Story by Christopher Hector
Photos by Roz Neave & Jacob Melissen
The latest KWPN breeding values have been released, and once again, Jazz (Cocktail / Ulster) heads the dressage standings for stallions with a reliability index of 90% or better. Jazz has a breeding value of 196 and a reliability of 97%. Once again, Jazz has a fine foal to competitor ratio, with 2513 progeny over the age of four, of whom 815 or 32.431% are registered competition horses.
Last season poor old Jazz was fairly lonely at the top of the values since stallions 2 through to 7 were all dead! Although this year’s second and third sires, Contango (Contender / Kronprinz – breeding value 165 / 92%) and Clavecimbel (Statuar / Apple King xx) 157 / 92%) have gone to the great collecting shed in the sky, Jazz has real live company in fourth place, with Negro (Ferro / Variant) moving up from 8th spot, with his breeding value up from 147 / 93% to 155 / 93%, although his strike rate is not wonderful, 1066 foals with 283 (26.548%) competitors.
The loss that was the early demise of Gribaldi (Kostolany / Ibikus) is underscored, as his progeny continue to shine at the highest level – the most recent to make a mark is the rising star of German dressage, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s Unee BB. He sits in 5th with a value of 154 (97%) and an impressive competitor ratio, 910 out of 2902 or 31.358%.
Then comes Welt Hit II (152 / 93% – Weltmeyer / Hill Hawk xx), Ferro (147 / 97% – Ulft / Farn), Havidoff (147 / 93% – Clavecimbel / Farn), Cabochon (144 / 95% – Vincent / Commandant) and to round out the top ten, Democraat (144 / 91% – Pion / Silvano).
Perhaps the most promising son of Jazz, Johnson (out of a Flemmingh mare) has moved from the group of stallions with a reliability of 80-89% to the over 90% list, coming in at 16th place with a value of 136 (92%). So far he has 987 progeny over four, with 229 (23.201%) competitors which means his ratio is less than that of the next best ranked Jazz, Olivi (Jazz / Aktion) who heads the list of stallions with a reliability of 80-89%. Olivi has a breeding value of 178 with a reliability of 89%. Should Olivi’s reliability increase by a mere 1% then he would rocket up into second place behind his sire Jazz on the big kids scoreboard… Olivi has produced 491 progeny over 4 years old, with 149 competitors, 30.362%.
There are the usual claims that the French based Olivi is the sire of ‘several’ Grand Prix dressage horses, the only one that I can find on the FEI data base is Triviant II, who sold to Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff at the 2005 PSI auction for €420,000 – the horse is ridden by the Swede Charlotte Haid Bondergaard and is ranked 117th in the world. In April 2014, Fie Skarsoe made a return to the competition arena, with a 73.1% for third in the Grand Prix freestyle at NW en St Joostland CDI*** riding One Night Stand (Olivia / Ferro).
Second on the 80-89 standings is Painted Black (Gribaldi / Ferro) a moderately successful Grand Prix horse with Anky van Grunsven, who then carried the young Spanish rider, Morgan Barbançon Mestre to 19th in the Grand Prix at the London Games, since then he seems to have disappeared totally. He has a breeding value of 161 (87%) with 487 progeny for 126 competitors (25.872%).
Others in the top ten are: Rubiquil (Rubinstein / Roemer) 157 / 89% competitor ratio = 28.915%; Montecristo (El Corona / Clavecimbel) 150 / 86%, cr = 37.984%; Tolando (Krack C / Rubinstein) 149 / 81%, cr = 19.620%; Vivaldi (Krack C / Jazz) 147 / 87%, cr = 19.281%; Tango (Jazz / Contango) 144 / 86%, cr = 19.281%; Sir Sinclair (Lord Sinclair / Flemmingh) 143 / 86%, cr = 40.728%; Westpoint (Jazz / Michelangelo) 141 / 80%, cr = 16.519%; Valdez (Houston / Jazz) 138 / 80%, cr = 23.580. Just outside the ten is Olivi’s US based son, UB 40 (out of a Michelangelo mare) 135 /81%, cr = 25.193%.
Johnson – Is he the best Jazz?
Heading up the stallions with a reliability factor of less that 80% is Ziësto (Lancet / Clavecimbel) who was purchased by the Glock Horse Performance Centre for Hans Peter Minderhoud to ride. At their debut in April 2013, the pair scored 71.58% in a Prix St Georges. He has a breeding value of 171 (65%) with his first progeny coming into the sport in 2008, there are only 12 of them, but out of a total of 49, for a ratio of 24.489%. His sire, the Hanoverian, Lancet (Wenzel / Shogun xx) competed in the Dutch dressage team at the Athens Games with Imke Schellekens-Bartels, then in the British team with Emma Hindle at three European Championships and the Beijing Games.
The rest of the top ten is a mixture of the promising and promise-never-fulfilled: Wynton (Jazz / Matador) 166 (77%), cr = 33.333%; Zhivago (Krack C / Jazz) 160 (70%), cr = 8.843%; Vic (Jazz / Flemmingh) 157 (65%), cr = 19.672%; Son de Niro (De Niro / Balzflug) 154 (71%), cr = 32.967%; Universeel (Olivi / Zuidhorn) 154 (63%), cr = 11.827%; Zizi Top (Tango / Ferro) 153 (71%), cr = 15%; Citango (Contango / Jazz) 153 (71%), cr = 19.083%; Welcome (World Cup I / Grande) 151 (69%), cr = 42.857%; Riant (Jazz / Julio Mariner xx) 150 (72%), cr = 22.881%.
There are also standings for stallions with less than 10 progeny in competition, and these are headed by Zardando (Tango / Gribaldi) 163 (58%); Bordeaux (United / Gribaldi) 162 (56%); Bodyguard Moorland (Gribaldi / Negro) 158 (53%); Hofrat (Gribaldi / Güter Planet) 158 (44%); Amazing Star (Flemmingh / Ferro) 157 (56%); Apache (UB 40 / Krack C) 155 (64%); Arlando (Paddox / Mytens xx)150 (48%); Armani (United / Jazz) 150 (61%) and Zenon (Rousseau / Whinny Jackson) 150 (56%).
There is another set of standings for stallions that do not have any progeny in competition, and these are headed by Chagall D&R (Jazz / De Niro) 199 (46%). This value is quite astounding – it is three points better than Jazz! This is how the system works, since the values come from the relatives, and they don’t get a lot better than Jazz and De Niro… especially when his dam is also the mother of the much hyped Bretton Woods, who recently won his first Prix St Georges with a 70+ score with Matthias Alexander Rath.
At his performance test Chagall D&R scored modestly for walk and trot, a pair of 7.5s but better in canter for 9, and a score of 8 for talent as a dressage horse. His progeny report is encouraging but not sensational:
A uniform collection of long-legged foals with more than sufficient to good development and good dressage horse conformation, nobility, and presence. The hind leg is a little long. The legs are clean but sometimes a little fine-boned. The walk has good scope and elasticity. The trot is light-footed with good scope and joint articulation. The canter is light-footed, uphill, and has more than sufficient to good scope. The foals move with good self-carriage and use their bodies well. The quality of the dams was more than sufficient to good. The collection consisted of eight foals which were invited by the KWPN, and three which were submitted by their registered parties. Two of the foals invited by the KWPN were absent.
Chagall D&R can improve dressage horse conformation and movement. He should be paired with mares which have correct front legs.
The six year old stallion was sent to the training stables of Patrick van der Meer in September 2013 but the new pairing has yet to register on the FEI data base. Chagall D&R will certainly have to be some sort of super star to live up to his breeding value…
The standings then run: Don Tango B (Contango / Jazz) 196 (47%); Cachet L (Jazz / Ferro) 181 (49%); Bretton Woods (Johnson / De Niro) 175 (45%); Feel Good (Contango / OO Seven) 172 (43%); Fellini (Ampère / Jazz) 172 (37%); Charmeur (Florencio / Jazz) 171 (47%); Bristol (Jazz / Goodtimes) 170 (51%); Dark President D&R (Wynton / Ramiro) 170 (44%); Five Star (Amazing Star / Jazz) 169 (44%).
Everdale – Most popular?
To illustrate just how seriously the Dutch breeders take these numbers, the most popular dressage stallion of last season was Everdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro) who is right down the rankings in 28th place with a breeding value of 144 (42%). Everdale was a winner of the Dutch four year old stallion class in August last year, when the guest rider, Anna-Sophie Fiebelkorn awarded him a ten for rideability.
When we look at the jumping stallions, the number of mares each stallion covered last season reflects the dominance of the Dutch market by that powerhouse in the north, the VDL stud. Four of the top six stallions in terms of popularity last season: Zirocco Blue VDL (1st), Harley VDL (2nd), Arezzo VDL (3rd) and Etoulon VDL (6th) come from the family van der Legeweg.
Of the group with the highest reliability, over 90%, the highest ranked jumping stallion is the great Heartbreaker (Nimmerdor / Silvano) with a breeding value of 181 (96%). Heartbreaker has produced 919 progeny over the age of four, with 381 going on to compete – a ratio of 41.458%.
Second on the list is his son, Padinus (out of a Grannus mare) with a breeding value of 160 (91%). He has produced 439 four year olds, with 131 (29.84%) going on to compete. It would seem that like so many of the top jumping stallions that put Dutch breeding on the map, Heartbreaker has not produced a son to fill his place – no matter what the breeding values say. Padinus ranks 59th on the WBFSH jumping stallion rankings for 2013, while his sire is still in third spot. However it should be pointed out that Padinus was killed in an accident, in 2005, and that year his first crop of foals produced some very handy horses, including Admara, who in 2014 carried Emanuel Gaudiano to two 3rds – in a 1.50 at Göteborg***** and the Grand Prix of Drachten, and the year before, took him to victory in a 1.50 at Doha. Another Padinus, Argos (Concorde) recently carried Doda Miranda to 7th in a 1.45 at Wellington.
Third on the over 90% standings is Oklund (Holland / Pilot). His sire Holland (Concorde / Nimmerdor) may be a little obscure, the only competition results I can find for him are a 5th at the CSI Liegi, and a 21st in a stallion class at Bordeaux, in 1998 and 1999, both times with Eddie Macken, but Oklund was a successful campaigner with Eric van der Vleuten until his death due to colic in 2008. The pair was fifth in the World Cup Toronto, 1st in the Grand Prix in Eindhoven, and twice winners of the VHO Trophy at s’Hertogenbosch.
He is the sire of a number of international jumpers, including Vincente (Ufarno) first in the Amsterdam**** Grand Prix with Jessica Kurten, Toklund (Highline), a useful performer with Ben Maher and Laura Renwick, Eurocommerce Capetown (Carlino) ridden by Wout-Jan van der Schans to 3rd in the GP at Treffen and 1st in the GP of Wieze, Tarpan (Matcho xx) and Denis Lynch, 1st in a 1.45 at Vigo and Wineda (Corland) and Joe Clee, 2nd in the Gent GP**.
Oklund is the sire of 742 progeny over four, of whom an admirable 295 have gone on to compete (39.757%).
Fourth to Ustinov (Libero H / Nimmerdor) who was well promoted after he won the licensing in 2004 but since then it has been a downhill slide. In four seasons of competition (2008-12) with Caroline Mueler, Ustinov’s best placing has been a 5th in a 1.35 class at Roosendal** – his only representative on the SJA database is Coco Donja, who won a 5 year old class at Ebreichsdorf in 2012. He has a breeding value of 150 (90%) with 104 of his 410 progeny over four in the sport, that’s 25.365%.
I guess if you wanted the blood of Libero H you would go to Numero Uno (Libero H / Lord Calando), 14th on the standings. Numero Uno was a respectable 1.35 / 1.45 competitor with Marco Kutscher, but has proven a valuable sire, currently 9th on the WBFSH rankings, with his star, Tamino (Farmer) who was 9th at the London Games with Marc Houtzager. Numero Uno has a breeding value of 141 (97%), 551 (35.23%) of his 1564 progeny compete.
Rounding out the top ten we find Cantos (Contender / Goodtimes) 149 (94%), cr = 37.726%; Hors La Loi II (Papillon Rouge / Joyau d’Or) 149 (91%), cr = 43.832%; Berlin (Cassini I / Caretino) 149 (91%), cr = 30.073%; Celano (Capitol / Lord) 147 (94%), cr = 41.06%; Guidam (Quidam de Revel / Venutard) 146 (96%), cr = 41.91%; Namelus R (Concorde / Joost) 146 (93%), cr = 34.053%.
Zirroco Blue – Star Rising
The van der Lageweg dominance is near complete of the 80-89% reliability chart, headed by Wittinger VDL, followed by Zirroco Blue VDL and Harley VDL and then their stallion who tragically died after winning individual gold at the Atlanta Games – Jus de Pomme.
Wittinger (Indoctro / Nimmerdor) is another of those stallions whose career has been a bit slow since winning his performance test. He jumped with Jur Vrieling for wins at 1.45 level before being sold to American showjumper, Callan Solem in December 2012. I was a little mystified when I couldn’t find any reference to the horse on Callan’s FEI database reference (I do always check because of the lies and misinformation out there in cyberland) but thankfully she explained the situation. The horse had been competing but in national shows because the East Coast of the US offers no FEI competition in the spring and summer months. Callan tells me that, “in his first competition after completing quarantine in February 2013, he won a 1.40m and was also champion. By April he had a top placing in a $15,000 1.45m class, and in May was 3rd in a National Level Grand Prix. He had an injury in early summer, but still jumped clear in the Grand Prix at Lake Placid in July! He finished his year in early fall with another double-clear performance in the Grand Prix at Devon. He was meant to have a couple of months break before starting a rigorous Florida season, but unfortunately a minor unsoundness in January has determined that we will wait until the spring to start campaigning him again.”
Wittinger has a breeding value of 143 (87%) and of his 329 progeny over the age of four, 70 have competed, 21.276%.
I doubt that Wiepke is in a hurry to sell the second ranked horse, Zirroco Blue VDL (Mr Blue / Voltaire) since he is shaping as the best son of Mr Blue. In 2013, he carried Jur Vrieling to victory in the Grand Prix of Copenhagen, and the pair were members of the winning Nations Cup team at that show – they were also members of the winning team at Gijon*****. In 2014, they have already notched up a Grand Prix win, at Melsomvik**. Zirroco Blue has a breeding value of 143 (87%), with 45 (20.179%) out of 223 four year olds in the sport.
Harley VDL (Heartbreaker / Carthago) enjoyed modest success, first with Angelique Hoorn, then with Jessica Kürten – their best result was a win in a 1.45 at La Coruna****, and the stallion’s best Grand Prix result was a 12th at Aalst***. He has a breeding value of 143 (84%), 50 out of 159 over four year olds compete, 31.446%.
Then follows the ill-fated Jus de Pomme (Primo de Bruyeres / Garitchou) 142 (87%), cr = 33.488%; Van Gogh (Numero Uno / Bernstein) 142 (87%), cr = 16.077%; Zurich (Berlin / Concorde) 141 (81%), cr = 20.359%; Vancouver (Le Tot de Sémilly / Fangio) 140 (84%), cr = 35.294%; Sir Corland (Corland / Derrick) 139 (81%), cr = 30.208%; Londontimes (Goodtimes / Le Mexico) 139 (80%), cr = 30.357%; Up to Date (Camerino / Colino) 138 (87%), cr = 24.68%.
Rash R – Rash Move?
Heading the jumping stallions with a reliability of 80-89% we find Rash R. He is by Cash (by Cor de la Bryère) who jumped internationally with Hugo Simon – as did Cash’s dam, Landgräfin, who is the full-sister to Landgraf. Before he was sold to Canada, Rash R competed in Europe, first in the De Wolden Grand Prix, second in the Nörten-Hardenberg Grand Prix and third in the Barcelona Grand Prix. Or so the current entry on the KWPN – North America website would have us believe.
Checking on the invaluable Showjumping Archive (www.sja.it) I find that Rash R competed two seasons. In 2005 with Jeroen Dubbeldam – the pair were 2nd in a 7/8 year old class at Hardenberg, and 7th in a 1.40 class in Barcelona. In 2006, he competed with Marc Houtzager, for a 1st in a 1.40 at Henglo, and two 6ths at Zuidlaren, in 1.35 and 1.40 classes.
Rash R is the sire of 162 progeny of whom 56 (34.576%) competed. The most successful of these has been Zenith (Fuego du Prelet) who in 2013, ridden by Jeoen Dubbeldam, was 1st in a 1.45 at Falsterbo, and 3rd in the Grand Prix at Frankfurt. In 2014 the combination have been 2nd in a 1.50 at Neumünster, 3rd in the Grand Prix of Braunschweig and 4th in a 1.50 at Amsterdam. Wiesielottie (Burggraaf) was 4th in a 1.45 and 23rd in a Grand Prix in Wellington, this year, with Peter Wylde.
The others in the top ten are Cartano (Carthago / Alasca) 122 (89%), Unaniem (Numero Uno / Voltaire) 122 (89%), Royal Bravour (Ramiro / Orthos) 121 (88%), Zortin (Marinier / Millerole xx) 121 (82%), Calypso (Hadj A / Quastor) 120 (66%), Placido (Animo / Voltaire) 120 (86%), Garanco (Jasper / Ramiro) 117 (87%), Recruut (Marco Polo / Apollo) 116 (89%) and Lennard (Zuidhorn / Notaris) 116 (87%).
The next group of stallions is somewhat more interesting, this is the group with a reliability of less than 80%. It is headed up by Zavall VDL (Casall / Emilion) who looks promising as a ten year old with Jan Vrieling in the saddle. The pair was 3rd in a 1.50 at Verona last year, and 4th in a 1.40 this year at Drachten. Zavall VDL has a breeding value of 160 (78%). He has 135 four year olds, 10 (7.407%) in the sport.
In second, Untouchable (Hors La Loi II / Heartbreaker) was a decent 1.45 horse for Daniel Deusser and is proving a good horse for young Christian Schoo. Seventh in a 1.45 at Odense last year, 8th in a 1.55 at Göteborg and 30th in the Grand Prix of Neumünster this year. 26 out of 67 four year olds compete, that’s 38.805%. He has a breeding value of 156 (79%).
Whitaker (Clinton / Indoctro) is something of a six bar specialist, winning last year at Ising and this year at Sharjar, with Ali Al Attiya. Breeding value 155 (72%), 10 out of 51 = 19.607%.
Sibon W (Heartbreaker / Oula Owl), his best result a 5th in a 1.40 class at Moorsele, 2007, is perhaps not the most interesting of this group. Breeding value 146 (72%), with 11 out of 52 (21.153%) competitors.
In fourth we have Quasimodo van de Molendreef (Heartbreaker / Lyse Darmen) who is interesting. A solid performer with Jaime Azcarrago, he is a full brother to top competitor, Action Breaker, and the sire of ’s current star, Hello Sanctos. Not surprisingly he has been recently approved by the Hanoverian Verband. 145 (73%), 21 out of 113 = 18.584%.
Rounding out the ten: Regino (Animo / Rebel II Z) 144 (70%); Whistler (Holland / Iroko) 142 (76%); Zacharov (Clinton / Lord Z) 142 (75%); Utopie (Jacomar / Calvados) 142 (73%); Wizzard WW (Indoctro / Corland) 141 (78%).
The group of stallions with less than ten offspring in the sport is headed by Bernini – by Vigo d’Arouilles out of a Quick Star mare, but in this case it would seem that we are breeding to paper alone, since the stallion has no performances that I can find either as Bernini or Vigourous Z. The website pull assures us that he ‘presented’ well in the 5 year old jumping class for stallions back in 2011. It also informs us that his dam, Marvelous (Quick Start) was shown internationally by Rolf Göran Bengtsson. I went back to 1985 on Bengtsson’s sja entry and could find no trace of either Marvelous or Quick Start, nor could I find the grand-dam, Glad Tidings, jumping internationally…
Nonetheless, Bernini has a breeding value of 171 (59%) but as yet no four year olds to prove his worth as a sire.
The rest of this top ten are: Baltic VDL (Quaprice Z / Jus de Pomme) 166 / 73%; Arezzo VDL (Chin Chin / Heartbreaker) 165 (77%); Tadmus (Calvados / Concorde) 163 (70%); Eldorado vd Zeshoek (Clinton / Toulon) 161 (68%); Zambesi (Heartbreaker / Calvaro) 159 (71%); Alicante HBC (Casall / Indoctro) 159 (67%); Royal Star (Quick Star / Jalisco B) 157 (60%); Azteca VDL (Indoctro / Marlon) 154 (75%); Spartacus (Stakkato / Grannus) 153 (55%).
The final set of standings are the jumper stallions with no progeny, and they are headed up by the Heartbreaker son, Cidane (out of a Ramiro mare) who was a bronze medallist in the six year old class at the World Young Horse Championships last year, ridden by Kristian Houwen – this pair finished the year in grand style with three straight wins in the GMN stallion cup. Breeding value 165 (61%).
Then follows: Fabriano VDL (Casall / Chin Chin) 159 (52%); Bodinus (Padinus / Namelus R) 154 (59%); El Salvador (Vigaro / Kojak) 154 (54%); Dutch Design (Dollar de la Pierre / Calvados) 153 (57%); Etoulon VDL (Toulon / Calvados) 152 (54%); Brainpower (Contendro I / Guidam) 151 (58%); Extase (Casall / Lancer II) 150 (55%); El Primero (Numero Uno / Indorado) 148 (59%); Dexter R (Namelus R / Contender) 148 (58%); Everglade VDL (Kashmir van Schuttershof / Indoctro) 148 (54%).
Of this group, El Salvador, was the tenth most popular stallion in Holland last season. The full list is Zirocco Blue VDL, Harley VDL, Arezzo VDL, Kannan, Numero Uno, Etoulon VDL, Starpower, Canabis Z, Cardento, El Salvador. It would seem that the Dutch jumper breeders are patronizing an interesting mix of the old and the new…