16 : 1977 Alabama World Championship Tennis tournament
• January 22 : Royal Lipizzan Stallions exhibition
• February 8 - February 13 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 18 : Statler Brothers, Tammy Wynette & Ronnie Milsap concert
• March 3 : KISS "Rock & Roll Over" tour
• March 6 - March 10 : 1977 National Invitation Tournament , basketball
• March 16 : Romanian Gymnastics Federation with Nadia Comaneci exhibition
• April 1 : The Gaither Trio concert
• April 3 : ZZ Top concert
• April 9 : Parliament Funkadelic concert
• April 29 : tennis match, Billie Jean King vs. Virginia Wade
• April 30 : Neil Diamond concert
• May 18 : Led Zeppelin concert
• June 2 : Fleetwood Mac and Kenny Loggins concert
• June 9 : Fleetwood Mac concert
• June 16 : The Osmonds and Munich concert
• June 24 : The Eagles, Joe Walsh and Andrew Gold concert
• June 25 : Emerson, Lake & Palmer concert
• September 1 : Peter Frampton concert
• September 17 : Tom Jones concert
• October 16 : Chicago concert
• October 18 - 23 : Holiday on Ice
• November 11 : The Doobie Brothers and Pablo Cruise concert
• December 15 : Donna Fargo concert (during Birmingham Bulls (WHA) game)
• December 29 : KISS "Alive II" tour
• December 31 : Charlie Daniels Band and Wet Willie concert
• January 9 - 15 : Birmingham International Indoor Tennis Championships
• January 24 : Earth, Wind & Fire concert
• February 7 - 12 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 10 : Danny Davis and Nashville Brass concert
• March 7 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• March 17 : Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty concert
• March 26 : Ron Banks & the Dramatics, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, & The Manhattans concert
• March 29 : Shaun Cassidy concert
• April 5 : John Denver concert
• April 12 : Willie Nelson and Friends, with Emmylou Harris and Billy Joe Shaver concert
• April 14 : Bill Gaither Trio concert
• April 15 : War with Frankie Beverly and Maze concert
• April 22 : Birmingham Symphony Orchestra "Star Music" and laser light show
• May 12 : The O'Jays concert
• May 13 : Aerosmith with Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush concert
• May 26 : Campaign rally for Guy Hunt with Ronald Reagan
• June 10 : Roy Clark concert
• July 3 : B. B. King with Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Peabo Bryson & Albert King concert
• July 7 : Ted Nugent with Black Oak Arkansas concert
• July 28 : Isley Brothers concert
• August 2 : Kansas concert
• August 4 - 10 : Zamora Shrine Circus
• August 9 : Jefferson Starship concert
• August 11 : The Commodores with A Taste of Honey and L.T.D. concert
• August 18 : Heart and Leroux concert
• August 23 : Kris Krisotfferson with Rita Coolidge and Billy Swan concert
• August 28 : Fleetwood Mac concert
• September 16 : 50's Show with Chuck Berry, The Drifters, Bo Diddley, Jan & Dean, and Lloyd Price concert
• October 15 : Kenny Rogers with Dottie West and Eddie Rabbit concert
• October 17 - 22 : Holiday on Ice
• October 25 : Bob Segar & Silver Dollar Band concert
• November 21 : Richard Pryor performance with Patti LaBelle
• November 26 : Waylon Jennings with Jesse Colter and The Original Crickets concert
• December 3 : Bob Dylan concert
• December 29 : Marshall Tucker Band with Firefall concert
• December 31 : New Year's Eve Get Down
• January 15 - 26 : Birmingham International Indoor Tennis Championships
• - March 3 : 1979 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• March 17 : Bill Gaither Trio concert
• March 25 : The Statler Brothers and Barbara Mandrell concert
• March 26 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• April 21 : Diana Ross concert
• May 4 : Willie Nelson concert
• May 16 - 20 : Moscow Circus performance
• May 25 : The Charlie Daniels Band concert
• July 11 : Bad Company with Carillo concert
• August 11 : Con Funk Shun with The Gap Band concert
• August 16 : KISS "Destiny" tour with Bob Seger and Kansas
• August 22 : Teddy Pendergrass concert
• August 24 - 26 : Professional rodeo
• September 28 : The Bee Gees and The Sweet Inspirations concert
• October 16 - 21 : Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies
• October 25 : Earth, Wind & Fire concert
• October 27 : The O'Jays and the Jones Girls concert
• October 28 : Jimmy Buffett concert
• November 6 : Jethro Tull concert
• November 9 : Kansas concert
• November 13 : The Eagles concert
• November 23 : The Funkey Bar-Kays and Kool & the Gang concert
• January 11 : Lipizzaner Stallions exhibition
• January 14 - 20 : Birmingham International Indoor Tennis Championships
• January 27 : The Oak Ridge Boys with Tammy Wynette concert
• February 27 - March 1 : 1980 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• March 9 : Lawrence Welk and Champagne Orchestra concert
• March 16 : Spring Break Concert with Rufus & Chaka Khan, and The Brothers Johnson
• March 22 : Bob Barker Fun & Games Show
• March 23 : Conway Twitty, Sonny James, & Mickey Gilley concert
• March 25 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• April 20 : Journey and The Babys concert
• May 9 : Heart concert
• May 14 : ZZ Top concert
• May 30 : Tough Guy Boxing event
• July 4 : The Isley Brothers and The Gap Band concert
• August 12 : Fleetwood Mac and Rocky Burnette concert
• August 21 - 23 : Professional rodeo
• August 30 : Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Peabo Bryson & Gene Chandler concert
• October 19 : Linda Ronstadt concert
• October 23 : Kenny Rogers & Dottie West concert
• October 28 - November 2 : Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies
• November 30 : The Commodores and Ashford & Simpson concert
• January 16 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• January 23 : Alabama with Janie Fricke concert
• February 10 - 15 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• March 4 - 7 : 1981 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• May 30 : ZZ Top with Loverboy concert
• August 1 : Roundball Classic All-Star Game (with Michael Jordan )
• August 31 : Van Halen concert
• October 8 : Kenny Rogers with Dottie West and Gallagher concert
• November 14 : Jefferson Starship concert
• December 1 : Rush concert, "Exit... Stage Left" Tour, Riot opening act, Tony Ruffino promoter
• December 6 : Rolling Stones concert
• December 17 : Willie Nelson Holiday Tour concert
• January 15 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• February 5 : The Oak Ridge Boys and Sylvia concert
• February 9 - 14 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• March: 1982 NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional Semifinals and Finals
• June 27 : The O'Jays concert
• July 15 : Roundball Classic All-Star Game (with Michael Jordan )
• July 23 : Dolly Parton concert
• October 7 : Kenny Rogers and Larry Gatlin concert
• November 30 : The Who concert
• December 19 : Prince's "1999" tour
• December 31 : Hank Williams Jr concert
• January 14 : The Oak Ridge Boys with T. G. Sheppard concert
• March 7 - 10 : 1983 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• March: 1984 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round
• January 19 : Prince, "Purple Rain" tour, with Apollonia and Sheila E.
• March 6 - 9 : 1979 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• - March 24 : 1985 NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Semifinals and Finals
• March 15 : Alabama, "Chevy Super Tour", with the Charlie Daniels Band, and the Bellamy Brothers
• January 23 : Queensryche with RATT
• March: 1987 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round
• March: 1988 NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Semifinals and Finals
• March 28 : March 28, 1989: R.E.M. "Green" tour, with the Indigo Girls
• March 12 - 15 : 1992 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• January 24 - 29 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 16 : George Straight concert
• February 23 - 26 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• February 28 - March 4 : 1995 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 20 - March 26 : 1995 NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Semifinals and Finals
• April 4 - 5 : The Greatful Dead concert
• April 6 : Tour of World Figure Skating Champions performance
• April 22 : The Eagles concert
• May 11 - 14 : Power Rangers performance
• June 21 - 24 : 44th National Square Dance Convention
• June 26 : David Lee Roth concert
• July 6 - 16 : 1995 Jehovah's Witnesses National Convention
• August 12 : 1995 Save America Foundation Rally
• September 4 - 8 : 1995 National Baptist Convention USA
• September 12 : R.E.M. " ' 95 Tour" with Radiohead
• September 16 : Vince Gill concert
• September 19 : First Priority "Going Public '95"
• September 27 : Van Halen concert
• September 29 : Birmingham Torch Awards
• October 28 : Alan Jackson concert
• October 31 - November 6 : Disney On Ice performance
• November 17 : Reba McEntire concert
• December 2 : "The Young Messiah Farewell Tour" with Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe Winans, Twila Paris, Point of Grace, Wayne Watson, Margaret Becker and a 200-person choir
• January 10 : Harlem Globetrotters exhibition
• January 15 : Martin Luther King Jr Unity Breakfast
• January 22 - 28 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 15 : George Straight concert
• February 19 - 21 : Dirt track racing
• February 22 - 25 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• February 27 - March 2 : 1996 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 4 - 5 : Carman concert
• April 3 : Tour of World Figure Skating Champions
• April 13 : Tim McGraw concert
• May 7 : Rod Stewart concert
• May 9 - 12 : Professional Bull Riders' Bud Light Tour
• May 16 - 18 : Garth Brooks concert
• June 27 - July 7 : 1996 Jehovah's Witnesses National Convention
• August 2 - 10 : 1996 Bassmaster Classic weigh-in
• August 23 - 24 : Save America Foundation rally
• September 2 : Hootie & the Blowfish concert
• September 5 : Styx and Kansas concert
• September 14 : KISS "Alive/Worldwide" tour
• September 23 : 1996 WCW Monday Nitro
• October 25 : Frankie Beverly & Maze, Cameo and The Gap Band concert
• October 27 : Reba McEntire concert
• October 29 - November 4 : Disney on Ice
• November 29 : Steven Curtis Chapman concert
• December 1 : Royal Lipizzaner Stallions exhibition
• December 8 : Southeast Regional High School Battle of the Bands Championship
• January 20 - 26 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 20 - 23 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• February 25 - March 1 : 1997 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 6 : Kenny G and Toni Braxton concert
• March 17 - 23 : 1997 NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Semifinals and Finals
• April 30 - May 4 : Professional Bull Riders' Bud Light Tour
• May 17 : Super Fest Jams concert with Mary J. Blige, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Aaliyah, Dru Hill, Kid Capri and Ginuwine the Bachelor
• May 30 : Tour of World Figure Skating Champions
• July 3 - 6 : 1997 Jehovah's Witnesses National Convention
• August 2 - 9 : 1997 Bassmaster Classic weigh-in
• August 18 : 1997 WCW Monday Nitro
• August 29 - 30 : 1997 Alabama Baptist State Convention
• September 15 - 21 : "Barney's Big Surprise" performance
• September 27 : Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn concert
• November 1 : Alan Jackson concert
• November 4 - 10 : Disney on Ice
• November 13 : Elton John concert
• November 29 : Aerosmith concert (Nine Lives Tour, 1st North American leg)
• December 6 : Bill Gaither concert
• December 19 - 20 : 1997 Holiday Hardwood Classic
• January 1 - 4 : USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge
• January 20 - 25 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 18 : 1998 WCW Thursday Thunder
• February 24 - 28 : 1998 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 12 - 15 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• April 18 : Bill Gaither concert
• May 10 - 15 : HealthSouth Go For It Roadshow
• June 1 : Robert Plant concert
• June 6 - 14 : American Sports Medicine Institute Professional Bull Riders
• July 2 - 5 : 1998 Jehovah's Witnesses convention
• September 3 : Pearl Jam concert
• September 16 - 19 : Benny Hinn ministries
• September 30 - October 3 : T. D. Jakes ministries
• October 4 : Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn concert
• October 22 - 24 : Women of Faith
• November 3 - 9 : Disney on Ice
• December 9 : 1998 Holiday Hardwood Classic
• January 8 - 10 : USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge
• February 6 : Champions on Ice
• February 14 : Rod Stewart concert
• February 15 : 1999 WWF Monday Night RAW . In the main event The Rock defeated Mankind for the WWF title.
• February 23 - 27 : 1999 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 1 - 7 : 1999 Conference USA Men's Basketball Tournament
• March 19 : Kirk Franklin and CeCe Winans concert
• March 25 : Harlem Globetrotters basketball exhibition
• April 2 : Korn concert
• April 7 : Celine Dion concert
• April 9 : Clay Walker, Sammy Kershaw & Chad Brock concert
• April 17 : Gaither Homecoming concert
• April 19 : Aerosmith concert (Nine Lives Tour, 3rd North American leg)
• May 5 : Dave Matthews Band concert
• June 4 : King of Comedy tour
• June 26 - 28 : 1999 NHSCA National Open Wrestling Championships
• July 1 - 4 : 1999 Jehovah's Witnesses Convention
• July 7 - 9 : 1999 WCW Thunder , two episodes
• August 6 - 7 : Alabama Baptist State Convention Youth Evangelism Conference
• September 11 : First Priority Alabama rally
• September 25 : ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd concert
• October 9 : "Freedom Blast '99" concert with 4Him, Wayne Watson, Russ Taff, Truth and Nikki Leonti
• October 12 : 1999 WWF Smackdown
• October 24 : Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Piston, NBA exhibition game. Charles Barkley announced his retirement at halftime.
• November 10 - 15 : "Grease on Ice" performance
• November 19 : Shania Twain concert
• November 23 : Backstreet Boys concert
• December 10 - 11 : 1999 Holiday Hardwood Classic
• January 6 - 9 : USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge
• January 25 - 30 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 6 : "Champions on Ice" tour
• February 17 - 20 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• February 29 - March 4 : 2000 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 9 : Britney Spears concert
• March 14 - 19 : 2000 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round
• April 8 : Gaither Homecoming concert
• April 14 : KISS "Farewell" tour
• April 21 : "Da' Bomb" concert
• April 28 : Elton John concert
• April 30 - May 2 : 2000 WCW Nitro
• May 2 - 7 : "75 Years of Disney Magic" performance
• May 13 : Creed concert
• May 26 - 27 : Professional Bull Riders Tour 2000
• June 10 - 11 : Pentecost 2000 rally
• June 29 - 30 : Alabama Sports Festival
• July 1 - 5 : 2000 NHSCA National Open Wrestling Championships
• July 6 - 9 : 2000 Jehovah's Witnesses Convention
• August 1 - August 2 : 2000 WWF Smackdown
• August 26 : Super Fest Jams concert
• September 10 : Dixie Chicks concert
• September 15 - 17 : Barney's Magical Castle tour
• October 21 : Tina Turner concert
• October 22 - 23 : NSYNC "No Strings Attached" tour
• October 31 - November 5 : Disney's "Beauty and the Beast on Ice" tour
• November 27 : Carman concert
• December 3 : Limp Bizkit concert
• December 8 - 9 : 2000 Holiday Hardwood Classic
• December 9 - 10 : 2000 WWF Armageddon
• January 4 - 7 : USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge
• January 14 : Lipizzaner Stallions exhibition
• January 23 - 28 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 2 : "Champions on Ice" tour
• February 27 - March 3 : 2001 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• April 7 : Gaither Homecoming concert
• April 13 : Matchbox 20 concert
• July 5 - 8 : 2001 Jehovah's Witness Convention
• July 10 - 11 : 2001 WWF Smackdown
• July 14 : 95.7 Jamz Big Birthday Bash
• August 24 : Dirty South tour
• August 30 : Janet Jackson concert
• November 7 : Jimmy Buffett concert
• November 10 : Luciano Pavarotti concert
• November 15 - 18 : SFX Motorsports Monster Truck event
• January 18 : Creed concert
• January 22 - 27 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 16 : Bob Dylan concert
• February 21 - 25 : Harper & Morgan Rodeo
• February 26 - March 2 : 2002 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 14 - 17 : SFX Motorsports Monster Truck event
• March 20 - 24 : Dragon Tales tour
• March 27 - 30 : Benny Hinn ministries rally
• April 13 : Gaither Homecoming concert
• May 20 : 2002 WWF Smackdown
• June 11 : "Champions on Ice" tour
• June 6 - 15 : Women of Faith
• July 4 - 7 : 2002 Jehovah's Witnesses Convention
• July 17 : The Eagles concert
• September 4 : Cher concert
• October 17 : Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat NBA exhibition game
• October 25 : Jamzfest
• November 4 : Michael W. Smith concert
• November 6 : Creed concert
• November 19 : Bruce Sprinsteen concert
• December 10 : Avalon concert
• December 17 : Martina McBride concert
• January 2 - 6 : Monster Jam
• January 17 : George Straight concert
• January 18 : White Stallion Lipizzaner exhibition
• January 21 - 26 : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• February 18 - 22 : Billy Joel & Elton John concert
• February 25 - 28 : 2003 AHSAA Basketball Tournament
• March 2 - 7 : Tim McGraw concert
• March 8 : Jars of Clay concert
• March 13 - 16 : Freestyle Motocross competition
• March 18 - 24 : 2003 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round
• April 9 : Pearl Jam concert
• April 12 : Gaither homecoming concert
• April 25 - 27 : Barney the Dinosaur tour
• May 16 : Dixie Chicks concert
• June 5 : Fleetwood Mac concert
• June 28 - 29 : AND1 Mixtape tour basketball exhibition
• July 3 - 6 : 2003 Jehovah's Witnesses Convention
• August 15 : American Idols Live tour
• September 5 : Ruben Studdard concert
• September 9 : WWF Smackdown
• October 4 : Gospel Jam 2003 tour
• October 28 - November 2 : Disney on Ice
• December 5 : Martina McBride concert
• December 12 : UNCF's 58th annual "An Evening of Elegance" Achievement Awards Gala
• April 29 : Prince's "Musicology" tour
• March: 2008 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round
• November 30 : Anita Baker in concert in the "Magic City Theatre," with comedian George Wilborn.
• October 24 : KISS "Alive 35" tour
• March 11 - 14 : 2015 Conference USA Men's Basketball Tournament
• August 29 : 2015 Restoring Unity Rally
• March 11 : WWE Friday Night SmackDown
• July 8 - July 9 : Dancesport at the 2022 World Games
• July 12 - July 13 : Aerobic gymnastics and Rhythmic gymnastics at the 2022 World Games
• July 15 - July 17 : Acrobatic gymnastics and Trampoline gymnastics at the 2022 World Games
• July 19 : Erykah Badu's "Unfollow Me" tour with Yasiin Bey
• October 28 : Anita Baker's “The Songstress” tour
• February 2 : WWE "Friday Night Smackdown"
• February 3 : Kansas' "Another Fork in the Road: 50th Anniversary Tour"
• February 15 : Journey's "50th Anniversary Freedom Tour" with Toto
• March 13 : Fall Out Boy's "So Much For (2our) Dust" tour with Jimmy Eat World, The Maine and Daisy Grenade
• March 16 : Cody Johnson's "The Leather Tour" with Justin Moore and Dillon Carmichael
• March 22 – 23 : Zach Bryan's "The Quittin' Time Tour" with The Middle East and Levi Turner
• April 5 : Hank Williams Jr
• April 12 : Bert Kreischer
• May 28 : Lionel Richie 's "Sing a Song All Night Long" tour with Earth, Wind & Fire
• May 29 : NF's "Hope" tour
• August 9 : $uicideboy$ with Denzel Curry, Pouya, Haarper, Shakewell, and Ekkstacy
• September 28 : Maxwell's "The Serenade" tour with Jazmine Sullivan and October London
• November 13 : Heart's "Royal Flush" tour with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening

This list is incomplete and may never satisfy any subjective standard for completeness. You can help Bhamwiki by expanding it .

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MilitaryHistoryNow.com

The Premier Online Military History Magazine

Operation Cowboy – How American GIs & German Soldiers Joined Forces to Save the Legendary Lipizzaner Horses in the Final Hours of WW2

“The efforts to rescue the Lipizzaners would end with battle-weary American GIs standing shoulder-to-shoulder with German troops to fight a common enemy – the Waffen-SS.”

By Mark Felton

When the shooting died away the snowy field was littered with dead and dying Waffen-SS soldiers. American GIs quickly reloaded their weapons.

Huddled inside their positions with them was a strange group of comrades. German Wehrmacht soldiers cradled Mauser rifles, while fur-hatted Russian Cossacks grinned fiercely through their beards as British and Polish ex-POWs stared grimly ahead. Leading this curious coalition that found itself in action near the Czechoslovakian town of Hostau was a tall, strikingly handsome U.S. Army captain by the name of Thomas M. Stewart.

Gripping his Thompson sub-machine gun, Stewart, already a grizzled veteran at the age of 29, scanned the field warily. The first SS attack had been beaten back, but the enemy would return. He glanced at his men. All had done well. ‘Stewart’s Foreign Legion,’ as they jokingly were calling themselves, had fought its first battle and won. Surrounded deep inside hostile territory, the small force was tasked with baby-sitting the world’s most precious horses. It was the toughest assignment Stewart had faced since landing in Normandy the previous year, but his most important. What was at stake was nothing less the survival than a living European treasure.

The white Lipizzaner horses of the famed Spanish Riding School in Vienna are world-renowned. Among the purest bred and finest trained show horses in existence, they boast an unbroken lineage that stretches back more than 400 years through the  Hapsburg Dynasty . But all this was threatened with destruction in 1945, and the efforts to rescue the Lipizzaners would end with battle-weary American GIs standing shoulder-to-shoulder with German troops to fight a common enemy – the Waffen-SS . The action at Hostau stands as one of only two documented occasions when U.S. and German forces fought together against a common enemy during the Second World War. The other would take place days later at Austria’s Schloss Itter castle. (Check out MHN’s coverage of that incident HERE .)

After the German annexation of Austria in 1938 , the Spanish Riding School’s breeding mares were taken by the Nazis to a special stud farm at Hostau in Czechoslovakia. The performing stallions stayed in Vienna. The mares became the focal point of a bizarre Third Reich breeding programme to try and create an ‘Aryan horse,’ along with Arabians and thoroughbred racing horses. Fast-forward to April 1945. The mares were still at Hostau and the war was drawing to its bloody close.

Twenty miles west of the city was General George Patton ’s U.S. Third Army , drawn up along the Czech-German border. Having fought ferociously across Western Europe, the Third as was waiting for orders to liberate Prague. Forty miles east of Hostau sat the Red Army, poised to draw the whole of Czechoslovakia into Moscow’s political orbit as stipulated by the recent Yalta Conference .

Inevitably, the Germans in Hostau would have to surrender the Americans or the Soviets; everyone knew which option was the preferred one.

Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht veterinary officers charged with caring for the horses were growing ever more frantic. They feared that if the Red Army arrived first, the precious animals would be lost. The Soviets had already destroyed the Royal Hungarian Lipizzaner collection. Having shot many of the stunning horses rather than take care of them, the rest were forced into harnesses like common drays.

The ranking German at the farm was a Luftwaffe intelligence officer named Colonel Holters. His unit had become stranded in the area after running out of fuel. The waylaid oberst befriended the commander of the farm, a colonel named Rudofsky. The two men shared a passion for horses and Holters soon convinced Rudofsky to surrender his collection of prized steeds along with his men to the Americans before it was too late. Rudofsky vacillated, mindful of his oath to the Fatherland to resist. But Holters had no such compunctions and secretly set out to negotiate the surrender of the horses to the Americans on his own.

The unit that Holters approached was the 42 nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron , part of the 2nd Cavalry Group , the eyes and ears of Patton’s XII Corps on the border. A good proportion of the 2nd Cav’s officers were themselves horsemen, including the unit’s resourceful commander, Colonel Charles M. Reed, a polo-playing Virginian gentleman old enough to have served in the horsed cavalry before the rise of mechanized warfare.

Holters laid the groundwork for the surrender. A veterinarian from the stud farm was persuaded to cross the lines under a flag of truce to work out the complicated and risky logistics of moving several hundred priceless horses safely through the middle of a shooting war. Word of the plan was sent back to the German commandant who reluctantly agreed to the move. Reed was delighted and contacted Patton, who gave the go-ahead to snatch the horses.

But the problems were acute. Though the Germans agreed that the stud at Hostau was to be turned over to the Americans, the frontier defences were not a part of the scheme and would resist any incursion by U.S. forces into Czechoslovakia. Then there were the men of the 42 nd Cavalry: all were worn out after nine months of bloody slaughter from Normandy, the Ardennes and through Germany, and none wanted to be the last GI killed in Europe. To top things off, many of the horses were pregnant, while others had only just given birth.

Mindful that the Red Army was only days, perhaps hours, away, Patton ordered his men to carry out the mission and ‘make it quick.’ He couldn’t spare enough men and resources to ensure that the operation was a success – it would have to be performed on a military shoestring. The CO of the 42 nd was ordered to provide two small cavalry reconnaissance troops and some armour for a 20-mile push into German-occupied territory. The task force commander, Major Andrews, was given just 325 men to enter an area defended by tens of thousands of German troops, including two understrength yet still potent Panzer divisions. Apart from the two troops’ machine-gun-armed jeeps and M8 armoured cars, the only other support Reed could count on would come from five small M-24 Chaffee light tanks, far outclassed by the German Panthers known to be operating in the area, along with a pair of Howitzer Motor Carriages , artillery guns mounted on light tank chassis. It wasn’t much of an army, but it would have to do.

On April 28, Task Force Andrews, as it was codenamed, set off amid an artillery barrage that blasted a hole in the forward German defences. The advance was contested at virtually every village, but by a miracle the column reached the stud farm. Now came the difficult part – holding on to the prize.

While Colonel Reed sought out vehicles to move the pregnant mares and new-born foals out of Hostau to Bavaria, Andrews turned over the task force to his deputy, Captain Thomas M. Stewart. The force was reduced to one cavalry troop, two tanks and two howitzer motor carriages, a total of only 180 men. Stewart now faced the greatest challenge of his military career. Without enough men to secure the stud farm, the town of Hostau and the road back to U.S. lines, he’d need to recruit some extra manpower fast. He turned to a small group of Allied POWs who had been liberated alongside the horses. The Germans had been using the prisoners, a mixed bag of British, New Zealanders, French, Poles and Serbs, as labourers. All eagerly volunteered to help out and were immediately handed captured German weapons. But it still wasn’t enough. Next, Stewart turned to some anti-communist Russian Cossacks in the area. Commanded by a haughty former prince, the Cossacks joined the Axis after the Nazi invasion of the U.S.S.R. four years earlier. Eager to slip away from the encroaching Red Army, Prince Amassow and his excellent horsemen volunteered and were re-armed. Still coming up short, Stewart asked the German colonel Rudofsky for some of his own men to join in the defence. Stewart agreed to re-arm them if they pledged to serve under U.S. authority. Many were happy to do so; they had no love for the Nazis and all feared the arrival of the Soviets.

Using their own surrendered weapons and coal-scuttle helmets, the Wehrmacht volunteers fell in with their new allies. Stewart knew that he had had to act quickly in forming this unlikely ‘foreign legion’ for word arrived that SS troops were converging on Hostau determined to kill or capture the Americans and the horses.

In two battles, ‘Stewart’s Foreign Legion,’ with the assistance from the light armour, managed to hold off an assault by crack troops from SS-Regiment Deutschland . Several Americans were killed or injured in the firefight; more than 100 enemy soldiers perished, with an equal number of wounded. Fortunately for Stewart and his men, the Nazis lacked tanks, otherwise it would have been game over for the entire expedition.

During a break in the action, Colonel Reed began to organize transport to get the horses out of Hostau to U.S. lines. Many of the stallions were ridden out by American, German and Cossack officers, while some of the mares were driven on the hoof like some Wild West-style roundup. The others with their foals were loaded onto hastily converted German and American trucks and sent west.

The group made good its escape without a moment to spare; Soviet T-34 tanks arrived on the eastern edge of Hostau just as the Lipizzaners and Stewart’s Foreign Legion rolled out of town. A tense stand-off followed, but the Red Army decided not to risk a clash with Reed’s forces and Operation Cowboy was successfully completed with not a moment to lose.

The Lipizzaners were eventually returned to the Spanish Riding School, where their descendants perform to this day. Colonel Reed would later sum up the entire operation: “We just wanted to do something beautiful.” And what could be more beautiful in the midst of the cruellest of wars than rescuing innocent white Lipizzaner horses for the betterment of European culture? But it wouldn’t have been successful without Captain Stewart’s foreign legion, who set aside national enmities for a higher reason and succeeded.

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28 thoughts on “ Operation Cowboy – How American GIs & German Soldiers Joined Forces to Save the Legendary Lipizzaner Horses in the Final Hours of WW2 ”

The Kazakhs were not Russian, they were Kazakhs from Kazakhstan. The USSR conquered them only 3 years before the war, which is why they were happy to serve with the Germans against the Communists.

more details.. adding to the rich texture of an already beautiful tale.. TY

Actually they were Cossacks, who were native Ukrainians and fiercely anti Russian and anti communist. They hailed from Ukraine and unfortunately, people don’t check their history and thing all soviets were Russian. Not true.

Sorry, you’re mixing Cossacks with the Kazakhs. Read your history, pls.

Sorry, you’re mixing Cossacks with the Kazakhs. No the same.

I watched this story in a Walt Disney movie called The miracle of the white stallions!

Thank you for the movie reference. I was sure that I had seen this story in a Disney movie in the early 1960s. Couldn’t remember the name, though. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057312/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The American film actor Robert Taylor, star of the Lipizzaner film “The Miracle of the White Stallions [British title, The Flight of the White Stallions] is photographed with Alois Podhajsky, chief of the Spanish Riding School, along with scores of other marvelous photographs in the 1963 book “The White Stallions of Vienna” authored by Alois Podhajsky. The publisher was E.P.Dutton & Company, Inc. New York. The book is still available at Amazon for $95.

Quotes: Alois Podhajsky

“…the horse is by no means a ‘wild beast’ or a stupid animal as sometimes described by thoughtless persons.”

“Equestrian art, perhaps more than any other, is closely related to the wisdom of life.”

Timeline 1939:

In 1939, Podhajsky became chief of the Academy of Classical Horsemanship, better known as the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria.

1963: The white stallions of Vienna written by Alois Podhajsky was first published on January 01, 1963.

1965: Podhajsky was director of the school throughout World War II and continued in the position until his retirement in 1965.

1965: My Dancing White Horses, The Autobiography of Alois Podhajsky written by Alois Podhajsky was first published in 1965.

1973: The riding teacher; a basic guide to correct methods of classical instruction written by Alois Podhajsky was first published in 1973.

(end of this post) ————————————————————————————————————-

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I can see this story on my Lipizanner’s pedigree. The round up of his ancestor‘s from European State studs to Hostau, the newly born foal making the perilous journey to Wimbach and the final return to Piber. Even the horse that General Patten took back to the USA is related to my horse. Sadly the Lipizanner‘s who had to run from Napoleon, scattered by the political redrawing of boarders after WWI and WW2 were again involved in bloody conflict with the war of the former Yugoslavia. The distribution of the horses following that conflict was not resolved until 2007.

The story of the flight from Hostau has implications for Arabian horse owners as well, since there was no time to cut out the Lipizanners from the larger herd, the US just drove them all out together. That group included a number of Polish purebred Arabians, including the famous stallion *Witez II, whose story is movingly told in the book “And Miles To Go.”

The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts is another valuable account of the rescue and details the rescue of Witez II and his subsequent life in America. He went on to become one of the great progenitors of the Arabian breed.

This is a beautiful piece of history. Most of it I have never heard before. I’m glad that these horses were saved. Also glad that something good came out of the war

Also the book “The Perfect Horse” by Elizabeth Letts which I downloaded from Amazon. Intriguing story, and sadly relates the demise of the Arabs including Witez 11.

My Father, was a volunteer exercise rider of Lipizzaner stallions in France. He maintained his riding skills and horsemanship until his passing at 59 years of age. His Father, incidentally, was a cavalryman during WW1 and was injured by a riding accident during training maneuvers and spent months in a military hospital. Thank these men for their service to our Great Country.

The photo in the story, titled “Lipizzaner horses parade during a ceremony at the White House in 2008, was actually taken in Slovenia when President Bush visited in 2008. The photo was taken by the White House photographer, but was not taken at the White House. https://www.google.com/search?biw=1600&bih=789&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=ldX9XO6xE-6wtgW2rKiIAg&q=Where%20the%20lipizzaner%20stallions%20slovenia%202008&oq=Where%20the%20lipizzaner%20stallions%20slovenia%202008&gs_l=img.3 …83198.87654..88129…0.0..0.113.1291.9j4……0….1..gws-wiz-img.aAhPjuPuwGo&fbclid=IwAR37-um1orZwHy_z37qqa25JyQ4C8nnw9fGGxl8HZzBU_xW72DzSUl5BbFI#imgrc=RhetMc63pbWBJM:

I have a book at home in my to read stack called A Beautiful Horse about this.

My introduction to Lipizzaners was the novel Florian (1933), by Felix Salten, whose most well-known book was Bambi. The 1940 movie starred Robert Young and Helen Gilbert.

I heard a story of a neighbor (then an Army Officer with Horse experience), on the rescue when Germans starting firing, his horse turned to charge the guns, but he knew how to turn it around and to safety, Anything on this?

My father drove one of the trucks to bring the Stallions back.

My dad was also involved in operation cowboy. He was in the 2nd cavalry group I am planning on visiting the area where it happened next year on would have been his 100th birthday I am looking for as much information that I can gather. I have about 30 of his personal pictures if you would like to see them I would gladly send them to you Thanks Paul

My father was also involved in operation cowboy he was in the 2nd cavalry group. Although he never talked about it we have pictures of him riding some of the horses . I am planning on going over to the area next year on what would have been his 100th birthday. If you would like I could send you his photos of operation cowboy. Paul

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The American military was reluctant to bomb the death camps, under the excuse that this will divert bombers from their tasks. But they executed a whole operation to save horses.

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