Breeders needn’t always look to Europe to find top-quality stallions – we take a look at some of the best stallions in Britain at the moment…
Blue Hors Zackorado (Blue Hors Zack x Florencio I)
This Blue Hors Zack son has to be one of the most exciting stallions in Britain right now, standing at Elite Stallions in Devon for the 2022 breeding season, and perhaps beyond. Zackorado’s sire is the phenomenally successful grand prix dressage stallion Blue Hors Zack, who finished 11th individually and was the best breeding stallion at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Zackorado himself was champion of his licensing in 2018, and was the fifth most used breeding stallion in Denmark in 2020.
Age: six
Studbook: Oldenburg
Stud fee: £1000 + VAT elitestallions.co.uk
Golden Hawk (Vigo D’Arsouilles x Chin Chin)
This top-class jumping stallion is a prolific winner at international five-star level, counting grand prix wins under Shane Breen at Olympia, Liverpool Horse show and Hickstead among his many accolades. His progeny take after him, with several already competing at 1.55m or above. It’s hardly surprising, though, that Golden Hawk and his offspring possess such talent – his sire is the Nabab De Reve son who was world champion in 2010, while golden Hawk’s dam Ta Belle Van Sombeke competed at 1.60m level herself.
Age: 17
Studbook: Belgian warmblood
Stud fee: £1000 + VAT breenequestrian.com
Ansiei (Highest Honor x Dixieland Band)
This full approved thoroughbred stallion has winnings over £180,000 before retiring to stud in 2014, as well as a super pedigree featuring two crosses of the influential Grey Sovereign line. A relatively fresh face to the UK breeding scene, Ansiei could be a great option for adding blood into a breeding programme. His progeny are proving capable across the disciplines with Bonmahon Liberation eventing at three-star level in Ireland, and Ex Plas Pennant Demelza crowned supreme foal at the Sport Horse Breeding (GB) National Hunter Show in 2021.
Age: 15
Studbook: Weatherbys
Stud fee: £600 + VAT springfieldstud.com
Je T’Aime Flamenco (Flamenco De Semilly x Landetto)
This former international showjumper has continued to prove the strength in his bloodlines, having triumphed in no fewer than seven grands prix around the world, under Ireland’s Billy Twomey. As one of the most highly regarded stallions in Britain, he passes on his scope and careful jumping technique to his offspring, who include the eight-year-old J’Adore Flamenco, a winner of multiple titles as a young horse who later sold at Goresbridge for €130,000.
Age: 22
Studbook: Belgian warmblood
Stud fee: £900 + VAT stallionai.co.uk
Timolin (Totilas x Sion)
A son of the legendary Totilas, this elegant, athletic stallion is turning heads as both an eventer and a dressage horse — he made a winning grand prix debut in 2021 under Lizzie Murray. He already has several offspring that have been awarded Elite status within the Futurity scheme — they have all inherited his super paces, conformation and presence.
Age: 11
Studbook: British Warmblood Society
Stud fee: £1,000 catherstonstud.com
Ashdale Legend (Luidam x Lux Z)
Credit: ACP Andreas Pantel
A son of the great Luidam, Billy Twomey’s winning grand prix and Nations Cup horse, Ashdale Legend also boasts the Olympic showjumper Lux Z, winner of over €1m in prize money, as his damsire. This young jumping stallion is already competing internationally himself and proving to be brave and scopey, with super technique.
Age: nine
Studbook: AES
Stud fee: £600 + VAT stallionai.co.uk
Britannia Royal (Royaldik x Jumbo)
Britannia Royal is not only a good-looking, modern stallion with 70% thoroughbred blood, but is also a son of the Olympic silver medal-winning mare Headley Britannia, who won Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky during her career with Lucinda Fredericks. He is eventing at intermediate level himself, with six top-ten placings from eight runs in 2021, and is set to go advanced in 2022.
Age: nine
Studbook: SHB(GB)
Stud fee: £500 frozen, £650 fresh/chilled britanniaroyal.co.uk
U-Genius (Uthopia x Negro)
Dressage bloodlines don’t come much better than that of U-Genius, the son of Carl Hester’s Olympic gold medallist Uthopia and whose dam is Weidyfleur II — the full sister to double Olympic champion and multiple record holder Valegro. U-Genius has been competed lightly up to inter I, with plenty of plus-70% scores at small tour, and has already sired several high-quality offspring.
Age: 11
Studbook: AES
Stud fee: £1,500 contact Claire Hester on 07803 303548
Murka’s Gem (Good Twist x Noble Jay)
This 11-year-old is one of the most interesting stallions in Britain, being the clone of one of the most successful showjumpers of all time, Gem Twist — a double Olympic silver medallist and winner of more than €800,000 in prize money. The full thoroughbred Murka’s Gem boasts an identical genetic profile to Gem Twist and, although he will not compete himself, he has shown himself to be a talented, careful jumper with a great work ethic.
Age: 11
Studbook: AES
Stud fee: £800+VAT stallionai.co.uk
Hearnesbrook New Moon (Hearnesbrook Halley x Thunderbolt)
Now in his second season at stud, this versatile pony has excelled across the disciplines, having evented at BA100, jumped at pony Foxhunter level and enjoyed great success in working hunter pony classes. Among his show ring triumphs are top five placings at Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse show, as well as standing reserve champion at Royal Windsor in 2019.
Age: 14
Studbook: SPSS
Stud fee: £400 + VAT westkingtonstud.co.uk
Durable (Spielberg x Tango)
Having made a successful grand prix debut with Nikki Barker in 2020, and achieving Premier Leagues wins and international top-five placings at the level in 2021, this impressive, powerful dressage stallion looks set to prove a real asset to British breeding. Among his current stock, which he stamps with trainability and temperament, is the 2019 novice freestyle winter national champion Dan Icarus, double regional champion at advanced medium in 2022 and scoring up to 75% at prix st georges.
Age: 14
Studbook: KWPN
Stud fee: £1,350 — contact Nikki Barker on 07775 811918
Comfort (Christian x Last Liberty)
This elegant, athletic stallion, by 1.60m showjumper Christian and from a proven damline, already has an international victory under his belt, winning a 1.25m age class on the Sunshine Tour in 2019. A two-year-old son of his also sold for €60,000 that same year. Comfort is now based in the UK, where he is currently jumping 1.30m, with plans to step up to 1.45m in 2021.
Age: nine
Studbook: Oldenburg
Stud fee: £850 + VAT cauntonmanorstud.com
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