Ferien in Lipizza

I must admit to being a big fan of this series when I was a kid. it seemed to be on every morning during the summer holidays, even though there were only 13 episodes. It's a real shame the BBC destroyed the dubbed version, it would be nice if it could be restored and aired once more, or put out on DVD. The theme tune is one most people of my age can remember, and probably sing along still after all these years, I've even got it in my i-tunes collection (sad I know).

The show was originally made in 1965 and was a thirteen part serial although a bit like Mr. Benn there always appeared to be more episodes than there actually were. Julia was played by the late Helga Anders who sadly died in 1984 from a heart problem.

Julia is a young teenager who goes to visit her Uncle Dimitri who lives in the country. She decides to stay there and help with the horses he owns.

This very charming older children's serial from Germany, and quite skilfully dubbed into English, has stayed in my affectionate memory for almost 40 years. If you love "Little House On The Prairie" you will most likely feel a similar reverence to this. Both contain all the best aspects of the adult world as seen with a morally good mind. At the time, few people had travelled to foreign lands and so the spell was set upon a strange world. The scenery, though in black and white, was so fresh, and now would still fascinate because of the unspoilt quality. All the main cast were readily welcomed, and Helga Anders, of course, who spends an adventurous holiday with her uncle on a famous horse breeding farm, immediately became a most lovable heroine. During the short series one is captivated by her character to become very much more interested in horses than otherwise. Although only 18 at the time, her acting was remarkable. Alas, it is extremely sad that she died in 1986 from a heart attack aged only 38. Such a unique loss.

Ah yes. School holidays always became boring in the end and 'White Horses' certainly contributed to this.

It was black and white and dubbed into English having been made in Germany or maybe Switzerland. I'm not sure now.

Utterly tedious. Please do not allow this show to ever surface again. Even 'Salty the Seal' was better than this.

Ferien in Lipizza AKA The White Horses,Dubbed into English at De Lane Lea studios london in 1968 and shown throughout the 70s until Jan 1978

when the BBC apparently destroyed the UK dub.The German original language films still exist and live at WDR studios Germany. Julia comes to stay at the Lipica stud on a long summer holiday,from Belgrade.The structures of the stories are well suited to Horse fans and also any one that wants to sit back and dream of far away places.Well that was what most of the children watching did when the series was first aired on BBC1.The theme song sung by Jacky (only the uk version) is perfect to introduce this dreamy series.The director obviously has an affinity with horses as this shows in the carefully placed cut aways to the Animals..Overall a masterpiece worthy of repeating (if only).

A staple of holiday TV in my childhood (along with that interminable version of Robinson Crusoe) 'The White Horses' was a collaboration between RTS (Radio Television Serbia) of Belgrade and BR-TV of Munich, and followed the adventures of Julia, a fifteen-year old girl, played by Helga Anders, who leaves Belgrade to spend a holiday with her uncle Dimitri (Helmuth Schnider), on his stud farm where, with the help of head groom Hugo (Franz Muxeneder), he trains valuable white Lappizaners. In the opening story Boris, one of the horses, is stolen by gypsies who dye his white coat brown so that no one will recognise him. Julia and Hugo set off to find Boris and upon his recovery an affinity is formed between girl and horse thus setting the scene for the adventures that followed.

Originally shown in Germany as 'Ferien in Lipizza', in Slovenian it is known as Poèitnice v Lipici. It didn't reach the UK until 1968, when the BBC began broadcasting a dubbed English language version. Although the series still exists on film (in Germany) it is thought that the English soundtrack has long since been lost. The 'cheesy' theme song, White Horses, sung by Jacky, reached number 10 in the pop charts in April 1968.

The series provided pleasant entertainment in its time. The star, Helga Anders, died at the early age of 38. The sight of Ms Anders in riding breeches lingers fondly in my memory and I'm sad to know she is no longer with us.