CONTENDER
The internationally famous Contender, stamm 2472, has over 170 daughters and 23 approved sons. At least 16 offspring have already won in dressage and jumping "S" level competition. In 1996 a Contender offspring sold for 170.000 DM at auction and in 1997 an unapproved son sold for 160.000 DM. His offspring have won over 300.000 DM in prize money.
Contender won his 100 Day Test and is first in his age group for production of successful offspring. From Rossow: "Significant sire with fabulous lines, good expression and great presence. Overall sire of exceptional class. Top conformation. Very well balanced, regular strides...Jumps as his pedigree would dictate with great ability, form and skill. Produce: Really good foals of his type.
COR DE LA BRYERE
Cor de la Bryère is the stallion that revolutionised jumping
horse breeding. His is the name astute breeders like to see, especially on the
mare line for ‘Cord’ tends to give great form over a jump.
His sire – the French Thoroughbred, Rantzau, was bred to be a jumper being a
descendent of the enormously influential Bay Ronald. Rantzau was by Foxlight by
Foxhunter by Foxlaw by Son-In-Law by Dark Ronald by Bay Ronald. A serious
racehorse, Rantzau was third ranked three year old of his year - in nine races
between 2000 and 3000 metres, he won two and was placed five times. Purchased by
the National Stud, he arrived at the stallion depot of Saint-Lô on January 5th,
1951.
By 1964, Rantzau had moved into 3rd place on the ranking of aged sires of
jumping horses, behind Lutteur B and Kenavo D, and the next year he moved into
2nd place with progeny jumping with success all over Europe, and held that
second place until 1969. In 1970 he moved down to third place behind Ibrahim and
Furioso, but the next year he moved into first place on the jumping rankings, as
well as being in 5th place on the sire of eventers rankings - he was even
ranking in the 20s as a sire of dressage horses. As late as 1976, when he had
been dead for five years, Rantzau was still 3rd on the jumping sires rankings,
by 1980 he had moved into 4th place. He remained for many years one of the
leading sires of broodmares.
On the bottom side, Cor de la Bryère was royally bred, out of Quenotte B, by
Lurioso a son of the most influential Precipitation son, Furioso. In French
jumping circles, Furioso had been a sensation, siring the 1964 Olympic gold
medallist, Lutteur B and the world showjumping champion of 1968, Pomone B.
Lurioso was himself a sire of international showjumpers.
Cor de la Bryère almost never made it to the breeding barn. In 1970, the
selection committee of the Haras du Pin visited his owner, Xavier Ribard and
suggested ‘that is not breeding stock, he’s too much of a sport horse. Better
geld him; he’ll make a useful gelding.’
The horse was now on the market – and it just so happened that the Holstein
Association was looking for French blood, having seen the success of Furioso II
and Futuro in Oldenburg. Oldenburg breeder (and showjumping ace) Alwin
Schockemöhle was looking for a stallion star, and leased the Furioso xx son
Urioso – however he was prepared to sub-lease the stallion to the Holstein
Verband. Hence a Holstein inspection committee travelled to France to evaluate
Urioso and in doing so, discovered Cor de la Bryère. Urioso ended up standing
two forgettable seasons in Holstein while ‘Cord’ left an indelible mark on the
Holstein breed, and jumping the world over.
He was not only a sire himself but a sire of sires. The full brothers, Caletto
I, II and III were stars, as were the brother quartet of Calypso I to V. In the
jumping arena, his handsome grey son, Corrado has been a star for Franke
Sloothaak, while Cordalmé Z with Gilbert Böckmann has also been successful at
international level.
RAMIRO Z
Born 1965. Died 1995. 16.3h. Breeder: Paul Bahlmann
ANCESTRY
G. Ramiro Z has become world famous world wide and is duly called the
"Euro-stallion" of his day. Preferent Ramiro descends from the famous male
linage combination Rainmond - Ramzes x - Rittersporn xx. The anglo arabian
Ramzez represents one of the basic blood lines on which Holsteiner breeding has
been founded. Ramzes gave a new dimension to sport horse breeding. Ramiro's dam
is Valine, who acquired international fame as a show jumper by the name of
Corrale under Lutz Gossing. She is a daughter of the reputable thoroughbred
Cottage Son, who became famous through his son Consul. Ramiro's dam is from
linage 776 one of the most valuable Holsteiner female blood lines going back to
Achill and Edelbert.
PERFORMANCE
In 1969 Ramiro was the absolute top stallion of his performance year and was not
only used for breeding but was successfully show jumped. he was ridden by Fritz
Ligges and excelled in his puissance performances, up to 2.2 meters as well as
in competition where speed was essential. Ramiro moved to the Netherlands to
Studbook Zangersheide in 1979, and came to the Netherlands 2 years later. On the
basis of his breeding efforts that had earned him worldwide fame, he was
declared horse of the year at jumping Amsterdam in 1992.
PROGENY
G. Ramiro Z progeny can be described with one word: sublime. He supplied a large
number of stallions approved in the Netherlands and abroad as well as an
impressive series of sport horses. In the Netherlands his sons Almiro,
Armstrong, Bernstein, Dageraad, Damiro, Elmero and Zeoleit were approved. His
daughter the super mare Ratina Z is the dream of the show jumping world, winning
both gold and silver at the Barcelona Olympics and, under her new rider Ludger
Beerbaum, claiming the Volvo World Cup of 1993.
However his products increasingly distinguish themselves in dressage as well.
The Horse Breeding Testing Station Association has gratefully used the sperm
quality and high fertility of G. Ramiro Z, which allowed this association to
play a prominent role in the development of artificial insemination of horses in
this day and age.
ALME Z
The golden bay Anglo-Norman stallion Almé Z is a phenomenon. Without ever having stood at stud in Germany, the 1966 French born Ibrahim son influenced almost all the German warmblood breeds from the Belgian model studfarm of Zangersheide. Before he went to stud in Belgium, he had already performed covering duty at his French home and left inter alia the approved sons Galoubet, I love you and Jalisco, all of whom have played a role in international showjumping. Almé Z was himself a successful international showjumper with Francois Mathy and Johan Heins and transmitted his gift for jumping lavishly to his progeny.
The overwhelming number of Zangersheide products carried the Hanoverian brand. However despite the fact that two of the three Almé Z sons standing in Holstein had Hanoverian dams, the Holstein Association, which otherwise looks askance at any form of extraneous blood, did not hesitate to avail themselves of the Almé Z blood. Almé Z was one of the most significant sires of the twentieth century and most certainly the first who deserves the title of “Euro-stallion”.