Gemma Alexander (of Pacific Jumping Breeding) and Christopher Hector examine the bloodlines at the 2018 WEG… Photos – Eric Knoll and DigiShots
Despite the issues plaguing the venue and the weather, the 2018 World Equestrian Games will undoubtedly go down in history. From being the first Games since its 1990-inception to not include the ‘Final Four’ component, to having the first woman world champion in WEG history, Tryon 2018 was certainly one to remember.
WEG Showjumping 2018
For all the breeding buffs out there, here is a breakdown of the 2018 WEG showjumping competitors.
The original start list brought forward 124 competitors on day one. The most prolific sire of competitors in this list was the current WBFSH Number One jumping sire Chacco-Blue (Chambertin – Contara x Contender) with an astounding EIGHT offspring: Chaqui Z (-Quilina Z x Quinar Z), Chalou (-Skylubet x Baloubet du Rouet), Chacco-Blue II (-Naiti Rouge x Cincaba Rouge), Chacco Balou (-Balounielle x Baloubet du Rouet), Chacna (-Karewa x Narew xx), Chacco Kid (-Solara x Come On), Blue Movie (-Showtime x Pilot) and Chactino (-Cento’s Contina x Cento).
The highest ranked Chacco-Blue in the final individual standings,
Blue Movie with Rowan Willis
Number two on the WBFSH rankings was also the second-most represented stallion with four direct offspring and four grandchildren: Diamant de Semilly (Le Tot de Semilly – Venise des Cresles x Elf III).
The highest ranked by Diamant de Sémilly – Don VHP Z NOP – placed 23rd
Silver for Clooney and Martin Fuchs – representing Cornet Obolensky
The third most represented sire was Cornet Obolensky (Clinton – Rabanna van Costersveld x Heartbreaker), who currently sits at number four on the WBFSH rankings; he is represented by four direct offspring and is the grandsire of a further three. An honourable mention goes to Darco (Lugano van la Roche – Ocoucha x Codex), current WBFSH number 28 sire, with three direct offspring and seven grandchildren.
Less contemporary stallions that are still imparting a great influence on the start list through their sons and daughters are headed up by the great Quidam de Revel (Jalisco B – Dirka x Nankin); currently in 11th place on the WBFSH sire rankings, he is represented at WEG by two direct offspring and a staggering 12 grandchildren. Number 12 in the current stallion rankings Nabab de Reve (Quidam de Revel – Melodie En Fa x Artichaut) brought forward two direct offspring, while being grandsire to seven. WBFSH number eight Baloubet du Rouet (Galoubet A – Mesange du Rouet x Starter) brought one offspring and seven grandchildren. Represented by no direct offspring but seven grandchildren each were Jalisco B (Almé – Tanagra x Furioso xx; no longer in WBFSH top 100) and Heartbreaker (Nimmerdor – Bacarole x Silvano; WBFSH number 15).
The most represented studbook in the initial startlist was the BWP with 20 competitors, followed by the KWPN with 19, OS with 13 and Selle Français with 12. Holsteiner and Zangersheide come in equal fifth with seven competitors apiece.
In the hotly contested teams competition, team USA came away with the gold. Team USA was comprised of Devin Ryan with Eddie Blue (VDL Zirocco Blue – Silvana x Marlon; KWPN), Adrienne Sternlicht with Cristalline (Cristallo I – Monalisa x Caretello B; DSP), Laura Kraut with Zeremonie (Cero I – Toulouse x Quick Star; HOLST) and McLain Ward with Clinta (Clinton – Last Flight x Lord Pezi; OS). Silver went to Sweden: Henrik von Eckermann with Toveks Mary Lou (Montendro I – Pina-Colada x Portland L; WESTF), Malin Baryard-Johnsson with H&M Indiana (Kashmir van Schuttershof – Halifax x Animo’s Hallo; BWP), Fredrik Jönsson with Cold Play (Contendro I – Honey Moon x Argentinus; OS) and Peder Fredricson with H&M Christian K (Namelus R – Sirnanda x Calvados; KWPN). Bronze went to Germany: Simone Blum with DSP Alice (Askari – Landblume x Landrebell; DSP), Laura Klaphake with Catch Me If You Can (Catoki – Argentin x Acordplus; OS), Maurice Tebbel with Don Diarado (Diarado – Lady Lancer x Lord Lancer; RHEIN), and Marcus Ehning with Pret A Tout (Hiram Chambertin – Gare A Elle Deux x Stew Boy; SF).
Outstanding – Simone Blum and DSP Alice
The absolutely outstanding winner of the individual gold was Germany’s Simone Blum with her lovely 11-year-old mare DSP Alice (Askari – Landblume x Landrebell; DSP). This wonderful mare was bred in Germany by Ralf Mews, and is owned by Simone herself. It must be admitted that Alice is not one of the more fancily bred horses in the field. Her sire Askari is recorded with a single placing on the hippomundo data base – a 54th in a 1.50 GP back in 2006. He does however bring impressive blood to the equation, being by Accord II, who combined Almé and Cor de la Bryère, out of a mare with more ‘Corde’ and a bonus of Landgraf. Alice’s dam is by an undistinguished son of Landadel, Landrebell, out of a mare line that would not send you running for your cheque book.
Silver went to Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs with the 12-year-old Westfalian gelding Clooney (Cornet Obolensky – Fraulein vom Moor x Ferragamo); Clooney was bred in Germany by Bernd Richter. Bronze went to another representative of Switzerland, Steve Guerdat with the 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Bianca (Balou du Rouet – Coco x Cardento); this mare was bred in Sweden by Stall Hickey AB, and is now owned by Steve and Elias Stud Farm.
Steve Geurdat’s Bianca was the highest placed Balou du Rouet,
taking home the individual bronze
The remainder of the individual top ten were as follows:
- 4th for USA, Mclain Ward with Clinta (Clinton – Last Flight x Lord Pezi; OS)
- 5th for Colombia, Carlo Enrique Lopez Lizarazo with Admara (Padinus – Somara x Murano; KWPN)
- 6th for Austria, Max Kühner with Chardonnay (Clarimo – Pamina III x Corrado I; HOLST)
- 7th for Italy, Lorenzo de Luca with Irenice Horta (Vigo D’Arsouilles – Erenice Horta x Diamant de Semilly; BWP)
- 8th for Sweden, Fredrik Jönsson with Cold Play (Contendro 1 – Honey Moon x Argentinus; OS)
- 9th for France, Alexis Deroubix with Timon d’Aure (Mylord Carthago – Miss du Beny x Drakkar des Hutins; SF)
- 10th for USA, Laura Kraut with Zeremonie (Cero I – Toulouse x Quick Star; HOLST)
Interestingly, all horses placed in the top ten were aged between 10 and 13 years of age, with five mares, four geldings and one stallion. There were two representatives each for Holsteiners and studbook OS, and one each for DSP, Westfalia, Swedish Warmblood, KWPN, BWP and Selle Français.
next the dressage is analysed
Dressage Breeding at Tryon
As usual, the top 12 in the Special, the only individual contest we got to see at Tryon, was dominated by the Donnerhall, ‘D’ line with five representatives, and once again De Niro was the most influential Donnerhall son, with two of his own, and one by his son Danone 4 (Weltmeyer). At least he is described as Danone 4 on the start sheet. Hippomundo and All Breeds list the horse that was 10th at Tryon, Dante Weltino, as being by Danone I, while Horsetelex has the stallion by Danone II. A Danone stands at Klosterhof Medingen (as did his sire, De Niro), and he is described as the sire of Dante Weltino. Usually a name without a number indicates the first stallion, or in this case, Danone I.
Highest placed De Niro – Du Soleil, 12th in the Special with Kristy Oatley
The Don Schufro (Donnerhall / Pik Bube) son, Diamond Hit is out of the Ramino mare, Loretta, prima mare in the Paul Schockemöhle band. Loretta is also the dam of Sandro Hit. At a time when Sandro Hit was wildly popular and Diamond Hit somewhat ignored, Mr Schockemöhle told me that he thought Diamond Hit was the best son of the mare, time would seem to be proving him right. The ‘S’ line of Sandro Hit was represented by 11th placed, Sammy Davis Jr (San Remo / Wenckstern).
Another stunning Diamond Hit – Hawkin’s Delicato and Carl Hester
There are three representatives of the ‘F’ line: Charlotte Dujardin’s bronze medallist in the Special, Mount St John Freestyle (by the Florestan son, Fidermark out of a Donnerhall mare), silver medallist, Verdades by another Florestan son, Florett As and the 5th placegetter, Well Done de la Roche CMF (by the Florestan grandson, Furstentraum, out of a Walt Disney mare).
Leading the F line charge – Charlotte and Freestyle
The ‘B’ line had only one representative, but a fairly special one at that, gold medallist, Bella Rose by Belissimo out of a mare by the Anglo Arab, Cacir.
Number 1 at the WEG, Bella Rose
more follows
A few years ago, (Dutch) commentators were predicting future dressage dominance by Dutch riders and Dutch bred horses. It has not come to pass. The Dutch style of riding increasingly looks like a one way road to oblivion, and few Dutch bred horses have come to the top. The best placed KWPN representative was Cosmo who can hardly be sighted as a win for Dutch dressage breeding since he is solidly jumping bred – by Grand Prix show jumper, Van Gogh out of a Frühling mare.
Jumping bred, dressage star, Cosmo
Buriel K.H. was one of the unexpected delights of the WEG and he does represent Dutch dressage lines, by the Ferro son, Osmium, out of a Krack C mare.
Holland’s most successful rider, Edward Gal, in 7th, was riding the Danish branded Glock’s Zonic NOP. The stallion is by the very Dutch, Rousseau (by Ferro out of a Jazz mare) but out of a mare of German breeding, Romanov / Don Schufro.
Edward Gal and Zonic, Dutch rider, Danish bred…
Eventing comes next
Eventing Breeding at Tryon
Once upon a time, no one paid any attention to the breeding of eventers, indeed the popular belief was that you couldn’t breed eventers, they were just a lucky happenstance, and the WBFSH eventing rankings were filled with unknown out of unknowns. Of course, it was never true, the Irish had made a nice little business out of selling eventers to rich Americans, indeed it was simply an extension of their time honoured rôle as a source of hunters all the better to carry the gentry in pursuit of the un-eatable.
There were a few pioneers, like Sam Barr and Friedrich Butt, who set out specifically to breed eventers and in doing so, proved that it was in fact quite easily done, probably easier than breeding top jumpers or dressage horses.
Nowadays breeding eventers has become a serious business in a number of countries, with France to the fore.
Looking at the final top 15 eventers at the Tryon WEG, six are French bred, three Irish, two KWPN and two from Germany.
Allstar B – gold here we come…
Looking at the pedigree of Allstar B, the gold medallist at Tryon, we find all the influences that have shaped the modern eventer at work. The thirteen-yea- old gelding is branded KWPN, but his top line is all French, combining the great sire of showjumpers, Almé with the Thoroughbred, Night and Day xx. Allstar’s dam sire, Eckstein is by Zion (65% blood, combining Lucky Boy xx and Fra Diavolo xx). The final line on the pedigree combines, the Holsteiner, Ladalco by the Thoroughbred Ladykiller, with the blood of another of the Thoroughbred stallions that renovated the Holstein breed, Cottage Son – who had already been the sire of several top eventers, including British Olympic horse, Cottage Romance, before he was imported to Germany from Britain.
The mare line has produced a string of 1.60 showjumpers but it would seem only in this latest generation, has the attention moved to eventing, Allstar’s half sister, Vienna B is a 3* eventer with Holland’s Jeanette Chardon, although his half brother Warinde B (Padinus) is a 1.60 showjumper in the US with Lauren Hester. The move to more conventional jumping breeding reflects the direction the sport has taken, with more emphasis in the cross country on careful jumping and increased prominence to the showjumping phase.
One for the Irish – Mr Chunky
The second placegetter, Mr Chunky, is more traditionally bred, entered in the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain Book, he is by Jumbo, an advanced eventer with Andrew Nicholson. Jumbo was by the Irish stallion, Skippy out of a mare by Seven Bells xx. Mr Chunky is out of a mare by another Thoroughbred, Sergeant Drummer xx.
Ingrid and Bobby
Hale Bob in third is an Oldenburger, and the Oldenburger stud book was one of the first to massively infuse their population with Thoroughbred blood. Hale Bob is by Helikon xx, out of Goldge, a grand-daughter of Noble Roi xx, with just a dash of Hanoverian jumping blood on the final line through the Gotthard son, Goldlöwe.
Vassily – French breeding in action
Vassily de Lassos was the up-and-coming star of the show, only nine years old, he flew around the course with veteran Andrew Hoy, and but for some harsh dressage marking by one of the judges, would have probably edged his way to bronze. Vassily is by Jaguar Mail, the Selle Français stallion who is proving himself an exceptional sire of eventers, as his pedigree would probably indicate. Jaguar is by Hand in Glove xx (Racehorse, FEI dressage, Advanced Showjumping) out of a mare by the last Thoroughbred Grand Prix Showjumping stallion star, Laudanum xx, with the combination of Almé and Gotthard to round the picture out. Andrew bought Vassily from Tom Carlile who has had considerable success with Jaguar progeny, but who stresses that he likes to see them from clean, careful jumping Anglo Arab mares, and Vassily is out of Illusion Perdue (Jalienny / Vulcain) a mare of strong AA breeding, with one line tracing all the way back to 1902.
The next horse is Irish bred, but again with the new twist, European Warmblood on the top line, in this case VDL Ricochet, (Ahorn / Lord), KWPN brand but the blood is nearly all Holsteiner. Still the cross is traditional enough for the dam to be of unknown breeding.
Qing de Briot Ene HH
Qing de Briot Ene HH is a classic mix of Selle Français and Anglo Arab. He is by the Grand Veneur grandson Eolien II out of a mare by the Anglo Arab, Elaton Or.
Rio gold medallist, Astier Nicolas finished seventh on Vinci de la Vigne, like Vassily, only nine years old. He is by the Papillon Rouge son Estevel des Bois, out of a mare by Duc du Hulvel, in turn is out of a mare by the Anglo Arab, Gentil Pierre.
Cekatinka – the Jan Greve cross
Tim Price’s bay mare, Cekatinka finished 8th, and Tim owes a debt of gratitude to the great Dutch breeder, Jan Greve. Cekatinka is out of a mare by Derby winner, Julio Mariner, who was less successful at stud than he was on the track, and was purchased by Jan for his De Watermolen stud. Cekatinka is by King Kolibri (Kolibri / Libero H) the grey Hanoverian that Jan brought to Holland before he went on to a 1.60 jumping career with Jos Lansink, and then with American, Lauren Tisbo.
Ninth to Billy the Red, bred in Germany and by Paul Schockemöhle’s successful jumper and sire, Balou du Rouet out of a mare by Stan the Man xx – best known at the sire of Michael Jung’s world beating eventer, La Biosthetic-Sam.
Piggy French and Quarrycrest Echo…
Rounding out the top ten we have Quarrycrest Echo, and this time the 11-year-old, chestnut gelding, reverses the current cross, with Irish on top, Holstein on the bottom line. Echo is by Clover Echo by the famous Clover Hill, while the mare is by the Holsteiner Cavalier Royale who several times topped the WBHSH eventing stallion rankings, with more Irish Draught royalty on the bottom line in the form of the King of Diamonds son, Diamonds Are Trumps.
Chipmunk FRH – by Contendro but out of a mare by Heraldik xx, his influence lives on…
The formula may differ from country to country, breeder to breeder, but there is no doubt that more and more breeders are turning their attentions to the eventing market and eventing riders the world over are now reaping the benefits…
