Bay Ronald
Born 1893, breeder - T. Phillips
Race record: 26 races run, 5 wins, placed 3 times
Total winnings: £6,443

There are some names that keep appearing on performance horse pedigrees over and over and over again - none more so than the English Thoroughbred, Bay Ronald.
The hurdler, Hampton, sired Bay Ronald. He stayed in training for four years, and more than paid his way. A winner of the Lowther Stakes, the Limekiln Stakes, the City and Suburban Handicap, and at the age of five, the Epsom Cup. Described as a useful handicap horse, he was a sensation at stud, founding a line that still flourishes. His most influential sons, Bayardo (pic below), Dark Ronald (sire of Son In Law) and MacDonald II. The line descends from the Darley Arabian.

But before his prepotency could be proven, Bay Ronald was sold to France for £5,000 where his career as a sire really bloomed. In France he sired the mare Rondeau, dam of Teddy - one of the most important influences in Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and the USA. Teddy features on the pedigree of France’s Anglo Arab export to Hannover - Matcho AA (by Pancho II AA-Nithard AA- Kesbeth AA-Dadji xx-Astérus xx by Teddy)
In Germany, we regularly find both Teddy and Dark Ronald. Take the pedigree of Donnerwetter, the sire of Donnerhall. His dam, Melli is by Matador (Marconi-Marcio xx-Aventin xx-Teddy xx, and Aventin’s dam’s sire is Dark Ronald!) and out of Lilli by Der Löwe whose dam, Lehnsherrin xx is by Herold xx by Dark Ronald.
World Cup I (and his brothers II-IV, of course) is by Woermann whose dam, Mandat is by Marabou xx-Oleander xx-Prunus xx-Dark Ronald. World Cup’s dam is Sendernixe out of Lünenixe by Lugano 1 by Der Löwe.
According to one report the Dark Ronald grandson, Oleander features on the sire line of the Lithuanian bred dressage star, Rusty, although it should be noted that several pedigrees have been produced for this horse.
Or another of the great modern sires of the Hanverian breed - Werther who is out of Meisterkrone by Marcio xx - once again two crosses of Bay Ronald in the breeding of Marcio’s sire Aventin.
The Thoroughbred, Pik As who is so influential through his son Pik Bube, is by Abendfrieden xx, whose dam Antonia xx is by Herold by Dark Ronald.
Another influential Thoroughbred in Germany is Valentino xx - by Nuvolari xx by Oleander xx by Prunus xx by Dark Ronald. Or take Waidmannsdank xx who appears on many Hannoverian pedigrees - his dam, Waldrun is by Alcehmist by Herold by Dark Ronald, while his sire, Neckar xx is out of Nixe by Arjaman by Herold. Neckar is by Tricino who is out of Terra who in turn is by Aditi who is an own son of Dark Ronald.
Bay Ronald’s dam, Black Duchess was also the third dam of Blandford, sire of four Derby winners, including Bahram, sire of Persian Gulf, the grandsire of Marlon xx, an influential sire in Holstein breeding. Marlon’s dam, Maralinni is out of Misguided, by Knight of the Garet by Son-In-Law by Dark Ronald.
Even more influential in Holstein breeding has been Ladykiller xx, bred in Britain in 1961. Ladykiller is by Sailing Light whose dam, Solar Cygnet is by Hyperion, by Gainsborough by Bayardo - while Ladykiller’s dam, Lone Beech is by Fartuch by Apron by Son-in-Law by Dark Ronald. Ladykiller was the most influential Thoroughbred stallion in Germany for many years, and his sons Landgraf I and Lord were two jewels in the crown of modern Holstein breeding. Ladykiller produced 33 stallion sons in the Holsteiner Studbook!
Another Thoroughbred, Manometer stood for six years in Holstein before he was sent to Denmark in 1968, apparently considered a failure by the Holstein Verband - however his son, Maximus and grandson, Moltke I somewhat redeemed his reputation. Manometer is by Abendfrieden who is out of Antonia by Herold, and out of Marissa who is by Magnet. Magnet is by Astérus by Teddy out of Matilda by Wallenstein by Dark Ronald.
In Australia, the imported stallion Monopol (by Moltke - although this horse should not be confused with the licensed stallion, Monopol, born in the same year - ie. 1972, since that horse was out of a Ladykiller/Cottage Son mare, while the horse that came to Australia was out of a mare by Aldalto) has been a useful sire of dressage horses, and more recently, Moltke featured in the pedigree of the Champion of the Hanoverian 2000 licensing, who is Don Bosco, out of a mare by Donnerhall. Here we see so clearly the many ways in which Bay Ronald has influenced the modern sporthorse. Don Bosco gets a cross of Teddy and a cross of Dark Ronald through Matador on Donnerwetter’s side, and then Don Bosco’s dam, Ramina, is by Ramiro by Valine Z by Cottage Son xx. Ramina is out of Pik Bube’s Girl, again with Bay Ronald on her grandsire, Pik Koenig’s line, and also through her dam’s sire, Jewel by Moltke I.
Another hugely influential Holsteiner sire is Cottage Son, bred in England in 1944. Cottage Son is by Young Lover, by Son-In-Law by Dark Ronald. Cottage Son was unraced, but a successful sire of hunters in England before his export to Germany. Unfortunately his career in Holstein was only to last four short years, from 1960 to 1964 before his tragic fatal accident. But what four years! In that time he produced 14 approved sons and 42 approved daughters - he was also crucial as a sire of broodmares. One of the most influential jumping stallions of modern times is Ramiro, by Raimond out of Valine by Cottage Son, while Lord was out of Viola, again by Cottage Son. Cottage Son’s most famous grandson was Granat - World Champion Dressage horse, by Consul.
Capitol I, born in 1987, is one of the ‘hot’ sires of modern showjumping, and again a perfect example of the Bay Ronald influence. Capitol I is the sire of top showjumpers: Corso, Concorde, Cartier, Caruso, Cincinnati, Cliquot, Calle and Caldas. He is by Capitano (Corporal - Cottage Son xx) and out of Folia, who is by the Manometer xx son, Maximus. Capitol I has been joined in Holstein by his full brother, Capitol II.

Dark Ronald, 1905 - breeder Mr E Kennedy

7 races, 4 wins, 2 places, £8,239

Dark Ronald, Bay Ronald’s most influential son in German performance horse breeding, was bred by Edward Kennedy in County Kildare, and was sold at the Doncaster Yearling Sales of 1906 to Sir Abe Bailey, for £1,300. He won the Hurst Park Foal Plate as a two year old, then broke down and did not re-appear on the track until he was a four year old. He then won the Royal Hunt Cup and the Princess of Wales Stakes, before being retired to stud at Tickford Park where he stood three years before being purchased by Burchard von Oettingen for the Prussian Stud at Graditz for the princely sum of £25,000. The Graditz Stud produced horses for the racetrack and also stallions suitable for Warmblood breeding.
In Germany, Dark Ronald became the most successful imported stallion of all times through his sons, Prunus, Herold and Wallenstein. His British born progeny won over 70 races and £30,000 while his son, Magpie was exported to Australia to an enormously successful stud career. Dark Ronald was champion sire five times, twice second and once third.

Dark Ronald’s son Son-In-Law was the sire of Maureen, the dam of Furioso, one of the most influential sires in modern sporthorse breeding. Furioso is by Precipitation - the prime representative of the other great Thoroughbred jumping line, founded by Hurry On. Furioso xx had 21 race starts for not one single win! Nor did he ever jump a fence but he soon proved himself an exceptional sire of jumping horses. His son, Lutteur B was the individual gold showjumping medallist at the 1964 Olympic Games. Ten Furioso progeny competed at the Tokyo Olympics, and a staggering 30 representatives (from 303 foals) won international events.
But it was through one of his British born sons, Son-In-Law that Dark Ronald was to dominate the bloodlines of the sport horse world. Son-In-Law was described as a plodding middle distance horse, but he became known as a sire of slow maturing horses of great stamina. Son-In-Law’s daughters were responsible for such influential sires as Fair Trial and Round Table.
Three of the most important sires in modern Holstein breeding trace to Son-In-Law: a grandson, Cottage Son, Ladykiller (though his second dam) and Cor de la Bryère whose sire, Rantzau is a great grandson of Son-In-Law.
Son-In-Law was himself a ‘Cups Specialist’ winning eight races out of 18 in his career for total earnings of £5,546; his sons won four Ascot Gold Cups and two Goodwood Cups. No other stallion produced so many sons of almost unlimited staying power.
Son-In-Law’s son Beau Pere was a real plodder, starting his career as a three year old, winning once, and at four winning two of four starts for lifetime earnings of just over £1,000. In his first two foal crops he produced six foals, of which two were relatively minor winners. Beau Pere was then sold to New Zealand for £500, where he was an instant success, topping the leading sire list twice after just three seasons. He was sold to Australia, where he was leading sire three seasons in a row. Beau Pere was purchased by Hollywood mogul, Louis B Mayer and exported to California, where his daughter, Iron Reward, was dam of the brilliant Swaps. Through his sons and daughters, Beau Pere influenced American showjumping. Mary Chapot’s White Lightning was by the Beau Pere grandson, Grey Tower. Katie Monahan’s jumper, Encore is out of Shirlee Steel, by the Beau Pere son, Polished Steel (Shirlee Steel is also the dam of Kerry Milikin’s eventer Landlady). Beau Pere’s son Doctrine sired Sundancer (twice a winner of the American Invitational) and his full brothers, Easy Doc (a member of the Canadian equestrian team) and British team member, Turn on the Sun. Doctrine’s daughter, Mity Doc, produced international showjumpers, Revlon Adam, and full-brother, Mity Wind, exported to Europe and licensed by Studbook Zangersheide.
In Hannover the influence of Dark Ronald has been strong. The influential Thoroughbred sire, Der Löwe, is out of a daughter of Herold, by the Dark Ronald son, Dark Legend. Another daughter of Herold, produced Abendfrieden, sire of Pik As, sire of Pik König.
In 1905, Bay Ronald bred to Galicia, produced Bayardo, who was the sire of consecutive winners of the English Triple Crown, Gay Crusader (1917) and Gainsborough (1918) who was the sire of Hyperion. So small was Hyperion that he was almost gelded, fully grown he was but 15.11/2 but it didn’t stop him on the racetrack where he won the Derby in record time and the St Leger. He was equally successful at stud, where he was ranked amongst the top 10 sires for sixteen years.
Hyperion’s influence on the jumping world has been huge in the United States, where his son Heliopolis was twice leading sire of racehorses. The great showjumper, Jet Run was out of a mare by Heliopolis’ son, Heliodorus. Heliopolis’ son, Grey Eagle, was the sire of A Little Bit, a silver medalist at the Pan American Games.
Another Hyperion son, Khaled has through his sons, sired the jumpers, Black Market and Encore (winner of the Grand Prix at Fontainebleau and a USET team member). Khaled’s most important son was the Derby winner Swaps, whose pedigree boasts two branches of the Bay Ronald line, through Khalad and also through his dam, Iron Reward, a daughter of Beau Pere. Swaps’ son, Kudu sired the Canadian equestrian team horse, Stoic. Tudor Success, dam of Anne Kursinski’s Olympic horse, Eros, is by the Swaps son Marbrino.
Another Hyperion son, Owen Tudor has been influential since in performance horse circles right around the world. The Owen Tudor daughter, Idealist foaled Compromise, the sire of the Dutch jumping stallion, Lucky Boy xx. The Owen Tudor son, Abernant sired the USET jumper, Aberali, winner of the puissance at Aachen. Abernant also sired Abgar xx, another major jumping sire in Dutch breeding. Abgar has another Bay Ronald cross on his dam’s sire, she is by the Djebel son, Roc du Diable xx. Abgar also sired Pion, whose son Aktion has been a dressage star for Gylla Dallos. Abgar was also important as a broodmare sire, particularly when they were bred to his stablemate, Joost. The cross of Ramiro over an Abgar mare produced the stallions, Zeoliet, Armstrong and Rolando.
In Australia, our most successful eventing breeder is Bud Hyem - her broodmare, Sandrift, is the dam of gold medal winners, Kibah Tic Toc, and Kibah Sandrift. Sandrift is by Big Hat by High Hat by Hyperion. Big Hat is out of Gay Natasha by Prince Chevalier by Prince Rose who is out of the Bayardo granddaughter, Indolence. Gay Natasha is out of First Blush by Bobsleigh who is by Gainsborough, by Bayardo by Bay Ronald.
Sandrift is out of Drift by Beau Gift by the Melbourne Cup winning stallion, Marabou, who is out of Vivandiere, by Bucks Hussar by Son In Law.
Owen Tudor’s son, Tudor Minstrel is the sire of Lauries Crusador, an extremely important ‘refining’ sire in Hannover, and a producer of real dressage talent. The Lauries Crusador son, Laurentianer (out of a mare by Grande) won the 2000 World Young Dressage Horse title at Arnhem, while another son, Londonderry (out of a Warkant mare) was champion of the Hannoverian licensing in 1997, and went on to win the 4 year old class at the Bundeschampionate in 1999.
Another influential horse on many performance pedigrees is the French stallion, Djebel. Djebel was the champion two year old in France, leading money winner at three and five, and was three times leading French Thoroughbred stallion. Djebel’s dam Loika is by Gay Crusader by Bayardo out of Coeur a Coeur by Teddy.
Djebel is the great great grandsire of the influential Hanoverian dressage stallion, Bolero (by Black Sky xx-Blast xx-Djebe xx-Djebel xx). Bolero returns the Dark Ronald line on his dam’s side also - he is out of Baronesse by Bleep xx who is out of the Hyperion mare, The Satellite xx.
Djebel is the sire of My Babu xx, a French Thoroughbred, born in 1945. A sensational racehorse in England, My Babu sold to the United States for over $600,000 in 1955 - this was at the time the second highest price paid for a Thoroughbred. As a racehorse sire, My Babu was extremely successful, with his progeny winning over $3,000,000 by 1965. Through his sons, he is also an influential sire of eventing stars, the most notable of which is Bruce Davidson’s World Champion, JJ Babu (by Babu Dancer).
So profound has been the influence of Bay Ronald that it is almost a relief when you find a jumping pedigree that does not feature his name. He is certainly one of, if not, the most influential jumping progenitors of all time!