1987- 2008 -168 cm Bay
Breeder: Caspar v Rumohr, Hemelsdorf
The Ahorn Z son, Acord II was another stallion discovered by the great stallion master, Maas J. Hell and he stood at the Stal Hell from 1992, standing jointly with the State Stud Celle from 1994 onwards.
Unlike his predecessor from Zangersheide, Athlet Z, Acord II easily won his performance test in 1991, scoring 9.5 to 10 for showjumping, and 9 to 9.67 for rideability. His overall score was 146.04 scoring 138.26 in dressage and 148.47 in jumping.
He went on to the 1992 Bundeschampionate in Verden ridden by Thomas Mohr, where he was reserve champion behind Franke Sloothaak and the Caletto I son, Calero. That year, five sons of the Zangersheide stallion, Ahorn Z (not to be confused with Weipke van der Lageweg’s Ahorn by Nimmerdor) qualified for the Bundeschampionate.
Acord II followed in the distinguished footsteps of his older brother, Acord I, who was an international showjumper in The Netherlands before being sold to the USA. His younger brother, Acord III was the champion stallion in Brazil.
Acord II continued to compete up to Advanced level for winnings of €4,026, however the 2014 Hanoverian Yearbook, records that his progeny have won over a two million euros, with 864 jumpers who have placed in competition, and 173 dressage horses. He has produced 27 jumpers with winnings in excess of €15,000, the most successful of which has been Artur, with the American rider, Aaron Vale, who won €90,459, followed by Annabell with €76,664 and Dobel’s Araconi, with €40,224 but he has five more with winnings in excess of €30,000: Acoretto, Adolfo FRH, Aladin, Armani, Azzuro Classico, Broere VDL Atlantic and Horse Gym’s Aribo.
As of 2014, Acord II had an FN jumping ranking of 136, as against his dressage ranking of 90. The Hanoverian Stallion book for 2014 records that on the basis of mare tests and auction evaluations, he has a dressage score of 73 but a jumping score of 137 – with a negative trot score of 69 and an even worse walk, 55, but a positive canter score of 103.
Acord II is a nice balance: the two stars of the Z book, Almé and Heureka, with the added bonus of Cor de la Bryère through Calypso I and the Thoroughbred Ladkykiller.
Acord II is out of Ribecka, who was a champion mare in Holstein. Mandarin in the fourth line of her pedigree is out of Holle, who was also the grand-dam of Ramiro. Mandarin’s daughter Urbine is the grand-dam of the international jumper and supersire, Burggraaf. On the other side, the line travels to that hugely influential Thoroughbred, Ladykiller, through his son Lancaster, who also carried the blood of the Anglo Arab Ramzes, and was himself a showjumping competitor.
Ribecka was by the Cor de la Bryère, son Calypso I.
Acord’s top stallion son – VDL Atlantic (out of a Lord mare) and Wout Jan van der Schans
Acord II has produced more than 40 stallion sons, one of the more famous is Broere VDL Atlantic, who was the Six Year Old Jumping Champion at the 1999 Bundeschampionate with Ulrich Kirchhoff. Another stallion son to shine with Kirchhoff is Action Hero – like Atlantic, he is based in Holland. In Germany his stallion sons are Acorado, Antaeus, Alboretto, Ars Vivendi, All in One and As di Villagana.
The Acord II son, As di Villagana
Acord II’s entry in the Hanoverian Studbook includes the comment: “His first foals are impressive with a strong, correct conformation and above average floating movements.”
In an interview I conducted in February 2007, Thomas Mohr summed up his qualities: “Acord was the sire of many stallions. He won the stallion test as a four year old because he had been operated on as a three year old for colic. He was second in the five year old class at the Bundeschampionate, and he had many mares as a five and six year old. His foals were very typey and the rideability was very good – they were easy to handle. Last year more than 45 Acords were placed at S level in Germany.”
