Christopher Hector looks at the sires who put representatives into the top 20 at Herning…

 The stallion with the most representatives in the top 20 at the World Championships in Herning, was one of the established stars of Dutch breeding, Toulon.

Toulon

Toulon comes from a proven performance horse family. His dam Nikita produced three other internationally successful performance horses. Toulon’s full brother, the licensed stallion Vancouver D’Auvray competed for Brazil with Bernardo Alves in the 2010 WEG in Kentucky. Rouen (Apache du Forest) stars in international competition with French rider Farbice Dumartin. Another full sister, Quina, was successful in 1.50m classes until she was retired to stud. She produced the licensed Deauville van T&L (by Salvador V).

Okidoki and Albert Zoer at the 2006 WEG

This successful Dutch dam line also produced the highly successful Okidoki (by Jodokus), who was first performed by Albert Zoer and then by José Maria Larocca.

Heartbreaker

Toulon is by the great sire Heartbreaker, himself proven at competition with Peter Geerink and in 2013, number four on the WBFSH jumping sires standings. The dam’s sire Jokinal de Borvinal is a son of Almé – he was shown by Ludo Philippaerts for two seasons, with wins at Mechelen (twice), Millstreet, Oslo and Bologne. Jokinal is out of a Rigoletto mare – Rigoletto was the most important source of the blood of the Anglo Arab, Ramzes in Holland.

Toulon’s pedigree also has two crosses of the Irish Thoroughbred, Uppercut, who was granted Preferent status by the KWPN. Uppercut was the sire of sixteen approved sons, and the dam sire of eight more – including Aram, the sire of the individual gold medallist at the Sydney Olympic Games, De Sjiem.

Gold in 2000 at the Sydney Games, De Sjiem and Jeroen Dubbeldam

Toulon’s international jumping career career with Frenchman Hubert Bourdy included a win in the Global Champions Tour in 2007 in Sao Paulo. In 2008 Italian Jonella Ligresti took over the ride.

Stallion owner Jean-Marc Zimmer describes Toulon as follows: “Toulon passes on his great temperament and positive attitude to jumping. His foals impress through their supple movements and superb canter. Toulon always passes on his bay colour, even with chestnut mares. He is best paired with mares that carry Thoroughbred blood and have a compact frame.”

Luc Tilleman

These days the 26 year old stallion lives on the farm of Luc Tilleman who in March 2021 told Stud for Life magazine: “Toulon is now retired with us. He’s now only available in frozen. He’s the king of the stables, and he gave us everything, so we must treat him like a lord and offer him the retirement he deserves today.”

Mr Tilleman describes his operation T & L horses as: “A hobby gone wild that has grown into a young, modern equestrian company, where trade, breeding and stallion livery go hand in hand. T&L wants to be a training stable for young, promising jumpers as well as a stud farm that embraces natural quality as a guiding principle.”

In November 21 as a  member of the stallion commission at Zangersheide, he told Z magazine:

“I do have the feeling that people are becoming more and more aware that they really have to come here with a good horse, because otherwise it makes no sense. The picture must be somewhat complete and there are five points that you have to take into account. They must have a good exterior, stand correct on their legs, be able to move well, jump carefully and of course have some scope. When judging horses you should be able to see that you can tick off 3 to 4 of those criteria. Personally, I think it is especially important to have a good jumping horse in front of me, a horse that jumps lightly off the ground and jumps easily to the other side of the fence.”

At Herning, Toulon’s most successful offspring, was the 13th placed F One Usa, ridden by the Italian Lorenzo de Luca, the stallion is out of a mare by another stallion in the T&L stallion roster,Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve (Narcos II / Laudanum xx / Ramiro).

Pénélope Leprevost on Vancouver de Lanlore, Penelope rode him at the Tokyo Games, but the ride went to Pius in March 2022

Vancouver de Lanjore carried Pius Schwizer to 14th, the stallion is out of a Diamant de Sémilly mare, while the Toulon gelding L’Artiste de Toxandra (Kashmir van Schuttershof) and the Greek rider, Ioli Mytillineou finished19th.

Elektric Blue P and Max Kühner finished 6th, the gelding is out of a mare by For Pleasure, and by Eldorado vd Zoeshoek who is by Clinton out of a Toulon mare.

Baltic VDL

Baltic VDL was the sire of two in the top 20. Ben Maher’s Faltic HB is by Baltic out of a Concorde mare, they finished in fourth place.

Leone Jei

Martin Fuchs, rode Leone Jei into 11th, this is a double dose of VDL since the gelding is by Baltic out of a mare by another VDL great – Corland (Cor de la Bryère / Landgraf).

Quaprice Bois Margot

Baltic is by Quaprice Bois Margot, Quaprice was a Grand Prix star with Julien Epailard, but died as a ten-year-old, he was a delicately balanced fusion of Selle Français and Holsteiner blood, being by Quidam out of a Lord mare.  Baltic is out of a mare by Jus de Pomme (Primo des Bruyeres / Garitchou x) another who died early and tragically while returning after winning double gold medals at Atlanta, also at the age of ten. On the bottom line we find another stalwart of the VDL stallion band, Wellington, by the stallion who ‘made’ VDL – Niimmerdor.

Quidam de Revel

The influence of Quidam de Revel, who died eight years ago, was quite extraordinary. He is the sire of the second placed, Quel Homme de Hus, ridden by Belgium’s Jérôme Guery. The stallion is out of a Candillo (Cassini I / Grundyman xx) mare.

Quel Homme de Hus

Quidam de Revel has been a prolific sire of international competitors with 165 of his progeny competing at 1.60m or higher. Thanks to his offspring, Quidam currently stands in fourth place in the Hippomundo Stallion ranking based on the average amount of prize money won by his offspring. Two of his descendants have surpassed the winning mark of two million euros. Both Sterrehof’s Calimero (Marc Houtzager) and Verdi TN (Maikel van der Vleuten) have won more than two million euros in their successful careers.

Verdi

Quidam has also been a wonderful sire of stallion sons including Nabab de Rêve, Tlaloc La Silla, Verdi, Quaprice de Bois Margot and Quinar Z as well as grandsons – Vigo d’Arsouilles, Kashmir van’t Schuttershof, Quintero Ask, FRH Quaid and Luidam.

A grandson of Quidam – Vigo D’Arsouilles, competing at the 2010 WEG with Phillipe Le Jeune

Quidam was himself a jumping star, a member of the French Olympic Team, and fourth individually at the Barcelona Olympic Games with Hervé Godignon. A year later the patriotic French breeders were shocked when Danish businessman, Flemming Velin purchased the stallion and he moved to stand in Denmark.

Dirka

Quidam was out of one of the legendary mares in French breeding – Dirka, by the Anglo Arab, Nithard out of a mare by the Thoroughbred, Harphortas.

Dirka was sold as a three-year-old to the Prince de Broglie. She performed well as a six year old (22^nd of her generation) before being sent to Nelson Pessoa, who rode her to CSIO level, winning many speed classes. Later she was ridden by Xavier Leredde (son of the breeder, Fernand Leredde) and finished her competition career in his hands. She was retired from competition in 1979.

Bred to San-Souci, Dirka produced Orka de Revel and Paprika de Revel, both successful jumpers. Following the election of François Mitterand, the Prince fearing for his fate under a left-wing government, fled to Switzerland, leaving Dirka in the care of Fernand Leredde.

Young Xavier was starting a successful jumping career with Jalisco B (Almé / Furioso xx) – and the young stallion was a natural choice. In January 1982, Dirka gave birth to Quidam de Revel.

Bred to Jalisco, she produced the broodmares, Razzia and Sarah de Revel. With Jalisco’s half brother, Kissovo, she produced CSO winner, Vallon Rouge, and with Narcos, Aiglon Rouge, a star in Holland. With Quat’sous, she produced Byra Rouge, and with Papillon Rouge, Dirka de Revel. What a mare!

Nabab de Rêve at the 2002 WEG in Jerez 

Quidam was also influential at Herning through his son Nabab de Rêve  (Quidam  / Artichaut), sire of the 20th placed Brooklyn Heights (For Pleasure), and the 21st, Conquestador (Farmer), and Baltic VDL.

The clone of Quidam, Paris-Texas was born in 2005 and was registered in the Studbook Zangerheide. The Quidam clone stood for a while at Joris Brabander’s Stal de Muze, seemingly with no great success and was last heard of somewhere in Poland…

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