Waitzrodt Manor

In 1802, the manor was founded by the Landgrave's Minister of State, Friedrich Freiherr Waitz von Eschen, as a country estate on a hill in front of the Reinhardswald, above Kassel. He had the brushwood of the surrounding lands cleared and named the estate "Waitzrodt".

The farm served for arable farming and livestock breeding until 1960. Numerous aerial bombs, actually intended for the Henschel works, destroyed several stable buildings during World War II. In addition, lands had to be surrendered during the land reform.

Livestock farming was abandoned, and the fields were cultivated by the neighboring estate of Winterbühren. The 7,000 m2 farm complex thereafter served only as a machine storage area and was partially used by recreational riders.

In 1978, the Sommer family leased the largely vacant farmstead, comprising approximately 6 hectares of land, with the intention of using it as a residence and for horse breeding and keeping.

Several apartments were converted, and stables were set up for what became 65 horses. The field barn was transformed into a small riding arena, and paddocks, pastures, a race track, cross-country courses, dressage, and show jumping arenas were created. Until 1997, Waitzrodt was also the location of the kennels of the Hessenmeute with approximately 30 foxhounds. Drag hunts with the Hessenmeute were organized multiple times.

In 2005, a new riding arena was built with the help of the Gut Waitzrodt e.V. riding club, founded in 1998. The focus at Gut Waitzrodt is on eventing, and the equestrian facilities are entirely tailored to this. Since 2004, eventing competitions have been organized, which enjoy steadily growing popularity.

Since 2010, these have also included an international CIC* class eventing competition; Hessian Championships and the IGV-Cup have been held multiple times, and in 2010, the final of the national CDV-Cup was on the program.