1938 – 1959 161 cm Bay
Breeder Pierre Champion

One of the influential Thoroughbred sires of the Selle Français breed, Fra Diavolo was born on the stud farm of Pierre Champion at the Manoir of Chemoitou. The Champions have been Thoroughbred breeders at Valframbert since Pierre Champion’s grand-father registered their colours in 1899.

Sir Gallahad

In 1936, Mr Champion imported the American stallion, Black Devil by the famed Sir Gallahad – one of the best sons of Teddy. Teddy, who was out of a Bay Ronald mare, features on many classic jumping pedigrees.

Teddy

Black Devil, who was out of a mare by Ambassador IV who was by the Bay Ronald son, Dark Ronald, was described by Jean Delannoy in his excellent tribute to the stallion in the 1998 edition of Annuaire de l’Etalon Sport Français, as ‘very Teddy, Black Devil was a little high and very wide, with good bone and excellent joints. With a very sloped shoulder and long frame, his head was a little common and his back slightly loose. Full of class, his character was that of a stallion, not mean but sure of himself.’

Fra Diavolo’s dam, Frayeur was imported from Ireland, Delannoy describes her thus: “Bay, solid, 1m64 with a big lop-eared head (lop-ears being a sure sign of quality on the other side of the Channel), and with straight, strong legs, a little long but with a very tight back, she was a very sure mare. Very well bred, by Bllandford, she was the half-sister of the winner Brantome, Horse of the Year 1935, and subsequently a very good stud. Her dam Freia III, born in Germany, was a sister to winners, and the half-sister of Son In Law (paternal grandsire of Furioso and Popov and great grandsire of Rantzau), by the monument Dark Ronald.”

Dark Ronald

Fra Diavolo was bay brown with only a trace of white on the front heels. He raced from the age of 3 to 6. He was third in the 2,600 metre Rueil race as a three year old, then won a 3000 metre hedge race at Auteuil the same year. As a four year old, he won the 3,500 Mimosas steeplechase by five lengths, and was placed eleven times.

The National Stud, which regretted that the Norman breed was so dominated by chestnuts, was always on the look out for bays, and even though Fra Diavolo was only 1m61, purchased him in 1945 for the then considerable sum of Frs. 650,000.

In the Official Saint-Lo register he was described thus:

“This very handsome cross-breeding stallion has depth, a balanced body, a wide chest and strong haunches, with a well-pronounced and correct topline, with strong legs and well muscled. His gaits are brilliant, balanced and extended. One would like to see him a little more expressive, however the only serious criticisms to be made are his slightly closed hocks and front feet toeing out. His right knee is blemished by a splint. There are high hopes for his production.”

He was only used by some 20 mares until 1952, had 36 in 1953, and then some 50 mares until 1957. In 1958, at the age of twenty he covered 31 mares for six live foals. Out of 462 breedings, he produced 219 foals, 118 colts and 101 fillies.

Again, M. Delannoy comments: “Fra Diavolo had the benefit of good clients: energetic mares, generally carriage mares measuring about 1 m 61 in 1945 and up to 1 m 63 in 1955, but often with show jumping awards… He only produced rather dark bays (chestnuts being the result of someone cheating…) generally with more blood than the dams, especially for fillies. Their sometimes delicate mouths easily controlled their generous nature, and they were balanced with a strong back. If they have an agreeable gallop, their trot was generally lacking.”

Extase – French Champion, then champion broodmare

Fra Diavolo produced two international performers in his third season. Extase (out of Perle Fine by the trotter, Ideal Normand) was first shown by Alain Navet with whom she won the 4 year old finals. She went on to compete in Nations Cups and win the Championship of France. Another from the first crop, Etendard, with Guy Lefrant was an international competitor. Extase’s full-sister, Glorieux was one of Alain Navet’s favorites – which did not prevent him selling to Cambodia’s King, Norodom Sihanouk. Guillano competed with Capt. Durand in the eventing at the Rome Olympics, and later participated in Nations Cups.

Competing in Rome, Captain Durand and Guillano

Fra Diavolo was a good sire of broodmares, and had some good stallion sons, but by far the most important was Nankin, out of Constellation by Plein d’Espoirs, a product of the breeding program of the famed Alfred Brohier. Nankin’s most famous contribution to French breeding is his son, Uriel. Both Nankin and Uriel have their own entries in this directory…

In his survey of The Great Bloodlines of the French Sport Horse (Annuaire du Cheval de Sport et d’Élevage 2000), Bernard le Courtois looks at the Irish Birdcatcher branch, commenting:

Irish Birdcatcher

“Fra Diavolo had fewer breeding results in sporthorses that Foudroyant II’s glorious career but his male descendants were well established, notably with Nykio (leader of the French stallions in the 70’s in showjumping, eventing and dressage – which is very rare) and of course, the insurmountable Nankin, sire not only of great champions, but of excellent stallions. The best, without being the best-looking, was without doubt Uriel, foaled, as was his sire, out of an excellent maternal family. Of the Uriel sons presently active, Rosire appears to be the best.”