due to opportunity based on numbers of offspring, the following are all stallions. Alme [1966 Selle Français]
Alme
appeared in the pedigrees of an amazing 29 of the 75 jumpers in London, including the gold and silver medalists, but his influence also appeared in the dressage horses Breaking Dawn and Randon as well as the eventers Opgun Louvo, Oregon de la Vigne and Otis Barbotiere from the Games. He competed internationally as a jumper and was 3/8 Thoroughbred, and his sire, Ibrahim, also appeared through other offspring. Cor de la Bryere [1968 Selle
Cento, who earned a team gold in 2000, is the broodmare
sire of Antares, who was tied for 29th individually and on one of the teams tied for sixth place. Tinka’s Boy was a member of the silver-medal team in 2000, but his daughter, Tinka’s Serenade, was not on a team and finished tied for 56th. Cardento earned team silver in 2004, but his son, Matrix,
was tied for last place individually at these Games. Although he did not win an Olympic medal, Cumano, the
Cor de la Bryere
Français] not only led the list of jumper ancestors with 30 appearances in the ancestry of 26 horses; he topped the list as an ancestor to all Olympic competitors in 2012 with 53 appearances in 45 horses. He was 5/8 Thoroughbred, and his sire, the Thoroughbred Rantzau, also appeared through other offspring. Landgraf I [1966 Holsteiner]
appeared 24 times in 19 Olympic jumpers, including three in the top 11. In addition, he competed internationally as a jumper and was 5/8 Thoroughbred, and his sire, the Thoroughbred Ladykiller, also appeared through other offspring.
Landgraf I
winner of WEG 2006, finished tied for 9th individually in 2008; however, his daughter, Nobless des Tess, was 4th individually plus on the bronze-medal team in 2012. Like her sire, Nobless des Tess had more difficulty with the clock than she did with the rails.
Surprises Considering recent history it was a bit unexpected to see only one descendant of Indoctro [1990] jumping at the Games, but he wasn’t the only one that was less prominent in 2012 than one might have expected. Only three horses traced to the highly prolific Darco [1980] and only five carried the blood of Voltaire [1979], but perhaps the most astounding drop in prevalence was Pilot [1974], the leading stallion in the World Breeding Federation sire rankings for many years, with only five descendants this year. It is likely no coincidence that where Darco, Voltaire and Indoctro do appear in a pedigree, they do so in combination with Alme, Cor de la Bryere or Landgraf I. Where Pilot appears it is in combination with either Selle Français or Thoroughbreds and sometimes both. And, given that eight dressage horses and nine eventers in
Relatively Olympic Several of the 75 horses entered in the jumping competition have ancestors that previously earned Olympic medals, but medals did not necessarily run in the family in 2012. Quidam de Revel, a member of the bronze-medal team in 1992, had 12 descendants competing in London – 10 of them jumpers. He wins the medal count as ancestor to several of London’s medalists in jumping: Bayard van de Villa Theresia (team silver), Hello Sanctos (team gold), London (individual and team silver) and Verdi (team silver). Baloubet du Rouet, the individual gold medalist in 2004,
sired three competitors in the London Games: Bubalu (team silver), Napoli du Ry (19) and Rahmannshof’s Bogeno (=12). Abdullah earned individual silver in 1984, but his
descendant, Wilexo, was tied for last in London. Farmer was on the bronze-medal team in 1984, while his
descendant, Tamino, was on the silver-medal team and tied for 9th individually in 2012. Jus de Pommes was a double-gold medalist in 1996, but
his descendant, Wonderboy, was near the bottom of the individual standings. For Pleasure was a member of the gold-medal teams in 1996 and 2000, but his daughter, Derly Chin de Muze, was not so fortunate. She was on the fifth-place team and tied in 29th individually with Antares plus two other horses.
38 November/December 2012
London had also competed at the 2008 Games and that one of the dressage horses was actually competing in his third Olympics at age 18 and one of the eventers was 19 years of age, it was surprising that only two jumpers, Itot du Chateau (age 16) and Royal Power (age 15), were competing at their second Olympics. Perhaps the last word should go to FEI technical delegate
and course designer at previous Olympics, Leopoldo Palacios, who said that today’s riders can analyze and ride a course well and that the horses have all the scope required; therefore, today’s classes are won through rideability and the combination of speed and carefulness required in jump-offs. Given the technical aspects of modern jumping courses and the importance of the time allowed, one can envision the continuation of the breeding trends highlighted in the jumpers at these Games.
Leopoldo Palacios
In our next issue, the bloodlines of the Olympic dressage horses will be presented.
An index to the ancestors of the competitors in all three disciplines at the 2012 Olympic Games, a handy reference guide, is available for purchase through Judy’s website,
www.jwequine.com.
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