New riding hall for Moritzburg State Stud

Saxony continues to invest in horse breeding. A new riding hall at Moritzburg State Stud has now been handed over to State Stable Manager Kati Schöpke in a festive ceremony. Minister President Michael Kretschmer was joined by Finance Minister Christian Piwarz and Agriculture Minister Georg-Ludwig von Breitenbuch (all CDU).

"With the new riding hall, the Free State of Saxony is sending a clear signal for the future of the historic Moritzburg State Stud," emphasized Kretschmer. The hall offers the best conditions for people and horses and underlines the importance of the stud far beyond the state's borders.

Investment in horse breeding

Since 2007, the grounds of the state stud have been undergoing extensive modernization. With total costs of around 27 million euros, the central project has now been implemented. The building program is being financed by budget funds from the Free State of Saxony.

The new multifunctional riding hall with an area of 4,200 square metres offers space for 824 visitors. In future, it will be used for training, education and events - from dressage to show jumping and driving. According to Piwarz, the hall was built to international standards and equipped with modern technology. It is "precisely tailored to the requirements of horses and riders". An underground irrigation system automatically regulates the moisture content of the ground.

"The new indoor riding arena meets the highest standards and not only strengthens the daily training and schooling of our stallions, but also the training and further education courses offered by the State Technical College for Riding and Driving. It is also an important venue for our breeding and sport horses," added von Breitenbuch.

Riding hall is a sustainable building

According to the Ministry of Finance, the riding hall was built using a timber hybrid construction method. Chemical wood preservatives and composite materials were deliberately avoided, it said. A cistern and three rainwater retention channels collect rainwater, which is used for irrigation and also serves as retention during heavy rainfall. The photovoltaic system installed on the green roof generates enough electricity to cover the entire electricity requirements of the state stud in the summer months.

Center of excellence for the horse industry

The Saxon stud administration with the Moritzburg State Stud is the central center of excellence for the horse industry in Saxony and Thuringia. With currently 85 breeding stallions, its own state technical school and events such as the popular stallion parades, the stud contributes to the support of horse breeding, the preservation of endangered horse breeds and the training of specialists.

There is a conservation breeding program for the Heavy Warmblood and Rhenish-German Coldblood breeds in Saxony. A good 3,000 horse breeders are organized in the Saxony-Thuringia Horse Breeding Association, two thirds of them in Saxony. Since 1991, the Free State of Saxony has invested a total of almost 30 million euros in the structural development of the state stud.