British-bred stallion tops eventing sire of the year rankings
Jumbo is once again Britain’s leading eventing sire of the year.
The prolific eventing stallion topped the British Eventing (BE) sire rankings for a second year in a row along with maintaining his position as BE’s sire of all time.
Based on points earned by the stallion’s offspring registered with BE, in 2015 Jumbo amassed a total of 1,570 points bringing his all-time score to 15,253 points.
Jumbo was put down in March this year after siring 45 advanced event horses.
The extraordinarily successful stallion was graded Elite with Sport Horse Breeding (GB) and had competed up to advanced level eventing, before becoming one of Britain’s top sires.
By the renowned registered Irish Draught sire Skippy out of the showjumper Betty, who was by the thoroughbred Seven Bells, Jumbo was bred in Worcestershire by Irish Draught stalwart, the late Archie Smith-Maxwell. His owner Carolyn Bates of Grafham Stud bought him as a six-month-old weanling from Malvern sales.
He went on to compete up to three star level with New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson as well as winning the Young Horse World Championship at Le Lion d’Angers in 1991 as a seven-year-old. The following year the pair completed Boekelo CCI3* in 15th place.
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The talented stallion went on to compete in showjumping with William Funnell and in affiliated dressage with Lizzie Murray — in 1997 the pair won the combined training championship at Blenheim – before retiring to concentrate on stud duties.
He has since sired many leading event horses including four-star winners and record breakers Headley Britannia (Lucinda Fredericks) — the only mare to win Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky — and Avebury, winner of Burghley a record three times with Andrew Nicholson.
Success for Ramiro B
Sitting at the head of the sire of young horse rankings, for horses aged between four and eight years, is eventing and showjumping sire Ramiro B.
The Calvani-sired stallion jumps up four places from his 2014 ranking after impressive performances from his progeny this year including Angela Hislop’s eight year old Cooley SRS who won the Ballindensik (2) CCI3* and Burnham Market International (1) CIC2* under Oliver Townend.
One of Ramiro B’s most successful offspring Ballynoe Castle RM, now 15 years old, has so far represented the United States of America at two World Equestrian Games and completed five CCI4* events, including a top three finish at the Kentucky Three Day Event in 2014, with Buck Davidson Jr.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.