1979 – 2009 170 cm Brown
Breeder: Jean Brohier
Narcos II is very much a ‘home grown’ product; both his sire and dam were born at the Brohier family stud, where Narcos II was based throughout his career.
Jean Brohier competed internationally for France, riding the mare, Krishna who was bred by his father, Alfred Brohier. And in keeping with the tradition, Jean manages the stud in association with his son, Denis, who is now the rider.
The story starts with the horse dealer, Alfred Lefèvre (why do so many French breeding stories start with this phrase?) who sold Jean Brohier, Ma Pomme, a three year old filly by the Thoroughbred, Furioso out of Harmonie by Barnum. Furioso, who was by the great foundation jumping sire, Precipitation, was then the leading sire of jumping horses in France, a title he held from 1954 until his death in 1967. When Brohier bought her, Ma Pomme had a sister, Pomone B, then just a few months old, who was to win the World Showjumping Championship of 1966 with Pierre Jonquères d’Oriola.
Pomone B – World Champion 1966
Ma Pomme competed successfully with her owner as a four and five year old before commencing a brilliant career as a brood mare when she was covered as a five year old by Plein d’Espoirs (by Orange Peel xx). This mating produced Starlette B, who was the Champion 6 Year old, ridden by Jean Brohier. Bred to the Plein d’Espoirs son, Olifant, she produced Allegro who was Champion 5 year old before going on to an international career. She was then bred for three seasons to the half blood, Starter (by Rantzau xx) producing two successful competitors, Beau Fixe and Copella, and the broodmare, Dans Le Vent.
She was then covered by the Quastor, who was by Ibrahim and out of La Citadelle, the half sister to the great Almé, to produce Fair Play III.
In her excellent survey of Narcos II’s career (Breeding News, September 1998) Patricia Cagé, describes the stallion:
“Fair Play III, strong and imposing like his sire, also inherited his quite common head, and was full of energy like his dam.”
Ridden by Jean Brohier, and then by son, Denis, Fair Play III was Champion of the 4 year olds, 3rd in the five year olds, and 20th in the six-year-old championship. He died of tetanus at the age of nine but not before he produced a number of exceptional competitors: Lude du Chatelier (Hervé Godignon), Larry II (full brother to Narcos II) with Patrick Caron before being sold to Italy, Lolilfant, Marly du Mesnil and Narcotique.
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Narcos II’s dam is also part of the Brohier family history. Alfred Brohier bought Vergonne, after noticing the performances of one of her foals, Foudre de Guerre, who was by Foudroyant II.
Foudroyant II was a rival of Furioso, producing brilliant jumpers, but not so many as Furioso. His best-known offspring was Kenavo D, a medalist at the Tokyo Games.
Vergonne was bred to Foudroyant on a number of occasions, with great success. Her second foal, Garcon Manque was champion four year old, before being exported to Spain, then coming back to Alfred Brohier as a brood mare. Garcon Manque produced Quenotte B, dam of Altesse, herself a dam of many sires, several good competitors, and the national stud sire, Foudre De Guerre. Garcon Manque also produced three good competitors, Rush, Ulmaire, and Krishna – Jean Brohier’s passport into the French team.
One Vergonne’s first foals by Foudroyant, was the filly, Il Pleut Bergère. She had 12 foals, six of them by Plein d’Espoir, including Ritournelle C, a French 4 year old champion, and Ulrason B, an international winner with Marcel Rozier. Bred to the Ibrahim son, Tanael, Il Pleut Bergère produced Gemini.
Gemini was the sort of mare breeders dream about. With Fair Play III she produced Larry II, a CSIO winner in Italy, Mazarin V, a stallion exported to the USA, Oreal II, and of course, Narcos II.
After the death of Fair Play III, Gemini was bred to Kayack and produced Quat’Sous, a top competitor with Edouard Couperie, and now an excellent sire.
Narcos II had a brilliant career as a young horse reaching the finals for Young Horses at Fontainebleau, three years running. He was 3rd in the four-year-old championships ridden by Denis Brohier, and then with Eric Navet in the saddle, 1st in the five-year-old championships, 1st in the six-year-old championships.
Narcos II winning the European Junior Championships in 1991 with Florian Angot
Narcos II made a spectacular start to his international career with Eric Navet at all the major European jumping shows and also in the USA. He was a member of winning Nations Cup teams in Madrid, Luxembourg, Lucerne, Rome, Hickstead, St Gallen, Aachen, Calgary and La Baule.
His career was interrupted in 1987 by laminitis. It was two years before he could compete again at national level. Ridden by Florian Angot in 1994, he won the European Junior Championship.
In all he had 178 victories, 567 placings, and total winnings of 2,420,646 francs.
Twist du Vallon with Ward McLain
His son Twist du Vallon was Horse of the Year 1998 in the USA with Ward McLain. He has many representatives in international events. They include: Kouros d’Helby and Eric Fevrier, Trophée du Rozel ridden by Olivier Jouanneteau, Urbain du Monnai ridden by Roger-Yves Bost, Tisca ridden by Gilles Bertran de Balanda, Twist du Valon and Hervé Godignon, Une des Cresles ridden by Patrick Martin, Ulanne du Plessis ridden by Annick Chenu, Anisette Brécéenne ridden by Bruno Rocuet, Altesse de Boêle ridden by Patrick Martin and Viking du Tillard, Champion of France with Hervé Godignon in 1996.
The stallion son, Urbain du Monnai
Narcos has had considerable success at the French Young Horse Finals at Fontainebleau, and 2003 was no exception. He was the most successful sire of 4 year olds classified as ‘Elite’ with five representatives. He was also the leader when it came to stallions with representatives who jumped double clear rounds, with eight.
Hold Up Premier – stands at Holland’s leading jumping stud, VDL
Narcos II is currently represented in Holland by three sons, Hold Up Premier (out of a Quidam de Revel mare), Hinault (out of a Landgraf mare) and Tangelo v/d Zuuthoeve, while a son, Harcos, is popular in Belgium.
