1984 – 2015 170 cm Black

Breeder: Archie Smith Maxwell

XX/OX rate: 38,28%

In the last year of his life, 2015, Jumbo topped the British Eventing Sire Rankings for a second year in a row while maintaining his position as BE’s Sire of All Time.

Based on points earned by the stallion’s offspring registered with BE, 2015 saw Jumbo amassing a total of 1570 points bringing his all-time total to 15,253 points.

On the WBFSH rankings for 2015, Jumbo is in 23^rd place with 21 reps, the most successful of which was Joyride (Arak) who is ranked 406^th in the world with 64 points. Back in 2009, Jumbo stood second on the WBFSH rankings.

Jumbo is by the registered Irish Draught sire Skippy out of the show jumper Betty, by the Thoroughbred, Seven Bells.

Skippy

Jumbo was purchased by Carolyn Bates of Grafton Stud at six months old. He went on to compete up to three star level with New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson as well as winning the Young Horse World Championship at Le Lion d’Angers in 1991 as a seven year old.

Jumbo had a varied career. With Andrew Nicholson,  as well as winning in Lion, he finished 15th in the CCI3* at Boekelo the following year, after which he retired from eventing.

Jumbo then competed in show jumping with William Funnell and dressage with Lizzie Murray before fully retiring from competing in 1997 to take up full-time duties in the breeding shed. He whipped-in with the Bicester Hunt in his later years.

Jumbo has sired no less than 45 Advanced Event horses, most notably three times Burghley winner, Avebury (ridden by Andrew Nicolson), and the only mare ever to win Badminton, Burghley and the Rolex Kentucky International Three Day Events – Lucinda Fredericks’ Headley Britannia.

Andrew Nicholson, riding Avebury

Andrew Nicholson took over Jumbo: “He had done Novice when I started with him. He was very genuine, very level in his head, a very good mover – after he finished eventing and showjumping, he went on to be a dressage horse.”

“He was a heavy horse, but he was very light on his feet and he had a massive gallop stride. When he did the seven year old championship at Lion d’Angers, it was back in the days of the steeplechase, and he found the time very easy because of his massive stride, and he could jump out of the stride. He was a very easy horse to jump.”

Lucinda Fredericks on Headley Brittania

Do you think eventing is tough for stallions, they tend to have heavy muscle…

“Yes, and their nature, they are not really made to be cross country horses, especially the older they get – they get very protective of themselves. A lot of people criticize some stallions as they get a little older, thinking they are not brave enough to be eventers, but really it is just their nature taking over. They are not meant to be going places they haven’t been before, that’s their nature.”

Have you ridden many of Jumbo’s progeny?

“Quite a few. I’ve had some very good ones: Henry Tankerville, he was a very heavy horse, his mother was a full Warmblood, and yet he was successful. I’ve had quite a few over the years and they are very similar to himself. All the good ones I’ve had, have been very genuine, very good minded horses, nice even paces. It doesn’t matter what the atmosphere is, they stay the same. To be at the top level now, they need to be out of a Thoroughbred mare. Henry Tankerville was the exception, the majority of the good ones have been out of small, flat bred Thoroughbred mares.”

Photos courtesy of Grafham Stud and Kit Houghton