‘It’s like having three film stars on the yard’
Oh the stories these three legends could tell…
Lining up for their celebrity photo call are the stallions Jaguar Mail, Big Star and Arko III — all of whom are currently barn buddies at Twemlows Hall in Shropshire, the hub of Stallion AI Services.
Between them, these three amigos have amassed millions of pounds in prize-money, have stamped their names on countless grand prix trophies — and of course there are a couple of Olympic gold medals in their collective loot as well.
And now, with any luck, these blue-blooded equines are passing on their winning DNA to the next generation.
Jaguar Mail and Arko are residents at Twemlows for the full breeding season, while Big Star is paying a flying visit to have his semen collected and frozen before it is exported worldwide.
Stud Manager Kate Ashmore says: “All three of them are absolutely delightful boys to have on the yard. They are well-mannered and always keen to have a cuddle — which is a good job really as they get those in abundance!”
According to Kate, the trio are pretty good friends, who happily spend their days munching hay with their heads out of the window, watching the goings on of the yard.
“It’s like having three film stars on the yard, they’re constantly having to pose for staff selfies!” she adds.
The list of accolades, titles and honours bestowed upon these three stallions is dazzling, with a grand total of four Olympic appearances between them.
Big Star (Quick Star x Nimmerdor), owned by Gary and Beverley Widdowson, is currently the world’s number one showjumping stallion and Nick Skelton describes him as the “best horse I’ve ever ridden”.
Arko III (Argentinus x Beach Boy), also ridden by Nick Skelton, representing Great Britain at the 2004 Athens Olympics, was the number one showjumper in the world from 2004-2006. He looks majestic at the age of 23.
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Twenty-year-old Jaguar Mail (Hand In Glove x Laudanum) represented Sweden at the 2008 Beijing Olympics under showjumper Peter Eriksson and has established himself as one of the leading sires of eventers.
We can just imagine after the lights go out, this world-famous trio trying to decide between them who jumped the highest, who galloped the fastest — and who has posed for the most selfies…
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.