Overview of the breeding of the Olympic Showjumping Stars

AND THEIR REPRESENTATION ON SOUTH AFRICAN SOIL

TEXT: CHRISTIE WOLHUTER

WBFSH RANKINGS 2020

1st - Chacco-Blue (Chambertin x Contender).

2nd - Diamant de Semilly (Le Tot de Semilly x Elf III).

3rd - Toulon (Heartbreaker x Jokinal de Bornival).

4th - Mylord Carthago (Carthago x Jalisco B).

5th - Casall (Caretino x Lavall I).

6th - Berlin (Cassini I x Caretino).

7th - Kashmir van Schuttershof (Nabab de Reve x Tenor Manciais).

8th - Cardento (Capitol I x Lord).

9th - Nabab de Reve (Quidam de Revel x Artichaut).

10th - Diarado (Diamant de Semilly x Corrado I).

Since the Olympics are the pinnacle of the sport it is fascinating to have a look at the overall breeding of the mares, geldings and stallions competing. Whilst pedigree never guarantees success in any equestrian discipline, there are top bloodlines that are regularly represented at the top of the sport. The results of the sons and daughters of these stallions determine the ranking of the WBFSH stallions, and 2020 has been an interesting year in the rankings. There is a mix of new sires by the old greats, and the crossing of dominant lines to produce these horses performing at the pinnacle of the sport.

Ronnie Healy and Capital Magic Boy (Toulon x Darco)

RELEVANCE TO SOUTH AFRICA

Just about all of the horses represented at the Olympics have breeding that is available in South Africa, from horses bred at the big studs like Callaho, Capital and Rivendell, amongst others, to direct semen being available from De Bruyn Equine, Embriosem and Iconic Sires. These lines are also available at smaller studs due to the use of imported stallions and frozen semen directly from Europe.

STAND-OUT BREEDING AND ITS REFLECTION HERE

The stallion best represented at this year's Games is the Selle Francais Kashmir van Schuttershof. Kashmir is the sire of Kent Farrington’s Gazelle, Peder Fredericson’s H&M All In and Malin Baryard-Johnsson’s H&M Indiana. Kashmir is one of the best sons of Nabab de Reve and clearly has already made his stamp on international breeding.

Nabab de Reve himself is represented in these Games by his direct progeny as well as by his daughters, who are producing top horses. Nabab seems to do well as both a sire and a dam sire, and crosses very well with Darco. Darco, after all, is a famous dam-sire and a favourite of Henning Pretorius of Capital Stud. Lorette and Barry Taylor’s Nabab Forever was a son of Nabab de Reve. Grant Langley’s Berlioz Des Hauts Droits is another Nabab de Reve, who has proven himself time and time again in the South African showjumping ring.

Mylord Carthago (Carthago x Jalisco B) is seen frequently in both the direct sire and dam sire lines in this year’s Games. Mylord Carthago’s own dam Fragance de Chalus is famous in her own right and is by the great French Jalisco B. She is over 70% Arab and Thoroughbred. Fragrance de Chalus also produced Bamako de Muze, the sire of Jessica Springsteen’s ride for the USA, Don Juan van de Donkhoeve. Then, Jalisco B is also the sire of the possibly even more famous Quidam de Revel, who is the sire of Nabab de Reve. Jalisco served for only 3 breeding seasons, but over 33 of his progeny have jumped 1.60m. Capital Ayden the stallion purchased for a record price at the Capital 2020 auction is by Arezzo VDL x Mylord Carthago. Arezzo VDL is Chin Chin out of a Heartbreaker mare and is represented at this year’s games by Marlon Zanotelli’s VDL Edgar.

Cooper vd Heffinck is the sire of Scott Brash’s Hello Jefferson and Nayel Nassar’s Igor van de Wittemoere. Cooper vd Heffinck is by Caretino (by Caletto II), who is also the sire of Casall and the dam-sire of Berlin (Cassini I x Caretino).

There are two Toulon sons competing in the showjumping at Tokyo. South Africa seems to back that breeding talent as two Toulon sons fetched fantastic prices at the Capital Stud auctions. The first was Capital Magic Boy (Toulon x Darco) at the auction in 2017 and a repeat of that breeding was available in the form of Capital Night Star (Toulon x Darco), who also sold in the 2018 Auction for a fantastic price.

Diamant de Semilly is seen both as a sire and dam-sire in the horses competing at Tokyo. He is also seen slightly further back in the pedigrees of many of the horses. The legendary stallion is popular in South Africa and is the sire of Harrie Smolders’ past ride Emerald Van ‘T Ruytershof who is out of Carthina Z by Carthago. Emerald was then crossed with a Nabab de Reve mare to produce I’m Special de Muze. French Diamond is another direct Diamant de Semilly standing in SA. He is out of a Quidam de Revel mare.

Chacco-Blue is the number 1 ranked sire on the WBFSH and is well represented in South Africa and, of course, at the Olympics, being popular with breeders. Locarno Chacoelo is a Chacco-Blue Namibian Warmblood, standing in SA and being campaigned by Lorette Knowles-Taylor.

Nicole Horwood on Capital Night Star (Toulon x Darco)

SUMMARY

To summarise this would be to say that breeding in South Africa is certainly very exciting. If the Olympic showjumping breeding is anything to go by, which one has to assume it is, the South African breeders appear to be absolutely on-point with the lines selected for our market. Other challenges of course present themselves to South Africans looking to compete overseas, but it seems the horses we have the opportunity of sitting on, are not going to be a limiting factor.