Stallion of the month

PHOTOGRAPHY: HILARY O'LEARY

CAPITAL FIGARO D’ISIGNY - ONE TO LOOK OUT FOR

Purchased off the Fences Auction in 2015 by Henning Pretorius of Capital Stud, this young stallion has already started his breeding duties and competitive role at Capital Stud. Figaro D’Isigny’s oldest offspring are just one year old, and he is currently competing in the 1.10m classes (soon to move up to the 1.20m level) under stud rider and training manager, Luke Compaan.

ABOUT FIGARO

Figaro is absolutely bred to jump, but also has an exceptional canter, and his flatwork is easy and effortless. In the ring, he enjoys his job and the work seems to come naturally to him. Beside his great scope, technique, carefulness, and bravery, he is enthusiastic and straightforward to ride. He gets off the ground incredibly quickly and with a great shape in the air. Luke is currently focusing on increasing his exposure, while moving up the grades. From what has been seen so far, Figaro looks set to achieve the elusive dream – to be a top showjumper and a top breeding stallion.

In terms of his personality, Figaro is said to be quite a character. He likes to arrive and make his presence well known! Luke tells us, “You’ll hear him before you see him.”

BREEDING

Figaro D’Isigny’s pedigree has it all. He is sired by Kannan GFE, one of the best sires of modern sporthorses in the world. Kannan GFE is known for giving his offspring scope, bravery, carefulness, good front reflexes, an uphill and balanced canter, as well as a good temperament, and all of this is clear to see in Figaro. Kannan won his first Grand Prix at the young age of eight, had three representatives at the Rio Olympic Games, was praised for his scope at his pre-selection scoring a 9.2 for his jump, and in 2021, sired two out of the five best 8-year-olds in the world. Kannan’s dam is the Nimmerdor mare, Cemeta. Cemeta

DID YOU KNOW? Kannan was named after his breeders’ (Wobbe and Marietjie Kramer) foster child from India.

had two other offspring, one competing at 1.50 level and one competing at 1.40 level. Nimmerdor is most well-known for his son Heartbreaker. However, Nimmerdor is also the dam’s grand sire to one of the best dressage horses of all time, Totilas.

Figaro D’Isgny’s bloodlines also include Voltaire, Furioso and Farn. These are all influential sires. Voltaire rewrote history; he went from being last in his licensing and barely making the criteria to becoming one of the first of the ‘super stallions’ who was deemed as important as a breeding stallion as he was as a competitor. Henk Nijhof described Voltaire’s offspring saying, “They want to jump.” Furioso II and Furioso are a father son duo, with both contributing to the making of the modern sport horse. Furioso was the leading sire in France from 1954-1961 and his son, Lutteur B won the 1964 individual Olympic Gold medal. Furioso II won his 100-day test and not only sired showjumpers but competitors in all disciplines. His most well-known offspring is breeding stallion For Pleasure.

Figaro’s damline contains the son of Jaliso B, Dollar du Murier, as well as Irak E who is the grandson of one of the greatest sires in history, Ibrahim. Dollar du Murier not only represented France in the 2004 Olympic Games but is seen to pass on the characteristics needed to compete at that level to his offspring - power, style, and athleticism, all of which Figaro demonstrates. Figaro’s dam Miloust D’Isigny was matched with Kannan GFE seven times in total, due to the immense success of the pairing. The most well-known match is Albfuehren’s Paille, who won the World Cup in 2015 with Steve Guerdat (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE). Priam D’Isigny is another full relative who is currently competing at the 1.50m level.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

This stallion embodies every aspect of modern breeding requirements, with his athleticism, speed, sharpness and intelligence. Having a stallion like this on South African soil is a gift for top showjumpers. Figaro is one to watch!