Robin Z
Born 1983, 167 cm
Breeder - Zangersheide Stud

Robin I Z is the ‘classic’ Zangersheide cross – by Ramiro and out of a mare by Almé, out of a mare by Gotthard - he combines the blood of the three stallions that made the Zangersheide Stud so famous. "Possibly the best stallion I ever bred," is how Zangersheide founder, Leon Melchior describes him.
In 1986 he was sold to the National Stud of Sweden at Flyinge, where he quickly became, along with Irco Marco, one of the two most important sires in the development of the Swedish jumping horse.

Robin Z was first leased to Sweden in 1985 along with Aladin Z, and they immediately attracted a large number of mares. "The thinking was so right!" says Jens Fredricson who is responsible for showjumping development at Flyinge, "Those stallions put type and gaits and the temperament needed to our mares."
Robin I Z was himself a winner in Grand Prix Dressage and jumped Grand Prix at an international level with the Swedish team, while at the same time establishing his career as a breeding stallion.
In recognition of his importance in the development of the Swedish breed, he was named Elite stallion, a title rarely bestowed.
The success of his progeny is remarkable and very quickly Robin I Z established himself as a leading sire international winners. He was classed as the number one stallion in the world in 1999 with 12 winning products in CSI and was one of the few stallions in the world to have two progeny in the showjumping finals at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000.
His sire Ramiro was ranked as the n° 1 stallion in the world on the basis international winners from 1990-95 and his dam’s sire, Almé is the n° 1 of sire of showjumping broodmares from 1990-96.
Ramiro has produced numerous international winners and stallions of which Robin I Z is the most successful.
His dam Alpha Z, daughter of the foundation stallion Almé has also produced the stallion Robin II Z exported to Denmark and now in France, and an international showjumper, Renatus Z , a winner in CSI in Italy, Ascot Z broodmare and dam of the stallion Ramalgo Z .
His grand dam Gotin, daughter of the foundation stallion Gotthard, is his daughter with the highest showjumpoing competition winnings. Under the name of Girl II, she either won or placed in 65 Grand Prix national and internationals.
Robin I Z was a top international competitor in the Swedish team with Peter Ericsson. He won of two CSIO Grand Prix; Robin I Z is the second most successful horse by Ramiro in international jumping competition, behind the great mare, Ratina Z.
Robin I Z is also a winner in Grand Prix Dressage.
Robin I Z was classed n°1 in the world in his age group in 1999 having 10 winning products in CSI from 1991 to 2000 (see WBFSH guide and Breeding News 2000).and n°6 in the world in 2000 with12 winning products in CSI. On the 2002/3 WBFSH standings he is ranked 12th. His top performers are Mynta, H&M Butterfly Flip, Wait For Me, Rochette, Regina III, James Bond, Happiness, Roma H, Zarastro, Rebecca B, Velour, Loro Piana Flyinge Garibaldi.
Interestingly three of his top five performers are out of mares of Thoroughbred breeding: Butterfly Flip out of a mare by Moderene xx. Odd Ball out of a mare by Columbian Friend xx and Wait for Me, whose dam is by Fire Ball xx.
Two of his progeny made it to the final round in the showjumping at the Sydney Olympic Games 2000: Mynta and H&M Butterfly Flip.
These same two mares were also silver team medallists at the European Championships 2001 and again silver team medallists at the World Equestrian Games at Jerez 2002 where Mynta carried Helena Lundbäck into the four way jump off for the individual world title.
Interestingly in France, it is Robin I Z's little brother, Robin II Z who tops the stallion covering standings, with massive 295 mares in the 2004 breeding season! This has lead the French breeding expert Bernard le Courtois to suggest that perhaps some of the French breeders think they are using the older brother - since for some time, the French authorities were treating both stallions as the same horse in their registrations!!!

As usual Bernard observations in the Annuaire Monneron 2005 (for information www.moneronn.com ) are well worth pondering:
"Going by the phenotype, the two brothers are quite dissimilar. The elder one has more strength in his articulations and top line, is maybe more old fashioned in his type, with a less elegant head, while the younger brother is more modern, more distinguished, but built along weaker lines especially as far as his back is concerned. They both have the pedigree that was very popular in the great epoch of Zangersheide breeding, in the 80's and 90's, the crossing of RAMIRO x ALME.
Their grandmother Gotin, a daughter of Gotthard was a big Grand Prix winner. Some have heard me say that there was 'the good one and the other one' but this is twisitng my words. In fact, the elder one, Robin I already had an international production, confirmed at the highest level (products which were silver medallists in the World Championships and the Olympic Games) and Robin II does not (yet) have Grand Prix winning products. It will take another ten years for us to be able to compare the two brothers' production. With their French mares, the French saddle breeders have made their choice, as Robin I Z served 9 mares in 2004 and will not be distributed any longer in France, and Robin II Z served 295 mares and will likely do the same in 2005."