Sterrehof’s Cayetano Z passed away unexpectedly

At the age of almost twenty, Sterrehof’s Cayetano Z sadly passed away. Our beautiful top stallion has been one of Sterrehof’s leading horses for quite some time. He had a glorious career under the saddle of Julia Houtzager-Kayser and after that continued his successes in breeding.

Written in the stars

In fact, all of this was already written in the stars at his birth. Expectations were high directly from the beginning with this striking colt by the mare Calipa Z and the Grand Prix stallion Caretano Z. Cayetano’s dam can truly be called the best daughter of Ratina Z, the legendary mare who herself won team gold and individual silver twice, spread over the ’92 and ’96 Olympics. Calipa Z produced a total of eight international showjumpers, four of which ended up being classified at 1.60m level and the most successful being Sterrehof’s Cayetano Z

International career

Cayetano made his international debut at eight years old. The very sound stallion jumped another eight consecutive years up to the highest international level with rider Julia. The duo competed at the 2017 European Championship in Gothenburg and was, also for Austria, in 2016 and 2018 very successful in the FEI Nations Cup final in Barcelona. Cayetano and Julia achieved top positions in many Grands Prix at the highest level, such as second in the GP of CSI Twente, third in Donaueschingen en Ommen en fourth at Outdoor Gelderland and in Knokke.

Cayetano and Julia at the 2017 Europeans

Successes in breeding

After his fantastic career, a top-fit Cayetano moved from the Houtzager-Kayser Stables to Sterrehof Stud in Nunspeet. Shortly before, he had been used in breeding for the first time. The handful of offspring out his first two years as a breeding stallion proved so promising that we decided to make Cayetano, who was approved by Studbook Zangersheide and the KWPN, fully available for breeding. This resulted in several foals being selected for foal auctions in recent years, where they were successfully sold. Meanwhile, his oldest offspring have made a promising debut in the jumping arena and his very small, first-year crop has also produced an appointed KWPN stallion. For next season, frozen semen of this top genetic stallion will still be available at Holstud.

Thanks for everything!

Till the last day Cayetano was with us, we enjoyed his beautiful, energetic appearance. His death was therefore unexpected, but the knowledge that he did not suffer makes this loss more acceptable. It is now up to his offspring to continue his legacy. Cayetano, thank you for everything!

Cayetano at Stoeterij Sterrehof