Virtually through the internet and then we travelled, ourselves to Austria, to some of the best breeders in the mountains. As a first top address on our schedule was the best known breeder Alexander Peter Schuhmacher, his elite breeding is well known.   SAP means quality, genetically valuable animals, drawn on Canadian base. From this very interesting herd, we were able to secure two female offspring:

SAP VENECIA: is a daughter of  Viola II vom Knausserwald x Platanus vom Patzenhof.

This animal out of his father, from Platanus vom Knausserwald/Patzenhof, a huge top bull with over 1000 Kg weight, the very popular in autrian genes of Pablo von Knausserwald, a product of the breeding of  Dr. Otto Schimpf. The motter of Platanus is CUCULA vom Knausserwald (646), the daugther of  King John of Graymalkin, with the best mothering abilities. Mother of 12 bulls and a daughter. The father of the Knausserwald Pablo, is the famous Windlough Prince Charles, father  of countless top-quality products anywhere in the world.

Venecia’s mother, Viola II vom Knausserwald, a King John of Graymalkin daughter, pulled out of the  Verna of Hi-Arrow. It is the meat beef of excellence. With its enormous length and the enormous muscles it looks like a Highland Cattle from another dimension. Her weight fluctuates between 694 kg and 732 kg depending on the season, hip height 134 cm. She is the mother of some very prominent breeding animals, including the breeding bull EHC Bary 3b, so the Grandmother of our breeding bull EHC Unity. One of her daughters, Vanessa vom Knausserwald, is the mother of the overall winner of the Spring Market in Meschede 2010, Valerie of Greenfield. At the age of 15 years she enjoys excellent health and their descendants are certainly a gain to the Highland cattle breed in her country, she delivers each year, in any combination, a top calf.

SAP XANADOU: a daughter from Sönderholm Viva x Platanus vom Patzenhof.

Her father is the previously described Platanus vom Patzenhof.

Her mother, Sönderholm Viva, born 2005 in Denmark with a birth weight of 31 Kg, embodies the elegant Highlander typre. Her father, Ask of Black and White, from Sweden united the Glen Osprey well cultured blood from the 90s and another top Canadian breeding: Keijoasan from Joan Wort. The Grandmother of  Xanadou, Lynggaarden Omi, silverdun, comes from the Danish Elite breeding farm “Lynggaarden” by Jens Hendrik Jeppesen.

Our next destination was a must for us, the Hardegg’sche highland cattle breed in Schwarzenbach an der Pielach. These breeding, from the acting chairman of the ARGE Highland cattle, Friedrich Hardegg, we really wanted to see, we had read the book “Robust cattle” and we didn’t to miss this visit, as we were in the region. However, the owner was not present, a very friendly and knowledgeable representative showed us the animals. We were particularly strucked by a picture in the Highland Cattle book, the one of Panther von Patzenhof.

There was some disappointment when we heared that this top bull unfortunately was dead, but we have been promised to visit his descendants, high up on the mountain, the next day.

A bit of fitness was demanded from us, but for friends from Highland cattle this can not be an obstacle. What we have been seen high up was worth every effort. No shy or feral animals greeted us but beautiful and people-friendly two-year-old approached, without any shyness to be touched and they knew to please: Daughters of Panther vom Patzenhof/Knausserwald. Some of the animals were able to arouse our interest and so we wanted to visit their mothers.

In the mother cow herd we saw some striking animals so we decided on two promising heifers:

Carmen vom Schwarzenbach and Sandy vom Schwarzenbach, both daughters of Panther.

CARMEN VOM SCHWARZENBACH: a daughter of Camilla x Panther vom Patzenhof.

From father’s side, this animal heritated the well-known and in Austria highly wanted genes of Pablo vom Knausserwald. Panther and Platanus are half-brothers and both provided excellent breeding animals which proves that this is definitely genetic. Both bulls come from a King John of Graymalkin daughter, a combination which absolutely promises typical and large-framed animals. Panther provided the outstanding son Panther II vom Aignerhof, young Austrian Champion 2008, which was exported to Scotland at the famous breeding farm Craigowmill by Ken Brown, longtime chairman of the Highland Cattle Society, where is is used for breeding.

Carmen’s mother, Camilla is from the legendary herd of Friedrich Karl Flick, at that time the largest herd in Austria  (about 100 mother cows). This breed was known for large-framed animals.

SANDY VOM SCHWARZENBACH: a daughter of  Sara  x  Panther vom Patzenhof.

Next and last stop on our tour through this beautiful mountain scenery was another small but beautiful highland cattle breeding facility, the one of Anna and Gerhard Rockenschaub.

HCR – Highland Cattle Rockenschaub, as well as the other two is known for quality and consistent breeding with international top genetics. We wanted to see the offspring of a particular bull, the one of CUPIDO vom Knausserwald – Young bull Champion 2009 in St. Donath. Very promising for us was the origin of this very affable and impressive black bulls. The breeder showed us nice and typey animals. The offspring was as the pedigree promised it.

The father of Cupido is the Canadian top bull Du Boise Le Coq:

2002 Test winner for Bulls in Quebec, with less than 11 months

2003 Intermediate Champion at the NWSS, Denver, Colorado

2004 Grand Champion, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and

2004 Grand Champion Bull at the Badger State Highland Classic, juged from Alun Garton from Scotland.

The mother of Cupido, Cukula vom Knausserwald (645), a large framed cow with a birth weight of 31 Kg, leading inherit from her father’s side the genes of another Canadian top bull, those of the GOF Beau Geste, a top sire and product of the legendary Glen Osprey Farm. Her mother, Chola vom Knausserwald, is again a daughter of  King John of Graymalkin.

HCR-Cupido is the father of the Austrian  Young Bull Champion 2010 , HCR-Cento, selected in the Carinthian beef cattle show. His balanced character and its type and its genes, confirmed in his descendants, have also motived to secure this great black bull for our herd.