Christopher Hector looks at the bloodlines of the Paris Gold Medalist…
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Photo: © FEI/Benjamin Clark
Understand the pedigree of Checker, and you have a fine grasp of the bloodlines that made the modern showjumper.
The grey gelding was bred by the Westfalien breeder, Wolfgang Kipp, but he is also very much a product of the thinking of German jumping ace, Ludger Beerbaum…
It was Ludger who negotiated the deal that saw a pair of Ukrainian jumping fans, Victor Timoschenko and Valentin Nychyporenk purchase the Belgian bred colt, Windows van het Costerveld, the reserve champion of the Westfalien licensing. Re-named Cornet Obolensky the grey went on to top the stallion testing. The Ukrainians proved canny negotiators, and Ludger put together a package that saw the young stallion cover Ludger’s star mare, Ratina Z, the result was Comme il faut, sire of Checker.
Comme il faut,
Cornet Obolensky’s sire, Clinton, combines the two great Holstein ‘C’ lines, the clever C of Cor de la Bryère, and the power C line of Capitol through his sire, Corrado, who is by ‘Corde’ out of a Capitol mare, Soleil.
Clinton
Clinton is out of Urte, a grand-daughter of the Holstein foundation sire, Moltke I, and she is out of Ohra by the legendary, Landgraf, out of a mare by Raimond, a son of the Anglo-Arab, Ramzes. Cornet Obolensky’s dam, Rabanna van Costersveld is by the best son of the great Nimmerdor, Heartbreaker, out of a mare by the Ramiro son, Randel Z.
Ratina Z and Ludger Beerbaum
Comme il faut’s dam, Ratina Z is by Ramiro (who combines Ramzes aa with the wonderful Thoroughbred, Cottage Son xx), out of a mare by the great French sire, Almé.
Almé
Checker’s dam, Pamina, is another encyclopedia of jumping breeding. She is by Come On, (who competed at the Sydney Games with Princess Haya) by Cantas, by arguably the best son of Corde, Caletto I. Cantas is out of a mare by another power machine, Roman (by Ramzes). Pamina is out of a daughter of Baloubet du Rouet (more Almé), out of Perle by the Pilot son, Pinocchio.
Caletto I
Born in 2010, Checker competed up to 1.55m with Ludger, before the ride went to his protegé, Christian Kukuk who joined the Beerbaum team at Riesenbeck as an exercise rider in 2012. Like his horse, Christian is well-bred for equestrian sport, since the Kukuk name is famous in Westfalien riding circles and now boasts the magic of Olympic Gold…
