ESSA courier No. 5 – January 2010 Content __________________________________________________________________________ The President’s Editorial 2 __________________________________________________________________________ Review 2009 3 __________________________________________________________________________ Objectives 2010 3 __________________________________________________________________________ Call of interest: Leonardo da Vinci-mobility project for stud employees 4 __________________________________________________________________________ Summary of the ESSA board meeting in December 2009 5 __________________________________________________________________________ Visit in the Czech Republic – report by Bernard Maurel 7 __________________________________________________________________________ Country in focus: Germany 8 • Principal and federal stud Marbach (Baden-Wuerttemberg) 9 • Principal and federal stud Neustadt-Dosse (Brandenburg) 11 • Federal stud Dillenburg (Hesse) 12 __________________________________________________________________________ European day of biodiversity: Presentation of draught and rare horses at the European Parliament in Strasbourg 13 __________________________________________________________________________ ESSA dates 2010 14 1 _________________________________________________________________________________ European State Studs Association e.V. c/o Haupt- und Landgestuet Marbach I D-72532 Gomadingen-Marbach Tel +49 73 85 96 57 17 I Fax +49 73 85 96 57 38 I [email protected] I www.europeanstatestuds.com VAT number 89078/31680 ESSA courier No. 5 – January 2010 __________________________________________________________________________ The President’s Editorial Dear friends, At the beginning of 2010, the ESSA president is proud of the way we did work together last year and all the projects and objectives we have for the new year. You will find a lot of information about it in this newsletter. I would like to insist on the Leonardo da Vinci project. If you have in your stud just one employee who could be sent abroad and speaks English, French or German you are concerned by this free of charge project. It’s also very good for ESSA, because all the costs would be supported by the EU, and it shows that we are already a functioning European network, giving us more arguments to apply for some other European project in the future. In many European countries, France and Germany not excluded, some politicians or technocrats are criticizing the cost of state employees, the way state studs’ services are going, or the fact that public money is used to support the horse industry. One of the best answers is of course to show that our involvement in genetics and biodiversity, training and teaching, tourism and cultural heritage is supported not only by the cities, departments and regions concerned, but also by the horse breeders, the horse owners, and the great public that visits our sites. One of ESSA’s main objectives is to help you to argue or promote your activities, as the European network that we are! Of course all my best wishes are going to the stud directors and teams, and to their families. For all of us I hope that 2010 will see more members affiliated to ESSA and that we receive concrete support by the services of the European Committee. I hope to see you during this year many times and especially at our General Assembly at Neustadt/Dosse from the 7th to the 9th of June. A happy, healthy and successful New Year, Bernard Maurel 2 _________________________________________________________________________________ European State Studs Association e.V. c/o Haupt- und Landgestuet Marbach I D-72532 Gomadingen-Marbach Tel +49 73 85 96 57 17 I Fax +49 73 85 96 57 38 I [email protected] I www.europeanstatestuds.com VAT number 89078/31680 ESSA courier No. 5 – January 2010 _________________________________________________________________________________ Review 2009 2009 was a busy year for the young European State Studs Association. A central ESSA office was established at MARBACH stud with a part-time staff coordinating the activities of the network. One of the main achievements was the official registration of ESSA as non- profit organisation. One of the main ESSA objectives is the recognition of the European State Studs as European Heritage. Therefore, the office contributed to the EU-questionnaire for the new European Heritage Label (EHL). Contact was made to Mr. Gammel, General Direction of Education and Culture, in Brussels, responsible for the implementation of the label. On behalf of ESSA Marbach stud filed an application for an annual operating grant by the European Union for the ESSA office. The EU culture programme running from 2007 to 2013 offers support for organisations active at European level in the field of culture. The operating grant would enable ESSA to work more efficiently with a full time staff at the ESSA office. The amount requested could also fund promotion activities and support our next General Assembly. The applications are currently evaluated, decisions are expected in March. Many ESSA members participated in the General Assembly hosted by the national stud of TOPOL’ČIANKY, Slovakia, and signed the “Declaration on the Preservation of Traditional Brands”. The ESSA board met in MARBACH (February), AVENCHES (April), TOPOL’ČIANKY (June), COMPIÈGNE (August) and PRAGUE (December). To improve the communication among the members, the ESSA courier was established. In 2009 four issues were distributed online to 60 addresses in 15 countries. By the end of the year ESSA has 21 members from 11 countries (14 studs, 6 personal members and one institutional member). _________________________________________________________________________________ Objectives 2010 To ensure the success of the association ESSA needs to communicate more efficiently inside and outside the network. More members and sponsors need to be found, supporting ESSA’s aims. For 2010 a promotion strategy was developed. A new ESSA leaflet is in preparation to promote the state studs as European heritage. It will be available in different languages during the first months of 2010. Information about ESSA in form of leaflets, 3 _________________________________________________________________________________ European State Studs Association e.V. c/o Haupt- und Landgestuet Marbach I D-72532 Gomadingen-Marbach Tel +49 73 85 96 57 17 I Fax +49 73 85 96 57 38 I [email protected] I www.europeanstatestuds.com VAT number 89078/31680 ESSA courier No. 5 – January 2010 posters and a European map with the location of all member studs shall be available at all member studs. The ESSA homepage will be updated and linked to the websites of all member studs. The ESSA courier shall continue to appear every second month. The ESSA office plans to apply for different European grants in 2010. A mobility-project is in preparation for the employees of the member studs wishing to share their knowledge and to gain European working experience. An application for European subsidies of the EU culture programme will be drafted for a multi-annual-cooperation-project running from 2011 to 2013. The project will focus on the the research, documentation and promotion of the European state studs’ cultural heritage. Part of the project will be an ESSA-symposium in 2011 which needs to be prepared by a scientific board from 2010 on. The ESSA office will continue contributing to the establishment of the European Heritage Label. The next meeting of the European working group is scheduled for April. ESSA’s interests will be represented by Mr Dusan Kramberger of the Slovenian Ministry of Culture. From the 7th to the 9th of June the 2010 ESSA General Assembly will take place at NEUSTADT-DOSSE, Germany. The members will be invited in January. Four board meetings are planned in April, June, September and December 2010. From 2010 on, ESSA plans to be present at different European horse shows and events. In step one the board members take ESSA leaflets und posters to the events they visit. In step two ESSA could become involved with quadrille performances, exhibitions and info-stands. The first activities are planned at the international horse fair “Eurocheval” at Offenburg, Germany, from 21st to 25th of July 2010. On 10th of November 2010 the seat of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Brussels will host an event about Marbach within the network of European state studs. The event will be accompanied by an exhibition about the cultural heritage of the national and traditional studs of Europe. _________________________________________________________________________________ Call of interest: Leonardo da Vinci-mobility project for stud employees ESSA plans to set up a working abroad programme to strengthen the European identity of the state studs’ employees and to stimulate the cooperation in between the network. The project is supposed to be financially supported by the European mobility programme “Leonardo da Vinci”. The programme offers funding for stays abroad for further qualification in the European labour market. Projects run for two years. At least partners from two different European 4 _________________________________________________________________________________ European State Studs Association e.V. c/o Haupt- und Landgestuet Marbach I D-72532 Gomadingen-Marbach Tel +49 73 85 96 57 17 I Fax +49 73 85 96 57 38 I [email protected] I www.europeanstatestuds.com VAT number 89078/31680 ESSA courier No. 5 – January 2010 countries need to be involved.