The Lipizzaner Association of Australasia

The Lipizzaner, a horse from the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Austria), is a compact, powerful horse of up to around 16 hands, mares somewhat smaller, which is particularly bred for dressage and harness, but which are also excellent allrounders, being competent jumpers and having great stamina. Lipizzaners are well known for their floating, eye-catching action. The breed was founded in 1580 by the Austrian Arch Duke Charles, due to a shortage of pure Spanish horses in central Europe. So much in demand was this type of horse, that it was decided that a replacement Baroque horse was urgently needed. Stallions and mares were imported from many parts of Europe and the resulting cross is similar to the Lipizzaner horse of today, although further out cross to the Arab in the last 200 years has given the breed more lightness and refinement.

An earthquake and fire in the 1600's destroyed The original Stud Book records and consequently today's pedigrees can be traced back only from the inclusion of a new mare line in 1714. There are five male lines recognised in the world today dating from the 1700's:

• Pluto, dating from a large grey Royal Danish stallion born in 1765
• Conversano, a brown/black born in 1767 of the now extinct Italian breed called Neapolitan
• Neapolitano line, also a Neapolitan, this stallion being born in 1790
• Maestoso, a grey Spanish horse from the Kladruby stud
• Favory, a blue-roan, also a Spanish type horse from Kladruby

In 1880, the next line still existing was added:

• Siglavy, which was an Arabian line

There are two additional lines which are relatively recently internationally recognised, but which were instituted later:

• Tulipan, originating from Croatia in 1850 and,
• Incitato, named after the founding Transylvanian/Hungarian stallion from the 1810's

A horse of medium height, predominantly grey in colour, with brown or bay occasionally occurring. Chestnuts and roans do appear in a few countries with one Eastern European stud specialising in breeding chestnuts, but this colour is not desired by most enthusiasts. The "international jury" is currently out as to whether, in future chestnuts and roans will be accepted. In Eastern Europe at this time two more male lines were introduced at the military based stu