a few words about Asman Teke
Asman Teke is owned by Michèle van Kasteren, who describes her experience as follows :
« I started to ride in 1977 and have been a passionate rider ever since.
I am currently competing in endurance but have started my competition career in eventing, discipline in which I competed in Germany up to A-L level. Though I did ride my first endurance race in 1995 I only really started to focus on the sport of endurance when I bought my farm in Belgium.
I raise and train my horses myself up to international level and over the last 20 years of breeding am proud that I have also produced some outstanding eventers.
Recently I got hooked with polo and I want to introduce Akhal-Tekes into this discipline also.
The Breed
I have been fascinated with Akhal-Tekes ever since when, back in the early 70’s, as a child I saw a picture of an Akhal-Teke horse and fell in love with this breed. This picture was Kambar, a horse that many of you might know as well. Later, at the age of 14, during a riding vacation I finally got to see my first Akhal-Teke.
His name was Kutly. He was a gorgeous golden buckskin stallion and I knew this would be the breed I want to own one day. Books describing breeds of horses state that Akhal-Tekes have difficult characters but this statement didn’t frighten me. It even was more a challenge as I was convinced I could handle them.
I could! But not because I am an outstanding horse whisperer but simply because they have a genuine charming character and are easy to handle.
In the 90’s finally, straight after having finished my studies, I started my search for an Akhal-Teke. Many of my riding friends wanted to get me convinced to buy a warmblood. But I searched for what I wanted and found my Tekes.
I have never regretted my choice.
The Farms
First I settled in Biebergemünd in the Spessart Forest in Germany (area of Greater Frankfurt).
A couple of years later, I wanted to move back to Luxembourg, but since land is just not available and affordable in my home country, I ended up buying a farm the other side of the border in Belgium. I had a great time out there in the middle of nowhere in the Black Storck Nature Reserve.
I called the farm Kara Leylek, which means Black Stork in Turkmen as it is a custom for Turkmens to name their horses after birds.
But life changes and with it its needs. In 2010, my son Tom was born.
The Belgian farm simply was not the place for a baby, neither would it have been convenient for him to go to school some years later. So I decided to move to a new farm. Since land is still and even more expensive in Luxembourg, I ended up, the other side of the Luxembourg border, this time in Germany in Dockendorf.
These few words to explain my country changes when it comes to horses, though I never left Luxembourg for my "normal life" beyond horses.
But I am flexible… should one day land be more affordable in my country I might change again.
Getting a winter residence down south is also an option…
The Suffix
Since the very beginning, I also was searching for a suffix name for my horses. Since I couldn’t find a suitable name, I started to call them vK which are simply the initials of my family name.
Finally in 2008, I made my choice for Asman.
Why Asman ?
Asman means heaven or heavenly so « Asman Teke » simply is the surname Akhal-Tekes have which is the heavenly horse.
As a Conclusion
My aim is to breed a high-performance Akhal-Teke with good character and type. There are some of our offspring performers out there competing.
If you would like to get to see some Akhal-Tekes in true life, just contact me.
I do speak Luxembourgish of course, but also German, French, English, some Dutch, Spanish and a little Russian.
I am looking forward to meet you on my farm and to introduce you to our horse family. »
Michèle van Kasteren
